Black Panther is back with its sequel “Wakanda Forever,” and Namor is the new aquatic anti-hero. He is the King of the sovereign under-ocean nation of Atlantis.
Namor is a superhuman born with the powers of flight and super-strength. The original Marvel comic describes his character to be born as the son of a deep-sea Atlantean princess named Fen and an Antarctic explorer named Leonard McKenzie. He is an Atlantean royalty but has a history of a tumultuous relationship with humankind.
The role in the Marvel movie is played by the Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta. He might seem like a newbie to international viewers. But, he is already a famed actor known for Spanish and Latin American movies like “Escobar: Paradise Lost” and “Narcos: Mexico,” among others.
The actor has trained rigorously for the role of Namor. As the character is the Aqua-King, Tenoch learned underwater swimming. He didn’t have this skill beforehand. Not just swimming, the Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta also learned a new language, especially for this role.
What Language Does Namor Speak In Wakanda Forever?
Namor speaks the Mesoamerican Mayan language in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The detail that was missing in the comic book and is only in the movie is that Namor speaks in a different language while conversing with his people.
He converses with them in the Yucatec Mayan language. Yucatec Mayan is one of the 69 varieties of the list of Mayan languages mainly spoken in Eastern Mexico.
Moreover, Princess Shuri, the sister of Black Panther and the heiress to the Wakanda Throne, understands their language. She communicates with them in their language when she and Ironheart get attacked at the bridge.
The director Ryan Coogler has named the Atlantis kingdom as Talokan. According to the Newyork times, he revealed that it was a reimagined version of Atlantis and was deeply inspired by the Mesoamerican cultures, especially the Mayan Postclassic and Yucatan period.
Where Is Namor From In Wakanda Forever?
Namor is from the aquatic kingdom in Atlantis called “Talokan.”
Black Panther Wakanda Forever describes this place as a city in Atlantis alongside the amphibious civilization of “HomoMermanus.” This underwater nation is home to a race of mammals that can breathe in water.
Namor is the first mutant in Marvel Comics, as he was born with superhuman strength, speed, and flying ability. He mutated because of his parents of a different race. The sub-mariner, aka the Atlantis King, is a hybrid as his father was a human while his mother was an Atlantean princess. The meaning of his name, “Namor,” is “Avenging son.”
With his mutant powers, he can fly, respire through his skin, and has immense strength and a long lifespan. His age is over centuries when he meets Princess Shuri in Wakanda Forever.
The comic character Namor is of Greek origin, and the Marvel movie has cued the character to be of Mayan origin.
Is Namor Villain or Hero?
Although Namor is depicted as a villain in Black Panther season 2, his character can be best described as an anti-hero.
Wakanda was already in harm because the US government was trying to get its hands on Vibranium of Wakanda. French ambassadors and other countries were also eyeing the Vibranium. So, the government is the actual underlying villain.
However, because of Riri Ironheart, it was discovered that there is Vibranium underwater. The underwater Vibranium belonged to Namor’s home in Atlantis, Talocan. When the government tried to take their Vibranium, Talocan was attacked, which was why Namor came to the surface and attacked Wakanda.
Namor saw Riri as a threat to his people in Talocan as she was the one who found out about the underwater Vibranium. His only intention was to kill her and protect his race. The super-powerful mutant saw Shuri in favor of Riri and thought that Wakanda wanted to harm his nation. This misunderstanding caused him to attack Wakanda and cause flood all over, and attack Princess Shuri.
Later, he asks Shuri to make peace and join forces with the mission to fight the people of the land who wants to harm the underwater people by taking the Vibranium. But Shuri refuses.
The character of Namor is highly unpredictable. It is evident that he is not a direct threat to Wakanda. He just wants peace and is trying to protect his people. Though, from the Wakandans’ point of view, he is a supervillain and a strong one.