The man who robbed Wakanda
Klaue is a South African black-market dealer with a very specific claim to fame: he is one of the only outsiders who ever stole vibranium from Wakanda and got away with it. Vibranium is the near-indestructible metal behind Captain America's shield and, later, a whole nation's technology. Klaue's raid made him rich, made him a legend in the underworld and made him Wakanda's most wanted man. The Wakandans marked him with a brand on his neck that reads, in their language, "thief."
On screen he is loud, chatty and dangerously relaxed. He sells to anyone, trusts no one and treats mortal danger like a business meeting that got a bit heated.
Klaue's appearances in order
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (essential): Ultron comes to buy his vibranium stockpile.
- Black Panther (essential): Klaue resurfaces and the Wakandans finally have a shot at catching him.
- What If...? (optional): an alternate-universe animated appearance.
Captain America: Civil War sits between them in release order. Klaue is not in it, but it introduces T'Challa, the hero who will chase him in Black Panther, so it is worth watching in between.
Klaue's biggest moments
His Age of Ultron scene is short and memorable. Ultron arrives at Klaue's ship-breaking yard on the African coast to buy vibranium for his own plans, and the meeting goes wrong fast. Klaue leaves the encounter permanently changed, and the vibranium he sold becomes the core of the next stage of Ultron's scheme. It is also where the Avengers learn that his vibranium came from Wakanda.
Black Panther gives him far more room. He shows up with a souped-up mechanical arm, an underground casino deal in South Korea and a new business partner with his own reasons to hate Wakanda. The car chase through Busan is one of the film's highlights and a good look at how slippery he is. Without spoiling anything, his role in the film turns out to be a stepping stone for a much more personal threat.
People connected to Klaue
He does not have a formal team or family on screen; Klaue works alone and sells to whoever is paying. Still, his path runs through some big names. Ultron is his most dangerous customer. T'Challa sees catching him as a debt Wakanda has owed for decades. Okoye and Nakia track him in Black Panther, while CIA agent Everett Ross wants him for reasons of his own. Most important, he becomes the bridge that brings Erik Killmonger to Wakanda. You can find many of them on our list of MCU characters.
Andy Serkis without the motion capture
Serkis is the most famous performance-capture actor in film, best known as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes trilogy. Star Wars fans also know him as Supreme Leader Snoke. Playing Klaue lets audiences see his own face for once, and he clearly enjoys it, giving the character a twitchy, sing-song energy. Serkis has also directed films, including Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
How to watch Klaue's story
Watch Avengers: Age of Ultron first. Then add Captain America: Civil War for T'Challa's introduction, followed by Black Panther. If you only care about Klaue, those two films are all you need, and Black Panther works on its own even if you skip the rest. Looking for more villains of his kind? Our MCU character directory lists the arms dealers, mercenaries and schemers he has crossed paths with.