T'Challa a.k.a. the Black Panther[24] is the head of state for the African nation of Wakanda, the most technologically advanced country on Earth. In this role, he was the King/Chieftain, religious leader, and commander-in-chief all rolled into one.[25] He is also considered among the top intellects in the world.[26] Using Wakanda's advanced Vibranium technology and his own abilities and fortune, he pledged his life to the service of all humankind.[27] He would go on to become a prominent member of the Avengers,[28] and eventually become leader of the team.[29]
History:
Early Life
T'Challa was the first biological son of T'Chaka, king of the African nation of Wakanda, a secluded technologically advanced country that contained the only source of the rare ultra-durable metal known as Vibranium. His mother, N'Yami, died a week after giving birth to her son as a consequence of a rare autoimmune disease she had contracted during pregnancy.[30] T'Challa's adopted older brother, Hunter, blamed him for her death.[31]
T'Challa was taught the properties of Vibranium when he was still a kid, and his lessons in royal duty began at age five. When he accompanied his father on border inspection for the first time, T'Challa got lost, but was found by outsider explorer Ramonda. After meeting T'Chaka, Ramonda remained in Wakanda and became a mother to T'Challa. He became the reason why Ramonda decided to stay in the country, and she ended up marrying T'Chaka.
During a ceremony held in the border of Wakanda, T'Chaka was approached by physicist Ulysses Klaw, who attempted to petition for the mining rights of the nation's rare metal called Vibranium. Klaw was backed up by a group of mercenaries, who opened fire as soon as T'Chaka refused. When Klaw's sonic weapon overwhelmed his father, T'Challa ran to his aid. Klaw prepared to kill the young prince instead, but T'Chaka shielded him, and died. After Klaw was disarmed by Zuri, T'Challa took his sonic blaster and maimed the invader's right hand, forcing him to retreat.[30] Not long afterwards, Ramonda left Wakanda abruptly. Only decades later did T'Challa learn she had been kidnapped and brought back to her native South Africa.[32]
When T'Challa was a teen, he was sent on the Wakandan rite of passage to roam the land. He saved a young orphan girl named Ororo Munroe from kidnappers, who then later used her mutant powers to control the weather to take out the same would-be kidnappers and killers when they came for him. The pair shared a romance and spent much time together, however, T'Challa's duties as a prince prevented them from further exploring their burgeoning mutual attraction.[33][34][35]
As a young man, T'Challa traveled to America[36] and Europe for school. B'Tumba, his childhood friend, was sent by his father N'Baza to study alongside him. While in the US T'Challa used the alias "Luke Charles" to remain incognito. It was during this time that he met another student Nicole Adams and the two had a short romance.[14] Another student, Kamal Rakim, was angered T'Challa was dating a white person and attacked the two. T'Challa was forced to defend himself and Nicole, easily taking down Kamal and his gang.[36] A similar incident would come up while meeting his future ally & fellow hero whom originally went by Carl Lucas. The two would get into a brief fight as the latter & his gangbanger buddies tried to rob him, ending when Lucas didn't like how T'Challa used a falsie alias, but took interest in the name 'Luke' irregardless. The former ruffian relenting as they exchanged good advice between themselves but refusing to shake Luke's hand when the college boy offered it in friendship.[37] He gained a Ph.D. in Physics from Oxford University.[27] Being bested at every sport and every endeavor, B'Tumba grew jealous and turned to A.I.M., plotting revenge against T'Chaka's son.[38]
Return to Wakanda:
T'Challa came back to perform his duties in his tribe to become a man to lead the country. He was sent to find the sacred Heart-Shaped Herb, whilst searching he was captured by A.I.M., B'Tumba was ordered to execute his friend, but since he couldn't do it, he freed T'Challa and joined him in battling the A.I.M. soldiers. During the combat, B'Tumba was fatally wounded, and after A.I.M. retreated, he apologized to Black Panther before dying.[38]
Two years before it was expected, T'Challa anonymously challenged his uncle S'Yan for the throne,[39] and upon victory gained the mantle of the Black Panther from him. S'Yan happily stepped down, so his nephew could rule.[40] T'Challa then took a Heart-Shaped Herb to link himself to Bast, the Panther God. The herb also enhanced the new king, making him almost superhuman. As one of his first acts as King, T'Challa excommunicated his adopted brother, Hunter. As the White Wolf, Hunter had decades earlier assumed leadership of the Hatut Zeraze ("Dogs of War"), zealous patriots who acted as the Wakandan Secret Police, performing acts of sedition, counterintelligence, and assassination against the countries presumed enemies. T'Challa would not be a king who tolerated such actions, and so he officially disbanded the Hatut Zeraze, although in reality the Dogs and Hunter merely left Wakanda to operate on their own abroad.[31]
Being King continued to bring up new difficulties when a tribal war commenced in Wakanda. T'Challa was forced to take sides in the war, choosing Dora Milaje over the Jabari Tribe for his secret service agents as well as his harem. The more Wakanda became a technological global power, the more T'Challa realized the threats of the outside world.[41]
Encountering the Fantastic Four
While developing nuclear weaponry inside Wakanda, he began to invite super-powered people to his country, beginning with the Fantastic Four.[24] Although, once he found out what kind of people they were, T'Challa saw them as allies as well as friends. They helped T'Challa defeat Klaw without taking his life.[42] In thanks, he played baseball with his new American friends.[43] T'Challa later sent a missile from Wakanda to the Baxter Building, piercing the barrier. Inside, Reed removed the vibranium bands which he had radioed the Black Panther to send to him. Reed then used them to beat Klaw into submission. After the battle, Reed radioed T'Challa to thank him for helping them out.[44] T'Challa witnessed Doctor Doom travel the globe with the Silver Surfer's stolen cosmic power.[45]
T'Challa led an army to Panther Island in a battle against the Inhumans. He realized that they have mutual allies and that Black Bolt brought the Inhumans because he sensed danger. Investigating, they came across the Psycho-Man's base and had to fight off his defenses. They found themselves overwhelmed and so they had Lockjaw bring the Fantastic Four to the Psycho-Man's base to turn the tide. There they battled their way to Psycho-Man, who revealed to them that he came from the Microverse and that he intended to take over this world with a giant emoto-caster weapon. Psycho-Man was subdued by all the heroes and Black Panther questioned him, only to find that he was actually a robot piloted by a tiny being.[46]
Joining the Avengers
Black Panther, under the identity of "Luke Charles", teamed up with Captain America to battle Baron Zemo.[1] After defeating him Cap asked Black Panther to join the Avengers.[16]
With the team he battled the Grim Reaper,[28] the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants,[47] the Masters of Evil[48] led by Ultron-5,[49] Scarlet Centurion,[50] he even time traveled back to World War II,[51] he helped take down the Vision, Ultron's latest creation,[52] who later joined the team.[53] He fought also Yellowjacket,[54] the Circus of Crime,[55] and Surtur with Ymir.[56]
Confronting the Man-Ape
