Everett K. Ross | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Ka-Zar #17 (September 1998) |
Created by | Kenny Martinez Christopher Priest |
In-story information | |
Full name | Everett Kenneth Ross |
Species | Human |
Place of origin | Earth |
Team affiliations | National Security Agency United States Department of State |
Supporting character of | Black Panther |
Everett Kenneth Ross is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Primarily an ally of superhero Black Panther, the character exists within Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.
Martin Freeman portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and the Disney+ series Secret Invasion (2023).
Everett Ross debuted in Ka-Zar Vol. 3, #17, and was created by Christopher Priest and Kenny Martinez. Afterward, Ross went on to be a major character in Black Panther Vol. 3, #1-32, #34-35, #38-49, #57-58, and #62. Ross subsequently appeared in issues #1-2, #4-6, #16, #19, #21-24, #26, and #37 of Black Panther Vol. 4, and issue #7 of Black Panther Vol. 5. Outside of Black Panther, Ross had a guest role in The Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1, #387.
According to creator Christopher Priest, Ross's personality was based on that of Chandler Bing, a character from the television series Friends , while the name was inspired by the Family Ties character Alex P. Keaton. [1] After introducing Ross in Ka-Zar, Priest chose to bring the character back in Black Panther for use as an audience surrogate who "saw Panther the way Panther had ultimately come to be seen by Marvel: Just Some Guy who was routinely overshadowed by heroes in which they were more invested". [2]
Priest further elaborated, "Comics are traditionally created by white males for white males. I figured, and I believe rightly, that for Black Panther to succeed, it needed a white male at the center, and that white male had to give voice to the audience's misgivings or apprehensions or assumptions about this character and this book. Ross needed to be un-PC to the point of being borderline racist"; and clarified, "I don't think Ross was racist at all. I just think that his stream-of-conscious narrative is a window into things I imagine many whites say or at least think when no blacks are around; myths about black culture and behavior. I was also introducing a paradigm shift to the way Panther was to be portrayed; somebody had to give voice to the expectation of a dull and colorless character who always got his butt kicked or who was overshadowed by Thor and Iron Man suddenly knocking out Mephisto with one punch". [3]
Everett Ross was a US State Department employee, whose job was to escort foreign diplomats on American soil. As a child, Ross was not well adjusted. Obese and unloved by his mother, he was constantly bullied with his most embarrassing memory being beaten up by a girl named Natalie McPhail. He eventually left home and turned his life around by working for the government. [4] His world changed forever when he was assigned to T'Challa, the Black Panther and ruler of Wakanda.
Everett and T'Challa faced multiple threats to Wakanda's sovereignty. Ross assists him in many of these threats. In gratitude, the Panther often risks much for Ross in return. The first threat he and Ross encounter is 'Xcon', an alliance of rogue intelligence agents backing a coup led by the Reverend Achebe. [5]
As an expert on Wakanda, Ross worked as an adviser alongside government officials and the National Security Agency. He was part of a meeting at the White House about Wakanda. [6]
Ross subsequently acts as a liaison for Shuri, the younger sister of Black Panther, during Shuri's first goodwill visit to the United States. When their convoy is attacked by assassins, Shuri saves Ross's life. [7]
The World Security Council later selects Ross to prosecute the tribunal of S.H.I.E.L.D. director Maria Hill. [8]
In an alternate future seen in the Black Panther storyline "The Once and Future King", an elderly Ross is abducted by a cabal of villains assembled by T'Charra, who intends to use Ross as the bait in his plan to kill and usurp Black Panther. [10] Ross is rescued by Black Panther, who he in turn saves when Black Panther suffers a heart attack, resuscitating the hero while screaming, "Your majesty—come back—blast you, T'Challa—we've been through too much!!" [11]
During the "Rising Storm!" story-arc of the series X-Men Forever, a version of Ross appears on Earth-161. After Storm is outed as a murderer and an ally of a criminal organization called the Consortium, she flees to and is given sanctuary by Wakanda, to the consternation of Ross. [12] Ross subsequently appears on behalf of the President of the United States at both the United Nations (where he warns the other representatives about the threat posed by Storm's takeover of Wakanda) and a meeting with the heads of Genosha and S.H.I.E.L.D. [13] [14]
Everett Ross appears in Black Panther (2011), voiced by David Busch.
