Three ways Michael B Jordan's Killmonger can be brought back for 'Black Panther 2'
Marvel, known for creating complex superhero arcs, intriguing and interconnected galaxies, has faced flak when it comes to its rendition of the villain.
Criticized over lack of a convincing villainy for the longest time, the comic book-based franchise, however, left fans completely on the edge with it big-screen iteration of Erik Killmonger, the antagonist from this year's blockbuster, 'Black Panther'.
'Fantastic Four' actor Michael B. Jordan stepped into the shoes of the character, bringing to life what can be called one of the most impactful and worthy villains in the Marvel universe.
As short as his stint as the nemesis to King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) was, Jordan commanded attention in the villainous role.
Especially towards the end of the movie, where Killmonger finally sqaures off against the Black Panther. After a kickass duel, the former succumbs to the authority of the Wakandan king, leading into the moment where Killmonger is left in peace to die a gradual death against the scenic beauty of the fictional African country of MCU.
As impactful as the scene was, Jordan's seeming departure from the Black Panther arc was rather quick and unexpected. More so, because, comic book loyalists finally had a villanous character from Marvel they could appreciate. As a result, in the following months, there has been a recurring murmur about bringing back the character in some form or another.
Even Jordan seems to be one with the idea as he recently told MTV, "I'm a fan, as you said, of Marvel, of comic books, everybody knows that. So I mean if there was ever an opportunity for me to come back and like join this universe and work with like Joe Russo, Kevin Feige, Victoria [Alonso], and everyone over there at Marvel, re-team with Ryan [Coogler] you know, of course I would."
With the Killmonger star greenlighting the proposition and fans backing the idea, it won't be far-fetched to speculate about the return of the villain. Here are three ways Marvel can make it happen:
The ambiguous ending:
It's no secret that Marvel has a history of bringing back its superheroes back from the dead. Given how popular Jordan's Killmonger has become and the fact that numerous 'Black Panther' spinoffs, sequel, and reboots have been in consideration - it only seems likely that the antagonist be re-introduced sometime later in MCU.
Killmonger, after all, was left to die in Wakanda - his last wish - and his actual death wasn't really confirmed. With the raw chemistry between the superhero and the supervillain ruling the final moments, Jordan's fate has definitely been left open for interpretation.
Resurrection at the hands of Mandarin:
The clue to Killmonger's return is there in the comics. According to the books, Killmonger is resurrected by none other than Mandarin, the Iron Man nemesis. In an attempt to raise an army against the Earth-bound Avenger, Mandarin brings Killmonger back to life, who later joins forces with the villainous Madam Slay to make a second claim to the Wakandan throne.
If this arc is used, we might get Iron Man, Killmonger, and Mandarin in the same timeline - a storyline to die for.
Tony Stark time travels to make some changes:
There have been significant hints of a possible time travel when the Marvel superheroes reunite again for the untitled Avengers 4 movie. If rumors are to be believed, Tony Stark would be going back in time - as suggested by the leaked set pictures of the Avengers in their old costumes - and will create crucial changes to the timeline, possibly meddling with Killmonger's death as well.
Whichever way Marvel chooses to resurrect this fan-favorite villain, to see Killmonger fight Black Panther again or any other MCU hero is something that superhero dreams are made of!
