Marvel Studios has yet to reveal who ruled Wakanda between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, but there’s a clear choice for who Black Panther 2 should reveal to have led the kingdom. After Thanos snapped half of all life across the universe out of existence, the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed in a number of ways. While Avengers: Endgame explored what Earth was like five years after The Snap, there was almost no focus on Wakanda.
The fictional African nation suffered losses just like the rest of the world, but Wakanda had a massive void to fill with the loss of its king. T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) was one of the snap victims at the end of Infinity War, and who would replace him became a hot topic of conversation afterward. Many theorized Shuri (Letitia Wright) would take the throne and become the new Black Panther, just as she has done in the comics. However, this was later confirmed to be impossible, as Shuri was an off-screen casualty of the snap. Despite providing this piece of information, Endgame didn’t reveal anything else about the state of Wakanda after the snap, or who has been on the throne for the last five years.
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Without T’Challa or Shuri around, someone had to lead Wakanda for the last half-decade, and they seemed to do a decent job. The brief glimpse at Wakanda at the end of Endgame made it look as though the country was still in relatively good condition, all things considered. Since Endgame didn’t provide any other clues in regards to Wakanda’s leadership, this has remained a lingering question that the MCU needs to answer. The best bet is that Black Panther 2 will provide an explanation and reveal who ruled Wakanda over this time – and we have a theory on who it should it be.
The Best Candidates to Rule Wakanda During Endgame
Based on which characters the MCU has already introduced, there would be a number of qualified candidates to lead Wakanda in T’Challa’s absence. One of the options would likely be Okoye (Dania Gurira). As the leader of the Dora Milaje, Okoye has an undying loyalty to Wakanda. This position of power also keeps her informed on the latest developments in the country and gives her strong support from the army. Okoye was also selected to be part of the Avengers team post-snap led by Black Widow. Although her brief role in Endgame didn’t indicate this was because she was the active ruler of Wakanda, it is not difficult to imagine this being the case.
Another obvious candidate to rule Wakanda during this time is M’Baku (Winston Duke). He has leadership experience through his time with the Jabari Tribe, and even though he previously attempted to take the throne from T’Challa, the two have since become allies. If Wakanda elected to choose their new leader through the Warrior Falls ritual, M’Baku’s strength and newfound respect from T’Challa could make him the defacto choice. Endgame also didn’t show what he was up to before the final battle, so he could’ve been on the throne this whole time.
Instead of potentially bringing someone outside of the Royal Family to Wakanda’s throne, it is also possible that Ramonda (Angela Bassett) could’ve taken over. She is the last known member of the family and is highly respected, so her ruling after the disappearance of her children makes sense. Ramonda also has decades of experience being involved in Wakanda’s politics and hierarchy, but her bloodline is what ultimately could’ve brought her the crown.
It should also be mentioned that it is possible no one was given complete power over Wakanda during this time or that the person who did take over is someone the MCU hasn’t introduced yet. This could be why Endgame didn’t reveal the current political state of Wakanda. If writer-director Ryan Coogler wants a new villain for Black Panther 2 that served this role, Endgame would not be the right time to reveal such information.
Why M’Baku Is The Most Logical Leader
If the ruler of Wakanda between Infinity War and Endgame is someone that the MCU has already introduced, then M’Baku is the most logical choice. His ability as a leader of a small tribe could be transferred to ruling an entire nation, but he’s already shown the necessary characteristics of a king. When T’Challa was thought to be dead in Black Panther, M’Baku and the Jabari easily could’ve let him die and use this as an opportunity to retake control of Wakanda. However, M’Baku did what was best for Wakanda at that time and aligned himself with T’Challa against Killmonger’s rule.
Putting the needs of the nation above his own is one reason why M’Baku would make for a great king, but he is also the best fit to lead Wakanda at this specific time. Not only did Wakanda lose half of its population like the rest of the world, but their losses were even greater after the was against the Outriders. The city was under attack and the losses stacked up. With the snap taking both T’Challa and Shuri away, Wakanda would suddenly be without two of its brightest minds. The country’s reliance on technology and Vibranium is exactly what M’Baku and the Jabari Tribe were raised to oppose. At a time when the country could be in chaos, M’Baku could help return Wakanda closer to its roots.
What This Could Mean For Black Panther 2
If M’Baku is revealed as the person who ruled Wakanda between Infinity War and Endgame, this could lead to him being the main villain of Black Panther 2 just as Duke wants to see. Although he could decide to relinquish the crown, there is the chance that he could believe that he’s done a better job as king than T’Challa. If he is able to help Wakanda after the snap, some percentage of the population might even prefer M’Baku continues to rule. After all, T’Challa’s last action as king was opening Wakanda’s doors to the Avengers and bringing a war to their homeland, so those who want the country to go back to the way it used to be could contend M’Baku is a better fit as their king.
While this would rule out Namor or Doctor Doom being the villain as fans have widely hoped for, M’Baku challenging T’Challa for the throne is a more interesting dynamic. There is a pre-established history and relationship between them that would give more weight to them now being at odds. This could give Black Panther 2 a story focused around Wakanda’s internal struggle for power and not them being at war once again with an outside threat. Instead, Coogler could turn Black Panther 2‘s focus on a divided nation – which is the type of idea that Coogler could be interested in exploring in a major blockbuster.
On a character level, M’Baku becoming the villain of Black Panther 2 also gives the breakout character a prominent role in the sequel. Fans quickly took to M’Baku in Black Panther but there isn’t as obvious of a role for him in the sequel as others. He would likely only receive a supporting role as someone who helps T’Challa, but M’Baku probably wouldn’t be central to the plot. In this case, M’Baku would have potentially the second-largest role in Black Panther 2 and give the film a villain audiences are already familiar with.
- Black Widow (2020)Release date: May 01, 2020
- Eternals (2020)Release date: Nov 06, 2020
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)Release date: Feb 12, 2021
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2021)Release date: May 07, 2021
- Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 (2021)Release date: Jul 16, 2021
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2021)Release date: Nov 05, 2021
- Black Panther 2 (2022)Release date: May 06, 2022
