Captain America's friendship with the Black Panther has officially ended
Captain America and Black Panther finally end their friendship because Steve Rogers trusts Namor more than the King of Wakanda.
Warning: SPOILERS for Black Panther #14
The friendship between Captain America and Black Panther has officially ended in Marvel Comics as the former King of Wakanda has been replaced - by Namor. Steve Rogers and T'Challa have fought together for many years, but the two have come from vastly different worlds with different life experiences. In Black Panther #14, Steve can no longer deny that T'Challa's actions have endangered the entire world, and she can no longer be trusted.
Captain America is one of the few superheroes who has fought several Black Panthers. In World War II, T'Challa's grandfather fought while hunting down Nazi soldiers in Wakanda. The Black Panther defeats both the Nazis and Rogers, telling him in no uncertain terms to leave his land. Captain America later befriends T'Challa, arguably the most famous of the Black Panthers, who initially appeared in Fantastic Four Comics as a villain. T'Challa is the King of Wakanda and a member of The Avengers - but that all changes in the span of three issues in 2023.
In Black Panther #14, written by John Ridley with art by German Peralta, T'Challa is shocked when Namor offers to help him in his fight against Jhai, a sleeper agent of Wakanda turned rogue. Jhai used T'Challa's plan to destroy the world's communications infrastructure in an attempt to build a stronger Wakanda - and although T'Challa had nothing to do with it, he was still blamed. “Hell of chaos, T'Challa,” says Captain America as the repercussions of Black Panther's mistakes are revealed. But when Namor asks Captain America to join them in the new Wakandan-Atlantis alliance, he thinks so.
Captain America trusts Namor more than the Black Panther now
The fact that Captain America trusts Namor more than Black Panther is amazing; The two have fought each other for many years, and Namor has threatened to flood the surface world on numerous occasions. But T'Challa crosses the line when he authorizes a sleeper agent program; These agents were in prime positions to attack key locations in the event Wakanda needed to gain control of the conflict. Because of this, T'Challa brought war to Wakanda and lost his throne, his Wakandan citizenship, and even his place in the Avengers.
For his part, Namor is enjoying the moment, having been T'Challa's rival for many years. Captain America responds to him but not to Black Panther, which means - at least for now - that Steve Rogers is standing by the Atlantean over Wakandan. For Black Panther, this is a resounding defeat, and one can only guess how Captain America will mend the relationship in the future.
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