Black Panther and his allies traveled to Wakanda. There, they were greeted by an army of Wakandan troops who attacked the other Avengers with guns until Black Panther stopped them. When asking them who authorized them to carry such weapons, they told the Panther that it was his chosen stand-in M'Baku that gave the order. Angered, Black Panther called M'Baku to him. Having dinner, M'Baku explained that he ordered the troops to carry weapons because he had heard reports that Klaw was back in Wakanda. During their meal, Black Panther and his comrades were knocked out because M'Baku had drugged their food in hopes of taking over the nation of Wakanda. Waking, Black Panther found himself in costume, faced with M'Baku who was dressed as a white gorilla, a forbidden outfit in Wakanda. Calling himself the Man-Ape, M'Baku explained that he would kill T'Challa, take over the kingdom, and have everyone worship the white gorilla instead of the panther god. A battle waged on through the village of Wakanda, taking them to the atomic fire pits that power the small nation. Then the Man-Ape almost fell into the pit, but Black Panther grabbed him. As he was pulling up his foe, the Man-Ape attacked and knocked him out. Later, T'Challa awoke strapped to an altar beneath the Panther Idol. Man-Ape then attempted to knock the statue onto the Black Panther in an effort to kill him and destroy the idol. Meanwhile, the other Avengers came to and broke out of their prison cell. The Man-Ape's plan backfired, as his efforts to knock down the statue caused it to crumble and fall on top of him while the Avengers freed T'Challa from his restraints. With T'Challa free and the Man-Ape apparently deceased, the battle was declared over.[57]
Back at home, T'Challa battled Egghead, Puppet Master, and the Mad Thinker,[58] ultimately defeating the trio of villains,[59] then the team battled Egghead and the Swordsman.[60] Panther and the team mourned the reported death of Captain America.[61][62] He battled Ultron-6,[63] Kang the Conqueror[64] and the Squadron Sinister in the present[65] and in the distant future.[66]
Sons of the Serpent
On a trip back to New York from Wakanda, T'Challa learned that the Sons of the Serpent had been targeting prominent black people in the city. After outspoken singer Monica Lynne expressed her opinion about the Sons on the Serpents on Dan Dunn show, she becomes their next target. The Serpents' activities attracted the attention of the Avengers, who recounted their previous encounter with the group to the Vision. When Monica Lynne was attacked by the Serpents, she was saved by Black Panther. She later appeared on the Dan Dunn show once more to continue to air her opinion about the Serpents which made her more of a target. When the Avengers planned to protect her, the Panther stopped them, deciding that he would protect the musician by himself. Approaching Lynne, the Black Panther asked her not to appear on television again the following night, a request she refused. The Panther spent the rest of the night stalking the city searching for members of the Sons of the Serpent. When he found one member, he took him out and stole his uniform and slipped aboard their shuttle craft. He was soon taken to their base, a giant mechanical serpent hidden beneath the sea. However, there the Black Panther's cover was blown, and he was unmasked by the Serpents who hold him at gunpoint.[67] The Avengers were alerted to a string of crimes that were apparently being caused by the Black Panther, which the Sons of the Serpent were using to fuel racial tensions in the city, by promising to unmask the Panther on national television, and expose his criminal nature. This caused the city to become split over the issue of race and tensions on the Dan Dunn show explode. The Avengers, seeking to get to the bottom of things, tracked down and battle the "Black Panther", who managed to distract the Avengers and escape. While recouping back at Avengers Mansion, they soon saw on television that the Sons of the Serpent have "captured" Black Panther and were about to unmask him on television. The Avengers rushed to the station and battle the Sons of the Serpent. When the real Black Panther was freed, he revealed that the Black Panther "unmasked" by the Serpents was really an impostor. The masterminds behind the Sons of the Serpent were unmasked and revealed to be Dan Dunn and Montague Hale. It turned out their racism was an act intended to stir up hatred and violence that they could use to gain power. Although Hale was using "Black America" for his own ends, Monica Lynne and T'Challa point out that even though the leader was wrong, the cause was still right. They each admit that they have found a new purpose.[68]
The team battled Arkon[69] and his soldiers[70] and the Split-Second Squad.[14] The team also battled the Hulk,[71] the Lethal Legion[72] (in which Man-Ape was a member),[73] and the Zodiac Cartel[74] led by Taurus.[75] The battle with Zodiac continued,[76] and they faced the Masters of Evil again this time led by Klaw.[77] Arkon returned.[78] They battled the Squadron Supreme,[79][80] and Psyklop.[81]
Thunderbolts Gang
Black Panther and Daredevil teamed up again after witnessing a crash where the driver was only a teenager. The two rushed the boy to the hospital. Black Panther explained that he was investigating the criminal activities of a local gang of African American youths known as the Thunderbolts, which had been recruiting members from the kids that he taught in his civilian guise of Luke Charles. The group itself was anti-establishment and was under the belief that the "white man" was the cause of their ills and believed that violence and theft was the only way to get out from under the perception of oppression. Daredevil also learned that the boy he saved (Lonnie) had an older brother Billy who had infiltrated the group. Daredevil teamed up with Black Panther to break up the group, and with the help of Billy, they broke it up and turned them over to police. Billy then went to check on his brother at the hospital and Daredevil and Black Panther decided to treat themselves to a Coke for a job well done.[82]
Doctor Doom
When Doctor Doom, the ruler of Latveria, learned of the existence of Vibranium, he searched for the small African nation with a mechanical eagle. He used a tunneling device to travel to Wakanda but caused seismic disturbances that rattled the nation. The people called for T'Challa, who returned home to help. He found Doom trying to repair a malfunction in his device. He attacked the Latverian unaware and grabbed his weapons.[83] Doom called his bluff, knowing that the Panther would not shoot an unarmed man. Unfortunately for the Panther, Doom really was armed and felled him with an energy blast from his gauntlet. He then had two of his men shackle the Black Panther while he continued repairing his tunneling device. His men became worried about their leader's obsession with power. T'Challa escaped and got in front of the Great Mound of Vibranium, threatening to destroy them all by blasting the volatile substance. Now at a stalemate, Doom retreated back to Latveria.[84]
T'Challa was rescued by Ben and Johnny from the racist nation of Rudyarda.[5] Back with the Avengers he battled Kratos[85]. He helped protect Daredevil's identity by impersonating him in front of the media.[2] He fought the Savage Land Mutates and the Space Phantoms, who had teamed up with the Grim Reaper.[86] They fought the Champion and Magneto.[87] Black Panther and the team tried to recruit Daredevil into the Avengers.[88]
Lion God
During a protest at the Avengers Mansion about T'Challa living in the US, the protesters burst in and attacked the Avengers. A news reporter demanded that T'Challa come with him and T'Challa bowed in reverence. It was revealed that the reporter was actually the Lion God in disguise. He was there to bring the Panther home. In Africa, T'Challa was shackled as his prisoner while he planned to destroy the Panther God. They returned to New York and the god attacked the Avengers, but Thor took him out with a lightning bolt and he vanished. He survived to plot his revenge.[89]
