There’s A Hidden Mutant In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever suggests that T'Challa's son Toussaint may be a mutant.
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SPOILERS FOR BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER TO FOLLOW
In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Tenoch Huerta portrays the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Namor, The Submariner, presented in the film as the mutant ruler of the undersea kingdom of Talokan. However, Namor may not be the only mutant introduced in the film.
In a mid-credit scene in the film, it is revealed that King T’Challa (played by the late and much-missed Chadwick Boseman) had a child with Nakia (played by Lupita Nyong’o) — a boy named Toussaint. The boy, played by child actor Divine Love Konadu-Sun, says that Toussaint is only his Haitian name and that his Wakandan name is Prince T’Challa, son of King T’Challa. It is this child who might be Black Panther’s hidden mutant.
It is explained in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that Namor’s mother consumed a vibranium-infused plant while she was pregnant. While consuming that plant is what turned the skin of the Mesoamerican residents of Talokan blue and turned them into water breathers, the plant had another effect entirely on the as-yet-unborn Namor. When Namor was born, his skin was not blue, he had pointed ears, was able to breathe air or water, had wings sprouting from his ankles which enable him to fly, and he also possessed super-strength. Namor tells Shuri (Letitia Wright) that he is a mutant, due to his mother consuming the vibranium-laced herb while he was still a fetus.
Perhaps something similar happened with Toussaint, although no indication is given during the mid-credits scene. However, King T’Challa was the Black Panther, due to having consumed a similarly vibranium-infused plant (the heart-shaped herb). That herb was in his system when he impregnated Nakia, so perhaps the unborn Toussaint would carry traces of the vibranium-laced herb, which might awaken his mutant genes in a similar fashion to what occurred with Namor in utero.
There is precedent for a mutant son of T’Challa. In Marvel Comics, T’Challa and the X-Man Storm have a child, named Azari, who is also a mutant. Azari possesses his mother’s ability to generate electricity, and the super-strength and agility bestowed by the heart-shaped herb, from his father. Is Toussaint, AKA Prince T’Challa, son of King T’Challa, the MCU’s version of Azari? Only time will tell. For now, we haven’t seen the child exhibit any superhuman abilities, aside from a massive amount of adorableness. But perhaps Toussaint will show up as a mutant in the forthcoming Ironheart series, or another Black Panther sequel.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever broke the record for the biggest November opening of all time, bringing in $180 million domestically, with global sales skyrocketing to $330 million. Before the sequel film’s box office takeover, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire held the money-making November title for almost a decade when it earned $158.1 million in 2013.
Before that, The Twilight Saga: New Moon broke records in 2009 with $142.8 million in domestic sales. The record-setting earnings for Wakanda Forever seem to have insured that, despite the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman, there will be more Black Panther films in the future.
