Powers and abilities
The title “Black Panther” is a rank of office, chieftain of the Wakandan Panther Clan. As chieftain, the Panther is entitled to eat a special Heart-Shaped Herb which, in addition to his mystical connection with the Wakandan Panther God, grants him superhumanly acute senses, enhanced strength, speed, agility, stamina, durability, healing, and reflexes.[1].
He has since lost this connection and forged a new one with another unknown Panther deity, granting him augmented physical attributes as well as a resistance to magic.[67] His senses are so powerful that he can pick up a prey’s scent and memorize tens of thousands of individual ones. Following his war with Doom, T’Challa loses his enhanced abilities only to once again establish a connection with the Panther God.[70] In addition to the resurgence of his now superhuman abilities, he is anointed “King of the Dead”, granting him the power and knowledge of all the past Black Panthers as well as the ability to control the undead.[84]
T’Challa worked with his sorcerer, Zawavari, to endow T’Challa with immunity to mystical attacks and detection in order to defeat Dr. Doom. When T’Challa’s alchemical upgrade was tested by means of Wakanda’s most powerful acolytes attacking T’Challa in unison, each mystical attack was absorbed and only served to strengthen T’Challa. During these preparations, T’Challa invented a potent mystical/scientific hybrid art called “shadow physics” and was able to use it to craft shadow weapons and to track vibranium on a quantum level.[67]
As king of Wakanda, the Panther has access to a vast collection of magical artifacts, advanced Wakandan technological and military hardware, as well as the support of his nation’s wide array of scientists, warriors, and mystics. The Wakandan military has been described as one of the most powerful on Earth. His attire is the sacred vibranium costume of the Wakandan Panther Cult.
He is a skilled hunter, tracker, strategist, politician, inventor, and scientist. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from Oxford University. Considered one of the eight smartest people on the planet,[85] he is a genius in physics and advanced technology, and is a brilliant inventor. He also has been granted the strength and knowledge of every past Black Panther.[70]
T’Challa is a rigorously trained gymnast and acrobat and is a master in various African martial arts as well as contemporary martial arts and fighting styles that belong to no known disciplines.
The chieftain of the Wakandan Panther Clan is one of the wealthiest people in the world, though financial estimates are difficult given Wakanda’s isolation from the world’s economy and the uncertain value of Wakanda’s vast vibranium reserves and extremely advanced technologies.[86]
In Black Panther volume 3, writer Christopher Priest expanded the Panther’s day-to-day arsenal to include equipment such as an “energy dagger”, a vibranium-weave suit, and a portable supercomputer, the “Kimoyo card”.[87] In Black Panther volume 4, writer Reginald Hudlin introduced such specialized equipment as “thrice-blessed armor” and “light armor” for specific tasks,[volume & issue needed] and for a short while outfitted him with the Ebony Blade of the Black Knight.[volume & issue needed]