With the team, T'Challa next battled the Living Bombs.[90] Mantis later summoned the Lion God back to the Mansion. During the inevitable fight, it was revealed that Mantis did this in order to help the Avengers take out one of their deadliest foes.[91] In the United Kingdom they battled the Troglodytes.[92] They next faced off against the Defenders, who were searching for the Evil Eye.[93][94] In another adventure, the team was kidnapped by the Collector to be part of his collection.[95]
T'Challa designed and created a mechanical flight harness for Captain America's ally Falcon.[96] He worked alongside the duo to battle the Secret Empire.[97]
The Zodiac Cartel returned.[98][99] T'Challa fought Star Stalker and Thanos.[100] T'Challa began to wonder how much more time he would have to spend away from his home.[101] Kang returned for revenge.[102]
Threats to Wakanda
T'Challa returned to Wakanda to find his homeland threatened by Erik Killmonger. Killmonger had been ravaging villages to attract the Black Panther's attention. The two battled to the death.[103] Back in his country he battled new enemies Venomm, Baron Macabre, King Cadaver, and Lord Karnaj, all of whom eventually teamed up to fight the Panther.[104]
Sombre teamed up with Killmonger.[105] More threats came in the form of Salamander K'Ruel and the return of Venomm.[106] The Panther finally believed he had finished with Killmonger, but even more threats arose when Madame Slay, and then later the Ku Klux Klan, and even later the attacked Soul-Strangler.[107] He then faced Wind Eagle using a Wakanda Flight Harness.[108] Other threats included Hatch-22 and Princess Zanda.[109]
Island of No Return
Black Panther was one of the many heroes kidnapped by Professor Soos to participate in his fighting festival against his own creations. It is unknown, who (If anyone) Black Panther was pitted against.[110]
He was later of the many heroes who was present at Luke Cage's surprise party after Luke defeated Professor Soos.[111]
THROB & Kristoff Vernard
T'Challa provided sanctuary to Doctor Doom during the period in which Kristoff Vernard had usurped him on the throne of Latveria. In exchange for refuge, Doom designed the TransHuman ROBot, or THROB, to aid in guarding the sacred Vibranium mound.[112] However, T'Challa refused to aid Doom in retaking Latveria, as he was not interested in drawing Wakanda into Latveria's internal struggles.[113] When the Thing and the second Ms. Marvel, Sharon Ventura, crash-landed in Wakanda, T'Challa found them fighting THROB, and was the first person on Earth to learn that Ben's Thing form had further mutated, and Sharon had become a She-Thing.[112]
T'Challa accompanied the Fantastic Four back to New York, joined by Doom at his insistence. However, Kristoff learned of Doom's movements, and launched an attack that coincided with a parade for X-Factor. T'Challa, Doom, X-Factor, and the Fantastic Four teamed up to defeat Kristoff's forces. Doom then attempted, but failed, to force cooperation from the heroes in overthrowing Kristoff. Forced to prevent Doom from harming Crystal, T'Challa granted Doom safe passage out of New York, but that would be the last courtesy he would extend to Doom.[113]
Vibranium Shield
When Steve Rogers was forced to step down from his role as Captain America by the Commission on Superhuman Activities when he wouldn't go along with their orders, he needed a replacement for his shield. After returning an Adamantium shield created by Tony Stark due to Rogers' conflict with Stark over the Armor Wars,[114][115] T'Challa provided a Vibranium shield to Rogers. Although he could not be there in person for the delivery, he sent his regards via satellite.[116] The shield would later be given to John Walker when Rogers resumed the role of Captain America and Walker became US Agent.[117]
Rescuing Ramonda & Joining the Pendragons
Wakanda almost went to war with Atlantis during an incident on Kiber Island and T'Challa found out that his stepmother had not left his family, but was kidnapped and made into a domestic slave by Anton Pretorius, a known white supremacist who sexually assaulted her daily.[32] It was soon after her discovery that T'Challa rescued her and joined the Knights of Pendragon, where he learned that he had a Pendragon Spirit within himself.[118]
With the help of Black Axe and Afrikaa, he exposed the efforts of Cardinal Technologies to escalate the civil war in Mohannda.[119]
The Threats of Achebe & Nakia
Empowered by the demon Mephisto, Reverend Achebe led a coup on Wakanda backed by Xcon, an alliance of rogue intelligence agents and the Russian mafia. In exchange for Mephisto's abandoning Achebe and leaving Wakanda in peace, T'Challa sold his soul to him, knowing that his unity with the Panther God and its link to the spirits of past Panther Clan leaders would ruin Mephisto's plans. Demanding sanctions against America over the Xcon coup, T'Challa linked the United States to it and presented evidence to the United Nations.[120]
During his conflict with Mephisto, however, T'Challa was tricked into kissing Nakia of the Dora Milaje.[121] This caused an obsessive love for T'Challa to grow within Nakia, and she eventually attempted to kill Monica Lynne. T'Challa ejected her from the Dora Milaje as a consequence.[122] Distraught and alone, Nakia was captured, tortured and almost killed by Achebe before Killmonger rebuilt her into Malice.[123]
Losing the Panther Title
Killmonger also attempted to wipe out Wakanda's economy, so T'Challa was forced to nationalize all foreign companies. This resulted in Tony Stark having controlling interest in the Wakandan Design Group.
The King of Wakanda
After the economy was once again stabilized, T'Challa fought Killmonger in ritual combat and was almost killed but lost the Black Panther title instead of his life. Moon Knight and Brother Voodoo mystically nursed T'Challa back to health.[124]
Killmonger was unable to process the heart-shaped herb when he took it and fell into a coma. T'Challa therefore reluctantly reclaimed the title of Black Panther by default only.[125]
Future Black Panther
On a mission to recover King Solomon's Frogs, T'Challa met a future version of himself who was telepathic and fatally sick. Attempting to change this future, he broke up with Monica Lynne and kept his future body in cryostasis.[126]
The Black Dragon
The criminal Nightshade resurrected the fabled Chinese monster Chiantang the Black Dragon to use against T'Challa back in New York. Black Dragon had a mind-controlled Iron Fist attack Black Panther. Panther managed to defeat Iron Fist, however the assault caused the fatal sickness the future Panther had originally predicted. Nightshade, meanwhile, managed to revive the future Panther.[127]
Downfall of Xcon
At the same time, the White Wolf took over Xcon and killed most of its leaders. The previous Xcon leadership had used King Solomon's Frogs to replace the U.S. President and Canadian Prime Minister with brainwashed future counterparts, allowing the company to overthrow both countries. Hunter continued with this plan and exacted revenge on Tony Stark for his buy-out of Wakandan Design Group. Afraid for Tony, T'Challa sent him a message by using financial finagling to seize control of Stark Enterprises and simultaneously annex a small Canadian island in Lake Superior. This prompted the U.S. and Canadian leaders to meet to discuss this crisis. The coordination of these leaders allowed Panther and his allies, including the future Panther, to invade the White House and foil Xcon's plot, thereby un-brainwashing the duplicate leaders and returning them to their own times.[128]
Death of the Future Panther
As the Panther returned to Wakanda, the future Panther fell into a coma and was placed back into stasis until he was killed by Man-Ape. Man-Ape had then been freed by Divine Justice in hopes of freeing her tribe. After all of this, the original T'Challa became unstable and constantly hallucinating due to the aneurysm inflicted on him by Iron Fist. He attacked the Jabari tribe with the intent of wiping them out; but almost accidentally killed Divine Justice. This caused him to come to his senses and stop the battle. Unable to face almost killing a woman he loved, the Panther went into hiding in New York and handed over Wakanda to his council.[129]
