Namor
Namor is a male comic superhero who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Namor McKenzie was a human-Atlantean hybrid born the son of a human sailor named Leonard McKenzie and an Altantean Princess named Fen. His parents were said to had met in 1920 when his father was part of scientific expedition launching from America. Under Captain McKenzie, the ship reached a position above the ice where they dropped charges into the water as they began their scientific investigation. Unknown to them, they were above the Atlantean city where their explosion charges killed many of the natives. The Princess Fen was tasked with infiltrating the human ship and finding their secrets where upon arriving on it she was found shivering in the hold. She was brought before Captain McKenzie who mistook her for a human who suffering from the cold and attempted to warm her up as well as care for her. In their time together, Fen and Leonard McKenzie grew to understand one another as they fell in love with them marrying under human custom. During this entire time, Fen reported back to her people that they could not win against the humans. However, the King dispatched his forces against them where only a handful managed to survive battle. Meanwhile, Princess Fen came to be pregnant where she gave birth to her son Namor who was raised among the Atlanteans for the purpose of getting their revenge against the surface dwelling humans. (Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1 #1)
Growing up, Namor's constant playmate was King Thakkor's step-son Byrrah who regularly envied peoples favour over Namor, and mocked the prince's mixed heritage. One day while playing above the surface, Namor became trapped above the ice, while Byrrah and the other children fled. Fearing that he would suffocate after a prolonged period out of the water, Namor was soon rescued by a group of Atlanteans led by his mother some 15 hours later. To their surprise Namor was alive and well and they discovered that the boy could breath out of the water for an indefinite period of time. (Sub-Mariner Comics v1 #35) Days later while there was a storm raging on the surface, Namor accepted a dare from Byrrah to go above and brave the elements without fear. On the surface Namor was attacked by a pack of wild dogs left behind by a previous Antarctic expedition and managed to fight them off alone before returning home, discovering that he was more invulnerable to harm than the average Atlantean. (Sub-Mariner Comics v1 #36)
Around this time, the people of Atlantis relocated and began building a new kingdom near the Pacific Northwest. Within close proximity to humans, Namor became curious and began to venture to the surface. Along a beach he became friends with a young girl named Sandy Pierce, the daughter of Henry Pierce , a wealthy business man. Back home, Namor had aspirations to become part of his grandfathers Tri-Team that protected his people from sharks and other threats when they went on massive fish hunts. (Namor v1 #1) At 12 years old, Namor and his mother explored the remains of the USS Byrd. Followed by Byrrah, who had once more grown jealous of Namor attempted to pin his rival under one of the ships booms. However, he instead pinned Fen and found himself locked in one of the ships cabins. Namor surprised everyone when he was able to remove the 1200 pound boom off his mother and was able to rip the door free, saving Byrrah's life. In the process Namor learned he has super-human strength. (Sub-Mariner Comics v1 #37) At age 14, Namor and his mother took a trip to the Antarctic region to explore the surface during the warmer season. When the ice floe they were on split open both he and Fen fell into the crack. While Fen fell to the bottom and broke her leg, Namor was surprised when tiny wings grew out of his ankles enabling him to fly. With his new ability he was able to rescue his mother and bring her back to Atlantis for medical attention. (Sub-Mariner Comics v1 #38)
Soon Namor was introduced to his cousin Namora who was named after him. The young Namor was not interested in meeting a girl and went out playing with Byrrah and the other boys, snubbing her. Namora decided to teach Namor a lesson in humility when the boys went to go play in a sunken submarine. When Namor began playing in the torpedo tube, she blocked off the end of the tube and eventually Namor was trapped inside. While Byrrah and the others fled, Namora used her considerable strength to rescue her cousin. The two apologized to each other and formed a strong friendship thereafter that endured for decades.[13] After, Namor, Namora and Byrrah went to explore the abandoned Antarctic research town of "Little America". When Namora accidentally started a fire, trapping herself in one of the cabins, Namor came to her rescue. Having never experienced fire before, Namor was taken aback, but soon realized that contact with water revitalized his strength and he was able to save Namora from the flames. (Sub-Mariner Comics v1 #40) Soon Namor was introduced to his cousin Namora who was named after him. The young Namor was not interested in meeting a girl and went out playing with Byrrah and the other boys, snubbing her. Namora decided to teach Namor a lesson in humility when the boys went to go play in a sunken submarine. When Namor began playing in the torpedo tube, she blocked off the end of the tube and eventually Namor was trapped inside. While Byrrah and the others fled, Namora used her considerable strength to rescue her cousin. The two apologized to each other and formed a strong friendship thereafter that endured for decades. (Sub-Mariner Comics v1 #39) After, Namor, Namora and Byrrah went to explore the abandoned Antarctic research town of "Little America". When Namora accidentally started a fire, trapping herself in one of the cabins, Namor came to her rescue. Having never experienced fire before, Namor was taken aback, but soon realized that contact with water revitalized his strength and he was able to save Namora from the flames. (Sub-Mariner Comics v1 #40)
