Tenoch Huerta, the actor who plays Namor in the film, clarifies that his character is not the villain that everybody is expecting. He explains that “Latin-Americans are always the bad guys in Hollywood movies. And now we are the heroes – or an anti-hero, in this instance.” The confusion about Namor’s role in the film can be traced to the trailer of the movie. In one particular sequence in the trailer, M’Baku is seen leaping in the air to strike Namor. The final sequence last has the new Black Panther baring her claws at a distant figure that many assume is the Sub-Mariner. Ryan Coogler, director for Wakanda Foverer, also commented that Namor is the “dream antagonist.”
An Anti-Hero not a villain
When Namor was announced for Black Panther 2, fans expected that he will start off as a villain as he did in the comic books. The contrasting nature of Black Panther and Namor has always placed them at odds with each other. Longtime Marvel comic book readers have been expecting a clash between Black Panther and Namor. In the comic books, Namor attacked the city of Wakanda under the influence of the Phoenix Force. He destroyed much of the city with a tidal wave. However, the aquatic mutant has always been more of an anti-hero. On several occasions, Namor has joined the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. He is also a member of the Illuminati, a group that includes Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Reed Richards, and Charles Xavier. Perhaps the MCU is looking to pull off a similar plot twist like when Captain America butted heads against several Avengers, including the Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War. It wouldn’t be a shock if Namor was initially hostile to the people of Wakanda at the start of the film if only due to his inherent distrust of surface dwellers. The prevailing theory is that Namor would eventually realize that he should work alongside Black Panther to fight against an even bigger villain, specifically, Doctor Doom.
Namor’s future in the MCU
Having Namor as a mutant anti-hero bodes well for Huerta’s future in the MCU. Huerta wants his casting in Wakanda Forever to inspire Hispanic fans of the MCU similar to how the original Black Panther movie had an effect on the African-American audiences. “We [Latin-Americans] are making something to be proud of in Hollywood,” Huertas said. Will we be seeing Namor as part of the new Avengers? He should be a powerful addition to the team that has lost Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow. Namor could also be teaming up with X-Men and Fantastic Four as he did in the comic books. We will know all the answers when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters on November 11, 2022.
