#i love you ryan coogler

[the-eyes-of-andyserkis]

[ Part One ] - [ Part Two ] - [ Part Three ] - [ Part Four ] [ Part Five ] - [ Part Six ] - [ Part Seven ] - [ Part Eight ]

[maxwell-grant]

You’ll prob wait to answer this after Caped Crusader drops, but: Does making Penguin NOT a white guy drastically change the character? And if so, is that a good thing?

Anonymous asked: So... Thoughts on Oswalda from Batman: The Caped Crusader?

@jcogginsa asked: New Batman show is out, and with it is a new Penguin. Have any thoughts on Minnie Driver's take on the Penguin?

Regarding the first ask, I mean, it really ought to, right? That seems to be part of the point of doing this kind of thing, to change or recontextualize something big and important about a character in a new light. If it wasn't supposed to be some kind of big change, if it wasn't meant to at least be something new or say something slightly different, I'd ask what would be the point of doing it. Don't get me wrong, it's absolutely a thing to do just for fun / variety's sake, but it's not a choice that can just exist in a vacuum, it does matter how and why exactly you're doing it.

There's a couple of things that I'd say make or break this kind of stuff for me, besides like, you know, not removing existing meaningful elements of characters identities, like making Jewish or Romani characters generic caucasian Americans, real basic decency stuff y'know, not a lot to ask here. I think a change like this should at least bring questions to strengthen it, like: If this character is defined by certain traits or saying certain things, how is this interacting with those? Is this strengthening those existing traits and statements, is it providing new ones, or is it weakening them without offering much in return? Questions about how much can you redefine a character and still have that character be recognizable and all that, and of course the actual important questions of, Who is this for? What is being said here? Why was this decision made? And so on.

The example that comes to mind regarding that specificity, and how that can work wonders to breathe new life onto a character, is the MCU take on Namor, as Ritesh Babu elaborated on in a Patreon article

The reason I say I never truly cared for Namor is that while I thought him a great, compelling character in plenty of works I loved, I always felt a lack of emotional connection. He was enjoyable, but I didn't care about him, y'know? There was a connect. Watching Ryan Coogler's Wakanda Forever helped me bridge that disconnect. I finally realized what had been missing for me. It was Emotional Context.

Namor is historically an abrasive character. He's an angry character. He's got fury and rage, and he doesn't suffer fools. He's headstrong and unrelenting. He's an unyielding force. And he's great and fun that way, historically handled by mostly White writers (with rare exceptions, such as Greg Pak). But it was also, for me, an anger and rage and fury framed and constructed in such a way that it could be broad-strokes. It could be anything and everything from the pollution and climate ruination to perhaps some other tragic thing involving someone he cared about.

Ryan Coogler and Tenoch Huerta to me granted the character an emotional context here that clarifies everything he is, and all that shapes his thought. He's not angry at the surface world and its clownshit in abstract. It's not just the anger of a distant warrior-king of the oceans. It's the anger of the colonized, of the Othered.

What Ryan Coogler and Tenoch Huerta did is give him specificity. He's not just a broad-strokes figure in White hands, for White writers to write as an archetypal broad-strokes morally murky angry bastard guy. No, there's a specific history to this guy, there's a cultural specificity and context to his very existence.

And so Namor isn't some weird racially ambiguous/sorta white figure in largely White hands, but is instead an Indigenous Mexican hero and legend. He's a Mesoamerican figure and he's Mayan.

Coogler dispenses with the vagueries and broad-strokes thinking of the comics, and like any interesting creator should, asks good, rational questions. And that specificity, that's really what makes it for me. That's what I was missing. This is an attempt at using genre to speak to truth, to realities and real experiences, which are important to Black and Brown people. It's a far cry from some abstracted away thing to serve a primary White audience and its sensibilities or interests. - Ryan Coogler's Namor and Specificity

An example I'll give, as far as one reinvention that can make sense but I didn't find so interesting: The conception of Deadshot I like, from Suicide Squad (1987) and bits of Secret Six, is heavily informed by him being a privileged rich white man, a morally catatonic and emotionally rotten self-serving piece of shit in large part because of his privileged background and experiences, as well as a guy who's purposefully evoking the image of white western cowboys and providing commentary on their archetype. Deadshot, to me, is heavily informed by his whiteness, by his American elite background, and by his toxic masculinity, and thus the cocktail of what Deadshot is, comments on and speaks to comprises specific things that I think you'd have to approach very very differently if Floyd Lawton is a black man. I think the specificity of what that character is saying or tends to stand for is lost in adaptations that fudge those elements to make him more like the Will Smith version - you can definitely have another kind of meaningful and cool take on Deadshot, but it's a Deadshot who's gonna have to be saying different things, if he is to be saying anything at all - and most of the time, he isn't, and so to me, that context behind Deadshot is lost with not a lot gained in return. Under no circumstances does this mean you shouldn't be allowed to do it, but I feel like if you're dedicated to doing this to an existing character, there should be at least some commitment to what they are and do.

Getting back to that first question, it also really depends on what exactly are you changing. Like regarding the Penguin specifically, is it his race? His gender? His nationality? It's a very broad question to apply a single Yes or No to so I'm gonna say it's kind of both. On one hand, obviously some major aspects of his presentation and origin and defining traits would have to be altered to better correspond to that defining change. On the other hand, he is already extensively defined around his issues with his self-image and his surroundings and how people treat him, a person who is ostracized and Othered because of his looks or his background and where he stands in the city he grows up in. One of the consistent cornerstones of Oswald as a character is that he's trying extremely hard to overcompensate in wealth and class and power partially to override the ability of others to marginalize him over his weight or stature or poverty or disability and so on, in no small part that's what allowed him to take on protagonist status in recent years. If he was just a regular white guy, he'd be Rupert Thorne. Although, on the other other hand, I must stress here that treating marginalized traits as if they are equally interchangeable is how you get the X-Men school of representation, and we simply have do better than that.

I was very intrigued by the idea of turning Oswald into a woman. Fat men are very often shamed and ridiculed due to traits they are perceived to have in common with women, to be a fat man is to be dehumanized and stripped of masculinity and thus stripped of your worth of as man. To be accepted, fat men are forced to overperform masculinity just as fat women are forced to overperform femininity, and that element of overperformance is never not present in Oswald Cobblepot, who essentially lives in drag 24/7. A genderbend take on Oswald could certainly add a whole different meaning to his typical overreaction to jokes about his weight or looks, things that are commonly played as a joke. Fat women get consistently treated like absolute garbage by most people in ways that are different, more pervasive and frankly nastier than the ways fat men are also treated like garbage, and if people didn't treat him like garbage, The Penguin wouldn't be the person they are.

Penguin as a woman is a concept that could force a lot of his traits to demand renewed consideration, and in some ways you could argue he kinda already is feminized. He certainly doesn't get treated as a man the way Batman and the Joker and Bane and Gordon are. He overcompensates extremely hard in that regard, and it doesn't stick, he can act as tough and grizzled as he wants and he will never not be "the fat one", will never not get pushed around by the real man in Gotham, will never not be the unfit and bloated and squishy lesser-man hiding behind the umbrella because, why, he's not man enough to grit his teeth and hash it out with his fists. If we go back to Count Fosco from The Woman in White, we'll find this is something else they share in common:

"Fat as he is, and old as he is, his movements are astonishingly light and easy. He is as noiseless in a room as any of us women. With all his look of unmistakable mental firmness and power, he is as nervously sensitive as the weakest of us. He starts at chance noises as inveterately as Laura herself."

This passage holds the key to Marian’s complex attitude toward the Count; she is at once fascinated and threatened by him. As Marian’s description reveals, he is both alluring and dangerous, not merely because of his increasingly suspicious behavior throughout the narrative, but because he unnaturally exhibits the qualities of both sexes.

Even though Marian does not explicitly identify the Count’s androgyny as the reason for her discomfort with him, the novel’s keen preoccupation with identifying unknown figures by their sex illuminates the anxiety underlying Marian’s description of the Count. The Count complicates those binary categories, and, in true Victorian fashion, his deviance attracts simultaneous fascination and repulsion - Count Fosco and the Androgynous Mystique

He is Oswald Cobblepot, the pathetic little momma's boy, because even his personal tragedies are depicted as lesser, insignificant, not the right kind of cool cinematic masculine tragedy, and he is The Penguin, the eccentric oddly enthusiastic about worthless little things like his favorite animals and trinkets - things that the narrative deems worthless because Oswald is worthless in the literal term: he is worth less than Bruce Wayne, less than Batman, and we watch him as he fights tooth and nail to deny this, whether it's by beating Batman his own way or seeking power to avert his lot in life and stand above all the men that have put him down, or even just seeking villainy as a form of self-actualization, through that perseverance and ability to outmaneuver men so much bigger and scarier, who think they can nail the Penguin while their world is swiped from under them.

