The disappointed father
The disappointed father is an archetype of the human imagination because children experience all kinds of spiritual emotions when their father's are angry at them. To come into conflict with the father is to stand against all traditional wisdom, and there is no guarantee that the father is right or wrong—rather, the father stands as a symbol for the "known." The unknown is more feminine and aloof, like the green lady who T'Challa seeks constantly. The masculine criticism is an archetypal invocation of shame, because the disapproval of one's own parents is perhaps the most severe and intimate shame of all.
The inundation of criticism
A motif of criticism is shown almost immediately by the comic. First, the father's criticism, the most severe and the center of T'Challa's reckoning. Secondly, there is the criticism of a stranger, as if to offer the foil to that intimate fatherly criticism. That second criticism shows that the father is not unique in his opinion of his son, as some fathers are. Rather, the son is in conflict with the community. That is the last note of the motif: when T'Challa encounters the major conflict between him and his constituency, it is the third major note in this chord-motif.
Blood and duty
The symbolism of blood and duty to the throne is invoked against T'Challa. This means that the father's opinion of his son is that the son has elevated his ego above the role he serves in his community. The challenge is a kind of nobles-oblige, because as T'Challa steps into the shoes of his dying father, the kingdom is liable to implode. Therefore, T'Challa must be above reproach. The call is to a solemn acceptance of responsibility. Royalty is a symbol referring to the sense of duty that T'Challa feels.
The conflict with citizens
The conflict of this comic is not between this nation and other nations, but between the leaders and the citizens of the same nation. The division starts at the throne room and spills outward, as T'Chaka's criticism of his young son is echoed by the kingdom that T'Chaka represents. This can be seen as an epic-caliber depiction of the conflict between an individual and the duty they feel they might owe their community. The conflict of man versus community is an intimate one because there are no "enemies;" just disappointed friends and family, with voices reaching a fever pitch.
The woman in green
The woman in green is a symbol for the longing that T'Challa feels to have approval. She matters to him because she stands for the city's disapproval of his reign. The woman is gone before he can really engage her, so she also symbolizes his desperate emotional desire to be understand and approved of. If only he could just find her and explain himself, perhaps he could show her that he has her best interest at heart. This is a nuanced symbol because it adequately captures the undertow of T'Challa's anger and frustration.
