Analyzing Evil: N'Jdaka Erik "Killmonger" Stevens From Black Panther

[@michaelkaduck1915]

"A child not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth."

[@leehustlewest6219]

The force is strong in this vibration of words that egnight fire within us all

[@Katkayz]

His has parallel Shaka Zulu

[@kingtech7917]

I'd love to save this comment or share it on my social media

[@darthsidious7612]

We was kangz

[@dariuswilliams7509]

​@@darthsidious7612 We waz apez

[@SeseOB2003]

I liked how he returned in Wakanda forever, it was nice that he wasn’t forgotten and his impact was emphasised.

[@peropero2307]

U still watch that trash?

[@beloved-child]

Haven't watched it...but he..."returned"? How? In a coffin with his eyes closed and a mute?

[@Nicholas_Chen_]

He probably is somewhat like Ivan the Terrible in wakanda history the worst rebel and tyrant of that nation’s history but part of its history nevertheless

[@sia6045]

@@beloved-child Did you forget where the black panthers go when they die?

[@HILAL19564]

That might be the best scene from wakanda forever cause the rest was Trash capital T

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

The fallacy with Killmonger's approach was that he didn't want to liberate, he wanted to simply flip the dynamic, the oppressed would become the new oppressors. We see this in both Black Panther and What If where his actions and hostility are as self destructive to those on his side as to his enemies. It's revenge, nothing more.

[@3rdEyeMangekyoRinnegan]

Honestly Caucasians collectively are long past due for their comeuppance

[@petarmilich8684]

@@3rdEyeMangekyoRinnegan you’re part of the problem.

[@EnmityTemplar]

Lol damn right he did. No liberation without oppression. The ruling class WILL be oppressed so that the working class and the colonized liberate themselves. There's no "problem" with this. Class struggle has always resulted from violent resistance and one class destroying the next class to become the ruling class.

[@jedd.0322]

@@3rdEyeMangekyoRinnegan racist loser

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

@@3rdEyeMangekyoRinnegan curious takeaway, would you say the Irish, Poles, Czechs, Armenians, and Slavs all deserve 'comeuppance' for their race despite being historically oppressed peoples? Do Asian ethnicities deserve 'comeuppance' for Mongolian near extermination of the Rus, Chinese oppression of Nanman or Japanese decimation of Korea other peoples at various historical times? Do Native Americans deserve comeuppance for wars or oppression against other tribes? Do Sudanese, Nigerian or Congolese peoples deserve comeuppance for the actions of the Zulu against the other Bantu offshoots and the Bush people? Do you begin to see the fallacy of defining punishment based on racial makeup and how using such line of thought will just continue to perpetrate a cycle of violence and oppression as old as the human species.

[@destructor3152]

A friend of mine described him as "the man who wants to fight the man with the whip so he can take over as the man with the whip".

[@kingelijah8049]

Perfect description.

[@nont18411]

Similar to Koba

[@vanguardian2864]

The funny thing is nobody’s whipping him or his people. He’s not oppressed.

[@GreatUniter]

@@vanguardian2864 Eh I disagree. He is a member of an ethnic group that is that bottom of the U.S racial caste system.

[@afrosamourai400]

@@vanguardian2864 yeah and racism is not real right? lmfao 400 years of slavery, 150 years of segregation but he's not oppressed right?

[@sarahr9894]

Something that always stuck with me is his final words, after T'challa offers him help, the option to be healed by them, and he turns it down, knowing this would be a debt owed to them. He says "Bury me in the ocean, with my ancestors that jumped from the ships, because they knew death was better than bondage." Which is incredibly tragic. Apparently the line was written with input from Chadwick Boseman, may he rest in peace.

[@Meng776]

This video calls this dude a psychopath when he's clearly the relatable one. If you hate this dude, you hate America.

[@fearedgenius7020]

"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

[@revariox189]

But isn't that the goal of life? To become that monster and to live in that Abyss. At least for a while to surpass them. Or to simply be one with the Darkness that is a choice left to each individual. i would hope that transcending it is the goal and to transcend one needs to fully experience first.

[@lavellelee5734]

​@@revariox189hmmm

[@Rodell-pj1yj]

​@@revariox189yes

[@dennisyoung4631]

“…while plumbing its deaths…”

[@noneya1238]

You guys always say this when someone is trying to get your white foot off their neck. So white people fight with no remore, but everyone who fights back must show humanity.

[@captainvader921]

I remember a lot of people saying that Killmonger should come back in Wakanda Forever, and I didn't want that to happen. I mean, not only would it be another example of "death doesn't matter", but I felt like his ending was perfect. But I didn't consider seeing him in the Ancestral Plane, and that was a nice loophole to bring him back, while still respecting his death.

[@assassincreed2087]

It just amazes me that even in death he was emotionally unavailable due to his life experiences

[@Gorys64]

“The noblest kind of retribution is not to become like your enemy” - Marcus Aurelius

[@tristancruz6342]

Fax

[@keinadavis100]

Im wonder if that same logic was used by the Romans when they razed Carthage. Oh...and they salted the earth.

[@Gorys64]

@@keinadavis100 The Romans razed Carthage in the spring of 146, Marcus Aurelius succeeded his adoptive father Antoninus Pius in 161 BC my guy

[@lowlsqwid]

@@Gorys64 you mean AD for Marcus Aurelius. Rome raised carthage in 146BCE and Marcus Aurelius took the throne in 161CE.

[@Gorys64]

@@lowlsqwid right, sorry I always get those confused lol

[@ajtaylor8750]

What a choice for Analyzing Evil. Killmonger is the perfect type of villain similar to Thanos where he believes that his actions are completely justified and are for the greater good of his people, but also someone you feel deep sympathy for because of how his life was stolen from him. All that rage and anger leads to him committing some truly heinous and outright evil acts and Michael B. Jordan is just captivating everytime he's on screen in the film.

