1955 Namor: The Battle Of Wakanda

1955 Namor: The Battle of Wakanda

Open on happy scenes in Talokan. But in a darker corner, away from prying eyes, a figure with their face obscured by clothing asks a nervous Talokanil if everything is ready.

Cut to S.H.I.E.L.D. team (Peggy, Howard, Jacqui and Brian Falsworth and James Braddock) en route to a Roxxon oil rig in the Atlantic ocean. They flew to Mexico in Howard's new jet and went by helicopter from there.

Howard (to Peggy): Hey, Peggy, how are you? Seems like Agent Sousa is still on your mind.

Peggy: Mind your own bloody business. Jacqueline: Oh but is he though Peggy? Do tell.

P (to Brian, exasperated): I suppose you want to know too?

Brian: I'm not getting involved.

P (sighs): My grieving process is private but I am just fine, thank you. Happy now?

(Awkward pause)

H: Have you heard from Adam Brashear lately?

P: Will you keep your nose out of my personal life and focus on the task, please.

J: We just don't like to think of you all lonely.

P: Well, that's very sweet Jacqui, but I really am fine. In fact, I often think I would be better off without any men in my life.

(Pointedly looks at Howard)

H: Ouch…I was just trying to be a good friend.

P: No, you were being nosey. Now, we are heading into a potentially delicate and dangerous situation here. All the pertinent information again please Howard.

The rig has put in reports of attacks and sabotage by blue people that escape, seemingly unaided, into the ocean. It is Homo Mermanus, the Talokanil.

They land and have a brief discussion with the rig manager when they suddenly come under attack again. This time it's a full on assault by Talokanil in air breathing respirators ("Didn't know they had those…" says Howard). Having Spitfire (Jacqui), Union Jack II (Brian) and Howard's dehumidifying weapons prove quite handy. James Braddock seems to be holding his own as well.

Meanwhile, back at Talokan, the nervous Talokanil from the opening scene rushes to tell Namor about S.H.I.E.L.D. assaulting a patrol team from an oil rig in the Atlantic.

He rushes off, full of rage, taking Attuma and Namora and some of the royal guards with him. He leaves his old friend Bobo in charge.

They arrive at the rig and see S.H.I.E.L.D. doing exactly what the nervous Talokanil had said, but they see that this is no patrol, the unit is too large for a patrol. They aid the unit and is about to kill James when he sees Peggy and she yells for him to stop. He ceases hostilities and angrily asks Peggy 'where is the peace of which we spoke when we last met?'

She explains that they were investigating reports of sabotage when the rig was subjected to an assault. They were just trying to defend themselves.

As Namor has a soft spot for women he relents and asks a nearby trooper if this is true. The trooper spits at his feet and says that he would make peace with the humans when all they do is harm the ocean. That they should fear the Talokanil.

Namor is too angry at the insubordination to entertain the point. He goes to strike the trooper when another grabs him and then they are all suddenly coming for him, holding him down, trying to beat him. He resists. Attuma, Namora, Brian and Jacqui try to help him while the others resume their defence of the rig workers taking refuge inside. They seem to be a legitimate target for the Talokanil. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are surprised by the level of hatred towards humans and the sudden attack on Namor.

Meanwhile in Talokan, Byrrah (Namor's old rival) is taking advantage of the absence of the King (and his Tri-Team) to stage a coup. It has been planned meticulously in advance with former Royal Guard Krang while they were both in exile. They have amassed significant forces amongst disaffected/exiled Talokanil, enough for two teams. Byrrah has planted sleeper agents in key roles (royal guards, military, courtiers etc) who can take the loyalists by surprise.

The Royal guards and the army are mostly killed or arrested trying to protect Namor's old friend Bobo. Bobo is arrested and remaining loyalists have to submit to Byrrah or flee.

Back at the rig, our heroes are dogged and eventually drive the rebels back into the sea. The rebels yell that Krang will deal with him (in Talokanese obvs).

Namor is full of rage, again, and wants to rush back to Talokan. Peggy points out it's probably a trap. He goes anyway, taking Namora and Attuma with him. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents try to get the rig workers and themselves to safety in Mexico.

On the way to Talokan, the Tri-Team (Namor, Namora, Attuma) encounter fleeing loyalists. They warn Namor not to go back as Byrrah has successfully staged a coup.

Once Namor has admonished them for fleeing he asks about Bobo.

They say he is alive but being held.