Renewed Strength
A policeman named Kasper Cole adopted an abandoned Panther costume and sought out T'Challa for training and guidance. This incident gave T'Challa the strength to fight for his health, his nation and his world.[130][131][132]
Avengers Disassembled
At the same time, T'Challa went back to the Avengers, who battled Scorpio, and unmasked U.S. Defense Secretary Dell Rusk as the evil Red Skull.[133] The team was disbanded not longer after when the Scarlet Witch had a mental breakdown.[134][135]
Invasion of Wakanda
The US Government believed that Wakanda was destabilised, and when neighboring Niganda attempted an invasion, they sent in their zombie Very Special Forces to 'help' Wakanda. T'Challa had returned and was able to take down the Nigandan Army and the supervillains they hired, before telling the United States to leave his country.[136]
After the fall of M'Butu, Erich Paine's facility released mutant animals, fruit of his experiments, and T'Challa took action against it. As he had knocked out Paine and was looking for a way to nullify his mimicking powers, the X-Men came and refused to listen to T'Challa while he was ordering them to back off in order to avoid their powers to be mimicked. During this adventure, T'Challa also tried to reconnect with his former lover Ororo.[137][138]
Marriage:
T'Challa helped reunite Ororo with her surviving family members in Africa, as well as introducing her to her long-lost grandparents in America. Not shortly after, T'Challa proposed to Ororo.[139] The two were soon married in a large Wakandan ceremony and then headed off on a diplomatic world tour for their honeymoon.[140]
World Tour/Civil War
They visited nations like Latveria, the Blue Area of the Moon, and Atlantis as well as America[141]. There, the nation was gripped by the events of the Civil War, and while visiting the White House, the authorities attempted to force Ororo to sign on to the Superhuman Registration Act despite her status as a ruling dignitary. This resulted in the royal couple choosing to side with Captain America and the Secret Avengers in the war.[142]
Joining the Fantastic Four
At the conclusion of the superhero Civil War the Wakandan Embassy in New York was destroyed, leaving T'Challa without a home while in the city. At the same time Reed and Sue Richards decided to "take a break" from the Fantastic Four, leaving an opening on the team. T'Challa and Ororo accepted the Richards' offer to stay in the Baxter Building and, along with the Thing and the Human Torch formed a new Fantastic Four.[19][143]
During their time with the team, they encountered Galactus and defeated his heralds Silver Surfer and Stardust,[144] traveled to alternate realities,[145] fought a new Frightful Four,[146] and saved Eternity from dying with the help of Gravity and Doctor Strange.[147] They also stayed and fought alongside the entire Fantastic Four against the Hulk and his Warbound. Though they fought hard, they were eventually defeated along with many others.[148][149]
Back To Wakanda and the Skrull Invasion
Upon returning to Wakanda, Black Panther and Storm faced a returned Killmonger, defeating him with assistance from Monica Rambeau (a.k.a. Pulsar). Afterward, Black Panther and Wakanda were faced with the invasion off the alien shapeshifters the Skrulls, who had already infiltrated as part of their "Secret Invasion" plan to conquer Earth. However, Panther had found out about the intruders and managed to capture all of the Skrull imposters beforehand. A fact the Skrull general learned upon entering Wakanda when he seen the heads of his Skrull soldiers on posts and a sign that read "See Wakanda and Die". Panther had studied their composition and weaknesses which later aided him in taking down a Super-Skrull who possessed Luke Cage's skin, with Wolverine's claws, Iron Fist's "Chi fist" moves, Bullseye's aim, and the combined fighting styles of Captain America, Moon Knight, Shang-Chi, Daredevil, Elektra, and Black Panther. T'Challa used his gained knowledge of Skrull joints, pressure points, and body composition to disable and tear apart the Super Skrull with ease. Then going on, with the aid of his wife Storm, to outwit and defeat the Skrull general and his army by posing as Skrull soldiers themselves to get close to and kill the general.[150]
Shuri, the New Black Panther
Sometime after, Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner, attempted to recruit T'Challa for the Cabal, a secret council of master super-villains. Attacked by the forces of fellow Cabal member Doctor Doom, T'Challa was left comatose. His sister Shuri was trained as the next Panther, with the mantle passing onto her officially after T'Challa awakened from his coma and attempted to recover from his injuries.[citation needed]
Doomwar
After he was tricked and ambushed by Doom and the passing of the Panther mantle, T'Challa lost all of his enhanced attributes given to him by being the panther totem. As a result, he had been working with his sorcerer, Zawavari, to accumulate a replacement. He had since made a pact with another unknown Panther deity, returning his attributes to an even higher level as well as placing incantations on his body, making him highly resistant to most magic and mystical assaults. This had all been done in preparation for the imminent battle with Doctor Doom, which culminated in Doom's defeat and T'Challa rendering all of the processed Vibranium inert to give his people a chance to rebuild without their dependence on the element.[151][152]
Man Without Fear
With his former powers now gone and questioning his original role as the protector of his people, T'Challa accepted an offer from Matt Murdock to take over the guardianship of Hell's Kitchen in the aftermath of the recent gang wars as Matt left New York, both men needing to re-learn who they were and of what they were capable. Using forged immigration papers provided by Foggy Nelson, T'Challa established a new identity as Mr. Okonkwo, native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, purchasing a small diner in order to be close to the people he now protected.[15] Storm, although missing her husband, recognized his need to operate on his own, and agreed to leave him in private unless he asked for her. T'Challa found himself facing the new super criminal Vlad the Impaler, who was consolidating power in the city's underworld. He also faced foes such as Kraven the Hunter when a doctor attempted to provoke a conflict between T'Challa and Kraven when T'Challa discovered the doctor's illegal medical experiments to recreate the electricity-wielding powers of a dead foe, but with Storm's help, T'Challa was able to convince Kraven that the doctor had lied about being able to kill him and get his help releasing the mutated animals back into the wild[153]. Later, John Glenn, the new Hate Monger (possessed by the spirit of the original), created the nationalist vigilante the American Panther as a complicated revenged scheme,[154] before T'Challa was able to banish the Hate Monger's spirit from Glenn[155]. Also, after the Stark Tower was rebuilt, he re-joined the Avengers.[156]
