Here Are the Most Interesting Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fan Theories. Which Ones Actually Happened? [UPDATED]

Spoiler Alert!

If you have not watched Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, stop reading! Seriously, there are a lot of spoilers ahead!

Fine, you’ve been warned!

Fan theories are the glue that makes the comic book world go around. We read the stories and watch the movies, confident in the knowledge that we absolutely know where it’s all going. However, Marvel Studios has consistently thrown a monkey wrench into those ideas with its clever bending of well-known stories and characters. Now that we’ve finally seen Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it’s time to check back in and see how those crazy fan theories held up.

With trailers and merch hinting heavily at Shuri taking on the Black Panther mantle, it seems a little too obvious for the Wakandan princess to be the new version of the hero. This has led some of us to guess that there are actually multiple Black Panthers. If Nakia, Shuri, M’Baku and Okoye are sharing the mantle, then the rest of the world wouldn’t be able to guess the hero’s real identity. This directly leads to the next theory that Wakanda may get more secretive again.

Truth: As expected, Shuri takes on the Black Panther mantle.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explained how untenable the world’s refugee situation became in the wake of the Blip. This, coupled with T’Challa’s death, could potentially lead Queen Ramonda to once again close her country off from the rest of the world. In her grief, she could feel that Wakanda is too exposed and must isolate itself to recover from recent events.

Truth: While Ramonda is a fierce, badass queen who lets the world know Wakanda stills holds all the power, she does not close the country’s borders.

With Michaela Coel playing Aneka, fans have been going crazy over the idea that we might get a live-action version of The Midnight Angels. For the unfamiliar, Aneka was a rebellious member of the Dora Milaje who escaped execution, and alongside her lover, Ayo, formed the Midnight Angels. Yes, to all of this! Yes to an Aneka and Ayo romance! And yes to a rogue, more aggressive team of Doras.

Truth: Yes, Okoye and Aneka become Midnight Angels, but the story takes a drastic turn from its comic book origin.

In the comics, when Riri becomes Ironheart, she works alongside an A.I with Tony Stark’s consciousness transferred into it. Since we saw Tony leave Peter Parker access to a super advanced A.I. in Spider-Man: Far From Home, there’s no doubt that at some point he secretly put his own mind into an A.I. program. There have also been persistent rumors that Robert Downey Jr. wants to return to the MCU. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Armor Wars is set to make his Iron Man suits the center of attention.

Truth: While Riri uses Griot, the same Trevor Noah voiced A.I. as everyone in Wakanda, there’s still a chance RDJ could pop up in the Disney+ series Ironheart.

Since Avengers: Endgame wrapped up the Infinity Saga, we’ve been introduced to a lot of cool, new heroes, while some old favorites have also returned. Since the MCU is so good at connecting its universe, I’m really hoping we’ll get a surprise appearance from an unexpected character like Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, Monica Rambeau or Wong. Perhaps something happens that could lead to Luke Cage’s entrance back into the MCU? Look, just let me have my wishful dreams, OK.

Truth: I’m calling this one a hit, because Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns to stir the pot as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

With Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness opening up the possibilities for alternate versions of fan-favorite characters, there’s a very real world where we could see an unexpected variant of Black Panther. Whether it’s someone we know taking on the mantle or a completely new character, it’s something Marvel Studios could use to move the overall arc of the Multiverse Saga forward.

Truth: I couldn’t have been more wrong, as there was absolutely no mention of the multiverse.

This is the most popular fan theory floating around and it’s also the least likely to happen. Though trailers and TV ads are trying to sell us on Namor as the villain, it seems highly unlikely that this is actually the case. This feels like a story where someone is pulling the strings to get these two countries to fight, so they can pick up the pieces after a massive war. This is definitely something Doctor Doom would do. However, I just don’t think Kevin Feige would introduce Doom as a surprise villain without any fanfare or casting announcements.

Truth: As expected, there was no Victor Von Doom.