[@firstlast9846]

He literally plays himself - his roles don’t differ that much from each other in performance

[@MrKeepItGoing]

@@firstlast9846 Yeah, definitely a lie. Clearly you haven’t seen many of his roles. Fruitvale Station, The Wire, Red Tails, and Chronicle are all very different from each other.

[@sabir1208]

@@firstlast9846 I agree. I think a better actor would have played the role much differently and better. His performance seemed contrived to me.

[@Reese91momo]

@@firstlast9846go watch fruitville station then return here and delete this stupid ass comment…

[@firstlast9846]

Help Em’ - he’s never given a performance which is drastically different from his mannerisms or speech in interviews.. he just plays extensions of himself - and not the character

[@ericemanwu]

One thing I have come to appreciate about this series is that it's not just about the character. By looking at their ways and desires, you don't just summarize their arc or their actions. In a way, you're also trying to show why they're wrong and how things could be better. For in your analyzing evil, you're also discussing how to be good. And that's great.

[@darin7150]

@ericemanwu Yes!!! For the short time I have been tuning into this series, “Analyzing Evil”, I really love the profound advice that’s left for the audience… An evil character added with a mislead desire to handle the most drastic problems in the world equals a character, who ultimately could have been a wonderful protagonist had they been imposed with a sincere sense of actually virtue when they were young!!!👏🏽🤵🏽🎩✨

[@chaizaeng9653]

killmonger is one of those rare villains that is so impactful that he leaves an ever lasting impact on how the heroes would from then on change their behaviour. My favourite scene from the first Black Panther movie is the scene in which Tchaka visits the ancestral plane for the second time and visits his father again. Only for him to then call out his father and his entire ancestral line for being isolationist and not helping the world with Wakanda's vast resources. That's change which is caused solely through the impact that Erik left behind. Incredible villain

[@lokenontherange]

Killmonger didn't want to help the world. He wanted to either slaughter or dominate it based on racial grounds.

[@afrosamourai400]

Eric was an incredible villain, the best marvel villain i think

[@badluck5647]

Marvel movies have terribly boring villains. Killmonger, Loki, and Thanos are the very few exceptions.

[@afrosamourai400]

@@badluck5647 ultron was pretty good too..

[@badluck5647]

@@afrosamourai400 Respectfully disagree

[@SaurianStudios1207]

Interesting villain choice, it’s amazing that you covered Killmonger on the exact fifth anniversary of Black Panther (2018)‘s release. Magneto (X-men series based on the marvel comics character) would be a great villain to cover as both Erik Killmonger (MCU) and Magneto are quite similar. Both purse ideological goals that challenge the hero’s worldview, both believe that what they are doing is for the greater good of their race despite how deplorable their actions are, and both are quite sympathetic as they went through a tragic upbringing of losing a family member(s), shaping them into the misanthropic, yet complex and determined individuals we seen in their respective series.

[@afrosamourai400]

Both are called erik too lol, but magneto never impacted how xavier thought unlike killmonger who changed tchalla.

[@Sumschmuck]

Only difference is that Megneto has a more justified reason to possess his hatred

[@dansmith1661]

@@Sumschmuck Those people are long gone and for a very different reason and Magneto wanted to wipe out most of humanity because they are lesser people, much like the Talmudists are doing.

[@chanson8508]

Magneto is loosely based off of Malcolm X (while Prof X is MLK) so yea, this fits 👍🏽

[@wrestlinganime4life288]

​@Sumschmuck so does killmonger

[@loworochi]

Damn it’s already 5 years? Black Panther was a great movie. Love Killmonger was such a badass. Speaking of vengeance you should do a video on Sasuke Uchiha from the Naruto Franchise

[@afrosamourai400]

And eren fuckin jaeger..with sieg jaeger too.

[@zzodysseuszz]

Imagine thinking this train wreck of a movie was good. Shit was poorly written, had a completely garbage villain that somehow people thought was sympathetic, tried to market to black people in America by depicting Africa is such a borderline racist perspective that even Africans mocked, then calls people racist for not watching it.

[@doctordiscord1399]

I always find it funny that, upon siezing the throne, he ends his plans with the saying "The sun will never set on the Wakandian empire", pretty much adopting the same imperialist slogan the British empire used to justify their colonial conquests of superiority. Really goes to show what he thought racial justice was to him. And on the subject of villains, may i suggest either King Ghidorah or Big Jack Horner?

[@iamdebaby8152]

That's the point of the character. He had good intentions but a evil plan.

[@revariox189]

He was also raised (like most of us) in a society that reflects exactly that colonialism mentality. It is rare (but not unseen) that people don't do the same mistakes that were done to them. It's not excusing, it is explaining. I personally do not think his plan is wrong. But that may be because I am one of the opressed... It seems pretty obvious that we all want a life where we can have all we NEED to live and be able to pursue what our dreams/passion are. It is also obvious that ressources to do that are hoarded by certain people and the redistribution of wealth is not the way it could/should be knowing the capabilities we have as Human species. We (and by that I mean those in power and us for our complaisance and lack of action) are responsible for this state of affair. We do not care, we individually want more money to have more (percieved or real) power. Power to purchase, power to influence power to impose our own will. etc. Point is, we live in a society where poor people clearly have to be more...violent simply for the sake of their own survival. And sometimes, it is trough violence that one is able to gain a better life. Didn't get to leave Oakland by joining military and special forces? As long as you do violence for the "right" cause then it is justified and glorious. But when done to elevate ones self it is now an abomination?? As per revenge, well that is simply the natural response to anyone in such a situation. US justice system is built on exactly that, punitive justice instead of educative/integrative. We want criminals to suffer for the sufferance they infliced upon our loved ones. I am still awaiting the day where I will see him as Evil. But then again, I also highly understand and think John Doe's mission was not wrong.