When he was 16 years old, Namor regularly hung out with his cousin Bobo in the Atlantean colony near Washington State. He took up surfing along the Pacific Northwest. One day while helping in a massive sea hunt, Namor and Bobo came to the rescue of some children threatened by a shark. (Namor v1 #1) After saving the children both Namor and Bobo were commended while the Tri-Team, who failed in their task were punished by Queen Korra and given fish gutting duty. This earned Namor the ire of his cousin Beemer a headstrong member of the Tri-Team who did not believe Namor deserved his position of power. Namor returned to the surface later that day and reunited with Sandy Pierce. The two reconnected and she eventually learned of Namor's heritage and invited him to a Memorial Day mixer, an invitation that Namor accepted. (Namor v1 #2)
During these years, he admired Atlantis's own champions that were the Swift Tide that were at the city who were negotiating an alliance with the Chasm People. (King in Black: Namor v1 #1)
After defeating some raiders, he was informed about the nature of their mission which was to find the long lost Unforgotten Stone. This mystical relic was a key to a prison containing the Great Old Ones who once long ago ruled the seas until they were defeated by the Atlanteans. Thus, the Swift Tide was tasked with ensuring the relic was not used to open the seal containing the great threat. In reality, the stone was uncovered by humans who thought it a source of great power but their experiments opened a doorway into the evil within it. This dark energy spilled into the water as the Swift Tide entered the scene where they managed to push Namor, Attuma and Dorma to safety but were themselves consumed by it. This saw them transformed into dark denizens of the Great Old Ones where they came to serve their new masters. (King in Black: Namor v1 #2)
Atlantis temporarily relocated to a colony in the Pacific Ocean when Namor was a boy. One summer when he was young, Namor surfaced and played with a 'dry girl' called Sandra Pierce on the beaches of California. It was a wonderful afternoon both would remember for years to come. (Namor v1 #1) When he was sixteen, Namor and his cousin Bobo were apprenticing with the Tri-Team, trident wielding Atlanteans who protected the Neptune Net by which King Thakorr fished for the entire colony. Bobo's older brother Beemer was already a full member of the Tri-Team, and often picked on his brother and on Namor for being a 'pink-belly'. Namor convinced Bobo to put on a gill-scarf and go with him to pick up dry girls on land. He crossed paths with Sandy again, now a teenager herself. She and Namor were quickly smitten with each other and she brought Namor as her guest to a fancy mixer at the beach club. Namor shared his secrets with Sandy, telling her not only that he was a water-breathing prince of Atlantis, but also about feeling different as the only true amphibian among his people. (Namor v1 #3) Namor soon invited Sandy to visit him in Atlantis, using special breathing worms. While Bobo got to know Sandy's friend Liz, Namor brought Sandra all the way down to the ocean floor. They came back several times, and Sandra got to know Namor's family at his cousin's birthday party. Despite Beemer and his mother Zarina's attitudes, Sandy was welcomed by the royal family, and she and Namor continued to grow closer. (Namor v1 #5) Matters became more complicated when Sandy brought Namor to meet her parents. Atlantis was dealing with oil deposits seeping through from underneath the rock, polluting the waters. Sandy recognized the substance, but didn't say anything to the confused Atlanteans. However, her father found a splotch of oil on her clothes when she resurfaced, and saw the chance for profit. Despite the Great Depression going on, Mr. Pierce sank his funds into searching for the oil reservoir, and began racking up significant debt. When workers came to collect their back pay during dinner with Namor, the sea prince stood up for Henry Pierce against his employees. Realizing how desperately Pierce needed it, Namor offered to moderate a deal between Henry and Atlantis. He spoke to Thakorr and Korra and explained how Henry wanted to siphon away the 'black stuff' and encouraged the king and queen to consider strengthening ties with the surface world this way. Sandy was concerned about allowing drilling in Atlantis, but Namor did not see any harm. (Namor v1 #6)
Sub-Mariner
With the Nazis' rise to power, Atlantean spies reported the information back to King Thakorr who alerted Namor of a missile testing site hidden on an island in the Pacific. Going there, Namor attempted to destroy the base but was captured and placed in a dehumidifying chamber to die. Captured aviator Jenny Keaton helped free Namor who then summoned a massive Kraken squid to attack the island destroying the missiles. (Sub-Mariner Comics 70th Anniversary Special v1 #1) After confirming the existence of the Sub-Mariner, the Nazis then began searching for members of the Atlantean race to capture and experiment on. Namor came across such a Nazi harvesting boat in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda. Furious at the wholesale slaughter of his people the Sub-Mariner then destroyed the boat and killed all men on board. (Marvels Project v1 #1) Shortly after this, a pair of divers intruded on Namor while he explored a derelict ship, prompting Namor to slay them. Seeing that the human race was once more encroaching on their domain, Emperor Thakorr and Princess Fen sent Namor and his cousin Lady Dorma to attack the surface dwellers in an act of war. After attacking the Cape Anna Lighthouse, Namor ordered Lady Dorma to return to Atlantis and swam to New York City. (Marvel Comics v1 #1) Namor's mission became distracted in New York Harbor when he got sucked into a sewage pipe and trashed a nearby power plant. Chased by the authorities, Namor managed to seek refuge in Central Park lake, and disguised himself in a homeless man's clothing. On Upper East Side, he attempted to get the audience of a wealthy woman, Ms. Drayson, who accidentally lit herself on fire with her own cigarette. Following the girl as she was being taken to the Dell-View Hospital, Namor captured her to use in his crusade against Americans. Clashing with the authorities along the harbor, Namor killed several police officers but lost Ms. Drayson and fled back into the ocean empty handed. