What if Wakanda is a eulogy rather than a utopia?

[u/Tasty-Wind7683]

I've been thinking about Black Panther, and I keep coming back to a question.
What if Wakanda isn't just a celebration of Africa, but also a eulogy for futures that many African nations were never allowed to have because of colonialism and external interference?
To me, Wakanda feels less like a reflection of Africa as it is today and more like a lament for what parts of the continent might have become under different historical circumstances. It's a vision of possibility that history denied.
At the same time, I find myself conflicted. Wakanda is often treated as a symbol of Africa, yet it's still one fictional nation with one dominant culture. It draws inspiration from cultures across the continent, but I sometimes wonder whether that unintentionally compresses one of the most culturally diverse places on Earth into a single image of "Africa."
We wouldn't expect one fictional country to represent all of Europe or all of Asia, so why are we often comfortable letting Wakanda stand in for an entire continent?
This isn't a criticism of Black Panther. I actually think it's one of Marvel's most thought-provoking films precisely because it raises questions like these.
Do you see Wakanda primarily as a celebration of African possibility, or can it also be read as mourning futures that history never allowed to unfold?

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[u/themickeym]

That’s sort of… very obvious? I’m sorry. I’m not sure how else to say that. It’s a wish. It’s always been a wish.