Jack Kirby was a poor Jewish kid in depression era New York City. He faced a lot of anti-semitism and that's part of why he worked to include minority characters and anti-racist messages in his work. Today some people code him as white, but he faced a lot of ugly stuff as a Jewish man. Including neo-nazi death threats. All this to say his empathy comes from a real place, and he was ahead of his time in always trying to champion and push healthy diversity in the work he did. Also when someone asked why he created Black Panther he said something like "no one was creating black characters, and black people read comics, and not even I was creating black characters, so I had to." By all accounts a super woke guy who punched nazis.

Something that a lot of people miss in analyzing Black Panther is the character that Lupita Nyong'o plays, Nakia, and what her role in the movie had to say about the pan African liberation movement. When Nelson Mandela and other male leaders of the Anti-Apartheid movement were being imprisoned and exiled, Winnie Mandela and other women of the moment were the ones who took over leadership and continued the fight. Dr. King and the other members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference may have been the public figureheads or the American Civil Rights Movement, but Corretta Scott King and the other women of the movement were the backbones and Coretta took up the leadership mantle after her husband's death. Nakia was making the same moral argument that Killmonger was making from the beginning of the movie, when T'Challa was seemingly defeated, she protected the Wakandan royal family, and protected the black panther legacy by stealing the heart shaped herb, and she saved T'Challa's life. To me Nakia represented the women in black liberation movements that do so much work to advance the movement forward while holding down their own, but don't get any of the recognition that male figureheads of the movement get. She is the real hero of the movie in my opinion.

I feel like M’Baku is a very underrated character. He is a very traditional man that he completely rejects the idea of T’challa being murdered instead he says he was defeated but when he finds T’challa on the brink of death he doesn’t hold grudges and helps him. When he realizes that killmonger is not suitable to be a king he stands with okoye and others to defeat him. I feel like his role is to represent a healthy balance between tradition and progression, he is a man who really values his culture and doesn’t take any disrespect but he doesn’t try to stop progress either which unfortunately many traditional people fail to do. He is a good man who isn’t afraid to change his mind. He was my favorite character in the movie alongside with shuri.

As an African, I can say Black Panther was the first time I saw a Hollywood film make an effort regarding various African customs. There was certain language, clothing and behaviors that are unique to certain tribes and only those who’ve experienced it will recognize the effort. I felt seen for the first time in a major Hollywood film.

Incredibly brave of you to admit you were a fan of Nostalgia Critic

I heavily disagree that T’Challa is boring in the film or the MCU. T’Challa is completely defined by his compassion and although he’s very serious, he’s supposed to be kingly. He carries himself with stoicism and charisma, but keeps his composure and intelligence because that’s what he was raised to do. The people around him are allowed to be more vibrant in a way because T’Challa is their rock. He exudes both strength and kindness. Truly the best display of masculinity I’ve ever seen in a film. Chadwick Boseman played him with such a wonderful poise and warmth that no one else could have brought. His kindness comes all the way through and I truly do believe that is important.

Weirdly, one of the challenges to Killmonger's goals in the movie that stuck with me was when Martin Freeman's character, one of the few significant white characters, reflected on Killmonger destroying the flowers that gave them super strength and made the comment on how he was doing what they had taught them. Like how you said, he was coming at it from a place of neo-colonization. His plan and mindset would have him repeating the same pain and issues would propagate the same cycle with new masters.

This was the single handed BEST synopsis of Black Panther I’ve seen. Your channel satisfies a need for intellectual analysis of all the things I notice that I feel most people don’t!

I love that Killmonger line when he says "the sun will never set on the Wakandan empire." Before that, in the ancestral plane, N'Jobu told him that the sunsets in Wakanda are the most beautiful in the world - presumably something he told Erik often in his stories. Obviously, the "sun will never set" line is a reference to the British Empire, and when we see London near the beginning, it's overcast and washed out, with very little color, meant to be a striking contrast to the colorful Wakanda. There's a sense that when a country engages in imperialism - when its "sun never sets" - it loses its vibrancy, becomes something soulless. Erik wants the same of Wakanda. Throughout the film, Erik is portrayed facing away from the Wakandan sun. When he first enters Wakanda, the sun is rising behind him. When he challenges T'Challa, his back is to the sunset. Even when he visits the ancestral plane, the sky is obscured by the walls of his apartment. Only at the end, when Erik is dying and has given up on his imperialist ambitions, does he stop and actually look at the Wakandan sunset and realize just how beautiful it is, acknowledge what Wakanda would have lost if he had succeeded. This movie has so many layers of themes and symbols that we could dig down into it for hours and not mine it all. I love it for that.