[@ElPresidenteMargz]

@@revariox189 so you wanna commit genocide .. cool .

[@lavellelee5734]

​@@revariox189very interesting comment 😂 that and I feel like it's a perfect 180, the very saying used by his enemies will be the slogan for when he takes over the world

[@Exxperiment626]

That's called and eye for eye mentality, or giving the Euro-Neanderthals a taste of their own medicin. Killmongerwasjustified#

[@BrandoCalrissian82]

I’d love to see an episode about Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin from Dare Devil starring Vincent D’Onofrio.

[@samuelebincoletto637]

So do i.

[@an-animal-lover]

​​@@samuelebincoletto637 Me too

[@RizztrainingOrder]

Fascinating character, I find it wild that he and Nakia essentially had the EXACT same goals but how they went about achieving those goals is what separates the labels applied to them.

[@afrosamourai400]

Human nature only react to drama and violence..erik used violence so it forced wakanda to move..

[@blacksuede]

Excellent choice

[@DarthDesolous]

Your depiction of Erik Killmonger in the movie Wakanda was spot on, and I’ve thought the same thing when I saw the movie five years ago and then I’ve seen it a plethora of times after the original screening of it. I just remember that plane leaving at the beginning, and just knowing what it happened that that would shape his whole entire life and it did. It looks like the only positive people in his life for people trying to use him for a means to an end as far as the military industrial complex, and then for his own gain, with the throne of Wakanda. Nobody actually loved Eric other than his father. When his father died, there was no one left on this earth that loved Eric. Now that’s not shown in the movie but it’s prevalent in his actions. He had a girlfriend and he lasted over her, but he didn’t love her. He loved one person in this world, and that was his father that died at the hands of his brother. And the brother left an orphan child on the streets of Oakland California in a time, where that was no place for an abandoned child. No place is suitable for an abandoned child but back in the 80s in Oakland California that surely wasn’t a good place for a child. The movie didn’t fill in the gaps of what happened to them from there, but you could only imagine the environment he was in to make him more of a hateful person till he was 19 years old and entered the military

[@bartolomeestebanmurillo4459]

Erik's pain and his justifications for his malice made him a compelling villain. Ultimately, he let the darkness within win because, at the end of the day, he sought to make the whole world feel his pain and anger. He exemplifies the quote, "When you fight monsters, see that you do not become one in the process."

[@dylantortosa7678]

You should cover "A.M." from I have No Mouth and Must Scream, next. Undeniably evil beyond evil

[@hardyharharv]

YES!

[@artsafact_official]

I don’t even know what that is but yes

[@sabir1208]

Hell yeah. Love that story

[@vanillakilla64]

YES!! Such a good choice!

[@N_o196]

100%

[@doctorheck2186]

You should cover The Gang from Always Sunny In Philadelphia!! It's all played for comedy but the amount of shit they've done and the amount of people they've hurt through their collective self-absorption, there's no way they are anything short of evil

[@Karlwasright]

Agreed

[@gingaddict]

Isn’t that like saying the Seinfeld gang are evil because of all they’ve done?

[@doctorheck2186]

@@gingaddict With the Seinfeld gang there's always a sense that the harm they do is unintentional and incidentally exacerbated. Just about every character is fairly exaggerated. It never feels mean. Whereas with Always Sunny it's incredibly clear to the audience how sociopathic and narcissistic and mean-spirited they are. The side-characters are portrayed realistically and reacting perfectly within reason to the horrible things the gang subject them to. Seinfeld feels careless. Always Sunny feels evil.

[@rd0676]

@@doctorheck2186 just look at what they did to cricket. He had a whole career as a priest and when they’re done with him he’s living on the street

[@sedrickyudo1077]

Yeah those mofos are 100% evil lol. The only thing stopping them from being full blown killers is ironically the fact that they achieve nothing when they hangout, and they hangout all the time. Even then one of them is still implied to be a serial killer 😂

[@danielmoloney7465]

Killmonger might be my favourite MCU villain so far with being incredibly sympathetic and understandable with everything he does and wants. Michael B. Jordan did an amazing job as the character and made him so sympathetic.

[@lokenontherange]

Dude is literally just black hitler.

[@mv1334]

Fantastic choice. Killmonger is a complex character and easily one of very best & most intriguing MCU villains. I honestly thought Michael B. Jordan had a great shot of getting at least nominated a Golden Globe or SAG (I mean he did as part of the ensemble but not for best supporting actor). I still think he should’ve easily gotten nominated for Fruitvale Station & Creed. Anyways, i’ve been requesting Villanelle played by Jodie Comer in Killing Eve over the years. I hope you finally see my request now that the show ended last year. A psychopathic international assassin. Charismatic, (one of the most interesting, charismatic, hilarious yet cold-blooded villains i’ve seen not just on tv but in general in recent memory), interesting , hilarious (yes, she’s very funny & witty but that comes with the show & her character, she’s flexible though, she has a lot of dark moments and despite it’s witty humor, it’s still a drama show) yet cold-blooded & enjoys her kills. Such a fascinating character. Such a difficult role to pull off but Jodie Comer pulls it off and gives such an amazing performance in that role.

[@jasongreathouse6661]

Another great one I think that has a large amount of background that could make a great video. Nina Myers from “24” a traitor who believes in nothing making her lethal in every way.

[@Z0mbieShock]

Shane from The Walking Dead, I'd be interested in your take on him. There doesn't seem to be enough video essays on him despite being one of the most controversial and defended characters I've ever seen even to this day. When the show first came out he was all everyone I knew talked about for months on end

[@ridensroom6957]

I do love the theories about whether Shane would do better than Rick against the next villains he would face

[@arlwithac9285]

@@ridensroom6957 Shane would’ve definitely gotten them all killed way earlier in the show. While Rick can be reckless by either ignorance (s1-3) or pride (s6), he is usually able to keep his emotions in check. Shane is way too hotheaded and stubborn and he most certainly would’ve gotten them killed based on his attack first ideology.

