Black Panther: Red or Blue Pill?

Many of us are familiar with The Matrix and it’s creator Sophia Stewart (illegally adapted from her '81, ‘83 & ‘84 copyrighted source work; script treatment and book, both titled The Third Eye). In the concept, the red pill represents adversity of the brutal truth, freedom, knowledge and reality. The blue pill on the other hand represents falsehood, illusion, happiness & blissful ignorance.

Right before the epic fight scene, as the trio of T’Challa, Nakia & Okoye enter the nighclub, we hear, “Hi, Sophia!”

Now look at Nakia & T’Challa. In Ryan Coogler’s breakdown of the nightclub scene in the second act of the film, he explains the significance of colors (he breaks down how Nakia represents innovation while Okoye represents traditionalism). T’Challa, of course, represents The Black Panther. The use of all three in the scene represent the Pan-African flag! Klaue is wearing blue to represent colonialism.

Following? Now I will get back to the colors red and blue; for now let’s focus on green and black. Does it remind you of anything?

Does the color tone in this specific scene remind you of The Matrix? I do not think it is a coincidence. So let me breakdown how I see each character representing a character in The Matrix.

T’Challa/Killmonger, Neo.
Nakia, Trinity/Niobe
Okoye, Morpheus/Niobe
Shura, Niobe way more than Okoye & Nakia
Klaue/any of his White affiliates, Agent.

As we all know, Neo wears the color Black. Neo is The One who is supposed to free his people. Killmonger has a strong desire to free his people! How does Killmonger go about this? Bloodshed or should I say the red pill (adversity of the brutal truth and freedom).

I cannot remember or find a picture but I believe the liquid that T’Challa & Killmonger take from the Heart Shaped Herb is a blueish/violet tone. Now T’Challa is lost in a state of bliss like ALL the other previous Black Panthers. He is content with ruling and protecting Wakanda only. In this sense, Wakanda represents an illusion. Or should I say the result of taking the blue pill?

The Oracle is the intersection of Wakanda & the real world through the use of the ancestral plane. When Killmonger and T’Challa both visit the ancestral plane, they have a choice of following through with the blue pill (look at the sky which is violet & blue) or disrupt the natural order and confront the ancestors about their fault & mistakes of continuing to keep the illusion up. The dialogue with the ancestors can be compared to Neo’s dialogue with The Oracle.

“I’d ask you to sit down; but you’re not going to anyway.”—The Oracle (The Matrix) or, “I’d ask you to continue to be like the previous Black Panthers; but you are The One who will free the enslaved spirits across the globe.”

“What do you think? Do you think you are the one?”—The Oracle
“Honestly, I don’t know.”—Neo

So T’Challa is skeptical the first time he visits the ancestral plane, just like Neo’s first visit with The Oracle. He’s unsure of what his purpose is. Killmonger already knows that Black Panthers are “the one(s)” and more specifically he is The One more than any of the previous Black Panthers because he has already started the bloodshed to expose the brutal truth.

Now let’s talk about some of the hairstyles in the film!

I compared Morpheus to Okoye not only because of the baldness of their heads; but Morpheus is Neo’s confidant & biggest believer. Morpheus was able to help Neo realize that he is The One. He was Jesus’ John. Okoye knows that T’Challa is the true Black Panther even when she is serving Killmonger. She strategically ushers the truth back to the throne with her fight & conviction.

Jada Pinkett was supposed to be Trinity, originally. I think in many ways Nakia, Okoye & Shuri pay homage to Jada’s character, Niobi with Niobi’s use of color and natural hair.

Nakia is a spy; spies exploit truth. Again look at her use of red in this particular battle look. She is now taking it upon herself to bring bloodshed (truth). I also compared Nakia to Niobi because of her look (use of natural hair & red suit in the end).

Shuri is more like Niobi than anyone else. Niobi was the best pilot; Shuri is very knowledgeable with her expertise in technology & vehicles and she is a pilot or driver many times in the film.

Additionally, I am comparing Okoye to Niobi because Okoye is always wearing red (keeps her conviction and truth throughout the film) and is one of the most gifted warriors/martial artist, just as Niobi is in The Matrix. Okoye is with The Black Panther; but throughout the film she never has the blue pill. If the moment calls for it, she will definitely shed blood for her king! So it is fitting that she wears red throughout the entire film.

Furthermore, the colonial, Klaue is in a blue vest. This is more blissful ignorance. Klaue is ignorant to the truth about Wakanda and does not understand the value & purpose of it’s vibranium. He is greedy and his greed is what makes him happy (blue pill).

Lastly, how is it that Nakia represents Trinity? Well the Trinity is the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Nakia is a protector, a leader by example & the spirit that keeps T'Challa alive. She is the only one to keep her faith in T'Challa while Shuri, Ramonda & the rest of Wakanda (with exception to Okoye's conviction) lose theirs. She is the holy spirit of the film. T'Challa represents Jesus here, while God is represented by answering to the call & and channeling Black Panther to execute Godly work.

Also, Killmonger dies when he takes the blue pill or the serum from the Heart Shaped Herb. The illusion he fell into was thinking he was The “Only” One. And T’Challa faulting his ancestors during his last ancestral plane visit was his moment of truth or waking up, like Neo.

Did we just watch The Matrix all over again?

Written by David J. Benson