Merchandise for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has confirmed a major change to Namor the Sub-Mariner. Created by writer-artist Bill Everett back in 1939, Namor the Sub-Mariner actually predates Marvel Comics as a company. Traditionally portrayed as the ruler of Atlantis, Namor is finally making his way into the MCU in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Played by Tenoch Huerta, the MCU's Namor is very different to the comics. While his basic look is close to the Silver Age Namor—green shorts with a golden belt, golden armbands, and a lot of skin on display—he also has a ceremonial outfit that's much more unusual. The costume's appearance appears as though it's tied to Aztec or Mayan mythology in some way, an idea confirmed by the costumes of other Atlanteans seen in the trailer. This has led to speculation that Marvel has made a major change to Namor, making him king of an underwater kingdom offshore South America rather than Atlantis.
Merchandise for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has now confirmed this theory. The Hasbro website is now accepting pre-orders for merchandise related to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the description of the Marvel Legends action figure of Namor the Sub-Mariner reveals he isn't the ruler of Atlantis at all. Rather, it reads:
"The ruler of Talocan, an ancient civilization hidden in the depths of the ocean, Namor will stop at nothing to protect his people."
The change has presumably been made to ensure Namor isn't directly compared to DC's Aquaman, both monarchs of Atlantis in their respective superhero franchises. Marvel has clearly switched things up by linking Namor to Aztec mythology, a smart move that will allow director Ryan Coogler a tremendous opportunity to flex his creative muscles in of world-building. The name Talocan is derived from the Aztec legend of Tlālōcān, a paradisaical realm traditionally ruled over by the rain god Tlālōc and his consort, the water goddess Chalchiuhtlicue; it's possible Namor and Namora stand in as these two figures.
The interesting question, of course, is whether Namor and Namora are somehow tied to the gods themselves. Talocan does actually exist in the comics, where it serves as the home of a group of gods known collectively as the Tēteoh; all of the Tēteoh are immortals, with tremendous combat skills and accelerated healing factors. If Namor and the Atlanteans have indeed been merged with the Tēteoh, and serve as a pantheon equivalent to the Egyptian gods seen in Moon Knight, then the Wakandans are in serious danger in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It will be fascinating to see how these changes play out in the MCU.
Source: Hasbro
