Black Panther: 10 fun facts that will blow your mind

5. Nakia

She might have been T’Challa’s lover in Black Panther, but Nakia’s comic book counterpart is different from the character seen on the big screen. If you think Nakia in the film was a badass, she’s even more so in the comics, but not in a good way.

In the comics, Nakia is still a lover of T’Challa, though she uses him for her own personal gain. She served as a member of the Dora Milaje. Because of her villainous streak, she got kicked out of the group after she didn’t kill Monica Lynne, the Black Panther’s love interest and denied committing the deed. However, she wasn’t always bad. She is later converted to evil by Killmonger. It’s here that she takes the name Malice, and her wickedness doesn’t go away. We think it’s safe to assume the main villain in this situation is a terrible influence.

Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Nakia, said in interviews the character would be different from the comic version, calling her a “departure.” Even the film’s director, Ryan Coogler, stated that the film’s version of Nakia was based on celebrated abolitionist and political leader Harriet Tubman. And this writer personally likes the new Nakia better than the old one.