He asks the loyalists for help. Only to glad to atone for fleeing, they agree to cause a distraction under the pretense of a small insurrection against Byrrah. Using the distraction, they sneak in and free Bobo. Unfortunately they get seen during the escape and Bobo is mortally wounded protecting Namor.

He tells them a loyalist soldier told him that Krang's forces are leading a land invasion to Wakanda as they have the metal they need to build the weapons, equipment and infrastructure necessary to conquer the surface world. He says they will head to the Mediterranean Sea and follow the Nile all the way to Lake Victoria.

Bobo dies.

Unable to retake Talokan without support, with a dead best friend and a potential breaking of the 'if you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone' treaty he has with the US, Namor is livid. He has Namora and Attuma head off to round up the fleeing loyalists, while he recklessly heads to Lake Victoria alone.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. team are in the middle of a briefing in Mexico about the oil rig siege and the political climate within Talokan. They receive reports blue people in the Nile at various points in Africa over the past few days (Egypt, Sudan and then today in Uganda). Not a coincidence that Talokanil rebels stage a coup on Tuesday and then Talokanil are sighted along the Nile by the weekend, thinks Peggy. Howard surmises that they might be heading to Wakanda to plunder their vibranium to make weapons and equipment. They wonder how many rebels there might be. The Nile is at its fullest in September and could potentially conceal many fighters if they were patient in the build up.

Peggy asks Howard how long, he says at least 24 hours even with the jet.

Peggy says we need to leave, now, and they all scramble. Peggy sees that Howard isn't moving and asks him if he's waiting for it in writing. He says there is one person that can get there faster than us. Peggy reluctantly concedes and says she'll make the call. Howard calls ahead to his contacts in Wakanda. Then they set off.

Namor is swimming as fast as he can. He is even faster than regular Talokanil and is set to get there before S.H.I.E.L.D.

Meanwhile, we see the final cohort of Krang's rebels arrive to Lake Victoria in Wakanda at night, the ones from the rig fight. He congratulates them on their diversion and laments that S.H.I.E.L.D.  was there to save Namor's life. Telling them to rest he takes another team onto the shore of the lake. They move in formation with new, longer lasting respirators and weapons stolen from Talokan in the first uprising. As they carry out basic tests of their weapons the Wakandan border tribe arrives to investigate but the initial wave are outmatched. Then the shelling starts and we see tanks and aircraft on the way. The rebels are driven back into the lake.

They regroup, quickly strategise and spread along the lake and start using their superior strength and speed to overpower infantry and heavy ordnance. Their vibranium spears and newly invented hydrobombs are a blow to the Wakandans, but the battle is still very much on.

We cut to underwater and a rebel soldier is stealth tackles by something super speedy. And another. And another. It is, of course Namor. He tries to do it again but has lost the element of surprise. He grabs the first rebel but another one grabs him and slows him down. Soon they are all piling on. Namor manages to wriggle free and swims as fast as he can up past the surface into the air. He narrowly dodges a spear which is caught by Adam Brashear, The Blue Marvel. Namor is about to engage in battle with him, when he reassures him that they both seem to be there to stop the invasion. Adam is very powerful but has to hold back in case he destroys everything around him. They patrol the shore and succeed in driving most attacks back into the lake. The Wakndans see this strategy from the two outsiders and aid them in doing so.

Things go quiet. Krang changes tack and a large rebel force rush the rear of the Wakndan forces, taking them by surprise and causing some damage.

Then the Black Panther! King T'Chanda and his Dora Milaje arrive and are a match for the Talokanil rebels. He is also powered by vibranium and they are all equipped with vibranium weapons and better trained to fight on land.

Adam stays to try and hold the shore with the border tribe. Namor heads over to help the Black Panther with the surprise attack along with other Wakandan forces.

Namora, Attuma and the loyalist Talokanil forces arrive and Namor has them cut off the escape route through the Nile.

The surprise attack runs out of steam and all the rebels are forced back into the lake.

Namor calls Krang forth to represent the group. He says he has been denied an honourable challenge for the throne. Byrrah waited till he was called away by Krang's distraction and sneaked onto the throne like a coward. 

He asks if Krang is a coward too. He says "Won't you come and 'deal with me?'?".

This is too much for Krang who shows up and accepts the challenge. There is some consternation from the others but King T'Chanda says they must respect others customs, this is for honour.

They arm themselves with Talokanil vibranium spears and battle.