It's not for nothing that, in terms of where they stand in Batman's world nowadays, Penguin is practically sharing an apartment with Catwoman and the Riddler, the other 60s camp queens who won't leave banding together even when they can't stand each other. So, yeah, I was extremely curious as to what direction Caped Crusader was gonna lean into with the idea. Could it go wrong and be offensive garbage? Obviously, but I also thought it promised an intriguing new direction, of context that could add or rework so much about his existing traits. I didn't like the name Oswalda, no, but even besides all that I mentioned above, with The Penguin show coming out with it's new take on the character that's all about modernizing and grounding and twisting him around, I thought going big on Classic Penguin, with the top hat and monocle and sword-umbrella and existing in a Golden Age Gotham, and doing a genderflip, was a very solid idea to place opposite of it. So how did I feel about Oswalda Cobblepot?

...It sucked, guys, I'm sorry, I'm really not happy to say it. Caped Crusader's first episode was ASS, and 6 episodes in, while the rest of it has been better (not great, but tolerable, occasionally good even), that pilot was the most stone-faced I've ever been sitting through a Batman thing and frankly I don't even have anything to say about regarding Oswalda. There were tentative beginnings of a take but not actually anything that rounds out into one (and frankly I'd say this Harley Quinn also has that problem to a lesser degree, this show so far has been just really barebones across the board), and frankly I'm not asking for much, I've lived off breadcrumbs before when it comes to Penguin, I'd be good with something if there was something. She isn't remotely a threat to Batman and seems pretty damn dumb, and she gets dealt with on the pilot to make way for Rupert Thorne in a way that kinda really betrays the escalation theme they're shooting for here and it's, guys what else am I supposed to talk about here, seriously?

I don't even like the design that much, it feels like they started from Penguin's head and shoulders and then tried as hard as possible to cinch her waist and slim her down leaving a weird disproportion between her upper body and legs, it looks weird in some shots but I guess you could say that's just the animation being, uh, sub-par to be polite. I guess I like her ruthlessness and that scene where she murders one of her sons, even though that's her being really stupid not noticing the obvious snitch in the room, and it's more so because that was the only moment in the episode where something almost cool happened. I do like her being a cabaret singer, but, man she sounds way too boring for a character with such a distinct way of speaking, if she didn't look like the Penguin from the shoulders up you would never tell that's who this was supposed to be.

I'm sorry that she continues Penguin's bad streak from BTAS, man what a bummer. Still, I have been really enjoying The Batman Audio Adventures lately, it's not like I'm starved for a more classically flavored take on Penguin, so it's only a bummer. I'm open to the idea that she can come back in a later season for a better showing, and she was far from the worst thing about the episode, in fact by process of elimination she was overall the best, but she was the one part I had the most slight hopes for. Oh well.

[livstarlight]

Wakanda Forever is really the culmination of everything about a storytelling project I could love. Emotion, complexity, thought, reflection, self-grow.

We have the clash between two extraordinary cultures that the moment they dare to venture outside their borders are constantly challenged and pressed, and that costant pression puts them against each other when in reality they are more similar than you could ever think. But the world has dictated they shouldn’t be allowed to thrive, to be themselves, and that puts them even more at odds. Until they start seeing how the things that connect them are more than what separate them.

Every character has its own role and arc, with light and dark at the same time, but there are these two... who are so amazing they aren't just product of their people. They are so different, but so viscerally similar and connected by circumstances and experiences, even if they elaborate them in a very different manner, who might as well be mirrors of each other. The good and the bad. And the way they manage to balance being a beacon of their own cultures and their own characters with all that computes... strenghts and struggles... Wow. It's so well done it’s incredible, breathtaking, ENORMOUS. (Ryan Coogler you fucking genius)

But at the center of everything this is a movie which revolves around grief, about who we are in the end, how everything affects our life and how we grow from and with it. It's a story with a heart so big it trascends.

How. How could I not love everything about this story. How could I not spend every hour, minute, moment of the day to think about it. Relish in it. And talk about it non-stop to everyone willing (and not) to listen.

[talokanda-forever]

I am SO very proud of my people.

Yeah, this is long but these thoughts hit me hard this morning and I gotta let it out.

Angela Bassett did it. When I first saw the throne room scene where she stripped Okoye of her titles, I knew she was giving us an award-winning performance. Some will see this end result of her claiming her Golden Globe as black excellence...and it is. But black excellence is displayed by the hard work and commitment that began 2+ years ago when a heartbroken cast and crew worked through the devastation of losing Chadwick. That is who my people are...we persevere. The excellence is in creators and artists who dig deep to build worlds that ring true on the screen. So that those communities who are starving for true representation can take pride in what they are consuming; instead of feeding us the same old caricatures that some think should satisfy the call for inclusion and representation.

I think about the brilliance of Ryan Coogler. How he puts in the work, how he listens, how he INCORPORATES the feedback he receives, how he is a true CO-LLAB-O-RA-TOR. He didn't create the Talokanil salute, others did. But some would have brushed it aside because it wasn't their idea. He listened when Tenoch told him he didn't look Mayan and took the time to incorporate Tenoch's heritage into his script (we need that extended cut, y'all!). And I think about how during the filming of this very production, Ryan was subjected to racial profiling when he attempted to withdraw money from his own bank account. Cops called out and handcuffed (don’t get me started). Still, they continued. Through a pandemic, they stayed on course. Through Letitia's injury, they plowed through. THAT IS BLACK EXCELLENCE AND THAT IS WHAT WE DO.

Movies like this hit different for POC... they just do. On some level, they go beyond entertainment for us. Someone who has not suffered the exhaustion of getting beat up by society just for existing may not understand. It is a fucking breath of fresh air to look up at the screen and see cultures that have been shit upon--and in some cases exterminated--presented with the utmost respect. We hold them high as banners of pride. We don't want to go to the movies only to get beat up again by images that only denegrate vs uplifting our people.

I love the MCU. I've been there since the first available screening of IRON MAN. Can't tell you how many midnight showings I've attended. I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel a little (ok, a lot) more special that the first major acting award for an MCU film was from the BLACK PANTHER franchise.

Wakanda Forever! Líik'ik Talokan!

[talkingparrotkee]

After seeing disagreeable claims critiquing the end of Wakanda Forever float around for the nth time, I felt like organizing my qualms and putting them neatly into another blog. These are just my musings.

"Shuri should've killed Namor! Sparing him was wrong!" I apologize for my harsh phrasing, but this is a horrible and brainless take, especially when it's from begrudged shippers or anti-Wakanda Forever recasters 😭. Whenever I see it, I can't help but wonder if anyone who says this or agrees genuinely likes and (especially) understands Namor and/or Shuri's actual characters. And no, I do not mean the surface aesthetic of or attraction to them.

If you knew and understood what kind of character Shuri (at least in the MCU) is, you would know why she spared Namor's life after nearly taking it. If you understood the important messages carefully baked into the film, you'd understand the writing choice of Shuri sparing Namor and Namor not being the "incorrigible villain who deserves death."

Asking the silly question of why she didn't kill him in the form of critique, or worse, saying she should have or somehow should give him hell after the fact (fortunately, a regressive immaturity neither character has), is a clear show of media illiteracy. It neglects both characters and at least one pillar theme of Wakanda Forever. If Shuri killed Namor, Talokan and Wakanda would unnaturally be eating away at each other for eternity, allowing the surface colonist nations to swoop in as the destabilization process was done for them. The true villains and enemies that put them in that situation where they collided with one another would gain access to their vibranium and technology. Game over.

Shuri Was Never In Her "Villain Era"

The simple answer, Shuri is not Wanda Maximoff 😊. Goodnight. (Author's note because someone was troubled by this tongue and cheek remark: I don't hate Wanda at all. I meant what I wrote: Shuri is not Wanda, just Wakandan. People want her to be Wanda and have a Wanda arc when she is not and will not. 🫡)

Even at the lowest of her low, Shuri is no villain. Shuri was just a young woman trying to find what kind of leader she was in the midst of grief, inner turmoil, and human anger. I don't know why some fans say she had a "villain era" or want her to canonically have a "villain era," but ok. That is not Shuri, nor would it have filled the hole in Shuri's heart, as said by Nakia. It was not just because it endangered Wakanda and would spearhead them in an eternal war either. Although, that is reason enough for Shuri not to kill Namor.

