MCU Fan Theory Connects Captain America’s Powers To Wakanda

The MCU already constitutes a lot of connective tissues, but one fan gave a pretty compelling parallel.

This theory comes from Reddit user 4DimensionalToilet (interesting username) that argues that the super soldier powers given to Captain America are in direct relation with Wakanda.

The user suggests that the serum used on Captain America could be infused with some of the Vibranium infused heart-shaped herb, the same plant that gives powers to Black Panther.

“The Heart-Shaped Herb is how Black Panther achieves his powers,” Black Panther director Ryan Coogler explained in a previous interview. “He can fight hand-to-hand with Cap, who’s a super soldier, so he has super strength and heightened instincts that give him his enhanced abilities. The Heart-Shaped Herb is what Black Panthers over the generations would consume, once they earn the title, which gives them their physical edge.”

This theory could make sense till an extent, considering how Howard Stark found Vibranium before the events of Captain America: The First Avenger. Even people MCU stars and crew members have previously compared the power of T’Challa and Cap, but mainly as a medium introduce fans to the Wakanda lore.

“People who read the comics would be familiar with the Heart-Shaped Herb and the ceremonies that surround that,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige added. “That’s partially spiritual. We certainly don’t call it magic, but there’s Vibranium that has been interwoven within that soil and that land for thousands of years, so there are other things going on with it.”

The theory also argues that the presence of Heart Shaped Herb could explain why attempts at recreating the serum failed. This explains the mutations in the characters who took the serum later, like Red Skull, Abomination and even Hulk/Bruce Banner. This could be an interesting element to connect the Heart Shaped Herb with the world of Black Panther.