Warrior of the sea; the child of two worlds; friend and foe to mankind alike; and one of the first superheroes. All of these things describe Namor the Sub-Mariner in equal measure. He may not have the exposure that many Marvel heroes have gotten over the decades, but his importance cannot be understated. With his MCU debut imminent with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, now’s the perfect time to take a refresher course on the man dubbed “Marvel’s First Mutant.”

Also, for those who think Aquaman came first, he didn’t. Namor debuted in 1939, while Aquaman didn’t appear until 1941. At least Aquaman has the win in Death Battle! though.

A Child of Two Worlds

I wasn’t joking when I said that Namor’s one of the first superheroes. Created by Timely Comics, AKA the company that became Marvel years later, Namor debuted in the spring of 1939. This both makes him one of Marvel’s first heroes and one of the first modern superheroes. 

Where did he come from in-universe, though?

Namor’s story began in the frigid waters of Antarctica aboard an icebreaker ship captained by a Leonard McKenzie. One day, Leonard lived the fantasy of sailors of old when he met an actual mermaid. Rather, he met Fen, a member of a supposed offshoot of humans called Homo Mermanus. In other words, Merfolk and Fen was the Princess of the undersea Kingdom of Atlantis. Despite being sent to spy on the Humans, Fen and Leonard ended up falling in love and secretly married. However, Fen’s Dad got worried when his daughter never returned and, like any overprotective Dad, freaked out and sent his army to find her. A skirmish ensued, Leonard was left for dead, and Fen returned to her underwater home…except that she was pregnant. The resulting child was of two worlds, a Human-Mutant-Merfolk hybrid, Prince Namor.

Yes, it turns out that one of his parents had the dormant X Gene that Mutants possess, making him part Mutant. His hybrid status proved to be very beneficial as a whole, though. His Atlantean part lets him breathe underwater, telepathically communicate with marine life and other merfolk, and even mimic the traits of certain deep-sea creatures. His human side allows him to survive on land for extended periods. Lastly, his Mutant side granted him those wings on his ankles that let him fly. They may look goofy, but people learn not to underestimate Namor quickly.

Making Himself Known to the World

Despite his father being a Human, Namor has long had an inherent distrust of humanity. Given humanity’s tendency to wage war upon the ocean and harvest its resources, it is not an unfounded distrust. Despite this, Namor tried to reach out to humanity and learn more about it as he neared adulthood. This decision came to coincide with the outbreak of World War II, though, and while Namor tried to stay out of it, the Nazis didn’t give him much choice when they chose to go after Atlantis. Following this, Namor joined the Allies in their war effort, fighting alongside the likes of Captain America, Bucky, and the original Human Torch. His experiences with Cap and Bucky led him to develop a healthy respect for the two heroes.

Sadly, once the war ended, Namor returned home to find his Grandfather decided to exile him. Left without a home, he wandered the world and even became amnesiac for a time. Eventually, though, his memories were restored, and he would eventually return to Atlantis and take up his rightful position as its King. 

As a side-note, in the comics, it was Namor who was responsible for Steve Rogers’ revival in modern times. After finding a group of Inuits worshipping an idol frozen in ice, Namor threw it into the sea in anger. That idol was found by the Avengers, and it turned out to be Captain America.

Namor’s Policy is Atlantis First

Don’t think for a second that Namor is a hero, true believers. He’s not a hero, as he’s fought various heroes on several occasions and even aligned himself with known villains like Doctor Doom. At the same time, he’s also fought alongside various heroes, such as Captain America and the Fantastic Four. Most notably, Namor fell in love with Susan Storm, and she returned his affections in some manner. Ultimately, though, he was gentlemen enough to concede defeat to Reed Richards.

Namor’s loyalty can change as easily as the tides, which stems from his main loyalties. As King of Atlantis, Namor’s loyalties are to Atlantis first and foremost. He will do what he thinks he has to in order to protect his people. If that means teaming up with Dr. Doom, then so be it. If that means working with the Avengers to stop Thanos from getting the Infinity Stones, then he’ll do that. At the end of the day, all that matters is that Atlantis is safe from threats. 

I Like This New Twist

So, just to recap, Namor in the comics has a somewhat different background from what he’ll have in the MCU. That said, I actually approve of the direction that they’re taking with Namor in the MCU, and with his people as a whole. Having the MCU counterparts contain roots in Mesoamerican culture and mythology is an interesting take on one of Marvel’s oldest heroes. Specifically, it seems based on that of the Aztecs, an alliance of city-states that ruled central Mexico before the Spanish conquest. Their name, Talocan, is shared with a region of the afterlife reserved for those who died by drowning, lightning from storms, or death by water. It’s fitting, considering how the Talokan of the MCU are merfolk. 

I, for one, am looking forward to returning to Wakanda, even if it means doing so without Chadwick Boseman. His legacy, though, will live on, and I hope that Tenoch Huerta knocks our socks off as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.