Enemies will always strike when they believe you are at your weakest. That’s true even when you’re the most powerful nation on Earth. But Namor wasn’t Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s only antagonistic force. The film featured multiple enemies of all kinds. But who are all the MCU villains in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? Here’s everyone—and everything—that came against Wakanda following the death of King T’Challa.
(Warning: you’re about to swim into major spoilers.)
Namor Is Wakanda Forever‘s Chief Antagonist
When King T’Challa decided to open Wakanda’s doors to the world and reveal the extent of his nation’s power, he had no way of knowing what that would mean for another secret society. The mutant King Namor rules over the underwater city of Talokan. Like Wakanda, it has an abundance of the most sought-after material in the world, vibranium. Queen Ramonda (rightly) refused to share her country’s supply of the priceless metal with other nations. But she did encourage them to search for it elsewhere, confident there was none to be found outside her borders.
That set off a conflict between Wakanda and Talokan in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. First, Namor wanted to kill the scientist (Riri Williams) who built the machine capable of locating vibranium. He believed that was the only way to keep his city and his people safe. Then he wanted Shuri and Wakanda to join him in a war against the other surface countries. That led to conflict between the two factions until their leaders agreed to a truce.
Namor might not have turned out to be wholly bad, but he is unquestionably the chief antagonist of the Black Panther sequel. He was far from the film’s only villain, though.
The Generals of Talokan Want War
Namor’s closest generals not only spent their lives preparing to fight the surface world, they seemed eager for war. Their superhuman strength and willingness to immediately kill anyone who threatened their underwater city made them as dangerous as anyone on Earth. And they helped lead a massive, formidable, and equally eager army of Talokan soldiers into battle.
Despite King Namor’s seeming acquiescence, it seems his generals’ desire for war is not satiated. And they might one day get it since another enemy of Wakanda wants what Talokan has.
The World’s Governments Are Complete Villains in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Other powerful nations, including the United States, want some of Wakanda’s vibranium. The strongest metal on Earth can cure disease and injury, but it can also be used to make weapons of mass destruction. France is so desperate to get some that they hired mercenaries to attack a Wakandan research outpost. Wakanda was ready for the attack, in part because they knew T’Challa’s death made them appear weak. And that makes the governments of the world the real villains in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
But even with Shuri assuming the mantle of Wakanda’s Black Panther protector, it’s unlikely other countries will stop seeking vibranium, even if that means conflict with Wakanda. Especially not the U.S.
Not only was it on the verge of attacking Wakanda with little (and wrong) reason, but the United States employs a powerful, ruthless woman in a position of great power. And she can’t stop dreaming of a United States with an abundance of vibranium.
CIA Deputy Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Is Worse Than We Thought
One of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s biggest surprises is that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is not who we believed. And we don’t mean that because she’s Agent Ross’s ex-wife. The shadowy figure we thought was working outside the laws of any country this whole time is one of the most powerful people in the U.S. government. She’s the Deputy Director of the CIA, and she desperately wants vibranium. She’ll also jail anyone she thinks puts the United States at risk, including her former husband. We knew Val (don’t tell her we called her that!) was dangerous before. But we had no idea how powerful she really is.
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is really shaping up to be an important new MCU villain, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and beyond.
Black Panther’s Villain Killmonger Returns in Wakanda Forever
When Shuri entered the ancestral plane, she summoned her cousin Killmonger. Death did nothing to curb his outlook on life. He mocked T’Challa’s kindness and his uncle’s hypocrisy. And he pushed Shuri to be more like him and kill Namor, even though that would only lead to more bloodshed. For a dead character we did not expect to see, Killmonger reminded us why he was such a compelling villain in the original film.
Grief, Loss, and Anger Is the True Villain in Wakanda Forever
Aquatic superhumans, spiteful nations, deadly soldiers, the CIA, and a ghost with a taste for vengeance paled in comparison to the most dangerous villain of Wakanda Forever—grief. The death of Chadwick forced the Black Panther sequel to deal with an enemy we can’t escape. And the death of a loved one brings so many enemies into our lives. For Shuri, that meant trying—and failing—to bury her sadness and anger. For others like Nakia, it meant hiding from the world. And for others, it meant a loss of purpose and guilt.
Namor was Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s primary antagonist, but he wasn’t its greatest villain.