Who Princess Shuri Truly Is

Princess Shuri is a natural healer, teacher, and creator. Shuri loves, designs, creates, innovates, builds, and protects. Shuri has people who would die for her and trusts her to make the right choice in the end, faithfully standing beside her even when they recognize that the trajectory she currently set them on wasn't a good one. Why do you think this is? Because they know and trust Shuri. They know her brain is as big as her heart.

Shuri is not inherently destructive. That was the uncharacteristic result of her gripe with death (thinking it meant gone) and destructive handling of her grief. Ryan Coogler even pointed out how Shuri's state was unhealthy and dangerous. Shuri and Namor were both grieving and asking themselves painful questions.

That is why Killmonger is who appears to her. Killmonger is a violent, radical character (made that way by neglect, grief, loss, militaristic molding, and the suffering African Americans face) who almost carelessly sent Wakanda spiraling into mayhem. He became the people he hated, in the wise words of T'Challa, and was an unworthy king, in the wise words of Shuri. If such a man is comparing himself to Shuri and is who her subconscious elicited on the Ancestral Plane (which Shuri seems to be taking to her grave now, refusing to tell Nakia), maybe she's not doing alright? Just a thought!

This is also why Ramonda took her out by the river. It's why M'Baku said what he said at Ramonda's funeral. It is so she can mourn properly. So she could heal properly. Something she wasn't doing since the day T'Challa died.

Killing Namor would've destroyed her, not just her people. It wouldn't have sated her despite in her rightful anger, feeling it would. It would've just sent her past a point of no return.

"Show him who you are." Ramonda told her this after she struggled on her own with killing Namor. Why do you think Shuri hesitated even without Ramonda's influence (which was just her presence and reminding Shuri who she already was) yet? It didn't feel "right" to Shuri as their moment together (watching the Talokan sunrise), how Namor paralleled her, and how their people were alike flew through her mind's eye. Shuri hesitated, not because she was "soft" or "nonsensical mushy writing." Shuri saw what they were and what this was. She thought beyond herself. As Editor Michael P. Shawver said, Namor's line of, "only the most broken people can become great leaders" is what they focused on. It is what Shuri finally realizes at the bitter end. They relate. The narrative, characters, and actors all recognize this; I don't see how some audience members do not.

She and Namor were perpetuating the destructive cycle of grief and vengeance while setting that example for their people, but she was strong enough to pull herself up and break that chain. Then she offered her his hand for the sake of not only themselves, but their people. She saw firsthand the beauty of Talokan. Like Namor admired Wakanda in the beginning, she admired Talokan. She remembered her visit to Talokan in the mix of her nation's beauty.

"Vengance has consumed us. We cannot let it consume our people."

Not "my" people. Not "your" people. Our people.

Shuri realized many simple yet, at the same time, humanly complicated truths of how they had connectivity and were broken, trying to be the best leaders they could be. Neither of them was the villain but are what they were due to the bitter hand life dealt them and the situations they faced.

The Real Theme of Black Panther's Wakanda Forever

This movie also had clear themes of:

A) how POC/indigenous infighting sucks and is counterproductive

B) connectivity of black and brown, from culture to shared wounds

C) the scars of colonialization

Shuri killing Namor would defeat the carefully woven narrative and betray all these well-built things. I know some of you guys don't like to hear this, but Namor is not of the archetype of Killmonger, nor is he the real "villain," so he was handled accordingly.

“We talked to so many experts and really made relationships with them, because there was a lot to go through,” says Beachler. “There are a lot of parallels between Africans and Latin Americans as far as the colonization of their communities and cities, the enslavement of their people, the lies that were told about their culture, the misinterpretation of their words, and the ways they were made out to look demonized in order to elevate a European country.”

Shuri Getting Her Lick Back

"Shuri should've beaten Namor until-" or "She let him off the hook unpunished!" If you paid attention to the movie, you'd see she literally beat him within an inch of his life? She definitely did get her lick back just as Namor got his. Wanting her to get "more" licks after the fact is regressive.

Shuri:

isolated and trapped Namor to weaken and drain his energy

ferally clawed both of his wings, taking out his ability to fly

made him bleed and bruised him up

roasted him in a firey explosion, effectively charring him and rendering him temporarily paralyzed

Shuri didn't play patty cake with him; she made an immortal bleed and fear death. She had him gasping for air on his back at the mercy of her spear tip. She made him yield and call off the troops. She made an ally out of him on her terms who exalted her strength and is currently bandaged up, flightless, and awaiting to aid her (rather than striking first, waging war as originally wanted). It's more than enough and was the best course of action. What do you mean? What are you talking about?

[gamgwat]

I saw a post that was asking why Talokan is named after the Aztec underworld paradise Tlālōcān when the Talokanil are Mayan. I was pleasantly surprised by the backstory given by one of the film’s cultural consultants, Dr. Gerardo Aldana, on this week’s episode of the Wakanda Forever podcast (which is excellent btw). He makes the distinction that they came up with Talokan as a Maya pronunciation of Tlālōcān, and that Tenoch’s input was crucial to finalizing the backstory: 

“Ryan comes to me and he says ‘Hey, Tenoch says he doesn’t look totally Mayan, so can he possibly be mixed? Can he be mixed indigenous?’ And I said that’s perfect, because if Tenoch’s father’s family is pochteca, that means there’s these mercenary spies from the Aztec empire, and they come out, and they live in Yucatán, and then his mom is Mayan, so he’s like this mixed indigenous race, and then it gets even better because once they go into the underworld...and Namor’s like, ‘Hey I want to know more about my dad, I want to know about his community,’ she’s telling him all these stories about what he [Namor’s father] would tell her, and he talks about Tlālōcān, which becomes Talokan. So then you end up with the final name: he’s inspired by this father that he never knew, this paradise in the underworld, and that becomes the name of what he wants to build.”

I'm so moved by the idea of Namor’s love for his people being influenced by his love and grief for both of his parents—and his vision for Talokan being influenced by both parts of his heritage. Also appreciated that, on the podcast, Tenoch made a point of clarifying 1) the film’s imagining of a pre-Hispanic Maya community is distinct from current indigenous communities and the oppression they face, and 2) he’s not indigenous so “that doesn’t mean that the current indigenous and the mixed people in Latin America can feel represented” (though they can possibly feel connected). 

I def don’t think the movie is perfect and I defer to how indigenous folks of Latin America feel about the incorporation of Mayan culture. But I have a lot of admiration for how thoughtful every member of the team seems to have been in approaching it, and the specific generosity of Black filmmakers including non-Black indigenous people in an Afrofuturist project. Other episodes of the podcast highlight the immense amount of research and work that Hannah Beachler and Ruth E. Carter conducted in creating the visual world of Talokan—and their determination, along with Ryan Coogler’s, to do it with respect for the people and culture and understanding of the stakes—and imo it really shows.

[namor-shuri]

“Oh my god, Tenoch is the most beautiful soul. He is brilliant. He’s really talented. I love him so much. Not only is he a beautiful contribution and addition to the MCU, he’s a beautiful family member of the Wakandan family. We love him so much and I’m so excited for you guys to see what he’s going to do in this film.” - Letitia Wright on her costar Tenoch Huerta

Letitia Wright interviewed by DPM at the Wakanda Por Siempre [Dir. Ryan Coogler] premiere in Mexico City

Full video here

[luna-rainbow]

Thanks again for answering my ask and sorry to bombard you with these.

I absolutely agree with you about Bucky and Zemo on TFatWS. This might be long as I have so many thoughts about this. The series seems to fail to understand T'Calla wasn't just someone who helped Bucky although he was of course. He was his friend. The movies don't get everything right with Bucky but I think Bucky and T'Calla's relationship is one of the high points. We don't see them much but when you do you can tell Bucky respected T'Calla immensely and not just because he's a King. He seems to be really genuinely fond of Shuri as well, asking her to call him Bucky instead of the formal Sargeant Barnes.

I know I said it before, but the Wakandans are his friends/his protectors/his adoptive family. He is not just some white guy with colonialist arrogance who expects favours from the African State. If anything its the other way around- he fought because he felt he owed T'Calla and his family a debt.

As such- I do not think he would ever have helped the person who killed T'Callas father. Yes he didn't know T'Chaka, but that is his friend's father. Its like if he found out someone killed Steve's mother and worked with them. Like slapping his friend in the face, and I can't see him doing that.

Also, finally can we talk about how the show robbed us of the emotional impact of T'Challa's death on Bucky? He's sad about Steve leaving but I firmly believe would have grieved for T'Calla too. He's lost not one but two of his best friends within a very short space of time, so he's got grief alongside all his other problems to deal with. Don't know how that man managed to stay sane. Well relatively sane and didn't have a complete breakdown.

