Written by C Hues
February 28, 2022
Erik Killmonger’s American name reveals his heritage as a member of the Wakandan royal family. His name also connects to his status as an outsider to the Wakandans, and the tragic circumstances that led him to harbor such hatred toward his blood relatives. Killmonger’s name is shared with the main antagonist to one of Marvel’s greatest team of superheroes, and the commonalities that the two characters share further establish Killmonger as a wily leader who is marred by oppression, subjugation, and abandonment.
In Black Panther, Killmonger’s (American) birth name is tied to his origins as a descendant of the Wakandan royal family and confirms his motivations and ambition for power. Killmonger’s name is Erik Stevens.[1] The name Erik is an alternative version of Eric, which “Means ‘ever ruler’, from the Old Norse name Eirikr, derived from the elements ei “ever, always” and rikr “ruler, mighty”.[2] As Killmonger finally becomes King of Wakanda after defeating T’Challa in combat and takes the heart shaped herb, he demands that all of the other heart shaped herbs are destroyed. When a Wakandan woman tells him that he cannot destroy the herbs because he will need to give them to his descendants, Killmonger furiously chokes her and declares himself the only King. Killmonger’s actions reflect the meaning of his name, that he intends to always be the ruler, and further substantiates the selfishness of the character because he puts his own vendetta before the good of Wakanda as a nation. Killmonger also establishes that he values power and might over wisdom, as he aligns himself with W’Kabi, who pleaded with T’Challa to police other countries and enact imperialist policies throughout the world.[3] Erik’s surname, Stevens, is a variant of the last name Stephens. Stephens is derived from the given name Stephen, which means “‘crown, wreath’, more precisely ‘that which surrounds’.”[4] Killmonger’s last name further corroborates his royal lineage and serves as a condemnation of Wakanda’s role in ignoring the outside world. Killmonger literally represents “that which surrounds” Wakanda because he was born in the United States and is part of the African diaspora that the Wakandan people chose to neglect. Wakanda has force fields that shield them from the world around them, and decided not to share their advanced technology, resources, and vibranium with black people in other countries who needed it.[5]
Killmonger also shares the same first name as the supervillain and X-Men archenemy, Magneto (who also was not born with the name Erik, but later uses it as an alias and it becomes the name with which he is most associated with), who has lead and ruled the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Magneto has some similarities to Killmonger because of their shared ideologies, motivations of revenge, and their merciless rage directed towards oppressors. Killmonger and Magento are both cunning, master tacticians, and expert strategists who will use any method and make any sacrifice to accomplish their goals. Killmonger became a Navy SEAL and fooled the U.S. government and military into believing that his loyalties lied with them, while Magneto deceived Professor X and the X-Men copious times in his attempts to fulfill his goal of exterminating humans.[6] Both men also come from marginalized and mistreated groups of people, and both seem to have an unfortunate habit of mistreating women (particularly their lovers).[7] Killmonger murders his girlfriend when she becomes too much of a liability, and in Days of Future Past, a young Magneto attempts to murder his lover, Mystique, when he believes it will preserve mutantkind.[8]
Killmonger’s American name substantiates his legacy as a descendant of Wakandan Kings and Queens. His name confirms his connection to the Wakandans, while simultaneously establishing his disconnect to the Wakandans because of his status as an outsider. Killmonger’s name is shared with Magneto, with whom he also shares many personality traits and plans of action.
[1] Black Panther. Rating: PG-13 (Sequences of Action Violence|A Brief Rude Gesture). Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Ryan Coogler. Producer: Kevin Feige. Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole. Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2018. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_panther_2018
[2] Behindthename.com. “Eric”, “Erik”. Accessed February 27, 2022.
[3] Black Panther. Rating: PG-13 (Sequences of Action Violence|A Brief Rude Gesture). Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Ryan Coogler. Producer: Kevin Feige. Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole. Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2018.
[4] Behindthename.com. “Stevens”, “Stephens”, “Stephen”. Accessed February 27, 2022.
[5] Black Panther. Rating: PG-13 (Sequences of Action Violence|A Brief Rude Gesture). Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Ryan Coogler. Producer: Kevin Feige. Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole. Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2018.
[6] Black Panther. Rating: PG-13 (Sequences of Action Violence|A Brief Rude Gesture). Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Ryan Coogler. Producer: Kevin Feige. Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole. Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2018.
X-Men: Days of Future Past. Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Violence|Intense Sci-Fi Action|Language|Nudity|Some Suggestive Material). Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Bryan Singer
Producer: Lauren Shuler Donner, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Hutch Parker. Writer: Simon Kinberg. Release Date (Theaters): May 23, 2014 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/x_men_days_of_future_past
[7] X-Men: Days of Future Past. Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Violence|Intense Sci-Fi Action|Language|Nudity|Some Suggestive Material). Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Bryan Singer
Producer: Lauren Shuler Donner, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Hutch Parker. Writer: Simon Kinberg. Release Date (Theaters): May 23, 2014 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/x_men_days_of_future_past
Black Panther. Rating: PG-13 (Sequences of Action Violence|A Brief Rude Gesture). Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Ryan Coogler. Producer: Kevin Feige. Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole. Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2018.
[8] X-Men: Days of Future Past. Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Violence|Intense Sci-Fi Action|Language|Nudity|Some Suggestive Material). Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Adventure. Original Language: English. Director: Bryan Singer
Producer: Lauren Shuler Donner, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Hutch Parker. Writer: Simon Kinberg. Release Date (Theaters): May 23, 2014 Wide. Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/x_men_days_of_future_past