Michael B. Jordan’s Black Panther baddie Killmonger is widely regarded as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best-ever villains, one who saw his childhood ruined by the intervention of his own people, spurring him on to a lifetime driven entirely by his desire to infiltrate Wakanda, seize the throne he has every right to, and use the nation’s advanced technology to do what he believes is right.
The best antagonists are always the ones who utterly believe in the conviction of their actions, whether they’re right or wrong, and Erik Stevens certainly fits that bill. In Marvel’s What If…?, his arc was much the same albeit with a few minor differences; namely murdering Tony Stark in cold blood after being taken in as his protege.
That made him a surprise candidate for the Season 1 finale’s Guardians of the Multiverse, but as you can see from the reactions below, fans weren’t shocked in the slightest when he eventually tried to take control of the Infinity Stones himself.
Rumors continue to abound that Killmonger will be making a live-action return in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but whether than ends up happening or not, let’s hope that the creative team behind What If…? come up with more ingenious ways to utilize the character in Season 2.