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 #2) Noticing that Namor was interested in a woman, the police sent officer Betty Dean to lead Namor into a trap by pretending to be in peril in the harbor. Sure enough, Namor came to her rescue and when she attempted to arrest him, Namor pulled her out to sea. There they witnessed a Nazi U-boat attacking a British cargo ship. The Sub-Mariner decided to help the British vessel and destroyed the sub. Spotting a second U-boat, Namor incapacitated it and turned its crew over to the British navy. Returning to Betty, she plead Namor to continue to help the Allies' cause. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 #3)
Deciding to take up Betty's plea, still insisting not to choose sides but to destroy anyone trying to interfere with the transportation of food or medical supply, Namor returned to Atlantis. He convinced the emperor to lend the Atlantean army's might to this and leaded a fleet of Atlantean Aero-Subs to defend Allied supply planes from attack. Next he came to the aid of an American supply ship that had been captured by the Nazis as contraband in the North Sea. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 #4) The experience convinced Namor that he should help the human race and with Lord Thakorr's approval, Namor returned to New York City. There he was arrested for his past crimes. Allowing himself to go through the legal system, Namor had the aid of Betty Dean, who appealed to the courts on Namor's behalf. When mobster Mills Gilligan began a series of daring robberies by flooding tunnels, Namor was released to help capture him as a show of good intentions. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 #5) After preventing crooks from springing Gilligan, Namor was commended for a job well done, but the public still demanded justice be done for Namor's previous murder of a police officer. Namor agreed to be incarcerated until his day in court. Unknown to him the authorities did not fully trust him and began drugging his food to prevent an escape. Despite continued appeal from Betty Dean, Namor was found guilty and sentenced to death. Unable to escape due to his drugging, Namor was put on the electric chair. Instead of killing him, the electrical jolt revitalized Namor who then broke free and escaped into the ocean vowing to renew his aggression toward the surface world. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 #6) Once more getting permission from Emperor Thakorr, Namor returned to New York City to attack it once more as the first part of his conquest of the surface world, taking the Statue of Liberty as his hideout. Demanding that the mayor of the city resign, the mayor refused and so Namor began going on a path of destruction across the city. After wrecking the Empire State Building, Namor was warned by Betty Dean that if he did not cease his hostilities, the authorities were going to send the Human Torch against him. (Marvel Mystery Comics v1 #7)
Fantastic Four
Once, Sebastian Shaw was in search of a new person for the title of the White King of the Hellfire Club. He hosted a party to which he invited the most influential men in the world and tried to decide who would be the best fit for this position. Rejecting the candidacy of Tony Stark, he chose Namor, and invited him to join the Club. Namor contemptuously rejected the proposal, saying that if Sebastian once again dared to waste his time on such a minor thing, he would kill him. This drove Shaw into a frenzy, so he ordered Emma Frost to force Namor to join the Club, no matter what the cost. A few days later, she faked a suicide attempt by jumping overboard a yacht to attract Namor's attention. He rescued her and they spent two weeks together in Atlantis. Shaw, however, tired of waiting for news from Emma, and thinking that Namor killed or captured her, decided to send the Sentinels for her. The Sentinels attacked Namor and Emma and caused damage to Atlantis, and Namor took this as a declaration of war. Finding where the Sentinels came from, Namor, along with Emma, went there and clashed with Shaw, Donald Pierce, and Tessa. Tessa mind-wiped Emma to erase the memories of her betrayal and make her loyal to the Club again. Surrounded by two telepaths, Shaw explained to Namor that he would never get close enough to kill him. Namor left but vowed to take revenge one day. (Uncanny X-Men Annual v2 #2)
Namor wandered the bowery of New York for decades, his noble Atlantean features hidden behind a thick beard and layers of dirt and grime. His great strength was still evident, and well known among the residents of the flophouses where he lay his head. When Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four visited one of the houses, the homeless men antagonized Namor into demonstrating his power. Johnny stepped in on behalf of Namor and used his pinpoint flame to burn away Namor's beard and long hair, revealing the true Sub-Mariner underneath. Thinking quickly, Johnny decided a dunk in the ocean would restore Namor's memories and proceeded to do just that. Johnny's gambit was an unfortunate success. As his amnesia lifted, the first thing Namor did was speed away to find Atlantis, only to find its closest colony devastated and empty. His mind still clouded by amnesia, Namor remembered only that surface dwellers were responsible for Atlantis's fall. Filled with rage at the humans for destroying his home, Namor returned to Manhattan and confronted the Human Torch, declaring war on humanity once again. He used the Horn of Proteus to summon the beast Giganto, whose incredible mass drew immense flooding through the streets of New York. Namor and Giganto continued their attack until Sue Storm, the Invisible Girl, got close enough to steal the horn and call off the beast. Namor caught the young woman despite her power, and shocked her back to visibility. Instantly smitten, Namor offered to end his attacks on the surface world if Sue agreed to be his bride. Naturally, Reed Richards and the other members of the Fantastic Four leapt to Sue's defense, but the Invisible Girl was willing to sacrifice herself for the city. Namor balked at the idea, though, for he saw his proposal as an honor, not some horrible price to pay. In his anger, Namor was temporarily driven off by the Human Torch. (Fantastic Four v1 #4)
