Top 5 merit badges for which Marvel’s Black Panther would make the ideal counselor

With his day job and his evening volunteer gig, T’Challa keeps pretty busy.

Sound familiar?

But what if the King of Wakanda, also known as the Black Panther, found a free weekend or two to serve as a merit badge counselor? In that case, here are five I might recommend.

This fun list will get you ready to see Marvel’s Black Panther, landing in theaters this weekend. Thanks to Joe Priester of the Middle Tennessee Council for the idea.

5. Climbing

With his sharp claws, T’Challa can reach the top of any rock wall (or speeding automobile) with ease.

His fellow Scouters would need to remind him that we mortals must use ropes, knots, helmets and harnesses when climbing — and when earning the Climbing merit badge.

4. Digital Technology

The nation of Wakanda, located in Africa, is very technologically advanced.

Many of those advancements are the work of Shuri, T’Challa’s younger sister whose mastery of technology rivals that of Tony Stark. (Hey, she should check out STEM Scouts!)

T’Challa might enlist Shuri to help him counsel the Digital Technology merit badge, which includes a requirement to “list at least three dangerous chemicals that could be used to create digital devices or used inside a digital device.”

No question about it: whoever wrote that is referring to Vibranium.

3. Automotive Maintenance

Sometimes when you’re a crime-fighting superhero, you’re gonna pounce on the roof of a car.

It’s just part of the job.

But once the dust settles, somebody will have to fix that car. Preferably, it’ll be somebody who has earned the Automotive Maintenance merit badge.

2. Citizenship in the World

The world underestimates the nation of Wakanda. They think it’s technologically primitive. They think it’s a third-world country.

Does T’Challa want to keep Wakanda under a literal cloak of mystery, or will he share his country’s knowledge with the world?

What great fodder for discussion in the Eagle-required Citizenship in the World merit badge! Having a king as your counselor would be incredibly cool. Especially if that king has superpowers.

1. Metalwork

T’Challa is perhaps best qualified to teach the Metalwork merit badge. After all, Wakanda is home to the largest and, perhaps, only supply of Vibranium on the planet.

Longtime Marvel fans know that Vibranium was used to make Captain America’s shield, Black Panther’s suit and the villain Ultron’s whole body.

(Note: You could make a case for Geology or Mining in Society here, too.)

What’d I miss?

What other merit badges belong on this list?

Remember the rule: This is a Top 5 list, not a Top 6 or Top 7. If you add one, you must say which one you’d remove.

More in this series

Click here for more “Top 5 merit badges” fun.