Black Panther: Wakanda Forever delivered some heartbreaking moments for the final MCU outing of Phase 4, although one actor has already teased what could happen to their character in future stories.
After losing leading actor Chadwick Boseman to colon cancer in 2020, Black Panther 2 brought a number of key supporting characters from the first movie into the spotlight. Much of this centered on T'Challa's immediate family with Letitia Wright (Shuri) and Angela Bassett (Ramonda) becoming vital pieces of director Ryan Coogler's story as the world of Wakanda added to its legacy.
Boseman's death became a central theme throughout Black Panther 2, with the movie paying tribute to his memory as Shuri and Ramonda figured out the best way to lead Wakanda in a post-Avengers: Endgame world. Having to deal with an immensely powerful new villain in Namor the Sub-Mariner didn't help matters, as Wakanda and Talocan engaged in a vicious battle that took center stage in the sequel.
Now, one of the film's stars has taken the chance to look ahead to the events of Black Panther 2, even though her character met a rough fate in this outing.
Black Panther 2 Star on Post-Death Return
Warning - the rest of this article contains spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Speaking with IndieWire, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Angela Bassett discussed the possibility of coming back to the MCU as Ramonda, even after the Wakandan Queen met her tragic end in her latest movie.
Bassett started by thanking director Ryan Coogler for being "extremely clear on the story" and how he carries himself, praising him for the way he lets the actors bring their own style to their roles:
“He’s extremely clear on the story and what he’s doing, but the way he carries himself around the cast and the crew. It’s so collaborative. He’s so self-effacing. That impostor syndrome that we’re feeling or whatever, he will just say it out loud. ‘I don’t know about these words. Are you OK with them?’ And he really invites you to have your say, be a part, which is wonderful. He doesn’t straitjacket you.”
Even with those compliments, she initially wasn't a fan of her character being killed off, telling Coogler he would "rue the day" and saying that fans were "gonna be so upset" with Ramonda's fate:
“I objected. Yeah, I was like, ‘Ryan, what are you doing? Why? You will rue the day! You will rue the demise of [Ramonda]. People are gonna be so upset.’
In the end, she was reassured of this decision when Coogler told her that "to die is not really to die in this world:"
"He was like, 'Angela, I know, I know, but look, to die is not really to die in this world. It doesn’t really have to mean that.'"
After speaking to Coogler, Bassett looked back to the outcome of Avengers: Endgame and how heroes were brought back from the dead in that movie. The notion that a snap of the Infinity Gauntlet could revive beloved characters led the MCU actress to feel more assured about a potential return: "All kinds of crazy things happen."
Bassett also recalled her first day on set as she tried to figure out her character's place as the ruler of Wakanda, working out her posture on the throne and acknowledging "that feeling that you had that T’Challa/Chadwick sat here, and should be sitting here." This all became part of her character development, as the Queen mother of Wakanda worked through her new place in leadership:
"I just felt a responsibility. I remember the first day, the first scene where I had to sit [on the throne], it’s like, 'How exactly do I sit here? What is the best posture to convey who she is?'"First of all, you acknowledge that feeling that you had that T’Challa/Chadwick sat here, and should be sitting here. And then here comes Killmonger, he sat there for a minute. And who deserves [it]? Who has the right to sit here? Yes, in this moment, in this time, it is Ramonda. But how do I hold that posture? How do I lead?”
Will Ramonda Return After Black Panther 2 Death?
Ramonda's death became one of the most tragic moments in an already heartbreaking movie as Namor's attack on Wakanda forced her to save Dominique Thorne's Ironheart, drowning her in the process. This moment forced Shuri towards her decision to become the Black Panther in her search for vengeance, with Ramonda now joining T'Challa and the Wakandan ancestors as she watches over her daughter.
But even with that moment marking a turning point in the movie, there's one old adage to keep in mind - nobody's truly dead in a comic book movie. After all, Spider-Man: No Way Home brought back three villains previously believed to be dead, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has nobody believing that Wanda Maximoff is truly dead for good.
Even looking back at just the Black Panther franchise, John Kani's T'Chaka had an impact on the first movie after his death by appearing twice in the ancestral plane to meet with his son, leaving the door wide open to a similar comeback for Ramonda.
Michael B. Jordan also made his own return as Killmonger the same way in Black Panther 2, sitting on the throne and influencing Shuri before Ramonda got her daughter back on the right track after her death.
Of course, the chances are fairly low that her hero will be brought back to life fully, but her memory will live on as Shuri takes on further challenges as the Black Panther. She may have even more of a presence as the new Prince T'Challa grows up as well, having met his grandmother before his death as King T'Challa and Nakia's son finds his own place in the world.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now playing in theaters worldwide.
