T'Challa walks up to Zuri in the gardens and tells the others to leave.
Zuri notes that T'Challa's mission didn't go as planned.
T'Challa asks what happened to his uncle N'Jobu.
T'Challa tensed, remembering finding out what really happened and what his father did.
T'Challa says T'Chaka told him he disappeared.
"Why do I feel like there's more to that story?" Carol asked, warily.
T'Challa says there was a man wearing a ring identical to his own.
Zuri says that's not possible.
T'Challa says the man helped Klaue escape and he was wearing his grandfather's ring and tells Zuri not to tell him what's possible.
"I don't understand, what's the significance of the ring?" Drax asked.
"It is a Wakandan royal ring and it's been passed down in the royal family for years." T'Challa answered.
"Wait so... Erik is royalty?" Natasha asked.
T'Challa asks Zuri to tell him the truth.
Zuri says some truths are too much to bear.
T'Challa says that isn't Zuri's choice to make.
"Keeping secrets in the name of protection." Loki sighed.
"That is becoming all too common." Okoye added.
T'Challa asks what happened to N'Jobu.
Zuri says he promised the king he'd say nothing.
T'Challa says he's Zuri's king now.
A few people flinched, not expecting T'Challa to shout.
Zuri says N'Jobu took a War Dog assignment in America and T'Chaka placed him there to observe.
Everyone listened to Zuri intently, wanting to know what he had to say about what really happened to N'Jobu.
Zuri says N'Jobu fell in love with an American woman and had a child and the hardships he saw radicalized him.
"Well, that's exactly surprising." Scott said.
In a flashback, N'Jobu says he observed for as long as he could. He says their leaders have been assassinated, communities are flooded with drugs and weapons and they're overly policed and incarcerated.
"He can't just stand by and watch as people suffer." Sam said.
"No, he can't." T'Challa said, sadly.
N'Jobu says their people suffer all over the planet because they don't have the tools to fight back and says that they could overthrow every country if they had vibranium weapons and Wakanda could rule them all the right way.
"And what is the 'right way.'?" Valkyrie asked, warily.
"I- I don't think that's a good solution to this problem." MJ said.
"More oppression won't fix the oppression that already exists, it'll just... cycle it." Shuri said.
Zuri says N'Jobu knew T'Chaka wouldn't support that so he betrayed them by helping Klaue steal the vibranium. T'Challa is in disbelief.
The Wakandans all looked away from the screen, eyes closed in emotional pain.
"He's the reason Klaue knows about Wakanda?" Thor asked.
In a flashback, T'Chaka says N'Jobu will return home where he'll face a council and inform them of his crimes. N'Jobu points his gun t Zuri, T'Chaka digs his claws into N'Jobu's chest.
The Wakandans all flinched, everyone else gasped in shock. "He... he killed his own brother?" Wanda asked.
"Oh my god." Gamora whispered.
"What happened to the child?" Steve asked.
Zuri says T'Chaka killed N'Jobu to save his life.
In a flashback, T'Chaka tells Zuri not to speak of this.
T'Challa asks about the child.
Zuri says they left him because they had to maintain the lie.
"No." Everyone gasped.
"How could they do that?" May asked.
"I don't know, but they were wrong for it." T'Challa said, voice full of emotion.
"It seems like this lie you have to keep up causes a lot of problems." Quill said.
Erik walks up to Wakanda's borders with a bag. W'Kabi asks what it is. Erik says it's a gift then opens the bag. W'Kabi looks inside to see Klaue's head poking out.
"Oh god." Ned gasped.
"That's... disturbing." Maria said.
W'Kabi, in Xhosa, asks Erik who he is.
Everyone tensed, wondering what was going to happen with W'Kabi and Erik.
Everett wakes up in Shuri's lab, gets off of the table and feels for the wound on his back. He walks over to Shuri and asks where he is.
"My lab." Shuri said, like it was obvious.
Shuri tells Everett not to scare her and calls him colonizer.
MJ snorted at that.
Everett tells her his name. Shuri says she knows and says he's a former air force pilot and now he's CIA.
