Chapter Summaries

Erik Killmonger arrived at HYDRA’s secret mountain headquarters, learned about its members’ enhancements and the organization’s god, then passed his evaluations for the highest-grade serum. After receiving the enhancement, he was told that the god wished to see him.

• Erik entered HYDRA’s Zero Secret Base and underwent examinations, tests, training, and further indoctrination while marveling at the strength of even its unarmed staff.
• HYDRA members explained to Erik that the base’s personnel had been enhanced with Divine Water, and revealed the organization’s god, his former identities, and his past miracles.
• Albert reported to Chen Mo that Erik had a 95 percent chance of surviving Enhanced Super Soldier Serum, and Chen Mo ordered the enhancement to begin.
• Erik received the highest-grade enhancement, gaining strength five times that of an ordinary person and power comparable to Captain America.
• Colonel John met Erik after his transformation, ordered him to clean himself up, and told him that God wished to see him.

Chen Mo and Erik Killmonger entered Wakanda after Erik delivered Ulysses Klaue’s corpse to the Border Tribe. In the royal council chamber, Erik revealed his claim to the throne, leaving Wakanda’s leaders to confront his demand.

• Chen Mo met Erik Killmonger at the HYDRA base, and the two departed for Africa the next day.
• Chen Mo and Erik flew into Wakanda and landed near a Border Tribe village, where W'Kabi confronted them.
• Erik opened his bag to reveal Ulysses Klaue’s corpse, and W'Kabi recognized Wakanda’s longtime enemy.
• W'Kabi brought Chen Mo and Erik to the royal council chamber, where T'Chaka recognized Erik’s resemblance to someone from his past.
• Erik told Wakanda’s leaders he had come to punish Klaue and declared, "I want the throne!"

Eric Killmonger revealed that he was N'Jadaka, Prince N'Jobu's son, and challenged T'Chaka for Wakanda's throne. After T'Chaka relinquished the throne, N'Jadaka and T'Challa prepared to settle the succession through the traditional waterfall duel, where N'Jadaka refused to let T'Challa's Heart-shaped herb abilities be neutralized.

• Eric Killmonger revealed his royal identity and accused T'Chaka of killing Prince N'Jobu and abandoning his family.
• T'Chaka admitted his guilt and relinquished the throne, while W'Kabi and the elders recognized N'Jadaka as king.
• T'Challa claimed his right to inherit the throne, and N'Jadaka agreed to let a traditional duel decide the true king and Black Panther.
• One week later, at the coronation ceremony, Zuri explained that T'Challa should drink medicine to remove the Heart-shaped herb's abilities.
• N'Jadaka refused to have T'Challa's strength reduced and declared that he would defeat him at his strongest.

Erik Killmonger challenged T'Challa to a traditional Wakandan duel, confident he could defeat the Black Panther without the Heart-shaped herb. After overpowering T'Challa and repeatedly striking him, Erik left him unable to rise or resist.

• T'Challa accepted Erik Killmonger's challenge and faced him in the pool as Wakandan priests painted sacred totems on them.
• Princess Shuri recognized Chen Mo and accused him of siding with the evil Erik, but Chen Mo replied that Erik was not necessarily evil.
• High Priest Zuri began the duel, and Erik and T'Challa charged at each other with Vibranium weapons.
• Erik disarmed T'Challa, drove him to the edge of the cliff, and hurled him and his shield into the pool.
• Erik repeatedly punched T'Challa until he collapsed to his knees, unable to get back up or resist.

Erik Killmonger stopped short of killing T'Challa after Zuri intervened and confessed his guilt over N'Jobu's death and the abandonment of Erik and his mother. T'Chaka also admitted his guilt, and Erik handed both men over to the Elder Council for judgment.

• Erik raised his blade to strike T'Challa, but Zuri blocked the blow and offered his own life in T'Challa's place.
• Erik demanded that Zuri admit his guilt, and Zuri confessed to his role in N'Jobu's death and the abandonment of N'Jobu's family.
• Erik called on T'Chaka to admit his guilt, and T'Chaka knelt and confessed to abandoning Erik and his mother.
• Erik threw his blade into the water and declared that the Elder Council would judge Zuri and T'Chaka and determine their punishment.

