Why Tenoch Huerta's Submariner Namor Role in Wakanda Forever is Significant
Posted by Onassis Krown onHow Black Panther 2 Got it Right on Namor's Background Story
Who is Actor That Plays Namor in Wakanda Forever?
Huerta, who is of Indigenous heritage, plays the mutant leader of a kingdom based on Mayan and Aztec influences, which has thrived beneath the ocean for centuries.
Huerta, whom audiences may know from his roles in the Netflix series âNarcos: Mexicoâ and the movie âThe Forever Purge,â told NBC News that the new film is a big step for diversity in Latino culture.
âIn Latin America, especially Mexico, we have a lack of representation,â he said. TV in Mexico looks âlike a Scandinavian country,â he said, adding that âall the peopleâ are white on TV or in the ads one sees on the street.
When a company like Marvel Studios â and its parent company Disney â tell a diverse superhero story that focuses primarily on Black and Indigenous characters from East Africa and Mesoamerica â which stretches from modern-day south-central Mexico to Costa Rica â it shows âthe rest of the world that representation matters,â Huerta said.
What is Meaning of Namor's Real Birth Name?
On screen, Huerta plays Namor, one of Marvelâs oldest characters, a mutant with pointed ears, winged ankles and superhuman strength that can rival the might of other larger-than-life Marvel characters like Thor.
âWhen they decide to give this background to Namor, you know, this new background â Mesoamerican culture, especially Mayan culture â I think they nailed it,â Huerta said. âBecause itâs the right moment to do it in a way, on one hand, and on the other hand, itâs important for many people, especially kids. Itâs a way to say, âEh, thereâs nothing wrong on you. You should be proud of who you are. And the melanin in your skin ... itâs OK and itâs beautiful.ââ
Talokan's story begins in the 16th century, when an unidentified Mesoamerican community ingests a plant that grew in vibranium-rich soil. According to this communityâs shaman, the plant could save them all from the wrath of Spanish colonizers. What the plant does, however, is change the peopleâs morphology, giving them gills, enhanced strength and durability, and the ability to communicate with underwater creatures. So the whole community decides to leave the surface world for good, going to the oceans and building the underwater city that would become Talokan.
Namor was still in his motherâs belly when she ingested the unique plant. As a result, Namor became a mutant, coming to life with powers more extraordinary than any Talokanil. Namor doesnât get blue if he leaves the water, can still absorb oxygen from the air, has extended longevity, and has feathered wings on his heels that allow him to fly. Thatâs why, at birth, Namor is named Kâukâulkan, the Feathered Serpent God, a Mesoamerican divinity that can both crawl with its people and roam the skies. Kâukâulkanâs birth is interpreted as a sign by the Talokanils, and the young boy is chosen to lead his people for many centuries.
Some fans may connect with Namorâs vulnerabilities as an outsider caught between two worlds â the surface one that belongs to humans and Talokan, the underwater kingdom created by his Indigenous people. Talokan is influenced by the Aztec paradise TlÄlĹcÄn, which is ruled by the Aztec rain god TlÄlĹc.
In many ways, Talokan is the mirror image of Wakanda on the surface. Both are powerful kingdoms that have flourished in secrecy. Both are the only known sources on the planet for the fictional metal vibranium, which has an extraordinary ability to absorb, store and release kinetic energy. And both are acutely aware of the racial injustices that have marginalized other diverse peoples in the outside world. But while Wakanda was never colonized, Talokan was created as a refuge by Indigenous survivors who escaped from the horrors of Spanish colonization in Yucatån, Mexico.
The first Black Panther movie was a groundbreaking blockbuster in 2018 that not only focused primarily on Black characters, but also proved that mainstream audiences wanted to see more diversity in film. As Huerta said, âEconomically, it works as well.â
âBlack Pantherâ grossed almost $1.35 billion worldwide, with 52% of that box office (just over $700 million) earned in the U.S. This adds up to nearly half of the box office brought in by the top-grossing superhero film, âAvengers: Endgame,â (almost $2.8 billion worldwide). âBlack Pantherâ narrowly beat mainstream classics like âStar Wars: Episode VIII â The Last Jediâ (just over $1.33 billion), âFrozenâ (nearly $1.31 billion) and âThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingâ (just under $1.15 billion).
âBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverâ pits both kingdoms â Wakanda and Talokan â against each other as the outside world plots to tap into their exclusive reserves of vibranium.
But Huerta hopes that the proud stories of âbrown and Blackâ peoples will inspire viewers to come together.
âSpecially right now, we need to identify with each other and embrace each other,â he said. âYou know, just keep going.â
- Tags: aztec, marvel, mayan, mcu, namor, submariner, Tenoch Huerta, wakanda forever
← Older Post Newer Post →
0 comments