Namor's Underwater City Talokan Fully Explained

Warning: This contains SPOILERS for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever!

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduces Namor and his underwater city Talokan to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just as the first Black Panther brought audiences to the secret world of Wakanda, the sequel introduces another mysterious kingdom. The presence of Tenoch Huerta's Namor in Black Panther 2 is felt throughout the movie as he establishes himself as a potential ally and unwanted enemy of Wakanda. The mutant Namor, also known as Kukulkan the feathered serpent god, is the powerful leader of a race of underwater beings who inhabit the underwater city Talokan.

Despite only being a secondary location in Black Panther 2, Namor's underwater kingdom of Talokan looms large. Shuri becomes the first person from the surface world to visit the city, giving viewers a detailed look at the new MCU location. While this leads to Wakanda and Talokan going to war, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's ending ensures that the movie is only the beginning of Namor and Talokan's role within the shared universe. Comic readers always knew that an underwater city would come with Namor's introduction. Still, even the most die-hard fans are likely to experience something new with Marvel's Talokan underwater city.

Is Talokan In Marvel Comics?

An image of Namor emerging from the water in Black Panther

Talokan is not a concept pulled from Marvel Comics, as Marvel Studios decided to take Namor's underwater kingdom in a new direction. Talokan is the MCU's replacement for Atlantis, the underwater kingdom that Namor leads in the comics. While Marvel is usually pretty faithful to the comics, there are several reasons for this change. One of these reasons is that variations of Atlantis have already been brought to the big screen before. DC's Aquaman featured its version of Atlantis prominently, so Marvel and Black Panther 2 director Ryan Coogler wanted to find a new way to bring Namor's underwater city to life.

Changing Atlantis to Talokan also allowed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to connect Namor to Mesoamerica mythology. Marvel took inspiration from Aztec culture and the legends of Tlālōcān, an ancient city ruled by the rain god Tlāloc. Marvel Comics has never explored the idea of Talokan, but Aztec gods known as Tēteoh are part of the canon. This includes making Tlāloc part of Marvel's history. However, the Aztec rain god is not known to have created Tlālōcān in the comics or have any connections to Namor. The comics have instead always kept Atlantis as the name of Namor's underwater city.

What We Know About Talokan's MCU History

Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Namor received a great deal of attention in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but the full exploration of Talokan's MCU history might have been saved for later on. The movie only provides a few details on the creation of Talokan and its people. The MCU's Talokan was created in the 1500s after people living in Yucatán were called by the rain god Tlāloc to drink from a rare flower growing underwater. After they were physically transformed and capable of living underwater, the people created Talokan, with Namor destined to be its king. Much like Wakanda, Talokan remained hidden from the rest of the world by not interfering with other events.

The secrecy surrounding Talokan worked under Namor's leadership, as Shuri became the first person from the surface to visit the massive underwater city. This is largely because there have only been a few sightings of Namor in the MCU or other Talokanils in the past. The death of Namor's mother brought him and others back to the surface world, where they were horrified to see the slavery of Mexicans. This led Namor to lead an attack against the slavers, which is how he got his name. Black Panther 2 also teases some other potential sightings of him over the years, but it seems he and his people only emerge to help hide Talokan.

Talokan vs Marvel's Atlantis: What The MCU Changes

The MCU's Talokan is very different from Marvel's Atlantis. As already highlighted, Talokan's origin is tied to the beginning of the Talokanil race during the 1500s. However, Atlantis is a much more historical place in the comics. Marvel's Atlantis originated as a small continent in the Atlantic Ocean, but it sank to the bottom of the sea in 18,000 BC during the Great Cataclysm. While some Atlanteans survived and began living elsewhere, Atlantis' underwater city started to repopulate in 8,000 BC when the first Atlanteans with the ability to breathe underwater emerged and reformed the city in 6,000 BC. This difference between Talokan and Atlantis makes the former a much younger nation than Wakanda.