One of the aspects of Blank Panther that I think most people didn't get was the Afro-futurism. This is again, a big blockbuster Disney movie, and to see the most technologically advanced society in the world not depicted in the usual western convention of shiny chrome, labcoats and suits and ties, but instead in traditional African colors and dress was just awesome. So much of our modern conventions of how we dress or how buildings are designed or just how our society looks comes from a European sense, and it was so amazing to see Blank Panther just completely step away from that in a blockbuster movie.

The way you explained the battles using black fraternities is absolutely brilliant

When I think of this movie I still get emotional. Seeing so many different expressions and takes on black beauty really got to me. Falling in love with Nakia, literally seeing a confident man stumbling over himself in the presence of a black woman... She isn't an object or a sex symbol. She isn't quiet or submissive or pliant - she calls him on his shit and is sure of herself in a way that overshadows all his wealth and power. It was the first time I ever saw reverence for a black woman that had nothing to do with her sex appeal. It didn't feel like a stretch or someone trying to make something happen- it just was. She was right there in front of you, and she was simply the most beautiful, compelling, and interesting person you'd ever met. You wanted to please her and make her proud because her good opinion mattered to you, not because you hoped to get something from her. I believed it. I felt it, and felt connected to it in a way I didn't know was possible. Seeing so many variations of black female beauty... It made space for all of us - it made womanhood feel like an us thing, even though that's never been a thing for me. I'm a mixed, neurodivergent, enby who has always struggled to feel like I belong, but I left with a sense that there was a place for me. I'll never forget it.

This movie made me go to therapy because it made me realize how much self hatred I internalized as a Nigerian boy. I moved to Texas as a teenager and I always had this thing in me that thought there was something wrong with Africa and it was down to the people, our culture, our way of life but then after watching this movie and nearly crying without being able to explain why, I went to therapy and then spent the next year and half reading so many books about Africa and its colonial history. I’ll always recommend the first book I started with: How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney, that book was written in the 70s but it’s a must read for anyone interested in black liberation

Hearing Killmonger's character be explained as "he's saying some facts and speaking about direct action, so you start to think maybe he's not so bad - and then you are forcefully reminded that he is from the manosphere and thus cannot be trusted" is the most hilarious, easy to get explanation about this character so many people latched onto because they were starved for interesting villains with understandable motivations.

Hearing you describing Black Panther brought me back to the feelings being in the theater the 1st time. The feelings I got felt like finally being home after being lost. Specifically around the challenge scene. Seeing the culture presented that way just felt right.

I gotta admit, seeing all those people doing the "Wakanda forever" salute near the beginning made me nearly tear up. It's such a simple gesture that to many can mean so much more than just a movie reference. It's beautiful really :)

I love how the description right now is just "I been wanting to make this video for 4 years" 😅

We also see the two characters, T'Challa and Killmonger striving to make their fathers proud even after those fathers were tragically taken too soon. Another bit of similitude in Killmonger and T'Challa's journeys was how both of them held their dead fathers' bodies the same way and with such devastating grief.

I don’t think i’ve ever heard another youtuber or content creator say the phrase “I appreciate you trusting me with your time” and that really meant a lot to me. It honestly reminded me of when a tattoo artist says something like “thank you for your trust.” It really shows how much you appreciate people making the choice to watch your videos and we do that because you’re fantastic at what you do, man. Thank YOU for the passion and providing education and entertainment for all of us.

Been binging all of your videos. This was a really good deconstruction and the way you reconnected things back to historical events and real structures showed me a POV I don't see much. This video taught me a lot, and I think that's your goal from what I've seen.

I legit went back to school and finished my computer science degree because of black panther. It sounds crazy but before then it felt impossible to break into tech, depsite all the black folks who already existed in it. I also was someone who started in the arts prior to becoming an engineer, so my career “love language” so to speak was different . However, once I saw the film, it felt like a love letter to me and many others who needed to “see” a world of tech, made by black folks and built FOR black folks. Ive since taking that inspiration and working to turning it into work you can see, hopefully some day, work you can feel and touch. Im even going back to creating my own art inspired by afro futurism, etc.

I’m forever grateful that black people celebrated Black Panther the way we did. It’s not a perfect film (no Marvel movie is) but so much about it was exceptional. The cast, the costumes, the ideologies, the politics, the character work, and just the collective black joy we got from it. Black Panther was the definition of “You just had to be there”. We showed OUT and we knew how special it was at the time. Ironically, that’s part of the reason why it makes me so sad when I watch it in a post-Chadwick Boseman world.