Krang is a very strong member of his species but Namor is stronger and faster. Namor bests him after a tough fight, but Krang will not yield. He rises again and again and is beaten down each time. It is brutal and plays out in front of everyone. Krang is only stopped when he is mortally wounded. He says Namor is soft and lets the surface dwellers do what they want, poison the sea etc. Namor says Krang was impatient and Talokan's time will come.

Then S.H.I.E.L.D finally turns up. Other African defence forces turn up and the lake is surrounded. The rebels are now trapped and leaderless. They try to make a break for it but between Namor, the loyalists, Black Panther, the Wakandans, S.H.I.E.L.D., the superhuman and the forces from the countries surrounding the lake they are all captured. They then have to listen to Namor's speech about how the one they believed in is gone, a fine warrior who was riled by Byrrah into rash action. How they all saw from this battle that Talokan was not ready for it…yet ("Yet?" says Peggy).

"Byrrah is weak, not Namor. Namor has shown you his strength. Byrrah is jealous and petty. He does not care for Talokan like you. He will not fight for Talokan like you…" etc.

He ends up convincing most of them. Those that still disagree are taken prisoner and Namor sends them back to Talokan. He will join them.

He speaks to Peggy, Howard Adam and King T'Chanda asking to keep their 'let's leave each other alone ' treaty. Peggy agrees. King T'Chanda appreciates that Namor may want to keep the existence of his nation quiet and has made arrangements with the generals from the other nations for their promise of secrecy. Namor says their discovery could destroy their nation. King T'Chanda agrees and has similar reservations. He asks Peggy, Howard and Adam if they will keep his nation's technological prowess secret. Howard says they could help a lot of people. T'Chanda responds by saying that if the rest of the world sees that Africa has something, they will try to take it. They would be fighting battles everyday. He doesn't want that for his people. Namor doesn't want that for his people either. Peggy agrees to the request.

They both offer to help take back Talokan. Namor appreciates the offer but says his people would tear them apart in the water. Peggy hopes they don't cross paths again because that will mean that Talokan has peace. King T'Chanda says he hopes that Wakanda and Talokan can be allies again in the future. 

Adam says his powers will work underwater. Namor declines the offer saying that he must show his people his strength and heads after his team after trying to kiss Peggy's hand ("oh lord" says Peggy (as in another man in her life that someone doesn't need)).

Adam offers her a lift home. She thanks him for his kindness but declines. She says she prefers a seat belt and a parachute when flying.

Post credits:- Namor looking at the sunrise as his forces gather and prepare for the battle ahead. Namora says we are ready. Namor says, then let's go home. 

1955 Namor: The Battle for Talokan

Follows straight on from the previous movie and details the Battle for and recapture of Talokan. Byrrah is scared, as well as weak and petty and is cruel to his supporters as a result. This leads to many of them turning on him which helps the loyalists no end.

At the end Namor deems him unworthy of an honourable death and sentences him to the rest of his days in prison. Byrrah loses it in a massive fit of jealousy and tries to kill him but Namor is too wily for that and returns the favour, saying he should have taken prison.

Namora and Attuma also star.

Peter Quill and Rocket Raccoon in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014-2023) dir. James Gunn

manager i cant come to work today i forgot how to mimic the behavior of a human. being

1969 Blue Marvel II

This story line seems like a good fit…mostly. Set in '69 not '72. Also the team won't be referred to as the 'Mighty Avengers' as the Avengers are a long way off…

Adam has an undersea base that Namor made for him at Peggy's request to keep Adam safe from persecution.

Adam has moved on from Peggy after s2 of Agent Carter as she was more romantically interested in Sousa/memory of Steve. He has a family now, Candace (formerly Marlene) and Kevin that help out with his secret superheroing from his secret base. It has been secret as the President thought that America wasn't ready for a black superhero as per the comics (to be further explored in TFATWS). Candace is a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was assigned to make sure Adam wasn’t trying to be a superhero. She quit, changed her name and married him and helped him carry on Superheroing in secret.

The plot:

Open on a character called Lichidus overseeing the upcoming dissection of a scared and frantic half-human creature. They inject it with a small amount of silver to get it to cooperate. Then he monologues about how their plans are nearly come to fruition. Then he sling rings out of there but he should have stuck around because they didn't use enough silver and the creature's hand begins to twitch…

Cut to:

Lord Montgomery Falsworth has been investigating sightings of his missing brother and his supposed victims for nine years. S.H.I.E.L.D. won't give time or money to it anymore so he has been doing it on his own time and dime. However when he does get a tip, the trail has usually gone cold by the time he gets there. So Peggy suggested he seek out the Blue Marvel who can travel faster than the speed of sound.