Thanks for all the asks!

I love the idea that T'Challa and Bucky had a strong bond. I agree I think Ryan Coogler intended in that short post-credit scene to show that Wakandans have accepted Bucky as part of the family.

The kids are peering down curiously at him as he sleeps, and he doesn't startle, nor does he startle them when he wakes. There's a high degree of mutual trust there. He lives in their community, not in a boxed off high tech room like the one where he was put to sleep. They dressed him in their ethnic clothing and colour-coded it to match Steve. Someone tied (and probably combed) his hair for him when he didn't have a prosthesis. Someone has folded a blue shawl and tied it into a pretty sling to protect the stump of his arm. This is the image of a guy that was being well looked after -- not just in an impersonal, we gotta keep him alive kind of way, but in a what can we do to make his life better kind of way, and if that isn't some sort of family I don't know what is.

I mean...compare with this costume...that looks like some random sweatshirt from some sports brand worn backwards with the extra fabric pinned and pulled over tautly over his right shoulder, complete with the soft elastic cuffs and the weird neckline. Coogler put more effort into a 30 second cameo than TFATWS did for one of Bucky's most emotionally poignant scenes in a series where he's the main character. Sorry I'm never going to pass on an opportunity to shit on the series.

And like yeah, while I don't ship T'Challa and Bucky (I really like T'Challa with Nakia in the MCU), I think they're an underrated dynamic. They strike me as somewhat similar in temperament? Both peace-loving, respectful and compassionate guys, who have a strong sense of loyalty and a fierce streak when someone they love is hurt. And both Bucky and T'Challa are older brothers to younger sisters, and they both have that oldest kid sense of weary responsibility. And for someone who was broken out of 70 years of brainwashing by being reminded of a promise he made, Bucky clearly has a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility.

So yeah, it makes no sense to me that Bucky would actively do something so personally hurtful, so disloyal and irresponsible to T'Challa, without adequate justification.

As for the mourning, yeah. At the time they didn't know how Coogler was planning to write T'Challa out of the story, so that might be why the mourning wasn't in there. To be honest, Bucky's feelings about Steve was handled poorly too. As I've mentioned before, the series avoids actually addressing how Steve's departure played out. Sam and Bucky are sad about Steve's absence, but never talk about the hurtful way Endgame!Steve abandoned both of them, which is far more emotionally relevant. They talk about him as though he had died in a noble sacrifice, not dumped the world on them and went to mess up someone else's timeline.

[destinyc1020]

Unpopular opinion, but I think interracial love parings onscreen killed the black male lead. I think studios think that if a love interest is black or poc with a yt pairing, that's diversity. I remember watching Force Awakens trailer thinking John Boeyga's Finn was the lead, and Daisy was the love interest. I was shocked when it wasn't like that. I think the yt boy of the month kinda erased the ability for black male actors to attach a following to achieve the opportunities as their yt counterparts.

Damson Idris is one of them, and the reason why is because his projects appeal predominantly to black audiences. His next break is a film with Brad Pitt, which sucks cause the opportunities for black male actors are leftovers, supporting yt leads, if it's not playing a slave or drug dealer.

Daniel Kaluuya won an oscar, and he's not being asked around directors. MBJ has Ryan Coogler, but he's limited to the same team.

There's another discussion to have of the opportunities that oblack american actors have vs black african or british and I dont have the range😭

Oh girl, I could write dissertations on this topic alone chiiiiilllle lol 😆

In answer to your ask, I personally don't know if I'd say that IR pairings in films and TV have "killed" the black male lead. IR pairings have been depicted onscreen for decades.... Do you know of the film "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?" 😏

And that's just one of the more famous older ones.

I actually don't feel that it's the black male lead in Hollywood that's been dying as much as I feel like the dark-skinned black female lead has been dying. In Hollywood, when they're looking for an actor to play a black man, they usually still find a monoracial black actor to play the role. But when it comes to looking for a "black woman", colorism comes into play, and many times in mainstream roles, they'll choose a biracial actress to play a "black woman".... even though, most of us are not biracial. 🥴

I'm curious who was further down the list though. Like, who was #11? #12? #20?? 👀

I love John Boyega, but no way were they gonna make a black male a lead in a Star Wars film. The SW fandom had fits just because Daisy was cast in a lead role and wasn't a male. 🙄 I remember that time vividly.

You mention The "White Boy of the Month", but girl that's been existing since goodness knows when. Brad Pitt was one, so was Tom Cruise at one time... so was Leo DiCaprio! So was Tom Holland! Like, c'mon....

The point is, even though they existed, we STILL had Denzel, Will Smith, Morris Chestnut, Eddie Murphy, Cuba Gooding Jr, Laurence Fishbourne, Wesley Snipes, etc making mainstream films and being leads and sought after.

Now days? It's almost like Hollywood likes to pretend that black people don't even exist in mainstream films anymore or smthg.

Anyway, Damson, Kelvin, John B., Michael B Jordan, Jharrel Jerome, etc.... they're all very talented actors. It's just a shame that Hollywood chooses not to recognize or even cast our talent.

I just can't believe we're going BACKWARDS. Like, I know HW was no picnic back then, but at least Sidney Poitier was well-known and doing many films in his day. He was winning Oscars. Like c'mon.... 🥴

[456-is-the-way]

Please write one where the reader and Tenoch are at an interview and she doesn’t like how Tenoch calls his shorts shame shorts, she likes to call them the sexy shorts. And the reader wanted to shorts to be a little tighter and shorter and there’s just a lot of teasing and it’s cute.

A/N: OMG I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!! HE IS SO CUTE WHEN HE CALLS THEM 'SHAME SHORT' AHHHH

Fandom Master List if you want to read more Namor or Tenoch reads!

Warnings: Suggestive ideas, suggestive content, hot make out, all PG-13, and yeah. Lmao

Tenoch X Reader

"Shame Shorts"

"Please welcome Tenoch Huerta and (Y/n) (L/n)!!" Jimmy Kimmel announced and the audience cheered. Tenoch and you walked outside by side waving at your fans. This felt like a dream come true. After all these years of acting, this was your big break. You quickly hug Jimmy before settling down. The host started by asking Tenoch how landing the role of Namor was. Of course, he retells the hilarious zoom call including the 'I never drown before' line. You and everyone else laugh at his story seeing the comedy. 

"What about you (Y/n)? How does it feel being the Queen of Talokan? Did your zoom meeting freeze as well?" Jimmy smirked. 

"No! I almost choked on my drink when my Agent said Ryan Coogler requested a Zoom meeting. We talked about the character and his idea for the movie. I didn't hesitate to say yes. But unlike some I knew how to swim.", You chuckle as Tenoch grins putting his head on your shoulder. 

For the past year, you and Tenoch have been inseparable. The teenager's crush on both sides had been obvious to everyone but you and Tenoch. You never revealed this to anyone but after the call with Ryan, the curiosity got the better of you. He mentioned Tenoch Huerta would be playing Namor. The King of Talokan and (Y/c/n)'s husband. So you googled him. Oh God had you been surprised by this sexy man. 

The interview continued, finally landing on the topic of their outfits. Jimmy mentioned how kids missed dressing as Namor or (Y/c/n) for Halloween. Tenoch shook his head no. The host then pulled out a picture of Namor's comic outfit. 

"So instead of going full speedo, you went boxer brief shorts?" Jimmy asked and you see Tenoch nod. "Did you or the producer name this call?"

"Thankfully the producer."

"But I did I ask for a full body suit with muscles included….but I didn't get that." He adds, causing everyone to laugh. "So I call them the shame short."

"Same shorts?!" Jimmy chuckled. You rolled your eyes. 

"I don't see them as shame shorts. In fact- I asked them to do the speedo." You admit finally. 

"Is that why they talked about making them shorter?!" Tenoch looked at you flushed. 

"Yes. But for reasons they did not. I honestly was upset about it." You add having no shame when the audience chuckled. "However they did make the shorts tighter than originally planned. I asked for them to be tighter around the crotch area but sadly they said no." 

"(Y/n)! You are making us blush!" Jimmy said. "Tenoch, did you know this?" 

"N-No! I had no clue!" He adds turning to you crossing his arms pretending to be upset. 

"I mean look at him. We all know the internet simps for this sexy man. So I was doing all of us a favor…for him to show off all his assets." 

"(Y/N)!" Tenoch blushed. The crowd whistled when Jimmy pulled up a picture of Tenoch's shirtless body. 

"See what I mean?!" You laughed and pulled Tenoch against you. 

