How Phase 4 Can Set Up Namor In The MCU (Before Black Panther 2) – Screen Rant

It's been long rumored that Namor the Sub-Mariner might be a villain in Black Panther 2, but there's a chance he could show up even before then.

Rumors have persisted since the release of the first film that Namor the Sub-Mariner could show up in Black Panther 2, and if that were the case, Phase 4 of the MCU has the perfect opportunity to set up his character. A fascinating character in the comics, Namor is technically one of the first mutants to ever appear, and it seems likely he'll achieve the same in the movies. His fierce attitude and stern demeanor makes him both a worthy ruler to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis but also a very difficult character to get along with, as he's caused a fair share of conflicts between his fellow heroes as well as the surface world at large.

One of Namor's most notorious rivalries in the comics is with another king: T'Challa of Wakanda. For years they'd served alongside each other as members of the Avengers, but during the events of Avengers vs X-Men, Namor (who had been imbued with the powers of the Phoenix Force), attempted to destroy the nation of Wakanda. This resulted in a near-cold war between the two characters that consisted of repeated attacks against each other's nation, finally culminating in Queen Shuri ordering a vicious attack on the nation of Atlantis that left it in disrepair. Their distaste for each other has only continued to grow in recent years, and is a division of heroes that both Marvel and fans find unique.

Related: Black Panther 2: How Marvel's Sequel Can Be Even Better Than The First

Because of their history, fans of the MCU have speculated and hoped that Namor might show up in Black Panther 2 as either an anti-hero or a straight villain. While Namor and T'Challa's relationship to power and kingship would be an interesting foil for each other, there's a huge chance that Namor could actually make his first appearance or be referenced much earlier in the MCU. Because of the time-hopping narrative of Phase 4, Namor may make his debut in Eternals.

A major plot point in the movie and the characters, in general, is that the Eternals are immortal; an evolutionary offshoot created by the Celestials in order to defend Earth against their evil counterparts, the Deviants. Because of their longevity, the Eternals have interacted with members of Marvel's ancient God pantheon and even interacted with the ancient Greeks on behalf of gods like Zeus and Athena. Essentially, they've been witness to nearly all of human history, making them historians and living libraries of ancient human knowledge as well as superheroes.

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How Phase 4 Can Set Up Namor In The MCU (Before Black Panther 2) - Screen Rant