The Deadliest of the Species, Part 2

Now

While on a state visit to Latveria, the Black Panther (T’Challa) is gravely injured and barely makes it back home. After a full examination by Doctor B’Gail he gives a grim prognosis to his family — His step-mother Ramonda, half-sister Shuri, uncle S’Yan, and his wife, Storm (Ororo Monroe). The situation doesn’t look good, and he isn’t sure that T’Challa will survive his injuries.[1]

This leads to another grim decision, with T’Challa incapacitated for the time being, a successor to the mantle of the Black Panther must be found. This is because he is the spiritual center of Wakanda and the nation cannot survive without one. They all agree that T’Challa’s fate must be left to the Panther God, while Wakanda’s fate must be left to theirs. As the king’s bride, Queen Ororo will have the new duty of ruling in her husband’s absence.

Storm asks if they have figured out where T’Challa had gone. Unfortunately, the king told none of them where he was going nor did he leave any record of who he was visiting or why. Ororo tells them to keep her up to date on finding these mysteries out. She also orders the borders of Wakanda be fortified and all spies to be on the look out of any invasion plots, no matter how small. She also wants all rumors of T’Challa’s death to be quashed, but the details of his injuries kept among them. When it comes to choosing the next Black Panther, Ororo refuses to take the role by default. She says such a decision should be up to the Panther God. Besides, she wants to pick someone who has been training for the role her entire life, Shuri.[2] S’Yan accepts this decision and tells Shuri that she is to report to Zuri right away to being preparations.

Three Hours Ago

T’Challa had just finished his meeting with the Sub-Mariner and declined an offer to join Norman Osborn’s new Cabal. On his way out of their meeting place — a mansion in Latveria — he finds Doctor Doom and an army of Doombots waiting for him outside. Victor Von Doom knew that T’Challa would decline the offer and has come to kill him.

With the Dora Milaje fighting by his side, and their plane’s automatic defenses activated, the Black Panther wipes out the Doombots. One of the Dora Milaje manages to get close enough to Doom to swipe her sword across the back of his neck. That’s when even more Doombots arrive on the scene, outnumbering them greatly. When it is suggested that they try and retreat, the Black Panther insists on standing his ground.

Now

After the meeting, Ramonda pulls Storm aside and asks her to reconsider choosing Shuri as the a potential successor. Storm doesn’t understand why not, she was the daughter of T’Chaka, the greatest king to every carry the mantle of Black Panther. She also received the same training and education that T’Challa did and has continued her training up until now. Ororo says that Shuri is more ready than ever and asks Ramonda not to cripple her daughter with doubt.

Three Hours Ago

The battle carried on until the number of Doombots grew too much for the ships defenses to handle. While one of the Dora Milaje leads the Black Panther back to his ship, the other fights Doctor Doom. However, this appears not to be the case as when she fatally wounds “Doom” he turns out to be another Doombot. When she tries to warn her sister this is a trap, it is too late. As when she and T’Challa enter the ship they find the real Doctor Doom waiting for them. Victor vows to destroy Wakanda after killing him and unleashes a full power blast from his gauntlet. The Black Panther takes the brunt of the blast, which has sufficient force to burn off his costume and send him and the Dora at his side to fall outside of the ship.

When Doom exits the craft to finish them off, he is attacked by the Dora Milaje warrior that is still standing. She tells her wounded sister to get T’Challa back in the craft and return home right away while she covers them. She keeps Doom busy until he grabs her by the throat. However she allowed this so she could plant a bomb on Doom’s body. It goes off just as the ship takes off, damaging it. The explosion leveled everything in its blast radius, except for Doctor Doom who survived unscathed.

Meanwhile, the surviving Dora Milaje sets the autopilot to take them back home. She mourns the loss of her sister and comforts T’Challa on the way back, praying for him to survive.

Now

Storm looks in on her husband, who has been put in a rejuvenation tank in an effort to heal his wounds. Despite all of Wakanda’s advanced technology, there is no guarantee that he will survive by science alone. She is visited by Ramonda who tells Storm that her husband will need her by his side now more than ever. When she asks what Ororo is willing to do to save her husband, Storm says she will do whatever it takes. This pleases Ramonda, but she tells her that the path she is suggesting will be one fraught with danger.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the African continent, a meeting is being held by followers of the Lion God. Their tribal leader senses that the Panther Totem that provides strength to Wakanda has been wounded. They must now seize on this opportunity by uncaging the lion.[3]

Recurring Characters

Black Panther, Storm, Shuri, Doctor Doom, S’Yan, Ramonda, W’Kabi, B’Gali, Lion Cult

Continuity Notes

1. As we saw last issue, T’Challa was attacked by Doctor Doom for refusing to join the Cabal, a group of global superhumans formed by Norman Osborn following the failed Skrull invasion of Earth. See Secret Invasion #1-8 and Secret Invasion: Dark Reign #1 for more on that.

2. We first saw Shuri’s ambition to become the next Black Panther years earlier thanks to a flashback in Black Panther (vol. 4) #2. However, she missed the opportunity to enter the trial by combat. This is because, by the time she arrived at the arena, T’Challa had already won.

3. These are members of the Lion Cult, who worship the Egyptian god Hathor-Sekhmet. We first saw this cult and their Lion God way back in Avengers #113. However, the “lion” they choose to uncage is actually Morlun, a Leech Totem from Reality-001, as we’ll see next issue. At the time of this story, Morlun was believed to have died in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3. He has managed to cheat death because his mind is downloaded into a fresh body, something we won’t learn until Scarlet Spiders #1-3.