Everett asks if this is Wakanda.
Shuri says no and tells him it's Kansas.
"If you want to get home you'll need the ruby slippers." Peter said.
Everett asks how long ago Korea was.
Shuri says it was yesterday.
Everett doesn't believe her because bullet wounds don't magically heal overnight.
"Maybe not in other parts of the world." Okoye said.
Shuri says they do in Wakanda but with technology not magic and tells him not to touch anything and says T'Challa will return soon. Everett looks out the window and sees the mines, which have trains transporting vibranium.
"Damn, even your mines are cool." Sam said.
Everett asks if the trains are magnetic levitation. Shuri confirms. Everett says he's never sees it that efficient then asks what the light panels are.
Everyone smiled at Everett's excitement.
Shuri says vibranium is too dangerous to move so quickly in its raw form so she developed a way to temporarily deactivate it.
"Just how smart are you?" Strange asked.
Shuri says that there's vibranium all around them and that's how she healed him. Everett is shocked.
"Oh look, you made him speechless." Natasha said.
Okoye contacts Shuri via her kimoyo beads and asks her where T'Challa is and says his kimoy beads have been switched off.
"Why...?"
Shuri says they aren't joined up at the hip.
Okoye says a man showed up at the border and claims to have killed Klaue.
"Which... he did do." Ned said.
"But he's also the one who broke him out of that cell so..." Clint said.
Okoye says W'Kabi is transporting him to the palace and they need to find T'Challa.
Shuri looks at an image of Erik and asks if he's an outsider.
Okoye says he's Wakandan.
Everett says Erik isn't Wakandan but he's one of theirs.
"Well, he's technically both." Tony said.
T'Challa and Nakia are sitting on a cliff overlooking a valley.
"That's a beautiful view." Clint commented.
T'Challa says T'Chaka killed his own brother and left a child behind with nothing.
Natasha remembered what T'Chaka said about the Lagos incident they saw in one of the other films.
"-Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent, is no victory at all."
T'Challa asks what kind of man does that.
Nakia says no man is perfect not even T'Chaka.
T'Challa says T'Chaka didn't even give N'Jobu a proper burial.
Everyone's eyes widened. Not only did T'Chaka kill his own brother and orphan a child, but he also didn't give him a proper burial.
T'Challa says N'Jobu betrayed them but T'Chaka may have created something worse.
"He did."
Nakia says T'Challa can't let T'Chaka's mistakes define who he is and he gets to decide what kind of king he's going to be.
"No one else can decide that but you." Thor said.
Shuri contacts T'Challa via his komoyo beads and tells him that he needs to come back.
"Weren't those deactivated?" Rocket asked.
"I activated them again." Shuri said.
Nakia and T'Challa are in Shuri's lab with Everett and Shuri. Everett tells them about Erik and says he graduated Annapolis at 19 and went to MIT for grad school.
Tony and Rhodey perked up at the mention of their college but said nothing of it.
He says Erik joined the SEALS and went to Afghanistan and wracked up confirmed kills like it was a video game and people started calling him Killmonger.
"Sounds like a very brutal guy." Fury said.
Everett says Erik joined a JSOC ghost unit and says they'll drop off the grid so they can commit assassinations and take down governments.
"Wow."
T'Challa asks if he revealed anything about his identity.
Shuri says he has a War Dog tattoo but they have no record of him.
"That's weird." Maria said.
T'Challa, Ramonda and Shuri are with the elders in the palace. W'Kabi walks in with Erik. T'Challa, in Xhosa, tells Erik to speak. W'Kabi translates.
Erik says he's standing in T'Challa's house serving justice to a man who stole their vibranium and murdered his people.
"Vibranium which you helped steal." Okoye said.
Erik says it was justice T'Challa couldn't deliver.
"Because you broke Klaue out of that cell and escaped with him." Vision said.
"The technicalities won't matter." T'Challa said.
T'Challa walks up to Erik, the Dora Milaje follow. T'Challa says he doesn't care that Erik brought Klaue and the only reason he hasn't killed him is because he knows who he is then asks what Erik wants.
Erik says he wants the throne.
