The iconography of 2018’s Black Panther is timeless. Countless people have taken the time to breakdown the significance of its symbolism, African grandeur, Black excellence (in front of AND behind the camera) and cultural impact. While I wholeheartedly agree with every accolade that has been bestowed to this Marvel classic, I do not intend to echo any of these sentiments. I see an analogue in Black Panther that is worth discussing as it relates to Trump’s America. Get those MAGA hats ready, ‘cause I’m going for the head!
The division that Trump has created in this country is one that will take a great deal of time for this country to heal from. The undertones of civil unrest in this country are staggering. As we forge ahead to come together under a bi-partisan government, I can’t help but wonder how we got here. Everyone heard and saw the same thing I saw from Trump, right?!! His thuggish leadership was aggressive enough to appeal to many who simply wanted a change in direction. Once mixed with an enlarged sense of national pride, this change afforded an egomaniac the chance to execute a dictatorial takeover.
And just as the confusion within me was stirred up by the onset of the 2020 election, in swooped Black Panther add another level of depth to its multi-dimensional impact. You see, Black Panther’s cinematic brilliance was also a political revelation regarding stances that have rocked our nation to the core. Let me explain.
In the movie, T’Challa’s new reign and mantle as king of Wakanda and Black Panther was threatened by a challenger to the throne who came out of nowhere: Eric Killmonger (played by Michael B. Jordan). Without getting into the sordid details of his rise to power, Killmonger was able to take advantage of the country’s traditions to dethrone T’Challa and usurp control of Wakanda. His childhood created a warped drive within him to take the world by storm in an attempt to bring balance to the inequities and tragedies of Black people which he witnessed firsthand. One of the assets he acquired upon his premature defeat of T’Challa was the allegiance of Wakanda’s elite warriors: the Dora Milaje. Specifically, Okoye (the head of the Dora Milaje played by Danai Gurira) led the charge in pledging her allegiance to him.
Okoye’s support of Killmonger was a major WTW?!! moment in Black Panther. She saw the same murderous twinkle in his eye as we did. She loved T’Challa as we did – yet and still, she chose to remain in service to Killmonger instead of rebel against him. Why? Because she understood how kingdoms work. She understood and very clearly stated that her allegiance was to the THRONE no matter who was in it. This was a tough pill to swallow not only for movie-goers but for anti-Trump Christians who have been trying to navigate the past four years. The balance of honoring a seat of authority as established by God while an ungodly man sits in it has been harrowing, to say the least. You see, even when men’s fancies have corrupted them, every seat of authority still ultimately belongs to God:
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.” – Romans 13:1-6
“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. ” – 1 Peter 2:13-14
These two scriptures perfectly encapsulate Okoye’s commitment because her loyalty transcended the antagonist sitting in the throne in favor of honoring the principality of the throne itself. Yet, as we’ve seen – this has been a hard pill to swallow for four years as we were exposed to Trump’s depraved nature over and over again. A nature that, in truth, reflected the heart of the nation which God exposed so that we might repent… but that’s another blog for another day! Okoye eventually saw that Killmonger was unfit to represent the authority established in the throne as she realized that he was incapable of honoring the seat as authority which she made an earnest attempt to give deference to; her moment of clarity was perfectly captured in the following quote:
“Your heart is so full of hatred, you are not fit to be king!”
The next person whose reaction to Killmonger reflected a large majority of pro-Trump Christians worth exploring is Okoye’s husband (played by Daniel Kaluuya): W’Kabi. W’Kabi was driven by missteps of T’Chaka and T’Challa (representing the current lineage of Wakandan kings). The lack of retribution for his family’s deaths at the hands of Klaw along with Wakanda playing down their power and prowess to the world did not rest will with W’Kabi. As such, when Killmonger brought Klaw to justice and expressed a different approach to Wakandan rule; he believed that a long overdue regime change was imminent; and he was completely on board Believing he would be on the right side of history by supporting Killmonger, W’Kabi was, in fact, blinded by his own selfishness and bitterness. Granted, while his vision of Wakanda didn’t revolve around being pro-life, tax cuts for the wealthy or quelling gay rights, they were just as warped in justifying his stance to support the leadership of a maniac.
And thus, Wakanda was split into two factions. Those who blindly followed who they saw as the most powerful person (despite his more-than-obvious lust for power and instability) and the minority who held out hope for honor to be restored in place of their fallen king. Needless to say, it’s complicated! Aside from the needless deaths that resulted from the civil war that broke out as Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa returned for the crown, the fallout is far-reaching.
How familiar does that sound?!! I remember being in the theater watching the final scenes play out and thinking: “How will Wakanda recover from this? What will become of those who chose the wrong side and must now recommit their allegiance to King T’Challa?” Will they reject the rightful king’s rule and fully defect? Can they be trusted to reunite for the betterment of Wakanda? I truly believe this will play out in the Black Panther movies to come.
In similar reflection, I think it will take several years, possibly even several presidential terms, to return to some semblance of unity in America. However long it takes, a shift has come. Trump stirred up some deep-rooted resentments and un-Christian sentiments this country still honors. President-Elect Joe Biden winning the election is only the beginning of our reconciliation and just like the MCU, there are many phases to come. An important question is this: will you be on the right side? It’s neither Democrat nor Republican. The right(eous) side is the regime Jesus spoke of throughout His ministry: the Kingdom of God.
