SEAHO Report - Spring 2021 - 18

FEATURE ARTICLES
Anger. This stage is one that may be recurring during the grieving process. The reason you experience anger
may differ from time to time and could be projected onto a variety of people: yourself, family, friends, or even
onto the person who has died. Our anger, most of the time, is because we feel powerless. Anger is often rooted
in the fact that we could not stop this event from happening, or we become angry with the individuals who
we thought could (Kessler & Kuebler-Ross, 2005). An endless number of questions with unknown answers can
create more tension within ourselves and between the people we love. In Black Panther, when T'Challa realized
that N'Jobu was murdered by his father T'Chaka, he was angry. Not only with his father for killing his uncle,
but for leaving Killmonger in the United States after his father's death. Black Panther openly expresses his
anger with the former leaders of Wakanda for not being truthful. This results in T'Challa working to right their
wrongs. We, sometimes, are left to do the same. At times, the loss of our loved ones can motivate us to move
quickly into a positive direction, but it can sometimes create resentment and frustration. Both are normal to
experience when we are processing significant life changing events.
Bargaining. As an initial defense mechanism, we try to negotiate with ourselves after death and sometimes,
depending on the situation, the moments prior to the death of our loved ones. We elaborately think of scenarios
that could have prevented this event from happening. We ask ourselves questions such as " Could we have
encouraged a healthier lifestyle, " or " Could we have encouraged them to see a medical professional sooner? "
Kessler and Kubler-Ross (2005) described this stage well when they stated, " Guilt is often bargaining's
companion. The 'if onlys' cause us to find fault with ourselves and what we think we could have done
differently. We may even bargain with the pain. We will do anything not to feel the pain of this loss. We remain
in the past, trying to negotiate our way out of the hurt " ' (p. 26). We can remain in this stage for a long time
trying to settle that the loss actually happened. We see this resurface on birthdays, anniversaries, or special
moments that remind us of our loved ones. Bargaining was something that we did not see in Black Panther,
which emphasizes that not everyone goes through all five stages of grief. The uniqueness of grief is that it is
individualized for everyone and, while these stages are common, they are not the same for everyone.
Depression. This stage is categorized as feeling a deep sense of hopelessness and figuring out what the purpose
to life may be without the person an individual has lost. Depression is a natural part of processing emotions of
loss and something that should not be concerning unless someone's depression becomes more severe (Kessler,
n.d). A person's words or reactions in this stage can look like questioning life, figuring out what comes next,
as well as isolation and lack of motivation. It is challenging to find one scene in Black Panther that depicts
depression, as it is rather interspersed throughout the film and, while there was not one scene, vignettes where
T'Challa is silent or reflective highlight his grief. Moments with Nakia, as well as the ancestral plains, can be
perceived to be how T'Challa interprets and understands loss. For T'Challa, his depression was not about being
sullen or isolating himself. Rather, it was about carving out his identity away from his father's and learning
that his father made decisions that impacted another person's life. Depression is more than just isolation; it
is also about healthy coping skills and processing emotions around loss. In addition, this stage does not only
happen in one big spurt, but it can also happen in little moments. This is shown well in Black Panther and
displays a very different side to how depression is seen.
Acceptance. This is the fifth and final stage and is defined as understanding what the loss of a person means
(Healthline, 2018). This does not mean life is always happy or uplifting. Instead, it is how someone finds
purpose and meaning in the loss of a loved one. Black Panther's acceptance is demonstrated in the end scene
when T'Challa tells Shuri that the Wakanda Outreach Center will be where their father killed their uncle, N'Jobu.
In the closing scene of Black Panther, T'Challa uses the mistakes his father made, along with his memories of
him, to inform his future decisions and leadership. Black Panther's grief shows the complexities of loss and the
nuances present in the process. Not everyone grieves the same and not everyone goes through all five stages
of grief. T'Challa's grief was his own, and his process was unique to him to reach acceptance of the loss of his
father. It is necessary for us to do the same.
Conclusion. This article has focused on Black Panther and his experiences with grief throughout the film: both
his triumphs and challenges through the process and the outcome of him processing his losses. After the death
of his father, T'Challa developed into the hero and king he wanted to be. While we are not saying that everyone
who works through and processes grief becomes a superhero (that would be an amazing outcome), we are
saying it is important and critical to have these conversations, especially with our students who are grieving.
The effects of 2020 will impact students for many years to come and as educators we need to be equipped to
work with students who may be triggered by holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, etc. of loved ones.
We know and understand this topic is not easy and is often avoided. We wrestled for some time deciding
whether we should take the leap and write an article about grief and loss. However, after the year we all just

SEAHO Report - Spring 2021

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