Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is easily one of the most exciting entries in the MCU in some time, introducing us to the underwater kingdom of Talokan – home to the Talokanil.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been continually expanding in Phase 4, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduced a new underwater kingdom. The city of Talokan is ruled over by Namor the Sub-Mariner, played by Tenoch Huerta and clearly set up as a power player in the future of the MCU.
Led by their fearless ruler, Namor, the people of Talokan live, work, and play all beneath the ocean's surface but all of that is threatened when vibranium is detached in their watery home.
Tlālōcān, a mythological city in Aztec mythology, ruled by Tlāloc and his consort Chalchiuhtlicue. Talokan (Marvel Cinematic Universe), an underwater kingdom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ruled by the mutant Namor.
The underwater kingdom of Talokan was introduced during Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, ruled by Namor and inhabited by the Talokanil, a powerful race of humans enhanced by their ancestors' ingestion of vibranium-infused plants.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Namor's Underwater City Talokan IMAX
Why are Talokans not blue underwater?
However, a side-effect of the herb required them to make their nation of Talokan in the ocean, and it seems likely that the shift from more natural skin tones to blue when out of the water comes from a lack of oxygen absorption through the skin when Namor's people come to the surface.
Costume designs have revealed that Namor's race is inspired by the ancient Aztecs. Not only that, but merchandise tied to the movie has confirmed that his kingdom is called Talocan – not Atlantis.
They were able to breathe underwater thanks to this plant, but were unable to thrive above ground. With breathing technology though they surface from the depths centuries later. However, when exposed to air, their skin would turn blue. The exception to this though was Namor.
Ryan Coogler's Black Panther sequel revealed that a vibranium meteor had also hit the Gulf of Mexico, gifting the Yucatán people the ability to survive underwater, where they founded their new underwater nation of Talokan, with Namor, a.k.a. K'uk'ulkan, as their ageless leader.
His mutant power of flight manifested during his youth, and as he grew to adulthood, he frequently led attacks against the surface world for their perceived transgressions against his people. Namor's mutant power is the gift of flight, represented by the tiny wings on his ankles.
Namor and Aquaman have had instances of immense power in their respective comics, but Namor has the edge. Marvel's King of Atlantis has made Hercules bleed, held his own against the Avengers, and almost destroyed Wakanda with a devastating tidal wave.
Things like the name K'ulk'ulkan and the Talokan salute directly reflect the real-world culture that inspired Talokan, something that Atlantis could never give to the story. Using Atlantis or "Lemuria" would be comics-accurate but would still feel derivative coming from Marvel, especially after Aquaman.
One of the biggest changes to Namor's MCU story is his kingdom's rebranding as Talokan, a name likely derived from “Tlālōcān,” an Aztec paradise overseen by the rain god Tlāloc.
However, the biology and impermanent blue skin of the Talokanils is only explained in passing. As revealed by Namor in Wakanda Forever, an ancient Mesoamerican tribe discovered a glowing blue plant beneath the waves sourced by a second vibranium meteorite that fell into the ocean.
Praying to a Mayan deity, one of the tribesmen was guided towards a vibranium enriched plant, which the tribe ingested. Waking up with blue skin and gills, they went into the sea to breathe, where their skin colors were restored. They migrated to the Puerto Rico Trench, approximately 12,000 feet deep.
Why did the Talokans move from the land to underwater?
The backstory of the Talokanil and their ruler, Namor (Tenoch Huerta), is revealed in the film, but the gist of it is that they are descendants of the ancient Mayans, and moved into the ocean to escape the Spanish conquistadors who invaded Mexico in the 1500s and by the late 1700s—when Beachler estimates that the ...
While the Namor of the comics was originally an enemy of humanity due to their mistreatment of the sea and its wildlife, the MCU's Namor has a much more personal grudge, being a direct descendant to victims of colonization. Like Killmonger before him, Namor is driven by vengeance against the evils of colonialism.
It was reported that Namor and Atlantis would be changed from the comics to reflect ancient Central American culture, being based mainly on the Mayans and ancient Aztecs, and the costume reveal for Namor especially proves this change to be true.
Marvel Confirms Namor's Ankle Wings Can Grow Back In The MCU - IMDb. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduced Namor in all his glory to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the character's signature ankle wings — which were slashed by Shuri in the movie's final battle but can apparently grow back.
In a matchup of pure strength, is the Hulk stronger than Namor? The answer is yes, unequivocally. However, the Sub-Mariner's powers, fighting skills, and advantage in the ocean have made him the surprise winner of numerous fights against the Hulk.
Now that Wakanda is exposed to the world, Talokan's charismatic ruler Namor (Tenoch Huerta) fears his watery kingdom will also be threatened by the superpowers of the surface. But the two nations turn against each other, and Namor leads an attack that kills Wakanda's Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett).