"I saw that coming." Carol said.
The elders laugh at him. Erik says it must feel good for them to sit up their comfortably and says there's 2 billion people all over the world that look like them but their lives are harder.
Sam, Rhodey, Fury and MJ all glanced at each other. Erik was right about that part.
Erik says Wakanda has the tools to liberate them all.
T'Challa aska what tools those are.
Erik says it's their vibranium weapons.
T'Challa says their weapons won't be used to wage war around the world.
"Good."
T'Challa says it isn't their way to be the judge, jury and executioner for people who aren't their own.
Erik says life started on their continent and says all people are their people.
"I feel like that's a really far reach, but he does raise an interesting point." Bruce said.
"Yeah, like all people originated in Africa but after a while... you gotta draw a line somewhere." Hope said.
T'Challa says he isn't king of all people and he's just king of Wakanda and it's his responsibility to make sure their people are safe and vibranium doesn't fall into the hands of a person like Erik.
"Someone who'll only use it as a weapon." Natasha said.
"I'd hate to see what would happen if that happens." Quill said.
Ramonda says they've entertained Erik for too long and tells T'Challa to reject his request.
Erik says he isn't requesting anything.
"Then... what are you doing?" Tony asked.
Erik asks them to ask who he is.
Shuri says he's Erik Stevens who's an American black operative and a mercenary named Killmonger.
Erik says that's not his name.
"Then what is his name?" Drax asked.
Erik asks T'Challa to ask him. T'Challa walks off and tells the guards to take Erik away.
One of the elders, in Xhosa, asks Erik who he is.
Erik, in Xhosa, says he's N'Jakaada and the son of N'Jobu.
"Oh..." Peter said, shocked.
"He's your cousin then?" Scott asked Shuri and T'Challa.
"So he's the kid T'Chaka orphaned, suddenly things make a lot more sense." Bucky said.
Erik says he found his dad with panther claws in his chest and tells T'Challa that he's not the son of a king but the son of a murderer. Ramonda calls Erik a liar in Xhosa.
W'Kabi says Erik's not lying and holds up Erik's ring. Erik greets Ramonda as his auntie.
Everyone tensed, wondering where this situation was headed.
W'Kabi hands Ramonda the necklace. Erik says he's exercising his blood right to challenge for the mantles of king and black panther.
"Oh no."
"This isn't good." Mantis said.
Ramonda urges T'Challa not to accept.
An elder says Erik is within his rights as son of prince N'Jobu.
Ramonda says Erik has no rights in Wakanda.
"Oh?"
Another elder says the challenge will take weeks to prepare.
Erik says he doesn't need weeks because the whole country doesn't need to be there just T'Challa and someone to get him out of the chains.
"He really wants this..." Scott said.
"I mean I can understand why." Natasha said.
Ramonda asks T'Challa what he knows of this.
T'Challa accepts the challenge.
"This is gonna end well." Clint said, sarcastically.
Zuri, T'Challa and Erik are at the waterfalls. Erik breaks his spear in half. Shuri says Erik will never beat T'Challa and says he should've just come to the first challenge and gotten it over with.
"Would've made more sense to be honest." Peter said.
Zuri makes T'Challa drink from his bowl and says the strength of the Black Panther will be stripped away.
"How many times did you get your powers taken away and given back?" Bruce asked.
Nakia rushes into the crowd. Okoye asks her where Everett is.
Nakia says she locked him in the office and he isn't going anywhere.
T'Challa tells Erik that this is his last chance and tells him to get rid of his weapons and they can handle this another way.
"By talking about it." Coulson suggests.
Erik jams his weapons into the ground and says he lived his entire life waiting for this moment. He says he trained, lied and killed to get there. He takes off his jacket and says he's killed in America, Afghanistan and Iraq. He takes his shirt off, revealing more scars.
"Holy shit." Maria swore.
"He's covered in them." Clint said.
Erik says he took the lives of his brothers and sisters on this continent and says all this death was just so he could kill T'Challa and picks his weapons back up.
"So much anger and hatred." Mantis observed.
"He was consumed with vengeance." T'Challa said. "As I was not so long ago."