The show ended and you both left the stage. He moved in front of you. His cheeks still have a faint tint of red. "You!" 

"What Tenoch? I was being honest." You laughed and took his hand going back into the waiting room until your shared car would be ready and heated properly. 

"What assets are you talking about anyway?" He questioned sitting beside you. The man smelled like warm spices, his dark brown eyes gazed into your (e/c) orbs. It had been a hard month containing your feelings for Tenoch. 

"Your-...area." You answer shly 

"Maybe in the next movie, I could get a new outfit. I will wear a speedo if…you go topless?" 

"TENOCH HUERTA!" You yelled playfully, slapping his chest. He grabbed your wrist. For a second there is no sound. You two simply stared at each other. Tenoch slides his hand up your arm to your shoulder and cupped your cheek. In an instant his lips captured yours. You tangle your hands in his soft hair. He moved you back on the couch slightly on top of you. 

"Tenoch (Y/n) the car- oh…Sorry…By the way make sure to tell Winston he owes me $25." Jimmy said before backing out of the room. 

"They had a bet on us?" Tenoch whispered, standing and takes your hand. 

"I guess so." You chuckled. 

[observers-journal]

Tenoch's anatomy: part III

Ladies and gentlemen, this post is purely from a lustful, self-indulgent, hedonistic pov. I love big boys, and I love big boys with thick thighs. Thick thighs saving lives, and my gosh are Tenoch's thighs the most amazing.

Presenting below a whole freakin KFC bucket for your eyes to devour. Chomp chomp.

Bonus: this drives me crazy on an inexplicable level.

Thank you, Ryan Coogler. I have shamelessly ogled at this man's ample thighs and other assets in the movie theatre. I have seen this movie more times than I'd like to admit.

[weclassybouquetfun]

UK actors are having a moment!

-Hero Fiennes Tiffin late of Guy Ritchie's THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE

is reporting back to Ritchie for the direct to series order for Amazon Prime's YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Will Fiennes Tiffin's Holmes be the young version of Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock Holmes that Ritchie famously directed? By Ritchie's comments, I'm thinking the two are unrelated. "In ‘Young Sherlock’ we’re going to see an exhilarating new version of the detective everyone thinks they know in a way they’ve never imagined before,” said Ritchie. “We’re going to crack open this enigmatic character, find out what makes him tick, and learn how he becomes the genius we all love.”

The Fiennes' family are no stranger to the Holmes universe. Hero's uncle Ralph Fiennes played Moriarty in the 2018 comedy HOLMES & WATSON starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly.

-Nicholas Galitzine has a hit Amazon film, hit songs on the chart, he's in FYC campaigns for both Amazon's RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE and Starz/Sky Atlantic's MARY & GEORGE and now he can put action hero under his belt. Galitzine has been tapped for the role they have seemingly been unable to give away - He-Man, Master of the Universe!

I know. Shocking.

It has been a hard road getting this property back into the live-action realm. Previously cast was Noah Centineo,

then bewildering Kyle Allen (WEST SIDE STORY, A HAUNTING IN VENICE)

and just slightly less bewildering Galitzine.

Thicc Nick. Get those muscles back up, Prince Adam, the People's Princess.

While the articles I've seen announcing Galitzine's casting say that the plot details are unknown, the film is still being directed by Travis Knight (BUMBLEBEE, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS) and when he was announced as director the synopsis was: “10-year-old Prince Adam who crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword—the only link to his home on Eternia. After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man: the most powerful man in the Universe!”

Until then, you can see Galitzine in Variety's ACTORS ON ACTORS (in support of MARY & GEORGE) where he is paired with Leo Woodall, (ONE DAY) and who will be in the next BRIDGET JONES film, BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY.

Galitzine's RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE costar Taylor Zakhar Perez will also be in ACTORS ON ACTORS and is paired with his friend and THE KISSING BOOTH costar Joey King (WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES).

The rest of the lineup

Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”) & Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”) 

Jodie Foster (“True Detective: Night Country”) & Robert Downey Jr. (“The Sympathizer”) 

Jon Hamm (“Fargo,” “The Morning Show”) & Kristen Wiig (“Palm Royale”) 

Tyler James Williams (“Abbott Elementary”) & Anthony Mackie (“Twisted Metal”) 

Anna Sawai (“Shōgun “) & Tom Hiddleston (“Loki”) 

Brie Larson (“Lessons in Chemistry”) & Andrew Scott (“Ripley”) 

Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) & Chloe Fineman (“Saturday Night Live”) 

Elizabeth Debicki (“The Crown”) & Emma Corrin (“A Murder at the End of the World”) 

Chloë Sevigny (“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”) & Kim Kardashian (“American Horror Story: Delicate”) 

Naomi Watts (“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”) & Jonathan Bailey (“Fellow Travelers”) 

-As Travis Knight has directed a TRANSFORMERS film, I move on to a TRANSFORMERS alum - Jack Reynor who was in the panned TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION. Dear Jack has been cast in series two of AppleTV+s CITADEL opposite Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden.

and another dear Jack, this time Jack "The Lad" O'Connell, who was recently seen in Michael Mann's FERRARI and Sam Taylor Johnson's Amy Winehouse biopic BACK TO BLACK has been cast in the next Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan collaboration (which is said to be a vampire film) and he's been cast in the upcoming 28 DAYS LATER sequel with Cillian Murphy, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor Johnson and Ralph Fiennes.

[scullysflannel]

How do you feel about the Ryan Coogler X-Files reboot? Would love to hear your thoughts.

the best show on tv right now is basically a modern take on the x-files with a diverse cast. it's called evil and it's on paramount+. why would I not want more of that? the x-files (1993-2018) is my favorite show, but for the purposes of this conversation, the x-files is also a type of show, and I generally like that type of show. there are good ones and bad ones. we don't know yet which this will be. but what we do know is that ryan coogler, who is great, is (reportedly) working on an x-files type of show, one that seems like it will explicitly counter how white the original show's perspective is. that's cool! whether it's called the x-files or not, whether the characters are named mulder and scully or not — I kind of can't understand that being a real complaint if you have any object permanence. it's a different show. it's not deleting the original x-files from existence. it's also almost totally hypothetical at this point, so leaping to complain about it feels racist. it's in early development. there have been no cast announcements, no confirmed premise, no confirmed network or streamer. it's an idea. I like the idea. what else is there to say except watch evil on paramount+!

[queenofsimpsblog]

attending the bpwf premiere with letitia 🖤🤍

A/N: lil blurb cuz i don’t have the energy for a full oneshot right now, but i promise i have a couple nice ones coming out soon!!

@locoforshuri i love you <3

- HAHAHAHA I CAN DEFINITELY SEE YOU AS A HARDCORE MARVEL FAN

- like the fact that you were dating THE letitia wright was mind blowing enough

- but going to a marvel movie premiere was next level

- you guys were in LA and were getting ready together

- you wore a black dress with silver accents and letitia ended up matching with you

- it was a really emotional day for everyone cuz they put so much work and effort into the movie for a proper tribute to chadwick

- and you best believe it payed off

- before the screening all the actors were doing some interviews

- you were on the other side waiting for letitia to be done so you guys could go to the hall for the screening

- tish definitely mentioned you a couple times

- “yeah, my girlfriend is here with me today. she’s really excited about the movie. she loves everything marvel, you should’ve seen her in the morning! she’s a total nerd, but i love her with all my heart,”

- y’all couple goals fr

- so anyways you sit together during the screening

- and here’s the thing about you: you’re very emotional and love marvel

- so you best believe you started crying the moment the marvel intro came cuz it was just pictures of chadwick

- and you were pretty close with him as you knew him since the first black panther movie

- you were totally geeking out the entire time

- tish had to keep herself from laughing at the way your jaw dropped when she wore that purple and grey adidas tracksuit

- the wildest scene was the queens death scene

- you were inconsolable

- crying so damn loud the entire hall could hear you

- but you had NO REGRETS

- when shuri pulled up in the panther suit you whistled really loudly cuz you were so damn proud of your girlfriend

- seeing you act that way made letitia realise that you were the one she was gonna spend the rest of her life with

- after the movie was done, your waterworks resumed

- it was so bad that letitia had to pull you out and make you sit on a bench outside to try and calm you down

- “love, are you alright?” “ALRIGHT?! THAT WAS THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME!”

