4 Years On, The MCU Just Repeated a Trick From Loki

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Caution: Spoilers for Eyes of Wakanda ahead!
In the latest season of Eyes of Wakanda, they employed one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most effective storytelling devices, last seen in Loki Season 1. This technique is an excellent method for any primary-world fantasy narrative. In the first episode of Loki, a casual joke hinted that Tom Hiddleston’s character, the God of Mischief himself, was connected to the real-life mystery of D.B. Cooper, effectively closing the case after years of investigation and speculation. Similarly, the finale of Eyes of Wakanda Season 1 offers an imaginative explanation for the historical enigma surrounding Ben Pease, a genuine slave-trader who vanished mysteriously in 1870. You can continue reading for additional context, or just accept the tale unfolded in Eyes of Wakanda Season 1, Episode 4, “The Last Panther,” now streaming on Disney+.

Titled “Eyes of Wakanda,” this series delves into the historical exploits of the elusive nation, Wakanda, as it strived to conceal its advanced technology and riches while fostering harmonious ties worldwide. The narrative unfolds around the covert operatives dispatched across the globe for espionage or sabotage missions, collectively referred to as “War Dogs.” This specific installment zeroes in on Kuda (Steven Toussaint), one of these War Dogs, and his partner Tafari (Zeke Alton), who holds the esteemed title of Prince of Wakanda.

In this episode, the pair embark on an extraordinary journey that’s hard to put into words, yet it’s filled with epic moments. However, the backstory about Ben Pease, a historical figure, is merely casually mentioned. As Tafari laments about the mission not going as planned, he remarks, “I had hoped to join forces with the legendary Kuda of the Mining Tribe – the agent who defeated the pirate Ben Pease.” For history enthusiasts, this is an exciting reference to real-life events.

Ben Pease

Originating from Edgartown, Massachusetts, the historical figure Ben Pease was initially a sailor who engaged in the opium trade and various voyages across the vast Pacific Ocean. Over time, he advanced to command his own ship. Unfortunately, Captain Pease employed an unscrupulous method known as “blackbirding,” which involved kidnapping individuals from Pacific Islands and transporting them to locations where they were coerced into labor on plantations. Despite their claims that these people were bound by “indenture” or had willingly chosen this lifestyle, it was a deceitful means of acquiring laborers, as the Atlantic slave trade began to face changing laws across Europe and the United States.

In 1870, Pease was engaged in this profession when he assisted his pirate companion, Bully Hayes, in escaping from prison in Apia, Samoa, by using his ship, the Pioneer. After that, they sailed together to various islands for several months, with a significant stopover in Shanghai. Upon their return to home port, Pease was no longer present, but there were varying accounts of his fate. Hayes declared that Pease had drowned while avoiding Spanish military forces, whereas other crew members claimed he had been killed during a skirmish on the Bonin Islands in Japan. Interestingly, Hayes later asserted that Pease had actually used the money from the Pioneer’s cargo to purchase a house for himself in China and was planning to retire. Regardless of the truth, Pease was never seen or heard from again, and Hayes became the uncontested captain of the Pioneer.

D.B. Cooper

This strongly reminds me of the Marvel Cinematic Universe tampering with history in 2021. The humor stems from a scene where Mobius (played by Owen Wilson) questions Loki about his repeated escapes throughout time. Using TVA technology, he retrieves footage of Loki on Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 in 1971. He enacts the entire historical incident, including jumping out of a moving plane. The series subsequently resolves this puzzle by having Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Heimdall (Idris Elba) employ the Bifrost to transport Loki back to Asgard at the last possible moment.

For over five decades, I’ve been intrigued by the enigma of D.B. Cooper. On a flight from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington, under the alias Dan Cooper, I orchestrated a daring act. I subtly informed the flight crew that I had an explosive device, commandeering the entire plane for a ransom of $200,000. The plane touched down as planned, and I allowed the passengers to disembark before insisting that the flight team prepare for our journey to Mexico City. Yet, moments after takeoff, with money clutched tightly in my hand, I leaped from the moving aircraft, deploying a parachute, and disappeared into the night.

In the end, Cooper’s true identity remains unclear, but he became a city myth since day one. It’s amusing to discover that he was actually Loki, but what makes it even more intriguing is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s revelation that this was merely a wager between him and his brother Thor. This clever plot device seamlessly blends reality with fantasy in an imaginative tale, though not every story has such convenient loose ends to explore. The film Eyes of Wakanda uncovered another captivating angle with Ben Pease, and it’s exciting to imagine what other twists the MCU may have up its sleeve.

Eyes of Wakanda is streaming now on Disney+, along with Loki and most other MCU titles.

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2025-08-05 23:11