"It is understandable, but... I don't think more deaths will solve anything." Sam said.
Zuri begins the challenge and walks into the crowd.
"Here we go." Steve said.
Erik attacks T'Challa who blocks his blows with a shield. Erik tries to cut his feet but T'Challa jumps and they continue fighting. T'Challa forces Erik back, Erik continues hitting T'Challa with his sword. T'Challa trips him and tells him to yield.
"I don't think he's gonna do that." Happy said.
Erik gets back up and they continue fighting, T'Challa cuts Erik's cheek. Erik kicks T'Challa in the chest. T'Challa stands up, Erik cuts his inner thigh.
"Please tell me you won this challenge." May said, worried for the Wakandan king.
Erik continues hitting him. Shuri yells at T'Challa to snap out of it. T'Challa stands, Erik cuts him across the stomach.
Everyone gasped.
T'Challa goes to attack, Erik cuts his bicep causing him to drop his weapons, then stabs him in the stomach.
The Wakandans all looked away.
"Oh god." Pepper said.
T'Challa drops to his knees, Erik punches him and says this is for his father and goes to behead him.
"No!" Everyone gasped.
Zuri stops Erik and knocks his sword out of his hand. T'Challa and Ramonda tell Zuri to stop.
Zuri says he's the cause of N'Jobu's death not T'Challa and asks Erik to take him instead.
The Wakandans all had tears in their eyes as they remembered what was about to happen to Zuri.
Erik says he'll take them both and kills Zuri. T'Challa screams, devastated.
Everyone had tears in their eyes as they watched Erik impale Zuri. Shuri and T'Challa hugged each other for comfort. T'Challa wiped the tears from his eyes as he remembered his friend.
T'Challa goes to attack Erik but misses. Erik asks the Wakandans if this is their king. T'Challa goes to attack again, Erik punches him in the stomach and knees him in the back of the head.
Ayo asks if there's anything that can be done.
T'Challa tries to stand up.
Everyone watched sadly as T'Challa struggled to gain his footing.
Erik says T'Challa's supposed to protect them. T'Challa finally gets to his feet, Erik lifts him and throws him off the cliff. Ramonda screams.
Everyone was too shocked to say anything as they watched T'Challa fall to his 'death.' They glanced over at him only to see a sort of closed off expression in his eyes.
"But you... you didn't die." Bucky said. "How did you survive that?"
Shuri hugged her brother, remembering how she felt when she thought Erik had killed him.
Erik proclaims himself their king.
Everyone glared at Erik.
Shuri and Ramonda are openly crying, Nakia says they need to go and they rush off. Okoye watches with teary eyes as an elder puts the necklace on Erik.
"This is all terrible." Scott said, worried about what Erik will do now that he's king.
Later, Nakia rushes up to Okoye and hugs her. Okoye asks if Ramonda and Shuri are safe.
Nakia says they are and they should get to them immediately.
Okoye, in Xhosa, says she can't.
"What?" Valkyrie asked.
Nakia says they can't turn their nation over to who showed up there only hours ago.
Okoye says he's of royal blood.
Nakia says he killed T'Challa.
Okoye says it was in ritual combat.
"You're defending him?" Thor asked.
"No, I was stating the facts." Okoye said. "Or what were the facts at the time."
Nakia says Okoye is the greatest warrior Wakanda has and asks her to help overthrow Erik before he becomes too strong.
"Better move quickly then." Natasha said.
Okoye says she isn't a spy who can come and go as she chooses.
"Most of us don't really choose where we go either." Maria said. "Everyone has loyalties."
Okoye says she's loyal to the throne no matter who sits on it and asks Nakia what she's loyal to.
Okoye sighed sadly and looked away from the screen.
Nakia says she loved T'Challa and she loved her country too.
Okoye says she should serve her country.
Nakia says she'll save it and walks off.
"What is she gonna do to save it?" Gamora wondered.
Nakia walks to the room Everett is in. He asks her what's wrong. Nakia says T'Challa's dead, throws him something and tells him to come with her unless he'd like to join T'Challa.