Reverse wokism: Marvel introduces a white, blonde Black Panther in the comics

In a decision that will spark much discussion, Marvel Comics launched its Marvel Knights line with a shocking revelation: in the near future within the Earth-616 universe, T’Challa will be challenged by his own son, Ketema, who aspires both to the throne of Wakanda and the title of Black Panther. What is striking is that Ketema is white, blond, and, surprisingly, his legitimate heir.

This unexpected twist in the story of the African kingdom was confirmed in the first issue of the new miniseries Marvel Knights: The World To Come, written by Christopher Priest and illustrated by Joe Quesada.

After the announcement, many fans mentioned the fact that, unlike traditional wokeness, where original characters are replaced by others of different ethnicities or sexual preferences (such as Black or LGBT characters), now it would seem to be a kind of "reverse wokeness."

The lore of this new installment

This new installment of the relaunched Marvel Knights imprint transports readers to a turbulent future of the Marvel Universe. There, Wakanda finds itself in the midst of a deep political crisis, facing an attempted coup by a rebel organization called the Aguamarinas, which seeks to overthrow the country's traditional government.

The reason behind this chaos begins to become clear when it is revealed that the current monarch, T’Challa, was challenged to a ritual combat by his own son, Ketema. This masked, skilled, and determined warrior rebelled against what he considers his father's distant attitude toward the sovereignty of his people.

Although T’Challa proves to be superior in skill and experience, he finds himself unable to end the confrontation, since his son flatly refuses to surrender. The only way to stop the fight would be to end his life, an option the King refuses to consider.

However, Ketema interprets his father's compassion as a form of disdain. In a burst of fury, he takes advantage of a moment of vulnerability to launch a fierce three-strike attack that surprises T’Challa and knocks him down, thus marking a turning point in this dramatic struggle for Wakanda's future.

Seeing that T’Challa is unable to get up after the fight, Ketema turns to Wakanda's council of elders and officially proclaims himself as the new sovereign and Black Panther of the kingdom.

With a defiant shout—"Now I'm king! Wakanda belongs to me!"—Ketema removes his mask in front of the crowd he has just won as subjects. But what follows leaves everyone bewildered: far from being a dark-skinned African like his ancestors, the new monarch has light skin and blond hair, very different from the rest of the Wakandan people.

So far, beyond his appearance, his hatred toward T’Challa, and his status as heir, little has been revealed about Ketema's past or origins.

The comic also reveals that, after his separation from Storm, the renowned member of the X-Men, T’Challa reconnected with his first fiancée, Monica Lynne, and that the two had a son. However, considering Ketema's features, it seems unlikely that Monica, an Afro-descendant woman, is his biological mother.

This has given rise to various theories among readers: some speculate that Ketema could be the result of a relationship with a yet unidentified woman, while others suggest the possibility that he is an adopted son, similar to Batman with his different Robins, whom T’Challa would have incorporated into his lineage as a successor.

It is also important to consider that Ketema's canonical status and his period as ruler of Wakanda are still not entirely clear, due to the particular nature of the Marvel Knights: The World to Come series.

Although traditionally the titles published under the Marvel Knights imprint take place within Marvel's main universe, Earth-616, the fact that this story is set in an imprecise future raises doubts about whether it can be considered part of the official canon in its entirety.

In that regard, writer Christopher Priest clarified in an interview with AIPT Comics: "Our Black Panther belongs to our own future world. It's our personal vision of a near future. It's not directly connected to other Marvel continuity lines, which gives us great creative freedom. Thanks to that, we can allow ourselves things like including Lockjaw, so we're very excited about the result."

Thus, there is still more to discover about Ketema's past, his place within the official continuity, and whether his reign as Black Panther will be lasting or just an alternative story. Some answers will begin to arrive when Marvel Knights: The World To Come hits stores next July 9.