shieldspatriot:

why everett ross has a vital purpose in t’challa’s story

I was talking to a friend about the movie and how every single character serves a purpose in the narrative but they mentioned that they couldn’t figure out what Everett Ross’ purpose is because he didn’t do anything really and this really made me think about how to formulate my words for how I felt about Ross and his purpose in the film after seeing it for three times

You wouldn’t be wrong if by first glance you feel like he’s just the random useless white character stuck in the story to be the everyman or audience surrogate, after all, that’s what the character was originally designed to be in the comics, the self referred “King of Useless White Boys”

But what Ryan Coogler does best as a filmmaker is he cares about characters, about giving every single one a purpose in his films, a purpose to serve the narrative

And what is at the heart of this film’s narrative? It is the question of what is Wakanda’s place in the world. Every conflict in this story, every emotional beat is circled around this one ultimate question – does Wakanda open itself up or does it stay in the shadows?

Everett K. Ross is the physical embodiment of that question, that conflict – from the moment he steps into the story and to the end, he is the physical living representation of the choices that T’Challa faces and the choices that Wakanda itself faces – when he takes that bullet for Nakia, the question becomes do we save this man and thereby opening ourselves to the world or do we let him die and keep our secrets?

Ross in this case becomes T’Challa’s N’Jobu/N’Jadaka – where T’Chaka made the choice to walk away that night and leave his own nephew behind because the secrecy of Wakanda mattered more than opening up to those who need help, T’Challa faces that very same decision with Ross as he lays there dying – does T’Challa walk away and let Ross die just as his father had walked away and left N’Jadaka behind OR does he save Ross’ life and take the risk of opening up, the choice that his father had chosen to not make with N’Jadaka?

But not only that…and this isn’t so readily obvious the first time around and I didn’t even think about it until after my third viewing and this discussion with my friend but Everett Ross’ journey in this film is a reflection/mirror of Erik Killmonger/N’Jadaka’s journey – Ross is who Killmonger COULD HAVE BEEN had T’Chaka brought him home to Wakanda that night – in Ross and his willingness to fight for Wakanda and for the world by extension in the final battle, we are narratively shown that the right decision is to open up, and that by opening up, you create allies and foster friendships that will make you stronger, that will make you safer, that will fight for you through thick and thin – T’Challa’s act of opening up and saving Ross gained him an ally that ended up playing a vital role in not only protecting Wakanda but also keeping those weapons from escaping Wakanda and start a war – T’Chaka’s decision to stick to secrecy and omitting the truth only ended up creating that enemy that not only nearly destroyed his family but also Wakanda and the rest of the world.

In this narrative, Killmonger becomes the cautionary tale and Ross becomes the tale of what one should do – T’Challa was faced with his moment of truth early on in the film with Ross laying there dying at his feet and that decision ends up not only contributing to Wakanda and the world’s survival but also informing him of the ultimate choice to stand in front of the UN to announce Wakanda to the world – and that all begins with Ross

The moment T’Challa saved Ross, he was creating a different path for himself, Ross, and Wakanda than his father had done for them and Erik/N’Jakada – his father’s mistake had caused this chaos but T’Challa’s right decision had ended up saving them.

And that post credit scene at the UN only further solidifies Ross’ role in not only this film but in the continuing sequels to come – he will always represent to T’Challa of what the right choice it is and the consequences of that right choice through their friendship – and that by having allies out there like Ross, it strengthens Wakanda as well.

You take away Ross from the movie and not only does the conflict go away with T’Challa never having to face any choices like his father did – you also robbed Wakanda of an outside ally who understands them and is willing to speak up for them on the world stage – it lessens the impact of T’Challa’s speech on building bridges and not barriers. Ross is the “building bridges” part that T’Challa learned was important and Erik/N’Jadaka was the “barriers” part that T’Challa learned to never do like his father had done.

That doesn’t exist if Ross isn’t in the story, and if he wasn’t in Wakanda at the final battle – because if he wasn’t there and he wasn’t in that fight willing to risk it all for Wakanda and for the world, then there is no connection or friendship that would connect them going forward as Wakanda steps into the world.

Everett Ross is a vital piece to T’Challa’s story and to Wakanda’s ultimate place in the world.