Eyes of Wakanda Timeline Explained: First Project in MCU Chronology
Set over 3,000 years before Captain America, Eyes of Wakanda rewrites the MCU’s origin story with deep lore, real history, and major canon reveals.
If you’ve ever wondered how far back the Marvel Cinematic Universe stretches, Eyes of Wakanda is where the journey starts. This is not a spinoff series. This is the most in-depth origin story Marvel has ever produced, tracing back more than 3,000 years in time. And yes, that technically makes Eyes of Wakanda the first chronological entry in the entire MCU timeline. Let’s break down the Eyes of Wakanda timeline step by step, how this four-episode animated saga reimagines Marvel history and roots itself as the true beginning of it all.
Table of Contents
Episode 1: “Into the Lion’s Den” (Crete, 1260 BC)
You probably know the MCU’s origin with Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger, set during World War II. That made sense up until now. Eyes of Wakanda takes us back to1260 BC, over 3,000 years before Captain America’s story begins.
In this first episode, you get to meet Noni, a disgraced Dora Milaje warrior who is sent to kill the rogue War Dog, The Lion. His fleet is pillaging Crete, and Noni is called upon to bring him down before matters escalate further.
This story is rooted in a real historical setting, the Battle of Settepozzi in 1263, where Byzantine-Genoese forces seized several ships and proceeded on to capture Chania, Crete. The series fictionalizes this into the Lion’s campaign, giving it a Wakandan twist.
From the MCU perspective, this sits well between the death of Queen Nefertiti in 1330 BC (referenced in Moon Knight) and the creation of the Papyrus of Ani in 1250 BC (located in the British Museum where Marc Spector works). You will not be searching for capes or cosmic powers yet, but the building blocks of Marvel’s mythos are underway.
Episode 2: “Legends and Lies” (Troy, 1190 BC)
Set during the Trojan War, this episode doesn’t mention a specific date on screen, but we know this aligns with the burning of Troy, estimated to have happened around 1194–1184 BC. And in this retelling, we meet Achilles, Helen, Paris, Odysseus, and Memnon, a Wakandan spy named B’kai who works undercover behind enemy lines.
This episode blends Homer’s epic tale with Marvel storytelling, introducing the Trojan Horse in a reimagined way.
Now, here’s the MCU twist: Gilgamesh shows up after the war in Eternals to congratulate the victors with beer, wine, and mead. That scene directly connects Eyes of Wakanda to Eternals, and it helps to place both shows in the same timeline.
This episode also sets the stage centuries before Babylon’s Crimson Bands of Cyttorak (900 AD) and Wakanda’s own vast vibranium operations. But here, motivation remains altruistic: discover lost vibranium and protect Wakanda’s secrets.
Episode 3: “Lost and Found” (China, 1400 AD)
In this episode, we are introduced to Jorani, the MCU’s first canon Iron Fist. It is set in 1400 AD and is filled with martial arts, sacred relics, and spiritual balance, acting as a bridge between Wakanda and K’un-Lun.
It takes place during a period marked by several key MCU milestones. At some point around 1362, the future father of Shang-Chi, Xu Wenwu, is shown fighting European soldiers, setting the stage for the rise of the Ten Rings.
Fast forward a few years, and in the year 1408, Odin hides the Tesseract in Tønsberg, Norway, and it stays there until Red Skull discovers it in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Also worth noting? Prague’s Charles Bridge is completed in 1402, the very same spot where Peter Parker and Mysterio would battle centuries later in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Such tiny touches make Episode 3 feel like the key to Marvel’s time-travel puzzle.
Episode 4: “The Last Panther” (Ethiopia, 1896)
Set during the Battle of Adwa on June 07, 2025, the episode revolves around Prince Tafari and Kuda, Wakandan operatives who are caught in the midst of the war between Ethiopia and the Italian invasion. The Ethiopian victory was one of the few successful African defenses against colonization, making it a powerful backdrop for the story.
In the larger MCU, 1893 is when Agatha Harkness absorbs her coven’s magic in Agatha All Along. And by 1905, monster hunters are starting to appear in Werewolf by Night. So this places the episode in a twilight zone where ancient magic still dominates, but horror and modern threats are starting to rise.
But the real twist? The Last Panther herself is from 2396, far beyond anything we’ve seen in the MCU. That is, this one episode doesn’t just fill a historical gap, but it also opens the door to Marvel’s far future.
This Isn’t a Side Story, It’s Core MCU Canon
This is where things get real. Unlike What If…? or X-Men ’97, Eyes of Wakanda isn’t multiverse fluff. It’s part of the mainline MCU continuity, Earth-616, not an alternate universe. That means everything from Troy to ancient China to Ethiopia actually happened in-universe. You’re not merely witnessing animated fanfiction. You’re witnessing history.
When episode three brings in Jorani, the MCU’s first canon Iron Fist, the show connects to Shang-Chi and Doctor Strange with some great world-building. And in episode four, you have a reality-warping twist: a Black Panther from the future changes the course of history by not changing anything at all.
How Eyes of Wakanda Becomes the First Chapter
So why is Eyes of Wakanda the first chapter in the MCU timeline? Because it lays the foundation for vibranium, Wakanda’s secrets, and its advanced technology, it all starts here. Every episode is about artifacts being retrieved and returned to Wakanda, and then that ultimately leads to Killmonger, T’Challa, and beyond.
You’re not just watching the past, you’re seeing how it shapesthe present-day MCU. If you’re rewatching in its entirety or trying to catalog Marvel’s increasingly larger lore, this is where you hit play first.
Umair Nakade
Umair has loved anime since it was still pretty niche, growing up watching classics like Pokémon, Dragon Ball, Zatch Bell, and Beyblade in the early 2010s. Death Note really got him hooked, and since then, he’s caught up with everything from the Big Three to the latest Shonen Jump hits, with Haikyuu!!! as his favorite. But he’s not just about anime, Umair’s a huge cinephile, especially superhero flicks from Marvel and DC, and never misses opening day at theaters. When he’s not watching or writing, you will find him playing Wuthering Waves, AAA titles, or listening to Harry Styles on repeat. At Techwiser, Umair is dedicated to covering anime and pop culture content.