- lupita, danai, angela and tenoch gradually joined you both and sat down trying to console you

- but when ryan coogler, the mastermind, walked up to you, you absolutely lost it

- you got up and bowed down to him

- “YOU ARE A GOD YOU ARE A MASTERMIND YOU ARE A GENIUS”

- “THAT MOVIE DESTROYED ME EMOTIONALLY BUT THE WAY I WOULD AND WILL WATCH IT AGAIN AND AGAIN”

- the entire cast gave you a big hug as they were so overwhelmed by your reaction

- cuz they worked their asses off to make the movie as best as it could be

- and it made them so happy to see you enjoy it that much

- letitia just sighed and looked and you and you started to feel bad, cuz you thought you ruined her night

- “you didn’t ruin my evening, darling. you just made me fall in love with you even more.”

- you pulled out your phone and booked tickets to see the movie again next week

- towards the end of the night, when you were going back home, you told letitia how proud you were of her

- “chadwick must be so proud of you right now,”

- she smiled and gave you a hug

- y’all ended the evening with cuddles

sometimes i think these lil blurbs are more fun to write than actual stories…

[artaxerxesthegreat]

Secrets and Trust

A/N: This is my first ‘song fic’, and boy was it a rollercoaster of emotions. Not sure why I wrote this, and I’ll probably delete it later, but for now I’ll share it with the masses. Please note, this is kind of sad and horribly written.

Warnings: MDNI, 18+ only, reader is the middle sibling of T'Challa and Shuri, Song fic [Lift me up], not alpha/beta read, angst, a lot of angst, sadness, so much sadness, in universe death, BPWF spoilers, non-gender specific, one curse word, mild gaslighting (?), alludes to drowning, implied smut, T’Challa might be OOC, K’uk’ulkan might be OOC, family hurt, slice of life (?), enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers. Again(?), I used the original script for some parts

A/N2: If I missed anything, just let me know. I usually write WOC fics, so this is my first non-gendered fic, I hope I did alright.

A/N3: All rights to Ryan Coogler and everyone that helped him make this wonderful movie. Song credit to Rihanna and co.

K'uk'ulkan/Namor x POC!Sibling!Reader

“No matter what happens, I will always be with you.”

That’s what my brother said— that’s what he’s said since the day I was born. A promise he has kept, no matter what.

Lift me up

Hold me down

“Come, jump in! I will catch you, I promise!” 

His smile— bright, shining, radiant, warm… full of mischievousness.

“You are lying, T’Challa!” I shout back, a smile ever present on my face.

“Aye, what are you talking about? I would never, scout's honor.” He salutes me, standing up straight, but I just shake my head.

“You have never been a boy scout, T’Challa!” 

The river we were swimming in was full of joy and laughter. 

My heart never felt so full.

Keep me close

Safe and sound

“It’s okay, it’s alright.” My brother holds me closely as the realization of our Baba’s death finally takes its toll on me. I was so strong for so long, fighting the pain I felt— being the emotional rock for our baby sister, but seeing his sarcophagus being taken from us to the Hall of the Kings, sent me over the edge.

I cried for days.

Burning in a hopeless dream

Hold me when you go to sleep

Keep me in the warmth of your love

When you depart, keep me safe

Safe and sound

“Are you alright?” T’Challa’s soft voice breaks the silence that I’ve been trying to hide in. When I don’t answer him, he turns me over to look at him. Tears, still running down my face, tell him all he needs to know. Wrapping me in a tight hug, he lets me cry until I can’t cry anymore.

It feels like hours go by before I finally speak.

“Is it really true?” My voice is hoarse, tears dried on my face.

“… It is.” His voice is as soft as ever.

“And you are sure there is no cure?”

He doesn’t answer right away, only sighs, staring up at the ceiling as we lay side-by-side. That’s all I need to know, I can feel the tears beginning to form in my eyes again.

But I fight them, clearing my throat, I ask the question that tips the scales.

“And you want me to keep it a secret?”

Now he looks at me, sadness in his eyes, regret in his body language.

“It is wrong for me to put such a burden on you, but mother and Shuri are not ready for this. They will never rest to fight this illness, and I will not live the rest of my days in a bed. I am the Black Panther— and I will be the Black Panther until I cannot. My duty is to my country, my people, and my family. One little illness— curable or not— will not change that fact.”

My lip quivers, as a tear rolls by, wiping it away fiercely I ask, “How… how long?”

“About a year.” 

The tears all but gushed out my eyes as I hugged him tightly, all the jokes we’ve made about him losing weight, being the skinniest Black Panther to have ever lived. Even about M’Baku using him as a toothpick after he is done eating his vegetables, all came rushing back as the news of his illness hits me twice over. 

“I am so sorry, my brother.”

“What for?” He pulls back with a confused smile.

“All the insensitive jokes we’ve made. They were wrong, uncalled-for, and I am sorry.”

“Don’t be.” His smile— as bright as the sun, as calm as the sea.

“… We only have a year?”

“Yes.”

Nodding my head, I look at him with conviction, “Then let’s make the most of it.”

Lift me up

Hold me down

Keep me close

“You should be resting!” I hiss at him, but he just smiles, leading me to a small house.

“There will be plenty of time for that, but first you must meet someone— someone important to me.” Again with that warm smile, I simply smile back as we walk into this unknown house, “What does a man have to do around here to be welcomed?”

“T’Challa, what are you—” I start to chide my brother, when the sound of running feet and a child’s voice interrupt me.

“Baba!” 

A small boy runs into my brother’s arms, hugging him tightly. Shocked, I simply stare at the two, and when they look at me… it’s the same smile, the same eyes, the same warmth.

“Oh… T’Challa.”

Safe and sound

…“You said, ‘no matter what happens, you’ll always be with me’… but I can’t feel you anymore, brother. Your warmth is gone, your family is lost without you, your mother and baby sister are full of regret and guilt because of your secret. Your smile is gone, your soul is gone, and I don’t know what to do. How am I supposed to go on, when you never told me what to do when you are gone?! How am I supposed to be strong?! That was you, I, I can’t do this on my own… I need help, T’Challa. Please, bring me a sign— a sign that tells me you are here with me, guiding and helping me. I beg you, brother, do not abandon me.”… 

The cool night air hits me, making me shiver as my small fire has died down. I made my way to a secluded part of the river tribe, trying to understand why my brother did things the way he did; from keeping his illness a secret, to his son. 

I know why, but… why? 

Why have me keep all these secrets, why put that much faith and trust in me? Why leave me so soon? Why couldn’t we have more time?! Why was he taken from us?!

“WHY?!” My scream travels across the water, my knees give out as I sob on the shore.

Then there’s a sound.

Fluttering.

Bird wings…           

“…what…” Looking up, I see the bird—well, it's not a bird. It’s a man… a man with wings on his ankles, “What…?”

I should be worried, I should be terrified, I should be calling for the Dora Milaje, but I don’t. I stare at this man, this otherworldly being, with confusion and wonder. Who is he? Where did he come from? — He’s wet, did he swim here? Is he a fish? —A fish with wings? Are there others like him? Is he alone? Why are his clothes so ancient looking?

Then he laughs.

Realization sets in, I’ve said all this out loud.

Embarrassment takes hold of me, I cast my eyes to the sand beneath me, “I am sorry, stranger.”

“You are not at fault, Querido.” (Dear one) His voice is a calm baritone, his eyes as dark as onyx, his smile… as radiant as the sun.

Awestruck, I simply stare up at his man. His smile widens, and I have to look away, remembering myself.

“I’m sorry.” Bashful, I cover my face.

“Again, you did nothing wrong.”

A sense of peace fills my spirit, one I haven’t felt in a long time; all thanks to this stranger, I finally feel safe.

Drowning in an endless sea

Take some time and stay with me

Keep me in the strength of your arms

Keep me safe

“Really?! Threats! That’s how you introduce yourself to my mother, are you crazy?!” My voice echoes off of the cave walls. I know full well that Attuma and Namora are standing right outside his hut, but I couldn't care less, “My mother, my sister– hell, even the council are losing their minds on what to do about you!”

He had been silent the whole time I was ranting— a good 5 minutes— but at the mention of the council, his eyes burn.

“My instructions were simple.” His voice is calm, but there’s an edge to it that angers me further, “This proves that Wakanda cannot be trusted.”

“Trust?!” My anger spills over, “How can you speak of trust when YOU threatened MY family, and my country?! How can you sit here, in your hidden little hut, painting your little pictures, living in your perfect little world when you barely give my family time to process the existence of a whole civilization living underwater?! You speak of trust, but show none— you haven’t given us a reason to trust you?!”

Not missing a bit, he replies, “Have I not trusted you? Did I not bring you here, to my people, my kingdom, my home— treated you with the utmost respect, deserving of a god, sheltered you when you needed an escape from your ‘home’? Tell me, In yakunaj.” (My love)

I see red, “This coming from the man who still has not told me his name.”