Erik Killmonger spared T'Chaka and Zuri, deciding to have the Elder Council judge them rather than seeking revenge. Shaped by HYDRA’s training and ideals, he intended to rule Wakanda fairly and use its power to help people in need.

• Erik Killmonger announced that T'Chaka and Zuri would be handed over to the Elder Council for trial.
• The people present were impressed by Erik’s restraint and accepted him as a worthy king and Black Panther.
• Erik reflected on how N'Jobu, Zuri, and T'Chaka had acted according to conflicting beliefs, and judged that his father’s extremism had caused grave harm.
• Erik understood that T'Chaka had killed N'Jobu while trying to protect Zuri, though he still believed T'Chaka had been wrong to abandon him and his mother.
• Erik resolved to take the throne, accept the Elder Council’s verdict, and put aside his hatred.
• Erik planned to lead Wakanda out of isolation and use its strength to help people around the world.

T'Challa admitted defeat to Erik Killmonger, ending the Pool of Kings challenge, and Shuri prepared to take him for treatment. Their departure was interrupted when M'Baku and a band of Jabari warriors emerged from a cave.

• Erik Killmonger asked T'Challa to concede, and T'Challa finally admitted defeat after his family urged him to surrender.
• Shuri hurried to help the badly injured T'Challa, but the Dora Milaje waited for Erik Killmonger's permission before assisting.
• Erik Killmonger signaled Okoye, who ordered two Dora Milaje warriors to help carry T'Challa toward Shuri's laboratory.
• A series of rhythmic growls came from the cave, stopping Shuri and the warriors as they approached its entrance.
• M'Baku emerged from the cave with more than a dozen Jabari warriors, drawing Chen Mo's interest.

M'Baku challenged Erik Killmonger to test whether he deserved to rule Wakanda, but Erik defeated him almost instantly. Erik carried the still-unyielding M'Baku toward the edge of the pool, above a bottomless cliff.

• M'Baku condemned Wakanda's decision to name an outsider king and challenged Erik to a fight.
• Erik accepted the challenge, and Zuri announced its start while Shuri and the injured T'Challa remained behind.
• M'Baku charged and swung his heavy weapon at Erik's head, but Erik caught the hammer with one hand.
• Erik disarmed M'Baku, seized him by the neck, and lifted him off the ground.
• When M'Baku kept struggling instead of conceding, Erik carried him toward the pool's cliff edge.

Erik Killmonger defeated M'Baku and became king of Wakanda, then completed the Heart-shaped herb ritual and gained enhanced physical abilities. Chen Mo reflected on Wakanda’s rapid, uneven development and considered how Erik’s rule would advance his plans.

• Erik Killmonger held M'Baku over the cliff and persuaded him to concede for the sake of the Jabari Tribe.
• Erik Killmonger defeated the final challenger and officially became king of Wakanda.
• Erik Killmonger consumed the Heart-shaped herb, was buried in yellow soil as part of the ritual, and emerged with enhanced strength.
• Chen Mo compared Erik Killmonger's abilities and combat skills with his own and concluded that Erik remained far inferior in overall strength.
• Erik Killmonger stood after the ritual, and Chen Mo ordered everyone to withdraw.

After Erik Killmonger became Wakanda’s king and the new Black Panther, Chen Mo asked what he wanted to do with his power. Erik resolved to eliminate warlords worldwide, alarming Chen Mo, who suspected HYDRA’s brainwashing had failed.

• Chen Mo dismissed the priests, collected several Heart-shaped herb fruits, and stored them for use later in a safer place.
• Erik Killmonger asked Chen Mo what he should do next, and Chen Mo instead asked what Erik wanted.
• Erik said he wanted to save the poor and suffering from war, hunger, and poverty.
• Erik revealed his plan to use Wakanda’s military to eliminate warlords across Africa, Asia, and South America.
• Chen Mo suspected Erik remained a fanatical warmonger and considered killing him to prevent Wakanda’s power from endangering the world.

Chen Mo judged Erik Killmonger's plan to eliminate warlords and aid civilians too limited to end Africa's recurring conflicts. He proposed unifying Africa, leaving Erik stunned.

