Okoye (character)

Last updated
Okoye
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Black Panther (vol. 3) #1
(November 1998)
Created by Christopher Priest (writer)
Mark Texeira (artist)
In-story information
Species Human
Place of origin Wakanda, Africa
Team affiliations Agents of Wakanda
Midnight Angels
Dora Milaje
Avengers
Supporting character of Black Panther
Abilities
  • Master martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant
  • Master tactician, strategist, and field commander

Okoye 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) #1 (November 1998). [1] Okoye is the General of the special forces for the fictional African nation of Wakanda called Dora Milaje. [2]

Contents

Danai Gurira portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and the Disney+ animated series What If...? (2021) in alternate timelines.

Publication history

Okoye debuted in Black Panther (vol. 3) #1 (November 1998), created by Christopher Priest and Mark Texeira. [3] She last appeared in Black Panther (vol. 3) #62 in 2003 until returning in Black Panther #171 (2018). [4] She appeared in the 2018 Amazing Spider-Man: Wakanda Forever one-shot, [5] the 2019 Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda series, [6] and the 2024 Ultimate Black Panther series. [7]

Fictional character biography

Okoye joined alongside her friend Nakia to be among T'Challa's wives-in-training. However, when Okoye discovered that T'Challa had no interest in marrying either of them, she immediately came to accept this. [8] She has since stood at T'Challa's side. Okoye accompanied T'Challa when he recruited Queen Divine Justice. [9] She was also with T'Challa when they tested Kasper Cole on whether he was worthy of the Black Panther garb. Okoye herself tested Kasper if he would stay with his pregnant girlfriend or leave her for Okoye. [10]

Okoye later appears as the director of the Agents of Wakanda. [11]

During the "Empyre" storyline, Okoye is among those who help battle the Cotati invasion. While on the Wakandan Helicarrier, she detects plant-based activity in the Savage Land. [12] She later assists the Thing, Shuri, and the Agents of Wakanda in fighting the Cotati when they breach Wakanda's forcefield. [13]

Powers and abilities

Okoye is highly skilled in multiple forms of combat, being the leader and General of the Dora Milaje. She is exceptional in using various Wakandan weaponry and tools, especially skilled in the use of spears. Okoye is a great tactician and military strategist. [14]

Reception

George Marston of Newsarama described Okoye as a standout character from the '90s, saying that Danai Gurira's portrayal of Okoye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has made her a household name, and concluding that her journey to stardom began in 1998 and continues to rise. [15] Deirdre Kaye of Scary Mommy called Sabra a "role model" and a "truly heroic" female character. [16] Thayer Preece of Comic Book Resources called Okoye a fan favorite character. [17]

Other versions

Earth-16220

An alternate universe variant of Okoye from Earth-16220 appears in Spidey: School's Out. [18]

Ultimate Universe

An alternate universe variant of Okoye from Earth-6160 appears in Ultimate Invasion . This version is a former Dora Milaje and T'Challa's wife. [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

In other media

Television

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Danai Gurira portrays Okoye in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. [28] This version is a general of the Dora Milaje and the wife of W'Kabi.

Video games

Miscellaneous

Related Research Articles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Panther (character)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Black Panther is a superhero 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 birth name is T'Challa, and he is the son of the previous Black Panther, T'Chaka. He is the king and protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, a technologically advanced society drawing from a supply of vibranium, a fictional metal of extraordinary properties. 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. The character became a member of the Avengers in 1968, and has continued that affiliation off and on in subsequent decades.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Man-Ape</span> Comics character

Man-Ape (M'Baku) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, the character first appeared in The Avengers #62. Man-Ape is depicted as a frequent adversary of the superhero Black Panther.

Bast is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an idol in Fantastic Four #52, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and is based on the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet. Bast is a member of the Heliopolitan and Wakandan pantheons. and the patron of 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Killmonger</span> Fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

Erik Killmonger is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Don McGregor and Rich Buckler, he first appeared in Jungle Action #6. The character is commonly depicted as a skilled hunter and mercenary born in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, who holds a grudge against the country and its people after his biological parents were killed when he was young. Raised outside of Wakanda, he eventually returns as a revolutionary leader and terrorist to exact his revenge, and repeatedly challenges the nation's king and protector, Black Panther, who becomes his most prominent adversary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuri (character)</span> Fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

Black Panther / Aja-Adanna (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.

<i>Black Panther</i> (film) 2018 Marvel Studios film

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett K. Ross</span> Fictional character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dora Milaje</span> Fictional team of female characters within the Marvel universe

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.

<i>World of Wakanda</i> Comic book spin-off of Marvels Black Panther

Black Panther: World of Wakanda is a comic book series and a spin-off from the Marvel Comics Black Panther title. It published six issues before being canceled. The series was primarily written by Roxane Gay, with poet Yona Harvey contributing a story to the first issue. Alitha E. Martinez drew the majority of the art for the series, for which Afua Richardson contributed cover art to the first five issues, as well as art for a short story in the first issue. Gay and Harvey became the first two black women to author a series for Marvel; counting Martinez and Richardson, upon its debut the series itself was helmed entirely by black women. Ta-Nehisi Coates served as a consultant for the series.

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.

<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i> 2022 Marvel Studios film

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T'Challa (Marvel Cinematic Universe)</span> Character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuri (Marvel Cinematic Universe)</span> Character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?</span> 6th episode of the 1st season of What If...?

