T’Challa’s father T’Chaka (played by father and son, John and Atandwa Kani) casts a long shadow over the events of Black Panther. Decisions the former Black Panther made have long-reaching repercussions for T’Challa’s ascent to the throne — and two new deleted scenes from the home release show his role was nearly a little bigger.
A regretful T’Chaka reunites with his son in a Black Panther deleted scene.Image: Marvel Studios
Today, Yahoo Movies revealed a clip that would have been set immediately after the film’s past-set opening in Oakland, California, as a forlorn T’Chaka returns to Wakanda and discusses the legacy of the Black Panther mantle with his young son.
The second clip — posted by Entertainment Weekly recently — loosely ties in with the deleted scene, this time featuring the adult T’Challa just after he’s bid farewell to his father’s spirit after winning the right to become King in ritual combat.
In it, T’Challa reminisces about the conversation he had with his father about inheriting both the throne and the Panther’s duties with Zuri, unable to quite let go of the regret he feels about his father’s untimely passing in Captain America: Civil War.
It’s understandable to see why both scenes were cut, as emotional as it is to see T’Challa with his father and remembering him. The first would have made a lengthy flashback opening even longer, and the second’s connection to it makes it a bit easier to lose too.
In the scenes T’Challa shares with his father’s spirit in the final movie we already get what we need to know of their relationship without these, but it’s nice to see them included on the home release.