Oh man,
Shuri is so amazing. It’s hard to say,
because Black Panther is stuffed with
greatness, but she might be the favorite of my favorite characters in the
movie. I loved her to pieces in this
film, and I’m thrilled to have her join the MCU (Shuri-related spoilers.)
T’Challa’s
younger sister has no interest in her brother’s throne. Instead, she rules her own corner of Wakanda,
overseeing the country’s technological development. She’s a genius who loves to tinker; her motto
is “just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t be improved,” and she’s
always on the lookout for new ways to innovate.
This includes everything T’Challa needs for his Black Panther missions –
from his communication devices to his vibranium suit – Wakanda’s medical
technology, and even the transport system used in the vibranium mines. She forever wants things to be better, more
efficient, and just plain cooler.
Shuri has
a real exuberance for science and technology, a sense of fun and pioneering
spirit shared by fellow MCU geniuses Tony Stark and Peter Parker (Rocket maybe
doesn’t have quite the same sense of fun, but he does greatly enjoy
demonstrating how much smarter he is than anybody else.) I love that the Marvel movies now have a
teenage girl/young woman who takes so much delight in invention and exploration. While the MCU has some excellent female
characters in it, the only hardcore brainiac we’ve had so far is Jane, and the
way she went about it, her attitude toward it, felt a little different than
these others characters. Shuri, however,
I could easily see palling around and solving problems with the “Science
Bros.” (That has to happen at some point, right?
Either in Infinity War or Avengers 4?)
In a way,
her constant quest for new ways to be better reminds me a little of Holtzmann
from the new Ghostbusters, that
boundless excitement to invent, create, and show off what she’s made. Not only is it hugely endearing (and, in the
real world, is probably inspiring a number of girls to try their hand at STEM
pursuits,) it’s also greatly beneficial to those around her. In addition to just bettering things in
general around Wakanda, Shuri is continually improving T’Challa’s gadgets and
coming up with seriously-cool ways of getting the job done. I can’t wait to see her get her hands on
Bucky’s arm, Cap’s shields, or whatever other “functional” bits of Avengers
equipment she can play with.
And while
Shuri’s biggest contribution to any mission is going to be her tech, she’s also
ready and willing to mix it up and get her hands dirty. She’s (adorably) thrilled to get the chance
to help T’Challa out in South Korea, remotely driving his car from her
lab. And seriously, her panther
gauntlets are fierce. This is a young woman who loves her country
and will fight to protect it with everything she has. Even without the armor or training of her brother
or one of the Dora Milaje, she’s still a damn genius and a princess, and she’s
going to get it done.
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