[@afrosamourai400]

Why is he defended?

[@Z0mbieShock]

@@afrosamourai400 I don’t wanna sit here and endlessly play devils advocate for Shane again but there’s a case to be made that he was adapting to the apocalypse at 10x the speed Rick did and was already proving to be a solid leader before Rick showed up, and most of Shane’s issues come from Rick swooping in and taking everything from him and Shane just wanting to get a 1up or get back at Rick. If Rick died at the hospital then Shane could have theoretically, if given Ricks amount of development time, grown to be an unstoppable force (like a Negan without ego and taking no chances). Obviously come mid s2 he was so mindbroken and psychotic that he was never coming back to normal, so any argument that s2 Shane would do well if he had beaten Rick crumbles pretty easily

[@sedrickyudo1077]

@@Z0mbieShock I never thought about that, and thats a great point. Yes Shane was psychotic but we didnt know that till later, so we're seeing a Season 3-4 Rick in Shane when Rick first meets up with the group.

[@jedisquidward]

The way that you discuss these characters illuminates new dimensions to them. Though we're used to seeing villains as a collection of scenes opposite the main character, the way that you discuss them and give them their own spotlight to look at their psychology is marvelous. I would be honored if one day you discussed a villain I'm currently writing... I think you may like him.

[@samuelebincoletto637]

Here's a few suggestions i'd like to give you for the next episodes: - Wilson Fisk from Netflix's Daredevil. - Ozai from Avatar: The Last Airbender (i know you already covered Azula but i think Ozai is worth notice given that he made Azula into a monster). - Chucky from the Child's Play saga. - Michael Myers from 2018's Halloween and it's sequels (Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends). - Lucy from Elfen Lied (both anime and manga). - Jinx from Arcane. - Mother Gothel from Tangled. - Liquid Snake from Metal Gear Solid. - Pablo Escobar from Narcos (with also the comparision with his counterpart in real life).

[@damianstarks3338]

Yes yes and yes this video is long overdue Killmonger is one of the most iconic/sympathetic villains in the MCU. Plus your analysis is spot on and deep.

[@cappycapulet4700]

Sympathetic in the same way Hitler was.

[@damianstarks3338]

@@cappycapulet4700 no that is not what I meant.

[@fransesco97]

​@@cappycapulet4700 Comparing Killmonger to Hitler is insane. You need to get educated on Hitler and white supremacy and colonialism. It's a shame they didn't teach you that in school.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@cappycapulet4700 LOL that's clearly not what he meant.

[@01l219-m]

@@damianstarks3338 But killmonger is basically black Hitler.

[@julesvox]

He's still my favorite MCU character. Especially in that scene at the British museum

[@lennyhampel2274]

Easily one of the top 3 best written characters of the whole mcu. Fantastic video aswell!

[@joncarr1200]

Him, Loki, and Thanos. Easily.

[@brandonmoss7976]

@@joncarr1200 Loki is an anti-hero

[@straburyred]

Actually, Loki crosses the line of anti-hero and anti villain frequently.

[@joncarr1200]

@@brandonmoss7976 he was a villain the first Thor and Avengers

[@afrosamourai400]

Killmonger, magneto and thanos are really good villains..

[@ColdPieceCH]

Great pick. Honestly surprised nobody has requested it yet.

[@grimmettcleaningservices7003]

I've been watching your channel for about a year now, love your content. As of 43 year old African American man, I was definitely excited to see this episode. You hear everyone say that killmonger is a complicated villain, and I just knew you would give a breakdown of his evil the explanation and respect it deserves. Killmonger's story is definitely a great lesson in letting go of the past, or risk it consuming you and becoming evil. Great job again man! :-)

[@alexandermccabe429]

I think that it's crazy that people always forget that Killmonger wanted to commit Genocide.

[@sabir1208]

Right and ppl really saying he not a villain💀

[@vanguardian2864]

It speaks volumes of the propaganda through our corporations, media, and higher education. All that needs to go.

[@firstlast9846]

I find it weird how the movie gives all these lectures on black culture - then has T’Challa’s main ally be *THE FUCKING CIA* 😂

[@AmandaTroutman]

Killmonger is part of a cycle vengeance where genocide is the catalyst action. So instead of a murder for murder, it's genocide for genocide. I think a lot of people can relate to wanting vengeance and wrestling with it being justified but as the saying goes "an eye for an eye makes thge whole world blind". Even if we the audience can sympathize with his pain, we, unlike the character have the mercy of distance and perspective. Killmonger didn't want genocide, we can see, but rather alleviation for his pain which he attributed to purely to white supremacy. We are left to ask then "what did Erik need to find true healing?"

[@lapislazuli5035]

A lot of people seem have trouble accepting that you can have a noble purpose or make good points and still be a villain. There are millions of Killmongers throughout history. Revolutionarys who tried to fight against capitalism or colonialism, but also were completely OK with genocide, or oppressing LGBT people, or whatever. Nobody should be put on a pedestal.

[@jaydonwil1604]

Thank you for the video !! I'm from Oakland and have lived here the majority of my life. I remember going to downtown to see the first black panther and when Oakland was seen it received a round of applause. We love when anybody even mentions us !!

[@judeannethecandorchannel2153]

Excellent Series! There is nothing i would add or subtract from this portrait of Kilmonger. I'm a writer and KZbinr too but I don't think I could summon my creativity every time there's a request or anniversary. That's a professional level of creative achievement. I come back to this series again and again. It always gives my mind something besides myself to gnaw on. So much food for thought...

