Spoilers ahead forBlack Panther.
We’ve got a new Marvel movie, which meansBlack Pantherhas some post-credits scenes. As per usual, there’s a mid-credits scene, and there’s a scene after all of the credits have rolled. Marvel has started balancing these so that it’s not all just “teasing the next movie” and instead providing nice little codas onto the movie we just saw.
Mid-Credits Scene: T’Challa Comes to the UN
Building on to the movie is the case with the mid-credits scene where T’Challa goes to the United Nation to announce that Wakanda will be part of the global community, and never has any scene in a Marvel movie been so politically pointed. At one point, T’Challa says “In times of crisis, wise men build bridges, while foolish men build barriers.” There could be no more direct attack against Trump and his defining campaign promise, the idiotic wall and what it represents. Some may cry that this is “Too political!” as if art wasn’t inherently political to begin with, but it’s a message that needs to be heard.
When one representative asks what a small country like Wakanda can possibly offer, T’Challa just grins knowing how much power he and his country have. Of course, this is the kind of “I am Iron Man,” claim that can change the world, especially in the sociopolitical context whereBlack Pantheroperates. Will invaders come to Wakanda? Will it become a superpower? These are all fascinating questions about the next stage of T’Challa’s country and how he will lead his people.
One thing the movie doesnotaddress is how the Black Panther functions in the world. He’s not an Avenger so he’s not bound by the Sokovia Accords, but he is a super-powered human being. Perhaps we’ll get a better sense of his place in the world whenAvengers: Infinity Warrolls around, but for now, it appears that T’Challa can continue to operate how he pleases. It’s also possible that only the people of Wakanda know he’s the Black Panther since Everett Ross said he kept Wakanda a secret. If Wakanda chooses what it lets the world know, then Black Panther can keep doing his thing.
End-Credits Scene: The Resurrection of Bucky Barnes
We knew Bucky would be healed by the timeAvengers: Infinity Warrolled around because we already saw him in the trailer. It looks like he’ll be good to go by the time the film begins because the end-credits scene shows Bucky recovering in a hut. He talks to Shuri who implies that his triggers have been removed, but he still has much to learn. He’s also still missing his metal arm, but we know he’ll have that back forInfinity Warbecause of the trailer.
[Update: As some fans have pointed out, the children call Bucky “White Wolf”. While he’s never called this name in the comics, the namedoesrefer to “Hunter”, a white orphan raised in Wakanda by King T’Chaka who eventually rose to become the head of Wakanda’s secret police where he was known as “White Wolf.” Whether this means Bucky could be an important player in a futureBlack Panthermovie remains to be seen]
It’s a bit of an anticlimactic lead-in forInfinity War, but a necessary loose end to tie up. My friends and I joked afterBlack Pantherthat it would have been a great sight gag if there was a frozen Winter Soldier in the background of Shuri’s lab while all the fighting was going on, or they could use the cryochamber as a place to put magnets and notes while Bucky was still frozen inside.
Nevertheless, the Winter Soldier has been thawed out, and there’s likely no longer any risk of him being controlled by a rogue agent like Helmut Zemo. However, he’ll plenty of new problems whenInfinity Warcomes along.
