Black Panther & I [Semi-spoilers? Just be careful, please].

Alright so I'm here to talk about Marvel's Black Panther. There's only going to be semi-spoilers, I'll put up a warning like this : [SPOILERS] for anything in particular so you can just skip ahead or read if you're one of those people that don't mind spoilers, just read away.

So I gotta say, this is by far one of the best films Marvel has made. Ever. There's so many different things about it that made it so enjoyable to watch, and I'm unashamed to say Thursday will be the 3rd time I'm watching the film.
But what makes it so good?

DISCLAIMER: This is about the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) so will not be focusing on the comics canon.

A little Background:

You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at me, but I come from mixed heritage. When most people look at me they see someone of white history, a European. And while I'm not denying that I get treated as a white person instead of the mixed person I am, it actually becomes rather annoying when it comes to a topic I am very interest in: Identity. I have a British passport, yes, but it is stated where I was born - Zimbabwe which is a little country in Southern Africa (Southern, not South Africa. That's a country on its own.) only recently freed from its tyrant of a leader. Yes I was born there but when I was very young, 3-5 years old, we moved because my parents knew my sister and I weren't safe there. Neither of us took the same colour of our father, and that made us white, it made us different.

So I've grown up in England for most of my life and you might then say, well, she's just English then. But when someone calls me British and assumes I'm English, that irritates me. It takes away a part of my heritage I already feel like I have to cling onto because of the colour of my skin. Consider if I engaged in any of the culture on my father's side, the hairstyles, the clothes, the languages, things I do not do because I worry that people would call me racist or god forbid, white washing a culture they assume I do not belong to. Ironically enough it is my mother whom I know most about parts of African culture from and she too is 'British'. The opposite to me, she was born in England and moved over to Africa when she was a child, but she doesn't consider herself English either.

To have someone ask little me when I was in primary school (about 7 years old) why I was white if I was from Africa  you, Mean Girls, there's only so much a child is able to answer with. I didn't know what to say at first. The older, cynical me has found an answer in telling people now that my parents had too much fun and added too much milk when they were "making" me. But to that graduate to people saying I was adopted because my aunt and father are of colour - that's when its not okay. Since then I've met slightly more adult people who are just a bit perplexed at how I'm white if one of my biological parents is not. But I've had more people, while still too little, notice that my individual features are not that of a European decent on its own - and they're right. My hair is not straight, it has kinks and curls, and I have that framing of "baby hair" that never grows more than the short curls they stubbornly stay in unless you smooth them out. I have my father's hands, his eyelashes (interesting bit of information: men's eyelashes (in the Africa centric countries) tend to be longer than women's), and even my nose - its not angled and long and delicate or petite. Its a button nose but it almost looks a little out of place when put on my face or you stare too long. I am a child of two sides of the same coin, I have more to me than what you can see on the surface and that's important.

But what's this gotta do with the film?

History Of A Fictional Nation: Wakanda is a fictional nation in Africa. It is more central and incorporates a lot of the traditions and culture from the surrounding countries.

[SPOILERS]
The country of Wakanda has been ruled by kings since the tribes had stopped fighting among one another and agreed to follow the lead of the Black Panther. These kings are protectors and are enhanced with the help of a special plant that gives them superhuman abilities, but the kings are always chosen without that aid so it is all fair fights and you prove yourself on your own two feet. Ironically, Wakanda is the most technologically advanced country in the whole world but has stayed hidden for generations as the outside world has always known war, distrust and carnage.

We were first introduced to T'Challa in Civil War where he watched him lose his father, T'Chaka in an explosion at the UN. As his father's chosen successor, T'Challa became the new Black Panther and we get to see in his stand alone film the affect his father's death has had on him. I think T'Challa had one of the biggest developments in his characterisation during Civil War, as we see him go from son to king and from a man looking for revenge and initially siding with Stark, to realising that everything was not as it seemed. He forgave the man who killed his father, stopped him from killing himself and even took Steve and Bucky into Wakanda to give them protection and help where needed (i.e new shield and arm - can I get a shout out for that Infinity War trailer?).

Black Panther deals with a nation that's able to help the world, or to at least begin, but when that means possibly risking the safety of your own people, what is more important then? The film asked a lot of hard questions for an audience to try and answer themselves.