[@donaldsimmons4526]

As an average African American raised in Oakland during the late 80s and 90s, it wasn’t that bad at all. Most of the violence and crime was regulated to one area (still is). The rest of the city was cool as hell. From looking at the movie, looks like Eric grew up in the Acorn projects in West Oakland. Poor area but not as dangerous as East Oakland (70s and 80s block)

[@vanguardian2864]

They had to give Killmonger those victim points through lying just to make a racial genocidal monster seem sympathetic

[@adekaiwamisou]

At least he didn't look further into the history of slavery in africa. When he was done with america, who knows what he'd have done to the great slave empires of africa and the middle east in pursuit of his blind venegance.

[@lapislazuli5035]

Yep. Oakland had bad parts like any big city, but this is dude acting like it was a warzone, lol.

[@walrusArmageddon]

@@adekaiwamisou eh, we can blame the people who hunted slaves and those who bought them, we don't blame the victims though. We get pissed at germany for invading poland but we don't get pissed at poland and europe as a whole, that's generalizing europe and unfair. If your gonna be made at an african empire, you might as wellsay exactly what empire in africa and where it is(was) in africa

[@adekaiwamisou]

@@walrusArmageddon The kingdoms of Benin and Dahomey were great exporters of slaves, the Masai were feared slave traders and the Ottoman empire stretched through the entire northern part of Africa, all the way to Gibraltar, not to mention their east coast colonies. Those from teh top of my head. Slavery in africa was a lot more complicated than invaders taking slaves away, be they from east or west. Never blame the victims but sadly, I imagien when killmonger would find out about the equally, if not more, brutal slave trade of the east and what certain african coutnries did to slaves, he'd probably be on a much more fierce warpath.

[@Xehanort10]

5:14 When he talks to his dad in the spirit world it shows him as a kid for a few seconds so mentally he's still an angry kid lashing out at the world.

[@kadajsnightqueen]

I always feel sorry for characters like this. Killmonger had the deck stacked so badly against him, there was practically no chance of him ever getting out of his childhood unscathed. But he gave in to the darkness instead of letting that darkness forge him into a better person, or perhaps he couldn’t let it go because of some hidden mental illness, as you postulated. Either way, he joined the ranks of those who choose to spread their misery far and wide, to corrupt anything pure and good in the face of vengeance and hate. I mean, aside from all the non-African descended people, how many African-descended individuals or groups would have died because they chose to stand with their friends and family instead of him? How much blood would have been enough? At what point would his people have finally decided, “This is all wrong,” and deposed him for their own survival? There is very rarely a happy ending for characters like this, and they so often die in the fires of their own making. But at least Killmonger got to see that beautiful sunset at long last, as he sat dying.

[@lordcurious-mw9yd]

Until all colonial powers are out of Africa border Why you think African cannot think for themselves?

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@lordcurious-mw9yd That's NEVER gonna happen as they are clearly there to stay, and he NEVER said that africans can't think for themselves. People are different all around the world.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@lordcurious-mw9yd No, just no. You're not a "cOwArd" for thinking like that at all as that's the TRUTH of the situation. It's like european colonizers came here to the americas and they were definitely THERE TO STAY regardless if there was native people there. Even Native American tribes knew that the white people weren't going anywhere and that's why alot of native lands were reserved as they made compromises with the american government, and the natives tribes that fought back inevitably got wiped out from their lands and moved else where. Fortunately Africa didn't go through circumstances that were THAT bad in the 20th century during european colonization but they are definitely not going anywhere at this point.

[@lordcurious-mw9yd]

@@Gadget-Walkmen My people have always been at war with colonial power So yeah in my house you are a coward, And thank God,we are still poor But we are free, all praise to God The Merciful! And why do African American help 🇺🇸 army to destroy Africa?

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@lordcurious-mw9yd I’m not a “coWaRd” at all, you’re just a fool whose short sighted. Yes African countries have been at war with colonial power and even WON like ending apartheid but what you’re saying here doesn’t make any sense as Africa is just fine from “colonial power”. In YOUR house, you don’t know what you’re talking REGARDLESS as I’m FAR from a “foOl” at all here. And lol at saying “aNd tHaNk gOd wE ArE StiLl pOoR” lol who would ever want to be “poor” at all. And you’re religious rambling here just makes you look crazy here. NO African American is EVER going to “destroy” Africa at all NOR is AmErIcA going to do so either. You’re just making up nonsense here. Nothing more. Stop, seriously, just stop!

[@blakeparker7893]

I love these videos man. they take the villains ways down to the exact reason why they do what they do. i was also wondering if you’d ever considered doing colonel tom parker from Elvis

[@KingMadDog7]

I’d love to see you analyze Knives from Trigun. I have no clue what’s going on in the new series, but he was pretty wild in the original anime. I still need to read the manga myself.

[@Karlwasright]

Knives would be a real good one.

[@andresdr]

He def needs to do Knives

[@OldGreg8647]

Excellent analysis. Just finished a character study on him in a class. He's a compelling, multi-dimensional character that many viewers can personally empathize with. However, he made the choice to use his hardships and loss as a justification for murder and revenge. That's what makes him a villain.

[@robertchapman7451]

All he 8s is black Dr doom... a cry baby that could have been so much more

[@jarcuto8118]

Excellent choice for a video, idk if anyone ever requested this but I'd like to see Vergil from Devil May Cry

[@OvertheHedge06]

"Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships, 'cause they knew death was better than bondage." One of the greatest lines in the MCU

[@robertchapman7451]

Poor black him..... pact of race bateing trash. Everyone that hurt him was black but it's wites he hates???? Sounds about right all he was ,was a racist punk with zero accountability.

[@nightblader1]

I’d love to hear you go over the villains from Marvel’s “What If…” Especially in the climax how each villain was making a power grab including Killmonger. It’d even be interesting to hear your take on Supreme Strange from the series, who is more of an anti-hero than a villain but wiped out his universe in the pursuit of love.

