“Eyes of Wakanda” Review: A Short and Sweet Snapshot of Wakanda’s History

Animated limited series Eyes of Wakanda blends Wakanda’s past and present with four action-packed episodes.

While many MCU fans are waiting for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Animation has provided fans with some more exciting action in the meantime with the limited animated series Eyes of Wakanda. The four-episode series provides different looks into various times of Wakanda’s history, showing the efforts of various agents to recover stolen vibranium and keep Wakanda hidden from the outside world. While the series is brief, each episode delivers action-packed missions and beautiful animation that make the series worth the binge.

Though the objective of recovering a stolen artifact remains a common throughline through each episode, the different settings, time periods, and obstacles keep the action fresh. The first episode, “Into the Lion’s Den,” is set in ancient Crete and follows Noni (Winnie Harlow), a disgraced member of the Dora Milaje who is tasked to redeem herself by stopping a rogue Wakandan agent calling himself “The Lion” (Cress Williams). The episode starts the series off with a bang, but it doesn’t feel like the episode’s use of its period and setting is quite as effective as the other chapters.

The second episode, “Legends and Lies,” is one of my favorites due to its interesting retelling of the classic story of the Trojan War. The episode’s agent, undercover as Memnon (Larry Herron), has infiltrated the Greek army and befriended Achilles (Adam Gold). During the famous Trojan Horse infiltration, Memnon uses the attack as a cover to retrieve the vibranium necklace worn by Helen of Troy (Joanna Kalafatis). The bond between Memnon and Achilles is an enjoyable dynamic, making the inevitable betrayal even more emotional. The blending of well-known history with the elements of the MCU brings more intrigue to Wakanda and its role in history.

Penultimate episode “Lost and Found” spends much of its time in Wakanda, as agent Basha (Jacques Colimon) unknowingly brings a stowaway back after stealing the head of a vibranium-tongued dragon statue from 1400s China. The stowaway turns out to be a version of Iron Fist (Jona Xiao), a woman who is tasked with guarding the dragon statue’s temple. The episode presents the interesting dilemma of what happens when a stolen artifact of one culture becomes a sacred artifact of another culture. Thankfully, the situation is resolved with everyone coming to an understanding, and Basha shows the most character growth of all of the series’ protagonists.

Eyes of Wakanda saves the best for last with a thrilling finale that ties into the version of Wakanda that we already know and love. “The Last Panther” follows a young prince Tafari (Zeke Alton) and his mentor Kuda (Steve Toussaint) who successfully complete their mission in 1896. They are visited by the last Black Panther (Anika Noni Rose), who has time-traveled from 500 years in the future to help save a desolate Wakanda that is being attacked by aliens.

The panther asks them to return the stolen artifact as it is the weapon that Killmonger will eventually steal and kick-start the events of the first Black Panther movie. T’Challa’s decision to open up Wakanda to the outside world will ultimately save Wakanda from its future destruction. It’s a nice way to tie the series into the movies, and the juxtaposition of Tafari and Kuda’s mission with the Black Panther’s last stand against the alien threat in the future are both powerful sequences to conclude the series.

Eyes of Wakanda effectively ties the history of Wakanda to its present in its four impactful episodes. There is a lot of potential to explore more of Wakanda’s history, both inside and outside of the nation, but the story of the series also works as a complete narrative. With a third Black Panther installment currently in development, there is still much more to see and learn about Wakanda.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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