Adam is living undersea as mentioned above. He has secretly been fighting crime with his family's help ever since the President's no superheroing decree forced him underground/underwater. He feels bad that Kevin's education is being disrupted. Candace agrees but very much blames the government and not Adam. Kevin loves the adventure and doesn't care as much about missing school, though he does seem very bright and feels he is missing out on friends and having a normal life.

When Falsworth contacts him they bring him back to base (he is impressed with the Talokanil engineering and technology) and run through the supposed sightings of his brother.

Several victims were mauled or bitten to death in very similar ways. It started in Austria but now there are reports across much of Europe. Every victim had been completely drained of blood. In many of these cases witness reports describe a man who looks like a vaguely monstrous John Falsworth near or actually leaving the scene. 

There had been no sightings for several months but Peggy had called in with another drained victim with similar wounds at a small village near Tunguska, Siberia two days ago and suggested Falsworth come to visit Adam.

Adam goes as fast as he can. Falsworth and Candace are picked up by Howard Stark in his mkII Quinjet and go by air (so Kevin has to go too, but it will take them some time). They are all equipped with special long distance wireless communicators by Howard. They are also backed up by Peggy, Brian and Jacqueline Falsworth and a contingent of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. There is a risk that other S.H.I.E.L.D. higher ups or the American government would come down hard on helping the Blue Marvel and on wasting S.H.I.E.L.D. resources. But Peggy and Howard want to support James after everything he's given to the cause.

Adam arrives in Siberia at night. He scouts near where the victim was found from the air. He widens the search and spies a humanoid figure moving strangely a few miles off. He flies down to engage and is caught off guard by a sudden attack. Surprised by the creature's strength, he is struggling to regain the upper hand as it tries to bite him. Though he would have come out on top eventually, he gets a surprise assist. They fight him off together but the new hero wants to make sure Adam wasn’t bitten before pursuing. Adam introduces himself. His 'saviour ' is Eric Brooks aka Blade aka Daywalker aka the Dhampir aka the half vampire. He is immune to vampire bites as he is half vampire. He is not vulnerable to sunlight or silver as he is half human but garlic gives him indigestion. He has tracked the creature on and off for several years but this was the closest he's ever been.

Adam explains who they think it used to be.

Blade: Don't care who he was, only care what he's gonna be. Dead. Permanently this time.

Adam informs the following team that they believe he has found John and is following the trail.

Blade is very good at tracking vampires (Adam is taken aback that vampires are real), so leads the way.

They come across the aftermath of a battle. There are several dead soldiers dressed in black combat gear. A bear is poking around the cadavers.

They try not to disturb the bear, but it picks up their scent. It charges. Blade says if you stand your ground it will stop charging. Only it doesn't.

Adam takes off and, not wanting to hurt the creature, blasts nearby to scare it off. But it doesn't flinch. Blade has to dive out the way at the last moment and he and Adam fight and manage to subdue the bear, which transforms into a woman, unconscious in the snow.

Surprised, they nonetheless spring into action. Blade wants to leave her and follow the monster's trail, but Adam shames him into helping the woman, who would otherwise die from exposure. They find a groundsheet in one trooper's pack and wrap her in it. They reason that the troops must have come from a base nearby and follow their trail instead. Adam uses his flight to spy ahead and they find and reach the base swiftly. There are signs of a breakout. The heavy main door is hanging off it's fixings.

The clues that led Blade to Siberia suggested the creature had been taken against its will, so the breakout made sense. But there doesn't seem to be a lab or holding cell.

Eric's tracking skills lead him to a hidden door, but they don't know how to open it. Adam starts working to figure it out and Blade finds some combat gear for the woman to wear.

Thanks to her part bear physiology she recovers quickly and starts growling and shouting at them in broken Russian. Her appearance and voice are becoming more bear-like as she gets more aggressive.

Adam (To Blade): How's your Russian? 

Blade: Not so good!

They try to calm the situation and she eventually realises they mean her no harm. Adam calls Candace with his special Stark designed communicator and she translates for them, allowing the three to talk:

Bear (after dressing): *I never thought I would wear this uniform again.*

Adam: You know those troopers?

Bear: *Some of them. I thought you were with them.*

Blade: Who are they?

Bear: *Deathwalkers. They are a death cult, dedicated to the order of Chthon.*

Blade: The order of what?

(*indicates translation by Candace)

Chthon is an elder god, who would destroy this universe and remake it in their own image. To bring them from their dimension requires a great sacrifice. The Deathwalkers believe the destruction of an entire continent is necessary.

