Namor the Submariner is more than just the first mutant introduced in Marvel Comics canon or a prominent member of the Illuminati, he’s also an unadulterated, unparalleled badass. Namor is the king of Atlantis, he fought Nazis alongside Captain America, and he even tangled with cosmic forces both solo and next to Marvel’s greatest power-houses as a member of the Defenders.
Throughout his extensive history in Marvel Comics stretching back to his debut in 1939, Namor continues to prove his mettle, especially when compared to other Marvel Comics heroes and villains. Being a man who truly only fights for himself and his kingdom, Namor is as great a threat as he is an ally to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and he’s proven that he can take any of them on, many times over. Here are 10 moments that not only show why Namor was an original member of Marvel’s premier superhero collective the Illuminati, but also why he’s a true badass.
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10 Namor Wages War Against All of Humanity… In His First Appearance
Marvel Comics #1 “The Sub-Mariner” by Bill Everett
It makes sense that Namor would go on to be involved in a secret organization like the Illuminati, as he tried to reshape the entire world on behalf of his people upon his very first appearance, where he literally waged war on humanity. After killing an entire ship filled with deep sea explorers, Namor’s mother tells him his destiny, and that he was meant to lead Atlantis in a great war against the humans. Without hesitation, Namor launches his first strike.
Namor immediately shows readers that he’s a remorseless killer willing to literally take on the world for his people – it doesn’t get much more badass than that.
9 Namor Defeats the Entire Fantastic Four All By Himself
Fantastic Four #4 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Namor’s first appearance in Marvel Comics canon the way fans know it today, was in this issue of the Fantastic Four, where Namor’s original exploits are regarded as myth. At least, until he is discovered by the Fantastic Four, who nurse him back to health and help him remember who he is. Unfortunately, the Fantastic Four weren’t aware of the mission Namor was tasked with during his previous debut, as they effectively reawakened one of the greatest threats to humanity the world had ever seen.
Upon regaining his memory and strength, Namor fought the Fantastic Four, defeating them all by himself. While he escaped before Marvel’s First Family recovered, he won his first bout against one of the most prominent superhero teams in Marvel Comics.
8 Namor Defeats the Hulk… and THEN The Avengers
Avengers #3 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
This Avengers issue is easily one of Narmor’s most impressive appearances, as he not only defeats the Hulk in a one-on-one fight, but he also bests the Avengers themselves. When the Hulk is effectively kicked off the Avengers, he starts picking fights with practically everyone he sees, including Namor when the two happen to cross paths. After Namor swiftly beats the Hulk, he agrees to team up with him to take down the Avengers, as they represent humanity’s strongest warriors, and would need to be handled eventually.
Even when the Hulk leaves the fight early, Namor still manages to get the better of the Avengers before making his escape, wrapping up two massively impressive back-to-back victories.
7 Namor is Responsible for Bringing Captain America to the Modern Age
Avengers #4 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Right after Namor made his escape from the Avengers, before they had the chance to regroup and recover, he swam to a tribe of humans worshiping what seemed to be a frozen idol in the shape of a man within a block of ice. Enraged, Namor scared the humans from that place and destroyed the idol, throwing it deep into the sea. Unwittingly, Namor freed the frozen body of Captain America, and since the Avengers were still fairly close by, they quickly found him and helped him make a full recovery.
If it wasn’t for Namor, it’s doubtful Captain America would even be around today as one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, proving that Namor’s badass nature isn’t just tied to his strength, but also his impact on the wider Marvel Universe.
6 Namor Fought Alongside Captain America on The Invaders During WWII
Giant-Size Invaders #1 by Stan Lee, Joe Simon, and Jack Kirby
Even though Namor didn’t realize he was freeing Captain America from his icy tomb, it’s likely he would have done so anyway, as he would have recognized him as a former ally. The two fought side-by-side in World War II, as Namor actually formed the Invaders following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Captain America (along with Bucky, Toro, and the original Human Torch) gladly joined the Nazi-crushing team of Allied superheroes.
Namor all but assigned himself the task of waging war on humanity in 1939, and just two years later, he concentrated his efforts on one of the worst groups of humans in history.
