I recently saw the new Marvel superhero movie Matt Wahl with my friend Black Panther. Wait, what? Anyways, I noticed that not only was the movie groundbreaking in terms of being the first superhero movie with a mostly black cast, but its portrayal of women was especially feminist. Almost all the women in this movie are respected and powerful in their own right, and have a sense of agency and leadership that inspires and guides T’Challa into becoming the king of Wakanda.

Take Shuri, for instance: she is T’Challa’s sixteen-year old sister, and she is the smartest person in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to this date. She is an inventor of incredibly advanced technology and the Black Panther’s armor, making Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit look like a pile of legos. Additionally, she is skilled in combat, and is cool under pressure; she at one point takes on the main villain while instructing a confused CIA agent how to fly a Wakandan airship.

Another great female character is found in Okoye, the general of the Dora Milaje bodyguards and second in command to Black Panther. She is a fierce and skilled warrior, arguably more so than T’Challa. There is a scene in the movie where Black Panther hesitates in combat, and almost gets someone killed; she does not hesitate to call him out for his mistake. Additionally, she is dutiful and loyal to the throne, abiding by her code even when T’Challa is overthrown in ritual combat.

Nakia, T’Challa’s love interest, is more than a Lois Lane within the movie; she goes out of her way to pursue what she believes is right even if it compromises her relationship with T’Challa. She is always dedicated to humanitarian causes, and her desire to help others eventually sways T’Challa’s attitude towards this cause.