I cried through your entire analysis. I am not even a crier ... but this is the second time your videos made me bawl. I may come back and attempt to articulate my feelings. But for now I just want to once again say THANK YOU. You are doing the lord's work

As a first generation Ghanaian American on my father's side, I cried every time Killmonger got a little loud or emotional 😂. It's true that all black people outside of the continent have a sense of longing at some point in their life but to know your parent is from there and didn't take you to that greatness is a great heartbreak. It was truly a comforting movie for the community in such a worldly way. Like a grand looking glass for the entire diaspora.

I never needed this movie to be perfect. As an African, the last time Hollywood gave us a positive representation in my lifetime was in Lion King. As actual animals. Coogler made a product that was way superior to my personal expectations. There are things that aren't working for me at all. But we gotta start somewhere. Edit: T'Challa can't be the worst part of this movie, because Everett Ross exists.

You're spot on with what this movie is all about! Here's a quote from the animated miniseries "Black Panther" from 2010: T'Chaka: "I understand your frustration in dealing with a Black man who can't be bought with a truck full of guns, a plane full of blondes and a Swiss bank account, but please, hold on to what little class you have!" Not long after uttering these words, T'Chaka was assassinated.

The pictures at the end of the funerals kids were having for Chadwick broke my heart, thanks for the informative review

I cried at multiple points during this video. Breaking down the difference in how T'Challa and Kilmonger saw the ancestral plane just broke me. It feels so true to the black American experience. And revisiting the loss of Chadwick Boseman. It's something that I don't think about often, but it truly was a wound in the community. It hurts so so bad to think about losing him. But I'm so grateful what he gave us.

"A man who taught himself to speak politely, when what he really wants is to scream." Fuck, that's a good line.

I really love the Ross commentary because I had such special affection for Serkis and Freeman themselves because they were my favorite actors as a teenager and I thought that was why they seemed so present. That interrogation was the framework of the major trailers, and even though I went into the movie theater expecting to be distracted by them I still found it a genuine challenge to ignore freeman specifically because I felt he was constantly in the frame for absolutely no reason when I was trying to watch the movie (where Serkis in contrast was disposed of the second he became unnecessary). I just thought it was something that I was noticing in particular because of personal bias, and I didn’t expect marvel to not throw some random white dude in the mix to take space on screen in the second half in the movie. Realizing it was more specific than that actually settles a lot of things for me

You said something at 43:30 about confusion regarding identity that caused me to think about my black friends in high school many years ago. My school district was overwhelmingly white, a mixture of suburban and rural, and was also relatively well-funded. My two friends, just by virtue of being in the district, had to interact with a very white crowd despite sometimes having an understandable desire to seek out similar people, and this undoubtedly shaped their identities. Here's the thing: I remember them being in this godawful sort of crossroads, and they would be teased by some people if they acted "too black" but also teased by other students if they acted "too white." Is this a common experience, this feeling of being some sort of double agent? I can't imagine the hell it would play on a person's psyche having to reconcile those competing criticisms. I think about my friends Brien and Karsten and I often regret not asking more questions to try to understand things better. Wherever they are today, I hope they're doing well.

I think t'challa is the best part of the movie. As a first gen African American I love the arc he goes through from being the "golden boy" (i.e. the family pride, the one that became a doctor, engineer, lawyer, etc) to doubting the very foundation those family/familiar values are founded in. Hiis outburst to his ancestors make me cry everytime cause I've had to had that same discussion with my very traditional-conservative parents. And he let's his co stars shine! He's a reactionary character that is constantly challenged and changed by his friends/surroundings. and the benefits of that shows because look how much the cast is loved.

I think Killmonger was the first time I became truly aware of how many people couldn't recognize the difference between dismantling the system and trying to replace who's on top. I was just so shocked that everyone was so convinced that Killmonger was the way to go. I think Readus 101 was the only youtuber I saw at the time point out what was wrong with Killmonger's ideology.

Poitier was a man ahead of his time. He was an incredible film director as well that put folks to work. Buck and the Preacher with Harry Belafonte is just one example.

I took their decision to share their technology differently. It’s noted in the film that the rest of the world is catching up. By sharing their technology, but being (almost) the only source of vibranium, they’re setting themselves up to be the main source of the resource and able to extract tremendous wealth out of that. Wait too long and there’ll be too much competing advanced tech that isn’t vibranium-based.

