Warrior Falls are a set of waterfalls where those challenging for the Wakandan throne and/or the Black Panther mantle fight in ritual combat.
History[]
Incoronation of T'Challa[]
A ceremony was held to celebrate T'Challa's ascension to the throne of Wakanda. Dozens of people from all the Wakandan Tribes joined the Warrior Falls to attend the ceremony, during which Zuri asked whether the tribes or any member of the royal family would challenge for the throne. As no one objected to T'Challa becoming King of Wakanda, Zuri prepared to officially name him King.
However, the Jabari Tribe led by M'Baku had also come to the Warrior Falls. Unlike the other tribes, they intended to challenge T'Challa for the throne. T'Challa and M'Baku had a fierce duel, but in the end T'Challa defeated M'Baku and forced him to surrender as he did not want to kill him by throwing him down the waterfall. As M'Baku was taken back by his people, the crowd cheered upon T'Challa's victory and chanted his name, fully recognizing him as the new King.[1]
Incoronation of Erik Killmonger[]
- "I lived my entire life waitin' for this moment. I trained, I lied, I killed. Just to get here."
- ―Erik Killmonger to T'Challa[src]
However, days later, N'Jadaka, son of late Prince N'Jobu who went under the alias of Erik Killmonger, arrived in Wakanda with the corpse of Ulysses Klaue and challenged T'Challa for the throne. A new duel was thus organized, albeit with a much lesser crowd as only the Tribal Council, the Dora Milaje and the royal family could journey to the Warrior Falls in such short notice.
T'Challa and Erik Killmonger duel on the Warrior Falls
During the duel, although T'Challa managed to land a few blows and to cut Killmonger on the cheek, Killmonger slowly gained the upper hand. In the end, he disarmed T'Challa and severely beat him. As he prepared to kill T'Challa, Zuri intervened and asked to be killed instead as he considered himself the true responsible for N'Jobu's death. However, Killmonger decided to kill both Zuri and T'Challa. He murdered Zuri with his own spear and mocked T'Challa who cried over the death of his friend. Then, Killmonger took a weakened T'Challa, who failed to retaliate, and threw him down the Warrior Falls, leaving him for dead.
Actually, T'Challa had survived his fall from the waterfall. While unconscious, he was taken away by the river beneath the waterfall until a Jabari fisherman rescued him. Meanwhile, the Tribal Council and the Dora Milaje swore allegiance to Killmonger on the Warrior Falls while Shuri, Nakia and Ramonda quickly left for their own safety.[1]
Incoronation of Shuri[]
To be added
Behind the Scenes[]
- In the early stages of the development of the Warrior Falls, the Victoria Falls and the Iguazu Falls were used as references for the body of water, while the Oribi Gorge was an inspiration for the rock structures of the Falls.[2]
