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Overanalyzing Anime
Blog Owner & Lead Writer
It’s not often that the titular hero of a movie is one of its least compelling characters, & yet, in Black Panther, that seems to be the case. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to like about T'Challa - his strength, his personality, his charisma - but with a slew of characters that display these same qualities (at times even better) it’s difficult not to fall to the wayside.. even in one’s own movie. But, even if Chadwick Boseman’s T'Challa may not have been the standout of the movie, who he surrounds himself with still says a lot about who he is & why he’s such an incredible character.
This movie presents us with two distinct versions of T’Challa; we have the version of him who is a King & the version of him who is a Man. While there are moments where the two roles overlap - such as when he visits his father in the Djalia - for the most part we see him as either one or the other. As the King, T’Challa is often very serious, & seldom has the opportunity to show his lighter side. However, this makes sense, though - especially given how quickly things escalated; hours after being crowned the King he took off to find Klaue, & upon his return he was almost immediately challenged for the throne once again.
I prefer the moments of levity, wherein we get to see him at peace; whether it’s him being doted on by his mother & father, the playful back & forth he has with his younger sister, or the chemistry that bubbles just beneath the surface every time he’s around his former lover. The way in which he interacts with those he cares about says a lot about him & it’s a completely different version of the man we met in Civil War.
I really like both aspects of T’Challa though; as a King he’s levelheaded & takes into consideration all possible ideas on how to approach any given situation; as a man he takes care of his loved ones in anyway he can. At the end of the day a King’s true power comes from those he surrounds himself with, & T’Challa has chosen all the right people to stand by his side.
What are your thoughts on T’Challa? Let me know in the comments! And be sure to read my review of Black Panther!
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