T'Challa finished his duty in Hell's Kitchen and returned home to Wakanda. Sometime after, attacks from a city below Wakanda called Necropolis began constantly happening by undead soldiers. T'Challa called Reed Richards to help him think through the situation as he was the only person T'Challa believed could "keep up" intellectually. Reed Richards and T'Challa stepped into the dark underground city Necropolis, the City of the Dead, where all Black Panthers are laid to rest.[157] They eventually met Bastet, the Panther God, and T'Challa told her that he desired to be Black Panther again but doesn't want to harm Shuri in any way. Meanwhile, Shuri, Susan Richards and Storm took an herb to make them "see the gods", and immediately took the battle to Anubis, the God of the Dead who was the source of the soldiers. They encountered and engaged Anubis and its army. Bast showed T'Challa a vision of Wakanda being flooded and told him that the catastrophic destruction of Wakanda is but a prelude to something worse, and for the salvation of his nation, he must become her king and not Wakanda's. She deemed him "King of the Dead". He gained the power and knowledge of all the past Black Panthers to become "A king of kings. Bast's champion. Bast's Black Panther". He now ruled over Necropolis while Shuri remained in power in Wakanda.[13]
Avengers vs. X-Men
T'Challa sided with the Avengers in the conflict against the X-Men and fought his wife in battle.[158] After the Phoenix chose its five hosts and they began to make the world a better place, T'Challa provided a hideout for the, now, outlaw Avengers in Wakanda, although he started to doubt the Avengers as they continued to struggle against them.[159] After Namor attacked and almost destroyed Wakanda searching for the Avengers, T'Challa named the X-Men enemies of his country. Because Ororo was still queen at the time, many felt that she betrayed both her new kingdom and her subjects. By not only siding with the X-Men against Wakanda, but by attacking T'Challa, and throwing her wedding ring away for all to see. Which was then followed by Ororo leaving her confused subjects and the crumbled city that she was the queen of when she left Wakanda with the X-Men. So as a result, the High Priest of Wakanda annulled their marriage, while Wakanda began the process of being rebuilt.[23][160]
Joining the Illuminati
While performing a test for potential members of Wakanda's space program, T'Challa witnessed the event known as an "Incursion", when two universes collide with their Earths as the point of collision. T'Challa faced the Black Swan, who destroyed the other Earth colliding with Earth-616. T'Challa managed to capture her and decided to reconsider his refusal to associate with the Illuminati, contacting them in order to get their help in solving the issue.[161] Before their first meeting, T'Challa vowed to fellow Illuminati member Namor that after the situation was settled, he would personally kill him.[162]
The Illuminati and Black Panther went on to face several Incursions, often avoiding them narrowly by outside aid, until they were finally forced to destroy another planet Earth (albeit an empty one) during an Incursion taking place in Latveria.[163] Meanwhile however, hostilities between Wakanda and Atlantis increased, with several incidents leading closer to all-out war. In light of the dire situation the Illuminati were facing, Namor made an offer for peace with generous terms and told T'Challa to support accepting that peace in his council meetings, since he would only make the offer once. Despite T'Challa's attempts, his sister discarded the peace offer and ordered the armies of Wakanda to make ready for war.[164] The Wakandan armies destroyed the city of Atlantis in a sneak attack.[165]
Infinity
While the Avengers were off world representing Earth in a coalition of space empires in the war against the invading Builders, the Mad Titan Thanos and his armies of space pirates invaded the Earth to kill Thanos' last remaining offspring. Wakanda was one of many sites targeted and a wing of Thanos' army led by Black Dwarf of the Black Order attacked. Black Panther engaged Black Dwarf in battle, and narrowly managed to outlast him as Wakanda's armies repelled the invaders.
Meanwhile, Prince Namor bent the knee and swore his and Atlantis' allegiance to Proxima Midnight, one of Thanos' lieutenants, in an attempt to exact revenge against Wakanda for the destruction of Atlantis. He did so by telling her that the Infinity Gems were located in Wakanda, leading Proxima to lead the majority of Thanos' forces in another invasion of the city.[166]
Meanwhile, T'Challa and the rest of the Illuminati were faced with yet another incursion. Upon arriving at the site, they were greeted by an Aleph from the other Earth, which asked them to come with him. They were brought before the Builders of that reality, who told them that they were planning to destroy every Earth in the Multiverse in order to prevent the early death of everything. After asking them if they had the means to destroy their own world, they asked what they were waiting for, before returning them home and destroying the Earth of their reality.[167]
Meanwhile, Thanos' armies breached the Golden City and Thanos himself explored the Necropolis, uncovering the Illuminati's cache of world-destroying weapons and their prisoners.[168] Thanos departed after finding his son, allowing the Illuminati to reclaim the Necropolis from Thanos' soldiers. After easily dispatching of the Avengers, Thanos himself was encased in an amber construct by his son, along with his lieutenant Proxima Midnight, in a state of "living death."[169]
Upon returning to the Necropolis, T'Challa was betrayed by his Dora Milaje who revealed to Shuri that T'Challa had been conspiring with Namor. After refusing to tell her anything due to his unwillingness to reveal the Illuminati's secrets, Shuri forbade T'Challa from ever entering Wakanda, restricting him to Necropolis.[170]
Incursion of Earth-4290001
During an incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-4290001, the Black Panther and the Illuminati were forced to consider either destroying the incursive world and kill its many innocent people or allow it and their world to collide just to save face. Panther tries to work up the nerve to press the detonator to the bomb that would destroy Earth-4290001. The ghost of his father T'Chaka appears to him and demands that he act. It was the job of the Black Panthers to protect the kingdom of Wakanda in life. In the end, however, T'Challa couldn't go through with it. Enraged, T'Chaka strips his son of his kingdom, of his people, and of his post as King of the Dead. As far as T'Chaka is concerned, he has no son. Eventually, only Namor was able to work up the nerve to destroy Earth-4290001.[171]
In anger, T'Challa attacks Namor who confesses that it was he who sent Thanos and the Black Order to Wakanda. T'Challa would have killed Namor on the spot if the rest of the Illuminati hadn't restrained him. As Namor is kicked out the Illuminati, T'Challa swears to kill him.[172]
Time Runs Out
When Captain America ordered the Avengers to take down the Illuminati, the Black Panther along with the Illuminati went into hiding.[173][174] Because of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s improvement on ways to track them down, the Illuminati had to periodically move from base to base.[175]
Eight months into the future, T'Challa's kingdom Wakanda was destroyed by Namor and his Cabal,[173] which he created from the Illuminati's prisoners in the Necropolis to destroy incursive worlds since the Illuminati would no longer perform the task,[176] and now used the Necropolis as their base. T'Challa and Shuri led a strike team in an attempt to penetrate the Necropolis and retrieve the Cabal's supply of antimatter injectors. However, they got caught in a booby trap by Maximus, a member of the Cabal. Proxima Midnight emerged and began slaughtering the Wakandan soldiers. Shuri volunteered to stay behind to hold off Proxima while T'Challa fled and relinquished her rulership over to him.[173]
The Illuminati devised a plan to get rid of Namor's Cabal.[177] They let themselves be found by Steve Rogers' Avengers, and set a trap to subdue them with the help of Sunspot's Avengers.[178] Even though the help of the Invisible Woman was needed to make this possible, as Rogers' Avengers had brought their own reinforcements,[179] the Illuminati were able to share their plan with Steve.
