The Marvel Cinematic Universe had arguably its best run of films during Phase 3, which had heavy-hitting classics introduced like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, and more. However, when it comes to pure pop culture significance, no film comes even close to the original Black Panther, which not only grossed well over a billion dollars at the box office but also just so happened to become the first-ever Marvel film to score a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. Suffice it to say, the film was a global phenomenon thanks to its enjoyable cast of characters, a willingness to explore real-world themes, and above all else, one of the MCU’s most unique, complex, and interesting locations. Even though the franchise has since expanded with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it’s abundantly clear that Wakanda as a whole is a setting ripe for more exploration. Now we’re finally getting that with Eyes of Wakanda — a brand-new animated anthology series that functions as a prequel to the Black Panther saga as well as a spiritual successor to Marvel’s What If…? Where that animated series couldn’t help but crumble under the weight of its own ambition, Eyes of Wakanda finds a great balance in four distinct stories that expand the world and history of the MCU’s best gem.
What Is ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ About?

Eyes of Wakanda tells the tale of four different points in history with four different Wakandan War Dogs — elite agents tasked with infiltrating the outside world and bringing home Wakandan artifacts. The first of the four follows a disgraced former Dora Milajae who seeks to earn her redemption by taking down a rogue Wakandan leader known as The Lion, who is now using the nation’s vast resources to conquer the international world. This episode is a strong start and a great tone-setter for the rest of the series, featuring a surprising amount of violence for an animated Marvel show (then again, this is the same studio behind X-Men ’97 Episode 5), and some engaging characters, particularly a standout villain. The next episode features a storyline that those looking forward to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey may greatly enjoy, as it follows a Wakandan fighting alongside famous Greek legends like Achilles and Odysseus during the Trojan War. The episode centers on the Wakandan’s relationship with one of those aforementioned heroes, and it’s one that’s wrought with tragedy and consequences. On a sheer emotional level, this second part hits the mark the best with a solid central narrative, and getting to see the Marvel Universe give a surprisingly grounded take on Greek history is a refreshing delight. The penultimate chapter of Wakanda Forever is arguably going to be the fan-favorite, as it features the reintroduction of a Marvel hero fans haven’t spent time with on-screen in almost a decade (albeit a different version of said character). A War Dog’s seemingly routine mission goes awry when they cross paths with the Immortal Iron Fist, who is tasked with protecting their homeland from threats both foreign and domestic. Not only does this particular episode have some of the best fight sequences in the series, but it also gives us one of the best takes on Iron Fist ever put to screen, hopefully setting the stage for a proper live-action return later down the line. Sadly, Eyes of Wakanda’s fourth and final episode is its weakest, which is a shame given how it functions as a more direct prequel to the original Black Panther film. Where the first three episodes manage to condense their engaging stories and impressive worldbuilding into a 30-minute format, this final episode’s time-travel shenanigans end up feeling like too much in too short an amount of time, plus it doesn’t really align with how time travel has been previously established within the MCU. It’s not a horrible finale by any means, but one that could have been better streamlined.
‘Eyes of Wakanda’s Lower Stakes Help the MCU Feel Bigger

Arguably, the biggest pitfall of Marvel’s What If…?, which started marvelously with some fascinating Multiverse stories, was how each season finale tried to haphazardly connect the mostly standalone shorts at the very end, which feels counterintuitive to the anthology format. Eyes of Wakanda certainly does have a thread that connects all four episodes, but it’s a thread that feels far more natural and intuitive. Rather than leading up to a big crossover finale, Eyes of Wakanda instead links each episode with small details, such as older versions of characters from previous episodes or appearances of prior artifacts. It’s a great testament to the idea that less is often more, and the smaller stakes of having everyday Wakandans searching for vibranium artifacts flesh the MCU out in a way many other MCU projects haven’t. Even though only one of the show’s episodes primarily takes place in Wakanda, seeing how the nation’s heroes explore various periods and locales adds a whole new wrinkle to its history. Eyes of Wakanda’s visuals are as solid as vibranium, with the diverse array of cultures on display all being represented. The series even wisely follows in the footsteps of Prey and takes into account the evolution of Wakanda’s technology. It’s all still advanced in comparison to each episode’s respective period, but also still feels naturally inferior to the developments in the Black Panther movies. Of course, the visuals also take into account the animation itself, which is overall decent. There are, however, sometimes moments when the characters move robotically, and the still-solid action sequences also boast movements that seem unusually slow. The visual aesthetic and top-notch character designs mostly make up for those shortcomings, and the gorgeous title sequence and epic musical score from Moon Knight composer Hesham Nazih are also worth shouting out.
The MCU Can Benefit From Smaller Anthology Shows Like ‘Eyes of Wakanda’

Image via Disney+

Recent MCU stories, particularly the ones from Disney+, all have the same consistent problem of trying to surpass their budget and scale with bigger stories and bigger stakes. This is understandable given how Marvel wanted their shows and their movies to be part of one big co-existing story, but the strategy clearly spread the MCU too thin. The new strategy of making more self-contained, smaller-scale tales is yielding results, with Agatha All Along, Daredevil: Born Again, and Ironheart all being successfully indicative of that. Taking that thesis even further, these short-format, bite-sized stories, like the special presentations of Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, also seem to be big hits. Eyes of Wakanda feels worthy of being included in that category, as it feels like a short, sweet, and simple addition to this expansive universe that’s easy for both hardcore and casual fans to jump into. The road to Black Panther 3 may be long, so hopefully, the new series will encourage Marvel to expand this part of the MCU even more. Eyes of Wakanda is streaming on Disney+ now.

Eyes of Wakanda

Eyes of Wakanda is a rock-solid expansion of the MCU that makes a strong case for more small-scale stories in the superhero world.

Release Date

2025 – 2025

Network

Disney+

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Terri Douglas

Additional Voices 1

Michael Woodley

Additional Voices 2

Pros & Cons

A non-intrusive approach to the anthology format.
Likable characters, including a great take on Iron Fist.
Great use of Wakanda’s culture and technology.
The first three episodes find a good pace with the half-hour format.

The fourth episode feels too packed.
Sometimes the animation is a bit robotic and stiff.