8 Times Black Panther Was Forced To Kill

He has those claws for a reason, right?

By Louis Nokes /

T'Challa, King of Wakanda, the legendary Black Panther.

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Catapulted to stratospheric success thanks largely to his recent live action turns in the MCU, not to ignore his solo venture nabbing six Oscar nominations, Black Panther has risen the ranks of comic heroes and has recently found recognition as a bonafide A-lister.

However, for all his royal standing and MCU crossover appearances, it's easy to forget that King T'Challa is a canonically brutal and imposing combatant who will stop at nothing to secure the safety of Wakanda and her citizens. This is in stark contrast to the peace-seeking X-Men, or the honour-bound Spider-Man, who largely make a point of not killing their foes.

The same cannot be said for T'Challa though, as what good is absolute royal power and superpowers if you can't send a few heads rolling every now and again?

In fairness to the esteemed ruler of Wakanda, he has had to defend the nation time and again from invaders and, when it comes to war, death is an inevitability. There have also been occasions where Black Panther has stepped past the line other heroes won't cross in more traditional superhero stories, making the hero not only a unique member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, but one of their more lethal too.

8. Snapping T'Kan's Neck

A minor Black Panther with all of about a year of history under his belt, T'Kan is an affiliate of Doctor Doom and a member of the xenophobic, isolated Desturi tribe of Wakanda... all the way until his death at the hands of on again-off again Black Panther mantle holder Shuri.

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More passive fans of Marvel might be unaware that the sister of King T'Challa is a fully fledged superhero in her own right in the pages of the comics, often acting as the bonafide Black Panther in place of her more well-known brother.

A swift and brutal kill following a brief fight with T'Challa and Shuri, the brutality shown by the latter is a staunch reminder of just how seriously the Black Panther takes the defence of Wakanda. In one of the few times we get to see them fight alongside one another, it also makes for a nice opportunity to see the two generations of the Black Panther work together, side by side, as brother and sister.

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