Marvel Comics has revealed that Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, is about to lose the throne of Atlantis - to the Filipina superhero called Wave. The last few years have seen the relationship between Atlantis and the surface realm deteriorate, with Namor essentially declaring war on humanity.

Matters appear to be coming to a head in the appropriately named Atlantis Attacks miniseries, in which Namor has launched open war with the nation of Pan. A new country, Pan is a single city of portals transcending international boundaries, linking places as remote as Hong Kong and Seoul, Queens and Madripoor. All Pan’s technology is powered by a mystical dragon imprisoned at the heart of Pan, a creature who the Atlanteans revere as sacred. In this matter, it’s hard not to see Namor as having something of a point when he argues the surface dwellers are exploiting living creatures.

Marvel’s April solicits confirm the war with Atlantis will see Prince Namor lose his throne to Wave, a Filipina superhero who works with the Agents of Atlas and has sworn to defend the people of Pan. Here’s the full solicitation:

  • ATLANTIS ATTACKS #4 (of 5) Written by: Greg Pak Art by: Ario Anindito Cover by: Carlo Pagulayan SECRETS REVEALED! For months, the young AGENTS OF ATLAS have served secret agent Jimmy Woo’s Atlas Foundation and defended billionaire Mike Nguyen’s Portal City of Pan. But as their efforts to defend Pan from KING NAMOR and ATLANTIS rip the hard-fought unity of their team to pieces, Silk and Amadeus Cho finally fight to find out if Woo and Nguyen have been guiding them – or manipulating them. And why is new Agent of Atlas WAVE sitting atop the Atlantean throne? What’s Jimmy’s true endgame? Is Nguyen a visionary or villain? The curtain’s ripped aside – and the Agents of Atlas may never be the same!

Wave is a fascinating superhero, one of the most powerful of the new Agents of Atlas. She grew up living in a beach community on Mactan Island in Cebu, Philippines, and she wound up working for a company named AlonTech. Though Wave didn’t know it, AlonTech were a criminal organization under investigation by the Philippines’ Avengers-equivalent, the Triumph Division, and she was present when the heroes launched an all-out attack. During the battle, Wave - simply an innocent bystander - was drenched in water and unknown substances, and as a result was transformed. She became a powerful hydrokinetic, able to manipulate water at will. Wave’s origin story is an interesting mirror image of the classic Spider-Man foe Hydro-Man, but she chose to use her powers for good.

The solicits hint that Wave will find her on the opposite side of the war to the rest of the Agents of Atlas. However, it’s notable that this is the solicitation for Atlantis Attacks #4, meaning there’s one issue left. That means it’s entirely possible Wave’s rule will be a short one, and that Namor will regain his throne by the end of the event. It’s doubtful the Atlantean will learn any humility along the way, though.

More: Fans Petition Marvel to Give Filipino Superhero Wave a Solo Series