Later on, Namor, flying near the Savage Land, spotted Magneto lying unconscious near a volcanic eruption. He picked Magneto up and brought him to Atlantis to recuperate. Namor then left Atlantis to join the Fantastic Four on a mission and returned to find that Magneto had usurped his throne. The Fantastic Four and Namor made short work of Magneto, and Namor regained his kingdom. (Fantastic Four v1 #104)
Defenders
His quest was later interrupted following a call for aid from an old ally. Doctor Strange appeared before Namor in his astral form, warning the sea-prince of world-wide nuclear Armageddon threatened by Yandroth, Scientist Supreme, and his sentient doomsday computer, Omegatron. Strange, Namor and the incredible Hulk joined forces against Yandroth's creation at Point Promontory, Maine. Although Omegatron tricked Namor and Hulk into charging his doomsday sequence by unleashing their mighty power against his absorbing systems, the danger was averted when Doctor Strange encased the machine in a temporal spell, arresting the doomsday countdown almost indefinitely. Departing as allies, if not friends, these three stalwarts found the name "Defenders" suitable, should they ever have need to gather again. (Marvel Feature v1 #1)
Oracle, Inc.
Months later, Namor's life took a dramatic turn after a chance encounter. After a considerable period of time underwater, he emerged from the seas in a confused and manic state. Namor attacked a small group of primitive islanders with little provocation, before collapsing in the presence of marine explorers Caleb and Carrie Alexander who had observed his rampage. As fate would have it, Caleb had a device on hand that helped restore Namor's fits and improve his mental faculties. Caleb explained how he had been fascinated with Namor ever since the Sub-Mariner saved his life in Harlem as a young boy. His chosen career as a marine biologist was a direct result of his interest in Namor and Atlantis. Moreover, Caleb had devised a theory over the years about Namor's mood swings and erratic behavior in public. Caleb believed that, as a hybrid, Namor's body required a steady mix of oxygen from both air and water in order to function properly. Too much time in either environment could lead to oxygen saturation or starvation in his blood, and would account for Namor's mood swings. Caleb had been tinkering with his oxygen-blood regulator for decades when the Alexanders came across Namor, and sure enough the device had the anticipated stabilizing effect on the once-prince. Caleb also believed Namor could self-regulate by merely spending one hour out of every day in the opposite environment. Namor spent several weeks with the Alexanders, experiencing a clarity to his thoughts that he had not had in years. In addition to his growing interest in Carrie Alexander, Namor came to believe his past efforts to conquer the surface world were misguided or were not modern enough. Recognizing that surface dwellers understood the language of money above all else, Namor used his knowledge of sunken ships and treasure to quickly amass nearly a billion dollars in disposable cash. With the Alexanders acting as his intermediaries, Namor purchased the floundering Parallel Conglomerate with the intent of building a business empire, focused on ecological and environmental concerns in order to save the surface people from themselves. Parallel was renamed in honor of the icebreaker on which his parents first met, and so Oracle Incorporated was born. (Namor: The Sub-Mariner 1 #1)
The revitalization of the old Parallel drew attention from Phoebe and Desmond Marrs, sibling business tycoons who had been responsible for torpedoing Parallel in the first place. Desmond wanted to lure out the mystery figure behind Oracle, and hired the animalistic Griffin to stir things up. Griffin attacked the Oracle Building, kidnapping Carrie and causing Caleb to suffer a heart attack. Namorita, who had joined Namor at Oracle, alerted him to the trouble. Namor tracked Griffin to the Statue of Liberty and rescued Carrie. Believing Griffin to be working on behalf of his old bosses, Roxxon Oil, Namor impetuously raided their board room to confront his 'attackers', revealing his survival to the public and informing the Marrs twins of his role in Oracle. (Namor: The Sub-Mariner v1 #3) Although his connection to Oracle was not public knowledge at first, that changed as well when Namor revealed himself at the unveiling of Oracle Oil's submarine super tanker. Namor found himself set for a court date to deal with the charges he ignored after ending his Avengers membership months ago. (Namor: The Sub-Mariner v1 #5)
Illuminati
Following the events of the Kree-Skrull War, Iron Man called a meeting of several of the world's most influential superhumans: Namor, Reed Richards, Professor X, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, and Black Panther. Iron Man had realized that each of those present had pieces of vital information that if put together could have prevented Earth nearly falling victim to the conflict between the Kree and Skrulls, and wished for them to create a united organisation gathering every superhero on Earth under one banner. Namor objected to this idea, pointing out that Iron Man and the other heroes could not even control their current groups, and that shining a spotlight on all of their dirty business would be foolish. Instead, the group, with the exception of Black Panther, agreed to meet privately to discuss threats and events of great importance. At Namor's insistence, they agreed to keep their meetings a secret. (New Avengers: Illuminati v1 #1)