“I have told you—”

“—No,” I hold up my finger, stopping any more words from falling from his lips, “No, you told me what your people call you, what your enemies call, but never have you told me what your friends call you— what your mother called you.” 

My voice grows soft towards the end, but where I’ve calmed down, he’s picked up; a blind man can see the anger in his face. I’ve stepped too far over the line, and the caves are quiet, too quiet. No one says anything, no one breathes too loudly. As time stretches on, it dawns on me that I was never meant to know his name. 

Casting my eyes to the ground, I nod in understanding, walking to the hut opening. Looking over my shoulder, I hold my head up high, fighting tears.

“I’m sorry.”

This time, he didn’t forgive me, this time he didn’t stop me.

This time he didn’t save me.

Safe and sound

… Sirens, singing, floods, screams, pain, panic, death— all of it surrounds me, all of it chases me.

There is no escaping it.

No Black Panther.

No warriors.

No winged god to take me away.

Just fear, snaking round my throat, closing tightly around me until I can’t breathe. 

Right when I think I’m going to pass out from the shock of it all, he shows up.

Still as breathtaking as the day I met him— still as deadly. 

And his eyes.

Vengeance, revenge and… regret…?

My mother stands tall, Riri is scared, I… I don’t know what to feel.

… Water, screams, broken glass, cold water, no air… it’s too much

And yet.

Not enough…

… Opening my eyes, I cough, spitting out copious amounts of water. It burns so much, my eyes are stinging, my ears are ringing. I hear Shuri screaming, but I’m too dazed to process it; until my vision clears, landing on our mother.

“You did this!”

“It could have been different.”

“Bury your dead, mourn your losses. In one week’s time, I will return with my entire army.”

…

“Where are you, T’Challa?”

…

Lift me up

Hold me down

Keep me safe

Safe and sound

“Wakanda only needs one Black Panther, and you made it, Shuri.” My sister looks at me shocked, “If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have this, you take it.”

“But… but how can I be… You are next in line.”

“And as the next in line, I am telling you to take the herb, take up the mantle of the Black Panther, protect our people because I cannot.” Fighting tears, I push the herb in her hands closer to her, “There is too much— too much you do not know, and I cannot with good conscience take this herb. Please, sister, do not make me take it.”

Shuri can see how difficult this is for me, and nods, assuring me that she will do her best.

“That is all I ask for, my dear sister.”

Burning in a hopeless dream

Hold me when you go to sleep

Keep me safe

We need light, we need love

The sound of the battlefield was all I could hear; that and the pumping of my blood  in my ears. I’ve always known the Talokanil were skilled fighters, but never did I think I’d be fighting against them. Many I’ve clashed my blade with were friends of mine, but in war, there are none.

We are enemies… oh how I wish it were different. This is not how it should be.

Then my sister’s Sunbird comes by, her helmet is off, her stance is strong.

And next to her… is him.

“Talokan, retírar a! Volvamos tin wotoch. K ba'ate'lo' waye' ts'o'ok u beetik.” (Talokan, stand down! Let us return home. Our fight here is done.)

A feeling of relief washes over me, I look at my sister as she salutes us, “WAKANDA FOREVER!”

“WAKANDA FOREVER!!” We echo back victorious. Our enemies— no, our new allies make their way back home, and I’m left feeling empty. Their king is the last to leave, our eyes never meeting, words never exchanged. My sister knows something is wrong, even when we get back home.

Then I tell her.

I tell her everything.

From T’Challa’s secrets, to my affair with the underwater king.

She leaves… angry, confused, sad, and feeling very much alone.

I thought it best that I leave Wakanda for a bit, but where would I go? My life is here, and yet… it doesn’t feel like home anymore.

Nakia offered me a room in her house in Haiti, but I couldn’t go there, not while my sister is clearing her head there.

So I begin walking along the riverbank, I watch the sunset, feeling a rush of emotions— good and bad.

…“Brother…” My eyes are closed as I feel a breeze blow by, “Thank you. Thank you for your protection, your love, and for keeping your word… I was too focused on my anger and pain to realize that you were here the whole time. You have guided me, challenged me, and made me strong— stronger than I could ever imagine, and for that I thank you.”

Sitting down in the sand, I dig my toes in it, drawing nonsensical patterns, “My days seemed so grim and dark without you here, but I finally am starting to feel the sun again. It’s light, finally making these bones warm again… I do hope you forgive me for telling Shuri everything, she was less than pleased, and rightfully so. I wish you could have met… him, though. If you were here, there may not have been a war to begin with… I miss you, T’Challa, and I miss him.”

Bringing my knees to my chest, I cry.

I’ve been doing so much of that lately, it’s annoying, it makes me angry— it makes me feel weak.

And yet I cannot stop.

I’ve heard that crying is supposed to be therapeutic, that it makes you feel better afterward, but I only feel sad and foolish.

Only my brother wiping away my tears, telling me everything is going to be alright made me feel better, but he isn’t here anymore.

So I cry more.

“I-I know… I have to move on, I have to let you go but—” The warmth of the sun is gone, and back is the darkness that has had a hold on me creeps in, “I need help, I need strength… and forgiveness.”

…

“You have done nothing that requires forgiveness, Ch'ujuk.” (Sweet one)

My head snaps up at the voice, the voice I’ve heard more times than I should have. The voice that made me cry with laughter, and cry with anger and hate.

He sits next to me, staring out at the water; his clothes are that of a poor man, bandage on his foot from where my sister clipped him.

“My, how the mighty have fallen…” I couldn't help myself, and he doesn’t say anything. Just glances at me, giving me a weak laugh, “… I’m—”

“I swear, if you apologize one more time, I—” Now he turns to me, annoyance in his features as I snap back, because I want him to finish his sentence.

“—You’ll what, fishman?”

A challenge is what I’ve presented him with, one he’s faced many times before, all ending the same way.

Me beneath him, in the best of ways… but that was before.

Now we stare at each other, debating on what to do next. Do we give in? Do we act as if that war from a few weeks ago never happened? The words that were said… the actions, and consequences of those actions.

No.

It won’t ever be the same.

And it will only get harder. 

“… I should have listened to you.” His voice and words catch me off guard, “There was a better way to make myself known to your people and your family. It never should have gotten that far, and I…”

I watch him closely, waiting to hear the words, so I can tell him to fuck off and dry out on a beach somewhere, but as the seconds tick on it gets suffocating. 

Tears are in his eyes, “I am sorry, U Majestad (Your majesty). I was scared, rash, and reckless. I should have consulted you— shown you trust…”

lift me up in your arms

“It doesn’t matter now, does it… Namor?”

The pain etched on his face at the use of that name riddles me with guilt. But he deserves it, and he knows it.

(Hold me down) I need love, I need love, I need love

Lifting an arm out to me, he watches me with bated breath, hoping I’ll accept his side hug.

And against my better judgment, I do.

(Keep me close) hold me, hold me

Warmth, safety, sunshine— sunrise and sunset.

(Safe and sound) hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me

More tears. More crying.

But this time… comfort.

(Lift me up) hold me, hold me, hold me, hold me

“You can hate me for all eternity. I deserve that, and more— but please… do not call me that name.”

I nod, trying not to sob uncontrollably, “What should I—”

I’m silenced with a kiss, a soft one that turns mournful and needy rather quickly. He kisses the air out of my lungs, and I have to push him back to take a much-needed breath.

A sound of discontent leaves him, but he kisses the tip of my nose, resting his forehead against mine.

“Ch’ah Toh Almehen.”

(Hold me down) hold me, hold me

“What?” I say breathlessly.

“My name.” He runs his thumb across my cheek, “Ch’ah Toh Almehen.”

I place my hand over his, pull my head back, staring at him, completely beside myself. After a year of being with him, telling him my heart's desires, my hopes and dreams, never did I think I’d hear him tell me his name.

His name.

Smiling, tears run down my face again as I hug and kiss him.

“I like it…”

His smile is bashful, warm and inviting. Leaning in to kiss him again, I whisper.

(Keep me safe) we need light, we need love

“Ch’ah Toh Almehen.”

-----

The end (Horrible, I know)

[talkingparrotkee]

Personally, I think there's too much about "Ramonda did this" and "Namor did that," but not enough people realizing how the two characters are just two sides of the same humanity coin. It honestly reeks of media illiteracy and shallow takeaways.

You're not supposed to demonize either of them. What they did was out of their responsibilities as leaders and love for their children. Not only that, but they were at a breaking point after years of torment. They finally snapped after vainly clawing to hold themselves together because they had to be a pillar everyone needed them to be. Everyone around them could fall to their knees in anguish, but not them. They couldn't afford it. Fate was unkind to them, and destiny unjust.

