The Regal Lineage of Wakanda: Unveiling the Black Panther Family Tree

The Big Picture

The Wakanda royal family in Black Panther consists of significant characters including T'Challa, Bashenga, T'Chaka, N'Jobu, Ramonda, Killmonger, Shuri, Nakia, and potentially T'Challa II as the future Black Panther.

T'Challa, portrayed by Chadwick Boseman, made a significant entrance as the inaugural black superhero in the history of comic books. He further appeared in various MCU projects until his unfortunate demise. Consequently, a majority of the Wakandans portrayed prominently within the MCU thus far have been either relatives or members of the royal family of Wakanda.

The Black Panther mythology holds a special place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, captivating audiences worldwide. Renowned actor Chadwick Boseman delivered a remarkable performance as T’Challa/Black Panther, making his mark as the first black superhero in comic book history in Captain America: Civil War. The subsequent Black Panther standalone film, unveiling the captivating realm of Wakanda, achieved unprecedented cultural significance by becoming the first superhero film to receive a nomination for Best Picture at the prestigious Academy Awards. T’Challa and his formidable supporting cast, who have made appearances in other MCU projects such as Infinity War and Endgame, further enriched the narrative before the highly anticipated sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Tragically, Boseman's untimely passing necessitated a poignant approach in the film, resulting in T’Challa's passing and his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) stepping into the role of the heroic Black Panther. As of now, the prominent Wakandans we are familiar with are primarily relatives of T’Challa, integral members of Wakanda’s royal family. Here is a comprehensive list of these extraordinary individuals.

Black Panther

T'Challa, after his father's death, returns to Wakanda, an African nation, to claim his rightful position as king. However, his leadership skills are put to the test when a formidable enemy emerges, threatening not only Wakanda but the entire world. Amidst betrayal and danger, T'Challa must gather his allies and unleash the full power of Black Panther in order to defeat his adversaries and ensure the safety of his people.

Release Date: February 16, 2018

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya

Rating: PG-13

Bashenga, the First Black Panther

Bashenga, the discoverer of the heart-shaped herb, a plant that grants extraordinary abilities to its users, emerged as both the inaugural Black Panther and the first sovereign of Wakanda upon successfully uniting four of the nation's five tribes. Although briefly mentioned in the opening narration of Black Panther, the character of Bashenga is prominently referenced throughout Wakanda Forever. Due to the vast time span between Bashenga's era and the present, his precise connection to T'Challa and the contemporary characters remains uncertain. However, T'Challa's lineage is affiliated with the Golden or Panther Tribe, a lineage established by Bashenga's own descendants, suggesting a plausible ancestral relationship between him and the present-day rulers.

T'Chaka, the Late King of Wakanda

T’Challa’s father, T’Chaka (John Kani), served as both king and Black Panther before his son. In the movie Avengers: Age of Ultron, the AI Ultron (James Spader) stole Vibranium from Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), who had previously stolen it from Wakanda. T'Chaka felt responsible for Wakanda's involvement in Ultron's destructive plan. This guilt prompted him to change Wakanda's isolationist foreign policies and utilize its advanced technology and wealth to assist the world. In the Civil War, T’Chaka strongly supported the Sokovia Accords, which placed the Avengers under the supervision of the United Nations. Tragically, he lost his life during a bombing orchestrated by Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl) at a conference in Vienna where the Accords were to be signed.

N’Jobu, Killmonger's Father

Image via Marvel Studios 

T’Chaka’s brother, Prince N’Jobu (Sterling K. Brown), was appointed as one of Wakanda’s War Dogs, a group of covert agents working abroad in the best interest of the nation. While in America, he developed a romantic relationship with an unnamed woman and became the father of a son named N’Jadaka (Seth Carr). Experiencing the prevalent racism outside of Wakanda deeply influenced and radicalized N’Jobu, leading him to devise a plan to distribute Vibranium weapons to oppressed individuals worldwide in order to spark a revolution. His belief was that, following the revolution, Wakanda would establish a just and righteous global rule. For this purpose, he formed an alliance with Klaue. Up on discovering this treachery, T’Chaka confronted his brother, and N’Jobu’s close friend James (Denzel Whitaker), who went by the alias Zuri, revealed his true identity as another War Dog tasked with spying on N’Jobu. Enraged by this revelation, N’Jobu drew a weapon, forcing T’Chaka to fatally defend himself by killing his own brother in order to protect Zuri.

Ramonda, the Queen of Wakanda

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Ramonda (Angela Bassett), T’Chaka’s wife and the mother of T’Challa and Shuri, held the esteemed position of Wakanda’s Queen Mother, embodying justice and authority. While initially playing a supporting role, Ramonda took center stage in Wakanda Forever. Following T’Challa’s passing, she reclaimed her role as the reigning Queen, a responsibility she had previously undertaken during the five-year absence of T’Challa after Thanos’ Snap. Despite grappling with her own grief, Ramonda skillfully guided Wakanda through the turbulent times. When Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía), the powerful king of Talokan, targeted Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) for harm, Ramonda displayed the same bravery as her family, sacrificing her own life to rescue Riri from a watery grave.

