“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” introduces a new antagonist to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): Namor. Here’s everything you need to know about the King of Atlantis.
Namor: a very old character
Very famous among comic book readers, Namor is much less popular with the general public. Marvel equivalent of AquamanNamor the Prince of the Seas appears for the very first time in 1939. Created by cartoonist and screenwriter Bill Everett, he is one of the oldest characters in the Marvel stable. Indeed, Namor the Sub-Mariner (in the original version) appears in the comics Motion Picture Funnies Weeklysix months before the founding of the Marvel Comics company.
It is only later that Marvel Comics recovers the exploitation rights of Namor. He is then notably staged alongside the first Human Torch created by Carl Burgos. Both characters primarily opposed Nazi Germany, before being joined by a certain Captain America, and his sidekick Bucky Barnes. They formed a freedom defense team called The invaders.
Namor is undoubtedly one of the first anti-heroes in comic book history. Presented as an enemy of humans, especially in his fight to protect the oceans, he nevertheless sometimes supports certain heroes. He also joined supervillain groups like The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (but refused to bow down to Magneto). And much later worked with Norman Osborn during the arc of Dark Avengers. Changes of camps that make Namor a permanently free characterwhich assumes no responsibility towards any particular group.
A mutant as King of Atlantis
Like his DC Comics counterpart, Namor is the King of Atlantis, son of a human and an Atlantean. But his empire was overwhelmed during the Great Cataclysm. Later, the authors also gave him a mutant origin. Namor therefore became an Atlantean/mutant hybrid over time. This brought him legitimacy to join, for a short time, the X-Men.
Unlike other Atlanteans who have blue skin, Namor has a pinkish skin pigmentation very close to that of Caucasian humans. While his people cannot breathe outside of water, The Prince of the Seas has the ability to live both in and out of water.
Namor, however, has hormonal imbalances that disrupt his character. He owns a unstable and irascible temperament which he often lacks. Despite everything, his body can withstand the pressures of the great depths of the sea, which gives him semi-invulnerability and excessive strength. It also has a incredible longevity. Finally, his transfer offered him small wings on the ankles that allow him to fly through the air.
Namor at the cinema
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever finally introduces Namor to the MCU. In it, Shuri (Letitia Wright) and Wakanda are pitted against the mighty Namor, embodied for the occasion by Tenoch Huerta. After having chained the roles in the Mexican cinema for more than 10 years, Tenoch Huerta began to make spot by Hollywood in 2018 by playing Rafael Cara Quinbtero in season 1 of Narcos: Mexico. After appearing in Dark Force on Netflix, in Madres on Amazon Prime Video and in American Nightmare 5, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is his first truly major Hollywood role.
The actor also offers a solid performance in Namor. It perfectly recreates the ambiguity of the character, touches on his madness with a certain finesse, and makes it possible to create a solid antagonist in the new Black Panther. Very convincing in the role, we hope to see the character and his interpreter very quickly in the MCU!