Although tacitly removed from the surface world at the time, Namor and the Illuminati met several times in rapid succession. After a C-list super-villainess named Titania got her hands on the Power Gem of the Infinity Gauntlet, Reed Richards proposed the Illuminati gather the gems themselves to keep them out of other hands. Namor, Xavier and Doctor Strange retrieved the Mind Gem from the collective unconscious of the universe. Once assembled, Richards attempted to use the Infinity Gauntlet to will itself and the gems out of existence, but failed. Instead, the decision was made to separate the gems, with each member of the Illuminati taking and hiding a different gem, leaving no one with the knowledge of the whereabouts of all the gems. Namor was responsible for disposing of the Time Gem. (New Avengers: Illuminati v1 #2)
Civil War
Soon, the New Warriors triggered Stark's greatest fear as they battled a group of super-villains in suburban Stamford, Connecticut, setting off a wave of destruction that killed over 600 civilians and provided the inciting force for the Superhuman Registration Act passing through Congress. Namorita was among the New Warriors who died in the explosive blast of the super-villain, Nitro. (Civil War v1 #1) Namor saw the SHRA as a potential threat to his realm. Not trusting the Americans to stop at registration, he envisioned a drafted army of American superhumans ready to fight against Atlantis and other world powers when politics demanded it. He courted King T'Challa of Wakanda, asking him to lead an international response to the Americans, a coalition Namor could not lead himself due to his own international reputation as a hothead and troublemaker. Prince Namor hoped that diplomacy would prevent the Superhuman Civil War from spreading to other countries. (Black Panther v4 #21) Namor's fears came to be wholly justified when America's pro-registration forces began drafting super-villains to their cause, controlled by nano-chains to guide and limit their responses. Iron Man had gone one step further, however, and arranged some increased freedom of action for Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin. Osborn attacked several Atlantean sleeper cells, exposing them to the public and prompting a diplomatic mission from Atlantis to America over the attacks and their espionage. Under Stark's control, Osborn then appeared at the summit and non-fatally shot the Atlantean ambassador, placing the countries on the brink of war. All of this was orchestrated by Stark to give America an outside foe to focus on, driving up registration among the super-hero community and ensuring amnesty for some previous hold-outs. (Civil War: Front Line v1 #11)
Despite his efforts behind-the-scenes, Namor remained openly neutral to the Superhuman Civil War in America. He even pointedly rejected an audience by the Invisible Woman seeking his aid on behalf of Captain America and the anti-registration forces. Namor refused to be manipulated and pointed out that his old friend Cap should have appeared himself for the request, rather than sending Susan to influence him. (Civil War v1 #6) Even with his injured pride, the Sub-Mariner did ultimately respond to Captain America's summons, providing the army of Atlantis to the final battle between the pro- and anti-registration forces in New York. Once Captain America surrendered, however, Namor and the Atlanteans swept back into the seas. (Civil War v1 #7)
Later on, Iron Man and the mighty Avengers decided to storm Latveria and arrest Doctor Doom for international crimes. This effectively meant that they were dethroning the doctor and leaving Latveria in a state of chaos. (Mighty Avengers v1 #11)
Dark Reign
The Sub-Mariner received some unexpected new allies after the Skrull invasion. The attack crippled Iron Man and the Initiative in terms of resources and popularity, allowing Norman Osborn to rise to the top with his new Thunderbolts Initiative and replace S.H.I.E.L.D. with H.A.M.M.E.R. Norman reached out to Namor, along with Doctor Doom, Loki, the Hood and Emma Frost of the X-Men to create their own version of the Illuminati, dubbed the Cabal. One of Norman's first acts was to order Namor released from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, free to return to his people. (Uncanny X-Men Annual v2 #2)
X-Men
The Sub-Mariner continued his half-hearted flirtation with Emma Frost as Utopia rebuilt after the Sentinel attack. Although he remained confident he would one day claim her from Scott Summers, Namor seemed to be in no hurry to do so. In the meantime, New Atlantis underneath Utopia continued to grow. Returning civilians were also supplemented by returning military, including the reinstated Warlord Krang. Krang and his second, Selach, began testing Namor's limits, questioning his dedication to the X-Men while also pressing him to denounce Atlanteans who had yet to respond to New Atlantis's summons. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #528)
Back in New Atlantis, the options to rescue Namor proved to be few and difficult. However, an unexpected guest arrived to offer assistance: Doctor Doom. Doom eventually abandoned Namor in Hell and departed alone, leaving Namor and his remaining allies to fend for themselves. They eventually returned, only to find a rebellion led by Krang and his ally, Selach. Krang eventually defected and Selach was defeated, but to do so Abira, Namor's latest love, had to become the new Logomancer to replace the old one, losing her emotions in the process. (Namor: The First Mutant v1 #11)
Despite the ongoing threat of the Serpent, Namor's restored confidence was strong enough to make another pass at Emma Frost before securing New Atlantis again. Although she rebuked his flirtations more firmly this time than usual, Namor retorted how Cyclops did not treat her with the respect she was due. After all, Cyclops had come to marry the redhead. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #540) When Emma touched the mind of the Worthy Juggernaut, she was rendered comatose for a time. Infected with fear, Emma awakened and nearly killed the Messiah child Hope, for fear that her return signified the threat of the Phoenix and the return of Jean Grey, an old foe and rival for Emma. Namor arrived in time to snap her out of the spell. He once again painted the difference between him and Scott Summers, for he would always come to the side of a woman he cared for when she was hurt. (Uncanny X-Men v1 #543)
