Hello and welcome back to Life’s Biggest Questions, I’m Ron McKenzie-Lefurgey.
Nerds and non-nerds alike have been enjoying Marvel’s Black Panther film, and were awestruck
at the wonder that is Wakanda.
But what if this fictional African nation actually existed?
Let’s explore.
If this kind of thing interests you, head on over to Top 10 Nerd.
It’s a sister channel, hosted by Roya Destroyaa, Kelly Paoli, and yours truly, where we talk
about all things nerd, from comic books, to anime, to Harry Potter.
I’ll see you over there.
But for now, get ready, it’s time to ask the question: What if Wakanda was Real?
For the purposes of this video, and to avoid similarities with our video entitled “What
if superheroes were real”, this video will assume that the nation of Wakanda exists,
as well as the Black Panther, the protector of the nation, but no other superheroes exist.
Well, first and foremost, where would Wakanda be?
Well, the comics can’t seem to make up their minds.
Some claim it to be north of Tanzania, while the Marvel Atlas #2 claims it to be on the
north side of Lake Turkana.
Since the movie went with option number 2, let's say that Wakanda would be found in that
position, between Ethiopia and South Sudan.
It should be pointed out that Wakanda was concealed using a cloaking device, but for
the purposes of this video we’ll assume that the world is aware of the nation.
Wakanda is very isolated, and works to remain that way, almost completely untouched by outside
influences.
While it is highly technologically advanced, this technology is not compatible with other
modern tech, as it's based on different scientific processes.
It defends its borders fiercely, and this defence is made even stronger thanks to the
powerful protector of Wakanda: The Black Panther.
The Black Panther is the ruler of Wakanda, and chief of the tribes within, called the
Wakandas.
The mantle is passed down generation to generation, although it requires that the prospective
Panther complete a rite of passage.
Upon completion of this test, a special heart-shaped herb is given to the protector of the nation,
granting a number of superhuman abilities, including strength, speed, durability, and
heightened senses.
In the movies, the Black Panther is an incredible protector of the nation.
In real life, it’s rather likely that while the panther would focus more on political
actions than actual fighting.
In the comics and film, the current Black Panther, T’Challa, has a good deal of plot
armour protecting him, letting him survive at times when he probably would have died.
In real life there’s a good chance that extended combat would lead to a dead Black
Panther, leaving the country without a leader.
However, there is a good chance that Black Panther would use his enhanced abilities and
senses on various covert operations.
However, the existence of the Black Panther would have a side effect.
If it was possible to give someone superpowers like this, governments around the world would
work to try to get their hands on this super solder herb.
If a serum could be synthesized from the herb, this would not only be beneficial to the military,
but could be sold to the general population for great profits, and amazing benefits.
However, there’s another commodity found in Wakanda that could be even more highly
desired by other countries: Vibranium.
Vibranium is the fictional substance found in the Marvel Universe with amazing properties.
It came to earth when a meteor crashed, spreading vibranium across the earth, with a large deposit
in Wakanda.
First and foremost, it is an incredibly strong metal.
Vibranium absorbs vibration when struck, allowing it to absorb and slowly release the kinetic
energy received.
While it can be destroyed, it's capable of withstanding incredible amounts of force.
Not only that, but it emits radiation that can cause mutations in living things, giving
humans strange powers, often turning them into demon spirits, and granting special Wakandan
herbs powerful benefits.
This would be highly desired by countries around the world, and they would likely try
to purchase as much as they could, if not to use for its anti-vibrational properties,
then for the special mutation properties.
If Wakanda did not want to give up the vibranium, there’s a good chance that this would lead
to war.
Particularly among the more warlike countries, this indestructible material could be incredibly
powerful.
Plus, since vibranium sells for a whopping $10,000 a gram, even a country that didn't
intend to use it themselves could make massive amounts of money from its sale.
It’s even possible that governments around the world would grow fearful of the potential
of Wakanda.
Given their technological advancement and their access to vibranium, Wakanda could pose
a significant threat to even the most powerful nations.
Given the isolationist nature of Wakanda, it’s likely that the world wouldn’t have
to worry about them as long as they weren’t provoked.
However, it could be that certain countries would attempt to use fear of the country’s
potential to convince the populace that war was needed, in order to get their hands on
the oil – I mean, the vibranium.
Sorry, Freudian slip.
If war did come to pass, it’s difficult to determine who the victor would be.
Since Wakandan technology is largely mysterious, it’s hard to say how they would go about
fighting the war.
However, in looking at the ruthless success they had in the war against Atlantis, it’s
safe to say that their attacker would have their hands full.
Especially nowadays, with warfare being largely decided by technology and computers, Wakanda
would be at a significant advantage in a number of ways.
However, it’s possible that Wakanda would eventually change its ways, becoming less
isolated.
This could result in amazing progress for the rest of the world, particularly if the
herb and vibranium were able to be studied and used.
The Wakandan technology could also help modern scientists and engineers to improve their
own tech, even if this involved changes from the ground up.
While war would remain a possibility, peace seems a much more beneficial option, for all
parties involved.
And now we return to our question: What if Wakanda was real?
Well, there may not be a huge amount of change if this futuristic nation remained as isolated
as it is in the comics.
However, if another nation decided they wanted the valuable resources found in Wakanda, the
war would be unpredictable, and devastating.
However, if peace prevailed, and the Wakandan government decided to work with other governments,
it could propel humanity forward technologically, and even, socially.
And I don’t know about you, but I’d be looking to get myself some super powers.
Thank you for watching Life’s Biggest Questions, I hope this was interesting and informative,
and maybe even inspired you to look into it further on your own.
If you liked this video, please thumbs up and subscribe to the channel down below.
While you’re down there, let me know if YOU would like to use the heart-shaped herb
to gain the black panther powers.
Until next time, I’m Ron McKenzie-Lefurgey with Life’s Biggest Questions, wishing you
the best of luck, on your quest for answers.