One of the puzzling aspects of the movie, is T'Challa's collaboration with the CIA. You're right that the CIA played an integral role in the downfall of many socialist regimes in newly independent Africa such as Patrice Lumumba and Kwame Nkrumah. Thus, having the CIA as part of the movie, particularly to stop Killmonger, missed that critical piece of African history and made it difficult to embrace the movie in its entirety.

The scene where Killmonger's father trys to reach out to his son, and realises what he's become. Always saddens me, because it seemed like he also realised his own failure and the cycle of anger continuing.

The film was a truly enriching experience. Your analysis of it was highly educational and enlightening.

I'll stop writing on the 1 year old video, but it just has so much good in it. So many of your points would make me join a whole conversation. And this is really helping me find some kind of feverish peace in between careers, figuring out who it is I am and what I want. Peace! Take care and good luck in whatever you do, gonna obviously still be watching all your videos when I'm on KZfaq

The ancestral plane scenes are what I always point to when I talk about why I like BP. T'challa gets the plains of Africa, Kilmonger gets the block in Oakland. It's fucking heartbreaking.

When you were comparing the Black tropes to frats, I realized that this could have benefited from a little perspective from others, both in the continent and around the diaspora. As an African (Ghanaian), I saw them as representations of stereotypes of different tribes, generations, and socio-economic classes. For example what you see as an AKA, I see as a bougie Yoruba auntie. I saw Killmonger as a symbol of the way African Americans tend to idolize Africa but, when they come, they tend to be Diet Colonizers, blending in more like white expats. (Actual colonizers in the case of Liberia). It may have made the video too long and less focused tho, because I could go on and on.

The way you used the Devine 9 to describe the story is hilarious I’m over here dying laughing because the tropes are so accurate

45:16 Wow, that was possibly the most relatable comment to black issues I have ever heard. We aren't rich, but we live pretty well and when I see what happens in the US (I don't live there) it literally tears me apart. There is an urge to do something accompanied by a feeling of powerlessness, which leads to guilt. It feels like looking from a ship at sea while the mainland burns in the distance.

As a woman in STEM since way before it was even called that, the character of Shuri in the original Black Panther spoke to me the way that T'Challa spoke to you. I spent a lot of my youth being told I couldn't do what I wanted to do because I was a girl, seeing my talents minimized (pretty smart... for a girl), and having few role models in contemporary media. Seeing a young smart woman being treated seriously and her talents recognized instead of minimized in Black Panther was just so inspiring and I'm glad that she got her moment in WF. Seeing her interacting with IronHeart actually made me tear up a bit. My wish was for Shuri to be the next Black Panther without her legitimacy being provided by a guy but by her own talent and I got it. You guys got your wish too -- T'Challa has been recast in the form of his son.

I know Afrofuturism only as aesthetics, but when you described it as "Black people existing in the future" it made me realize so many things about sci fi I haven't considered before and it kind of blew my mind 😅 Thanks

Hands down the best breakdown of a movie ever. Whatever you’re earning from this is not enough. Having a brilliant mind is one thing, being able to articulate your perspective is another. Much love and respect King. Also fitting that I’d see this video at a point in my journey of acknowledging that the “good” in the manosphere is not enough for me to continue consuming. All the best to you and yours fam! ✊🏾🙅🏾‍♂️

Being so hyped or passionate about media, no matter how much time passes, often makes me fumble my words or outright say too many things I don't even mean. You have wonderful control for explaining nuances of why this movie slaps, while having contagious enthusiasm for what you're analysing.

I'm white, so I obviously didn't get the nuances that you talked about when I first saw Black Panther. I just knew when I saw this in the theater that there was something special about it, and it went beyond representation. That was evident just by watching my black friend and coworker in tears next to me. I asked her what made her cry after the movie, and she just said, "It's a lot. I don't know how to explain it." Thanks so much for helping me to understand just a bit better. Edit: typo

The happiest thing I ever saw was a little white boy wearing a Black Panther costume out of season in a grocery store. The kid just wanted to dress like his favorite superhero, and that the fact that they weren't the same race didn't bother him one bit. That's just so heartwarming to me.

🔥🔥🔥 I liked to think that the end credit sceen was a passive threat. Like, we're gonna open our doors, but know that we can and will flex if or better yet when yall force our hand

I really hope you do a video on Black Panther 2. It'll be interesting to see your take on it and whether it addressed any of your concerns with the first movie. Especially if the CIA issue was done even slightly better or too subtly. Also, the consequences of T'Challa's decision gets addressed something I hadn't expected and really hope gets followed through in future installments. I really love your videos!