A schism came to the X-Men as Cyclops and Wolverine disagreed about the role of the mutant students in the X-Men. Logan took the majority of the student body back to Westchester to reopen the school and allow them to be kids again. Those who remained with Cyclops at Utopia would be soldiers. Namor remained with the Utopian X-Men due to the proximity to New Atlantis, his admiration for Summers' fighting spirit and his affections for Emma Frost. (X-Men: Regenesis v1 #1)
Avengers vs. X-Men
As the battles raged across Earth, however, Namor joined Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik and Colossus as the last X-Men available to confront the Avengers over Hope on the Blue Area of the Moon. A fight then broke out between the X-Men and the Avengers while Iron Man built a weapon to fight the Phoenix. When the Phoenix Force finally arrived, Iron Man attempted to destroy it on behalf of the Avengers. Iron Man attacked the Phoenix, but instead of destroying it, the Phoenix fragmented into five equal portions that entered the X-Men who were present instead of Hope. Now empowered by it, Namor and the rest of the avatars took Hope back to Earth in order to prepare her for her role. (Avengers vs. X-Men v1 #5) Namor and the Phoenix Five took up the Phoenix's mission to heal Earth from the Decimation and evolve humanity beyond its current stage. They improved the ecology of the planet in desolate regions, provided free power to needy areas and ushered in a Pax Utopia at the United Nations, declaring no more war. The Avengers balked at handing over so much world power to the Phoenix Five, however, and infiltrated Utopia to steal away Hope. In the process, they learned the Scarlet Witch retained a unique ability to counter the Phoenix Force from her Decimation spell. With Hope taken and Wanda an imminent threat to the Five, Cyclops turned their sights on Earth's Mightiest Heroes, declaring 'No More Avengers'. (Avengers vs. X-Men v1 #6)
At the direction of the Phoenix Five, the X-Men began hunting down the Avengers all over the globe. The Avengers went into hiding while trying to find a way to defeat the Five. During this crisis, Captain America evoked the Illuminati, trying to summon Namor and the secret council to negotiate an end to the hostilities. Cap was sure Namor would meet with him because of their brotherhood in the Invaders during World War II, but one-by-one the other Illuminati members left the meeting as Namor didn't show. The Sub-Mariner only revealed himself when Captain America was left alone. Their conversation was cordial and fraught with emotion and mutual respect, but Namor would not deviate from his chosen course. (New Avengers v2 #29)
New Avengers
Not long thereafter, the Illuminati were reassembled by one outside their number: T'Challa, the Black Panther. Although he rejected the idea of the Illuminati at the beginning, T'Challa found himself desperate for allies in a new threat. A woman calling herself a Black Swan fell to Earth from a second Earth hovering in the skies over Wakanda, then used a device to destroy the Earth she came from. She brought with her a tale of Incursions, inter-dimensional events where two Earths crossed into each other's space. Once they did, the Earths either annihilated each other and their respective universes, or one Earth was destroyed, saving both universes. T'Challa summoned the Illuminati to brainstorm this multiversal threat, even Namor, who was still considered a war criminal in Wakanda. While they met in secret in the Wakandan Necropolis that T'Challa ruled as King of the Dead, the Panther made it clear he still planned to kill Namor for his crimes against Atlantis once the situation resolved itself. (New Avengers v3 #2) The Illuminati planned to confront the next Incursion with the fully assembled power of the Infinity Gauntlet. They recruited Hank McCoy, the Beast, as heir to the recently-deceased Charles Xavier's Mind Gem in order to gather all the Gems. When the Infinity Gauntlet was formed, Captain America used it to force back the invading Earth, ending the Incursion without either world being destroyed. Unfortunately, something went wrong with the Gauntlet and the Gems were shattered or lost as the Incursion ended. Namor lost his cool and actually struck Cap in anger for "misusing" the Gems. In the aftermath, Namor and the Illuminati sided against Captain America, who took an inflexible moral stance opposed to making plans to destroy inhabited Earths to save their own during the coming Incursions. Doctor Strange cast a memory spell on Cap, expelling him from the group with no recollection of the Incursions, as the Illuminati moved forward without him. (New Avengers v3 #3)
Despite the enormous scale of the Illuminati's work, the regular world continued spinning, and relations between Atlantis and Wakanda deteriorated rapidly. As the nations inched towards outright war, Namor approached T'Challa in the Necropolis to sue for peace. As was his way, Namor did so arrogantly by stating he was doing Wakanda a favor by offering them a way to avoid war, but he correctly assessed the situation with the Incursions as more important, and the nations could not afford distractions at this time. Unfortunately, the situation was complicated by the fact that T'Challa no longer sat on the throne of Wakanda. He merely served as King of the Dead, while his relatively-untried younger sister Shuri ruled as queen. T'Challa agreed to support Namor's peace request, but when it came before the war council, T'Challa's support failed and Shuri pushed for war against Atlantis. (New Avengers v3 #7)
Atlantis Attacks
Defender of the Deep
Last King of Atlantis