Namor, who had become disgusted with the Cabal's needless slaughtering of the people of worlds they could destroy painlessly, was ready to turn himself in, but also set a trap to destroy the Cabal. For this next Incursion, the incursive world had been ravaged by the Sidera Maris. Namor would lead the Cabal to said world, activate the antimatter injector without their knowledge, and leave them to die with said Earth. The Cabal would be prevented from escaping with the use of an A.I.M. platform capable of creating an impenetrable barrier between the two colliding Earths. However, as Namor had left the incursive Earth and prepared to activate the platform, Black Panther finally got his revenge. Black Panther stuns Namor with a knife while Black Bolt uses his sonic scream to throw Namor off the platform to the soon-to-be-destroyed Earth in order to make him personally pay for his crimes. As the antimatter injector began to destroy the Earth, Panther and Black Bolt returned to theirs, informing the Avengers that not only the Cabal had been destroyed, but Namor was also not going to come back.[177]
Secret Wars
During the final incursion, Black Panther was one of the heroes that tried to stop Earth-1610 from destroying his Earth. After the vessel transporting the Earth's "resurrection team" was destroyed by the Children, Mr. Fantastic and Black Panther was forced to put the "lifeboat" in action. As the "lifeboat" was deployed, Manifold teleported numerous heroes into it including Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Captain Marvel, Cyclops, and Thor, which allowed them to survive the end of the Multiverse.[180]
Black Panther and the other heroes in the life raft would later be awakened by Doctor Strange eight years after the end of the Multiverse and the creation of Battleworld, a planet cobbled together from the fragments of destroyed realities ruled by Doom.[181]
Black Panther and the other heroes were later transported by Strange to confront the Cabal after a distress call was sent to him by one member of the Thor Corps, and after this Doom himself appeared to quell the fighting. When Doom tried to kill them, Doctor Strange teleported them across Battleworld, but at the cost of his own life.[182] Black Panther ended up in the domain of Egyptia along with Namor.[183]
Three weeks later, while Battleworld was in disarray, T'Challa, with Namor, arrived to Strange's Hidden Isle of Agamotto, using the Key of Agamotto given to them by Strange, they entered, and after identifying themselves as member of the Illuminati to a projection of the deceased Sorcerer Supreme, they were given access to some powerful items Strange had collected over the years, including the Siege Courageous and an Infinity Gauntlet that worked only in Doomstadt.[184] Black Panther and Namor next traveled to the Deadlands for reinforcements, and Black Panther used his title as the King of the Dead to convince the zombies to join the forces opposing Doom.[185] Using the Siege Courageous, the two of them arrived to the battlefield along with the zombies, proclaiming that Doom's reign was over.[186]
Doom tried to convince T'Challa that he would rebuild Wakanda if he would stop fighting, but he refused the offer and struck Doom down. Victor quickly regenerated from the attack and directed an energy blast at Black Panther and Namor, which killed the latter, but T'Challa continued fighting and two of them used their power against each other. Their battle ended when Doom crushed the Infinity Gauntlet and subdued T'Challa, but it was revealed to be a distraction, and Doom teleports to the Molecule Man's location.
When the Molecule Man transferred his power to Mister Fantastic, Battleworld exploded. As the inhabitants of Battleworld were trying to run from their ultimate demise, Black Panther gripped tightly to the Reality Gem and was transported to his reborn native universe in the rebuilt Wakanda.[187]
A Nation Under Our Feet
T'Challa's regime was challenged by the consecutive emergence of two insurgent groups, the People, led by Tetu, and the rebellious Dora Milaje, led by Aneka and Ayo. Influenced by the anti-monarchical teachings of the elder Changamire, the People intended to overthrow T'Challa, and had no qualms with resorting to violent and depraved methods, which included bombing public areas, one of these attacks which almost cost the life of Ramonda. With the help of the Crew, Black Panther dwindled the numbers of the People, and exposed their alliance with nefarious villains such as Zeke Stane. T'Challa later enlisted the help of Changamire himself to speak against those who justified bloodshed with his teachings, conceding that Wakanda's form of ruling needed to change, and accepting that if Wakandans were the most advanced people in the world, the institutions that govern them should be as well.
The Dora Milaje, on the other hand, were motivated by the belief that T'Challa neglected his people and held the position that no one man should hold as much power as he did. Ayo and Aneka initially acted as vigilantes, liberating the Wakandans exploited by criminals. They later settled in the Jabari-Lands, taking them from the White Gorilla Cult, and offered asylum to hundreds of people in need. With the assistance of Shuri, whom T'Challa retrieved from a transcendent plane where her soul had been left wandering after being felled by the Black Order, the Dora Milaje were temporarily appeased.
The remaining forces of the People were finally subdued when they marched towards the Golden City, and Tetu was captured. Once the dust settled, T'Challa held hearings for the Dora Milaje, who had receded to simply desiring independence for their lands, but eventually accepted to remain under Wakanda's rule. T'Challa set out to establish a council to create a constitution that could lead to a democratic government. Even though Wakanda was to be ruled by the people, T'Challa would remain as the king who represented the nation, but didn't rule it.[188] Since T'Challa had asked Storm's help when he reformed the Crew,[189] their reunion opened the doors to a reconciliation and the reignition of their romance.[190]
The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda
One day, T'Challa was contacted by the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda's Emperor who supposedly sought to establish a union. After T'Challa passed the empire's test, he and Manifold were then tricked and captured by the empire, since the emperor feared that once the Black Panther discovered the Empire's true nature, he would join the rebel group, the Maroons, to take down the empire so he had T'Challa's memories wiped and was conscripted into the Empire's slave group, the Nameless.[191] Thankfully, T'Challa had retained his memories of his love, Storm, which allowed him to fight back against his slavers, and was eventually broken out by the Maroons.[192] He joined the Maroons and went on a mission to retrieve the Shard of M'Kraan from the empire.[193] However, while training and trying to retrieve his memories with fellow Maroon, Nakia, the Maroons were discovered and then attacked by the empire's Askari fighters, along with a brainwashed Manifold. They were able to escape, however, with many Maroon casualties.[194]
After T'Challa was convinced by Nakia and a record of the late Captain N'Yami to keep fighting,[195] the Maroons were able to capture the empire's chief technologist, Kofi, in order get the information they needed.[196] After freeing some of the slaves,[197] the rebels went to Agwé in order to free the planet from the empire, and were also successful in retrieving Manifold and the emperor's daughter, Zenzi, who was possessed by the goddess Bast.[198] After Bast and a Jengu restored T'Challa's memories,[199] the Maroons began going to the original Wakanda, while T'Challa discussed with Captain M'Baku whether he was a good king or not, with M'Baku wanting T'Challa to be the king Wakanda needed.[200] However, they were then attacked by Emperor N'Jadaka and his army who came to retrieve his daughter, leaving the Teku-Maza to set off and blow their planet as a last ditch effort to eliminate N'Jadaka.[201] After returning to Wakanda and reuniting with his loved ones,[202] the Askari fighters assaulted Wakanda, revealing that N'Jadaka was still alive via his symbiote.[203] They tried to prevent N'Jadaka to resurrect himself through the body of Erik Killmonger,[204] however, they were unsuccessful in stopping them.[205] This left T'Challa to go to Djalia in order for the spirits to restore the memories of the Nameless.[206] He fought the spirits of his ancestors, while they reminded him of his failures from the past and questioning him why they should recognize him as king. After T'Challa made amend with his failures he declared himself as their king, and the spirits restored the memories of the empire's slaves resulting with the Askari betraying the empire.[207]
Attributes:
Powers
Divine Empowerment: T'Challa was originally enhanced by the Heart-Shaped Herb which granted him to have Super-Soldier powers.[38][208][209] His body is enhanced to near the pinnacle of human physical perfection.[210] He was given additional powers by the Goddess Bast, when he became the King of the Dead.[211] This blessing seems to have restored him to the same power levels which he possessed as the chosen Black Panther. Aside from his senses, T'Challa's natural strength, speed, agility, durability, healing, stamina, and reflexes have been augmented to nearly superhuman degree.[27]
Black Panther Knowledge: After being crowned "King of the Dead," T'Challa has the power to draw all the knowledge, strength, and every experience from every previous Black Panther.[185]