5 Namor One-Shotted Wolverine During Civil War
Wolverine Vol. 3 #45 by Marc Guggenheim and Humberto Ramos
During the superhuman Civil War, Namor and Wolverine had their own mini-conflict – one Namor decidedly won. When Iron Man hired Wolverine to go after Namor (given Namor’s ties to Captain America), the X-Man did so with pleasure, facing down not only Namor, but a squadron of Atlanteans as well. Wolverine quickly defeated the other Atlanteans, and even seemingly beat Namor at the start of the fight, but Namor revealed that he was totally unphased by Wolverine’s attacks, and knocked him out cold with a single punch.
This fight is an excellent example of Namor’s badassery, as almost no one – not even the Hulk – can say that they one-shotted Wolverine.
4 Namor Proves He’s Purely Loyal To Atlantis – By Becoming a Super-Villain
Secret Invasion #8 by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu
At the very end of Secret Invasion, when the Skrulls were beaten, the war was won, and the Earth was saved, something else sinister and treacherous brewed beneath the surface of civilization: the Cabal. The Cabal is a super-villain group akin to the Illuminati founded by Norman Osborn. It sought to rule the world from the shadows, and its formation gave way to one of the darkest eras in Marvel Comics history: Dark Reign. And one of the more prominent members – sitting right there next to the likes of Doctor Doom and Loki – was Namor the Submariner.
Namor’s unyielding loyalty to the people over which he rules and has sworn to protect is the most badass thing about him. Sure, that might mean other Marvel heroes can’t count on him as much as they’d like, since he’d just as easily side with super-villains than he would Earth’s heroes, but that’s of little concern to Namor, as he’s purely loyal to Atlantis.
3 Namor was the First Person Doctor Strange Recruited onto the Defenders
The Defenders #1 by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema
While Doctor Strange and Namor would eventually sit side-by-side as members of the Illuminati, they first worked together as members of the Defenders. In fact, Namor was the first person Doctor Strange sought out to join the Defenders team before the team itself was even conceived. In the first issue, Namor picks a fight with the Undying Ones – demons from an unknown realm in interdimensional space. Not only that, but a doomsday device was slowly ticking down, threatening to destroy the entire world.
After the success of this first mission, Namor realized that defending the Earth was the only true way to keep Atlantis safe. So, Namor joined Doctor Strange as more of an on-call member of the Defenders, participating in some missions, just not all of them. Still, even on a part-time basis, tangling with interdimensional demons to then join a team of cosmic planetary protectors is pretty badass.
2 Namor Launched a Tidal Wave at The King In Black
King In Black #4 by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman
When Knull attacked Earth with his symbiote army in the King In Black, Namor – applying the same logic he did when deciding to join the Defenders – knew he had to protect his kingdom, which is the majority of Earth. So, he worked with the Avengers to face this cosmic threat, and he did so by creating a massive tidal wave that flooded New York City, soaking every symbiote-possessed human there, and leaving them vulnerable to electrocution once Storm and Thor hit the water with a seemingly endless barrage of lightning strikes.
Namor’s tidal wave was integral to weakening Knull long enough to eventually take him down for good, which proved that the Submariner is so badass, that he can even make a god feel pain.
1 Namor Actively Sought to Merge with the Phoenix Force
Avengers Vol. 8 #40 “Enter the Phoenix Part 1” by Jason Aaron and Javier Garrón
“Enter the Phoenix” is one of the more badass Avengers stories in recent memory, as it was a tournament where the strongest heroes and villains battled each other for the grand prize of being merged with the Phoenix Force – and it was started by Namor the Submariner. Namor summoned the Phoenix to Earth, hoping to merge with it and increase his power to a near unfathomable degree in order to complete the mission he began all the way back in Marvel Comics #1.
Namor actively sought to merge with the Phoenix Force for the chance of untold power, as that was how he would ensure Atlantis would become the ruling civilization on Planet Earth. Tangling with cosmic forces beyond human comprehension for the protection of one’s people is undeniably badass, and is easily one of the 10 best moments in Namor the Submariner’s Marvel Comics history, which proves why he was an original member of the Illuminati.
