Coming to America, Part 2

One Year Ago[1]

The royal family of the African nation of Dakenia have come on a visit to the United States. This was originally to host the display of Dakenian artifacts at the Museum of African History. However, upon their arrival, a bloody military coup has happened back home. Despite this, King Akaje has insisted that he, Queen Najita, and Prince Jamal remain in America for the duration. While at the museum gala, would-be assassins have replaced some of the displays with live animals who have now gone wild.

As Everett Ross gets the royal family to safety, the Black Panther (T’Challa, King of Wakanda) remains to tame the rampaging beasts. These animals are actually being reanimated by an assassin wielding some kind of mystical staff. While the Black Panther is pre-occupied with the animals, Prince Jamal spots the assassin. Breaking free from Everett’s grasp, the young man charges at the killer and lays him out with a single punch. This breaks the magic spell, causing the reanimated beasts to crumble into dust.

Queen Najita rushes to her sons side, afraid of what harm could have come from him. However, all Jamal can focus on is the fact that their assassin was using Uduru magic, the trademark of a Dakenian witch doctor. When T’Challa tries to question the mystic, he recites an incantation that turns him into dust as well, killing himself and anything that might have been gleaned in interrogation. Despite the attempt on his life, King Akaje still wants to see more of New York City.

Ross decides to take them to Broadway to see a live performance, and Prince Jamal picks Hamlet. Once again, the issue of short notice security comes up and the management can’t comply without kicking out the other paying customers. However, Akaje insists that won’t be necessary, with the Black Panther present they will be safe. Before sitting down to watch the play, King Akaje sets up a private one-on-one interview with a newspaper reported named Alex Benedict. When she agrees to it, the King smiles slily, hinting he has other intentions in mind.

As the play begins, T’Challa watches the King and his family from the balcony across the way. Half way through the performance, he spots someone posing as security with a silenced pistol enter the booth behind King Akaje. The Black Panther then leaps across the theater and is able to stop the assassin before he can pull the trigger. Fighting with the man, the skin of his face rips off revealing him to be an African man in disguise, another assassin sent to eliminate the king and finalize the coup back home.

The Black Panther then escorts the family back to their hotel room. Shortly after their return, the King has suddenly disappeared. When T’Challa asks Queen Najita where he is, she turns her head in shame and says he retired to be early. When the Panther goes to check on him he learns that Akaje is having his private “interview” with Alex Benedict, who enters the room in her underwear carrying two glasses of wine. T’Challa leaves, but is troubled by what is going on.

He then heads down to the lobby where Everett Ross and the rest of security are securing the area. It’s then that they are informed that someone at Alex Benedict’s paper has been calling looking for him. That’s when T’Challa realizes that the woman alone with King Akaje is an impostor! While security scrambles into action, the Black Panther goes up the fastest way he can: Running up the side of the building with his Vibranium soled boots.

Getting into the king’s bedroom in moments, the Black Panther comes across a box filled with dried flowers and roots from native to Dakenia. He recalls how this was a gift given to “Alex” and how in large enough doses could be used as a poison.[2] He soon catches “Benedict” as guards burst into the room. “Alex” quickly tells them that the Black Panther has killed the king. Without a second thought, the two guards try to attack the Panther, but T’Challa is too fast for them. He quickly disarms them and shows them that the Akaje is already dead.

Later, the Black Panther hands the box back to Queen Najita. She confides in him that she and Akaje had fallen in love when they were around Jamal’s age even though she was betrothed to Akaje’s brother. She was bound to marry the true king and produce an heir, or else bring shame to her family. In the end Akaje couldn’t give her up and so he murdered her husband in secret so he could take control of the throne and have her as well. As King, Akaje sought to give the throne to his own son, robbing Jamal of his heritage before he came of age. In the end, Najita could no longer keep supporting this farce and so she arranged for Akaje to be poisoned to bring this travesty to the end.

That’s when Everett and Jamal enter the room. As the boy runs to his mother for comfort, Ross asks T’Challa what will happen next: Will Jamal and Najita remain in America or will they go back home and try to regain the throne? T’Challa reponds by says that’s up to the king now.[3]

Recurring Characters

Black Panther, Everett Ross, King Akaje, Queen Najita, Prince Jamal, Taku, Alex Benedict

Continuity Notes

1. According to Official Index to the Marvel Universe: Avengers this story takes place between the events of Black Panther (vol. 3) #30 and 31. The passage of time here should be considered more or less factual (see below).

2. “Alex” was given this box of dried flowers and roots last issue.

3. And as of this writing (Jan, 2024), the ultimate fate of Jamal and his mother has yet to be revealed

Topical References

• This story states that it takes place one year prior to the previous story arc that wrapped up last issue. Per the Avengers Index, this story takes place between the events of Black Panther (vol. 3) #30, which was published in May 2001 while this story was published in June of 2003. Per the Sliding Timescale, this story would take place in the 4th quarter of “Year 10” of the Modern Age, while the publication of last issue falls in the middle of “Year Eleven”. As such, this should be considered a factual resident in that this flashback happened in the previous year, not that an entire calendar year has passed.

• Alex Benedict is stated as being employed with the New York Times. This is topical as this is a real world newspaper.