Vibranium, The Solution or The Problem? -- Black Panther (2018)

by Null -- November 22nd, 2024

When it comes to fictional rare metals, it seems that Vibranium has the rest of them beat. Vibranium, noted for its extraordinary capacity to not only absorb and release kinetic energy, but also storing it. It is the key component to the utopia that is Wakanda and it is the main ingredient to their stupendous technology. In the distant past, its amazing properties (along with help from the panther goddess Bast) help unify the four (later five) tribes that make up Wakanda. In modern times, though, Vibranium is the cause of much conflict, fighting, and death.

It is clear from the start of the Black Panther (2018) film that Vibranium is a very powerful material, capable of crafting extraordinary machines, medicine, and weaponry. Obtaining it is one of the main driving forces of the movie. A character, Klaue, is an enemy to the Wakandan people after he broke into their nation, killed multiple people, and fled with a quarter ton of Vibranium, the price of such being described as billions of dollars.

Klaue wants to sell thus Vibranium and, in a set-up, agrees to sell it to CIA agent Ross for a briefcase full of diamonds (which, to me, follows the worth billions of dollars price tag). Now, I bring this up because this is a classic scene in the real world when it comes to real rare Earth minerals, metals, and gems: the material is discovered, is seen as rare and valuable, it gets stolen one way or another, and others are willing to pay hefty sums for it.

"The Wakandans used Vibranium to develop technology more advanced than any other nation. But, as Wakanda thrived, the world around it descended further into chaos." -T'Chaka, Black Panther  (2018)

The issue with this is that Wakanda does not want to let this precious metal be common ground for the rest of the world. The possibilities of new advanced tech is boundless and, when in the wrong hands, can cause for mass destruction. Vibranium weapons can be game changers in any battle, as they are nearly indestructible and can charge and release energy like a cannon.

Killmonger, also known as Erik, is another character who wants to get a hold of this Vibranium, but not to sell like Klaue. He wants to use it to make mass amounts of weapons that can then be distributed to the Black community that lives outside the Utopia of Wakanda, allowing them to take a definite stand against their oppressors. He wants to use Vibranium for violence in order to unite all of the world under the empire of Wakanda, a nation built on blood.

Klaue and Killmonger both have this inherently violent and greedy way of seeing Vibranium and, because of others likeminded to them, Wakanda hides itself behind a barrier, essentially hoarding all of the Vibranium in an attempt to keep it from outsiders. They believe that if Vibranium was easily obtainable, an export Wakanda could sell, then the rest of the world would descend into war and chaos, people misusing the technology for their own selfish gain.

However, the Vibranium can be used to create beautiful, safe cities, hidden behind a forcefield impervious to anything beyond it. It can also be used medically, and impressively so. When agent Ross is shot in his spine during a small scale prison break, Shuri, Wakanda's lead scientist, is able to heal him overnight with her Vibranium technology when, under regular circumstances, agent Ross would have likely perished.

Vibranium could do a lot of good in the dystopian world that lies outside the Wakandan walls. It could solve many world struggles, cure incurable illnesses, and offer refuge to those who are oppressed. But, because of the greed of select people, Vibranium (and Wakanda) stay under wraps. At the end of the film, T'Challa (the Black Panther) buys a block of apartments and establishes a Wakandan refuge/embassy in the United States, using some of their resources to help the people in need outside of Wakanda.

I believe this to be a good "middle of the road" decision. While I agree that Vibranium should not be widely accessible due to the avarice of others, I do think it should still be used to help under controlled circumstances (like the refuge/embassy).

It is within human nature to be a bit selfish, a bit greedy. We all have wants and needs, but some people are controlled by these desires and they become obsessed, willing to do whatever is necessary to achieve their goals, and this makes them dangerous. When it comes to the powerful metal Vibranium, it's within Wakanda's right to keep it locked away for themselves. Humanity has proven to not be trustworthy with a material so strong. Maybe, in the future, they will rebuild that trust, and Wakanda will allow their technological sublime to grace the globe.

--Null