Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters in a few days, delivering the Black Panther vs. Namor battle that Marvel has been teasing since July. We don’t need any plot leaks to know that is the big fight of the sequel.
We also know that Wakanda will suffer, as the trailers indicate that Namor is an incredibly powerful adversary. But this is an MCU superhero movie that will mostly respect the overall blueprint for this sort of adventure. Barring any Infinity War-like shocking twist, Wakanda Forever should end with Black Panther outclassing Namor.
That said, we probably know how Black Panther will beat Namor in Wakanda Forever. And that’s all thanks to a seemingly innocuous detail from a Marvel interview about the sequel. Mind you, massive spoilers will follow below, as we’re about to also touch on a big Black Panther 2 plot leak.
Namor isn’t your regular MCU villain
Earlier this week, we speculated that Namor might join the Avengers one day. It’s all based on recent comments from Ryan Coogler, Nate Moore, and Tenoch Huerta about Namor. The character is the villain of Wakanda Forever, but the writer/director, producer, and actor are careful to describe the complexity of Namor.
The character isn’t the usual MCU villain. He doesn’t have an ulterior reason, they indicated. Namor is a hero ready to do whatever it takes to defend his people. Even if that means attacking Wakanda, something that we know will happen in Black Panther 2.
“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,” Coogler said. The writer/director also described Namor’s powers, indicating that the Black Panther antagonist will be a formidable adversary for the Avengers.
“[There’s] no equal in terms of his capabilities, being able to breathe underwater and breathe at high altitudes and walk around on land,” Coogler. “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.”
Given how Marvel portrays Namor in interviews, it’s not unthinkable to assume that the Talokan leader might join the Avengers to face an even more significant threat. But this brings us to Marvel’s big spoiler.
How Black Panther will defeat Namor
Getting back to Wakanda Forever, there’s no question that Black Panther and Namor will face off in battle. We see the Talokans and the Wakandas fighting in various settings in the trailers and promo clips. It’s only a matter of time until Black Panther takes on Namor. This is the fight we’re waiting for.
Namor might be more powerful than the next person to take on the Black Panther suit. He is a mutant, he can fly, and he can swim fast, as Coogler explained. And from the quote above, it’s clear that Namor would have no problem fighting against Thor (Chris Hemsworth) or Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).
But there is one crucial detail in all of this. Namor has to have enough water around to be as strong as Hulk. Put differently, Marvel just told us that Namor’s weakness is the absence of water.
Therefore, water is Namor’s strength and his Achilles heel. That’s how Black Panther will beat the Wakanda Forever villain. We’re assuming that the Wakandans will figure Namor needs water around him to exert his strength. Namor flooding Wakanda is enough to make anyone realize that the Talokan need the water to fight.
At the very least, taking Namor away from water will make it impossible for his people to come to his aid.
This is just speculation based on Marvel’s interviews. But even bigger spoilers follow below.
The big Wakanda Forever plot leak
The entire Wakanda Forever plot leaked online a few days ago. From the looks of it, this is the real deal, and the plot leak contains ample information about the next Black Panther’s identity and the fight against Namor.
Unsurprisingly, it’ll be Shuri (Letitia Wright) taking on the Black Panther mantle in Wakanda Forever. She will fight Namor in the final battle with a simple strategy. Remove Namor from the water and weaken him.
That’s how Black Panther will prevail over the Talokan leader. Not only that, but her victory over Namor will be so massive she’d be in a position to kill the Wakanda Forever antagonist. Shuri will ultimately spare Namor, which means we might see him in other MCU adventures.
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