During Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI, Marvel dropped the second trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The two-minute and seventeen-second-long clip gave fans a lot to unpack. Opening the multiverse will bring a slew of new (or different, variant versions of) characters to the MCU.
One character, in particular, led the list of speculated characters: the king of Atlantis, Namor. Now that the movie has come out, here’s whether those speculations were true!
Who is Namor?
Namor, also known as Sub-Mariner, first premiered in comics way back in 1939. The son of an Atlantean princess Fen and human Leonard McKenzie, Namor was a character torn between the worlds under the sea and on land. Raised in the kingdom of Atlantis, Namor’s allegiance falls mainly with them. His priority is keeping his kingdom, and all life in the ocean, safe. Being charming and a shrewd diplomat, Namor became a major player on the world stage. But he only takes part when it fits his plans.
Throughout his longer-than-human life, Namor fought with many heroes of the Marvel Universe. In World War II, he teamed up with Captain America to fight the Nazis. However, the events of that war left Namor permanently scarred by the horrors he witnessed. Many times, he pulled Atlantis away from humans because of their awful behavior. Namor has teamed up with the Avengers and other heroes many times. However, he has fought against them just as frequently.
Why now?
Rumors of Namor entering the MCU have been circulating since at least 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. During a briefing with Black Widow, General Okoye revealed seismic activity Wakanda was monitoring. The report concluded earthquakes were to blame. Yet many fans felt this alluded to Namor and activity in Atlantis. As the second Black Panther movie, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, started filming, Namor buzz started again. Wakanda could be on a collision course with Atlantis.
The new Doctor Strange trailer gave the strongest credence to the rumors. But why? In one scene, Doctor Strange walked before a shadowed council. The back of a bald head, coupled with Patrick Stewart’s voice, hinted at X-Men Professor Charles Xavier. The council appeared to be Marvel’s Illuminati think-tank. This is a powerful group of heroes who helped steer the course of events in their universe.
Originally, the Illuminati comprised six members: Doctor Strange, Professor X, Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Black Bolt—and Namor. All the characters have been in the MCU. All except for Namor. This would be the perfect time to bring such an iconic character in. Namor easily pivots between hero and villain. Atlantis’ appearance would open up new depths.
So, did he show up to the party?
Namor, where are you?
Released last weekend, Doctor Strange 2 packed in a ton of cameos during its relatively short runtime. Unfortunately, among the many faces (old and new) Namor was nowhere to be seen. But do not lose hope. Many people are still banking on his first appearance to be in the upcoming Black Panther sequel. Just keep your fingers (and your fins) crossed.
(featured image: Marvel)
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