Namor the Sub-Mariner has been a part of the Marvel Comics Universe since 1939, a seasoned and decorated character to say the least. The Atlantean King rules over the seas with an aggressive temperament, though he isn't averse to assisting the surface world. However, when the actions of The Land are consistently to the detriment of his home, it is hard for Namor to keep the peace. Extremely hotheaded, the Sub-Mariner is unable to remain an ally to the surface dwellers for long.

RELATED: Marvel's Namor Could Surface in the MCU, Says Kevin Feige

An Atlantean, a king, a mutant, a hero and a villain, Namor is all of these things and more. His history is laden with conflict, much of the time with his supposed allies, and it has always been hard for Namor to coexist with a world that forces him into contention so frequently. Even Namor's inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be a pain to orchestrate. So, be it in comics or in the movies... how do you solve a problem like King Namor?

INVADER

Namor famously joined Captain America, Bucky and the original Human Torch during World War II, reasoning that the Axis forces would be just as big of a threat to the sea as they were to the allied nations. Namor joined with his fellow heroes to push back against the Axis, though he wasn't exactly happy about it. Finding it hard to adjust to the customs of the surface world, Namor's bravado brought him into contention with Captain America.

RELATED: The First Mutant: 15 Things Fans Didn't Know About Namor

Arrogant, proud and stubborn, Namor would be a little too jovial in the face of the horrors of war. Steve Rogers admonished the Sub-Mariner, trying to get him to see the value of human lives and his fallen comrades. It turns out Namor did value his human allies, but elected not to get attached to them. In Invaders #1 (2019), Namor is shown to be conflicted, mourning the loss of his fellow warriors but despising how frail and easily defeated they were compared to his own people. Even in heroism, he proves to be a conflicted figure.

AVENGER

The problems didn't stop after the war. The camaraderie he felt towards Cap made him an ally to the Avengers, but only when he felt like it. Namor flipped between a problem and a friend to the Avengers over the years, even getting himself involved in Civil War on behalf of the anti-registration forces.

RELATED: Comic Legends: Did the Hulk and Namor Almost Form Their Own Team?

Due to his power, influence and work with the Avengers, he was invited to join the clandestine Illuminati. The pattern of Namor's combative personality, however, would once again repeat itself. This time, he stood against his Illuminati allies when they proposed exiling the Hulk, his longtime friend and ally, into space. So opposed to the plan was Namor, that he almost drown Iron Man in a scuffle after the debate got heated.

Next Page: X-Man, Villain... Savior of the MCU?

X-MAN

Namor the Sub-Mariner stands with the X-Men Cyclops and Emma Frost

Namor McKenzie is also cited as being Marvel's first mutant. While this isn't true chronologically, he was definitely the first published Marvel hero who happens to be a mutant. Aligning himself with Norman Osborn during Dark Reign, Namor would seemingly choose the path of villainy as one of his Dark X-Men.

RELATED: Kevin Feige Explains Namor’s Complicated Movie Rights Situation

Alongside Emma Frost, they worked to undermine the actual X-Men, even going as far as to defeat Nate Grey, siphoning his power into new teammate, Omega. The topsy-turvy path of Namor's allegiance regarding his mutant heritage would only get weirder from there.

Defecting to the X-Men proper alongside Emma Frost, he stood with the almost extinct mutant populace. Namor would also be one of the five mutants granted Phoenix Force powers in Avengers Vs. X-Men, using it to attack the Avengers in the name of the X-Men.

PULLED IN ALL DIRECTIONS

Ultimately, Namor is a character with obligations to his people, genetic ties to marginalized mutants and friend to at least one person on each of Marvel's major super teams. His brash actions, short temper and formidable power make him as choppy as the seas he rules; but then, so are the pressures he faces.

RELATED: Avengers #9 Reveals Namor's Greatest Failure as King of Atlantis

He's not a pure Atlantean, so some denizens of the sea do not respect him, his mutant ties would see him away from Atlantis for too long and his friends often contribute to the factors that are a detriment to his oceanic empire. Perhaps it is not Namor's fault that he is a walking ball of conflict; it is all around him, and inside of him, too. But can such a character truly come to the MCU?

APPEARANCE IN THE MCU

The question remains as to when -- or indeed if -- Namor will make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If so, shouldn't it have been way back in Captain America: The First Avenger? It is reasonable to assume, however, that Cap's first MCU outing only showed a portion of World War II, and that the heroes could have met on several other occasions.

Of course, with so many superhumans around when Steve was thrust into the Avengers, he probably would have said something about Namor had he already known him. Then again, we did get to see the original Human Torch's costume in the film with no explanation, so maybe Namor exists there in the same vein. Or perhaps he's just a completely different kind of character.

RELATED: What's the Story With Namor's Movie Rights? It's "Complicated"

Unfortunately, like Namor's past in the comics, his movie appearance is surrounded by uncertainty and potential contention. Kevin Feige has spoken about how Universal has the rights to Namor, and though Marvel seems to have reached a deal with them previously on Hulk, Namor is still a little tricky to pin down. So, although there was a reference to the Sub-Mariner in Iron Man II, his debut in the MCU is as uncertain as his allegiances.