The Shuri of the comics is markedly different to the one of the films, but one thing that audiences may not have yet considered is that - as the next in line to the throne - she could assume control of Wakanda in T'Challa's absence.
She did as much in the comics, becoming the new Black Panther and assuming the responsibilities T'Challa had prepared for years to take on. Her leadership is successful though, and while Shuri's fate was left to be decided off camera (frustratingly), it's likely that she survived. Her role in Avengers 4 is already guaranteed, and with the character a firm fan-favourite after appearances in Black Panther and Infinity War, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see her take on an even bigger role in the follow-up.
Already confirmed to be the smartest person on Earth in the MCU, it's also likely that Shuri will have a hand in formulating a strategy to reverse Thanos' seemingly irreversible conquest. She'll have the Avengers by her side through all of it of course, but still, it's clear fans want to see more of Shuri, and more of her in a leading role.
WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well.
In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.