[@tokenstandpoint93]

No lie I was wondering if you were gonna talk about the comicbook character as well. Thanks for pointing out how different the MCU Killimonger is drastically different then the comics. Frankly he was more of a bad ass in the comics.

[@lifeofjeffrey2447]

SUGGESTIONS: Berlin from Money Heist Light Yagami from Death Note ✅ Makima from Chainsaw Man Lee Woo-Jin from Oldboy (2003)✅ Dr. Martin Brenner from Stranger Things Eren Yaegar from Attack on Titan Joe Goldberg from You Ryo Asuka from Devilman Crybaby William Afton from Five Nights at Freddy’s Slade from Teen Titans The Covenant from the Halo franchise Makarov from the COD: MW trilogy Chris McClean from Total Drama Lotso from Toy Story 3 O Dog from Menace 2 Society Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat Bill Cypher from Gravity Falls David King from I Dared My Best Friend To Ruin My Life GLaDOS from Portal Homelander from The Boys Napoleon from Animal Farm Niander Wallace Jr. from Blade Runner 2049 Stormfront from The Boys Li’l Ze from City of God ✅ Tomie Kawakami from Junji Ito’s Tomie Gaku Yashiro from Erased Askeladd from Vinland Saga Sangwoo from Killing Stalking CyberLife from Detroit: Become Human

[@sabir1208]

I thought he did Lee woo Jin?

[@Hexsmasher2099]

I agree to some of them Also, it’s Cipher not Cypher

[@lifeofjeffrey2447]

@@sabir1208 He did. Which is why I put a check mark next to it

[@KgDrifty]

Nothing but facts as a person who was raised and born in Oakland. Crazy environment man

[@scottsummers4001]

Another thing, I also enjoyed this video about Erik Killmonger because reminds me of both namor and magneto as they all have comparable objectives and motivations. This is why I asked for you to cover live-action magneto due to him being such a fascinating villain as well namor. I hoped that you'll get the chance to summarize namor 's character from black wakanda forever after you analyzed magneto in the future.

[@ultradeku6546]

This one for the books I been waiting on bro for a minute thank you!🔥

[@digitaldevil696]

I loved the part where you've talked through exactly why Erik's plan would fail no matter what. Yeah, he would get his hands on powerful weapons and have some success due to the element of surprise, sure. But there always would be people to rise against those like him and all he would achieve is to perpetuate the cycle of violence even further. Even Superman in stories where he becomes evil authoritarian dictator (red son, injustice) didn't manage to hold his grip on the Earth. What chance killmonger had if a being of godlike power couldn't pull it off?

[@irvinmyles3286]

Even tho he tried to kill his cousin 2 times, Ta cha la wanted to still save him in the end knowing his family was the reason he turned out the way he did.

[@Godzilla00X]

I always saw him as similar to the Joker. Under everything he says and claims to stand for, he only wants to see the world burn after his world was burned to the ground. He'd sacrifice anything for his vengeance, everything he does is in service of this goal.

[@afrosamourai400]

The joker had no reason to do bad things unlike killmonger..

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@afrosamourai400 That's not true. Joker HAD a "reason" to do bad things as he become nihilistic towards the world at one point in his life from the suffering he went through to the point it through him insane but forgot the reason for WHY he went crazy.

[@afrosamourai400]

@@Gadget-Walkmen the nolan joker was just bad for no reason..i'm not talking about arthur

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@afrosamourai400 No? I NEVER said the “nolan joker” at all, I’m talking about the Joker’s GENERAL characterization that he has in the comics as established from the Killing Joke and onward. I never said anything about Arthur at all. And even than Nolan’s joker DOES have his reasoning for why he does bad things it’s just it’s ambiguously up for interpretation just as the movie intended. The Vile Eye has a video on it displaying and talking about the at as well. So no Nolan’s joker was NOT “just bad for no reason”, that’s not true at all, you’re just not paying attention and seeing the bigger picture.

[@valmid5069]

"If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? *And if you wrong us, do we not revenge?"* --Shylock, The Merchant of Venice (William Shakespeare) "...a pit where men are thrown to suffer and die. *But sometimes a man rises from the darkness. Sometimes the pit sends something back...Born and raised in hell on Earth"* --Alfred Pennyworth, The Dark Knight Rises (DC Comics)

[@janugur2241]

Gwyn, Lord of Sunlight/Cinder from Dark Souls could be a good suggestion due to the sheer massive size of Dark Souls's lore throughout all 3 games.

[@an-animal-lover]

Think we'd get get another deep-dive akin to "Analyzing Evil: Morgoth" if he did?

[@janugur2241]

@@an-animal-lover I don't think so, Morgott isn't really evil. It'd be a better choice if he were to pick Marika or Malenia

[@an-animal-lover]

@@janugur2241 I didn't ask whether you considered him an evil character, I was asking whether you thought we'd get another hour long deep-dive, like Vile did with his video on Morgoth back in July of last year. At least that was my assumption given your comment on Dark Souls's lore

[@janugur2241]

@@an-animal-lover Sorry, i thought you meant "Morgott" from Elden Ring. As to your question, i think an hour long video about Gwyn is very possible due to the amount of information we get about him and his Dynasty. Though i doubt The Vile Eye would do a video like that because when you think about it a lot of the lore we can get from Dark Souls is based on deductions and assumptions from item descriptions that were written as if it was perceived from a 3rd person sources and given that these videos are based on strict information only i think we'd get a video around half an hour.

[@gravesidepoet5405]

I don’t think a majority of this audience has the brain cells for a Gwyn video, as evidenced by all the “Killmonger is the best villain there ever was” comments.

[@markmerk1296]

Fantastic video as always! One I think would be interesting is Rebecca from Rebecca. It would be neat to see a video on such a compelling villainous figure who doesn’t actually appear in the story.

[@ACEVegasStudios]

Great suggestion! A classic example of how a narcissist can still affect the people around them, even after death.

