Marvel’s Eyes of Wakanda Treads New Storytelling Ground

Wakanda is easily the most advanced country in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Its staunch preservation of its technology and culture is the perfect metaphor for what happens when a place remains untouched by colonization. Black Panther introduces us to this enthralling nation, and if you’re like me, you’ve been hungry for more stories set here.

Eyes of Wakanda, a four-episode animated miniseries on Disney+, scratches that itch. It delivers a rich tapestry of distinct tales that honor Wakanda’s history and add something new to the MCU.

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Impactful Thematic Exploration

The great thing about an anthology series of this nature is the wealth of stories ripe for telling. There’s also room aplenty to mine the narrative depths to explore relevant themes. For example, Eyes of Wakanda continues the Black Panther series’ tradition of digging deep into colonialism and its impact on the Black community.

Season 1 episode 1, “Into the Lion’s Den,” touches on slavery and human trafficking as the titular Lion claims to “reeducate” and “groom” his victims to worship him as a god. There’s a “religious zealot” element to this, especially as it pertains to colonists and their reverence for Christofascism.

Of course, the colonial mindset is that their actions are meant to “save” whichever country they invade or who they capture. It’s the white savior complex. One quote regarding the Lion really stood out to me after he takes the Greeks, including Noni, who’s undercover, hostage: “Benevolence can look like bondage.”

Additionally, the outing delves into power and how it corrupts. Ultimately, the Lion’s hubris and self-importance pose a threat to Wakanda’s exposure to the outside world. Instead of putting the good of Wakanda first, he makes himself a god. You gotta keep that ego in check, kids.

Expanding Wakanda’s MCU Impact

In episode 2, “Legends and Lies,” B’kai fights for a cause greater than himself. He infiltrates Troy not to help the Greeks seize control of the city, but to retrieve a Vibranium artifact that rightfully belongs to his native Wakanda. Beyond this theme, though, the episode reminds us that home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling. Ultimately, B’kai completes his mission, but feels more welcome in the outside world.

“Lost and Found,” season 1 episode 3, is a more lighthearted affair compared to its predecessors while weaving the theme of cultural appropriation, particularly stealing from Black culture, through its episodic narrative.

Lastly, episode 4, “The Last Panther,” is a moving meditation on the power of choice. The decisions we make can affect the future in unforeseen ways. Every action has a ripple effect. If you’ve watched What If…?, you’ll know this specific thematic exploration is nothing new for Marvel, but in Eyes of Wakanda, it packs an emotional punch. Prince Tafari and Kuda learn to see the bigger picture for the greater good of Wakanda, even defying their orders from the War Dogs to save the nation’s future.

The series deftly addresses these themes while crafting unique episodic stories and adding more texture and richness to Wakanda’s impact in the MCU.

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A Visual Feast for the Eyes

Marvel always excels at animation, and Eyes of Wakanda takes a creative swing for the fences by implementing a different animation style. It’s a breath of fresh air. The series also incorporates multiple art styles, from the various backgrounds in each episode, which resemble paintings on their own, to the clean, sleek lines of the characters. These differing styles should clash, but they blend well.

In addition, we’re treated to an aesthetically pleasing, vibrant color palette. There are lots of purples and golds to represent Wakanda, along with gorgeous greens and beautiful blues. The framing and distinctive shots are also quite eye-catching. For example, episode 1 depicts the imposing ship, which serves as the Lion’s headquarters, with vivid colors and immersive visuals.

Episode 2 boasts a lot of picture-worthy panels, like the slow-motion shots of B’kai fighting Achilles. Even Achilles, dead in the water, blood pooling out from him like hair, looks like it belongs on the wall of a museum.

The detailed Wakandan technology and artifacts add so much to these stories, too, from a visual perspective. Each piece of tech feels simultaneously anachronistic (in that it’s so advanced) and like it belongs in its time. The level of care that goes into crafting these pieces helps flesh out Wakandan lore and is part of what makes this aspect of the Marvel universe so fascinating.

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Iron Fist and the Last Black Panther and the Horde, Oh My

If you’ve been following the marketing for Eyes of Wakanda, you know that Iron Fist winds up in the Golden City in episode 3. Jorani is wooed by Basha, a War Dogs agent, to retrieve a Wakandan artifact — but this Chinese woman also dons that famous Iron Fist mask. Serving as the guardian of the mountains, Jorani infiltrates the Golden City to take back what she believes Basha stole, even though it originally belonged to Wakanda.

Jorani is a new iteration of the comic book hero, and admittedly, I’m more than on board for a spinoff series featuring her adventures (the same goes for Noni and her rise through the War Dogs ranks). She’s a delightful addition to Marvel canon, and it’s great to see someone other than Danny Rand in the role.

A Wakandan-centric series would be incomplete without the Black Panther, and the series finale brings the Queen of Wakanda from the future and the last Panther into the fold. This final Black Panther travels through time to the past – 1896, to be precise – to warn Tafari and Kuda about a dangerous threat to the future of Wakanda.

Enter the Horde, a formidable foe plucked straight from the Marvel comics. Operating as a hive mind, this dark cosmic entity comprised of insect-like beings lays waste to Wakanda in the country’s future. They serve as a dark counterpart of the Celestials, who live to create. This is a delightful nod to 2021’s Eternals.

Of course, perhaps the biggest Easer egg is the Hatute Zeraze, AKA the War Dogs, Wakanda’s central intelligence service. It’s the main throughline of this miniseries – each episode showcases a member of the War Dogs carrying out a critical mission as they take back what belongs to Wakanda. The War Dogs’ headquarters, first shown at the end of episode 1, looks an awful lot like the Wakandan Design Group, the country’s science division located within Mount Bashenga.

What If…? fans will also catch a brief cameo from the Watcher, AKA Uatu, in episode 4. He appears in the sky, watching Tafari and Kuda. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but his appearance cleverly ties in with the episode’s plot.

The series blesses us with these comic book connections without overpowering the overarching story. It’s not a treasure trove of MCU Easter eggs, and it doesn’t need to be. These stories can stand on their own two feet, making them more universal and resonant with those who don’t follow this intricate cinematic universe like it’s their job. That said, the aforementioned references will delight ardent Marvel fans.

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Tying It All Together

“The Last Panther” really brings us full circle as it connects these, at face value, disparate stories. The titular Panther travels through quantum space and revisits key moments from each episode, from Noni triumphing over the Lion to B’kai retrieving the Vibranium artifact from Troy to Basha fleeing the Chinese temple with the statue.

Noni herself also serves as connective tissue between these episodes. As Tafari notes, she’s the first War Dog to bring an artifact back to Wakanda successfully. She rises through the ranks to become director, as seen in episode 2 when she welcomes B’kai home with open arms. She lays the groundwork for the Wakandan organization to flourish over the centuries.

The series ends with Erik Killmonger standing in the museum at the start of Black Panther as he marvels at the axe, the artifact that Tafari and Kuda return to Ethiopia after its initial retrieval plunges the future of Wakanda into darkness. It’s another reminder that every action in this universe paves the way for what’s to come, including the events of the MCU’s most pivotal films.

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Which Eyes of Wakanda episode is your favorite? Join the conversation with other Marvel fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!