In Captain America: Civil War we were introduced to a brand new character who stole the show. Black Panther's time to shine as the star is getting closer, and after we had already thought the cast was as star-studded as it could be, now they've added yet another major name. The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira has been officially added to the cast as the head of T'Challa's personal guard.
Today, during Marvel's show and tell at San Diego Comic-Con, they opened things up with Black Panther. The cast was introduced, and we saw lead actor Chadwick Boseman, as well of several of the co-stars that had been previously announced, like Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong'o. That would have been enough by itself, but then we were broadsided by something entirely new. Danai Gurira was announced as being the head of the Dora Milaje, Okoye.
The Dora Milaje is an organization of warriors made up of members of all the different tribes of Wakanda. The interesting thing about them is, they're all women. In the comics, the organization existed, at least in part, for the king of Wakanda to see the strongest women in his country, so that he might choose a queen. It's certainly a fitting role for Danai Gurira. Since 2012 Gurira has starred on The Walking Dead as Michonne, a proven badass who's more than capable of taking care of herself. The character is one of the strongest warriors that the series has ever met. When the show first introduced here she was surviving on her own, something that people are rarely able to do in that world. With her trusty sword, Michonne's fights have been some of the best of the series. As Okoye, it appears she'll now be taking that skill to the big screen.
Of course, exactly how Okoye will fit into Black Panther is still a mystery. In the comics, Okoye is one of the first members of Dora Milaje along with Nakia, who we also learned will be a character in the film. Based on that we'd guess that the two will be playing similar roles to that of the books. This will mean Okoye will be an ally to T'Challa, possibly his right hand as the lead of the guards.
This is only the beginning of Marvel's news from their SDCC panel. Stay tuned for more.
