11 Best Things The MCU Did Differently To The Comics

3. Making Nakia A Hero - Black Panther

Black Panther Nakia
Marvel Studios

For all the amazing things Christopher Priest did on Black Panther, the characterisation of Nakia - a member of the Dora Milaje in the comics - was not one of them. She starts out as one of T'Challa's bodyguards hoping to eventually wed him, and when her advances are eventually spurned, things take a turn for the worse.

Nakia eventually rebrands as the villain Malice, who works alongside Killmonger to conspire against the Wakandan government. To say that such an arc would've wasted the talents of Lupita N'yong'o would be putting it lightly, and by the time Black Panther released in 2016, audiences were relieved to find that not only had the Dora Milaje changed, but so too had Nakia.

The ceremonial wife angle was dropped, but the Milaje continued as Wakanda's elite Special Forces. Nakia fought as a spy, while figures like Okoye headlined the military unit.

It just works better, and with calls for N'yong'o's Nakia to get her own spin off, it's clear that Marvel's fans agreed.

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.