Alex Livinalli, who plays Talokan warrior Attuma and fights alongside Namor in Black Panther 2, defends the actions of Talokan in the new MCU movie. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees Wakanda mourning the death of their king, T'Challa, but soon war breaks out between them and the hidden underwater kingdom Talokan. Ruled by Namor, Talokan proves to be a massive threat to Wakanda—especially in the wake of losing their own leader and protector.

In Black Panther 2, Talokan and Wakanda mirror each other in many ways, with both nations historically isolating themselves and their resources from the rest of the world. Wakanda revealed the truth about themselves to the UN and world at the end of Black Panther, however, which could lead to a chain reaction culminates in the war between them and Talokan. During Screen Rant's exclusive interview with Livinalli, the actor defends Talokan's actions in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and explains why they aren't simply villains.

Related: Black Panther 2's Trailer Hints At Another Huge Change To Namor's Race

"I think there's so many similarities to Wakanda, how they are away from the world in order to preserve their way of life, their resources, [and their ability] to be themselves. Now in this particular moment, we see how the Wakandans deal with the conflict, and then how we deal with the conflict.

But I think at the end of the day, everyone's just trying to do right by their people with no ill intent of, “We're going to do this to you because we're just bad.” It's like, "Don't come into my house uninvited." That kind of thing. Respectfully, [if] you cross that line?"

It's over.

"Yeah, pretty much."

Is Namor A Hero Or Villain In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?

Black Panther Wakanda Forever Namor Tenoch Huerta

While Wakanda and Talokan have many similarities, it seems like their reactions to conflict may be a distinct difference. Livinalli makes an interesting point about Talokan's style of defense, which seems to allude to a major violent response to anyone intruding on their home. Livinalli frames the people of Talokan not as the villains of the story, but as warriors acting in defense of their nation. Interestingly, this could mean that Talokan is provoked into this war by Wakanda, if not directly then by some sort of major threat that could be tied to Wakanda.

Another key component could be Talokan's history. Wakanda and Talokan seem to share many similarities including isolation, precious resources, and a need to hide from the rest of the world. While Wakanda has been prosperous and grown technologically advanced in its isolation, Talokan's trajectory may be a bit different. Given its Indigenous Central and South American influence, Talokan may not have avoided conquerors and colonization to the same degree as Wakanda, resulting in a need to violently oppose invaders.

These different perspectives will be key to exploring the complexities of Namor, who in the comics has historically oscillated between hero, villain, and anti-hero. Similar to Black Panther's antagonist Killmonger, Namor, while a major threat to Wakanda, may not be fully in the wrong—fitting the role of an antagonist, but perhaps not a villain. While in Black Panther 2 he seems primed to be the villain, especially by attacking Wakanda, his motivations may be more personal and even understandable.

Next: Will Namor Be A Hero Or A Villain In The MCU?

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