Dark Ages Renews a Beloved Marvel Marriage

WARNING: Spoilers for Dark Ages #4 follow. Even though it may appear that marriages have been frowned upon in superhero comics, one that fans have been eager to see revisited is the relationship between Black Panther and Storm. Their union brought together the Avengers and X-Men franchises, even though it ultimately didn’t last. X-Men writer Jonathan Hickman recently noted in an interview with Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men how he planned to reveal that Storm was pregnant with Black Panther’s child. The most recent issue of Dark Ages showed Ororo Munroe and T’Challaback together again in an alternate multiverse reality.

When Dark Ages #4 by Tom Taylor, Iban Coello, Brian Reber, and VC’s Joe Sabino begins, Storm and Black Panther are on two separate continents. Storm is helping to power a helicarrier across the sea using her mutant power to control the wind, while Black Panther is ruling over Africa. The plot of Dark Ages finds the Marvel Universe thrust into darkness when the world loses electricity. Society has managed to survive over the last seven years, though familiar threats like Apocalypse still linger. A collection of heroes are escaping from Europe, where Apocalypse reigns, to Africa seeking freedom. This is where we see King T’Challa and Storm reunited again.

While it’s nice to see the duo in a loving embrace, another surprise is that they have a young daughter named Nkosazana. She’s delighted to see her mama, running up to give Storm a big hug. The family makes quick banter regarding how Nkosazana woke her father up super early, with Storm reminding T’Challa he can’t complain since Storm just got done pushing a helicarrier across the sea from Portugal. When Storm asks where Okoye is, we’re reminded how she was a victim of a mind-controlled Quicksilver in Dark Ages #3.

A group of heroes consisting of Sue Storm and Pepper Potts are determined to go back to Europe to rescue Tony Stark, who is in the clutches of Apocalypse. Once they convince Admiral Nick Fury to let them use his helicarrier for the rescue mission, Storm agrees to join them so they won’t have to rely on its slower steam engine. Unfortunately, their return trip isn’t without its own casualties, as former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury is killed when the helicarrier is attacked by a group of pirate Ghost Raiders.

The main Marvel Universe appears to be teasing Storm taking T’Challa’s place as Black Panther at some point in 2022. The Timeless one-shot saw Kang the Conqueror witness a future where a woman with long white hair was wearing the Black Panther armor. The early speculation leads to Storm being the person under the costume, though that remains to be confirmed.

What do you think of seeing Black Panther and Storm married again in Dark Ages? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!