Border Tribe

The Border Tribe is a Wakandan tribe tasked with protecting the nation from foreign threats by protecting its borders.

History[]

Early History[]

The Border Tribe was one of the five tribes which fought against one another following the fall of the vibranium meteorite in what became Wakanda. When Bashenga, the first Black Panther, put an end to the conflict, the Border Tribe agreed to pledge fealty to the Golden Tribe. From this moment, the Border Tribe was put in charge of watching the Wakandan borders and making sure no intruder would enter Wakanda uninvited. The tribe was also offered a seat into the Tribal Council.^[1]

New King[]

The Border Tribe attended the incoronation of T'Challa. When asked by Zuri, the Border Tribe elder M'Kathu announced that the Border Tribe would not challenge T'Challa for the throne. The Border Tribe then watched as T'Challa dueled against the Jabari M'Baku. They encouraged T'Challa and congratulated him upon his victory. In addition to the elder M'Kathu, Border Tribe member W'Kabi served as King T'Challa advisor.^[1]

Erik Killmonger's Revolution[]

Arrival of Killmonger[]

Shortly after the incoronation of T'Challa, the Border Tribe saw an outsider approaching the borders of Wakanda. The intruder turned out to be N'Jadaka, son of N'Jobu and the cousin of T'Challa and Shuri. N'Jadaka, who went under the alias of Erik Killmonger, had brought along the corpse of Ulysses Klaue, who Wakanda had been chasing for years. Due to this unexpected gift and N'Jadaka's status as a member of the royal family, W'Kabi took him to the Citadel to meet T'Challa.^[1]

Incoronation of Killmonger[]

As N'Jadaka demanded to duel against T'Challa in ritual combat for the throne, the Border Tribe could not do anything but attend this new fight. Both W'Kabi and M'Kathu watched as N'Jadaka murdered Zuri and violently defeated T'Challa, throwing him down the waterfall. Due to his victory, the Border Tribe recognized N'Jadaka as their new King. W'Kabi was especially supportive of N'Jadaka for he had killed Klaue, who had caused the death of W'Kabi's parents. Then, the Border Tribe carried on N'Jadaka's plans to deliver vibranium weapons all over the world to cause a worldwide revolution.^[1]

Conflict with Killmonger[]

However, these plans were soon thwarted by T'Challa, who had been rescued by the Jabari Tribe and intended to prevent the plan from coming to fruition. Killmonger refused to honor the challenge and ordered W'Kabi to kill T'Challa, who ordered his warriors against T'Challa. A first group of Border Tribe soldiers created a vibranium shield barrier to stop him, but Black Panther simply jumped over them and knocked them over thanks to his Panther Habit's kinetic energy burst.

The Dora Milaje soon joined Black Panther's side into battle, fighting against the Border Tribe. Having been swiftly defeated by Black Panther, W'Kabi called for the Border Tribe's war rhinoceroses. Thanks to these reinforcements, the Border Tribe gained the upper hand in the battle against the Dora Milaje and soon cornered Okoye, Shuri, Ayo and Nakia. However, as W'Kabi ordered them to surrender, the Jabari Tribe joined the battle alongside the Dora Milaje. The Border Tribe's troops were soon overrun by these reinforcements, and in the end Okoye forced W'Kabi to have his men surrender.^[1]

Infinity War[]

Battle of Wakanda[]

In 2018, those that were left of the Border Tribe fought alongside King T'Challa during the Infinity War. They gathered with the Dora Milaje, the Jabari Tribe and the Wakandan Royal Guard on the battlefield and watched as the Outriders attempted to break through the protective dome surrounding Wakanda. As some creatures managed to break through the barrier, the Border Tribe wielded their energy cloaks, waiting to withstand the assault.

However, out of fear that the Outriders would go around them, T'Challa ordered a part of the barrier to be opened so that all the Outriders would attack from the same point. Like the other Wakandan warriors, the Border Tribe charged and engaged the enemies. They lost many soldiers both to the Outriders and to Thanos when the latter used the power of the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of all life in the universe.^[2]

Battle of Earth[]

As soon as the Avengers managed to resurrect all victims of the Snap, including the Border Tribe warriors, were recruited by the Masters of the Mystic Arts to fight against an alternate Thanos and his army. The Masters created Inter-Dimensional Portals to transport the Border Tribe from Wakanda to New York where they clashed with Thanos' forces, alongside with the rest of Wakandan forces and Earth's defenders. Eventually, Tony Stark sacrificed himself to eliminate Thanos and his army, so the Border Tribe returned to Wakanda.^[3]

Cultural Traits[]

The residents of the Border Tribe live in a small village on the mountainous borders of Wakanda, where they seemingly live a simple life disguised as farmers and hunters. The Border Tribe's duty is to deceive the foreigners on Wakanda's actual wealth and to push back eventual invaders.

The members of the Border Tribe preserves the nation's cloaking devices, and the warriors of the tribe possess vibranium-based capes with shielding and cloaking features.^[4][5]

Certain members of the Border Tribe practice scarification, adorning their faces with various scars and brands.^[1]

Appearances[]

Trivia[]

• The Border Tribe's traditional color is blue, with wood grain-based textures. The sigil of the Tribe is the Lesotho symbol for "horsemen".^[5]
• The Border Tribe's members are known for breeding White Rhinoceros.^[5]

Behind the Scenes[]

• The Border Tribe clothes and traditional huts were inspired by the Lesotho people.^[5]

References[]

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