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In Black Panther, there was a ceremony where...

the new king was buried

What was the purpose of the ceremony?

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  • Spoilers!! + It's needed for the visions to happen – Metro Boomin Feb 16 '18 at 12:58
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    Lmao, how many times this question is gonna recieve an edit? XD – Germa Vinsmoke Feb 16 '18 at 13:00
  • It happens three times @Paulie_D but twice in terms of new Kings first was when Black Panther becomes King. Second was when Killmonger becomes king and then third was when Black Panther was in ice and he gets buried. – Metro Boomin Feb 16 '18 at 16:14
  • "Why they were" @Paulie_D – Metro Boomin Feb 16 '18 at 16:18
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    Yeah @Metro Boomin – Germa Vinsmoke Feb 16 '18 at 17:06
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The purpose of the ceremonial burial is to travel to the "Ancestral Plane" so that the new king may consult with his ancestors.

In both cases, Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and T'Challa, the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), meet and speak with their fathers, N'Jobu (Sterling K. Brown) and King T'Chaka (John Kani). In Black Panther's travel, his father transforms from a black panther, and there are other ancestors present.The presence of the black panthers harkens to the origin story of Wakanda at the beginning of the film.

A third burial travel occurs when Black Panther is buried in snow. During that vision, he confronts his father about the murder of his uncle, Killmonger's father.

Black Panther on the Ancestral Plane

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  • Yes, the panthers were in the tree the first time, and one drops down and becomes his father. The second time, his father is on the ground and in human form. – Majaii Feb 19 '18 at 16:54
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    From a mystical/superstitious standpoint, being buried seems like a great way to commune with the dead. – Quasi_Stomach Mar 28 '18 at 22:04
  • I wonder what would happen if you won the challenge, and were crowned king, but your dad wasn't dead. Would you speak to older ancestors? Would you commune with former kings, even if not your own ancestors? Would nothing happen? – Quasi_Stomach Mar 28 '18 at 22:06
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It can be safely concluded that you need to have visions before you can become king. And for that you need to be buried.

I have a theory. Somehow, the ancestral plane, soul stone and that herb are somehow connected.And seeing how T'Challa's mother is afraid that he is not covered properly (completely in snow), I feel that taking that herb has side effect that can be avoided by covering in some material (sand or snow).

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  • My guess was burying the king was acting like an isolation tank, so all of his senses were deprived correctly before he enters in an altered state and have the visions. – kikirex Feb 18 '18 at 19:09

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