Accuracy & Incorporation: I've already mentioned how I've turned far more cynical, and while I think that is just a part of live and will inevitably happen, just at different levels, it was good to see the kind of person I have evolved from. I used to want to be a game ranger (someone that drives around a 4x4 and looks after the welfare of animals in national parks, not zoos, national parks. Big, open bits of land with animals like lions, elephants, hyenas and so on living in), so I naturally gravitated towards studies of geography and environmental studies. I studied geography right up to college and through college, environmental studies I picked up but sadly failed no matter how many times I tried and retried. But geography was important, I wanted to help the world, the animals in particular and had a bit of a burning hate for those who disregarded it. But they miss something out when they encourage you to take the subject - its depressing. You learn about how the world is torn up and battered and bruised, the animals take a backseat despite being so important to our own survival, and we, people, humans do it on a daily basis. Needless to say, I gave up geography after college, I didn't want to pursue it any more.

However, in Black Panther I was left crying as the end credits rolled (not just because I was waiting for the easter eggs either). Why? Because a film had just smacked in my face the reminder that I had turned my back on a battle I felt was too hard to keep on fighting as part of. I was reminded of a younger me who was full of hope and wonder and believed she could make a difference before a mix of the world crushing that and myself crushing that dream had happened, and it hurt, but it felt good. I was filled with a sense of hope, as well as a longing for a home I feel like I can't claim (Africa) and there really aren't a lot of films that do that any more.

But for somewhat happier stuff that had me laughing and giving a good chuckle! Black Panther was chocked full of references to shared identities and cultures from people within Africa.

[SPOILERS]

For example, Nakia was seen driving a car with no shoes on during a chase scene in Busan, South Korea. They took the time to make sure that that shot of her foot on the pedal, bare foot no less, was there for you to see and take notice of. Driving bare foot in Africa is very common and just something that you kinda expect people to do, whereas in the UK, for example, it is illegal to do such a thing. Or how when Everett was brought in, Shuri joked about "Another broken white boy to fix". Sadly there wasn't a single chuckle about the audience when I saw the film for the second time last night, I suppose some might have thought this a bit of a racial slur, or perhaps people were too afraid to laugh - perhaps even offended. Who knows. Even in the trailer when we see the dog barking at the tree, you always, always look up in the trees when in Africa. Its were the big cats like to lounge about, you know, big cats like... panthers. But there were so many moments that stood out to callbacks of an African nature and it was just brilliant.

The film still manages to include jokes from the western world too. For example, there was Shuri with her "WHAT ARE THOOOOOOOOOOOSE?" reference from what is now, a super old Vine. Shuri (T'Challa's little sister) is the perfect blend of tradition and a step forward into the future. For those of you who do not know, she is only 16 years of age and responsible for heading the tech of Wakanda, tech that has brought us the Black Panther suit, completely bullet proof, Captain's shield and so much more that you get see in the film.

I'm happy to see representation of more black people, and coming from all over parts of Africa too (click HERE for a cool insight at the different tribes incorporated into the film), especially as people of power and with a lot of them being women. But what about the us in between? What about the ones of us that look like the white people, but we're part of both words? Black Panther addressed that, and while it made my heart ache, it gave me hope. We forget that superhero films are supposed to do that, inspire us. Take or instance a child watching these films, or just a young, impressionable being, you want them to be impacted in a positive way, you want them to walk away from the film having felt something and feeling like they themselves wanted to make a change.

The Characters: [SPOILERS] I could honestly go on and on about all of the characters, but here's my top few choices:

• T'Challa: The new kind of Wakanda. He is a good man, and as his father warned, its hard for a good man to be a king. One of my favourite things about T'Challa is how when he is told to surround himself with people he trusts, his inner circle of support is made up of women. Women he respects, from the leader of the Dora Milaje, to the Queen Mother, to his love interest Nakia (whom he respects her decision and need to put work above a relationship, btw), to his little sister Shuri whom he trusts to put in those high positions of power and to keep him safe, to trust in her technology to help him protect Wakanda. Marvel has not let me down, and neither has Chadwick with his representation of T'Challa and the amount of development he has had in just two films.
• Erik Killmonger: Superhero films need a good villain otherwise they can potentially flop. Michael definitely did not flop as Killmonger. Major spoilers ahead because this character spoke to me the most, so if you don't want, move on! Okay so, Michael is a lost child. Of Wakandan decent, he was born and raised in America, hard streets, so rough he as a child was willing to admit and knew that death out there just... happens, its a part of life. When Killmonger gets to visit his ancestral plane, there is only his father waiting for him and it is not like the plane T'Challa got to see:

• (cont.) You see the panthers in the tee? This scene was so beautiful for so many reasons. While we have a rugged landscape of Africa, with the umbrella thorn acacia tree and the night sky, deep purple and blues with the tall wispy grass... and yes, the panthers in the tree. There are a fair few of them, and there might be more in trees a little further away, but the ones in this tree are the previous Black Panthers of Wakdanda - this is history, literally lounging around in a tree and waiting for T'Challa to some day join them. But when Killmonger visits his ancestral plane, despite being of Wakandan decent, there is no one but his father waiting for him in a small, dingy apartment that whilst it had signs of home, of Africa, that was nothing compared to what T'Challa got to go and experience. So why is this such a big deal to me? Because Killmonger is the same as me and so many others forgotten in the middle. We might not be villains, but we can be people hurting and created by those who were supposed to be the loving and kind ones, showing you a place in the world. Killmonger is a representation of a child lost, harmed, and the world having taken everything from him. He is a monster of Wakanda's own making and that's the saddest thing - all he ever wanted was a sense of home and acceptance.
• Okoye: How much more badass can someone get, you ask? As mentioned previously, this woman is the leader of the Dora Milaje and is unapologetic for the things she must do to serve and protect the throne of Wakanda. Usually we see in films how when there is a decision to be made between love or work, the woman or female characters will almost always choose their love over their own prospects. But Okoye doesn't, she makes it clear that she is here for her country and if that means disarming her lover physically, then she'll damn well do it. This was perhaps a risky move, especially when we see Klaue echoing possible responses, that Wakandans are savages and deserve nothing better, but Okoye (and thanks to Danai's portrayal and Coogler's direction), just comes out looking stronger and more respectable than ever.
• Shuri: Already mentioned before, Shuri is the perfect combination of tradition as well as the new world. She has one foot in the past and one in the future and this makes her relatable for the younger audience coming from similar backgrounds. Africa or whatever continent, a lot of children will notice the struggle that can happen between ourselves and our parents, a certain uncomfortable rift where technology is concerned. But rather than a struggle or fight between tradition and future, Shuri manages to combine the two together to have a better outcome for both her brother and Wakanda. Shuri leaves you feeling comfortable, happy and is such a delight to see on the big screen, I can't wait to see how she's helped the Avengers for Infinity War and possibly laughed at Tony's tech.

A Story To Be Heard & Finishing Words: There's honestly so much more that I could say about the film. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface for the amount of things this made me think of let alone feel. I hope this film inspires black lives, I hope this film makes those who are not from the continent of Africa or perhaps do not know as much to feel comfortable enough to ask and to engage, to want to learn more. I hope this film makes those like me feel comforted in a way, no matter how small, I want people to see that we have all been represented here and that its something to be proud of. I want the people of the world to stand up for this film and to not only applaud it but to embrace it and be proud of what has been done. It might be perfect, nothing is, but this film is making history and I genuinely hope everyone sees it at least once.

Black Panther is a story Marvel haven't been able to tell yet, but there has been no better timing like now and I'm so happy to be part of this. Thursday will be the 3rd time I'm seeing this glorious film and I'm not ashamed. Not one bit.  Remember, your family is important, your friends and the bonds you make are just as important and those origins that make you, you... be proud of them. It doesn't matter if you're half or how mixed you are or even fully just one nation, be proud and be inspired to try and make a small difference in the world. Black Panther is groundbreaking, seeing its audience touched is the very least it deserves.

To all those who read this: Sorry for the typos or jumbled points and thoughts, I just needed to get this out somewhere, maybe I'll write more at some point. But for now, I'm done. Thank you.

P.S The soundtrack is amazing. Have two of my favourite songs:

Kendrick Lamar ft. SZA - All The stars
The Weeknd ft. Kendrick Lamar - Pray For Me