When I learned F.D. was a teacher it all kind of clicked for me. This fall I submitted my apps to masters of education programs in big part because I want to emulate the gifts F.D. expresses in his videos. The care, attention to detail, intellect, research skill, charisma, and precision of language on display in his videos is an inspiration. I hope to be half the teacher I imagine he was in the classroom. This video was excellent as always and unlocked new lenses through which to view not just Black Panther, but any major creative work. Cheers F.D. you're a national treasure Edit: as I was typing this I just got accepted to my Masters lol surreal coincidence!

The black frat and sorority references in your breakdown of the movie is pure gold 🤌🏾😂

I used to be really into archaeology as a kid, and I always had a very high opinion of Africa because of all of its achievements and fascinating culture. If I hadn't had those interests, I could see how our culture in America would paint a completely different picture. Anyone with African heritage should feel immense pride for it. It being called the cradle of civilization is an understatement. There is clearly something very special about folks from this region; as if they have more innate multigenerational experience with the art of being human. Their ability to engage the world with speech, art, etc. is second to none on a per capita basis. Think about how globally influential black people in America are, when their numbers are relatively so tiny. It's amazing.

Couldn't agree more with your final conclusion. There's a concept I learned at college that perfectly describes the feeling you mention. Resignification. Despite Hollywood, and Disney of all companies making this historic movie, there were actual individuals completely compromised with telling a story that made a tremendous effort to at least tip the scales regarding the status quo, at least when it comes to black superheroes. No matter who you are, or where you come from, I believe, you should pay homage to the people who even with the barriers that were put in front of them to make the film, decided to do it to the best of their abilities. By not enjoying it, when you know you could, you're also missing out on the job of some amazing people, and they deserve to be recognized.

I just spent a semestre teaching this film at a uni in Japan. I'd done quite a bit of research about it, obviously, but I still would have liked to see this video beforehand. Not to worry, it'll come in handy next semester. Challenging as it was (all the references the students could not have known!), it was also fascinating to see how they understood the film and how they interpreted a lot of the moral questions I'd stop to ask before we saw how they got resolved. I expected some of their views given their cultural, social, political and historical baggage but I still wasn't ready for some of their opinions and perspective. Anyway thanks for this video and all the other ones I've been binge watching when one came on my recommended list just the other day. So happy I chose to watch it. Love the depth of your analysis and the flow, pace and logic that you use to present your thoughts and material. 🙏🏽

Killmonger's actions were definitely out of pain and PTSD. And I feel like a lot of us who didn't grow up with money felt him deeply when we realized he was deprived of so much wealth, culture and beauty due to his father's own motives

I JUST got through educating my daughter last week about the symbolism of vibranium in Wakanda to the exploitation of cobalt in Congo. Glad you’re talking about this film. Can’t wait to see the new one.

I remember watching it in theatre and I have changed a lot politically since then. At the time I just figured it was a pretty cool movie with an awesome soundtrack, now I have a much more in-depth view from looking through an African Americans perspective. Definitely going to watch sequel tonight! You really don’t disappoint bro, love the videos all the way from New Zealand!

Yo, when i saw the title of this video, i felt exactly like we did when we saw the original black panther trailer... "This could be good, hopefully, at least it's ok..." When you started it off with historical knowledge i should know, but didn't, already a win. But when you turned this into a 'School Daze' interpretation of the movie... LEGENDARY. Walking into work laughing out loud. Gotta find people to share this with, you have a done a work here 👏🏽

As a belgian woman, your intro taught me more about Patrice Lumumba and the Democratic Republic of the Congo than my history classes. It's really shameful how little we are taught about this so important part of our history when our colonialism lasted for so long (from the 1870s to the 1960s while our country exists since 1831, it lasted SO long)

As a Congolese person who is also a huge marvel fan, I’m just so heartened to see the great Patrice Lumumba get spotlighted in this analysis of Black Panther, I haven’t finished the video (a part of me wants to savour it) but in moments like this, I’m just so damn grateful for the bloody World Wide Web man! 😭🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

I found you from More Perfect Union, I'm a white guy in England this was really enlightening and gave me a lot to think about, you're a great host. When I watched Black Panther I was amazed by Killmonger, he's written like a hero, he's got the heroes backstory, I talked to a friend of a friend about it and he just dismissed it, I should point him to this.

