- "I'mma track down anyone who would even think of being loyal to you! And I'mma put their ass in the dirt! Right next to Zuri!"
- ―Erik Killmonger to Black Panther[src]
The Battle of Mount Bashenga was a confrontation between the combined forces of the Golden Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and the Jabari Tribe and the combined forces of Erik Killmonger and the Border Tribe.
Background[]
- "We're gonna send vibranium weapons out to our War Dogs. They'll arm oppressed people all over the world."
- ―Erik Killmonger[src]
T'Challa and Erik Killmonger arrived at Warrior Falls in accordance with tradition. Due to being stripped of the Heart-Shaped Herb, T'Challa quickly found himself outmatched by Erik Killmonger's military training and experience and although T'Challa managed to cut Killmonger once, but was ultimately beaten and left badly wounded. Killmonger decided to finish off the king by throwing him over the falls and declared himself the new king, to everyone's displeasure.
The Jabari Tribe had found T'Challa in the freezing rivers where they fish and brought him back to their domain. Nakia, Ramonda, Shuri, and Everett Ross, having escaped while Killmonger consolidated his power. With T'Challa comatose and stabilized only by the surrounding snow, Ramonda remembered to use the one Heart-Shaped Herb they stole to bring him back. T'Challa declared his work wasn't done yet and woke to the relief of his loved ones. T'Challa thanked M'Baku for saving his life and requested that he and the rest of the Jabari help overthrow Killmonger. M'Baku declined, as he had already repaid his debt to T'Challa. The group left the tribe, with Shuri giving T'Challa his Panther Habit for the upcoming battle.
T'Challa returns to fight Erik Killmonger
As Erik Killmonger's agents started delivering vibranium weapons to War Dog operatives around the world, one of the aircrafts exploded and crashed, with T'Challa emerging from the wreckage. T'Challa then challenged Killmonger, stating that the Ritual Combat wasn't over. Killmonger ordered W'Kabi and the Wakandan Army to attack T'Challa. Okoye and the Dora Milaje moved to counter, and the battle began.[1]
Battle[]
Surface Battle[]
M'Baku and his tribe aid the Dora Milaje
During the fight, T'Challa fought against W'Kabi and his soldiers, and brought down [the war rhinos. As Killmonger, wearing his own Panther Habit, defeated Okoye and two of the Dora Milaje, killing the third, Xoliswa, he turned his attention to Shuri. When T'Challa saw this, he charged at Killmonger, and tackled him, causing both to fall into the Great Mound. Okoye tried to tell W'Kabi to stop the fight but continued anyways as he had become loyal to the Killmonger. As Okoye, Nakia and Shuri were nearly defeated, the Jabari Tribe entered the battle and fought against the Border Tribe alongside them.
W'Kabi, determined to finish, used his rhinoceros to attack M'Baku, but his beast recognized Okoye who stood right in front of him, and started to lick her. W'Kabi descended from his rhinoceros and Okoye asked him to lay down his weapon. Feeling betrayed, W'Kabi asked his wife if she would kill him. Okoye told him that she would do so without question for Wakanda and this finally caused him to realize just how twisted he had become in his aggression. Not wanting to see his people kill each other, W'Kabi surrendered and knelt down before his love, with all his tribe who followed him without hesitation.[1]
Into the Mines[]
T'Challa and Killmonger fight each other in the air.
- "Turn on the train on the bottom track."
"The destablizers won't activate your suit. You won't have protection!"
"Neither will he." - ―Black Panther to Shuri[src]
T'Challa tackled Erik Killmonger and they fell down into the vibranium mines. Killmonger broke free from T'Challa's grasp and they continued their fight inside the Great Mound. Killmonger intended to kill T'Challa with each attack but T'Challa continued to dodge every one of them. Both of them used their suits' kinetic energy capabilities during the battle, which resulted in an explosion that send them away from each other.
Killmonger realizes his suit is disrupted.
T'Challa had the idea to utilize the mag-lev train's sonic stabilizers to disrupt the Vibranium technology in both of their suits. He told Shuri to do it, but she warned him that he would be exposed to Killmonger, but T'Challa pointed out he would be exposed as well. Killmonger noticed that his suit was being torn apart, and told his cousin that he did not need the suit to kill him. T'Challa tried to reason with Killmonger by telling him how he was becoming what he hated, but he claimed that the world took everything from him and that he would do the same, that included killing everyone that T'Challa cared about like Zuri.
Black Panther furiously fights Erik Killmonger
Upong hearing Zuri's name, T'Challa yelled at him and proceeded to resume their fight. Both were hit by the Vibranium train which made them land across from the sidelines. Killmonger grabbed his Wakandan spear and attacked T'Challa with it. After pushing him toward the edge, Killmonger threatened T'Challa, who managed to grab the spear from him and impale him with it when both of ther suits were distorted by the train's energy.[1]
Aftermath[]
Last Wish[]
T'Challa takes Killmonger to see the sunset
- "Maybe we can still heal you."
"Why? So you can just lock me up. Nah. Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors, who jumped from ships 'cause they knew death was better than bondage." - ―Black Panther and Erik Killmonger[src]
T'Challa sat down next to Erik Killmonger, who complimented him on the move. He explained that his father stated that Wakanda was the most beautiful place on Earth. Saddened, T'Challa dragged Killmonger outside the Great Mound to watch the sunset. T'Challa told Killmonger that Shuri could heal the wound that he inflicted on him. Killmonger declined the offer asking to be buried at sea like his ancestors, stating that when they were brought over to America on boats, some of them jumped out and drowned in the sea, as they knew it was better to die that way than it was to be imprisoned. Killmonger decided to remove the spearhead from his body, and died peacefully.[1]
Listening to N'Jadaka[]
T'Challa at the United Nations
- "Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We can not. We must not. We will work to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this earth, should treat each other. Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence."
- ―T'Challa[src]
W'Kabi and numerous members of the Border Tribe were imprisoned for following Erik Killmonger and opposing T'Challa. M'Baku, as a reward for aiding T'Challa in stopping Killmonger, was granted a seat on the Tribal Council.<[1] By the time of the Infinity War, some members of the Border Tribe had been released or pardoned. However, the tribe was still not at full strength when called upon to battle the Black Order and their Outriders.[2]
Through his experiences with Killmonger, T'Challa decided to end the Wakanda's isolationist nature in a cautious way by setting up a foreign aid to other countries and promote exchanges in a variety of fields. T'Challa also held a press conference at the United Nations to reveal the true nature of Wakanda to the world.[1] A documentary focusing on Wakanda was also produced titled Finding Wakanda.[3]
Appearances[]
In chronological order:
Black Panther- Avengers: Infinity War (indirectly mentioned)
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law | Episode 1.09: Whose Show is This? (footage)
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (mentioned)
