Black Panther 2: T'Challa Should Lead SHIELD'S MCU Replacement
T'Challa should lead the MCU's SHIELD's replacement, SWORD, in Black Panther 2. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has come a long way since its launch in 2008, and that's as true in terms of diversity as anything else. 2018's Black Panther was a cultural event, grossing over $1.3 billion in the global box office. Marvel recently confirmed Black Panther 2 is to be released in May 2022.
The first film, written and directed by Ryan Coogler, was heavily influenced by Ta-Nehisi Coates' ongoing run of comics. Coogler is returning for the sequel, and he's taking his time working on the script, determined to create something as thematically rich as the first Black Panther - if not more so. He's certain to continue to draw inspiration from Coates' popular run.
While it's the second installment in a solo character arc of the MCU, it's important to not treat Black Panther 2 as a standalone film. It is part of a shared universe, after all, which means it will still fit into the MCU's overarching narrative, especially after Avengers: Endgame. While much of Phase 4 is still a mystery, some clues have been revealed courtesy of set photos; and they offer tantalizing hints. Here's why Black Panther 2 could include SWORD.
It's looking like SHIELD is being replaced in the MCU by a new organization named SWORD. SHIELD was shut down after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Earth's defenses were catastrophically weakened. As a result, when Thanos came to Earth in Avengers: Infinity War, the divided Avengers were supported only by the armies of Wakanda. They proved tragically insufficient, and Thanos succeeded in his insane goal of rebalancing the universe by erasing half of all living creatures. Matters were put right in Avengers: Endgame, but it's safe to assume humanity learned an important lesson; they needed more than just superheroes.
Enter SWORD. Spider-Man: Far From Home's post-credits scene revealed Fury was stationed at a space station, and set photos from Disney+'s WandaVision TV series have confirmed Teyonah Parris' adult version of Monica Rambeau works for SWORD. Officially they're the "Sentient World Observation and Response Department," and their remit is to protect the world from extraterrestrial problems. SWORD deals with countless races who could easily obliterate Earth, and they tend not to be too concerned about questions of morality. As one of their agents noted, they make Nick Fury's SHIELD look like the boy scouts.
Wakanda has traditionally been an isolationist nation, but at the end of Black Panther King T'Challa changed that, revealing the secrets of their advanced technology to the world. Okoye imagined that may lead to the Olympics taking place in Wakanda sometime (or maybe the opening of a Starbucks); instead, the reclusive African country found itself on the front lines of an alien invasion. In Avengers: Infinity War, Shuri attempted to extract the Mind Stone from Vision's forehead so it could safely be destroyed, but Thanos and the Black Order pursued the Avengers to Wakanda, and they cut a bloody swathe through the nation's army. Even M'Baku recognized this experience would change Wakanda forever.
Scarred after their battle with Thanos' forces, Wakanda would most likely offer strong support for the creation of SWORD - they could even be an important provider of advanced technology to help SWORD conduct their business. In the comics, Vibranium is crucial for the development of space travel; its energy-absorbent properties allow ships to travel at phenomenal speed and absorb dangerous cosmic radiation. Galactic empires covet Vibranium mines, and access to the metal would automatically make SWORD a power player in galactic diplomacy.
This naturally raises the question of just how heavily Wakanda would be involved in the SWORD initiative. If SWORD is to be a success, they're most likely going to need almost unrestricted access to Wakanda's Vibranium reserves, and there's no way T'Challa will allow that without strong supervision. Furthermore, they'd most likely need the support of Wakanda's scientists, who are years ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to harnessing Vibranium's potential. It wouldn't be a surprise to see the entire Wakandan Research Group assigned to work with SWORD, under Shuri's leadership.
But could Black Panther actually be the commander of SWORD? Spider-Man: Far From Home's post-credits scene seemed to imply Nick Fury is involved, but he's been content to serve as a field operative for several years now, so he isn't necessarily in charge. Another popular theory is that Captain Marvel is running the MCU's version of SWORD, based on a comic book story that saw her lead SWORD's successor organization. But Carol Danvers doesn't seem like much of a team player, and she wouldn't have enough political connections on Earth for such a role. Black Panther would be a surprisingly reasonable leader of the organization; a competent field agent who's nonetheless used to command, a political figure who could cultivate relationships with key stakeholders, and a Wakandan with a reasonable understanding of Vibranium's potential - if they were willing to work so closely with the outside world.
This would allow Ryan Coogler to continue to draw loose inspiration from Ta-Nehisi Coates' comic book run, which has actually turned Wakanda into a galactic power. Wakanda traced the path of the Vibranium meteorite, and sent explorers to the distant Vega System in order to acquire it; they encountered a temporal anomaly, and were transported into the past, where they established the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. Coogler probably wouldn't want to reproduce this story vertabim on the big screen; its themes and concepts don't really dovetail particularly well with the MCU's version of Black Panther and Wakanda. Still, the sequel could easily use some of the advanced technology imagined by Coates as part of that story, and most certainly absorb Daniel Acuna's beautiful designs into SWORD.
Meanwhile, the overarching narrative of Black Panther - the idea that Wakanda is taking its first faltering steps into a wider world - would be extended, with Black Panther 2 telling the story of Wakanda's connection to an entire universe.
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