Until Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, other MCU movies and Marvel Comics largely relegated Shuri, princess of Wakanda, to a back seat on her brother T’Challa’s journey. Now that Shuri has put on the figurative and literal “cat suit” in Wakanda Forever, many fans want to know more about this Wakandan Royal.
Although Shuri’s role in the MCU has been quite limited until recently, she has seen a bit more action in Marvel Comics. Over the course of the Black Panther comic book series, related titles, and even her own limited series written by Afro-futurist author Nnedi Okorafor, Shuri has developed a wide range of skills and had a number of great accomplishments.
10/10 Shuri Is An Actual Genius
T’Challa brings a lot to the role of Black Panther thanks to his intelligence, leadership, and combat skills. Shuri, however, has all of those qualities, and she is also a genuine genius. While her brother was out attending diplomatic meetings and fighting evil villains, Shuri was improving Wakanda’s technology.
Throughout the comics (and the MCU), Shuri has invented technology for herself, the Black Panther, and Wakanda. Because of her advancements, the Black Panther has a technological advantage in every fight, whether it’s T’Challa or Shuri behind the panther suit. She is also largely to thank for Wakanda’s continued technological superiority over the rest of the world.
9/10 Shuri Tried To Become The Black Panther When T’Challa Did
Every so often, the people of Wakanda had an opportunity to challenge the current Black Panther to combat in order to take over the Black Panther mantle. T’Challa and Shuri’s uncle S’yen was the Black Panther when they both decided to try their strength against him.
Against her mother’s wishes, Shuri raced through the city to get to the site of the challenge. Just short of her goal, she was trapped under an unconscious body and could only helplessly watch as her brother challenged their uncle and won. T’challa became the Black Panther instead of her.
8/10 Shuri Became The Black Panther In The Comics
Fans who watched Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may have wondered whether Shuri became the Black Panther in the comics. In the Black Panther series, T’challa was ambushed by Namor and Doctor Doom and grievously wounded. While he was incapacitated, Shuri stepped up to both rule Wakanda and face the Black Panther trials.
After completing her trials, Shuri took up the Black Panther mantle and became one of its strongest users. As the ruler of Wakanda, Shuri was not afraid to stand up to her nation’s enemies, allies, or even T’challa himself. She listened to her brother’s advice, but ultimately did what she felt right, regardless of his opinions.
7/10 Shuri Shares A Chicago Apartment With Ironheart And Ms. Marvel
In the story “Decompression” included in Marvel Voices: Legacy #1 by Mohale Mashigo, Chris Allen, and Rachelle Rosenberg, Shuri reveals one of her residences in the US–a posh apartment in Chicago. The apartment belongs to Shuri, but she shares access to the apartment with Ironheart and Ms. Marvel.
Every six months, Shuri, Riri Williams, and Kamala Kahn gather in the apartment together to “decompress.” They gave themselves facials, shared their latest technological discoveries, and commiserated with each other on the stresses of being young, female, heroes of color. Since Wakanda Forever, fans have been hoping for a romance between Shuri and Riri Williams, and this story may give those fans hope.
6/10 Shuri Fought Namor In Marvel Comics
After T’Challa was incapacitated by Doctor Doom and Namor shattered Wakanda with a huge tidal wave, Shuri confronted Namor personally. T’Challa, as the Black Panther, had been nearly killed after visiting Namor and Shuri blamed him for T’Challa’s injuries. Shuri was looking for a fight, and she was not disappointed.
Shuri confronted Namor on a small rocky island in the middle of the ocean. She was wearing a superpowered Black Panther costume in addition to her inherent powers as the Black Panther. Shuri nearly defeated Namor by blowing dehydrating powder in his face, but he reached the water and surged back against her. The fight was ultimately broken up by The Fantastic Four before either combatant could win.
5/10 Shuri Declared War On Namor’s Atlantis Against T’Challa’s Advice
After T’challa was gravely injured by Doctor Doom, Shuri became Queen of Wakanda and the Black Panther. Namor had attacked Wakanda with a tidal wave that killed countless Wakandans. Shuri was ready to respond with a declaration of war against Namor’s Kingdom of Atlantis.
After T’Challa recovered, he and Namor both became members of the Illuminati–a group of heroes attempting to protect the universe in secret. Namor asked T’challa to speak to Shuri on his behalf against war. Despite T’Challa’s advice that war would be devastating for both countries, Shuri could not ignore the devastation that Namor had wrought on her home. She declared war and launched an attack that demolished Atlantis.
4/10 Killmonger Thought Fighting Shuri Was Beneath Him
Killmonger was one of the most charismatic characters from the original Black Panther movie in the MCU. He also has been fighting against the Black Panther for many years in the comics. During one run of Black Panther, Killmonger attacked Wakanda while T’Challa was away and Shuri was in charge.
Shuri took a team of Wakandan warriors and snuck onto Killmonger’s ships. Unfortunately, her team was captured and locked up on one of the ships. Shuri demanded to fight Killmonger, but he felt she was beneath him. Instead, he sent some of his minions to kill her and her allies. Killmonger underestimated Shuri, and she easily killed the men who were sent to kill her.
3/10 Shuri Was Rejected By The Panther God During Her Trials
When T’Challa was incapacitated after an attack by Doctor Doom, Shuri knew Wakanda would need a protector. She had trained years before to take on the trials to become the Black Panther, but had no desire to challenge her brother for the mantle. With T’Challa out of action, Shuri decided she must become the Black Panther in order to protect Wakanda.
Shuri easily passed through the initial phases of the Black Panther trials, retrieving the heart-shaped herb for her communion with the Panther God. When she reached the spirit, however, it rejected her, saying she was too proud to serve as the Black Panther. She accepted its decision, but fought to protect her country anyway, without powers, until she proved herself worthy.
2/10 Shuri Is A Vegan
Shuri’s diet is not a major plot point in either the comics or the MCU movies, however, thanks to a comment in War of the Realms, readers now know that Shuri is a vegan in the comics. Being vegan means she eats no animal-based food products, including eggs and dairy.
The Marvel Comics universe is actually rife with both vegetarians and vegans. Bruce Banner, Karolina Dean, and Thunderbird are vegans, while Iron Fist, Scarlet Witch, and Kitty Pryde are a few of Marvel’s vegetarians. Clearly, a life spent helping others encourages these heroes to have empathy for the Earth’s non-human inhabitants as well. Many heroes also work with animals, probably making them less likely to eat other animals.
1/10 Shuri Sacrificed Her Life For T’Challa
During the lead up to Secret Wars, Thanos was searching for infinity stones on Earth. Namor, in retaliation for Shuri’s attack on Atlantis, told Thanos’s servants to look in Wakanda. Thanos’s forces demolished the Golden City and massacred many Wakandans. Eventually, T’Challa and Shuri became trapped inside Thanos’s fortress with his servant, Proxima Midnight.
Shuri demanded that T’Challa look for allies to save their country by teleporting out of the fortress. He left, and Shuri faced Proxima Midnight in combat. Shuri was killed, and her spirit went to the Djalia spirit plane. On that plane, a spirit in the form of her mother taught her to use the powers of the spirits, including shapeshifting, after she was resurrected.