A few years ago one of my roommates was telling me about how great Black Panther was and we sat down watched it together. I'm white and my former roommate is black. I watched the movie and left feeling distinctly, I can't think of a better word than disappointed. The main thing that I couldn't get over was the movie's ending and what felt to me like an implication that all would be right in the world now with T'challa back in power. I thought it was such a simplistic ending for a movie that wasn't afraid of engaging with a real and complex problem. Neither me nor my roommate really had the words at the time, but I think our differences may have come down to our differing experience due our respective races. As a white person, a lot of the parts of the movie which did a really good job of capturing black experience did not connect with me. I remember talling my roommate that I felt like Wakanda didn't actually have good system and wouldn't really chang things, because the resolution of the story didn't come from an systemic change which took place, but from the growth T'challa as character. It was Lord of the Rings logic (Good King, Good Country) applied to real world issues. Looking back i'm realizing I didn't give other aspects of the story enough cfredit, largely due to not recognizing them, but I still find the ending un-satisfactory.

as a south sudanese-american, i loved this movie so much for its themes. i loved killmonger and his rage, and growing up in the US made me resonate with his father. i was relentlessly bullied and hated by black americans bc of xenophobia, and my parents witnessed certain stereotypes in the workplace regarding black americans. but we always discussed that african culture was taken away from them. in south sudan, scarification is used as a rite of passage into adulthood, but also represented classism like slavery vs elite. i liked seeing many aspects incorporated. me and my family loved the themes it represented. it really called out the issues people of the diaspora dealt with, and the alienation africans impose. south sudan has been the worst country in the world for almost 4 generations now, with genocide and war being prominent for decades. but africa had many resources and thrived before the scramble for africa. i imagined that africa could be wakanda if it wasn’t exploited. one think that bothered me was seeing the xenophobic people i grew up around wearing unauthentic african wear, and people acting like wakanda existed when many countries there are dealing w famine, genocide, war, etc. i have never been to my country bc there’s a good chance i could be raped or killed, but i hope that one day it can get better so i can go back. i love black american culture and it’s origins. it makes me respect them a lot, and want their success, like killmongers father. although there was a loss in their culture due to the diaspora, i would love for people who’s a part of it could go to africa to learn & identify with the culture there, without having to choose their specific ancestral origins. i’m mostly love killmonger though, and how his role in the film really called out the feelings that black people all over the world felt regarding the impact of colonialism, but especially how it called out african people and their role in perpetuating division. there needs to be more respect for black americans and their issues and how they overcame and continue to grow from. i just wish there was a wakanda that we all could go back to, and feel the pride, safety, and success we deserve. africa has many conservative traditions, but the one that is very common is the emphasis on community. we are very community oriented and hospitable, and i think that many africans would love to have more brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. these are terms we use to refer to everyone regardless of biological relation. id love to build our family together.

You say Okoye's role is crucial to any black movement but it's her adherence to tradition that allowed for the growth of Killmonger and undermine her whole kingdom. Allowing skin folk who aren't kin folk to enter is dangerous to any movement

i love that maybe about 20 or so minutes in, at your "most replayed" spot, and you give a play-by-play of the entire film, but entirely in code, that's above me. You just drop into lingo/jargon/code. I look forward to catching up. First video I've seen of yours, and it's so far been excellent. The black lens here is very useful to me, who often misses underlying subtext or significance in media directed outward, like the trans lens of the matrix.

Early into the video you thanked us for being here, i wanna say thankyou back. Thanks for being here, for providing the perspective that you do and educating such a wide audience of people with the great stuff you put out.

My entire family went to the movies together to see Black panther when it came out, my sister flew from Hawaii to South Carolina to be there. It was the last movie we all saw with my aunt that passed away a few weeks before Chadwick. I'm going to be very emotional in this one.

Being black and living in Japan, seeing this movie was a real experience in so many ways. One side was personal where the topics of the plot really resonated and pulled at me. The others were from a third party perspective. Seeing it with a friend who is from New Zealand, but Indian and could resonate with so many of the themes as well was a huge bonding moment for us. Then seeing the "I didn't get it" reaction from so many of our white friends from Australia or USA really, REALLY drove it home how some people just can't connect to stuff if it doesn't explicitly target them. Even my Japanese girlfriend at the time could catch a lot of the heavy tones related to the movie and pro-Africanisms portrayed...

My professor used this movie to cap off the semester of his History of Black Film class. We started out the semester with Within Our Gates, and jumped all over else to much of Sidney Poiter's films, some Tyler Perry, even Bamboozled to highlight our discussion of minstrelsy and stereotype. Having seen this movie after several months of being in this class... It hit way different. The fact that even today people refuse to engage with it on a political and historical level is legit heartbreaking. I'm very glad to have found this channel and taken that class, because now not only am I able to engage with these films as politics and history, but I'm better able to apply that to ALL media. Thanks, FD.

I would love to see a part 2 about the 2nd movie. I think the level of complexity would be amazing to explore, especially with the new characters and their dynamics.

