Wakanda Forever's Namor Change Justifies His Ridiculous Power Level

Changes made to Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever justify his ridiculously high power level. After two trailers, it’s no secret that Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther sequel has made some massive alterations to the Sub-Mariner’s backstory. The root of these adjustments is the decision to swap out Atlantis for Talocan, a mythical civilization tied to Aztec mythology.

In the Black Panther 2 trailer, M’Baku calls Namor the “Feather Serpent” and talks about him as if he’s a god in the MCU. Clearly, Tenoch Huerta’s character has a reputation that Namor never did in the source material. The comic book version of the hero was a member of a water-breathing offshoot of humanity and was most certainly not comparable to any mythological deity. Going in this direction marks a sizable shift from his comic origin, but also provides an explanation for his powers that actually works a lot better than what the comics did. Assuming Marvel approaches his abilities accurately, Namor’s god-like status should make sense of his incredible strength in a way that his hybrid nature and mutant genetics couldn’t.

How Powerful Is Namor In Marvel Comics?

It’s worth noting that the other members of the Atlantean race in Marvel Comics can’t compare to the power level of their king. Typically, Atlanteans are physically superior to humans in several ways, but most aren’t anywhere near the level of the Sub-Mariner, who has made short work of heroes like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America. He’s in the same class as heavyweights such as Thor and Hercules, regardless of the fact that he’s not a god in any sense. His ability to match up with them is proven by his brutal fights with Hercules in Avengers comics and his multiple collisions with the Hulk. In fact, Namor was able to beat Hulk during an underwater fight.

Why Marvel’s Namor Changes Reveal About His Black Panther 2 Story

Scrapping the Atlanteans and potentially making Namor a true MCU god has interesting implications for his role in the film. What they indicate is that Marvel has every intention of staying true to his image in Marvel Comics. Since he’ll be up against a version of the Black Panther – as opposed to a powerhouse like Thor – there were some concerns that Marvel would water him down in order to make him seem a bit more beatable. But, M’Baku’s description of Namor in the Black Panther 2 trailer suggests that it won’t be holding back.

So far, all signs point toward the MCU’s Namor being the nearly unstoppable force he’s supposed to be. But if he really is as strong as the comic book character, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s heroes may be in for the fight of their lives. It may take everything they have (and more) to stop the Savage Sub-Mariner from wreaking havoc on the surface world.

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