One of the Ultrons had set its sights on Wakanda. Upon receiving the news, the Avengers mobilized immediately, setting off while simultaneously notifying T'Challa.
Once aboard the jet, Hank gave Peter a crash course on Wakanda, though the information was completely different from the Wakanda Peter remembered.
For instance, its geographical location wasn't East Africa as Peter recalled, but rather West Africa, bordering Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
"Wakanda was originally a small, landlocked tribe of the ancient Mali Empire. Because it sat in the harsh Sahel region between the Sahara Desert and the Sudanian Savanna, even during the colonial era, the French, as their nominal sovereigns, largely ignored them. They worship the Panther God, Bast. Aside from that, due to their past rule under the Mali Empire, they are actually considered quite... advanced for an African tribe."
Wakanda had two major exports: Vibranium and the Heart-Shaped Herb. The former was largely useless before the industrial era because Vibranium is a metal extremely sensitive to energy; it can absorb sound waves to prevent echoes, earning it the name 'anti-metal' or 'vibrating steel.'
To the ancient Wakandans, this substance was treated as a sacred relic. Its most common use was to be repeatedly struck during rituals or prior to battle, and then thrown like a grenade. It wasn't until the great colonial era of the 19th century, when colonizers refused to overlook even the poorest corners of Africa, that a few outsiders discovered Vibranium.
Yet, understanding its true functions and capabilities wouldn't happen until the interwar period.
As for the trope seen in many other Marvel universes where a single chunk of Vibranium propels Wakanda's technology thousands of years ahead overnight, that simply didn't exist in the 616 universe.
"It was the Germans who discovered its unique properties from a handful of Vibranium samples brought back by adventurers, leading Hydra to invade Wakanda. This happened before the outbreak of World War II."
Captain America was thoroughly familiar with this period of history. "Hydra's research into the Super Soldier Serum wasn't just tied to the little mustache man's Aryan superman theory; it was actually a direct consequence of Hydra's military failure in Wakanda."
"Because of the Heart-Shaped Herb?"
Hank nodded. "Yes, because of the Heart-Shaped Herb. This plant is another unique asset of Wakanda."
Wakanda's Heart-Shaped Herb is a toxic plant. For ordinary tribal warriors, it could be crushed and applied externally to heal wounds, offering a minor physical enhancement. But for the royal lineage of Wakanda—the chieftains of the Black Panther Tribe—the crushed herb could be ingested directly alongside a specific ritual, granting the Black Panther superhuman physical attributes.
Because of this, when the earliest Hydra soldiers arrived in Wakanda intending to bully the local tribes, they were thoroughly routed by a super soldier wielding cold weapons forged from Vibranium. This embarrassing defeat pushed the Super Soldier Program to the top of Hydra's agenda.
As for Wakanda's technological and economic boom, that was spearheaded by the King of Wakanda at the time, T'Challa's grandfather, Azzuri. The biggest difference between Azzuri and the previous rulers was that he had studied abroad in Paris. Leveraging the unique properties of Vibranium, he did business with the Allies, and later dealt with both sides during the Cold War. He generated massive wealth annually by exporting Vibranium, using the proceeds to develop the country.
Furthermore, they played poor. Since their neighbors were all impoverished, everyone naturally assumed Wakanda was destitute as well. Coupled with the gradual decrease in Vibranium exports, many believed Wakanda was on its last legs. If the Avengers hadn't intercepted Ulysses Klaue's treasonous conspiracy with Ulysses Klaw and the White Gorilla, a tribal leader of Wakanda, the rest of the world would likely still be in the dark about just how highly advanced and developed Wakanda truly was today.
"And the reason Vibranium exports have dwindled is due to their own internal demands. Wakanda is progressively unlocking the metal's various applications, and smuggling has become an incredibly severe issue over the last few years."
"Alright, I've finished communicating with Wakanda. Everything is normal over there, and there are no issues with the Vibranium deposits."
While Hank was delivering his history lesson, Wasp had completed her liaison duties. After listening to it all, Peter turned to the Avenger Ultron, who had also boarded the jet. "Speaking of which, if one of the Ultrons out there needs to upgrade its body to a blend of Adamantium and Vibranium, why don't you need to?"
"That configuration is reserved for combat units, and I have no combat directives."
"No combat directives... which implies the other side does. But you also said you are incapable of causing lethal harm or launching attacks. Isn't that a contradiction?"
Faced with Peter's query, the Avenger Ultron gave a swift and direct response.
"I am entirely certain of my core logic. However, I cannot guarantee whether other Ultrons might find a logical workaround to bypass it."
Peter thought of the Doctor Ultron. In theory, Doctor Ultron wasn't supposed to harm others either. Yet, various surgeries—especially those involving prosthetic attachments—inevitably required invasive procedures. Despite this, Doctor Ultron seemed perfectly stable.
This so-called Ultron unit was genuinely becoming more bizarre by the moment.
Meanwhile, Banner thought of something else.
"We're about to enter Wakandan airspace. Tony, do you want to step into the Quinjet's interior cabin first? I still remember the last time you were brought down by their anti-air system."
Instantly, the entire team burst into laughter, nearly drowning out Wasp's sudden exclamation.
"We're here! Look, Wakanda!"
Peter peered down from the jet. From a distance, it didn't look drastically different from the stereotypical impoverished African nations of his memory. Situated in the arid inland region of West Africa, only the distant Niger River wound past a few underdeveloped-looking cities.
Yet, as the jet drew closer to Wakanda, the scenery underwent a rapid transformation. A massive mountain range loomed ahead, forming part of an ancient impact crater left by a colossal meteorite.
Once the Quinjet crossed the mountain ridge, an entirely different world unfolded on the other side. Vast swathes of lush forest blanketed the crater basin, giving way to rivers, farmlands, and villages toward the center. Finally, nestled against the northern mountains, stood a highly modernized metropolis, roughly the size of Manhattan.
"Their population isn't large; the entire country of Wakanda has fewer people than New York City. That's why a single central city is enough, and it's only about the size of Manhattan."
Gazing at the city of Wakanda in the distance, Peter curiously asked Hank, who had been providing the commentary, "How did they manage to reach this level of development in just a few decades?"
Tony was the one who answered Peter's question.
"It's simple. You work hard on your own, and you play poor on the international stage so the West doesn't come over to poke their noses into your business. That's all it takes."