I think part of the reason Ross was presented as a benevolent CIA agent was because the production needed military funding (which is a common occurrence with these Marvel movies) and in order to do that they needed the CIA to be represented positively. I feel the movie was nuetered. That UN speech was icky. T'challa should have pulled up and told the UN that he's gonna help Africa become independent from the European and American hegemony and if y'all gotta problem we can go. But of course, that would have been too thematically consistent.

This is a fantastic analysis of Black Panther. As an African living on the continent (Ghana), the pride I had watching this movie was immense. Especially with the beautiful depiction of African culture. Also, I really loved how you touched on the divide between Africans & African Americans. I've heard fron relatives in the States about how they were treated poorly during their early years there, not by whites, but by African Americans. It changed once they started picking up the accent and talking more like them 'cos then you wouldn't see the difference. I also experienced something similar during' The Year of Return' celebration in 2019, when a lot of African Americans came to Ghana. They smiled and laughed with us but you could see that some of them (most were cool) looked down on us from the way they talked in a condescending manner and the kind of questions they asked. I didn't really mind 'cos I know it's from a point of ignorance so I educated as much I could and also learnt from some of them. I wish there wasn't a divide and the only way I can think of bridging the gap is encouraging more African Americans to visit the continent if they can and stop taking in what the media shows you as fact. The thing about us Ghanaians is that as long as you respect us, it'll be reciprocated and we welcome everyone. Again, loved the video, loved Black Panther. Can't wait to watch Wakanda Forever and more power to you.

I can't wait to hear your overview of Wakanda Forever. Me and my wife are both white but we lived a long time in Tennessee and saw the poverty and inequality. I've studied colonialism and various liberation ideologies/movements and I definitely understood those themes in the film. Both films resonated deeply with us and your insights on the first film are very eye opening. It is much appreciated, thanks!

Watching this, and all of the amazing light you shed on the black experience of the film, and then seeing those young boys memorializing the death of their superhero... that is just completely crushing to me. I am in pieces. I didn't have anyone that I looked up to like that, I didn't have a hero that I held in my heart, but right now experiencing my reaction to these images, I think a part of me wishes that I did. I so sorry for those boys... Thank you for making this video.

Seeing WF made me realize how important and complex the original BP movie was to African Americans and Africans, I’m a mestizo, meaning half my heritage is Indigenous Mexico and although I’m white passing, something just felt different about seeing an aspect of this beautiful culture being represented in a Hollywood blockbuster with a cast of actors who are actually indigenous who are also activists back home, now that is a game changer. Even back in Mexico, you only see morenos(browns) as the help or overall poor people, Tenoch’s(Namor) biggest role prior to WF was as a drug dealer in Narcos. The only famous Indigenous actor Mexicans knew was Yalitza Aparico and she was absolutely shit on by the media with the usual woke casting bullshit. But now, in a Hollywood blockbuster, the people who have been historically underrepresented and oppressed, are an advanced nation that can go toe to toe with another powerful kingdom and they managed to keep their native heritage after avoiding the death and disease bought by the Spanish? There are holes in the plot and motivation and the cultures weren’t kumbaya prior to European colonization but being the main character in a Hollywood blockbuster feels like such an accomplishment and historical event to a group of people that never expected to be at the center of pop culture even if it is for 15 minutes.

Should be noted that Christopher Priest himself admits that he created Ross' character as a self insert for white audiences, it's something I remember every time he's on the screen in the movie. Also there's a pretty memorable scene from beginning of his run of the comic where T'Challa is in New York and a lot of black members of the community gather up when they realize who he is and there's a speech he gives to the tune of '"I'm not YOUR king". Considering he talked with Coogler in production I think these are important details to how the character in the movie is analyzed, but you pretty much nailed it without all that.

Thank you for taking the time to show Black Panther through your lens. I think it is helpful to understand this film with additional perspective since I am not viewing it from the inside. I do remember being frustrated from some people I associated with that hyper focused on individual lines.

Man, great breakdown. I had recognized a lot of the points you discussed but you took it deeper than I realized it went.

I've been waiting so long for a video that finally acknowledges Killmonger as one of the greatest villains in cinema. As I've said before in the comments, I'm New Zealand Māori and that museum scene gets me right in the gut every time. They have the heads of our people in the British museum, with the previous owners listed as the colonists who stole them. Not the people that lived, thought, breathed, and loved with them. I feel angry just thinking about it.