T'Challa, the Black Panther

Image via Marvel Studios

Zemo tricked T’Challa by falsely implicating Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier in the Vienna bombing. Initially, T’Challa believed this deception and tried to kill Bucky. However, when Captain America and his rebel Avengers protected Bucky, T’Challa joined forces with Tony Stark/Iron Man to confront them. Zemo succeeded in turning Tony against Steve and Bucky, but T’Challa remained focused on capturing Zemo, noting how vengeance had consumed him and Tony. T’Challa declared, "I am done letting it consume me."

In the movie Black Panther, T’Challa became the legitimate ruler of Wakanda after defeating M’Baku, the leader of the Jabari tribe, in a one-on-one fight for the throne. During a mission to apprehend or eliminate Klaue, T’Challa encountered N’Jadaka, also known as Killmonger. This introduced T’Challa to the truth of N’Jobu’s death, revealed by an older Zuri. Upon challenging T’Challa for the titles of king and Black Panther, Killmonger fatally wounded T’Challa. Fortunately, Shuri, Ramonda, and Nakia revived him using a powerful herb, restoring his superhuman abilities. With the assistance of the Jabari and loyal Wakandan warriors, T’Challa ultimately thwarted Killmonger’s uprising. Reflecting on these events, T’Challa was inspired to end Wakanda’s isolationist policies.

Boseman's legacy lives on through future projects featuring the Black Panther characters, continuing even after his untimely death in the MCU.

N’Jadaka, aka Killmonger

Image via Marvel Studios

Following his father’s demise, N’Jadaka, known in the United States as Erik Stevens, wholeheartedly committed himself to infiltrating Wakanda, usurping the throne, and executing N’Jobu’s plan to initiate a global uprising. To acquire combat expertise, he enrolled in the American military, rapidly ascending the ranks until he joined an esteemed special operations unit that occasionally collaborated with the CIA to destabilize foreign governments. While the character’s heart-rending familial history and aspiration to emancipate oppressed populations evoked sympathy, his scheme for world domination was flawed and had to be thwarted. After exposing his true identity and prevailing over T’Challa in the initial phase of their duel, Killmonger ascended to the throne, ingesting the heart-shaped herb to acquire the powers of the Black Panther for himself before setting the garden ablaze.

After being defeated, T’Challa fulfilled his request to witness a Wakandan sunset before his demise. Killmonger, addressing his cousin, expressed, "Just bury me in the ocean like my ancestors who leapt from the ships because they believed death was preferable to bondage." In the events of Wakanda Forever, Killmonger resurfaced when Shuri consumed a synthetic variant of the heart-shaped herb. Her fury regarding Ramonda's demise led her to encounter Killmonger, rather than her other relatives or her brother, upon her arrival at the Ancestral Plane. Killmonger urged her to exact revenge on Namor, advising her to act as he would in her circumstances.

Shuri, the Princess and Black Panther

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Headed by a scientific prodigy, T'Challa's younger sister spearheaded numerous technological advancements in Wakanda while offering technical assistance to her brother on his missions. T'Challa's demise deeply impacted Shuri, as her inclination towards science made it challenging for her to embrace the spiritual aspects of Wakanda's grieving process, thereby intensifying her emotional turmoil. Following Ramonda's death at the hands of Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía), Shuri became consumed with anger, prompting her decision to assume the role of the new Black Panther not to carry on T'Challa's legacy or safeguard their nation, but to exact revenge on the Talokani leader. However, she eventually grasped the futility of seeking vengeance, similar to her brother, and forged a truce with Namor to prevent an all-out war between their nations. As Wakanda Forever concludes, Shuri finally undergoes the complete Wakandan grieving ritual, successfully confronting T'Challa's demise, although she is likely to continue grappling with additional grief regarding her mother.

Nakia, the Spy and War Dog

Nakia, a highly skilled War Dog, dedicated her service to Wakanda and found fulfillment in assisting vulnerable populations abroad. Despite their separation at the time, she returned to Wakanda following T'Chaka's demise to provide support to T'Challa during his coronation. Witnessing the injustices abroad only fueled her frustration, leading her to encourage T'Challa to discontinue Wakanda's isolation. Eventually, they rekindled their relationship following the resolution of the conflict with Killmonger. In Wakanda Forever, it is revealed that Nakia, devastated by T'Challa's disappearance caused by the Snap, sought solace in solitude outside of Wakanda. She ventured to Haiti and carved out a new life for herself until Ramonda requested her assistance in the Talokan conflict. Unveiling a hidden secret, it is disclosed that Nakia and T'Challa clandestinely had a son named Toussaint (Divine Love Konadu-Sun), whom she was raising in Haiti.

Toussaint/T’Challa II, T'Challa's Son

Image via Marvel Studios

In the mid-credits scene, Nakia introduces Shuri to Toussaint. She admires his name, acknowledging its significant heritage. Toussaint then discloses that "T’Challa" is his original name, and "Toussaint" is his Haitian name. This revelation sparked speculation among viewers that Toussaint could potentially be the successor to Black Panther.

Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.

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