By Preye Campbell
When the news came that the Black Panther has left us, the whole world- and not just Wakanda- stood still. It has become more of a routine to keep waking up to not so good news in 2020, and this latest information is just another dagger to our hearts.
Black Panther came to our screens in 2018 and since then, we have been left with an afterthought of what it truly means to be young, gifted and black. At least, that was how Chadwick Boseman described it. And now, with the passing away of the 43-year-old on Saturday morning, we know a legacy will be sorely missed.
Boseman reportedly battled cancer from 2016 up until the moment he passed away. In this period, Black Panther came to life. The movie unarguably gave the actor worldwide recognition, seemingly for the way he fit in the role so perfectly. The movie was critically acclaimed and even got an Oscar nomination- the first ever superheroes movie to do such. Creating this much legacy while battling cancer shows perseverance and courage- incidentally the striking features of the fictitious King T’Challa.
The culture of the Black Panther became much more than a work of fiction. The Black narrative was skilfully painted in the movie’s storyline and just by watching the movie, you realised the beauty of being Black. Boseman did fit in the category of some of the best that ever did it. Sadly, all of that has now been washed away by the greatest nemesis of all- death.
What we do know for sure though is that the King of Wakanda will forever live in our hearts and on our screens. And in one of many symbolic Boseman’s on-screen character King T’Challa’s favourite words; As you can see, I am not dead. And I never freeze!
