David Jonsson's casting as T'Challa II sets up the perfect reboot for the Black Panther franchise in the MCU, and for the mantle of Black Panther in general. Black Panther is one of the most important and influential characters in the MCU. Since the introduction of the character in Captain America: Civil War, fans have seen Black Panther appear across multiple solo films, as well as multiple Avengers flicks. Black Panther will also be included in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars movies.
Following Avengers: Secret Wars, it has been confirmed that the Black Panther franchise will receive a bit of a reboot, as the slate will be somewhat reset so that new stories and characters will have the chance to make it into the spotlight. This move will all be centered around David Jonsson's T'Challa II, the prince of Wakanda and son of Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, the previous Black Panther.
Jonsson's role as T'Challa II and the fact that Marvel Studios is rebooting Black Panther set up the perfect character arc for T'Challa II in multiple ways.
While details have not been revealed just yet, fans understand that, at some point in Avengers: Secret Wars or in Black Panther 3, T'Challa II is going to pick up the Black Panther mantle and follow in his father's footsteps. This move is going to be the major event to reset the Black Panther franchise with a male Black Panther (T'Challa II) at the center once again, effectively making it feel more similar to when Boseman was the face of Black Panther.
Marvel could go about giving the Black Panther mantle to T'Challa II in multiple ways, but it would feel the most earned and perfect if it were to follow the comic storyline where T'Challa passed the Black Panther mantle to Shuri, left for a while, and then came back at her right hand. Essentially, this allowed Shuri to become the main Black Panther, but also kept T'Challa in the story. It also gave fans two Black Panthers while keeping the family dynamic that is present in all of the Black Panther projects and stories.
Marvel could elect to go this route with T'Challa II. Either in Secret Wars or in Black Panther 3, it could be established that T'Challa II is Shuri's second-in-command as she continues to rule over Wakanda. T'Challa II's journey to becoming the Black Panther would likely be fully played out on-screen, which would make his eventual rise to the main Black Panther feel more earned.
As it happened in the comics, this would also present an interesting dynamic for fans, as they would get to see two Black Panthers at the same time, which has not happened in the MCU before.
Additionally, it wouldn't feel as though Shuri was just cast away, as she would still have an extremely important role as Black Panther, the ruler of Wakanda, and T'Challa II's mentor.
It is also worth mentioning that the roles could be reversed and T'Challa II could be the main Black Panther, with Shuri being his second-in-command. Frankly, this would feel a bit disappointing, and T'Challa II would seem more like he was being shoehorned into the story, but Marvel could realistically choose to go down that route.
Another storyline from the comics that could play out in the MCU that would still feel natural is having Shuri be seemingly dead. In the comics, it is explained that Shuri dies, but then later it is revealed that she is alive and well.
If Marvel Studios did this with Secret Wars, it could allow T'Challa II to be named Black Panther, as the Wakandans would believe that Shuri was dead. She could then return and still have a role alongside her nephew.
Most likely, this would be explained if Shuri were in Battleworld. For reference, Battleworld is a completely different place under Doctor Doom's control, and many fans believe that it will play a major role in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
If that is true, and Shuri is one of the characters either trapped in Battleworld or trying to defeat Doom, she would be notably absent from the MCU universe, which would leave Wakanda without a ruler and without a Black Panther. That would leave the door wide open for T'Challa II to become king and pick up the Black Panther mantle.
Could Shuri Die in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars?
While both of those options mentioned above feel like perfect storylines for Shuri, T'Challa II, and the next chapter of the Black Panther franchise, fans also have to consider the possibility that Shuri could be killed in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.
The stakes felt high in Infinity War and Endgame, but Doomsday and Secret Wars are taking things to the next level, as it seems as though anyone could be killed, especially if Marvel is trying to pull off a soft reboot for the MCU.
It is entirely possible that Shuri could be killed by Doom. This would likely be a highly effective death and would shock audiences, but Shuri has been a character in the MCU for nearly a decade now, and Marvel may feel like it is time to move away from her.
Most likely, she will end up surviving, as it would be more meaningful and emotional for her to interact with Jonsson's T'Challa II on-screen in Secret Wars and/or Black Panther 3, but, as mentioned, fans just need to prepare for her death to be on the table.
