With filming wrapped on Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and its anticipated November release date still holding firm, fans are wondering if they’ll see the arrival of Namor, Marvel’s aquatic anti-hero before they return to Atlantis for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023.
With the success of the DCEU’s Aquaman, and the Fox acquisition enabling mutants to join the MCU, it seems like a perfect time to introduce Marvel’s take on the King of Atlantis. It’s easier for fans to highlight their differences, but Namor and Aquaman's similarities are an important factor in how these characters fill a very specific niche in their respective comic universes.
They Are Both Half-Atlantean
Aquaman and Namor share similar origin stories. Both of their mothers were Atlantean royalty and both of their fathers were surface-dwellers. Aquaman's mother was the Queen of Atlantis, and Namor's was a Princess, providing the royal legacy needed for each character to one day rule Atlantis.
While their upbringings highlight the differences in their attitudes towards the surface world and its relationship to Atlantis, their noble lineage bonds both characters to their respective versions of their underwater kingdoms. It also provides reasonings as to what makes these characters different from everyone around them.
They Are Both Strong Leaders
Both Marvel and DC's Atlantian heroes take the throne of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis for a portion of their continuity. While their tactics as King of the Seas differ, they both take their responsibilities and ruling very seriously.
Each character places a great deal of emphasis on what their kingdoms can achieve as a wholly separate entity from the rest of their universe's population. Both Namor and Aquaman put a lot of stock into the militaries of Atlantis and focus on ensuring the self-sustainability of the kingdom.
They Were Both Exiled From Their Kingdom
While Namor and Aquaman have both led Atlantis, both kings have also been ousted from their kingdom. Both Kings face these issues as a result of their half-Atlantean, half-human parentage. Aquaman's half-brother, Orm has taken charge of Atlantis on multiple occasions. His Ocean Master persona is regarded as one of Aquaman's most recognizable villains in both the comics and mainstream media.
Namor's exile from Atlantis is the result of a politically-focused situation than the line of ascension. His banishment is facilitated by disgraced Atlantean warrior Attuma, who takes the throne before Namor eventually defeats him and regains the crown.
They Both Have Mixed Feelings About Society
Disillusion about the surface-dwelling society is another trait both characters share. While most visible for Aquaman in Flashpoint, it played a major role in the character's development in the DCEU. His hesitation to join the other Justice League team members was a result of this disillusion.
Namor's distrust of the surface world has been a hallmark of his character since his debut during the Golden Age of Comics. His relationship with the dry-land society is far more strained, leading to his anti-hero status and the infrequency of his heroic team-ups.
They're Both Part Of A Team
Aquaman's most famous team-up has been as a member of the Justice League, and whenever he's joined a team for nefarious reasons, it's almost always in one of DC's Elseworlds stories. Like Aquaman, Namor's teamed up to save the universe on a number of occasions, but, his most iconic team isn't as wholesome.
Namor's been a member of several different teams, including the Defenders, the Avengers, and most notably, the Illuminati. He was also a member of the X-Men, but operating under Norman Osborne’s direction as a member of the Dark X-Men in the "Dark Reign" arc.
They Are Both Fathers
Both Namor and Aquaman are fathers, but they each practice very different parenting methods. Namor’s daughter Fen, gets separated from Namor, thinks he abandoned her, and she comes back as an adult to kill him. His son, Ove, was recently introduced as a nemesis for Captain Marvel.
As for Aquaman, he's more often been a father figure to his young Atlantean sidekicks, but he also had a son and a daughter. The death of Aquaman's son ranks as one of the saddest moments in DC Comics history, but his daughter, Andy, has been taking a more prominent role in the Aquaman titles during the Future State time jump.
They Both Have Super-Strength
One of the powers that both characters have in common is super strength. In regard to protecting Earth, Atlantis, or their family and friends, this enables them to fulfill the superhero tropes of moving rubble, throwing cars, and so on.
This is due to their Atlantean biology. Atlantis is a significantly more evolved civilization than the surface dwellers in both comic universes, and are not identified as homo-sapiens. During Namor's comics run, Professor X clarifies Namor as a Homo Superior mutant. Atlantis in the DC universe was built from a race known as the "Homo-Magi."
They Have Similar Weaknesses
Obviously, since both Aquaman and Namor are half-Atlantean, they have the ability to breathe underwater as well as on land. There have been points when they both have been significantly weakened by staying on dry land for too long, but the severity of this has not been consistent throughout their print histories.
Aquaman has also had a few points in his continuity where he was able to fly, notably in the Prime Earth universe, thanks to his trident. Namor doesn't have a need for his trident to enable him to fly. Rather, the small wing-like fins on his ankles give him propulsion through sea and sky.
They Both Wield The Trident Of Neptune
Tridents have been part of ocean mythology since the beginning, so it's not a surprise both Namor and Aquaman wield tridents in battle. They both have their respective universe's Trident of Neptune. Based on the actual mythical artifact, the trident of Poseidon, the multi-pronged weapon is symbolic of the power the handler has over the ocean.
In both versions of the weapon, the trident has been endowed with magical abilities that are separate from Namor and Aquaman's powers. Among its powers, the Trident can shoot out energy that can be used in battle, used as a shield defense, or even heal.
They Can Communicate With Fish
No conversation about Aquaman is complete without mentioning the fact that he talks to fish. And so can Namor. Actually, both have a telepathic connection with sea life and can communicate and influence the fish to do what they're asking. However, Aquaman seems to use this gift more frequently than Namor.
Since Namor at one point had the ability to imitate the ability of any sea creature, he didn't have a need to influence his scaley subjects as much as Aquaman did. He can also summon marine life to him using a magic horn, while Aquaman just uses his telepathy.