Warning! Spoilers ahead for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.Black Panther: Wakanda Forever uses an Avengers: Infinity War trick to make Namor look more powerful. Ryan Coogler's much-anticipated Black Panther sequel introduces the Sub-Mariner to the MCU after being teased for quite a while now. Marvel Studios made the wait worth it, however, when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever debuted an instant fan-favorite who is not only interesting and unique but also very powerful. Amid everything that was happening in the critically-acclaimed sequel, it was able to effectively establish Namor as a strong character, even borrowing an Avengers: Infinity War storytelling trick to emphasize this.

During Namor’s Wakanda attack, Namor charged toward the Sub-Mariner only to be easily defeated by a single punch that even broke his armor. It was an efficient display of strength and was something that was already used in Avengers: Infinity War. The 2018 film opened with Thanos' brutal fight against Hulk; after the green-rage monster had his fill beating up the Titan, the villain retaliated with a series of hits himself and then ending him with a single punch. At that point, Marvel Studios made it very clear that Thanos was going to be a worthy foe for the Avengers just like Namor was to Wakanda.

Related: M'Baku's Wakanda Forever Fate Is Better For Black Panther 3 Than You Think

Namor Defeating M'Baku Made His Black Panther Fight Better

Black panther wakanda forever Namor and Shuri

Technically, Namor and the Talokanils are the villains of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - although, in the bigger scheme of things, the Sub-Mariner is more of an anti-hero. While it was shocking and difficult to watch someone as strong as M'Baku get easily knocked out, it actually made the film so much better. In one scene, the fight between Namor and the Wakandans became more interesting. It also upped the stakes for his final showdown with the new Black Panther, Shuri. Somehow, it made both of them very impressive seeing how intense their match-up was.

How Powerful Is Namor Compared To Thanos & Hulk?

Black Panther wakanda forever Namor Thanos

Namor hasn't long been in the MCU, but Marvel Studios made it clear that he will be one of the most formidable characters in the Multiverse Saga moving forward. It's safe to say, however, that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hasn't showcased all of his capabilities; some of them will be used down the road. Despite that Coogler previously revealed that Namor is as powerful as the Hulk if he's around water. Meanwhile, Thanos is a more well-rounded warrior than the Sub-Mariner; he doesn't need water or even the Infinity Stones to beat the Hulk. Ultimately, Thanos can easily overpower Namor if they ever found themselves in a fight.

It would have been interesting to see Thanos go toe to toe with Namor and Talokanils during the Infinity Saga. However, unlike the Eternals' excuse for not meddling in Avengers: Infinity War, the Sub-Mariner and his people's reasoning for not joining the fight make more sense. They are consistently in danger of being invaded, so they need to prioritize themselves and not face the Titan. After Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, however, it's safe to say that Namor and Hulk's paths will cross. Whether they will be allies or foes are currently unknown.

Next: Namor Avoids One Of The Biggest MCU Villain Problems

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