Thanks to “Black Panther,” Sterling K. Brown is now, technically speaking, a Disney Prince
In case you haven’t heard the news, Black Panther is good. Black Panther is very, very good. Marvel’s latest movie is finally now in theaters, and it is reason to celebrate for so many reasons — the film features a predominately Black cast; the females in the movie are the strongest (and smartest) we’ve ever seen; issues like race, politics, and colonization are addressed; and the action is a non-stop thrill ride.
Oh, and it makes Sterling K. Brown a Disney Prince.
Yes, in the same sense that Princess General Leia is now a Disney Princess, Sterling K. Brown is now a Disney Prince, and we expect him to be treated as such from here forward. By the way, saying that Sterling K. Brown is a Disney Prince is not a spoiler, but even explaining to you how we got here is — so stop reading if you haven’t seen Black Panther yet.
The movie opens with a flashback to Oakland, California in the early ’90s, where we learn that once upon a time, Sterling K. Brown’s character, N’Jobu, lived in Wakanda. He has since left Wakanda, and is now an unspecified criminal planning his next hit. But not only that, N’Jobu is also the brother of the current king of Wakanda, T’Chaka.
Putting two and two together, if Sterling K. Brown is the brother of a King, that makes him…a prince.
And since Disney owns Marvel, Sterling K. Brown is now…a Disney Prince.
Unfortunately for all of us, Sterling K. Brown’s Disney Prince is more of the Prince Hans variety, rather than a Prince Eric or Prince Charming. N’Jobu is a bad guy, because he’s been stealing vibranium to sell to other bad guy, Ulysses Klaue. This does not sit well with T’Chaka, who — and MAJOR SPOILER ALERT — kills his brother in order to protect Zuri (who has been stationed with N’Jobu in California as sort of mole to track the vibranium).
So while our time with Sterling K. Brown’s Disney Prince is short and bittersweet, it is glorious. I look forward to whatever Main Street parade Disneyland and Disney World cooks up to honor this newly minted royal.
