Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
In the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has not only introduced a plethora of new characters and further explored the world’s mythology, it’s also introduced entire civilizations to explore. We’ve seen these when we took to the skies and met gds from Norse, Egyptian, and Greek mythology from theThorfilms andMoon Knightseries, and there are even more unique places outside the skies as we’ve seen in theGuardians of the Galaxyfilms. However, perhaps the most famous fictional place we’ve visited in the MCU is one that’s right here on Earth.
That place of course is the African nation of Wakanda, which became a household name for MCU fans everywhere when we got to see the technologically advanced country in all its glory withBlack Panther(2018). Now, four years later, we finally return to Wakanda withBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever(2022), which honors the tragic loss of T’Challa starChadwick Bosemanand continues the Black Panther’s legacy with a new hero in the role. In addition to continuing Wakanda’s story, it also introduces an entirely new facet of the MCU — Namor the Submariner (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) and the Talokanil.
Though the Talokanil are referred to as Atlanteans in the comics, which was likely changed to avoid comparison withAquaman(2018) and to stay more consistent with their new Mesoamerican-inspired role in the plot, they are still the same ultra-powerful and reclusive underwater civilization they are in the source material. They also have a complicated history with the rest of the Marvel universe, sometimes aiding Earth’s mightiest heroes and other times assisting their greatest foes. InWakanda Forever, the Talokans are the latter, and from the moment they are introduced, they establish themselves as a powerful new threat in the MCU, each equipped with abilities to rival even that of the Black Panther.
Underwater Breathing
The ability to breathe underwater isn’t just a privilege for the Talokanil, it’s a necessity. After their ancestors ingested the plant that granted them their powers and cured them of the smallpox introduced to them by the Conquistadors, the price they paid was giving up their life on land, being only able to be above water for no more than 10 minutes. There’s also a noticeable visual change the Talokanil experience when in and out of water. Their skin turns blue when out of the ocean and returns to their natural skin tone when within it. The Talokanil are only able to fight on land thanks to a breathing apparatus they developed, which also works inversely for land dwellers who are brought to the depths.
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In their downright creepy opening attack on the American mining vessel, the Talokanil thin out the herd of soldiers on board by utilizing some form of hypnosis. Several of the Talokan soldiers sing a hypnotic tune that causes the people within earshot to jump off of the ship without question and the same can be said for the ill-fated Wakandan emergency crews who were stopped by the singers during Namor’s siege on the African nation later in the film. It’s an ability that isn’t all that dissimilar from the Sirens of Greek mythology that sang tunes to lure sailors to their deaths, which is a story that was likely originated by the Talokanil within the canon of the MCU (and perhaps even could lead to a connection between the Greek gods we met inThor: Love and Thunder).
Bulletproof Skin
When Dr. Graham (Lake Bell) fires some shots at Talokan warrior Attuma (Alex Livinalli), the bullets she fires bounce off him as if they were nothing. This showcases the immense durability that the Talokan have, though Attuma may be an exceptional example. Where the bullets were meaningless to him, they seemed to do a bit more damage to the other Talokan soldiers chasing Graham. Wakandan vibranium and sonic weapons also appear to have much more of an effect on the Talokanil, with the potential to kill them with a single blow.
Rapid Healing Factor
Despite being more susceptible to Wakandan weaponry, they’re still very difficult to kill. When Okoye strikes several Talokan assassins with her vibranium spear, they get back up within a matter of minutes, their fatal wounds seemingly completely absent. This, combined with their durable skin, makes the sheer number of soldiers in the Talokan army a massive force to be reckoned with.
Wall Climbing
Just as if they were Spider-Man himself, the Talokanil are capable of scaling a variety of surfaces. We see this during both ship sieges at the beginning and end of the film, scaling the sides of the vessels without any sort of assistance whatsoever.
Enhanced Strength, Durability, and Speed
Though it seems that almost every super-powered entity in the MCU has these traits, every member of the Talokanil seemingly have enhanced strength, durability, and speed, making the most elite members of their fighting force someone who could go toe to toe with someone as strong as Captain America.
Whale Mounts
In both their casual lives and their military battles, the Talokanil make use of various mounts, namely killer whales and humpback whales. It’s unclear whether the Talokanil are able to communicate with the creatures somehow, like Aquaman, or if they’ve just trained the aquatic mammals, but they are an extremely useful part of their everyday life regardless.
Advanced Technology
Talokan is quite possibly the only civilization that could possibly be considered an equal to Wakanda. That’s mainly because they are the only other nation that has access to vibranium, the incredibly strong and durable metal that has a variety of uses, particularly in terms of weapons such as spears. They also use it for their clothing and armor, and a massive source of pure vibranium was brought to Talokan city by Namor to function as their own sun. Other innovations the Talokanil make use of are water-based concussion explosives that can do massive damage both in and out of the water, as well as a universal translator that allows for easier communication between the Talokanil and the surface dwellers.
How Does Namor Differ from the Rest of the Talokanil?
Namor has access to all the abilities listed above, but also has a couple of unique traits thanks to his status as a mutant. For starters, Namor is able to survive as easily on land as he can underwater, though he needs to regularly be near some source of water to maintain his strength. Other features that are unique to Namor are his pointed ears and feathered feet, the latter of which grants him the power of seamless flight
Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris now playing in theaters.
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