Superhumanly Acute Senses: T'Challa's five senses are highly acute, although not superhumanly so like Daredevil's. He can see with greater clarity and greater distances than any ordinary human.[27] His vision extends into the ultraviolet and infrared areas of the electromagnetic spectrum, allowing him to see in near-total darkness and retain the same level of clarity.[208][24] T'Challa's hearing is similarly enhanced, enabling him to detect sounds normal humans can't and sounds they ordinarily could but at much greater distances.[27] T'Challa can memorize tens of thousands of scents. His sense of smell enables him to recognize people/objects by scent, even if they are well hidden. He can track a target by scent and track them to the exact location, can smell fear, and detect if someone is lying by change in body odor. T'Challa's sense of taste is sensitive to the point that he is able to taste the exact ingredients of any particular food he is eating.[citation needed]
Peak Human Strength: T'Challa's strength is enhanced to the peak of human potential.[212] He received a blessing from the Panther Goddess Bast, which elevated his strength between peak human and superhuman levels. His physical strength is noticeably superior to any Olympic-class weightlifter and far superior to normal humans, allowing him to press lift approximately 800 lbs (363 kgs).[208][212] His legs extends with his strength enabling him to vertically leap approximately 10 feet off the ground and 15 feet in a standing broad jump.[208] He was able to bulldog a 3000 lb. black rhinoceros,[213] and a 5-ton black rhinoceros.[17] He has been seen to easily lifting a grown man with one arm and throwing him,[214] tearing through a thin wall with just one hand,[215] and wrestling a 20-foot long crocodile while using both of his hands.[216]
Peak Human Speed: T'Challa is able to run and move at speeds superior to any Olympic-class runners,[212] able to run at speeds up to 35 mph.[208] However, when pushed to his limit, T'Challa can potentially run up to 41-45 mph.[212] He also has the ability to attack faster than the eye can follow. His combat speed seems more enhanced than anything else, as he has frequently kept up with other enemies in combat, and blitzed people before they pull their trigger fingers.[47]
Peak Human Stamina: T'Challa's body eliminates the excessive build-up of fatigue-producing poisons in his muscles and his musculature generates considerably less fatigue toxins than the muscles of an ordinary human being, granting him exceptional endurance, and lung capacity.[212] He can physically exert himself at peak capacity for an hour before fatigue toxins begin to impair him.[212] His lung capacity is at the peak human levels, enabling him to hold his breath underwater for 6 minutes.[212] He was able to run for 15 miles in the New York sewer with little to no fatigue toxins begin to impair him.[217]
Peak Human Durability: His skin, muscle, and bone tissues are augmented to levels that are much denser and harder than normal humans,[212] making him far more durable and resistant to damage to various degrees.[209] He withstood getting smashed on his head by a glass bottle with no visible injury or discomfort.[15] T'Challa can withstand blows from superhuman opponents like Killmonger,[218] who have the strength to overpower and kill an adult bull elephant with his bare hands.[219]
Peak Human Regeneration: T'Challa's enhanced healing speed and capabilities allows him to have a conditioned metabolism and immune system that enables extraordinarily efficient healing.[212]
Peak Human Agility: T'Challa's equilibrium, balance, flexibility, dexterity, and bodily coordination are enhanced to levels superior to any Olympic-level athlete that has ever competed.[212] This gives him cat-like agility.[212][209] T'Challa has been seen to run barefoot on utility pole wires,[220] and leap across an entire opera room.[221]
Peak Human Endurance: T'Challa's endurance is about double that of an Olympic athlete.[208] He continued to function for thirteen hours while fighting Killmonger despite being exhausted.[218]
Peak Human Reflexes: T'Challa's reaction time are beyond the natural limits of an Olympic-level athlete,[212] allowing him to dodge multiple gunfire at point-blank range with ease.[212][209] He has been noted to have reflexes faster than an actual panther.
King of the Dead: As King of the Dead, T'Challa possesses other powers as listed below:
Necromancy: T'Challa is able to take command of the dead itself. He was able to take control of an entire army of zombies[185] and order the spirits of the Necropolis to aid him in his fight with Tetu.[222]
Spirit Energy Constructs: T'Challa learned he could create weapons out of spiritual force through his title as King of the Dead.[222] Creating a spear out of ectoplasmic energy with which to affect both the material and ethereal planes.[223]
Hyper-Cosmic Awareness: T'Challa's exposure to Galactus's mind before and after his transition from the devoured to seeder of worlds due to his odd means of warping to his world ship,[224] he began experiencing visions in his dreams and day to day life. He was beginning to see and sense the cage around The Marvel Universe and the goings on outside it in the Multiverse as well.[225] An unknown effect that intake of the Heart Shaped Herb has, is that it also connects the head of the Panther Tribe to the precious metal which mutated it. Kings of the secret nation possess a sixth sense for the unique energy signature Vibranium gives off, letting them know when it is stolen out from Wakanda and where its thieves are headed with it.[39]
CollapseFormer Powers
Alchemy and ancient magic gave him resistance to magical attacks Clairvoyance: Many years ago, exposure to the Vibranium Mound gave T'Challa extra-sensory capabilities. He was able to see objects around him even while blindfolded. He also experienced visions of the future wherein he saw himself in conflict with the energy-vampire known as Kiber the Cruel. These powers disappeared shortly after his battle with Kiber.[226]
Abilities
Genius Intelligence: T'Challa is a polymath genius and has an eidetic (aka photographic) memory.[27] His knowledge of physics and engineering ranks him among the top eight intellects of the world.[227] He possesses accomplishments such as a PhD in physics from Oxford University. He also combined alchemy with science to create a new scientific field called Shadow Physics, a dangerous discipline which allowed him to track Vibranium on a quantum level, craft weapons which would be particularly effective against Vibranium, and create an unstable teleportation device which at the time ripped apart anyone using it with great healing ability.[26]
Master Martial Artist: T'Challa has been groomed to be a warrior since birth. He is a master in practically all forms of armed and unarmed combat, having mastered various styles of martial arts from around the world. He is considered to be one of the best martial artists to have ever walked the Earth.[citation needed] He has stalemated, and at times even gained the upper hand against various highly skilled martial artists such as Captain America,[citation needed] Daredevil,[228] Iron Fist,[citation needed] and many other dangerous opponents in hand-to-hand combat. He was able to overpower Wolverine twice without much difficulty, even when Wolverine was using his claws.[citation needed] Captain America himself said that when he won against T'Challa, T'Challa was not his usual self, seeming weaker than he actually was. He was shown to be skilled enough to defeat the skilled combatant Karnak with a single blow to the head.[229]
Master Acrobat: T'Challa is a rigorously trained gymnast and acrobat.[27] He is particularly accomplished at gymnastics, acrobatics, and brachiation (swinging from one branch to another using one's arms).[210]
Expert Marksman: He is a master marksman adept with hunting knives, firearms, and other projectile weaponry.[citation needed]
Master Tactician: T'Challa is a genius tactician, strategist, and leader who is practically peerless.[27] He was taught tactics and strategies in his youth by his father who encouraged him to always think two steps ahead of his enemies and three steps ahead of his friends. His prowess is such that he is able to outthink and out maneuver individuals such as Tony Stark, and other geniuses.[230]
Expert Tracker & Hunter: Even without his superhuman senses, T'Challa is a master tracker and hunter.[212][27] He can pick up a prey's scent and memorize tens of thousands of individual ones.[231]
Multilingual: T'Challa can fluently speak his native language, English, and other various languages.[7]
Master Inventor: He can invent various devices with special properties when needed. He possesses engineering abilities and intellect that makes him a peer and has proven to be able to invent and create weaponry that rivals their engineering capabilities. T'Challa can also duplicate practically any other technologies after learning how they work or by glancing at the designs.[212]
Highly Influential Connections: As king of Wakanda, the Panther has access to a vast collection of magical artifacts, technological and military hardware, as well as the support of his nation's wide array of scientists, adventurers, and super heroes.[citation needed]
Diplomatic Immunity: As the leader of a sovereign nation, he often visits the United States or the United Nations for political reasons. He enjoys diplomatic immunity during these trips, and his embassy is considered foreign soil.[232]
Musical Skill: T'Challa is a skilled musician and can play the flute.[233]
Substantial Wealth: T'Challa is Wakandan Royalty, thus he has access to a vast amount of wealth due to the advanced technology he has created/invented, and the stores of Vibranium possessed by his country. His wealth surpasses that of Tony Stark, whose net worth is in the billions.
