The following contains spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, now playing in theaters.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever formally brings Namor into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, keeping the character as much of a complex anti-hero as he appears in the original comics. But another attribute of his comics counterpart that plays into the film's final moments is a surprising willingness to enforce alliances with others.
The conclusion of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sets the stage for Namor to forge a potential alliance with Wakanda down the line. This motivation might also be the perfect means of pitting Namor against other figures in the MCU like Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. It could also set him up as an ally to figures like the Latverian King, and major Marvel villain Doctor Doom.
Namor's Villainous Motivations are Complex in Wakanda Forever
Namor spends Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in an interesting position, performing villainous acts, if not from a sympathetic position, then from an understandable one. It was human hatred that spurred Namor's mother and her tribe to ingest the liquid produced from their version of the Heart-Shaped Herb centuries before the present-day, allowing them to venture into the ocean and make the Empire of Talokan. This also establishes Namor is a much older entity. As such, Namor is aware of and fears what intervention from modern humanity could look like. He's also aware that the hunt for Vibranium makes their discovery only a matter of time, and decides to prolong Talokan's isolation, ideally with Wakanda as an ally. When they refuse -- and even kill some of his people as part of Shuri's escape -- Namor decides to reply in kind, attacking Wakanda and even killing Queen Ramonda.
Shuri is eventually able to defeat Namor in battle, and gains the opportunity to kill him. But rather than deliver the killing blow, Shuri demands peace -- hoping Namor can move past his tragic grief and vengeance, and work together for a brighter future. Namor agrees and yields -- resulting in his people returning to Talokan. Confronted by Namora over this decision, Namor reveals his belief that one day, Wakanda will find itself outright targeted by the rest of the world. When that day comes, they will look to Talokan and see not just a peer, but an ally. Together, Namor believes they could defeat any threat posed to their two nations. This development keeps Namor alive and thriving in the MCU, and even sets him up with some very important power going forward.
How Wakanda Forever Setups Namor as an MCU Mainstay
Namor -- and Talokan -- remain largely a secret to the general public in the MCU, but Namor is right when he says the desire for Vibranium will continue to drive other nations. France used mercenaries to try and steal some of the metal earlier in the film, and the United States' aligned Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has clear desires to get her own Wakandan-style armory. Namor's place in the MCU will likely be revealed down the line, and Wakanda will have to answer for their decision to keep the nation a secret from the rest of the world. This could push Wakanda and Talokan closer together, and further disrupt the already volatile world.
But it also suggests that Namor believes war is inevitable -- and that he wants allies in any coming conflict with the greater world. This could set the stage for a number of developments for Namor, even teasing possible alliances with other figures across the MCU. In the original comics, Namor was a member of the villainous answer to the Illuminati known as the Cabal, and he developed a surprisingly enduring frenemy relationship with Doctor Doom. Namor's search for allies could help spur on an MCU version of the Cabal to assemble, and could even be a key piece of establishing Doctor Doom and Latveria in the MCU going forward. Namor's plans for the future of the MCU make sense -- and they could lay the groundwork for a lot of exciting additions to the universe.
To see Namor's plans in action, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now playing in theaters