"What If... Killmonger Rescued Tony Stark?" is the sixth episode of the first season of the American animated television series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It explores what would happen if the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films Iron Man (2008) and Black Panther (2018) occurred differently, with Erik "Killmonger" Stevens enacting a secret plan to enter Wakanda that involves saving and befriending Tony Stark. The episode was written by story editor Matthew Chauncey and directed by Bryan Andrews.

The Marvel Comics character Black Panther has appeared in various other media since his debut in Fantastic Four #52. A live-action feature film starring Chadwick Boseman as the character and directed by Ryan Coogler was released in 2018, with Boseman also appearing as the character other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) including Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.

References

  1. ↑ Horne, Karama (November 19, 2022). "'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' hints at a Dora Milaje story that could have been". Mashable . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  2. ↑ Searcy, Malcolm (February 19, 2024). "Black Panther Has a New Wife in Marvel Comics (and She's a Jaw-Dropping MCU Hero)". Screen Rant . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  3. ↑ Dodge, John (April 20, 2024). "Ultimate Black Panther's Queen of Wakanda Faces Off Against an MCU Icon". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  4. ↑ Erao, Matthew (March 28, 2018). "Black Panther's Okoye Jumps from Movie to Marvel Comics". Screen Rant . Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  5. ↑ Kelly, Autumn Noel (March 16, 2018). "'Black Panther's Dora Milaje Get Their Own Comics". Newsweek . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  6. ↑ Weiss, Josh (June 17, 2019). "This September, 'Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda' Unite". Marvel.com . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  7. ↑ Adams, Timothy (May 22, 2024). "Ultimate Black Panther Forms a Super Team to Take Down Moon Knight". ComicBook.com . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  8. ↑ Black Panther (vol. 3) #11. Marvel Comics.
  9. ↑ Black Panther (vol. 3) #25. Marvel Comics.
  10. ↑ Black Panther (vol. 3) #62. Marvel Comics.
  11. ↑ Avengers (vol. 8) #12. Marvel Comics.
  12. ↑ Empyre: Avengers #1. Marvel Comics.
  13. ↑ Empyre #3. Marvel Comics.
  14. ↑ Lovett II, Walter (November 30, 2022). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Okoye In The Black Panther Comics". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  15. ↑ Marston, George (June 17, 2021). "The top Marvel Comics character debuts - 1990 to 1999". Newsarama . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  16. ↑ Kaye, Deirdre (November 16, 2020). "Looking For A Role Model? These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic". Scary Mommy . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  17. ↑ Preece, Thayer (April 25, 2024). "10 Marvel Women Who Could Kickstart A New Heroic Age". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  18. ↑ Spidey: School's Out #3-4. Marvel Comics.
  19. ↑ Ultimate Black Panther #1. Marvel Comics.
  20. ↑ Ultimate Black Panther #2. Marvel Comics.
  21. ↑ Ultimate Black Panther #3. Marvel Comics.
  22. ↑ Ultimate Black Panther #4. Marvel Comics.
  23. ↑ Ultimate Black Panther #7. Marvel Comics.
  24. ↑ Christopher Yost (writer) (October 15, 2010). "Welcome to Wakanda". Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes . Season 0 (micro-series). Episode 17. Disney XD.
  25. ↑ Goldman, Eric (May 11, 2018). "Watch the First 'LEGO Marvel Super Heroes – Black Panther: Trouble in Wakanda' Short". Marvel.com . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  26. 1 2 "Okoye Voices (Black Panther)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 16, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
  27. ↑ George, Joe (May 15, 2024). "X-Men '97 Episode 10's Ending Cameos Just Set Up a Huge Season 2 Story". Den of Geek . Retrieved 2024-08-07.
  28. ↑ Strom, Marc (July 23, 2016). "SDCC 2016: Marvel's 'Black Panther' Confirms Additional Cast". Marvel.com . Archived from the original on July 24, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  29. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (June 14, 2017). "'The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira Starring In 'Avengers: Infinity War'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  30. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (March 14, 2019). "Marvel updates Avengers: Endgame poster to include Danai Gurira's name". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on March 18, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  31. ↑ "What If...? Production Brief" (PDF). Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution. July 30, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  32. ↑ Bonomolo, Cameron (July 26, 2019). "Black Panther 2: Danai Gurira Confirms Return as Okoye". ComicBook.com . Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  33. ↑ Dornbush, Jonathon (13 February 2018). "LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 Black Panther DLC Revealed". IGN . Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  34. ↑ Marling, Chris (December 14, 2023). "Marvel Puzzle Quest tier list - Best heroes". Pro Game Guides . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  35. ↑ "Marvel Games Celebrates Black History Month with New Mobile Updates". Marvel.com . February 2, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Marvel Future Fight Unleashes 'What If… Zombies?!' Content Update". Cosmic Book News. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  37. ↑ Lovett, Jamie (June 10, 2019). "Marvel Avengers Black Panther and the Illuminati HeroClix Unboxing". ComicBook.com . Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Atomic Mass Games Unveils 'Marvel Crisis Protocol Miniatures Game'". ICv2 . August 4, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  39. ↑ "Black Panther and Okoye Join Disney Cruise Line's Marvel Day at Sea". Marvel.com . November 30, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.