The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Episode 4 Side Steps That Big Black Panther Question

The latest episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is here and featured the epic return of Black Panther's Dora Milaje. The fierce warriors of Wakanda came to collect Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) after Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) broke him out of prison. During a flashback, fans got a little glimpse of Bucky's time in Wakanda with Ayo (Florence Kasumba), who helped the former assassin move past the trigger words that turned him into the Winter Soldier. In addition to the Wakanda flashback, the episode featured an awesome scene with the Dora Milaje kicking ass and even a brief mention of Shuri (Letitia Wright). However, the episode made no mention of T'Challa/Black Panther, which means folks are still left wondering how Chadwick Boseman's death will be addressed in Black Panther 2.

Back in December, Marvel announced that they will not be replacing Boseman as the iconic hero, but they will continue with plans to make a Black Panther 2. "Black Panther 2 opening July 8, 2022, is being written & directed by Ryan Coogler. Honoring Chadwick Boseman's legacy & portrayal of T'Challa, @MarvelStudios will not recast the character but will explore the world of Wakanda & the rich characters introduced in the first film," Disney wrote on Twitter.

While Marvel fans were relieved to find out Boseman isn't being replaced, everyone is still curious how the movie will continue without its titular character. During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Ryan Coogler opened up about grieving Boseman.

"I didn't know what was going on," Coogler said. "I knew what he wanted me to know. I miss him in every way that you could miss somebody, as a friend, as a collaborator. And it sucks because I love watching movies, and I don't get to watch the next thing he would have made. So it's grief on a lot of levels, but then, it's a deep sense of gratitude because I can close my eyes and hear his voice." He added, "You've got to keep going when you lose loved ones. I know Chad wouldn't have wanted us to stop. He was somebody who was so about the collective. Black Panther, that was his movie. He was hired to play that role before anybody else was even thought of, before I was hired, before any of the actresses were hired."

While the world continues to mourn the loss of Boseman, the actor is the current frontrunner to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Black Panther and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are currently streaming on Disney+.