Erik "Killmonger" Stevens/T'Challa
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Erik "Killmonger" Stevens/T'Challa |
| Alternative name(s): | T'Cherik, Chillmonger, T'Jadaka, Killchalla |
| Gender category: | Slash |
| Fandom: | Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe |
| Canonical?: | No |
| Prevalence: | Growing fast following the release of Black Panther. |
| Archives: | Erik Killmonger/T'Challa tag at AO3 |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Erik/T'Challa is a slash pairing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe fandom. Erik Killmonger has long been a nemesis of T'Challa in the Black Panther comics, and as Erik Stevens he was the main antagonist in T'Challa's first solo MCU movie, Black Panther (2018).
Various smush names have been suggested for the pairing, with T'Cherik appearing to be the most popular as of March 2018.
Canon
Marvel Cinematic Universe
In the MCU, T'Challa and Erik are first cousins, both of the royal lineage of the fictional African nation of Wakanda.
T'Challa was born and raised in Wakanda, the first child of King T'Chaka and heir to the Wakandan throne. He also holds the title of Black Panther, the traditional protector of Wakanda. As Black Panther, T'Challa has enhanced physical abilities obtained by ingesting the heart-shaped herb, a plant native to Wakanda.
Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, son of T'Chaka's brother N'Jobu, was born and raised in Oakland, California. After T'Chaka killed N'Jobu during a disagreement over Wakanda's isolationist policies, he abandoned Erik in California to protect Wakanda's secrets. Erik (portrsyed by Michael B., Jordan subsequently dedicated his life to avenging N'Jobu, and claiming the resources of Wakanda to arm Black people around the world to overthrow their oppressors.
T'Challa does not learn of Erik's existence until after T'Chaka's death. T'Challa later confronts T'Chaka in the spirit world, and angrily declares that T'Chaka was wrong to exclude Erik from Wakandan society. After defeating Erik in a battle for control over Wakanda's resources, T'Challa offers to heal him, still trying to atone for the sins of his father. Erik refuses T'Challa's offer and lets himself die, but T'Challa is clearly moved by his cousin's fate, and ultimately partly swayed by Erik's point of view.
Both Erik and T'Challa are considered to have genius-level IQ, and both are trained warriors: T'Challa as the Black Panther, and Erik as an ex-US Navy SEAL. Their comic book iterations have been described as physical and intellectual equals.
Comics
Fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
Common Tropes & Storylines
- Erik Killmonger Lives is a popular canon divergent AU scenario
- Top!Erik/Bottom!T'Challa
In Other Languages
The ship is popular among Korean fans on Twitter, using the tag 몽찰, and among Chinese fans on Weibo, using 双豹组 as a general ship tag, 紫金 for fanworks where T'Challa tops, and 金紫 for fanworks where Erik tops.
Notable Fanworks
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fanfic
- isizathu by black-nata, a slow burn fix-it fic told from Erik's point of view.