How Strong Is Namor in MCU & Comics?

Namor is among the oldest characters in the Marvel comics. He has a complicated history as both the villain and an antihero. Recently, Namor has been introduced to the MCU with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His origin story has been largely reworked, leaving his best qualities, however, intact. One of the things that Namor is most famous for is his mastery over water and the fact that he is an Atlantean-mutant hybrid. This gives him a wide range of superhuman abilities, among them strength. We’ve decided to use this opportunity to analyze Namor’s superhuman strength in more detail to answer the question, how strong is Namor, both in the MCU and in the comics? 

Namor is among the strongest characters both in the comics and in the MCU. In the comics, he is classed as strength level 6, which means that he can lift more than 100 tons, with exact strength being incalculable. In the MCU, Namor was confirmed to be as strong as Thor on land and as strong as Hulk in the water, and we know that both Thor and Hulk are considered to be MCU powerhouses with unknown limits in terms of their strength. 

Now that we’ve covered Namor’s exact strength levels, it’s time to analyze what makes him so strong and how his lifting strength has changed over time. If you’re interested in more, keep reading!

In both comics and the MCU, Namor owes his strength to his hybrid physiology

Namor McKenzie debuted in Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 back in 1939. He was imagined as the son of the Atlantean princess and a human sea captain. Namor is a hybrid of two races that are superior to Homo sapiens, Homo mermanus, and Homo superior races. 

Because Namor is a combination of both Atlantean and mutant physiology, this makes him the most powerful Atlantean being able to achieve both physical and superhuman traits that are not available to the rest of his people. But we’re not here to talk about Namor’s general powers, as those are pretty clear, he can breathe underwater, talk to fish, control water to some extent, etc. We’re here to, instead, discuss his incredible strength, which is unheard of even when we take into account an entire race of underwater superhuman beings.

In the MCU, Namor also has a hybrid physiology, but instead of being an Atlantean, he is Talokanil. In the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Namor refers to himself as a mutant. This is possibly due to him being different from the rest of his people from Talokan. He is far stronger, faster, and differently colored than them and can breathe on the surface while the rest of the Talokanil cannot. Still, the fact still stands that Namor is the strongest among Talokanil due to factors surrounding his mother’s pregnancy and ancestry. 

How strong is Namor in the comics? 

Namor’s strength levels have varied over time. The first incarnations of Namor could lift up to 75 tons, per Marvel’s official handbook. The character has seen some drastic changes over the years, however, and has received numerous strength boosts. Currently, as per official Marvel sources, Namor is classified as being grade six in terms of strength. This is just a category lower than cosmic beings, meaning Namor can lift more than 100 tons. Marvel Wiki has a similar strength rating for Namor, stating that Namor’s strength is unmatched under the oceans. 

Both 75-ton categories and 100+ tons categories in terms of strength are incredibly impressive, and both make Namor far more powerful than most characters in the Marvel Universe. 

It’s important to take into account that hydration levels directly affect the Namor’s strength as well as other powers. The longer Namor is out of the water, the weaker he gets. He is at his strongest, undoubtedly, underwater. 

Perhaps among the greatest Namor feats in the comics has been the fact that he was known to manhandle Red Hulk, The Thing, Savage Hulk, Hercules, and Mighty Thor. He didn’t necessarily win, but he confidently stood his ground. Namor also managed to draw blood while striking Sentry, and Sentry is known to be among the most powerful, if not the most powerful, superhero in the Marvel Universe. 

How Strong is Namor in the MCU? 

While we don’t have exact numbers when it comes to Namor’s strength in the MCU, we know that he is as equally strong as Thor on the surface and rivals Hulk while he is underwater. Writer and director Ryan Coogler revealed as much in his interview with Marvel.com. 

“Not only can he swim incredibly fast and fly, but as Coogler continues, “[There’s] no equal in terms of his capabilities, being able to breathe underwater and breathe at high altitudes and walk around on land. He’s incredibly strong, he’s as strong as Thor, and if he’s around enough water, he can be as strong as the Hulk.” 

This puts Namor in the company of extremely overpowered characters in the MCU, like Thor, Hulk, and Captain Marvel. 

Coogler’s statement makes sense. We’ve seen Namor causing great destruction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He was seen catching and manipulating a helicopter in mid-air while flying. He was able to slice through Royal Talon Fighter with much ease, and this was without water nearby. Likewise, Namor managed to pierce Shuri with the spear while she was wearing an incredibly durable Black Panther habit. 

The only reason why Shuri won the duel against Namor in Black Panther 2 is that she managed to dry him out and lead him to the dessert. Namor’s strength is incalculable in water, but on the surface, just like in the comics, he gets weaker the longer he is out of the water and the more dehydrated he gets. 

As you can see, both the comic version of Namor and his MCU equivalent are incredibly strong and can match the likes of Thor and Hulk easily. Namor’s current strength is incalculable but varies considerably depending on how much contact he’s had with the water.