To achieve their aims and to live to see this rapture, they need to drink vampire blood as it slows the aging process to the point of near immortality. However, the more immortals you create, the more vampire blood you need and the less vampires you have.

They decided to create their own vampire/human hybrids using the bones of an ancient vampire and the Talisman of Kamar Taj. The Talisman merges two creatures together and had been stolen from Kamar Taj by a rogue sorcerer.

Bear had been a Deathwalker and had drank vampire blood many times, granting her a very long life.

In return, she had been "volunteered" for early experiments with the Talisman and more simple creatures, without really knowing what she was getting into. She was merged with a bear. She became a bear for so long afterward that she almost forgot who she was.

A former friend took pity on her and released her into the wild. She believes she mauled them on the way out, being more bear than woman at that time.

As things stand now, she can't remember her name or family and is trying to piece her history together. She thinks she was a believer, but her transformation without consent showed her how monstrous the Deathwalkers were. She means to stop all their operations and kill their leader. His name is Lichidus.

She reasons John Falsworth was discarded as a failed experiment at their former base in Austria (taken over by Hydra during the war) but he came back to (un)life anyway. The Deathwalkers must have caught up with him and brought him back here for more experimentation. Bear, who never strayed that far from the base, saw him escape and his treatment at the hands of the Deathwalker troops prompted her to intervene. The surprise of her attack gave Falsworth the upper hand and allowed him to escape.

Bear shows them the secret door and the three of them manage to wrench it off with their super strength. There are several vampire hybrids in cages, some are children. The adult ones draw the children in close and hiss at the intruders. They are all having blood pumped from them via intravenous lines.

There is a file, in Russian, on John Falsworth and the aftermath of a fight round an operating table.

Blade is checking more dead Deathwalkers for bite marks. As he is doing so one comes back to life and attacks him. He dispatches them with ruthless efficiency. The caged vampires all hiss at him for killing one of theirs and he wields his blade at them.

Bear is angry at him in Russian. Candace says that the Bear said he shouldn't kill them, they're victims, like her. They just have to remind them they're human. He says try saying that when a vampire has just ripped your throat out. She doesn't understand. They talk at eachother angrily. Adam is trying to make peace when more of the Deathwalker troops and scientists come back to (un)life.

They retreat, battling their way towards the broken secret door and when the broken main door comes into view they see the troopers from the earlier battle coming through the gap. They have been turned as well. The Bear's strength and Blade's skill aren't enough to hold them back. Even Adam's strength and concussion blasts only halt them temporarily.

Adam: Didn't you check them for bites?!

Blade: We were being attacked by a bear!

They fight hard but are almost surrounded. Adam calls to Candace and asks if they're almost there. She says they're just a few minutes out, hold on, but they can't. The vamps pretty much match Blade and the Bear in strength. The Bear doesn't want to transform as, though she'll be stronger, she'll more vulnerable to being bitten. Adam is strong enough to hold them off but is in increasing danger of a bite from the sheer number of vampires. Blade is struggling to move his sword. He and the Bear are about to be overwhelmed.

In his frustration, Adam builds up and releases an energy pulse knocking out friends and enemies alike. He passes out from the sheer expenditure of energy.

When he comes to they are on the Quinjet. Candance said she didn't know he could do that. Adam says neither did he.

Blade comes to and doesn't appreciate being knocked out, but is relieved to be alive. The Bear wakes up still in fighting mode but is talked down by Candace before she goes full bear.

Howard is trialling a new collar that dampens superpowers once it can be tailored to the individual. Candace has translated the file on John Falsworth and it seems like the process mutates both sets of dna to accept the other. It also details the make up of the vampiric genome allowing Howard to calibrate the collar. This means they can safely transport the hybrid victims and the Deathwalker vampires back to their base. Though the remaining Deathwalker vampires are restrained. And the effect of the vampire blood they drank is an unknown factor. Risky! But Howard assures them that it's safe. They have Union Jack II and Spitfire to back them up too.

The file on John Falsworth suggests there is a Deathwalker base in New York, though it doesn't detail where.

Adam, Blade, the Bear and James Falsworth stay behind as they have yet to find John. Candace and Kevin stay behind too to be near Adam.

Falsworth is concerned the trail may go cold (figuratively) again. Blade assures him, with the sun coming up, he can't have gotten far.

This gives us Eric Brooks in the 50s! Minor change to his backstory in the Blade movies required!

To be continued…

awesome story. black doctors and nurses are the best.