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We’re all linking up with our peoples to go see Black Panther as a family, right? Of course, we are! Get those outfits together because you know we’re going all out. Speaking of family, let’s take a look at who’s who in the world of Wakanda.
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T’Challa/Black Panther becomes the king of Wakanda following his father’s tragic death. All his life he's been training for the moment when he would take the reins.
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No one hates T’Challa more than Erik Killmonger—formerly known as N’ Jadaka (his Wakandan name). He ends up in Harlem after his family is exiled from Wakanda for his father’s crimes. Killmonger spends his life biding time before he can return to Wakanda and exact his revenge.
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Nakia is part of the Black Panther's squad of female bodyguards, known as the Dora Milaje. She is a highly skilled spy.
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Okoye is the leader of the Dora Milaje. She is very protective of T'Challa.
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Shuri is T’ Challa’s half-sister and she is a badass when it comes to designing weapons - she is head of the Wakanda Design Group. “She’s the smartest person in the world, smarter than Tony Stark but she’s a sixteen-year-old girl which we thought was really interesting" is how Black Panther producer Nate Moore describes her.
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Ayo is another one of the Dora Milaje special ops. She is the king’s personal guard and you may remember her from Captain America: Civil War when she said to Black Widow, “Move, or you will be moved.”
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Ramonda is T’Challa’s stepmother and Shuri’s biological mother. She is the family rock.
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W’Kabi is T’Challa’s best friend and an elite member of the Wakanda night watch. He’s basically part of the team that keeps the outside world out of Wakanda. Word on the street is, he might become palace advisor.
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King T’Chaka is T'Challa's (Black Panther) father who was tragically murdered in the terrorist attack we saw in Captain America: Civil War. Klaw was the killer in the comic book.
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This character is one of the most mysterious of the bunch because he doesn’t appear in the comic book series. It’s said that in the movie he will be someone from T’Challa’s past.
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Ulysses Klaue/Klaw is a gangster and an arms dealer who wants to exploit Wakanda for all of its vibranium. In other words, he’s the reason why Wakandan leaders work so hard to keep outsiders out.
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Zuri is a shaman who protects the heart-shaped herb that gives Black Panther his powers. He was extremely close to T’Challa’s father and becomes a father figure to him.
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M’Baku, also known as “Man Ape,” is a warrior who is just as fierce as any Black Panther. Not so surprisingly, he has his sights set on the throne.
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Played by César Award-winning, Ivorian actor Isaach de Bankolé, the River Tribe Elder is the leader of one of many tribes in Wakanda.
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