Aquaman (DC Comics)

"By Neptune's trident!"

- One of Aquaman's frequent marks of surprise.

Aquaman is a fictional superhero who has been heavily involved in both the traditional DC universe (spanning several decades) and the more recent animated DC universe (which, by in large, inhabits a different canon from the mainstream). Aquaman is depicted as the ruler of Atlantis with a number of superhuman abilities such as communicating with animals, superhuman strength and limited command over the sea.

Golden Age Origin
Originally Aquaman was the result of a union between a lighthouse keeper named Tom Curry and an Atlantean named Atlanna. Atlanna had been caught in a hurricane and nearly died, however Tom had seen her while out at sea and rescued her, he brought her back to his lighthouse and cared for her until she was well. Though she was not to associate with surface dwellers, Atlanna was grateful for her rescue and stayed with Tom. The two would fall in love and were married but Atlanna never told Tom of her origin. Young Arthur first began displaying extra ordinary properties as a toddler, such as being able to carry out extensive conversations with fish and turtles far longer than simple childhood imagination might be able to account for. His father once lost him for a full hour only to find him playing underneath the waves uninhibited. Atlanna feigned surprise or disbelief at Tom's accounts of their sons extraordinary traits, not wishing to reveals her secret.

Arthur was born to Atlanna and Tom but would only know his mother for a few early years before she died of illness. On her death bed Atlanna revealed to her husband the truth, that she was born a resident of the lost city of Atlantis. She was able to do many things Tom could not, such as speak to the marine life, breath underwater, swim at high speeds and never be fatigue from overexertion. Atlanna said Atlantis was to remain a secret from surfaces and apologized for keeping it from him but wanted Tom and Arthur to know why he was different from normal humans. Atlanna died shortly after her explanation. Tom knew Atlanna was different for years though not how different and Arthur became aware of the extent of his gifts and that there was an entire city of people like him and his mother.

Tom began training Arthur to harness his powers through-out the remainder of his child-hood. Tom also taught Arthur to be environmentally conscientious as the creatures o the sea would be his friends. By adulthood Arthur not only was in full control of his extra-human traits, but in peek physical condition as well and under the mindset that he was the champion of the creatures of the sea, taking on the title "Aquaman".

When he reached adulthood, Arthur decided to leave in search of his mother's city. He bid his father and his lighthouse a farewell and left on his mission to discover his roots. Arthur would eventually find the city of Atlantis thanks to his father's training, his natural instincts and the help of the creatures of the sea. In Aquaman would meet woman named Mera, an extra-dimensional travel from the world of Xebel. Mera had been banished from her world and sent to Atlantis because her people and the Atlanteans shared most of the same traits. Mera and Arthur quickly fell in love and went on to fight crime and protect the sea together. After redsicovering his roots, the two would eventually be married and Arthur was made king of Atlantis for his many great deeds with Mera as his queen.

Aquaman is one of DC Comics' stable character, but as he has been around since 1941, the comics have undergone metamorphosis with continuity only became truly important to publishers and writers since around the early 1980s. With the change in writing priories Aquaman's original background has been phased out and reworked, in essence re-writing cannon.

New Origin
In 1985 the origin of Aquaman was reworked almost completely. In the new version of events Aquaman was born and grew up in Atlantis. Atlanna was married to the Atlantean king, Trevis. Aquaman was not the born of the union between Atlanna and Trevis though though but rather between Atlanna and the pariah, Altan. Altan was born with blonde hair and banished due The prophesy of Kordax. Kordax was a son of Poseidon, banished by his father for his grotesque appearance, which instilled in him a hatred of his kind, he was also the only blonde and so blonde hair was used a sign of his descendants, all of whom were believed to carry their ancestral father's hate and be a blight upon Atlantis.

As Altan was blonde haired he was among the few sea dwellers not welcomed in Atlantis. Altan, had spent his life exploring the extent of prophesies and spiritual enlightenment and believed that King Trevis being unable to have a child would be disastrous and so he spiritually visited Atlanna while she slept and impregnated her himself hoping to give the royal family an heir. Atlanna would bare a son called Orin, but born with blonde hair he was believed to be an ill omen, the king and queen were left little choice and the king had young Orin spirited off to the middle of the ocean and announced that his wife had, had a miscarriage.

Young Orin was adopted by a dolphin named Porm, whom she referred to in her own language as "Swimmer". Swimmer, with no formal ties to Atlantis would explore the ocean as he saw fit and eventually visit the surface world starting with an Alaskan Lighthouse keeper named, Tom Curry. Tom became like a father to him and from the two stories begin to unfold with similar results. Though when Orin returned to Atlantis he would hold a legitimate title to it's royal blood-line.

Powers

 * Aquaman's most well known power is his telepathic ability to both communicate with and control marine lifeforms, though in the '80's and 90's, it was shown he could use this power for other purposes, such as quelling an argument between fellow Leaguers, and given an opponent a seizure. As a side effect, it also allows him to speak and understand any language on Earth.
 * His water adapted physiology also endows him with increased muscle, bone, and skin density, granting him superhuman strength, endurance, and durability. He also possesses incredible reflexes and agility, a regenerative healing process, enhanced senses, and can swim as fast as military jet can fly.
 * In some continuities, Aquaman also has some minor hydrokinetic talents. It's currently unknown if he has this in the main DCU following the New 52 reboot.