Good Morning POU!
Today’s feature is a fan favorite and I don’t think any of us will miss the cinematic debut for the movie due in 2018!
T’challa (The Black Panther) and the Dora Milaje
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
1st appearance: Fantastic Four #52 (July 1966)
Notes: T’challa is the 1st black superhero in history as well as the first African superhero.
Alias: King T’Challa, King of Wakanda, The Client, His Majesty, Black Leopard, Ukatana, Lucas “Luke” Charles, Coal Tiger, Nubian Prince, The Panther of Wakanda, The Man Without Fear, Mr. Okonkwo, King of the Dead
Team Affiliations: Avengers
Skills and abilities: Accomplished gymnast and acrobat, master of various African martial arts and a world-class fighter. He is an Olympic level athlete in every known field, thus a peak human. Also an expert tracker. T’challa is also one of the ten smartest men in marvel comics and has a genius intellect. He’s also a master strategist and leader.
Powers: When using the heart-shaped herb all his abilities are enhanced to superhuman levels, though he has to ingest the herb every year to maintain this. With the herb his eyes take on a feline appearance and he has a psionic connection to the Panther god Bast.
Technology: Bulletproof Vibranium weave suit. impact-and sound-absorbing Vibranium soled shoes allowing him to walk up walls and leap and land great distances. Retractable Vibranium claws with anti metal vibranium properties allowing him to cut through all other known metals including adamantium. Also energy daggers.
Background: The T’challa, The Black Panther, is descended from a long line of same named warriors who have led Wakandaa technologically advanced African state with a monarchy older than recorded time. As the rightful heir to the throne of Wakanda, T’challa was trained to the peak of human perfection in multiple martial arts forms.
The Black Panther is the ceremonial title given to the chief of the Panther Tribe of the advanced African nation of Wakanda. In addition to ruling the country, he is also chief of its various tribes (collectively referred to as the Wakandas). The Panther habit is a symbol of office (head of state) and is used even during diplomatic missions. The Panther is a hereditary title, but one still must earn it.
In the distant past, a meteorite made of the (fictional) vibration-absorbing mineral vibranium crashed in Wakanda, and was unearthed. Reasoning that outsiders would exploit Wakanda for this valuable resource, the ruler King T’Chaka like his father and other Panthers before him, concealed his country from the outside world. T’Chaka’s first wife N’Yami died while in labor with T’Challa, and his second wife Ramonda was taken prisoner by Anton Pretorius during a visit to her homeland of South Africa, so for most of his childhood T’Challa was raised by his father alone. T’Chaka was murdered by the adventurer Ulysses Klaw in an attempt to seize the vibranium mound. With his people still in danger, a young T’Challa used Klaw’s sound weapon on Klaw and his men, shattering Klaw’s right hand and forcing him to flee.
T’Challa was next in line to be the king of Wakanda and Black Panther, but until he was ready to become the leader of the nation, his uncle S’yan (T’Chaka’s younger brother) successfully passed the trials to become the Black Panther. While on his Wakandan walkabout rite of passage, T’Challa met and fell in love with apparent orphaned teen Ororo Munroe, who would grow up to become the X-Men member Storm. The two broke off their relationship due to his desire to avenge his father’s death and to become the type of man who could suitably lead Wakanda, but they would see each other over the years when they could.
T’Challa earned the title and attributes of the Black Panther by defeating the various champions of the Wakandan tribes. One of his first acts was to disband and exile the Hatut Zeraze—the Wakandan secret police—and its leader, his adopted brother Hunter the White Wolf. He sold off small portions of vibranium to scientific institutions around the world, amassing a fortune which he used to arm himself with advanced technology. Later, to keep peace, he picked dora milaje (“adored ones”) from rival tribes to serve as his personal guard and ceremonial wives-in-training. He then studied abroad for a time before returning to his kingship.
The Dora Milaje (pronounced “dora-meh-LAH-shay”) are the personal bodyguards of the Black Panther, recruited from every tribe of Wakanda. In addition with their protective function, they are also a pool of superior Wakandan women. An ancient tribal tradition, the Dora Milaje were assembled as potential queens for an unmarried king, maintaining the peace in Wakanda by ensuring that every tribe has the opportunity to put forward one of their daughters for the crown. Dora Milaje traditionally speak only in the Hausa dialect, and only to the king or each other.
The Dora Milaje have been around for decades. They even fought the Nazis, Namor and the Invaders during World War II under the command of T’Challa’s grandfather King Azzari the Wise. They are the fiercest and most accomplished female fighting team in the Marvel Universe. There is an elite team of Dora Milaje known as “The Midnight Angels”. They are highly skilled in a specialized form of martial arts, but are also trained in various bladed weapons like swords, spears, nun-chak, bo-staff and more.
Fun Fact: I did not know T’challa was married to Storm (Queen Ororo).
