Wakanda (Marvel)

Wakanda is a country that features in Marvel Comics.

History

The ancestors of Wakandans witnessed a meteor composed of Vibranium crashing onto their lands. They would dig a large furrow in the land and watched as the meteor cooled to become the Vibranium Mound. The early tribesmen then began to mine the hidden Vibranium metal and it was this period that saw the rise of the demon stories. It was said that evil spirits emerged from the Wakandans that turned into monsters that attacked their comrades. In the aftermath, there arose a chieftain named Bashenga who was the first of the Black Panthers. Under his orders, the Mound was closed off and the Panther Cult was formed to protect it against all intruders. Thus, began the legacy of the Black Panther whereby successive descendants of Bashenga adopted the mantle for the protection of their home land. (Black Panther v1 #7)

Ancient Wakandans learnt to manipulate storm clouds to funnel cosmic energies that created pathways that eventually pulled down Vibranium meteorites. (Fall of the Hulks: Alpha v1 #1) The first chieftain of Wakanda was T'Chambwe with the Headdress of T'Chambwe being a noted relic. (Spider-Man/Human Torch v1 #4)

During the reign of G'Bundo the Fearless, the king created the Fifth Law that was a philosophical treatise and not a legal issue. Its primary consideration was "compassion tempered by wisdom" that promoted a doctrine of tolerance among the many tribes of Wakanda. In time, this led to the Great Understanding under Assiri the Wise leading in turn to the formation of the Tribal Council. (Black Panther v3 #60)

In 1892, Asiri the Wise signed a treaty with a drunken Frenchmen who had stumbled on the secret lands of Wakanda with the latter trading Anishinabe Island in Canada to them but no step was formally made to claim possession of that territory. (Black Panther v3 #42) Scientists from Wakanda had mapped the human genome 50 years before the West. (Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man v1 #2)

During World War II, the nation of Wakanda was led by Azzuri the Wise who was the ruling Black Panther at this time. Nazi Germany discovered the existence of Vibranium during these years and dispatched an invasion force to plunder the metal from Wakanda. Upon learning of this expedition, the Allies dispatched Captain America and the Howling Commandoes to intercept the enemy before they could accomplish their goal. However, when they arrived, the Nazi forces were found slaughtered by the Black Panther and the Wakandans. As a result, Germany dispatched the Red Skull to take charge of the operation to gather Vibraium from Wakanda. (Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of Our Fathers v1 #1)

Overview

It was home to a wide range of creatures such as the White Gorillas that were held as the most savage and merciless of beasts. (Avengers v1 #62)

Locations in the country included:

• Black Warrior Creek : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Central Wakanda :
• Chasm of the Chilling Mist : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Crystal Forest :
• Domain of the White Gorillas : mostly uncharted area. (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Mount Kanda : this area was home to the heart-shaped herb used by the Black Panthers. (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Mount Wakanda :
• Panther Island : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Paradise Forest :
• Piranha Cove : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• River of Grace and Wisdom : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• T'Chaka Path : a walkway situated in Central Wakanda. (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Torment Forest :
• Tranquility Temple :
• Twisted Visions Lake : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Vibranium Mound :
• Warrior Falls : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Serpent Valley : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Woods of Solitude : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Primitive Peaks : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Great Plateau : (Jungle Action v2 #6)
• Temple of Anansi : the temple of the spider god. (Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man v1 #2)

Wakandans were noted for being a warrior people but one that had deep appreciation for other cultures. (Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of Our Fathers v1 #2)

There were a number of different cults that operated in the country which included the:

• Panther Cult : worshippers of Bastat the Panther Goddess with the cult being formed shortly after the Vibranium meteor landed in Wakanda and began mutating several of the populace into "demon spirits" that attacked their fellows. Bashenga became the first Black Panther who closed the mound from outsiders and formed a religious order. This group guarded the mound and fought the "demon spirits" to prevent their spread into the kingdom. Thus, the Black Panther became a ceremonial and religious title held by the chief of the Panther Tribe where its inductees ate a heart-shaped herb that enhanced their physical attributes to near superhuman levels. The clerical distinctions within the cult included acolyte White Tigers, deacon-like Golden Lion's, Coal Tigers and the chieftain who was the Black Panther. (Black Panther v3 #60)
• White Gorilla Cult : worshippers of Ghekre the Gorilla God was an ancient Wakandan deity though the cult itself was outlawed by the Black Panther Cult. The Jabari Tribe was the Cult of the White Gorilla with the clan outlawed by the Black Panther. (Black Panther v3 #41)
• Lion Cult : worshippers of Sekhmet the Lion God that could possess a sanctified body and transform them into avatars of itself. She had seemingly lost many worshippers to the Cult of the Panther God.
• Crocodile Cult : worshippers of Sobek the Crocodile God who was an ancient but somewhat forgotten Wakandan deity.
• Hyena Clan : a hated group of nomadic scavengers and thieves that called no area home as they prowled the continent taking anything they wanted and killed anyone that stood in their way. (FF v1 #19)

