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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

In case you’re still not aware by now, Black Panther is the record-breaking movie of the year. It has a great plot, an amazing soundtrack and an even better cast — especially the women. Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett star in this blockbuster film. In the movie, they demonstrated the grit of women and celebrated intersectionality; they are inspirations for women. Here are five times in which the girl bosses of Black Panther inspired and empowered women everywhere:

 

1.When they fought alongside T’Challa

In the casino scene and in the car chase, Okoye and Nakia help the Black Panther fight Klaue’s henchmen with their warrior skills and their quick thinking. Without them, Klaue’s crew could have defeated T’Challa; they would have left Wakanda without a king. It’s a good thing that a couple of powerful women were around to save the day!

 

2.  When Shuri invented collections of high-tech gadgets to assist her brother

 

Shuri is easily the smartest character in the movie. When she’s not cracking jokes or kicking butt, she’s creating awesome weapons and suits for T’Challa. T’Challa may be in some trouble if it wasn’t for the remotely controlled car and sound-absorbing sneakers (and the many more gadgets) Shuri invented for him. She is the perfect example of a girl who is smart and tough as nails; she is incredibly charming and lovable.

 

3. When Nakia chose her dreams over her man

“I would make a great queen because I am stubborn— if that’s what I wanted,” Nakia says. She’s determined to make a difference by using her spying skills to help others. But, she couldn’t see herself accomplishing that mission being a queen in Wakanda. So, she put her own interests first and declined to become T’Challa’s wife. Major girl power.

 

4. When Okoye chose her country over her man

When her lover W’Kabi takes Killmonger’s side to fight the Dora Milaje — the awesome group of female warriors of which Okoye is the leader— Okoye fights for her king without hesitation. When W’Kabi asks her if she would kill him, Okoye instantly replies with “For Wakanda? Without a question.” Once again, a woman in Black Panther chooses her own beliefs over a man — pretty empowering stuff, if you ask me.

 

5. When all the women together save both T’Challa and Wakanda

Everyone lost hope for Wakanda when T’Challa was supposedly killed by Killmonger — except for the women. They refused to give up. Instead of letting a misguided leader rule their home, they searched for a solution. They found T’Challa in a coma and brought him back to life. Once again, Wakanda may have corrupted without the strong women who live there.

 

If you haven’t already seen Black Panther, I suggest that you do it ASAP. It is a great way to spend two hours of your day; and chances are, you’ll leave the theater feeling like you can conquer the world.

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