The Black Panther franchise is arguably one of the most influential, not just in the genre of “super hero movies,” but in films as a whole. A masters thesis could probably written not only about about the very difficult themes explored in the content, but the subsequent affect these films have had on modern society. For simplicity’s sake there is one core message that I want to focus on and that is the burden, responsibility and complexity of leadership:
“You Are a Good Man with a Good Heart, and It’s Hard for a Good Man to Be a King.”
If you could pick a thesis statement for the first Black Panther film and the cornerstone of both T,Challa’s, and then Shuri’s, journey it may be that. And it is one of the least talked about themes in leadership material. I was recently listening to a fairly famous pastor, one who doesn’t lead a mega church, but it is often asked to talk to celebrities and CEOs for his wisdom and guidance, who started his message by saying “I humbly stand before you and submit that I may be wrong and I ask you to examine this for yourself.”
*gasps in corporate*
In nearly any large organized space, whether it may a religious institution, government or private business, it is so rare that any leader will openly admit that they could be wrong and invite difficult discussion on the matter much less allow a safe (SAFE) space for disagreement. Being in leadership means often asking ourselves what is best for the group as a whole and realizing there is no easy answer to that question. There is grey area. There are nuances. There are pros and cons. There are winners and losers. And who is the group you are protecting and who is the enemy? Ultimately it comes down to the age old question “Does the end justify the means?” and the hard reality that your answer may be different then someone else’s.
The answer to “what is the right thing to do” is not always clear. Everyone has a different definition of the right thing. This is why Killmonger’s character is so important to the story and why he is ultimately one of the MCU’s best “villains.” He still had a point. And he sometimes possessed more self-awareness than many a hero that are willing to jump blindly into battle from their unwavering beliefs. It still didn’t make him the good guy of the story, but it did show that sometimes even the good guys get it wrong.
Choosing to be a leader is a risk, but I do love a good calculated risk.
If you aren’t questioning yourself every so often it doesn’t make you more confident; it makes you arrogant. If you are checking yourself every so often it doesn’t make you wishy washy; it makes you thorough. Have people in your inner circle that know how to tell the truth wrapped firmly yet softly in love. Find yourself a soft place to land when you get it wrong and helping hand so you can get back up because leading is freaking hard. Because if you don’t, if shy away from this challenge, someone else will sieze the opportunity for power. And their unconscious ego left unchecked will whisper deadly and silently into their ear that they know what’s best even when they don’t. Delusion can be contagious.
Yes it is hard to be a good man and a good king, but not trying is worse than letting someone step into power who isn’t trying at all. Be confident enough to stick to what you believe is right, but humble enough to admit when you get it wrong.