MCU: 25 most heartbreaking Marvel Cinematic Universe character deaths

Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER

L to R: Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman)

Photo: Matt Kennedy

©Marvel Studios 2018

13. Zuri

Movie it happened in: Black Panther

Why it was so heartbreaking: Killmonger had spent the majority of his life blaming T’Challa for his father’s death, but it all turned out to be a lie. We found out, along with T’Challa, that it was actually T’Chaka who had stabbed N’Jobu in the chest with the Black Panther claw.

However, Killmonger wasn’t ever supposed to know the truth. Because he didn’t get the truth, he reacted by taking over Wakanda and challenging T’Challa to a battle to the death. It was close to being the end for our Black Panther, but Zuri stepped in.

We’d spent the movie getting to know Zuri. As a former War Dogs member, he’d become loyal to the crown and T’Chaka’s shaman and secret-keeper. He continued to support the crown by helping T’Challa. Zuri’s death was just another stage of supporting the rightful King of Wakanda.

He never got the chance to share the full story to Killmonger, but he did have the chance to confess that he had a role in it. The idea was to protect T’Challa, but Killmonger wasn’t going to listen to reason. All he heard was that Zuri was partially to blame and he attacked, stabbing Zuri in the chest.

With everyone screaming or watching on in shock, we couldn’t help but feel heartbroken by Zuri’s death. Sure, we had a feeling it was going to happen, but he was such an important character and we wanted to see more, right?