The beautiful thing about art is that it makes people eternal. So, when Chadwick Boseman died in 2020, I, like many others, was notably devastated, and you can read as such in my tribute to him in my Chadwick Boseman best performances article. At the time, I lamented all the excellent future projects we would never get to see from the talented performer. I also wondered how there could even be a sequel to Black Panther when its leading man – its T’Challa – was no longer with us. It didn’t seem possible. Or right.
Well, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is upon us, and our very own Eric Eisenberg wrote a very favorable review of the film, calling it a “remarkable work." And, with time, I have learned to not be so sad anymore about the loss of such a gifted brother. Instead, I look back fondly upon all of the great work he did in his short lifetime, most notably his five performances as Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, without further ado, here is every Marvel appearance of Black Panther, ranked. Chadwick Boseman forever.
5. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Formerly the highest-grossing movie of all time, Avengers: Endgame, which is the last cinematic appearance of T'Challa as Black Panther, is actually not the greatest, unfortunately. But, this is only because he was Thanos-snapped out of existence in the previous film.
In fact, Black Panther isn’t even in most of this movie, as the original Avengers, Hawkeye, Cap, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor were the ones who were left behind, while the newer Avengers, like Black Panther and Spider-Man, were the ones who had to sit out most of the movie. Still, when Black Panther DOES appear toward the end, it’s one of the greatest highlights of the entire film. We missed you, Black Panther! Still do, unfortunately.
4. What-If…? (2021)
When I ranked all of the Disney+ MCU shows up to Hawkeye, I put What-If…? smack dab at the bottom. I don’t know, the show just didn’t do it for me with its assortment of episodes surrounding the characters we’d been introduced to in the live-action MCU. I thought all of the episodes ranged from mediocre to pretty bad. Except for one episode, and that’s the one that wondered what would have happened if T’Challa had become Star Lord.
The great thing about this episode is that it leaned heavily into the fact that everybody – like, in the entire galaxy – loves T’Challa, and if he became Star Lord instead of Peter Quill, well, then things would be a whole lot different (With Thanos not being such a genocidal prick, for one thing). It was a fun concept, and I just wish the rest of the series lived up to it. Oh, well.
3. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Now we’re talking. Whereas Avengers: Endgame was mostly T’Challa-less, Avengers: Infinity War was… also mostly T’Challa-less. That said, when he WAS in the film, they really made it count. In fact, the final fight is the “Battle of Wakanda," where our king is leading the charge into a horde of baddies.
What makes the moment so impactful, though, is that this is basically the world’s –the universe’s! -- last stand, and Black Panther is the one who is at the very front of the pack, ready for action. There are many great moments in the film, most notably all the fights leading up to the harrowing climax, but out of all of the moments in this movie, T’Challa screaming his battle cry is the one that will always stick out the most to me.
Well, that and of course everybody turning to dust (Including Aunt May!). But, it’s hard to forget something as traumatic as that.
2. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Black Panther’s very first appearance in the MCU, Captain America: Civil War, was a seismic debut. And, you wouldn’t think it would have been given that this film was also the first appearance of Spider-Man in the MCU, but somehow, Black Panther managed to stand out in such a crowded movie. It might be because he was integral to the overall plot, while Spider-Man was kind of just a nice little addition to the film.
Whatever the reason, Black Panther is seriously badass in this movie. Especially when he’s chasing after Bucky for what he thinks is the murder of his father. That motorcycle scene where Black Panther is keeping up ON FOOT is just one of the greatest moments in the entire MCU. And, we even got a chance to see that his vibranium suit was bulletproof when he was fired at, and he just stood there, like what? Go ahead. Shoot at me all you want. That’s not gonna hurt me! I mean, damn! You don’t get much cooler than that.
1. Black Panther (2018)
Last, but certainly not least (I mean, duh, it’s first) is 2018’s Black Panther, which is the only solo effort for the character in the MCU. It can’t be stated highly enough just what a cultural phenomenon this movie was. In fact, it was more than a movie. It was an event! Schools went to see it, and hell, it’s the very first superhero movie to EVER be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
But, you don’t need me to remind you of just how big it was. You were there. You remember it. You SAW it. Possibly multiple times. But, besides being such a mega-hit for Marvel/Disney, the film itself is an astounding feat of cinema, where T’Challa goes through a number of emotions, first defending Wakanda, and then, learning that maybe they need to open up Wakanda more to the rest of the world.
Plus, every great superhero movie needs an excellent villain, and Black Panther had it with Michael B. Jordan’s, Killmonger, which people really latched onto. But, in the end, it was Chadwick Boseman’s film, and Black Panther stood tall in this amazing movie, making it the best appearance of Black Panther in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But, what do you think? What’s your favorite appearance of Black Panther in the MCU? For more news on everything Marvel, make sure to swing by here often.
