The Black Panther, king of Wakanda, flies back to his native Africa, after an adventure in America, thinking over the advice that his mother had recently given him on choosing a bride to become his queen. He begins to ponder how alone he has felt, despite being surrounded by people.
(Wakanda 10 years ago)
The rain pours down as T’Challa spars with T’Shan, son of the Regent, in the streets of Wakanda. The two teenage boys discuss the question of who will be king one day. Evenly matched in battle, the boys easily discuss their futures. T’Challa reasons that since his father was king, he will take the throne. T’Shan points out since he is the son of the Regent, the honor would be passed to him instead. T’Shan asks if T’Challa would support him as king, but T’Challa laughs and sends T’Shan falling, telling him he will never be king because he spends too much scheming and not enough time practicing his fighting skills.
(The Present)
The Black Panther continues to reminisce over his past and his loneliness. His mind wanders back to times past. He thinks of his walkabout in his youth as he travels in the very same direction. T’Challa muses about how excited he was for his walkabout, finally being able to come into manhood on his own. He longed for a friend, and though his mind recalls villagers, he remembers that the journey’s most amazing sight was a young girl that he met named Ororo Munroe.
His mind slips back to his current trek and he thinks of how if his journey succeeds then he will never need to worry about being alone again. He thinks of the words of his mother, “There is no greater challenge to a warrior than to open his heart to love.”
(New York, Two Days Ago)
Luke Cage and the Black Panther fly back to New York after their recent adventure. The two share a laugh, and when Luke calls Black Panther “your highness,” Panther insists that he call him T’Challa, causing Luke to state that he just wants to brag about his “being down with the king.”
Luke apologizes for taking T’Challa out of his way, but the Black Panther insists that he was heading to New York anyway. After Luke questions his business in New York, T’Challa replies that he is looking for home. Luke Cage takes a minute to track T’Challa’s thoughts and asks if he’s talking about Storm.
There is a silence between the two men, and Luke tries to cover it up with stating that it isn’t his place to speak badly “on another man’s woman.” Luke explains that he doesn’t have a beef with Storm, but that she always seemed stuck up and unwilling to date brothers. He justifies his opinion by explaining how some Africans are snooty and arrogant toward African-Americans.
T’Challa then begins to explain the history of the woman Ororo Munroe, stating that it all began with Malcolm X.
Malcolm X travelled to Africa after a trip to Mecca with numerous aides. Among them were Harriet Munroe and her son, David. The group met with several heads of state including T’Chaka, T’Challa’s father.
Though Malcolm X was later assassinated, the young boy named David grew up to become a student at the University of Kenya. There he met another student, N’Dare, who happened to be a Kenyan princess. The two fell in love, married, and had a child.
Luke Cage is intrigued by the woman he hardly knows. He asks how T’Challa met Storm, and T’Challa explains that it was when she was a pickpocket in the African outback. He tells Luke that Ororo’s parents were killed in a bombing, and afterwards, the young Storm was taken in by thieves who taught her how to survive. Once her powers emerged, Ororo left Egypt and became a goddess figure to nomads in barren Africa. Later, she was recruited by Charles Xavier to become an X-Man.
Though Luke has questions, like why Ororo’s family never went looking for her, the jet has arrived at Luke’s house. Luke’s wife, Jessica Jones, runs out with their newborn to meet Luke. Though, Luke jokes that T’Challa had best be careful what he wishes for with marriage. As the jet takes off, T’Challa leaves Jessica Jones wishing she had combed her hair before seeing a celebrity.
(The Present- T’Challa’s jet )
T’Challa continues to fly over Africa. This time, he is wondering why he should have to endure pain when he could simply walk away. He thinks of all the women below him in the houses he is flying over and wonders why he is doing all this for her.
( Years Ago)
T’Chaka, T’Challa’s father, speaks to his son about love while his guards look on. T’Chaka explains that many people enter and remain in unhappy relationships far too often, but that romantic love is the highest ideal. He tells T’Challa that he loves his wife, and not just because she is from a good family, is strong, intelligent, and beautiful, but because she still affects him so long after having met. T’Challa is worried that this all sounds impossible, but his father insists that he not worry. T’Chaka tells his son to enjoy youth, and when he meets the one, he won’t want to ever look back.
( Shortly after first meeting Ororo)
T’Challa remembers his first meeting and adventure with Ororo Munroe. He knows that the attraction was undeniable and all-consuming. He fell for all of her, even her being a thief. He thinks of the adventures they had including facing the Bull, but also remembers that which came between them.
While in a market, T’Challa sees a man with a long scar running down his face. Instantly he races off screaming Klaw’s name, the man who killed his father, leaving Ororo behind.
Eventually she manages to track T’Challa down, but he is quiet and angry. Ororo tries to comfort him, but T’Challa refuses. He tells Ororo that he has responsibilities and he can’t afford any distractions. Ororo, hurt and angered, leaves T’Challa telling him he doesn’t know what’s hard, for he’s a spoiled little rich boy.
(The Present- The Sudan)
Two slavers hold multiple women in chains, discussing their fate as clouds move in on the horizon. The women plead not to be taken advantage of. When the rain comes, they whisper prayers for the legends to be true. In a flash of lightning, Storm arrives, sending downpours to blind the men. She electrocutes one and the other gets away from her, praying that he reaches the jeep. Sand is kicked up by the winds, tearing his flesh. In the shadows, another man appears making quick work of the slaver with his claws.
The sky clears, and with a smile, Storm begins to pick the women’s chains. The women call Storm a goddess, but she denies this. The man approaches Storm and is revealed to be Wolverine. The two X-Men discuss Storm’s recent good deeds throughout Africa, and joke and speak as old friends. Wolverine is afraid that Storm’s good deeds will cause a negative reaction.
A jet flies in, and Wolverine comments that Storm’s boyfriend has arrived. At the same time, in the jet, the Black Panther looks down and remarks that the troll is there. Storm and Wolverine watch and smile as the Panther hands out fresh water to the women Storm freed and the other villagers.
Wolverine sees the awkwardness between Storm and the Panther and decides that it is best for him to leave them to their moment. Storm states that the Black Panther found her. The Panther comments that it wasn’t entirely hard following fried slavers and new lakes in the desert. The two talk angrily about their past, Storm mentioning how T’Challa left her, and T’Challa speaks of how he had obligations to find his father’s killer.
T’Challa insists that he is now the man she deserves. Though Storm believes their love was in the past and it is too late, T’Challa drops to his knees and pleads for Storm to marry him.
