As MCU’s first mutant is days away from making his debut on the silver screen with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, fans have but one question on their mind, how strong Namor is going to be? While Nerds often like to compare their favorite superheroes pitting them against each other the MCU also likes to deliver on those expectations by featuring fights like Hulk vs Thor in Thor: Ragnarok and Captain Marvel v Thor in What if…? In a new interview with Marvel’s official site director Ryan Coogler revealed he is as strong as Thor or Hulk and also reveals why it is difficult for other heroes to go toe-to-toe with him.
Namor is the oldest character in Marvel publishing, he was introduced as the son of a sea captain and princess of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. In the comic books, he is also a mutant that the MCU has kept intact while tweaking the character to be the ruler of Talocan. Actor Tenoch Huerta who steps into the shoes of the Submariner has described him as an “anti-hero” who has Mesoamerican roots.
The trailers and other marketing material specify he has “superhuman strength” and also pronounced him as KuKulKan (also spelled K'uk'ulkan), the feathered serpent god, worshiped by Yucatec Maya people. The reimagination fits as Huerta’s Namor indeed has ankle wings and wears a feathered crown. Speaking of his abilities Coogler said, “Introducing Namor for us was really an opportunity to introduce another politician, another sovereign ruler of a group of people who represents more than himself.” Further adding that because of the Submariner’s heightened abilities, “it’s very hard for others to go up against him — and win.
Namor can swim very fast, can fly, has superhuman strength, is a mutant, and is also a god since MCU gave us a taste of the powers of gods in features like Moon Knight and Thor: Love and Thunder. So, he makes a pretty formidable foe, Coogler explains, “[There’s] no equal in terms of his capabilities, being able to breathe underwater and breathe at high altitudes and walk around on land. He’s incredibly strong, he’s as strong as Thor, and if he’s around enough water he can be as strong as the Hulk.” And that’s not all as the Submariner can be one of those anti-heroes that fans would love to root for.
Commenting on Huerta’s work, producer Nate Moore revealed, “Tenoch’s performance is really interesting because he's seductive and he's smart. He is passionate about what he believes in and at certain points in the movie, I think, is winning over our heroes because of the truth in which he's speaking.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theatres on November 11. You can check out the trailer below: