The clash between Marvel and DC doesn’t seem to stop. As Marvel have introduced their own Aquatic Superhero in the MCU. Namor’s character is one of the focal points of the 2022 released Marvel movie ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. MCU’s Aquatic Superhero has been able to attract audiences and been the talk of the town amongst the superhero genre fans. So, let’s take a look at the aquatic superhero character and know who is Namor in Marvel Comics.
Origin Story of Namor the Sub-Mariner
Namor aka Namor the Sub-Mariner is one of the oldest superheroes of the world. Namor’s character was created by the American comic book writer & artist Bill Everett in 1939. Initially the character was developed for a weekly comic book picture. However, Namor made his first appearance in the same year (1939) for ‘Marvel Comics #1’. During the Golden Age of Comic Books (1930-40), the character of Namor the Sub-Mariner was one of the most popular characters of Timely Comics (the predecessor of Marvel Comics). In that phase Namor stood along with characters like Captain America and the Human Torch in terms of popularity.
The Aquatic Superhero is the son of Leonard McKenzie and Fen. Namor’s mother ‘Fen’ was the daughter of Emperor Thakorr (Emperor of the Atlanteans). While his father ‘Leonard McKenzie’ was a human who worked as a sea captain. McKenzie was later killed by the Atlanteans and Fen was taken back to her Kingdom where she gave birth to a pink skinned mutant child (Namor). He was raised by the Atlanteans and was later crowned as the Prince of Atlanteans. Being a mutant makes Namor stronger than his counterpart Atlanteans. Because of his mutation only his skin color is not blue like the other Atlanteans.
Powers and Abilities of Namor
Namor is stronger than most humans and Atlanteans because of his unique genes. The aquatic anti-hero can easily survive underwater and can handle the pressure of deep waters with ease. Bill Everett (Namor’s creator) mentioned him (Namor) as an ultra-man who lives under the deep oceans, can live & breathe on the surface and has wings on his feet which also enable him to fly. It was also mentioned that Namor possesses the strength of a thousand men (surface humans). However, with time there have been few alterations with Namor’s powers and abilities. Some versions even portray Namor as a brutal force who can even take on Hulk in a one to one combat. It also mentioned that even after aging the Atlantean appears as a handsome man in his mid 20’s or 30’s. Because of his looks and charm only he has been involved in a romantic storyline with Fantastic Four’s Susan Storm aka Invisible Woman. However, Namor’s character is generally portrayed as an Aquatic mutant character who’s capable of surviving on the surface, can fly and possess superhuman strength, agility and speed.
Namor’s future in MCU
Many movie buffs may think that Namor’s character is a newly designed fresh character. But by now you must have understood how old and iconic Namor’s character is in the Marvel Comics. And the aquatic anti-hero’s storyline & portrayal hasn’t disappointed anyone. The character of Namor is mostly appreciated and liked by the fans. If MCU does follow the original storyline from the comics it will open many doors for new storylines and plots. It can also provide an opportunity for the revival of old characters and franchises like Fantastic Four. However, it seems very unlikely that MCU will follow the original storyline of Namor the Sub-Mariner. On the surface level it seems that Namor’s character is introduced as a supervillain. But if you look closely the creators have left some space for future alterations. We may see Namor transforming into a full time villain and becoming a supervillain like Thanos or Kang the Conqueror.
Or we can expect something fresh and exciting where Namor becomes the Aquatic Superhero or anti-hero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Only time will tell how Namor’s character develops & transforms. The only thing that MCU shouldn’t do is to just make Namor a catalyst for the upcoming MCU projects. We feel that Namor’s character has a lot of potential and it should be utilized properly. Be it as a supervillain or as an anti-hero. Do you wish to see a solo film staring Namor?
Also Read: DC Characters who will Make Deadly Antagonist and Protagonist Combination in Movies
