The Last Panther

I'm going to review this as season one of "Eyes of Wakanda". At the moment, no second season is confirmed, but there's plenty of capacity for other stories to be told in and around the history of Wakanda.

Four stories each tell of the times that Wakandan warriors left the safety of the hidden state to retrieve a treasure made of stolen vibranium. In 1260 BC, Noni (Winnie Harlow) is tasked to eliminate a rogue general who also left Wakanda. In 1200 BC, B'Kari (Larry Herron) fights alongside Achillies (Adam Gold) in the siege of Troy but his real aim is to recover Helen's necklace. 2000 years later, Basha (Jacques Colimon) has stolen a statue containing vibranium from Kun-lun but returns with the city's defender stowing away on his ship. Finally, Prince Tafari (Zeke Alton) and Kuda (Steve Troissant) recover a vibranium axe but are told by a time travelling Black Panther that the future depends on the axe being in a particular museum in over a centuries time.

I've known about "Eyes of Wakanda" for a while now as I'm a listen to writer Marc Bernardin's podcast with Kevin Smith, so I know that it's been coming for several years. The top line is that I thought it was pretty good. The travelling around history idea means that you're not tied into the established mythology of the MCU, unless, as in episode four, it suits you to be. They stories themselves did have some elements of repetition but they were good and I liked that, particularly in the Troy episode it was tied to real history (or at the very least established stories that might be related to actual history).

The animation work was good, nearer to the style used for "What if" though not exactly the same. 3D computer animation, that is relatively realistic looking but with some stylised elements, particularly in the vehicles and structures. Whilst nobody is standout, all of the performances are great.

Does it fundamentally change anything in the MCU, no, not really. Like the "Tales of" shows that Disney is putting out in the "Star Wars" universe it's more fun backstory and as the premise leaves it open to go to any time frame, I'd certainly come back for more.

Ep 4, as a finale to this short series, quite fittingly delivers a narrative of significant import, set against the backdrop of 1896 Ethiopia.

Here, we encounter the fledgling Prince Tafari and the experienced War Dog Kuda, embroiled in a mission to recover a vital Vibranium axe. This particular instalment swiftly distinguishes itself by expanding the series' scope beyond a mere artifact hunt, delving into the very philosophical underpinnings of Wakanda's isolation.

The narrative takes an intriguing turn with a pivotal encounter that cleverly weaves the series into the broader MCU, offering profound context for events both past and future.

While the concept itself might flirt with familiar sci-fi tropes, it is deployed here with a thoughtful precision that genuinely enriches Wakandan lore. The episode excels in its ability to raise the stakes, prompting contemplation on the 'what ifs' of history and the immense responsibility of choices. It provides a satisfying thematic culmination, rewarding viewers with direct connections to the Black Panther mythos that some will find particularly engaging.

"The Last Panther" proves a compelling and rather clever conclusion to an average series, elevating it with its ambitious narrative and its impressive ability to tie centuries of secrecy to a truly grand destiny.

This episode gives Eyes Of Wakanda a solid finale, bringing-together the previous episodes really nicely, and even including a reference to Ryan Coogler's Black Panther (2018)! It's a good episode with great animation, a well thought-out story, decent action and a solid script!

Even though it's not great, it's the best episode of the series AND is an above-average MCU finale!