With the MCU forever changing, and the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman, Shuri had ginormous shoes to fill in the wake of T'Challa's death. Audiences, cast, and crew had to say goodbye to the beloved character and the beloved actor that played him, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sought to explore the grief of Shuri, whilst preparing her for the new role as the all-new Black Panther in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With Shuri taking center stage in both the MCU and the Black Panther franchise, the spotlight is all on her, and many may wonder how the latest iteration of Shuri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever compares to the Shuri that has seen many stories in the Marvel Comics over the decades.
7 Shuri As Griot
To distance herself from the Black Panther, the creators at Marvel Comics gave Shuri her mantle. Shuri became Griot after she was killed by Proxima Midnight, a member of Thanos’ Black Order. This character was killed in the MCU, so Shuri’s fate remains safe and alive. She was placed in a state between life and death after this defeat, and soon became resurrected into Griot.
In the movies, Shuri is still grieving the loss of her brother, King T’Challa, and the Black Panther. Therefore, it would be unwise for the MCU to kill off Shuri, even if it is to further serve her character in her next stage. She does not need this evolution, as she has gone on her path after the unexpected and tragic death of T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman.
6 Namor’s Negotiations
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Shuri’s interactions with Namor in the comics are relatively unaware, as she has only really been with the Sub-Mariner when she is the Queen of Wakanda. However, one such time saw a treaty negotiation between her and Namor, in which all he asked was for refuge in Wakanda when he needs it. Shuri rejected this offer, as there was no forgiveness between the two nations, and one of them had to be eradicated for the other to survive.
When Namor and Shuri meet in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Shuri is given a history lesson on Namor and his kingdom. Here, Namor tries to make Shuri see his way, and tries to join forces against humanity. All she needs to do is let him kill Riri Williams, but she objects wholeheartedly, a negotiation cut shot as she would refuse to take the life of an innocent, let alone one so young.
5 Friendship With Riri Williams
When Riri Williams ventured to Wakanda on her own accord, with the help of Tony Stark, she butted heads with Shuri. They had a quick rivalry, based on the fact that they are two of the smartest minds in the Marvel Universe, one experienced with death and the superhero life, and the other a newbie. Yet, they soon developed a welcoming friendship.
Riri and Shuri hit it off almost immediately after meeting each other. Shuri greatly respects Riri for her intellect, even if the whole reason she is in this mess is because of Riri’s smarts. Nonetheless, the two quickly develop a strong bond and a great friendship, which sees the two teaming up to create a vibranium suit of armor for Riri Williams to fight Namor and his army in.
4 Becoming The Black Panther
Shuri injects the heart-shaped herb and communes with Bast, the Panther God. Here, her arrogance and ego take hold, and Bast is unimpressed with the woman before her and casts that she will never be Black Panther. However, Bast saw something in Shuri, and she was allowed to leave. Shuri later donned the mantle of Black Panther to protect Wakanda whilst T’Challa was dying, and she did so to prove herself and overcome her arrogance.
In the film, Shuri becomes the Black Panther when Wakanda needs a hero to look up to. With her entire family dead, and Namor on the warpath, Shuri recreates the heart-shaped herb and enters the ancestral plane where she meets her cousin, Erik Killmonger. Here, she battles wit and must decide if she will be the Black Panther of vengeance or mercy in her coming battle with Namor.
3 Her Black Panther Suit
The comics feature a plain Black Panther suit. The times that readers see Shuri in the suit, it is rare, but she features an agile and skin-tight costume, which is all-black throughout. She wears a few belts and straps on her torso and thigh, with a fur coat over her shoulders. The suit seems more like spandex than armor.
The first time audiences lay eyes on Shuri’s Black Panther suit in the film is towards the end of the movie for the final fight. Her suit is agile, and nimble, with plenty of honorable gold throughout the armor. There’s also a print on the forehead, like the pattern of a leopard. The infuse of gold and black makes for a bold armor, which remains distinct from the comics, and her brother’s costume.
2 The Heart-Shaped Herb
Much like her brother T’Challa, Shuri took the heart-shaped herb to be granted super-soldier-like augmentations. She was given the heart-shaped herb as she was part of the family that becomes Black Panthers, and in doing so, she was granted the peak of human abilities, without the need for an artificial version of it.
Erik Killmonger destroyed the heart-shaped herb in the movies, and thus, the people of Wakanda have been without its incredible healing powers. Shuri even blames this for the reason she could not prevent T’Challa’s illness. However, she manages to make an artificial heart-shaped herb from the gift of Namor’s plant and her scientific knowledge, granting Wakanda a new heart-shaped herb for the future to grow.
1 Mourning King T’Challa
King T’Challa’s Black Panther has not died in Marvel Comics, and thus, Shuri has never had to mourn for her older brother. Even though he is not dead, that has not stopped Marvel Comics from putting T’Challa in near-death situations. Sadly, with the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, Marvel had no choice but to honor Chadwick’s legacy by laying to rest the character in the MCU he was famed for playing.
It is impossible to watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever without thinking of the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman. This loss is integrated with the character he played, King T’Challa, who dies within the film’s opening moments due to an illness. The remaining film sees Shuri mourning her brother, and trying to not think about the tragic loss she has suffered, which remains an important piece of the entire film.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now playing in theaters.