The Deadliest of the Species, Part 1

Now

In order to improve relations between Queen Storm (Ororo Monroe) and the people of Wakanda, she has agreed to meet with some of the local children.[1] Ororo agrees to do this, but hopes that the trip is more focused on education than appearances. When they arrive at the meeting hall, Storm insists on not having guards accompany her as she doesn’t want to appear to need protection. When she takes to the stage, the children are elated to see her. This is because they come from the rural eras of Wakanda, where people traditionally have great support for the royal family, no matter what. Ororo skips making speeches and opens up to any questions the children may have. Storm is bombarded by questions until one of the boys in the crowd spots the Black Panther ( T’Challa)’s ship returning home from a royal mission.

It is also spotted by the war room deep in the capital city. W’Kabi notes the craft is in making a crash landing. It is giving off the automated mayday signal but they can’t make radio contact. Seeing the ship coming down as well, Storm takes to the air. She uses her mutant ability to control the weather to create winds powerful enough to control the ship’s crash landing. Unfortunately, it is too little too late, and the burning aircraft ends up crashing into the side of a building. Soon, S’Yan — T’Challa’s uncle and greatest advisor — arrives with emergency crews. Storm follows the rescue team into the ruined ship where she finds T’Challa alive, but horrifically burned from the fire. He weakly tells her that they were ambushed before collapsing into unconsciousness.

Five Hours Earlier

That Black Panther was summoned to a meeting in Latveria. As they arrived in the country, the Black Panther points his Dora Milaje to look below them in the icy waters below. There they see the Sub-Mariner (Namor) swimming to their destination at a speed that matches their Quinjet. When the plane lands outside a mansion, T’Challa and his party are invited in by the manager. They are taken to a room that connects to the nearby river, which is where Namor emerges from the waters. He welcome T’Challa and thanks him for coming to this meeting.

Now

Having heard about the crash, Ramonda and Shuri (T’Challa’s stepmother and half-sister) rush to the hospital to see T’Challa. There they are stopped by S’Yan who tries to convince Ramonda to wait until the doctors finish their work, but she will have none of it. Storm then enters the room and says it is all right. When Ramonda enters T’Challa’s room and sees the state that he is in, she demands to know who is responsible for what happened.

Four Hours Ago

The Sub-Mariner and Black Panther sit down and get right to business. Namor says things have changed since their last meeting,[1] namely how Norman Osborn has been put in charge in the United States.[2] Osborn has since reached out to form a global consortium with mutual goals.[3] This group already includes Namor, Doctor Doom, Emma Frost of the X-Men, the trickster god Loki,[4] and the criminal known as the Hood. T’Challa thinks Norman is a madman and this group will not remain stable. Namor knows this and that is why he wants T’Challa to join the group, even though he turned down the offer to join the Illuminati.[5] Namor thinks it is important that he does, for the sake of Wakanda, saying that there is a storm brewing. T’Challa doesn’t see this as much of a threat, noting how Wakanda was able to fight off a Skrull invasion and they will deal with whatever passes next.[6]

Seeing that T’Challa cannot be moved right now, he asks the Panther to think it over. He tells him that Wakanda can’t be an island in this new world forever. When he shakes Namor’s hand, T’Challa tells him that Wakanda has always been an island. The Sub-Mariner then says goodbye and leaves the room.

Now

Eventually, T’Challa’s family are visited by Doctor B’Gali. He tells them that it is too early to tell if their King will pull through. He is currently in a coma and they are doing everything they can for him. Ramonda demands updates every minute until T’Challa wakes up. Looking into the hospital room, Storm sees that they have her husband in some kind of regeneration tank hooked up to all sorts of machines. Ororo sheds a tear for T’Challa. Given the gravity of the situation, S’Yan says that now would be the time to have the conversation nobody wants to have.

Ramonda refuses, not willing to accept that her adopted son is going to die. S’Yan, however, insists that it must be discussed. With T’Challa in a coma and the Dora Milaje missing in action, they will need to select a new Black Panther to lead their people. Now the only question is, who is going to fill that role.[6]

Three Hours Earlier

As the Black Panther exits the mansion in Latveria, he finds Doctor Doom and an army of Doombots waiting for him outside. T’Challa knew this was going to happen and knows that Victor hasn’t come to recruit him. Doom confirms this, asking what the point of that would have been when he knew T’Challa would say no.

Recurring Characters

Black Panther, Storm, Shuri, Sub-Mariner, Doctor Doom, S’Yan, Ramonda, W’Kabi, B’Gail

Continuity Notes

1. T’Challa famously married Storm in Black Panther (vol. 4) #18. However, the people of Wakanda haven’t fully embraced Ororo due to her American heritage.

2. Namor and T’Challa last met in Black Panther (vol. 4) #21 to discuss the recent passage of the American Super Human Registration Act.

3. Norman Osborn was put in charge of SHIELD after he killed Queen Veranke, the leader of the Skrull invasion of Earth. THis was seen in Secret Invasion #8.

4. Osborn’s group is called the Cabal, he formed them in Secret Invasion: Dark Reign #1.

5. Years earlier, following the Kree/Skrull War (Avengers #89-97) a group of prominent heroes formed the secret Illuminati to discuss how to handle global threats. T’Challa was asked to join the group, but he flat out rejected the offer. See New Avengers: Illuminati #1 for the details.

6. It’s Shuri. You know this, I know this, it’s fucking Shuri. As will be revealed over the course of the next four issues.