Vibranium (symbol)
Vibranium is the metal that Wakanda has inherited from a meteor that crashed thousands of years ago. It is a symbol of the power that lies hidden beneath the surface of this African nation, unknown to the rest of the world. By extension it is a symbol the technological resource advantage that Africa lacked during the age of colonial incursions by Europeans. The logic goes that if only Africa (and other victims of colonialism, for that matter) had the tools to even the odds against the Europeans, then the horrible exploitations of the continent could not have occurred. This is the fantasy of Wakanda: that one nation was able to do just that.
Airship (symbol)
The ship which Wakandans use to travel is representative of the ability to reach Wakanda, and its appearance in the film often signifies certain characters' access to that ability. In a literal sense, it is obviously the method of transportation to and from Wakanda. But it also holds a symbolic function. In the Oakland prologue, we see a young Killmonger looking up at the ship. He should have access to Wakanda, but he does not, and so the ship is far outside his reach. At the end of the film, T’Challa parks the ship on the ground in the same place, this time allowing the kids to get close and access it. It represents the new Wakandan policy of openness and inclusivity.
Killmonger's Scars (symbol)
Killmonger has numerous identical scars all over his body, which we see when he takes his shirt off. Each of the scars signify a life he has taken, people he has killed in order to get the chance to kill T'Challa. This symbol highlights the way in which violence has come to define his entire person and worldview. He literally alters his body to keep a record of the violence he has inflicted. It also underlines the fact that he has come to take pride and pleasure in his killings, beyond the simple satisfaction of accomplishing whatever objective required the killing.
Lip Tatoo (motif)
Killmonger and the War Dogs all have tattoos on the inside of their bottom lips that glow blue with vibranium. The tattoo is proof, a symbol that the person bearing it is a native to Wakanda and allowed into their kingdom. The recurring appearance of the lip tattoos is usually a surprise to the audience and to other characters in the film. When we first meet N’Jobu, we assume he is just an ordinary American. The glowing mark inside his mouth is a strange juxtaposition from this normal-seeming American man wearing normal American clothes and speaking the way a normal American speaks. This is the first in a series of culture clashes that shape the course of the film. When Killmonger reveals his own tattoo, it is a shock to Klaue (and to the audience, if we have not already guessed his identity). Killmonger too, presents entirely as American. The motif of these tattoos points to the uncertainty of surface identity, an important point of tension in the film.
Ancestral Plane (symbol)
The Ancestral Plane is representative of Wakandans’ privilege of being in touch with their ancestry. This is a privilege denied to Killmonger and most other diasporic Africans. The contrast between T’Challa’s and Killmonger’s versions of the ancestral plane demonstrates their differing relationships to Wakanda, even after Killmonger has ostensibly been accepted back into the country as king. T’Challa’s plane is wide open and filled with a multitude of his ancestors, whereas Killmonger’s is closed off and contains only N’Jobu’s spirit. Even when Killmonger rises to power in Wakanda, signs such as this indicate that he will never be truly accepted as one of them.
Fall from a great height (motif)
Several times in the film, we see T’Challa fall from a great height while being followed by a long tracking shot. First over Nigeria when fighting the militia, second when he is thrown from Warrior Falls by Killmonger, and third when he and Killmonger fall during their fight into the pit onto the train track. These falls represent different themes, but all signify important steps in T’Challa’s journey. The first precedes his quest to recover Nakia, who then teaches him a lesson about helping others. The second is when he has been defeated by Killmonger and quite literally brought to his lowest point (so that he can learn from it and rise again). Finally, the third is when he has returned from his lowest point and is genuinely ready to defeat Killmonger and be king.
Burial (motif)
Burial or references to burial are spread all throughout the film. T’Challa and Killmonger must both be temporarily buried in order to enter the Ancestral Plane and gain the power of the Black Panther. T’Challa mentions the fact that T’Chaka did not give N’Jobu “a proper burial” and Shuri says the same thing when she believes T’Challa is dead. And then of course we have Killmonger’s memorable request to be buried in the ocean (he notably chooses the word “bury,” even though that is technically not what a funeral at sea entails). This points to a few ideas. It emphasizes the connection to nature and the Earth in Wakanda, an idea often present in the film’s subtext if not explicitly talked about. It also shows the central importance of ritual and custom, even in death. This is important not just for the traditionalist Wakandans but for all of human civilization. There is a level of dignity granted by funeral ceremony which is not always available for people in trying circumstances, and so maintaining it becomes an important part of any community, whether prosperous or not.
