-contains mild-to-heavy spoilers for Marvel’s Black Panther (2018)
Putting aside the fact that any character I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Michael B. Jordan bring to life has been incredibly compelling, I think his time spent as Erik Killmonger in 2018’s first (of many) MCU movie, Black Panther, is worth heavy praise.
It would have been so easy for Black Panther to roll this character into a cliche villain, as seen in other MCU entries such as Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, and even Ant-Man (a breath of fresh air, but still suffering from the same villain problem). Each of those previous MCU films feature a disgruntled villain with a bone to pick with the hero(es), and while they do initially get the jump on our protagonists, ultimately they’re defeated (and in some cases, killed), hopefully leaving behind some lesson for the hero(es) to learn from. While this is the surface level of Killmonger’s motivations, we’re treated to a much more nuanced character as the film progresses.
Erik is introduced in a stylized fashion, immediately stealing the show with his at-a-glance abnormal look. Abnormal in the sense that, if you’re like me and refused to watch any trailers, you wouldn’t know immediately he might be a villain. From his hair to his fashion style, he abruptly catches your interest. As the movie progresses, we’re shown he’s deadly, and this is further expanded on by Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) once he “infiltrates” Wakanda. Everett briefs the protagonists and the audience on Killmonger’s deadly military resume, even going as far as to say he “racked up confirmed kills like a first person shooter” (I’m paraphrasing, but I think that’s mostly accurate). Based on the description we’re given, you’d think we’d see either a clean-cut, no-nonsense trained killer, like Wesley Snipes:
or a potentially unhinged trained killer, like Wesley Snipes:
The trained killer rival trope is oft-used, and typically features a set of face value traits that give us a general idea of what to expect from the character we’re being presented. A good example of this is Jon Bernthal’s character in The Accountant. His introduction puts his arrogant-yet-talented personality on display.
We don’t get much of this with Killmonger, because we don’t need it. There’s no need for montages of the trained killer rival dismantling and reassembling intimidating firearms. No shots of a barebones apartment with only the necessities because he’s a man with only one mission. There’s nothing wrong with those familiar shots, it’s just not relevant for Erik. His introduction in the museum hints at his heritage, his contempt for the appropriation of his home, as well as an ulterior motive to be discovered later on. Michael B. Jordan’s default charisma contributes to this, and within minutes, he’s a fan favorite.
Going further, his purpose is on display throughout his entire look. We’re shown his determination and bitterness through his self-inflicted scars, which function as a testament to what he’s been through, what he’s put himself through, to get to where we meet him.
At no point throughout the movie are flashbacks or fluff exposition necessary. There’s a moment where Killmonger, now King and Black Panther, enters the Wakandan throne room, joining his new council, and asks straight up:
“Where was Wakanda?”
This question betrays his struggle moving through life with no support system, as we learn he’s the son of treasonous Prince N’Jobu and was left without a father at the hands of King T’Chaka, the previous Black Panther. It betrays his bitter nature, having been left alone. What we see next is his response to having felt this way in his open desire to conquer before Wakanda (he) is conquered, which is indicative of his fear of feeling helpless, as he was when his father was taken from him.
It’s almost as if Erik romanticized his personal vendetta. He seemingly aspires to make it so no more of his people ever experience the hardships he was forced to endure, though the apparent desire to fix the source of his trauma has been dwarfed by his own vendetta against Wakanda. To quote T’Challa in Civil War, vengeance consumed him.
Killmonger’s goals, on paper, almost sound like the goals of an idealistic child, angry at the world. His solutions sound like what someone would need to do to survive a harsh world, but these aren’t the solutions needed when you’re in a position to rule. Erik Killmonger is a pained and weary character, and easily the best character we’ve seen in the MCU to-date.
“Show him who you are.”
I’m hard-pressed to label Killmonger a villain, and I think King T’Challa would agree with me.
(side note) I love and appreciate the Vegeta homage Killmonger sports early on. You can follow me on Twitter here.
Feel free to let me know what you thought of this piece.