• Erik Killmonger explained that he wanted to eliminate warlords, help civilians rebuild, and end war and poverty.
• Chen Mo recognized Erik's compassion for civilians and ruthlessness toward enemies, but questioned whether killing the warlords would solve Africa's problems.
• Erik admitted that new warlords would eventually arise and asked Chen Mo for guidance.
• Chen Mo declared that Africa's problems could only be solved once and for all by unifying the continent.
• Erik was astonished by the proposal, knowing that attempts to unify Africa could draw intervention from powerful nations.

Chen Mo persuaded Erik Killmonger that Wakanda could unify Africa and build a stable, prosperous New Africa despite the risks of provoking the great powers. Erik then gathered Wakanda's tribal leaders to assign missions for an operation against African warlords, leaving most of them stunned and W'Kabi excited.

• Erik Killmonger considered how the great powers could destroy Wakanda and concluded that unifying Africa seemed impossible.
• Chen Mo proposed unifying Africa, ending war and unrest, developing agriculture, and welcoming Black people from abroad to help build New Africa.
• Erik Killmonger became excited by Chen Mo's vision and saw him as the hope of achieving African unity.
• Chen Mo told Erik Killmonger that eliminating the warlords was only the first step.
• Erik Killmonger gathered Wakanda's tribal leaders and assigned combat missions for an operation against warlords across Africa.
• Most leaders reacted with disbelief, while W'Kabi showed irrepressible excitement about expanding beyond Wakanda's borders.

Erik Killmonger prepared Wakanda’s large-scale operation to eliminate Africa’s warlords, assigning T’Chaka and Zuri to serve on the battlefield instead of going to prison. Needing more elite fighters, he and Chen Mo set out to recruit the Jabari Tribe.

• The Elder Council stripped T’Chaka and Zuri of their ranks and sentenced them to ten years of service in place of imprisonment, and Erik Killmonger approved the change.
• T’Challa welcomed the chance for T’Chaka and Zuri to redeem themselves through military service and planned to join the operation as the Black Panther.
• Erik Killmonger recognized that Wakanda lacked enough elite warriors to eliminate the warlords across Africa.
• Erik Killmonger decided to recruit the powerful, battle-hardened Jabari Tribe for the operation.
• After the prewar meeting, Erik Killmonger and Chen Mo headed to the mountain where the Jabari Tribe lived.

Erik Killmonger recruited M'Baku and the Jabari Tribe to support his plan to unify Africa. As Wakanda prepared the Decapitation Operation, Chen Mo was appointed commander, drawing resentment from warriors who doubted his strength.

• M'Baku questioned Erik Killmonger about his visit, and Erik said he needed the Jabari warriors to fight for him.
• Erik explained his plan, and M'Baku mobilized the Jabari Tribe to march toward Wakanda's capital.
• The Jabari joined Wakanda's other tribes and the War Dogs to prepare for an operation targeting more than a thousand African warlords.
• Wakanda prepared its limited fleet of advanced fighter jets to transport teams across Africa for the Decapitation Operation.
• Erik appointed Chen Mo to command the operation, angering W'Kabi and M'Baku, who doubted that Chen Mo was strong enough to lead them.

Erik Killmonger named Chen Mo commander of Wakanda’s overseas military operation, revealing that he was the legendary World War II hero who had been thawed from Arctic ice. M'Baku challenged Chen Mo and was painfully overpowered, while W'Kabi abandoned any interest in command.

• W'Kabi and M'Baku objected to Erik Killmonger's choice of the unfamiliar outsider Chen Mo as operation commander.
• Erik Killmonger introduced Chen Mo as the legendary commander of the Special Operations Team, who had been frozen in the Arctic and recently thawed.
• After hearing of Chen Mo's wartime record and strength, W'Kabi gave up his claim to command.
• M'Baku challenged Chen Mo, who accepted and met his powerful attacks head-on.
• Chen Mo's punch struck M'Baku's fist with such force that M'Baku felt as if his bones had shattered.

Chen Mo defeated M'Baku in a head-on fight, winning his submission and command of the Jabari Tribe. He ordered Princess Shuri to prepare stealth aircraft and combat gear for a planned operation against African warlords, then asked M'Baku the name of his ape god.

