MCU Theory: Namor Could Start Civil War II (In Phase 5)

The debut of Namor could herald a new Civil War in the MCU. Broadly following the same premise as the famous Marvel comic arc, the MCU adapted “Civil War” in 2016 with Captain America: Civil War. The passing of the Sokovia Accords demanded that all superheroes and masked vigilantes be accountable to the governments of the world, meaning approved missions only, and no acting without authorization. The controversial proposal split the Avengers down the middle. Tony Stark’s side believed that the Accords would help prevent collateral damage and civilian casualties, but a group led by Steve Rogers maintained that the agreement put too much power in the wrong hands.

The MCU Civil War proved to be one of the franchise’s biggest, most pivotal storylines. Not only did the Sokovia Accords fracture the brotherhood between Stark and Rogers, but the very existence of superheroes within the MCU was permanently altered. Since the first round was such a rousing success, it’s surely only a matter of time before Marvel Studios adapt the “Civil War II” comic arc. Released to capitalize on Captain America: Civil War‘s release, this comic story pits Iron Man against Captain Marvel over whether or not a precognitive mutant should be used to prevent crimes before they happen.

While the 2016 quarrel was adapted relatively faithfully, there’s reason to believe the MCU’s Civil War II could be completely different from the source material. First and foremost, Iron Man is dead, which poses a rather significant problem. Also, mutants have yet to make their way to the world of Disney. Kevin Feige has confirmed the X-Men are coming, but how the MCU integrates mutants with the existing superheroes remains to be seen. Consequently, the MCU could find itself needing a new battlefield for Civil War II – and Namor is just the merman for the job.

The MCU Has Already Teased Namor (Where Is He?)

Namor the Sub-Mariner is absolutely one of the biggest Marvel comic superheroes yet to appear in the MCU. Suspiciously similar to DC’s Aquaman, Namor is a prince of Atlantis who boasts an arsenal of water-based superpowers, and has served in almost every Marvel team-up, including the Avengers. MCU fans have been anticipating Namor’s arrival for years, but the only sign of the Sub-Mariner thus far is an Iron Man 2 Easter egg – a SHIELD map with Atlantis clearly marked. Some MCU fans also interpreted Okoye’s Avengers: Endgame line about dealing with a tsunami as a Namor nod, although the film’s writers dispute this.

This confirms that Atlantis (and therefore Namor) exists in the MCU, but bringing the oceanic character to live-action is far from straightforward. Before embarking on their own blockbuster exploits, Marvel sold Namor, along with the Fantastic 4, X-Men, Hulk and Spider-Man, to other studios. Although the character rights have since reverted back to Marvel (yay!), some legal complications remain from the original sale (boo!). Marvel will get their way sooner or later, and Namor will join the MCU, but the courtroom shenanigans explain his absence until now.

Tony Stark Knows Atlantis Exists But Hasn’t Mentioned It

The Iron Man 2 Easter egg confirms that Tony Stark (and others) are aware of Atlantis’ existence, so why hasn’t this avenue ever been explored? When Thanos came to Earth and the universe assembled against the Mad Titan, why didn’t Stark court the aid of the Atlanteans? After all, Namor’s people would fall victim to the snap also. In real life, this is due to the aforementioned rights issues, but in MCU continuity, perhaps Stark deemed Atlantis a potential threat not worth provoking.

The citizens of Atlantis are no amateurs – they’re a developed, militaristic race led by a prestigious royal family, and are a force to be reckoned with. In the early Namor comics, relations between Atlantis and land-dwellers are less than friendly, and whoever marked the sunken city on SHIELD’s map likely would’ve known this about the merfolk. In Phase 5 (assuming any legal issues have ebbed away), the MCU’s Avengers may realize that Stark intentionally kept his knowledge of Atlantis hidden. This creates a sense of foreboding tension about the people of the deep – what was the famous Iron Man so afraid of?

Why Atlantis Could Cause Conflict In The MCU

When Marvel finally drop Namor into the live-action sandpit of the MCU, the Sub-Mariner’s home of Atlantis will become known to the world after a long period of secrecy. This is unlikely to end well for the mythical underwater city. The MCU has repeatedly shown how Earth’s curiosity and habit of meddling leads to trouble. From ballistic missiles to Ultron, Iron Man’s technological progress has caused untold damage, while the likes of Hulk, Red Skull and Scarlet Witch were all created in the name of science. Meanwhile, repeated Infinity Stone experiments have usually ended in tears, with mankind poking and prodding cosmic forces it doesn’t understand. Once Atlantis becomes common knowledge, how long until Secretary Ross, the UN, or a secret supervillain set their sights on the new frontier below water?

Atlantis won’t react well to being disturbed. The hidden city is incredibly protective of its territory in the comics, and it’s no accident that Namor’s people haven’t kept in touch with their cousins on land. Any overture from humanity will be rebuffed in no uncertain terms. This fits with the depiction of Namor in the Marvel comics. Unlike many of his Avenger colleagues, Namor is not a pure superhero. The Sub-Mariner’s priority is generally the protection of his own realm, even at the expense of humans. Namor’s fierce protection of Atlantis and its sovereignty has put the character at odds with various Marvel heroes over the years, and while he’s sat upon both sides of the hero/villain divide, Namor is best described as an antihero.

Given Namor’s propensity for violence when his homeland is threatened, and mankind’s propensity to poke their nose where it isn’t wanted, the Sub-Mariner’s introduction to the MCU may not be a heroic one. On numerous occasions in the Marvel comics, Namor has reacted vengefully when surface-dwellers have encroached upon the rights of Atlantis, and it’s certainly easy to see how a conflict could spark in the MCU. When Stark’s knowledge goes public, the UN would send a diplomatic envoy under the sea before long, hoping for access to those sweet Atlantean resources. Said envoy would be swiftly destroyed by an overprotective Namor, and the UN would interpret this as an act of war.

Wakanda (& Others) Could Join Namor’s Side

Should Earth and Atlantis go to war when Namor comes to the MCU, the conflict could potentially expand into a full-scale Civil War II. In the comics, Namor and Black Panther cross paths often, sometimes as enemies but mostly as allies. The MCU’s Wakanda was originally very similar to Atlantis – afraid to let outsiders in due to the world’s innate greed and history of invading. For this reason, Wakanda remained hidden for many years before King T’Challa spearheaded a careful move into the public eye. Should Earth nations begin attacking Atlantis, however, the people of Wakanda will surely empathize with their watery friends, bringing the likes of Shuri and Okoye to Team Namor.

Given her history of living under oppression, Scarlet Witch would be more inclined to side with Atlantis, and Shang-Chi’s morality also leans more towards Namor’s side. Meanwhile, any heroes signed up to the Sokovia Accords would be ordered to move against Atlantis whether they like it or not. This could include War Machine, Spider-Man, US Patriot, and any others that have agreed to the Accords since Avengers: Endgame. Namor clashed against the Fantastic Four in comic continuity, and with the superhero team joining the MCU shortly, they could also stand against Atlantis. Standing in the middle trying to play peacemaker, the likes of Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, Falcon and Bucky, who recognize that both sides have a grievance that cannot be solved through violence. The wounds of the first MCU Civil War began to heal with the arrival of Thanos – a common enemy. The emergence of Marvel’s next big bad could provide the common thread that ties Namor’s Atlantis and the Earth’s Avengers together in Phase 5.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
(3635 Articles Published)

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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