Hi, I’m Michael.
This is Lessons from the Screenplay.
In the weeks following Black Panther’s release,
I noticed that one character seemed to be receiving a lot of attention.
Michael B. Jordan’s “Erik Killmonger.”
In particular, I kept encountering articles and conversations
saying he was the best antagonist since Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight.
When looking at the design of the two characters,
it’s clear that they have several similarities,
but it’s their differences that are really interesting.
The character of The Joker is designed to directly attack Batman.
"Batman must take off his mask and turn himself in."
"Every day he doesn't people will die."
Killmonger, on the other hand,
is designed to attack T’Challa’s weakness in a more indirect and complex way.
“This is it for you, cousin.”
So today I want to look at the ways
Killmonger challenges T’Challa’s deeply-held beliefs…
To examine why an opponent with an empathetic perspective can be so impactful…
And explore a unique aspect of Killmonger’s design
that makes him such an emotionally powerful character.
Let’s take a look at Black Panther.
As the story begins, T’Challa believes that Wakanda should remain hidden from the world.
He wants to be a great king like his father,
and he thinks the best way to do this is to uphold tradition.
“If the world found out what we truly are…
what we possess…we could lose our way of life.”
Because this is the decision T’Challa will be wrestling with in the film,
the writers surround him with characters that have varying opinions on Wakanda’s isolationism.
At one end of the spectrum is Okoye,
who believes the secret of Wakanda must be protected,
even if it means sacrificing the lives of others.
“How do we justify bringing him into our borders?”
“He took a bullet for me.”
“That was his choice.”
At the other end of the spectrum is Nakia,
who refuses to stay in Wakanda
because she can’t accept living in comfort while there are so many others in need.
“I can't be happy here knowing that there's people out there who have nothing...
We could provide aid...and access to technology and refuge to those who need it.
Other countries do it. We could do it better.”
But even Nakia, who T’Challa is in love with, can’t force him to change his beliefs.
(explosion)
That’s a job for the antagonist.
As Killmonger arrives,
he starts affecting the protagonist in the same ways I outlined in my Joker video
two years ago.
Killmonger is competing for the same goal as T’Challa…
“I want the throne.
I’m exercising my blood right to challenge for the mantles of king and Black Panther.”
…and pressuring him into difficult choices…
“I accept your challenge.”
But what makes him such a powerful antagonist
is the way he attacks T’Challa’s weakness.
Just like the other characters surrounding T’Challa,
Killmonger has an opinion on whether or not Wakanda should hide from the world,
and most importantly, it’s a perspective the audience can empathize with.
In an interview, Joe Robert Cole, co-writer of Black Panther, said:
“I think the best villains are ones that have a point of view that’s relatable
and that you can empathize with.
Sometimes it’s how far you take things that makes you a villain,
and not necessarily the perspective.”
Killmonger’s perspective is influenced by his father’s experience in the United States.
"I observed for as long as I could.
Their leaders have been assassinated.
Communities flooded with drugs and weapons.
They are overly policed and incarcerated.
All over the planet our people suffer because they don't have the tools to fight back.”
This outrage passed to young Erik,
who points out that Wakanda has sat idly by while so many have suffered.
“Y’all sittin' up here comfortable.
Must feel good.
It's about two billion people all over the world that looks like us.
But their lives are a lot harder.
Wakanda has the tools to liberate 'em all.”
The foundation of Erik’s perspective is essentially identical to Nakia’s.
Wakanda, a nation of extreme wealth and knowledge,
could be and should be doing more for those in need around the world.
Up to this point, his argument is one I think most of us could get behind,
but what makes Killmonger the villain is the way he wants Wakanda
to do more for those in need.
“We're gonna send vibranium weapons out to our War Dogs.
They'll arm oppressed people all over the worl
so they can finally rise up and kill those in power.
And their children.
And anyone else who takes their side.”
So if the antagonist’s perspective has become so radical,
how can they successfully change the protagonist’s beliefs?
This, in my opinion, is the most brilliant part of Killmonger’s design.
Not only does Killmonger affect T’Challa’s beliefs intellectually,
he also affects the protagonist’s beliefs emotionally.
Returning briefly to The Joker comparison,
one of the biggest differences between him and Killmonger
is how much we know about who they are.
The Joker has no backstory at all,
and we never fully understand why he’s doing what he’s doing—
that’s part of what makes him so powerful.
With Killmonger, the exact opposite is true.
He isn’t some stranger who has come to wreak havoc
he’s T’Challa’s family.
“Your uncle fell in love with an American Woman.
They had a child.
We left him.”
And in learning more about who Erik really is,
T’Challa discovers the ugly truth about his father,
and the real cost of Wakanda’s secrecy.
“He killed his own brother and left a child behind with nothing.
What kind of a king...
what kind of a man does that?”
In this way, Erik is the embodiment of the flaws in the protagonist's beliefs;
a walking reminder of his father’s failings,
an example of the people who have needlessly suffered because of Wakanda’s isolationism,
and living proof that shutting out the rest of the world will not keep them safe.
And it is only when T’Challa is confronted with all of this
that his beliefs finally change.
“You were wrong to abandon him.
All of you were wrong!
To turn your backs on the rest of the world!
We let the fear of our discovery stop us from doing what is right!
No more!”
Just as The Joker pushes Batman to become the Dark Knight
through pressure and chaos,
Killmonger pushes T’Challa to truly become Black Panther through both confrontation…
Killmonger: “You sat up here, safe and protected.”
T'Chall: “You want to see us become just like the people you hate so much.
You have become them!”
…and empathy.
“The world took everything away from me!
Everything I ever loved!”
The writers let us see the young boy inside of Killmonger,
a child who had everything unfairly taken from him,
and for whom the world Wakanda was merely a fantasy.
Killmonger: "You believe that?"
"A kid from Oakland running around believing in fairy tales.
After battling with and learning from the antagonist,
T’Challa decides what kind of king he wants to be.
“Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows.
We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one, single tribe.”
Killmonger and The Joker are both brilliantly designed
to push their respective protagonists to change.
But their differences demonstrate how the specifics of the plot and the hero
can demand different qualities from the antagonist
This further underscores why the antagonist should grow from the protagonist…
…why empathetic villains are often more impactful than generically evil ones…
…and why The Dark Knight and Black Panther are both great examples
of how to create the ultimate antagonist.
Hiding knowledge from the rest of the world is never a good thing.
I think if you have skills that can help people learn, you should share them…
Which is why it’s so great that Skillshare exists.
Skillshare is an online learning community with over 20,000 classes in design, filmmaking,
technology and more.
I recommend checking out Yiyun Li’s class on writing short stories.
When you’re just getting started writing, taking on a huge project can be overwhelming,
and her class is a great way to begin practicing on a more manageable scale.
And you can get two months of Skillshare for free by going to the url skl.sh/lfts5.
So head to Skillshare to start learning today.
Thanks to Skillshare for sponsoring this video.
Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the video!
A lot of times these videos change pretty dramatically as I work on them.
For example, the first version of this video was four minutes longer
and featured a more in depth comparison between The Joker and Killmonger.
And I know that some people find works in progress and early drafts really interesting,
so I often share these early versions with my Patrons.
So if you want to support the channel and get some fun extra content,
head to my Patreon by clicking on the link below.
Thank you as always to my patrons and my supporters here on YouTube
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Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time.