Ultimate Black Panther #21 is really two stories in one. The first sees Killmonger and the Dora Milaje heading deep into Wakanda’s bowels, where they discover the truth of the ancient kingdom. The second finds Shuri and Okoye facing off, as Okoye attempts to learn why Shuri helped Moon Knight launch an attack on Wakanda. Both eventually dovetail into the greater revelations set up by Ultimate Black Panther #20, and the battle that lies on the horizon.
Compared to issue #20, Ultimate Black Panther #21 is fairly light on story, especially since T’Challa learned much of what the others discover here. It does show just how little the kingdom of Wakanda knows about their history, and the steps they’ll need to take in order to win against the Progenitors. Killmonger puts it best: “All your ceremony. All your traditions. Yet you people know nothing of what you are.”
The real meat of the issue surrounds Shuri and the terrible actions she took. It’s safe to say that Bryan Hill is angling to make Shuri an antihero rather than a straight up villain; she still has love for her family, even if she chides them for their percieved flaws. She also wants to prepare Wakanda for the war to come, and even tells Okoye that war requires sacrifice. The beauty of the Ultimate Universe is how it’s given new dimensions to certain characters, and Hill’s take on Shuri definitely fits that approach.
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Carlos Nieto’s artwork in Ultimate Black Panther #21 focuses on the conversations between characters, whether it’s Shuri and Okoye’s conversation or T’Challa’s confrontation with Killmonger in the throne room. These smaller, more intimate scenes let Nieto focus on facial expressions, which tell a whole story in and of themselves. Killmonger remains cool under pressure, as his body language betrays nothing. T’Challa stands upright, carrying himself like the king he is, and the warrior he will have to be. Shuri gestures and glares with the self-proclaimed righteousness of someone who believes in their cause.
It’s a sharp contrast to the scenes where Killmonger and the Doras find the secret kingdom hidden under Wakanda. Here Nieto goes big and bold, crafting towering citadels and alien structures that wouldn’t feel out of place in an H.P. Lovecraft story. David Curiel’s colors add to this alien nature, shrouding everything in dark and glowing purple. It’s a scene that feels intensely ominous, yet also humming with possibilities. Nieto even gets to draw a massive action sequence once the Black Panther returns, revealing that the abandoned city isn’t as abandoned as Killmonger thinks.
Ultimate Black Panther #21 continues to deliver revelation upon revelation, backed by striking imagery of alien kingdoms and a budding war between gods. The final pages hint that T’Challa is ready to take the war to the Progenitors, with allies both trusted and unlikely by his side. Whatever happens next, it’s pretty clear that Hill is building to the end of the story he’s conceived.
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