Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will not only be the final film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the movie will also be the first Black Panther installment without Chadwick Boseman starring as the titular character since his untimely passing in 2020. Therefore, the storyline of this November release will revolve around how the nation of Wakanda is healing after King T’Challa’s death.
In the aftermath of such an event, the Wakandian ruling family will have to overcome all the invading forces that want to take advantage of the dire situation. As shown from the numerous trailers released for the upcoming sequel, the debuting character of Namor will be featured as one of these oppositions.
Unlike his origins in Marvel Comics, where he is the ruler of Atlantis, Namor the Sub-Mariner in the MCU is held as the king of the Talokan, a civilization of people who lived peacefully underwater for many, many years. After finding out that T’Challa revealed Wakanda and its resources to the rest of the world at the end of the first Black Panther film, Namor decides that it is time to ascend to the surface world and take proper precautionary measures in Wakanda Forever since he thinks that he and his people are no longer safe.
As can be seen in the trailer, Namor is making swift moves. Talokan forces quickly swarm a drilling platform located out at sea, and later on, we see him in a very heated stare-down with Queen Ramonda, T’Challa’s mother.
Namor’s Arrival in the MCU
Marvel Studios
Having a recurring role in the Netflix show Narcos Mexico and being the main star in the 65-episode Spanish telenovela that chronicled the life of esteemed Spanish wrestler Blue Demon, actor Tenoch Huerta will easily convey to audiences the sometimes menacing but always powerful presence that the character of Namor the Sub-Mariner can hold. Not only is he a strong-willed emperor to an underwater nation that roams the deep oceans of Wakanda, but his people respect him so much that they refer to him as the feathered serpent god, K’uk’ulkan.
Not only that but alongside Ms. Marvel, Namor is being brought into the MCU as one of the first mutants. At this point, it’s pretty clear that T’Challa’s family will be the first to endure Namor’s wrath. As for the future, the character’s history in Marvel Comics could very well lay the groundwork for where he is headed in future MCU phases.
Different Stories of the Sub-Mariner
Marvel Comics
In Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, we were given a look into Earth 838’s version of the Illuminati. According to Marvel Comics and on Earth-616 (the Earth on which Marvel Comic events take place), Namor turns out to be a founding member of the Illuminati. He does not last long in the group, as the bullheaded Atlantean single-handedly destroys another planet simply because he believes it to be a threat to our Earth during the prelude to Secret Wars.
This may very well be a possibility for the Namor present in the MCU, given that the Illuminati has already been introduced, and we are currently knee-deep into the Multiverse Saga. Plus, in both the comics and in the trailer for Wakanda Forever, Namor generally seems to be a hothead.
One MCU movie that is the farthest out date-wise from being released is The Fantastic Four. Simply put, this team has one of the most complex and constantly intertwining relationships with Namor. From having a very drawn-out romantic obsession with Susan Storm to outright killing Johnny Storm in the Earth X storyline to keeping The Fantastic Four afloat financially early on in their superhero careers, these two Marvel entities are synonymous with each other as Batman and the Joker. You could say that this dynamic goes a step beyond, though, as Namor teamed up with Reed Richards, Johnny Blaze, and The Thing to take Atlantis back from Magneto in 1961. Once The Fantastic Four movie releases in February 2025, it won’t be long until we see Namor inevitably cross their path.
According to what is most important to him at the moment, Namor has a track record showing that he has allied himself with both heroes and villains in the past. Since there are still a few years until Avengers: Secret Wars premieres in theaters and the most plausible antagonist for that movie is Doctor Doom, there is more than enough time to rehash Namor’s treacherous team-up with the ruler of Latveria.
During the Dark Reign, which is what the aftermath of the Secret Invasion is called (which is also a soon-to-be-released Marvel miniseries on Disney Plus), Namor ends up forming a secret alliance called the Cabal with the likes of Doctor Doom, Norman Osborn, Loki, The Hood, and Emma Frost. While this group in the comics doesn’t last long due to betrayal and treachery, Doctor Doom and Namor will soon be present in the MCU. Marvel fans will enjoy seeing them both on screen, hopefully together.
Marvel fans will rejoice in unison when they get their first look at the character of Namor when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in theaters on November 11th, 2022. After that movie, neither land nor sea can stop him. Only the sky’s the limit for the Sub-Mariner.