Another significant change for Black Panther 2's Talokan when compared to Marvel's Atlantis is the location. The underwater city has been rebuilt multiple times in the comics and in various places. Atlantis' most common placement is in the Atlantic Ocean between America and Europe, resulting in Avengers: Endgame's Atlantis theory. There have also been times when Atlantis was built off the Pacific coast or near Antarctica, including when Namor's parents met. This is drastically different from Talokan, which is located near the Yukatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico.

The introduction of Talokan in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also reveals that the civilization is thriving with vibranium. The rare metal is not typically associated with Atlantis in the comics, but the MCU changed this to tie the two ancient, secret civilizations together. Talokan has not become as technologically advanced as Atlantis in the comics, despite the aid that vibranium could provide. However, this could also be attributed to the underwater city only being around for the last 500 years.

How Talokan Is Different From The Aztec's Tlālōcān

Tenoch Huerta as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Marvel's Talokan underwater city is directly influenced by the Aztec city Tlālōcān, resulting in a reasonably faithful adaptation of the legend in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Tlālōcān is depicted in Aztec legend as a paradise ruled by the rain god Tlāloc and his partner Chalchiuhtlicue. The underwater city became the new home of anyone who died from drowning, lightning, or rain-related diseases. Tlālōcān can be traced back to other religions and regions beyond Aztecs, but it is always portrayed as an underground location. Tlālōcān's ties to the afterlife include it being part of the Thirteen Heavens in Aztec mythology.

Transforming Tlālōcān into Talokan does come with some differences. However, associating the creation of Talokan with a disease brought to the region by the Spanish conquistadors ties in Tlāloc's corner of the afterlife. It also helps explain why drinking the flower as instructed by the rain god led to the first Talokanils dying before their skin turned blue and they returned to life with the ability to live underwater. The big difference with Talokan is making its inhabitants the equivalent of Aztec gods, with Namor becoming known as the feathered serpent god a clear example.

Are All Talokanil Mutants Like Namor?

Black Panther 2 confirms that Namor is a mutant, but that does not mean that every Talokanil is a mutant. He is the only native from Talokan with signs consistent with his mutant DNA. It does not appear that other Talokanils have Namor's winged ankles or pointy ears. He is also confirmed to be the only person from Talokan who can breathe on land without using water-filled masks. Namor's mutant DNA is also why his skin does not turn blue when he exits the water, which is not the case for any other Talokanils featured in the movie.

Namor might be part of Marvel's Phase 4 mutant wave, but it would not make much sense for the rest of Talokan to be entirely populated by mutants. Black Panther 2 points out how revered Namor is by his people. They do not call him king or general but rather Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god. If Talokan were filled with several other mutants, there would not be as strong of a reason for his people to hold him in such high regard. These other people could be "gods" then and use their mutant powers to challenge Namor for the throne.

Talokanil's Abilities & Powers Explained

Instead of every Talokanil being an MCU mutant, the natives of Black Panther 2's underwater city have other special abilities and powers. Everyone can breathe and talk underwater, while they are also inherently great swimmers. The movie indicates that all Talokanils have super-human levels of strength and other enhanced physical traits. Black Panther 2 also gives the Talokanils an extraordinary power as they can sing a song in harmony that triggers a form of sonic hypnosis. They use this ability to make their enemies leave a location multiple times in the movie, although the exact nature of how the song works is not explained.

Talokan's MCU Future

Black panther wakanda forever Shuri namor and his people

Now that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever established Namor, Marvel's underwater city Talokan should be a big part of the MCU's future. Marvel Studios has not confirmed any upcoming appearances for Namor or other Talokan characters. However, Black Panther 2's ending shows that Namor believes Talokan is Wakanda's only real ally and that this will make the underwater kingdom much stronger moving forward. It remains to be seen if the peaceful alliance between Talokan and Wakanda will last, but that is at least where any future involvement for the location will begin. In the meantime, Namor is more likely to keep Talokan isolated from the world.

There is room for Talokan's MCU future to include a few notable appearances. Namor and his people could play pivotal roles in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars. It is also possible that Talokan will be featured in the MCU's Fantastic 4 if Namor returns in the movie. Of course, rumors about a solo Namor project would also mean Talokan would return in a major way after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever if they are true.

Next: Full Breakdown Of The New Black Panther (Identity, Powers & MCU Future)