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Namor the Sub-Mariner was a male hybrid of Atlantean and human heritage, with a striking and unusual physique that distinguished him from both surface men and those of the sea. He had a tall, lithely muscular build, with sharply angular features and pointed ears that marked his non-human ancestry. His skin tone was a light pink hue, suggesting a closer affinity to surface-dwellers than the blue-toned Atlanteans later associated with his people. His dark hair was slicked back from a prominent widow’s peak, and his eyes were piercing, often depicted with a fierce intensity. On his ankles were a unique biological mutation: small, feathered wings that allowed him to fly—a feature that mystified his creators and enemies alike. Namor wore minimal clothing, typically only a green scaled loincloth held by a golden belt, which emphasized both his aquatic origin and regal bearing. (Marvel Comics v1 #1) He came to be known by the title of the Avenging Son. (Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1 #1) Other titles he was known by included being the Prince of Atlantis, the Emperor of the Deep, the Lord of the Seven Seas, the Supreme Commander of the Undersea Legions, and the Lord of the Undersea World. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #1)
He was said to be a youth of dynamic personality who was quick in thought and fast in action. (Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1 #1)
Namor’s personality was defined by royal pride, aggression, and a deep sense of vengeance against the surface world. He demonstrated an unwavering loyalty to his people and an uncompromising fury toward those who harmed the oceans or threatened Atlantis. Upon emerging from the sea and encountering humans for the first time, he quickly launched attacks against ships and aircraft, believing all surface-dwellers to be enemies. His rage was not directionless, however; it stemmed from the suffering inflicted on his people by human expansion and environmental damage. Though capable of great brutality, Namor also showed signs of complex thought and internal conflict, particularly when confronted with individual humans who displayed compassion or valor. His early persona was regal, warlike, and mercurial—capable of both noble intentions and fierce destruction, depending on how he judged those around him (Marvel Comics v1 #1)
Namor was shown to be a deeply prideful individual who resented asking help from those he considers weaker than him. (Namor: The First Mutant v1 #2) He had a standoffish and combative demeanor, even towards allies, often demanding and threatening rather than asking or requesting. (New Avengers: Illuminati v1 #1)
For all his flaws however, Namor possesses noble qualities in equal measure. He will always side with the few and downtrodden against the many and powerful. (Uncanny X-Men v2 #11) He has a strong sense of right and wrong, and is willing to fight against injustice, even if it turns him against his allies. (New Avengers: Illuminati v1 #1)
His mother had taught him that surface Earthmen were a cruel people that nearly exterminated their race. (Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1 #1)
He had shown himself to be quite cosmopolitan and open in his tastes, even engaging in sexual relationships with distinctly non-humanoid partners. (Uncanny X-Men v2 #8)
Powers and abilities
He was described as being an ultra-man of the deep who was capable of living on land or in the sea whilst also having the power of flight. (Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1 #1) He possessed the strength to lift and hurl large vessels, shatter metal with his bare hands, and overpower multiple armed men with ease. His speed and agility in the water far surpassed that of any known creature, allowing him to swim at torpedo-like velocities. On land, though slightly diminished, his strength and combat prowess remained formidable. He could leap great distances—sometimes entire city blocks—and his flying ability, granted by the tiny wings on his ankles, allowed him to pursue enemies in the air and escape traps. Namor’s durability was immense; he survived explosions, deep-sea pressure, and direct gunfire with little visible harm. His amphibious physiology enabled him to breathe underwater and on land, though prolonged time away from the ocean would weaken him. These traits combined to make Namor a near-unstoppable force of nature in his earliest battles against humanity. (Marvel Comics v1 #1)
Like some fish, he as able to navigate by sensing faint electrical currents within the water. (Namor: The Best Defense v1 #1)
It was said that he had the strength of a thousand men. (Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1 #1)
At one point, he claimed to have had all the powers of the creatures in the sea. Namor said that he could charge the air with electricity using the power of an electric eel and use the radar sense of a cave fish from the lowest depths to see invisible foes. (Fantastic Four v1 #9)
The trumpet-horn wielded by his ancestors was capable of rousing slumber aquatic beasts like Giganto. (Fantastic Four v1 #4)
Namor was chosen as one of the hosts of the Phoenix Force when the cosmic entity descended upon Earth. After Iron Man’s failed attempt to destroy the Phoenix split its essence, fragments of the fiery power chose five mutants as vessels, with Namor among them. As an avatar of the Phoenix, Namor’s Atlantean physiology was vastly enhanced, granting him cosmic energy to fuel every aspect of his being. His durability became nearly limitless, his strength ascended to immeasurable levels, and he gained command over flame-like manifestations of the Phoenix’s might. As one of the Phoenix Five, Namor no longer relied solely on the gifts of the sea; instead, he carried within him a shard of primal creation and destruction, making him a godlike force among mutants and a direct extension of the Phoenix itself. (Avengers vs. X-Men v1 #5)