Martin Freeman portrays Everett Ross in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This version was a member of the United States Air Force before joining the CIA and is the ex-husband of the latter's director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
Everett K. Ross appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 , [19] as part of the "Black Panther" DLC.
Vibranium is a fictional metal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, noted for its extraordinary abilities to absorb, store, and release large amounts of kinetic energy. Mined only in the kingdom of Wakanda, the metal is associated with the character Black Panther, who wears a suit of vibranium, and Captain America, who bears a vibranium/steel alloy shield. An alternate form of the material, known as Antarctic Vibranium, or Anti-Metal, has appeared in the Savage Land.
Black Panther is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist-coplotter Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 in the Silver Age of Comic Books. Black Panther's real name is T'Challa, and he is depicted as the king and protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Along with possessing enhanced abilities achieved through ancient Wakandan rituals of drinking the essence of the heart-shaped herb, T'Challa also relies on his proficiency in science, expertise in his nation's traditions, rigorous physical training, hand-to-hand combat skills, and access to wealth and advanced Wakandan technology to combat his enemies.
Wakanda, officially the Kingdom of Wakanda, is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the country first appeared in Fantastic Four #52. Wakanda is located in sub-Saharan Africa and has been depicted as being in East Africa. It is home to the superhero Black Panther.
T'Chaka is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the father of T'Challa and Shuri. He was the king of Wakanda and Black Panther before T'Challa; he inherited both titles following the death of his father, T'Chanda aka Azzuri the Wise.
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Achebe is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Christopher Priest and Mark Texeira, the character first appeared in Black Panther Vol. 3, #3. Achebe is a recurring enemy of the superhero Black Panther.
Black Panther is an American motion comic and television series by Marvel Knights Animation, based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name. It was the first animated television series produced by BET since Hey Monie!. Each of the six episodes of the series was 20 minutes in length.
Black Panther (Shuri) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Reginald Hudlin and artist John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in Black Panther vol. 4 #2. Shuri is the princess of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. She is the daughter of T'Chaka and younger sister of T'Challa, who is the king of Wakanda and the Black Panther, an earned title and rank given to the paramount chief of the nation.
Black Panther is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole, and it stars Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther alongside Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis. In Black Panther, T'Challa is crowned king of Wakanda following his father's death, but he is challenged by Killmonger (Jordan), who plans to abandon the country's isolationist policies and begin a global revolution.
The Dora Milaje are fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are a team of women who serve as special forces for the fictional African nation of Wakanda.
Nakia Shauku is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Christopher Priest and Mark Texeira, the character first appeared in Black Panther vol. 3 #1.
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White Wolf is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Christopher Priest and artist Mark Texeira, the character first appeared in Black Panther vol. 3 #4. Hunter is known under the codename White Wolf. He is the adopted brother of the superheroes T'Challa / Black Panther and Shuri. He is the leader of the Wakanda's secret police Hatut Zeraze. The character is an antihero who has been a mercenary and a defender of Wakanda at various points in his history.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a 2022 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Shuri / Black Panther. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Black Panther (2018) and the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole, the film stars Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther, alongside Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Angela Bassett. In the film, the leaders of Wakanda fight to protect their nation in the wake of King T'Challa's death.
T'Challa is a fictional character portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise—based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. He is initially depicted as the prince of the fictional African nation of Wakanda who holds the appointed title of Black Panther. He uses an advanced vibranium suit and is imbued with superhuman strength and agility granted to him by the heart-shaped herb, as a blessing bestowed upon him by Wakanda's patron deity Bast, from whom the visage of the Black Panther mantle assumed by the chosen royal members is representative and evocative of.
Shuri is a fictional character portrayed primarily by Letitia Wright in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, also inspired by the James Bond character Q. She is the courageous and tech-savvy younger sister of T'Challa, and the daughter of T'Chaka and Ramonda, all preceding monarchs of Wakanda. Highly intelligent and a master engineer, she is Wakanda's lead scientist and the princess of the country. Following her father's death, Shuri assists her brother in reclaiming the Wakandan throne from their cousin N'Jadaka and then helps remove Bucky Barnes's programming. Later, she assists the Avengers by attempting to use her technology to safely remove the Mind Stone from Vision's head. However, she gets stopped by Corvus Glaive and shortly after, falls victim to the Blip. After getting restored to life, she joins the battle against an alternate Thanos. Following her brother and mother's death, she becomes the new Black Panther, defeating Namor in combat and forming an alliance with Talokan against the rest of the world.
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