Neither is perfect, but they are human.

That is what makes them relatable, tragic, and compelling characters. While you can find fault in some of their actions, their motives were completely understandable, as is correct.

It's a beautiful tragedy carefully woven by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole. Consequently, hate seeing surface-level, dumb takes bashing one or the other. It's even worse when these characters get unceremoniously raked across the coals over something as dumb as shipping.

I'm making a case for both Namor and Ramonda for the people in the back.

In the case of Ramonda:

Ramonda is a character who experienced tragedy after tragedy since her debut in the MCU, getting no break for breaking as the sovereign leader of a nation.

She couldn't break when T'Chaka, her husband, died.

She couldn't break when she saw T'Challa, her baby boy fighting to potentially death with a Jabari (what were the odds).

She couldn't break when she discovered her husband kept their nephew a secret and killed his own brother.

She couldn't break when T'Challa supposedly died, being hurled off of Warrior Falls right before her eyes.

She couldn't break when she was run out of her own kingdom by Killmonger being forced to beg the Jabari for refuge.

She couldn't break under her fear as the Jabari closed in on them, having to remain strong, shielding a Shuri.

She couldn't break when she saw her son barely alive, beaten and shrouded in ice.

She couldn't break when her children and therefore the rest of her entire family gotten snapped for five years. She still had to rule and lead "a broken nation through a broken world."

She couldn't break when T'Challa died for real this time from an unknown illness he hid (until it was too late).

She couldn't break seeing Shuri break, wailing for her other half who was ripped away from her.

She couldn't break when feeling the vulturish pressures of other nations trying to destabilize Wakanda and plunder them for their riches, preying on their moment of "weakness."

Shuri, the last and youngest fruit of her tree closest to her bosom, was dangerously dangling over an edge in her immense grief.

This is why Ramonda refused to let her go on field, telling Okoye that "she isn't ready" (the girl was talking about burning the world for crying out loud) and that Namor was dangerous.

No lie was told.

Even so, she hesitantly relented, entrusting Okoye. She also entrusted Shuri and Okoye again when they decided not to fork her over to Namor mid-mission.

What did that get her? A beaten up general and a missing child. It isn't like Ramonda knew Shuri demanded Namor's audience (this was cut from the movie), and her kimoyo beads were not on her for contact.

For all she knew (Namor didn't show her otherwise, let alone build rapport with her), Shuri was in immediate danger. It doesn't matter that we know that Namor wasn't going to hurt her. That's dramatic irony. What matters is, Ramonda didn't know.

There is no wonder as to why Queen Mother snapped.

Was it recklessly instigative to lure out Namor and send a war dog into his home with an "any means necessary" order? Yes. Was it not the best choice to spend precious time getting Nakia and involve her into something she was retired from? Sure. However, you must consider her circumstances. She was in a place of desperation and went to her last resorts.

Again, the first and rightfully lasting impression she got from Namor was that he is dangerous.

The first meeting with this man was him shaking the table, demonstrating his pure audacity by making demands or giving threats ("I have more soldiers than this land has blades of grass"), and being scarily ominous. He breeched their security and was not alone.

Namor had his warriors ambush them at the bridge, despite them (seemingly) retrieving the scientist as he demanded. While it is true they planmed to "break" the "agreement" (I use that term loosely) after meeting Riri, he wouldn't have known that unless he actively spied (doubtful) or just made the assumption of suspicion. This act resulted in Okoye, Wakanda's best warrior and general, frazzled with a taken Princess.

Ramonda didn't know what to expect, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to expect the worst in him. Ramonda wasn't going to play Russian roulette with her daughter. This is the one time where she finally broke out, knees buckling from all of the weight, and acted as a mother above all. She also acted in part as a queen, because Shuri is not only the princess, but the apple of Wakanda's eye in many regards. As Shuri told Namor, "Wakanda will not rest" in the darkness of her absence.

What Ramonda knew now when speaking to Namor on the beach (Shuri was safe, Shuri asked to see him, trying to fetch her-breech their waters would be met with an iron fist, blah blah blah) wasn't known then when she made the call (one she couldn't exactly take back here). She couldn't predict a young handmaiden weakly holding Shuri hostage and Nakia having to make the split-second decision to pull the trigger, in far too deep.

The second time she acted as a mother was when saving Riri Williams. Yes, it is true that she could've survived if she didn't swim down for Riri. However, there is a point behind this. It also took her character arc full circle.

In the first movie, Wakanda and its leaders were fine forsaking the lost tribe. They turned their backs and blinded their eyes to the rest of the world. They sacrificed others for themselves. In the second movie, per the choices and changes made by T'Challa, Wakanda and its leaders took a turn for the better. As Letitia Wright said in an interview, Riri was a reflection of T'Challa's choice.

Refusing to have another case of the N'Jadaka, Ramonda, the Queen of Wakanda, broke the cycle. This time, Wakanda sacrificed herself for the lost tribe girl as "if she were one of her own."

In the case of Namor:

Namor is literally just the other side of the same coin. Namor has since lost his immediate family, and at a young age, no less. His father died before he was even born by smallpox (he is the man we see Fen putting jade in the mouth of). His entire village and mother were killed by the same colonial diease before being reborn as Talokanil. He witnessed his mother mourn her homelands and die in her life-long grief. Since he took his first breath, his life wasn't his own. The bracelet Fen was given was a promise of his birthright. He was the first son of the new civilization, destinied to lead it before he could make that decision or understand its weight.

Not only did he have to act as king, but he was viewed as a god. That is so, so much worse when it comes down to expectations or responsibilities.

To add insult to injury, he officially ascended to the throne at such a young age. This all happened during the same day when he:

had to bury his mother

discovered Conquistadors' theft of his ancestral lands he never got to step foot on until then

witnessed slavery

was shot and shouted at in a foreign tongue

was cursed out by a Conquistador priest, interrupting his mother's burial, deeming him a "boy without love" and "son of the devil"

Since then, he didn't have a connection to the surface world. He had no love or trust for it, which only cemented itself as he aged. He spent his life strengthening Talokan, nurturing it, protecting it, trying to experience-revive culture-history deprived from him, and constantly moving it away from the danger of surface man.

Namor's audacity is confirmed partially rooted in the belief that Wakanda should take responsibility for what is and will happen all because they decided to reveal the power of vibranium. It put them all at an immense disadvantage (which is what T'Challa was warned of by Ross in a removed scene). Additionally, Talokan is also more vulnerable than Wakanda and has suffered everything Wakanda feared but never experienced (e.g., colonialization, genocide).

After centuries of moving and preferring to be kept hidden (in other words, he actively chose "peace" and avoiding the problem until he was backed into a corner), the vibranium detector was his last straw. The machine, as said by him, was the sign of the times. They couldn't risk that in any way, hence his extreme actions. There is no disputing that Namor technically was the instigator and a repeated offender at that, but at the same time, you need to look at the context. His hand was forced.

"They came while you spoke to the Queen? We should have never trusted her!" - Namora to Namor in Yucatec-Mayan

Ramonda not only purposefully drawn him out (she tells Nakia that was exactly what she was doing, before giving her the orders) of his home, but sent an "assassin" that took a national threat away while killing two of his "children." One of whom was about Riri's age: a child. She wasn't even a warrior. Namor had to helplessly craddle her as she died. He couldn't do anything as her godking-"father," despite her putting hope and trust in him. That especially makes it more egregious.

If you want to consult the script too, Namor vowed to his mother not to have another Talokanil murdered again. Even if you don't want to take Tenoch's and Ryan's answers in interview questions, it's made amply clear that Namor's attack on Golden City was his form of punishment-retribution, not in his original plans or desires.

From the script,

To the actual cut we had.

Namora is heard stating how much of a risk they were now put in. They have no ensurity Wakanda wouldn't attack them. Shuri has seen their home, equipped with dangerous knowledge. To them, Ramonda-Wakanda has shown capable of killing and going "under the table" while offering a drink above. Let's not even mention how Wakanda has been in contact with other nations and Ramonda threatened to leak their existence.

This realization all happened as Namor was practically having a PTSD trip. We see him hardening, with the same death whistle that played in his flashback, playing then.

Namor snapped.

On the throne, he admits that he was "hypnotized by the panther's tail" that he was blinded by the hope of partnership, an alliance. He endangered all Talokanil and that he seeks to right this wrong. He also says that they will not "move again." At this point, with all of had happened, he-Talokan finally decided to stand up and swing back.