The Black Panther is real.
All of it. A king, with superhuman powers, dons the moniker of an ancient force to protect his kingdom from all that threatens it. With all due respect to Stan Lee and Marvel comics, they got the king’s identity wrong. He doesn’t directly hail from Africa, but Silver Springs, Maryland. His realm isn’t Wakanda, but Indiana. And his name isn’t T’Challa, but Victor Oladipo.
For a season now, Oladipo has laid claim to his kingdom. A title that he was bestowed not through divine right, or heredity, but through acclamation. Like the Israelites of yore who were not given a King from above, but asked for one and had their request granted, it was the blue-and-gold clad subjects who saw and offered the crown.