I saw Black Panther on premiere night at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and its truly a movie experience I will never forget. The sound the audience made when the movie opened up in Oakland, the woman who shouted "you know that's right!" when Okoye lays the law down against her man, the looks people turned out in. Truly a magical movie experience.

Summarizing Black Panther as a College Frat war is a stroke of genius. Love your work.

I haven’t watched black panther in a while, and i was planning on rewatching it soon and then watching the new one (i haven’t yet). Glad I can go into it with a fuller understanding of the themes! Thank you so much for making this video! I haven’t watched your videos in a while (been pretty busy, but i’m now in some classes where i can watch videos while working, so i’ve been watching more video essays now), but I’m currently catching back up.

As a white dude who loves comics books, when I first saw BP my thought was "it was pretty good, felt like your typical Marvel origin story, but I'm glad they made it'" but now after watching this video I see how many things went completely over my head. Thank you for making this, it really helped me gain a new perspective and appreciate this film much more.

I think it's important to note that yes Black Panther was invented by white men but they were white Jewish men who fought in WW2. Their relation to whiteness, especially in the era must've been very different compared to how we think about it now.

I have watched this several times and I loved so much the first representation of the film. It was so spot on. The designation of the divine 9 to the groups of characters, just wow - get out of my head. Your discussion of the problems of the Boulee; again, get out of my head! One of the things I've always loved about your channel is the honest assessment of the issues which both plague and define us. This video is more of the same. Well done. But, I do feel some kind of way that you keep making me cry over Chadwick. Every time I think I'm going to make it through without doing it, the water works uncontrollably flow. Jesus! Again, you're just spot on about Chadwick being a meteor without a trail of arrival that just exploded on to the scene with both swagger, humility and charm; how he engaged us with his amazing talent in important Black presentations, exploded in Black Panther, left us and closed out his catalog with the posthumous release of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He left an un-fillable hole. I look forward to the day each of the Diaspora's constituent parts find their commonality is stronger than their disparate aspects. With my boomer optimism, I believe that day will come.

So well thought out and put together. Much love to you brother! You’re fighting the good fight ✊🏾

As a fellow Patron of this guy, I can tell you, you are all in for a treat on this one.

I've felt a little envy, but absolutely no resentment, just a little sadness that almost physically hurts that I can't really be a part of my African culture.

You’ve mostly covered all the things that drew me to this movie from the first viewing to the latest (so many views, so many different angles). The Black Greek walkthrough was GENIUS.

Thank you, young sage! This visual essay was brilliant! I loved everything you said. I truly appreciate the tribute at the end, to our beloved Chadwick Boseman. For me, this movie was and still is EVERYTHING! Yet, this breakdown enhances my past and future experiences with watching it. I’ve shared it over and over! The comparison between the Greek pledges and the characters caught me by surprise! Although I did feel the “Q” in M’Baku, I hadn’t identified the other frats. This was a genuinely thoughtful video! So proud of your generation! ❤✊🏽❤️

I get the vibe that, similar to Chadwick, Michael B Jordan also understood the impact his role had, and the way it would resonate with so many people. Ironically, I think he would have made an amazing successor to the role of Black Panther.

As a black filmmaker, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see this. You almost end up believing that your the crazy one when watching all of these white movie reviewers man. Thank you bro

Wow this was super dense and impactful. Thank you for the video! Would also love a video diving into the Sydney Portier trope as I grew up watching his movies with my mom 😅

Thanks for helping me, and I’m sure many, to fully understand the themes within this film. I’d seen it a handful of times before. But now I really get it, and can appreciate the positives much more

Responding to 47:00 Filial piety is really common in Asian culture as well. I think Turning Red captures the culture of honoring ancestors and family members who have survived through great hardship and adversity for the current generation to exist. As a Chinese American, I was surprised to find I related much more to Killmonger than Shangchi. My family came to America to escape the Cultural Revolution in China, a period where books and family histories were obliterated-- burned to the ground. My broader family history and heritage was lost and remains wholly inaccessible to me. I know little of my heritage, Chinese culture, my roots, the native languages and dialects, my native name to my American name... When I visit the "motherland" I am only a guest; everyone can tell that I'm an outsider and treats me as such. I don't feel entirely at home in America and I don't feel entirely at home in China. There's always been some conflict between Chinese Americans and Chinese people living abroad/in mainland China

Killmonger wasn't upset at the existence of the boot, just who the boot stepped on.

THANK YOU!!! I’ve heard streamers give horrible explanations of just what Afro-Futurism is (yes, by whyte streamers). There needs more works so it can be seen as a legitimate genre of Science Fiction

really grateful right now to have access to your knowledge and this kind of context!