What If...?

[Umbran]

The big plot hole for me is that T’Challa is the son of the king of Wakanda, his responsibility wasnt just to family it was to the People of Wakanda, so even if he thought his family had been killed in a war, a truely awesome T’Challa would have returned to Earth to try and find any survivors. His choosing to remain in the stars was selfishness - but the story ignores that and instead outright portrays him as a near perfect paragon

Wow. Super judgey.

And, maybe rather missing the point of the Black Panther film, in which T'Challa learns that being too focused only on Wakanda is, in fact, a flaw.

This T'Challa's indoctrination in "Wakanda Before All Else" stopped when he was a boy. He then chooses to take on other responsibilities, and makes good on them. His blood kin are not somehow more deserving of his aid than anyone else in the galaxy. His home country and planet are not somehow more deserving than any other worlds. What does it matter which people in need he helps, so long as he's helping people?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

When the captain of the Alert stopped Cthulhu, he wound up insane afterward.

The reason GOOs cause insanity is the character can't cope with cosmic insignificance. Some people (Conan for example) aren't bothered by that. "Okay, so what's for supper?".

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Wow. Super judgey.

And, maybe rather missing the point of the Black Panther film, in which T'Challa learns that being too focused only on Wakanda is, in fact, a flaw.

This T'Challa's indoctrination in "Wakanda Before All Else" stopped when he was a boy. He then chooses to take on other responsibilities, and makes good on them. His blood kin are not somehow more deserving of his aid than anyone else in the galaxy. His home country and planet are not somehow more deserving than any other worlds. What does it matter which people in need he helps, so long as he's helping people?

I think it works both ways. One T'Challa is too focused on Wakanda, the other not enough. Either way the character is a paragon who does a lot of good, but remains human by being not quite perfect.

 

[Tonguez]

Wow. Super judgey.

And, maybe rather missing the point of the Black Panther film, in which T'Challa learns that being too focused only on Wakanda is, in fact, a flaw.

This T'Challa's indoctrination in "Wakanda Before All Else" stopped when he was a boy. He then chooses to take on other responsibilities, and makes good on them. His blood kin are not somehow more deserving of his aid than anyone else in the galaxy. His home country and planet are not somehow more deserving than any other worlds. What does it matter which people in need he helps, so long as he's helping people?

Deserving of aid is one thing, but not even trying to help his own is quite another. At some point over a 20 year period he couldnt have done a scan to see if there was any life in Wakanda? To check if any of his relatives or friends might have survived?

Also if we accept that his indoctrination in “Wakanda first” stopped when he was a boy then so did his learning about responsibility and justice. The ravagers were pirates and mercenaries so it certainly wasnt them who taught TChalla those things. It now becomes a debate about nature and nurture, as it seems that even being raised among thieves, we must accept that TChalla’s inherent nobility will remain and transform everyone around him.

I think it works both ways. One T'Challa is too focused on Wakanda, the other not enough. Either way the character is a paragon who does a lot of good, but remains human by being not quite perfect.

Yes thats probably a good way to view things, I can accept that …

 

[Rune]

It now becomes a debate about nature and nurture

The Watcher asks us that very question right at the beginning of the episode.

 

[Janx]

The major difference being... this is not the Lovecraft Universe. It is the Marvel Universe. It is not a universe of cosmic horror. It lacks the basic precept that humans are inconsequential. Quite the opposite, in fact, the Marvel Universe is one of humanism, elevating the potential and agency of the characters, rather than starting from a position that their actions mean nothing.

So... it was a giant tentacle monster. Dangerous. Maybe a threat to the world. But not a thing that drives true heroes mad.

along that line of thought is a meme I saw a few weeks back pointing out the misunderstanding of Lovecraftian Madness.

It is not because you saw something too ugly, big. or spherical geometry.

It is for a moment, you are the ant who get picked up, examined by humans, and for a short time, you see your world is far more than the blade of grass and picnics, and you understand science and love and saturday morning cartoons. Then, you get put back on your blade of grass and your limited perspective. And you want more than anything to return, to know again, and no one around you will ever understand, so you will do ANYTHING to get back to that.

Dr. Strange experienced this, and he said, "Teach me."

Carter saw some giant tentacles.

There's a difference.

 

[Janx]

The Watcher asks us that very question right at the beginning of the episode.

Freakonomics says its Nature.

 

[Umbran]

Deserving of aid is one thing, but not even trying to help his own is quite another.

Responsibility does not come from accident of birth. Blood kin do not own each other.

As some point over 20 years he couldnt have done a scan to see if there was any life in Wakanda? To check if any of his relatives or friends might have survived?

Well, the original Peter Quill doesn't come back to Earth for the same period of time, despite having living family. The galaxy is a big place. For them to get to Earth is not just going to the corner store, I guess.

Plus, if Wakanda was destroyed, as he was told by the person he trusted most in the Universe at that point and who he doesn't have reason to doubt, even if there were survivors, they probably had to relocate, so now he's looking for them among the billions of the world.

Also if we accept that his indoctrination in “Wakanda first” stopped when he was a boy then so did his learning about responsibility and justice.

He can't realistically keep his attachment to his family and Wakanda at that point. He can still keep his attachment to responsibility, because that can be practiced anywhere, with anyone. Plus, as you point out, maybe he's just that kind of guy.

 

[Maxperson]

Deserving of aid is one thing, but not even trying to help his own is quite another. At some point over a 20 year period he couldnt have done a scan to see if there was any life in Wakanda? To check if any of his relatives or friends might have survived?

Yondu said that Wakanda had been destroyed. A world power that destroyed Wakanda wouldn't just leave it there unattended. It would move into the area and begin mining the vibranium. If there were any survivors, they would have scattered into the rest of the world. T'Challa would have figured that out.

 

[Maxperson]

The Watcher asks us that very question right at the beginning of the episode.

Am I the only one who due to the Watcher's deep voice half expects him to announce that he's Batman at the end of the intro?