Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Drops an Iconic Namor Line

Now that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters, one of Marvel's oldest characters is now officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Namor. Played by Tenoch Huerta in the film, the MCU's take on Namor is a little different than the character first created by Bill Everett in 1939 in that the film modifies Namor's origin to make him the leader not of the Atlanteans, but of the Talokanil people who live in the undersea city of Talokan, a swap that's steeped in Mesoamerican history and mythology. But while Namor's story may be a little different in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the film delivers an incredibly authentic take on the iconic anti-hero — including the inclusion of his absolutely iconic catchphrase.

Warning: Spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever beyond this point.

In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Namor and Shuri (Leticia Wright) — who is the new Black Panther — are locked in battle on the beach near the end of the film, after Talokan attacked Wakanda for their refusal to form an alliance to take over the surface world. As the two battle, Shuri at one point invokes the Wakandan cry of "Wakanda Forever" and Namor responds in kind, calling out "Imperious Rex", albeit in Yucatan Maya, the language spoken by the Talokanil in the film. Namor's utterance is subtitled in the film so it's clear to audiences watching that the mighty king has indeed said "Imperious Rex".

What does "Imperious Rex" mean?

It's an incredible moment for Marvel fans, but especially fans of Namor. "Imperious Rex" has been a line that the character has used for decades in comics as a battle cry and while it's a phrase that doesn't have an exact meaning even on the pages of comics — there's a notable moment from Thor #1 in 2018 where Namor tells Thor "It means I'm going to feed your sorry Asgardian hide to the biggest sharks I can find!" — the phrase is usually a declaration of power and authority, one that the Sub-Mariner busts out when he wants it to be clear he has power. Getting to have that moment in live action is just another layer of how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever honored the comic roots of the character while still giving him a fresh origin. The film also acknowledged Namor's status as Marvel's "first mutant" by having the character declare it so in telling Shuri his history — before the pair became enemies, that is.

What did you think about Namor saying "Imperious Rex" in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now playing exclusively in theaters.