In Wakandan myth, white apes were held as the ever adversary of the black panthers. It was said that the ape each day killed the cat only for the latter to be reborn the following dawn. (Black Panther v2 #1)

To become chieftain, a warrior had to undergo the Ascension Rites with tests of knowledge and combat with the latter involving a fight with four skilled Wakandan warriors with these being observed by the tribal high council. This was governed by the Law of Ascension whereby Title 14 stated that anyone the king decreed as a worthy challenger must be allowed to continue. Under Wakandan law, the battle was preceded by the interrogatories. (Black Panther v3 #60) The white Robe of Ascendancy were placed on the ruling chieftain of Wakanda. (Black Panther v2 #4) Every chieftain of Wakanda were pledged to protect the Sacred Mound of Vibranium with their lives. (Fantastic Four v1 #53) Trials were sometimes conducted to see whether the ruling chieftain still held the panther spirit in them. These rituals were known as the Ordeal of the White Ape whereby they must battle the large white apes in the mountains in order to claim a sacred leaf to return to the tribal elders. (Black Panther v2 #1) In ancient times, Wakandan chieftains had acolytes that were novices in training who support their work. (Black Panther v3 #61)

A number of organizations were situated within the Wakandan hierarchy that included:

• Tribal Council : The High Council of the Wakandas that was held as the law of their land and was formed by G'Bundo's doctrine of tolerance among the tribes. It served as the Wakandan parliament that was made up of 18 ministers representing a couple of dozen indigenous tribes that rarely agreed with one another. (Black Panther v3 #60)
• Dora Milaje :
• Hatut Zeraze :
• Order of the Panther : It was claimed that they hated the tribal elder council's adherence to the old ways. (Black Panther v2 #3) They bore their own codes that highlighted the importance of their reports to their superiors. (Black Panther v2 #2)
• Wakanda Design Group :

They maintained a vast spy network that was not unlike that employed by the West. (Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of Our Fathers v1 #2)

Though the Wakandan tribe lived the tradition of their forefathers, they possessed modern super-scientific wonders. (Fantastic Four v1 #53)

Special plants were harvested for use that promoted healing at a fast rate with their medical knowledge being advanced. (Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of Our Fathers v1 #2)

Defensively, they used of advanced protection totems that were large machines that emerged from the ground amidst the enemy ranks and generated a field that made weapons ineffective and machinery unable to function. (Black Panther/Captain America: Flags of Our Fathers v1 #2)

Occupants

• Bashenga : male chieftain that closed the Vibranium Mound from outsiders and became the first Black Panther who created the Panther Cult to protect the Vibranium. (Black Panther v1 #7)
• Malaika : a female Wakandan who was the trade envoy to Paris and also a member of the Order of the Panther. (Black Panther v2 #2)

Notes

• Wakanda was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where it made its first appearance in Fantastic Four v1 #52 (July 1966).

In other media

Television

• In Fantastic Four, Wakanda made an appearance in the episode "Prey of the Black Panther" where it was said to be a not a well known country situated in Africa. It was home to Vibranium that was protected by the Wakandan people where 10 years ago the scientist Ulysses Klaw attempted to plunder the region of the mineral to power his sonic devices. He was opposed by T'Challa's father with the chieftain being killed by Klaw and in anger the young T'Challa managed to wound Klaw with his own sonic weapon forcing the villain to flee. T'Challa would then embark on becoming the Black Panther where he built a fortune and his body along with his mind in order to get his revenge against Klaw. He crafted an entire technological jungle and brought the Fantastic Four to his home in order to defeat them as he reasoned that if he could beat them than he could defeat Klaw. At the time, Klaw had used his technology to terrorize Wakanda by generating red skinned animals of pure sound to attack the people until Black Panther along with the Fantastic Four defeated him.
• In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Micro-Episode "Welcome to Wakanda" and later in the episode "Panther's Quest". The episode highlights certain locations in the country which include 'Torment Forest', 'Piranha Cove' and 'Chasm of Chilling Mist'.

Films

• In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wakanda was mentioned as being an African country that was rich in the rare metal known as Vibranium. Stark Enterprises were noted to had some dealings there in the past. Arms dealer Ulysses Klause operated in the country to retrieve a large supply of Vibranium where he was branded with the Wakandan word for thief on his neck though he managed to escape.

Video games

• In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance II, Wakanda appeared in the video-game story where it was headed by T'Challah with his wife Storm. It proved to be one of the locations free from the Fold. The machine intelligence later began a full scale invasion with numerous super powered beings under its hive mind control. They were repelled by the numerous non-controlled super powered beings allowing Wakanda to remain free from the enemy.

Appearances

• Fantastic Four v1:
• Black Panther v2:
• Fall of the Hulks: Alpha v1 #1:

External Link

• Wikipedia Entry

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