here is an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. This also applies to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in which everyone has come together to carry forward the legacy of Chadwick Aaron Boseman, an actor and playwright who became a cultural icon soon after Marvel Studios released Black Panther in 2018.

After Boseman’s untimely death at the age of 43 in 2020, there was nail-biting anxiety about what would follow. Many wondered out loud if anyone could ever fill the acclaimed actor’s shoes.

Director and writer Ryan Coogler made the smart decision to not even attempt that. Instead, he crafted the plotline in such a way that the very first scene sets the tone and makes it amply clear that we will be embarking on a journey of grief and healing.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever marries the tale of an empire that is on the verge of collapse with the resilience of its natives to weave a rich narrative centred on the themes of loss and triumph.

Though originally screened in cinemas in November 2022, the movie was released on Disney+ on February 1. Physical home video formats like DVD/ Blu-Ray/ 4K were distributed at a later date.

When it was released in cinemas across North America, the movie made a blockbuster debut. So far, it has made a total of $855.1 million at the box office against a production budget of $250 million.

The movie begins with a funeral for the recently deceased King T’Challa. His sister Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) and mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) are dressed in white, following his coffin featuring a silver emblem of the Black Panther mask. They are accompanied by a mournful yet-dancing-to-celebrate-his-life procession. The coffin then rises to the sky followed by an emotional montage of Boseman as T’Challa.

This closure was something the team and the viewers needed equally. Boseman’s death impacted all of us, and before moving forward to the next chapter of Wakanda, we all needed to bid farewell to the beloved King T’Challa.

T’Challa’s mother Queen Ramonda is now the ruler of Wakanda. She is trying her best to protect her country and vibranium - the ore used to create cutting-edge weaponry and technology. But the world isn’t giving up that easy. At this point, we are introduced to Talokan - an underwater empire home and so far the only other one that also owns and utilises the power of vibranium on Earth.

...with Boseman gone, it is difficult at times, to resonate with the emotions Black Panther: Wakanda Forever evokes in us. The plotline lacks the clear leader Boseman was and even though they have turned it into something unique with grief as its centrepiece, it is not that neat. At the same time, I would call it more realistic, more honest and more vulnerable.

Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Martin Freeman (Everett Ross), Winston Duke (M’Baku), and Michael B Jordan (Killmonger) reprise their roles from Black Panther (2018) in the sequel but it introduces Tenoch Huerta as Namor, the ruler of Talokan, along with Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, known in the comics as Ironheart, who has her own upcoming Disney+ series set to be released later this year.

Namor`s ancestors took refuge in water to escape Spanish colonisers in the 16<sup>th</sup> Century. A history of enslavement, infection and persecution means that Namor and the people of Talokan don`t trust the people of the surface world.

Namor seeks alliance with Wakanda and, when the Queen refuses, he is not afraid to use power to achieve his goals, which include the murder of Riri. His reasons to attack and dominate are sometimes self-conflicting. The story often provides moral reasoning for his harsh actions. All this leads to a constant battle between the two kingdoms with Talokans inflicting pain and embarrassment on the Wakandans.

Ultimately, it comes down to Princess Shuri to lead her people to survival and glory. Shuri also has a past that holds her back initially. She is tortured by the knowledge that her gifts in science and technology were insufficient to save her brother.

The princess evolves into the new leader after going through yet another personal loss. Even then, she is not entirely consumed by revenge and can keep her feelings in check to ensure a safe passage for her people.

Like all other Marvel movies, this movie has a lot of storylines and characters to catch up with. In Boseman`s absence, they have focused on developing and exploring more depth in the remaining characters, but along with that, it is a typical special-effects-heavy action movie with fights, chases and surface and underwater battles with a brand new Black Panther high-tech suit.

Despite all the commendable work that the team has put into taking this forward, the sequel looks a bit lost. It was always going to be a transition after the end of the first phase of the Marvel universe but with Boseman gone, it is difficult at times, to resonate with the emotions Black Panther: Wakanda Forever evokes in us.

The plotline lacks the clear leader Boseman was and even though they have turned it into something unique with grief as its centrepiece, it is not that neat. At the same time, I would call it more realistic, more honest and more vulnerable. The story helps you sit with the pain, process the loss and move towards healing. In a way, even with him gone forever, Boseman has managed to hold his beloved franchise together.

The writer is a digital communication expert and consultant currently working in the public sector. He is the mastermind behind the digital platforms Sukhan, Mani’s Cricket Myths, and Over The Line