After the passing of one Black Panther and the rise of a new one, most people think that they have a good idea of the world's balance of power. The movie's solitary mid-credits sequence introduces a surprising new twist that could upend all that and set the stage for a very different type of Black Panther story going forward.
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The mid-credits sequence for Black Panther opens on a Haitian beach, rather than in a new location. The movie doesn't discuss why she chose Haiti or what she was doing in the country for all those years, instead focusing on how she became a teacher. It is easy for people to believe that she did not return to Wakanda due to her grief over T'Challa's death.
She told Shuri that grief was part of the reason she was away from Wakanda. It was best for Toussaint to be away from the attention and danger that comes with being a member of the royal family. As shocked as Shuri is to learn that she has a six-year-old nephew, she is even more moved by the fact that he told her that his mother named him T'Challa for his father.
Along with being a tribute to Toussaint, the film tries to honor the spirit of the actor who played T'Challa. In the wake of Queen Ramonda's death, his legacy lives on in his son, and is a balm for Shuri.
The movie leaves unanswered a question about the future of the throne that was left by the deaths of his father and grandmother. It is pretty clear that Shuri intends to retain her title as the nation's princess after she became the newest Black Panther in the film. One of the film's last significant lines is that of M'Baku, as he announces his intention to once again challenge Wakanda's other leaders to ceremonial combat to decide who their new ruler should be.
After putting the entire of Wakanda through a level of tumult, upheaval, and destruction that is wholly new for its people, Black Panther ends on a positive note. There is no suggestion in the movie that there could be more monumental shifts in the future. It would make sense for future installments of the franchise to focus on how Wakanda plans to get its political situation in order now that it has a new black panther who doesn't seem interested in being queen.
There are rules when choosing rulers. Between T'Challa's shocking death and his having a secret son, it seems like the groundwork is being laid for a fascinating story about succession that could have far-reaching consequences for the black panther franchise.
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