Another way Marvel uses the Black Panther to shatter stereotypes against black men is to show how dedicated T'Challa is to protecting and providing for Wakanda. In this is evident in Stan Lee Presents: The Black Panther: Panther’s Rage when T’Challa is deeply heartbroken after a Wakandan citizen is tortured and killed (3-4). Dan McGregor writes,
“As the panther steps out of the lush foliage into the sun-burnt dust surrounding the wood and straw huts, another disturbing thought claims him: He has been away too long. The knowledge of this and of the destroyed humanity he holds in his arms is reflected in his walk. A somber wake forms this silent procession, all mute with one emotion: mourning.”
This is a pivotal moment in characterizing T’Challa. Not only is he physically strong, but he has a strong morality behind him that causes him to want to protect and provide for his country, which debunks the stereotype of black men often abandoning their families or being unable to provide for them. T’Challa feels he has lost part of himself by being away from Wakanda for so long. This feeling of abandoning his country, and failing the citizens of Wakanda, fills him with a sense of deep sense mourning, so much so that it is evident in the way that he walks through the town, carrying the body of the dead citizen. The audience is clearly meant to feel just as broken as T’Challa, evident by the use of color on his face, hidden by his mask. The use of darkness over his face can mean that he feels lost from being away for so long, or even that he’s crestfallen after the death of a Wakandan. Either way, as a result of good writing and color as a visual narrative device, this entire sorrowful moment displays T’Challa as a noble, moral provider, unlike how black people were categorized in the world outside of comic books.
