Captain America vs. Black Panther decides the future of Wakanda

An old rivalry between Cap and Black Panther will resurface in Captain America: Symbol of Truth, but this time the stakes are much higher.

In Marvel Comics, superhero rivalries can be as infamous as the enmity between them and their worst villains. Such is the case for Captain America and Black Pantherwhose next confrontation could determine the future of Wakanda himself.

There are currently two Captain Americas racing. At least one of them runs while the other soars overhead like the avian boss of the land. The latter would be Sam Wilson, formerly known as Falcon, whose particular journey is chronicled in the series Captain America: symbol of truth by Tochi Onyebuchi and RB Silva. Although Sam Wilson wields a different shield, he and Steve Rogers carry the same banner and the same weight of effort to create a better nation. But according to the description for the upcoming fifth issue, Sam’s efforts could lead him into conflict with Wakanda and his protector.

Related: Captain America Confirms His Coolest Shield Ability In History

From a synopsis by Symbol of Truth #5 posted by League of Comic Geeks, the issue will feature “a confrontation between Captain America and Black Panther, with the fate of two countries at stake! And when the dust settles, who will pay the price for Sam Wilson’s foray into Wakanda?” So far symbol of truth has established that there is a movement called “Wakandan Forever” that is gaining momentum in major cities across the United States. This is an example of how Onyebuchi cleverly uses real-world events as story catalysts. On some level, it mimics the pop-cultural adoption of Black Panther’s cinematic battle cry. And more deeply, it draws inspiration from historic movements like black separatism, whose followers are known to advocate for the secession of black Americans in Africa. This move upsets Sam as he takes it as an indication that he is not the symbol he could be. So when there’s a possibility of criminals using vibranium on American soil, the right ingredients are in place for Sam to pay Golden City a visit. But Princess Shuri expressly forbade him or any American nationals to interfere, forcing Sam into hiding and leading him, inevitably, to a one-on-one with the Panther.

While Steve Rogers has fought Black Panther many times – he even faced T’Challa’s grandfather in the ’40s (and lost) – this will be the first time Sam has confronted him, at least since he took over. Technically, Wilson is a completely different fighter than Rogers. The core of his combat strategy is his adept aerial awareness. You could say his comfort in the air has limited his close combat skills, but the trade-off now is that he can throw a vibranium shield at 250 mph. Still, T’Challa is an experienced fighter who has seen Sam as an ally in battle for years and is known as one of the most brilliant tactical minds in the Marvel Universe. It doesn’t seem like adding wings is too drastic a variable for him to overcome.

The impact of the fight is already clear regardless of who wins. Sam will have gone directly against the wishes of a foreign government on little more than a hunch. Although he and Black Panther will probably discover the plan of the white wolf before long, Captain America may still have to respond to the nation of Wakanda for what he did.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #5 goes on sale September 28.

Source: League of Comic Book Geeks