The Final Shot Of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's Trailer Has MCU Fans All Saying The Same Thing
"Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships, because they knew death was better than bondage."
These were the final words Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) uttered in "Black Panther." After the death of T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman, though, the concept of death in the advanced city of Wakanda is now seen in an all-new light. Fans are eagerly anticipating the sequel to the massively successful first outing, but the franchise's direction has been an open question without the lead actor. Some have even hoped that Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger would be resurrected, redeemed, and given the mantle of Wakanda's legendary protector.
Who the next Black Panther will be remains a mystery, but thankfully, Marvel and director Ryan Coogler have found their direction. As seen in the first trailer for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," the nation will be going to war with Atlantis and their fearsome leader, Namor the Submariner (Tenoch Huerta). It seems clear that the next person to don the mask of the panther will be unrevealed until the movie hits theaters, allowing fan theories to surely develop in the months leading up to the film's release.
There are a number of worthy successors to the mantle. T'Challa's sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright), becomes Black Panther in the comics, so there are certainly canonical reasons for her to assume the legacy. There's also Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), who played a pivotal role in the first film and manages to convince T'Challa to bring Wakanda's contributions to the light.
However, fans have a different idea entirely as to who will be the next Black Panther. It all comes down to one tease at the end of the trailer that has a number of fans speculating a wild twist.
Is this the return of Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger?
Throughout the trailer, fans are treated to scene after scene of colorful costumes, impressive landscapes, and a stellar soundtrack. We get a glimpse of Namor and the forces of Atlantis, as well as a Wakanda clearly reeling over the death of their king, and even a highly anticipated look at the first appearance of Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart (Dominique Thorne). What we don't get is a lot of insight on the mantle of the Black Panther, or who will be wearing the suit ... until the end of the trailer, where the newest protector of Wakanda is seen from behind on a beach, ready for battle.
The most telling part of the scene, perhaps, is not that we see who is in the suit, but the suit itself — as one of the small details noted by fans online is that this newest look has the gold trim and stylings of Killmonger's suit, in contrast to the shades previously worn by T'Challa, which were more purple. While there's currently a lot of back and forth on Twitter about whether the person in the suit has a masculine frame or a feminine one, @ismaRv10 posted an image of Eric Killmonger's "Black Panther" suit with a striking resemblance.
In response to the scene in the trailer, @thejaguarmx just said simply, "Please be Michael B. Jordan." Others agreed, with fellow fan @ValarMorDollars proposing the notion that if Killmonger's final wish were honored, perhaps Namor found his body in the ocean, and revived him.
Not everyone agrees, of course, with many believing that the suited figure is Shuri, including @underooswebsss, who writes, "Shuri as new Black Panther and she will slay." Still, a fair number of fans believe or wish it to be the triumphant return of Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger.
"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" hits theaters on November 11.