[@afrosamourai400]

Is it a show?

[@markmerk1296]

@@afrosamourai400 it’s a novel by Daphne DuMorier (probably butchered that spelling) and a film by Alfred Hitchcock

[@bcmjr3155]

Thank you, I've been waiting for this analysis. I love his character and the fact that he has depth and conviction

[@splunkmastah4609]

Killmonger is such a great character, and I think it's a crime that he was killed off so soon. Michael B. Jordan was amazing in this role, really bringing a kind of 'dark Simba' energy in the way he comes back to take the throne, even if at this point in his life he's learned all the wrong lessons. Also Please cover Xehanort at some point in the future.

[@brandr7964]

I still think he's too tragic for a villain to be near pure evil. enough said you cant change my mind

[@predictor7708]

He was a anti villain

[@need-to-know-]

Finally! You saw my request. I can’t wait to see this one!

[@ishidacoolp]

Awesome video. Killmonger is my favorite villain. He was very cunning, skilled warrior, intelligent and had interesting personality. He even beat T'Challa the first time in a fair fight. I like that he wasn't the typical bad guy that just does evil things because they don't care about anyone or anything. He was a sympathetic villain because of all the trauma he endured and he went about doing things the wrong way even though he meant well.

[@takezunoz]

Truly brilliant video thanks for the analysis you did this perfectly hopefully you'll do Rick Sancehz or Homelander

[@mambwemwanza6560]

I have been waiting for you to do analysis on this villain

[@MissysDomain]

I love this channel! You give such interesting insight into so many great characters and the terrible people some of them are based on! I have a request that I would love for you to cover. The character's name is Barbara Covet (played by Judi Dench) from the 2006 film, Notes On A Scandal. It would make my day to hear your analysis and breakdown of this diabolical woman. She's a doozy! Pretty please :)

[@erictaylor5462]

I grew up near Oakland just a few years before this character grew up. There is something that the people of Oakland did that I think needs to be pointed out. When the Nimitz Freeway collapsed in 1989 the people of Oakland claimed into the wreckage of the freeway and rescued hundreds of people, getting them to safety. And this was in no way a safe thing to do as aftershocks continued to rock the unstable structure. The Nimitz Freeway passed through some of the roughest parts of Oakland, a place you would seriously consider not going to even if your life depended on it. To me this proved that most of the people living in these extremely rough neighborhoods were good people, willing to save the lives of people who normally passed through their city withouty thinking of them at all, or if they did, they did so with fear and hatred.

[@theambianceman4728]

Hello, I enjoy your videos and I think that some additions worth looking into are Javert from Les Mis and Odin from God of War Ragnorok. Regardless, I'm sure I will continue to enjoy your insightful analysis's of these characters.

[@Force_Of_Habit]

Five years since the first black panther... God I feel old.

[@nomemories130]

Great video can't believe it's been 5 years. I would like to see Clay Puppingtion and/or Dylan Faden sometime.

[@deadspace2]

I can understand why killmonger wanted to inflict the pain the oppressed felt on the oppressor. It’s tempting to get your lick back but like the saying goes “While seeking revenge dig two graves-one for yourself”.

[@Mr.Blenderman]

The "hello everyone" bit was so perfectly timed that it lip synched lmao

[@ralphbellamy4558]

Njadaka should have his own movie

[@byronlee8745]

Killmonger is one of many examples of a tragic villain.

[@tatteredshield8120]

Idk he's kind of like a black hitler

[@BlackIce3190]

Hardly. He’s an entitledc power-hungry racist, and that’s pretty much it.

[@TheGentileGabe]

With an inflated victim mentality

[@deathbywords]

@Gabe's Gaming nothing inflated about it.

[@TheGentileGabe]

@@deathbywords how? he acted like he was the only one who went through losing a dad or parents and decided to end the damn world. I’d say it is.

[@jainittai5104]

I tend to believe that if he lived through the first film; meeting Thanos would've turned him around as to how far his own logic would go.

[@Christian_H3rnand3z]

You should totally analyze Killmonger from the Marvel What If animated series. He manipulates Wakanda and murders two very familiar characters.

[@joshycapetown4272]

Suggestions: Gollum (Lord of the Rings), Rameses (The Ten Commandments) 1956, Captain Hook (Hook) 1991, Magneto, Lex Luthor, Kilgrave, Vern Schillinger, Theodore "T-bag" Bagwell

[@theretrorooster4626]

When Indy 5 comes out, you should do a few episodes on every villain in the franchise

[@Exerillo]

We don't mention Phase 4 or 5. But great video. Now please do Raul Menendez.

[@Dapal0710]

Can you make a video analyzing Thomas Shelby please 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@S_Warden]

9:25 that wasn’t just his memory but his actual ghost. Moon knight explains how the afterlife works, and it explains how the ancestoral exactly exists.

[@MrReaper987]

Great video as always. Would love to see you cover Kingpin from the Daredevil series.

[@pyramidofthrones]

This is so real... I almost shed a tear... job well done 💯

[@darlalathan6143]

I created a similar supervillain while I was in grade school but never published the comic because I thought it sent the wrong message about Black Power and Pan-Africanism. Also, my early comics were drawn in crayons on typing paper!

[@NJGhost34]

The part of the movie that I cried at was: 'And what of the boy?' 'We left him.'

[@Largeamountsofbeans]

Killmonger is maybe the villain I have seen recommended the most. Ps, I would love to see Snow from the Hunger Games Series. Maybe after Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

[@an-animal-lover]

YES yes me too I'd like to see that, also. He's always been one of my favorite villains, especially so after reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

[@christmashake8968]

Hey, Vile. Just wanted to say thank you again for the awesome work that you put in week in and week out--your moral/ethical centeredness and curiosity and explorations of human nature are always amazing to see. Keep it up. :) While we're on the subject of your vids, I was wondering if one on "Dirty" Harry Callahan might be in the works at some point--even as an "anti-hero," there's definitely a lot of morally questionable/villainous things he does for the sake of himself and his city that are worth a closer look.

