The “Namor vs. Aquaman” debate has popped up again, thanks to the Marvel antihero’s key role in the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In the movie, the ruler of Talokan proves himself a formidable foe and arguably the most unbeatable aquatic character by almost flooding the technologically advanced African nation when he orchestrates an invasion, thanks to a diplomatic dispute.
The constant spotlight on Namor and Aquaman might create the impression that they are the only two powerful aquatic characters present in the comics. That’s hardly the case as even in Marvel Comics alone, several individuals have made a case for themselves as to why they deserve recognition like the two.
10 Lady Dorma
A member of the Atlantean aristocracy, Lady Dorma is first spotted in Marvel Comics #1. Hailing from the Atlantean colony of Tha-Korr, off the Antarctica coast, she later marries Namor, with the two becoming one of Marvel’s fan-favorite comic-exclusive couples.
Being able to lift 2 tons and swim at speeds of 30mph is remarkable because most humans can't pull that off, but Dorma’s powers don’t match up to those of her fellow Atlanteans. Her glaring weakness? Unlike Namor, she cannot survive outside water, and this is what eventually causes her death in Sub-Mariner #37.
9 Dr. Walter Newell (Stingray)
The oceanographer debuts in Tales to Astonish #95, where he tries to build an underwater city for humans. He then develops a suit for sea exploration and starts going by the name Stingray.
Newell, like Tony Stark, has no special abilities. He is somewhat the Marvel version of one of the best James Bond villains, Karl Stromberg. Nonetheless, the Stingray suit makes the oceanographer very capable of defending himself as he can project electric blasts and swim at high speeds. Most importantly, the suit’s diffusion system enables him to reside comfortably underwater by extracting oxygen from water.
8 Triton
Like Newell, Triton doesn’t have ties to Atlantis. He first shows up in Fantastic Four #45 as a member of the Inhuman Royal Family.
Triton is a joy to watch in water, as he can obliterate anyone and anything, including whales and submarines. Sadly, he also has the fish-out-of-water limitation, in that he can’t survive without water for more than 5 minutes. As such, he always requires a breathing apparatus to aid him whenever he faces such a challenge.
7 Alani Ryan (Loa)
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Loa is introduced in New Mutants (Vol. 2) #11 as a surfer that happens to be a mutant. She later joins the Xavier Institute where she works with other notable mutants and X-Men.
Loa is held back by the fact that she needs an Amulet to operate underwater. But once she has it, she is just like Namor. Furthermore, Loa can pride herself in having the unique ability to distort molecules, meaning she can quickly move through solid matter.
6 Marrina Smallwood
A member of the extraterrestrial Plodex species, Marina is discovered by a fisherman in Alpha Flight #1. The man and his wife then raise her into adulthood.
Marrina does even better than Namor when it comes to the survival-on-land aspect, as she can live on the surface indefinitely, whereas Namor has to seek water after some time. She is a shapeshifter, too, and has even been seen transforming into a sea serpent and developing claws like that of one of the most powerful mutants, Wolverine. Additionally, she can opt not to fight if he’s not in the mood to. Instead, she easily blinds opponents using secretions. But Marrina isn’t without weaknesses, as she is neither fast nor strong.
5 Todd Arliss (Tiger Shark)
A swimmer by profession, Todd damages his spinal cord in Sub-Mariner #5 while rescuing a person from drowning. Desperate to compete in the Olympic Games, he participates in an experiment by Dr. Lemuel Dorcas, who fuses his DNA with that of Namor. Sadly, the experiment goes wrong, turning Todd into a shark-like creature.
Fans will be quick to notice similarities between Tiger Shark and one of the best Suicide Squad characters, King Shark. As for powers, Tiger Shark has all the basics, from stamina to aquatic physiology to speed. His adamantium teeth give him a leg up on many other aquatic characters, as that’s the same material that’s in Wolverine’s body. His only weakness is that he can’t survive out of the water.
4 Namorita Prentiss
Namorita is introduced in Sub-Mariner #50 as Namora’s daughter. She comes into existence when Atlantean scientist Vyrra implants a little clone of Namora inside her.
As a clone of her mother, Namoritta shares the same powers as her. She has some individual abilities to boast over, too. For example, in New Warriors #14, she is seen absorbing electricity, which is a bit strange for a character that spends most of her time in the water. Additionally, she is able to secrete corrosive acid from her hands, hence giving her an added advantage during fights.
3 Aphrodite Ourania (Venus)
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The Goddess of Love and Beauty hails from the pocket dimension of Olympus. She makes her first appearance in Venus #1, where several gods fight for her hand in marriage.
Venus can handle any threat easily because she has all the basic Olympian powers that are also possessed by Hercules. And since Hercules is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, this says a lot about Venus. Additionally, she can not only breathe underwater but also uses it to see things that are in other locations. She demonstrates this in X-men Vs Agents of Atlas #2, where she uses water to view her temple right from the comfort of her penthouse in New York. But above all, her biggest flex is being able to arouse love and passion in others.
2 Aquaria Neptuna (Namora)
Namor’s cousin, Namora, is first seen in Marvel Mystery Comics #82. She is presumed dead for many years before being discovered by the Agents Of Atlas.
Namora ranks next to Namor because she possesses most of the same powers that he does, but she isn’t just a female version of him as she has her own distinctive abilities, such as the ability to perceive the mental abilities of another person. She has the power of Hypnosis too, which is best seen in Wakanda Forever when she controls several individuals, making them jump into the water. The major reason Namora isn't quite as powerful as Namor is that she struggles to lift heavy objects while on land, whereas Namor easily can.
1 Namor
One of the first ever Marvel characters, Namor first appears in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 in 1939. He is the ruler of Atlantis, though this has been changed to Talokan in the MCU to avoid comparisons with DC’s aquatic kingdom of the same name.
As an alpha-level mutant, Namor is super strong, and this has been proven through his fight scenes. In various comic issues, he has managed to get the better of Savage Hulk, Luke Cage, and She-Hulk in fisticuffs. His strength is also confirmed in the MCU, where he sends M’Baku flying with one blow. Additionally, Namor can see in the dark, withstand freezing temperatures, and swim at speeds of up to 350mph.