T’Challa and M’Baku didn’t get off to the best start in Black Panther. However, the two leaders were able to strike an alliance just in time for the film’s climactic final battle. They later fought alongside each other in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. But if Winston Duke gets his way, their relationship will take a dark turn in Black Panther 2. Duke recently expressed his hope that Ryan Coogler will make M’Baku the villain in the highly anticipated sequel.
In the original Black Panther, M’Baku was established as the head of the Jabari Tribe, which spent several centuries keeping itself isolated from the larger nation of Wakanda. While speaking with Screen Rant, Duke opined that M’Baku’s different approach to leadership could still cause him and T’Challa to reach an impasse in the next installment.
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“[M’Baku] is a hero, but he has so much going on,” said Duke. “I think what makes a really great villain is that they have the power of seeing things their own way, and they can define their own circumstances.”
“And that’s what’s really cool about all the MCU villains so far as well,” added Duke. “Loki always sees things his own way, and he chooses when he’s going to be an ally or an antagonist. Thanos always had the power of self-definition. That’s his greatest strength. It wasn’t the [Infinity Stones], it wasn’t his superpower or the fighting. It’s that he made his mind up and said, ‘This is how I define justice.’ Because he wasn’t a bad guy; he’s just a dude who was seeking ultimate justice and balance. That’s not bad. But he defined it himself, and all the really great villains that Marvel interrogates always have that ability, so they can go anywhere.”
Black Panther 2 will open in theaters on May 6, 2022.
Would you like to see M’Baku as the villain in the sequel? Let us know in the comments down below!
Recommended Reading: Black Panther by Christopher Priest Vol. 1