• M'Baku broke his fist and lost the use of his arm while trading blows with Chen Mo, who emerged uninjured.
• M'Baku accepted Chen Mo's leadership after realizing Chen's strength surpassed even Erik Killmonger's.
• Chen Mo asked Princess Shuri how many stealth aircraft Wakanda had, and she said fewer than a hundred.
• Chen Mo ordered Princess Shuri to double the aircraft supply and prepare combat gear for four hundred elite warriors.
• After the meeting ended, Chen Mo asked M'Baku the name of his ape god.

Erik Killmonger showed M'Baku similarities between Wakanda's Ape God Hanuman, India's Monkey God Hanuman, and China's Sun Wukong, leading M'Baku to suspect they were the same being. After researching the legends and investigating Chen Mo, M'Baku returned to the council hall with an even more astonishing discovery.

• Erik Killmonger projected comparisons of the Ramayana and Journey to the West, and M'Baku noticed their monkey heroes resembled Wakanda's Ape God Hanuman.
• M'Baku connected the legends' shared details to Chen Mo's strength and near-invulnerability, then asked Erik Killmonger whether the information was true.
• Erik Killmonger gave M'Baku a Kimo-by-yu so he could verify the stories, and M'Baku left the council hall to investigate.
• M'Baku spent a day comparing the legends, became more certain the three figures were one being, and used the War Dogs to investigate Chen Mo.
• M'Baku returned to the council hall and looked at Chen Mo with excitement, reverence, suspicion, and unease after uncovering something even more astonishing.

M'Baku studied Chen Mo's extraordinary history and concluded that he might be the Jabari Tribe's Ape God, Hanuman. When M'Baku met him in private to seek confirmation, Chen Mo began transforming before him and Erik Killmonger.

• M'Baku reviewed War Dogs intelligence describing Chen Mo's superhuman abilities, mysterious origins, and indifference to immense wealth.
• M'Baku connected Chen Mo's powers and Chinese origins to the legends of Hanuman and Sun Wukong, concluding that Chen Mo might be their Ape God Hanuman.
• M'Baku went to the council hall to verify his theory with Chen Mo, finding only Erik Killmonger there with him.
• M'Baku struggled to ask whether Chen Mo was a god, while the Dora Milaje guarded the hall outside.
• Chen Mo rose and began growing taller and more muscular as M'Baku and Erik Killmonger watched.

Chen Mo transformed his body and face to become an exact physical double of Eric Killmonger, astonishing Eric and prompting M'Baku to hail him as Hanuman. The chapter explained that Chen Mo’s transformation came from his extraordinary bodily control, enabled by his highly developed brain and immense mental power, and left him with the advantage of abilities others could not gain through physical enhancement alone.

• Chen Mo altered his height, build, facial features, and skin tone until he looked exactly like Eric Killmonger.
• M'Baku recognized Chen Mo’s transformation as the Art of Transformation and prostrated himself, calling him Hanuman.
• The narration explained how Chen Mo used precise control of muscles, nerves, blood flow, and melanocytes to change his appearance.
• The narration established that Chen Mo’s complete control over his body came from his rare superpowered brain and mental strength, not merely his physical abilities.

Chen Mo revealed his godlike abilities to M'Baku and Erik Killmonger, then used the Super Soldier Serum to transform M'Baku into a vastly stronger warrior. The Jabari Tribe learned that Chen Mo was their Ape God Hanuman and prepared to follow him with newly forged Vibranium spears.

• M'Baku and Erik Killmonger knelt before Chen Mo after witnessing his transformation, and Chen Mo returned to his normal appearance.
• M'Baku realized Erik Killmonger worshipped Ape God Hanuman and that the god had bestowed his strength and physique upon him.
• Chen Mo gave M'Baku the Enhanced Super Soldier Serum, making him taller and stronger and bringing him close to Erik Killmonger in size.
• M'Baku told the Jabari Tribe that Chen Mo was Ape God Hanuman and recounted the evidence he had discovered in the Ramayana and Journey to the West.
• M'Baku's strength snapped his old hammer-spear, so he switched to a Vibranium spear fitted with a Sonic Cannon that Princess Shuri had made for the Decapitation Operation.