[@deadbrother5355]

I really enjoyed black panther. It was gross how a few celebrities embraced Killmonger as some sort of hero or antihero.

[@RoastedPheasant]

5:40 Reminder that after the movie came out, people said that Killmonger: 1. Was a misunderstood hero. 2. Was not racist. 3. Should have been the next Black Panther. I'm glad that Twitter is dying off.

[@falloutjustcause]

Killmonger is interesting to me because as Marvel always done they defanged a villian with a pretty interesting motive by making him do evil things that had nothing to do with his plan. I really like killmonger even though i thought the Black Panther film was not that good at the time, he by far had the most intriguing and relatable plot for me. His motivations were something anyone could get behind, the liberation of oppressed people by the dominant geopolitic forces and a country who valued self sufficiency over their people. It also brings an interesting juxtaposition into play. Europeans saw Africans as one group of people when they first arrived and that thought was transferred into the African diaspora. Particularly among African Americans because how we were cut from our roots, so for Killmonger all he saw was a part of his people who turned a blind eye to evil in favour of saving themselves, whereas the Wakadans kept their distinct Identity and probably saw no reason to interject in the affairs of anyone outside their own borders. However, as we seen in the movie, Wakanda was more than happy to practice the same colonial and imperial tactics the U.S and other countries in the MCU did to surrounding nations if it meant keeping their resources and knowledge safe.

[@Sue_Me_Too]

There's also the bit where he believes the only way to end the oppression is through genocide....

[@falloutjustcause]

@@Sue_Me_Too Well there’s a lot of political philosophy that advocates that and i don’t think that’s a position that is totally indefensible position. Do i agree with it, probably not, but that’s a moot point anyway because as Vile pointed out in the video; killmonger doesn’t believe it. The issue with killmonger is his fight was never with oppression, it was revenge and he saw that with co-opting the fight for liberation he could justify his quest for power. Killmonger did not want to end oppression, he simply wanted to topple the current system and replace it with a system that had him on top. The reason i said Marvel defanged him because they could have told a more complex story with killmonger similar to the one they told with Namor in the sequel but with a better villain i think. I don’t really see the point of your comment other than you didn’t engage with any of the other points i made. No shit genocide is bad, we all know genocide is bad, it’s just a tired trope of making the villain less sympathetic by making him want to commit genocide. Marvel does it far to often and that was the point of my comment.

[@afrosamourai400]

When did wakanda used imperial tactics in the movie?

[@Sue_Me_Too]

@@falloutjustcause motivation shmotivation. Killmonger was a whiney baby who wanted to flip the table over so nobody else could play.

[@normal_person2]

Eric and his father weren't wrong to feel what they felt, but as a Black immigrant who's experienced racist and xenophobic bullying once I moved to the States, but also experienced kindness from strangers and known good, genuine people of all backgrounds in this country as well, I never accepted "revenge" as a viable reaction to said feelings. I've always held it in my heart that becoming better than those who've done me wrong, whether in riches, status, happiness, or all 3, is the ultimate revenge. I feel like going the "world domination" route is selfish and counter-productive to the cause that the person who was the victim is now victimizing people. I could just be naïve though.

[@nickrykert2572]

The Child Who is Not Embraced by the Village Will Burn it Down to Feel its Warmth -- African Proverb.

[@Sue_Me_Too]

"I'll start my own village, with blackjack and hookers!" -- American Proverb

[@maxspencer9436]

He who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel it’s warmth

[@the.last.son2000]

SPOILERS FOR WAKANDA FOREVER: I don't like how rushed his mini-arc with Shuri was. It was obvious that Shuri didn't care/didn't believe in Wakandan tradition and religion, and the fact that she was enraged that almost all of her family was taken from her was believable and a justification for if she was like Killmonger. Her bring influenced by Killmonger in the Ancestral Plane was an interesting twist and they should've exploited that for at least another movie.

[@blackleague212]

"Chip Douglas" From "The Cable Guy"... Do it! Love the channel lol

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Yes! Another great piece of Analizis!

[@ArkhamKnightChannel]

Never thought you cover that one. Many people today forget he’s comparable to the young kratos. No pleasant memories. Now I spoken that name, your take on GOW Odin would be insightful if possible

[@samfforde5120]

Very good observation. Eric is a villain no doubt; a ruthless, devious, vengeful, manipulative, remorseless and ultimately selfish man who would do ANYTHING to achieve his goals. But still he is a tragic figure who is full of pain and suffering and was made into the bad person he is by his AWFUL upbringing; the loss of both his parents and being abandoned by his own uncle to live in poverty and in Oakland nonetheless, a country plagued by crime, drugs, racism, and discrimination. Eric is a good example of a villain who has good reasons for doing what he does and can make valid points. But he's also a prime example of what can happen to a suffering person if they allow their pain and rage to consume them; they lash out at everyone and they become just as bad as the people who hurt them. I have some suggestions for future episodes: Catra from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Smaug from the The Hobbit Doctor Octopus from Spider-Man Ps4 Doctor Octopus from Spider-Man 2 Grimmel the Grisly from How to Train Your Dragon 3 Ur-Didact from the Halo franchise

[@Ehrenhaider_Akainu]

I would like to suggest Brian Moser or Trinity from Dexter

[@SunniDae333]

I was stunned to see Killmonger in the ancestral plane in the sequal.

[@6aliph77]

Great Villain

[@carcosa_swamp]

Another excellent villain and video. Also again requesting Clyde Shelton from Law Abiding Citizen for a future video!

[@ianyoung3225]

You should do Odin from God of War: Ragnarok and Petyr Baelish.

[@sabir1208]

GOT has soooo many good villains. In the first 6 seasons anyways