With the Phoenix Force burning inside him, Namor demonstrated feats that dwarfed his previous accomplishments as the king of Atlantis. His speed and striking power enabled him to overwhelm even the Avengers’ greatest champions, shrugging off attacks that would have crippled him in his natural form. He wielded the Phoenix’s cosmic fire in tandem with his natural affinity for water, fusing the two forces into devastating tidal assaults infused with elemental flame. In combat, Namor conjured great storms and hurled forth waves that burned with the essence of the Phoenix, incinerating his enemies while sweeping them away in catastrophic floods. His command of both ocean and cosmic flame made him uniquely destructive, an elemental force embodying both water’s might and fire’s annihilation. (Avengers vs. X-Men v1 #7)
Namor’s most catastrophic display of Phoenix power came during his assault on Wakanda. Fueled by both his personal rage and the Phoenix’s hunger for conflict, he unleashed a tidal wave of apocalyptic scale upon the nation, drowning its streets beneath a sea of flame and flood. The attack devastated Wakanda, destroying vast portions of the city and leaving the kingdom broken in his wake. This single act of destruction was remembered as one of the most terrifying demonstrations of the Phoenix Five’s power, solidifying Namor’s place not just as a mutant king but as a cataclysmic avatar of cosmic judgment. (Avengers vs. X-Men v1 #8)
At one point, he declared the seas off-limits to surface dwellers and established a team of superhuman aquatic beings to help enforce this policy. This saw him being the leader of the Defenders of the Deep as they ruthlessly struck at any incursion into the ocean. (Avengers v8 #9)
Notes
- Namor the Sub-Mariner was created by Bill Everett where he made his first appearance in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1 #1 (April, 1939)
Alternate Versions
- In X-Universe v1 #1 (1995), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Age of Apocalypse reality that was designated as Earth-295 in the Multiverse.
- In A-Next v1 #3 (1998), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Marvel Comics 2 reality that was designated as Earth-982 in the Multiverse.
- In Ultimate Fantastic Four v1 #24 (2005), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Ultimate Marvel reality that was designated as Earth-1610 in the Multiverse.
- In Secrets of the House of M v1 #1 (2005), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the House of M reality that was designated as Earth-58163 in the Multiverse.
- In Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four v1 #4 (2006), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Marvel 1602 reality that was designated as Earth-311 in the Multiverse. This version was named Numenor who was the Emperor of Bensaylum, the 'city of the gods' beyond the edge of the world.
- In Iron Man Noir v1 #2 (2010), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Marvel Noir reality that was designated as Earth-90214 in the Multiverse.
- In Thanos Imperative v1 #1 (2010), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Cancerverse reality that was designated as Earth-10011 in the Multiverse.
- In Age of X: Alpha v1 #1 (2011), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Age of X reality that was designated as Earth-11326 in the Multiverse.
- In Age of Ultron v1 #2 (2013), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Age of Ultron reality that was designated as Earth-61112 in the Multiverse.
- In Dark Ages v1 #1 (2021), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the new Dark Ages reality that was designated as Earth-80763 in the Multiverse.
- In Heroes Reborn v2 #6 (2021), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the new Heroes Reborn reality that was designated as Earth-21798 in the Multiverse.
- In Maestro: World War M v1 #1 (2022), an alternate version of Namor appeared in the Future Imperfect reality that was designated as Earth-9200 in the Multiverse.
In other media
Television
- In The Marvel Super Heroes, Namor appeared in the setting of the animated television series during the Namor segments where he was voiced by actor John Vernon.
- In Fantastic Four, a character based on Namor named Prince Triton appeared in the setting of the 1967 animated television series where he was voiced by actor Mike Road.
- In Spider-Man, Namor appeared in the setting of the 1981 animated television series in the episode "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner" where he was voiced by actor Vic Perrin.
- In Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Namor appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "7 Little Superheroes" where he was voiced by actor William Woodson.
- In Fantastic Four, Namor appeared in the setting of the 1994 animated television series in the episode "Now Comes the Sub-Mariner" where he was voiced by actor James Warwick
- In The Avengers: United They Stand, Namor appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "To Rule Atlantis" where he was voiced by actor Raoul Trujillo.
- In Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes, Namor appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episodes "Imperious Rex" and "Atlantis Attacks" where he was voiced by actor Michael Adamthwaite.
Films
- In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Namor appeared in the setting of the 2022 live-action film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where he was portrayed by actor Tenoch Huerta Mejía.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Namor appeared as an NPC in the setting of the video game.
- In Marvel Contest of Heroes, Namor appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.
- In Marvel Strike Force, Namor appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.
- In Marvel: Future Fight, Namor appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.
- In Marvel Super War, Namor appeared as a playable character in the setting of the MOBA video game.
- In Marvel Rivals, Namor appeared as a playable character in the setting of the third person hero shooter where he was voiced by actor Daniel Marin.
Appearances
- Motion Picture Funnies Weekly v1: (1939)
- Fantastic Four v1:
- Namor the Sub-Mariner v1:
- New Avengers v3:
- Uncanny X-Men v2:
- Avengers v8:
- King in Black: Namor v1: (2020)
- Namor:
External Links
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