Black Panther introduced Marvel fans to one of the most intelligent villains in the entire MCU, Erik Killmonger. The warrior portrayed by Michael B. Jordan believed that Wakanda needed to utilize their reasources and weapons with the world in order to change the status quo. Thankfully, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) was there to stop him, but not before Killmonger proved that he was one of the best villains the Marvel Cinematic Universe had ever seen. Michael B. Jordan is back on the big screen now thanks to Sinners, which reunited him with director Ryan Coogler for yet another spectacular adventure. But before they changed the game with horror, the pair shifted the MCU in a major way with one character. Here are three reasons why Erik Killmonger proved that he was the best villain in the MCU with only one appearance.
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1) He Had a Compelling Argument
Erik Killmonger arrived in Wakanda after spending years living around the globe. In his time away from his home country, the warrior learned how to fight and organize an army. When he was old enough to confront his cousin, Erik decided to come back for a showdown that would define the future of Wakanda. What T’Challa didn’t expect to confront once he crossed paths with Erik was the fact that Killmonger had a compelling argument. The antagonist wanted to use Wakanda’s military to free people who lived under oppression. While Killmonger wanted a violent approach to the situation, was he really in the wrong when trying to change power dynamics all over the world?
Of course, since T’Challa was actually the hero of Black Panther, it made sense for the King of Wakanda to subdue his kin. T’Challa also made sure to share Wakanda’s knowledge without allowing his military technology to fall into the wrong hands. Ulysses Klaw (Andy Serkis) had already proved that plenty of bad people out there wanted to control some of Wakanda’s Vibranium. Killmonger’s plan would’ve likely given more villains the possibility to use the precious element. But out of all the villains who wanted to achieve something in the MCU, Killmonger was the only one who at least made a point when trying to convince T’Challa to join his cause.
2) He Knew How to Get Under T’Challa’s Skin
There was a special connection between T’Challa and Killmonger that wasn’t present in other MCU rivalries, the pair were cousins. Killmonger’s legacy was stolen from him because of his father’s mistakes, while T’Challa was already struggling with the legacy he was leaving as the King of Wakanda. This wasn’t some random soldier trying to steal Wakanda’s resources. Killmonger was a broken man dealing with the consequences of a conflict he wasn’t even a part of.
The strength of this connection became even more apparent when Namor was introduced in the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Atlantis mirrored Wakanda because they were also a powerful nation that had decided to remain hidden. But there wasn’t a deep connection between Shuri (Letitia Wright) and her rival that could make the climax of the movie as powerful as the one from the first Black Panther. T’Challa wanted to agree with Killmonger, despite all his flaws. He was certain that, under different circumstances, he and his cousin could’ve been good friends. Erik was cemented as a timeless villain because he made his counterpart care about him, a luxury most action villains can’t afford.
3) He Genuinely Wanted to Help Wakanda
In his own, twisted way, Erik Killmonger wanted to see Wakanda thriving as a powerful nation. The only real problem with the land under the Black Panther’s protection was how they opted to stay hidden from the outside world. Michael B. Jordan’s character believed that if the country’s resources could be used to save others, the world would be a better place. Unfortunately for his cause, Killmonger chose violence over the kind approach T’Challa eventually implemented. Thanks to Killmonger’s mentality, Wakanda was of great help during the events of Avengers: Infinity War. The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes might’ve been doomed if it wasn’t for the equipment and soldiers provided by Wakanda once Thanos (Josh Brolin) made his way to our planet.
Erik Killmonger made such a big mark on the MCU, he couldn’t be contained by one movie, and naturally returned for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Shuri wanted to be reunited with her brother at a key point of the movie, but the Wakandan afterlife only showed her what remained of her cousin. The justification behind his appearance was rooted in how Shuri had the same vengeful spirit that sent Killmonger to his death. Even if the most important family in Wakanda didn’t agree with what Killmonger had to say, it was obvious that the villain’s motivations struck a chord with the Black Panther. The MCU needs more villains like Erik Killmonger.
Black Panther & Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are both streaming on Disney+.