Weaknesses
Due to his heightened senses, bright lights, loud noises, & strong smells can potentially overwhelm him.[citation needed]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Kimoyo Card: An extremely powerful and versatile PDA. It functions similarly to the Avengers' communicards, but with many more practical applications. In one instance, the Panther called up a schematic of a jumbo jet's cockpit controls and took command of the plane, landing the plane safely in a river.[234] "Kimoyo" is Bantu for "of the spirit".[27]
Panther Habit: As chieftain of the Wakandan Panther Clan, the ruler is crowned with a ceremonial regalia in the form of a Vibranium laced panther habit. T'Challa received this crown-like garb after being judged by the Panther Goddess. The appearance of the suit has changed over time but has retained its ability to absorb vibrations via its Vibranium lacing, as well as negate or lessen powerful kinetic based attacks such as bullet shots, penetrating blades, and crushing blows. The lenses in the mask cut glare and enhance the Panther's natural night vision and allow him to see in infrared and other visual spectrum. The suit features:[27]
Vibranium Microweave Mesh: The microweave robs incoming objects of their momentum; bullets do not ricochet off, but simply fall to the ground when they come in contact with the weave. Likewise, the Panther cannot be stabbed; however, the costume can be cut if the attacker slashes along the uniform's grain.[27]
Anti-Metal Claws: The Claws in the gloves are made of Antarctic Vibranium-based "Anti-Metal" that can break down basically all metals at the molecular level.[27]
Energy-Dampening Boots: Energy regulators create varying fields from the Vibranium in the molded soles of the boots, enabling Panther to land soundlessly without any injury from heights of 50 feet. Given enough momentum, the Panther can also scale walls or skim across water. The field can be also used offensively to shatter or weaken objects, or defensively to rob incoming objects of their momentum as shown when he stopped a car thrown by the Hulk from crushing him by using the Vibranium in his boots.[27]
Disguise Technology: The cloak can be elongated, shortened or eliminated with a thought, and the entire costume can be reconfigured by a light energy pulse allowing it to pass as normal street clothes[7] or render T'Challa completely invisible.[161]
Teleportation device: T'Challa has also been shown using a teleportation device as part of his standard gear.[161] The range is not known as of this moment.
Hard-Light Shielding: T'Challa was shown using a small shield comprised of hardened light, to defend himself and others as part of his standard gear.[161]
Vibranium Energy Daggers: Energy constructed blades, the wielder has the ability to gauge between power levels, releasing a beam, powerful enough to slice through various structures and foes. This weapon can also be fired as a projectile. Energy daggers are T'Challa's default weapon of choice in armed combat situations.
Force Push: T'Challa can use the stored kinetic energy in his suit to either enhance his strikes or release it as an omnidirectional energy burst.
Heavenly Armor: Lightweight body armor covering the user from head to toe in a similar fashion as Iron Man that operates by thought. It offers flight at high speeds, enhanced strength, and more protection in combat. The armor provides protection against mystical attacks and is equipped with various weapons.[citation needed]
Vibranium Armor: A special armor used during the Superhuman Civil War.[217]
Wakanda Hulkbuster: a Hulkbuster Armor created by Black Panther to take the new Hulk, Amadeus Cho, down.[235]
Weapons
Spear of Bashenga: a Vibranium spear first used by the second Black Panther, King Bashenga, and passed down from Panther to Panther down the royal line of Wakanda.[219]
Other weapons: swords, spears, shields, knives, clubs, bows, quivers and arrows. A large variety of firearms and other weapons used for close range, as well as technological weapons and devices such as a large 'power glove.'[citation needed]
CollapseFormer Weapons
Ebony BladeExcelsior: During the invasion of the Cotati's Empyre on Wakanda, T'Challa used Hulkling's Star-Sword to fend off the alien plants.[236]
Mjolnir: Black Panther was deemed worthy of wielding Mjolnir, since the mystical hammer considered his blood lineage worthy. Odin's teammate the first Black Panther was also the first mortal to wield it.[12]
Skybreaker: This sword was the first object forged from Vibranium by the first king of Wakanda, it was passed down to his successors, and was a sacred symbol of Wakanda. However, T'Challa's ex-wife Storm was forced to steal it in order to participate the Ten of Swords challenge.[237]
Transportation
Bast teleporting T'Challa at will
Avengers Quinjet
Sky-Cycle: T'Challa has access to an advanced version of the Sky-Cycle.[citation needed]
Advanced Wakandan aircraft.
Can have the Panther Goddess teleport him and others to a destination of his choice.
Trivia
T'Challa is also the primary funder of the Mutants Sans Frontières; an organization that is dedicated to the protection of mutant rights, which also funds the X-Men's activities.[238]
Black Panther was once referred to as the "Black Leopard" for a short time in 1972. Both in-universe and out-of-universe, it was changed to distance themselves from the group of the same name, though in-universe, T'Challa explains that he neither condemns nor condones their actions and that, technically, a leopard is a panther.[5]The character predates the party of the same name, but not the Black Panther logo which was used by the party's predecessor, and by segregated World War II Black Panthers Tank Battalion.[239][240] Stan Lee had denied that the character was named after these movements, which began being used after the character's creation, and cited it simply as "a strange coincidence".[241]
Black Panther was ranked 51st on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes in 2011.[242]
T'Challa was two-times Time magazine's "Person of the Year" and six-times People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive."[243]
Black Panther is a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire. He even threatened Deadpool's life when Wade speculated the ending of the series during a battle with him out of fear Deadpool might have actually spoiled it.[244]