AN ECOCRITICISM STUDY OF VIBRANIUM'S CONFLICT AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE AND THE CULTURE RELATION REPRESENTED IN BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (2022)

Abstract

This study aims to describe and explain the conflict over natural resources in the form of Vibranium and its impact on cultural relations in the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). This research employs a qualitative method in the form of words, dialogues, and scenes analyzed from the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). In conducting the analysis, this study uses Greg Garrard’s theory of ecocriticism, which includes four main aspects: the interconnection of nature and culture, nature exploration, technological development, and the political impact on nature. The findings of this research indicate that out of 38 data identified, 26 key data points were selected, analyzed, and classified using Greg Garrard’s ecocritical theory based on those four main aspects. Specifically, 4 data points relate to the interconnection of nature and culture, 5 to nature exploration, 6 to technological development, and 4 to the political impact on nature. Additionally, the study finds that the conflict over Vibranium affects cultural relations between the two fictional civilizations, Wakanda and Talokan, represented through two relational outcomes: union and division. In summary, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever presents environmental issues through a science-fiction narrative that reflects real-world ecological concerns, illustrating how nature and culture are interconnected in shaping identity and social conflict. The results of this study are expected to offer new insights into how a natural resource like Vibranium in film narratives functions not only as a plot device but also as a representation of ecological critique and the dynamics of cultural power.