No matter how Captain America: Civil War’s superhero brawl shakes down, one detail is now for certain: Black Panther will not be a part of it.

While nearly every other superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will choose a side behind Captain America or Iron Man, the King of Wakanda will remain neutral in the registration conflict. As Marvel Studios Head Kevin Feige revealed, T’Challa will act as a third party in the Civil War, serving only his and his home country’s interests.

“In the case of Civil War, we needed a third party, we needed a character who wasn’t on either Captain America or Iron Man’s side, which is why we went, 'You know what? We’re doing a Black Panther movie, but it would actually be smart to have him fill this role we need in Civil War and introduce him here first,'” Feige told Super Hero Hype.

In playing Black Panther as a third stringer, Marvel will also tee the character up for his solo film in 2017. But what do you think of Black Panther serving as an independent party? Let us know in the comments below.

Captain America: Civil War opens on May 6, 2016. And want to know when Black Panther’s solo film will premiere? Head to ComicBook.com’s Comic Book Movie Database!