Creator Todd Harris and executive producer Ryan Coogler are welcoming audiences back to Wakanda in Disney+’s latest animated series, “Eyes of Wakanda.” Venturing beyond the walls of the royal court, while remaining within the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Sacred Timeline” (which also houses Coogler’s films), the show introduces Wakanda’s CIA, the Hatut Zaraze. Tasked with recovering stolen Vibranium artifacts from across the globe, these warriors bravely expose themselves to outsiders, carrying out varied heart-pumping missions to keep their country safe and hidden. “Eyes of Wakanda” is fun and engaging. However, it’s not quite the fully realized narrative that many “Black Panther” fans might hope to see.
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The series opener, “Into the Lion’s Den,” follows Noni (Winnie Harlow), a soldier recently ousted from the esteemed Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s elite all-female security detail. Given the opportunity for redemption, Noni is sent on a mission to depose Nakati (Cress Williams), the former Captain of the King’s Guard. Full of greed and ambition and now living under a new title, Nakati, aka the Lion, has fled Wakanda, stealing an array of Vibranum weapons to make a name for himself around the world. A rebel in her own right, Noni is assigned to bring the traitor to his knees and return the stolen items to their rightful home. Noni is desperate to get back into the Dora Milaje’s good graces. Yet, the Lion’s forces are a bit more challenging to overcome than she expected.
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The duration of “Eyes of Wakanda” Season 1 finds Hatut Zaraze’s warriors at various points in history. In Episode 2, “Legends and Lies,” B’Kai (Larry Herron), a devout agent who has been undercover for nearly a decade, finds himself an unwitting participant in Greece’s war against the Trojans. In the season finale, Kuda (Steve Toussaint), a veteran operative, is responsible for mentoring Prince Tafari (Zeke Alton), who, desperate for validation as the third-born son, is all too eager to go off mission to attain personal glory.
All of the episodes are well-rounded and easy to absorb. However, the standout among them is Episode 3, “Lost and Found.” By the skin of his teeth, Agent Basha (Jacques Colimon) escapes snow-covered 15th-century China with a Vibranium-infused dragon statue. However, upon returning to headquarters in Wakanda’s Golden City, he quickly realizes his covert operation has been infiltrated. To rectify his mistake and prevent his superiors from discovering his errors, he uses his charm and wit. While the majority of the episodes are serious in tone, this one infuses some of the humor and levity that was found woven throughout Coogler’s live-action movies, “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Though “Eyes of Wakanda” is intriguing, the four-episode season, which consists of 30-minute stories, is extremely short. Each episode exists as a standalone, but it could also have worked as a feature-length film. “Black Panther” film fans and those who are more familiar with the lore of the iconic kingdom are offered additional context about the Hatut Zaraze. Yet, the series feels like an epilogue or prologue rather than a complete standalone show.
Still, the show is stunning to watch. Axis Animation uses a hand-painted afro-futuristic style, inspired by contemporary Black artists. Because of the varied locations throughout the first season — from Wakanda’s Golden City to 12th-century Greece and 19th-century Ethiopia — each setting is vast, robust and highly detailed. Moreover, because “Eyes of Wakanda” doesn’t center on one specific character, audiences are introduced to a vast array of Wakandans across time, who have a huge stake in what will happen to their country if its exquisite resources aren’t recovered.
Despite its compact length, “Eyes of Wakanda” is a solid beginning for Marvel’s Phase Six. The show introduces viewers to different aspects of Wakandan culture, further reiterating the power and importance of the sacred Vibranium. Though it’s not explicit, the show also nods at the horrors of racism, colonization and pillaging as well as the cost of repatriation. Beautifully rendered, the series isn’t as expansive as “Black Panther” lovers might expect, but it’s a decent holdover until “Black Panther 3” debuts.
“Eyes of Wakanda” is now streaming on Disney+.