Spoilers for Marvel’s Eyes of Wakanda lie ahead.
Eyes of Wakanda is the latest superhero show to hit the 2025 TV schedule, and it’s a sweet piece of work. Produced by Ryan Coogler, the four-episode miniseries highlights different periods in history and follows members of the Hatut Zaraze, who must retrieve Wakandan artifacts made of Vibranium. I was definitely expecting the show to be steeped in the Black Panther franchise’s mythology. However, I was surprised that the finale had an explicit link to the first movie in the Panther series, and it's definitely worth discussing.
How Does Eyes Of Wakanda’s Finale Directly Tie Into Black Panther?
The final episode of the Marvel Cinematic Universe-set series (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription) is titled “The Last Panther.” In it, the two War Dogs, the young and brash Tafari and the seasoned and strong Kuda, recover a vibranium axe amid the First Italo-Ethiopian War in 1896. On their way back to Wakanda, the duo encounter a powerful warrior dressed in Panther-like garb. Not only is this character indeed a Black Panther but one who hails from 500 years into the future.
It turns out this particular Panther comes from a timeline in which Earth has been invaded by monstrous aliens. As she explains (and uses advanced mental technology to visualize), her era shifted out of balance once Tafari took the axe. Because it wasn’t left in its place amid the battlefield, the item wasn’t in the position to be recovered and eventually held in the Museum of Great Britain years later. That museum is where Erik Killmonger and Ulysses Klaue steal it during the events of the first Black Panther movie.
While it may seem odd as to why the axe would need to be stolen, it makes sense. Killmonger and Klaue’s actions set in motion the former’s war with T’Challa and co., which eventually leads to T’Challa opening Wakanda to the rest of the world. That lack of unity in the alternate timeline is what leaves the planet vulnerable to the alien horde. Ultimately, Tafari and Kuda are convinced of the Panther’s story and return the axe. In short, it’s an unexpected yet cool story that makes me appreciate this franchise’s lore even more.
Eyes Of Wakanda Effectively Adds To The Black Panther Franchise's Worldbuilding Efforts
Creatives behind certain MCU installments craft interesting lore, with titles like Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel and Loki being prime examples. However, in many cases, some of the interconnected franchise’s properties don’t feature fully fleshed out worlds. That’s not a problem with the Black Panther series, thanks to the efforts of Ryan Coogler and co. Despite being a fictional place, Wakanda feels like a rich location with a storied history and culture. That richness only expands in 2022’s Wakanda Forever, which also introduces Talokan.
It’s no wonder that Panther remains one of Marvel’s biggest IPs, and that makes it unfortunate that the property has experienced setbacks over the past several years. The biggest, of course, was the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed T’Challa. A planned TV spinoff centered on Okoye of the Dora Milaje is reportedly not in the cards now, either.
Thank goodness for Eyes of Wakanda, though, which adds cool concepts and characters to the canon. It even introduces a new version of Iron Fist to the MCU. On top of that, a third Black Panther movie (featuring Denzel Washington) is in the works, too. At present, however, I’m just impressed with how this new animated prequel series ties the lore together with a time travel-centric story involving a simple macguffin.
Stream Eyes of Wakanda on Disney+ now alongside the Black Panther movies. Also, read up on upcoming Marvel shows.
