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If you sail the seven seas!
In gondola or catamaran!
And you find yourself in trouble!
Please call on Aquaman!
~ Aquaman.
By Neptune's trident!
~ One of Aquaman's frequent marks of surprise.
Is that what you want? A hero to bring down Rath? Not a king to rule in his place? I won't be a king again, Dolphin. But if the rest is enough for you and for Atlantis...then you have Aquaman!
~ Aquaman to Dolphin.

Aquaman (Atlantean name Orin and human adoptive name Arthur Curry), is one of the protagonists of the DC Universe.

He 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. He is also a member of the Justice League, a superhero team formed to protect the world from threats. he is married to Mera of Xebel, who is a hero in her own right.

He was created by the late Mort Weisinger and the late Paul Norris, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November of 1941.

Biography[]

Golden Age[]

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. They 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 reveal 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 childhood. 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. 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 rediscovering his roots, they 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.

Modern Age[]

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, but rather between Atlanna and the pariah, Altan. Altan was born with blonde hair and banished due to the prophecy 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 bear 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 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 its royal bloodline.

Powers and abilities[]

  • 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.

Portrayals[]

Films[]

  • In Justice League: The New Frontier, he was voiced by Alan Ritchson, who plays Jack Reacher in Reacher and Hawk in Titans, and also played Raphael in the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films.
    • Ritchson also played Arthur Curry in Smallville.
  • In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, he was voiced by Josh Keaton, who also voiced a teenage Hercules in the titular film, Spider-Man in The Spectacular Spider-Man, Jak in Jak and Daxtar: The Lost Frontier, Nightwing in the Arkhamverse, Shiro in Voltron, and The Flash in DC Super Hero Girls.
    • Keaton also voiced the character in Infinite Crisis.
  • In Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, he was voiced by Cary Elwes, who also played Westley in The Princess Bride, Robin Hood in Mel Brooks' Robin: Men in Tights, and Nick Eliot in The Crush, and also voiced Garrett in Quest for Camelot, and Baron Humbert von Gikkingen in Whisper of the Heart films.
  • In JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time, he was voiced by Liam O'Brien, who also voiced Guan Yu in the Dynasty Warriors series, War in Darksiders, Gaara in Naruto, and Asura in Asura's Wrath.
  • In Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, he was voiced by Matt Lanter, who also voiced Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Smuggler's Gambit.
    • Lanter reprised his voice for the character in The Death of Superman.
  • In the DC Extended Universe, he is portrayed by Jason Momoa, who also played Conan the Barbarian in the titular 2011 film.
    • Momoa also voiced the character in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.
  • In Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold, he was voiced again by John DiMaggio, who voiced the character in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and also voiced Marcus Fenix in the Gears of War series and Bender Bending Rodríguez in Futurama.
    • DiMaggio reprised his voice for the character in Mad.
  • In Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis, he was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who also voiced Wallabee Beetles in Codename: Kids Next Door, Perry the Platypus in Phineas and Ferb, and Captain Rex and Commander Cody in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
    • Baker also voiced the character (Crime Syndicate Aquaman) in Lego DC Super-Villains.
  • In DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis, he was voiced by Max Mittelman.
  • In DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon, he was voiced by Kazuya Nakai.
  • In DC League of Super-Pets, he was voiced by Jemaine Clement, who also voiced Orton Mahlson in Milo Murphy's Law.

Television[]

  • In The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, he was voiced by the late Marvin Miller, who also voiced Robby the Robot in Forbidden Planet.
  • In Super Friends, he was voiced by the late Norman Alden in the first two seasons, and Bill Callaway in the rest of the series.
  • In Superman: The Animated Series, he was voiced by the late Miguel Ferrer.
  • In Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, he was voiced by Scott Rummell.
  • In the unaired Aquaman pilot, he was portrayed by Justin Hartley, who also played Oliver Queen in Smallville and Adam Newman in The Young and the Restless.
  • In Young Justice, he was voiced by Phil LaMarr, who voices Kotal Kahn in the Mortal Kombat series, and also voiced Samurai Jack in the titular series, Static in Static Shock, Green Lantern in the DC Animated Universe.
    • LaMarr also voiced the character in the Injustice video games.
  • In Harley Quinn, he was voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos.

Video Games[]

  • In DC Universe Online, he was voiced by Jens Anderson.
  • In Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, he was voiced by Brian Bloom, who also voices William "B.J." Blazkowicz in the MachineGames Wolfenstein series, and also voiced Matt Horner in the StarCraft series, Nick Reyes in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Keegan Russ in Call of Duty: Ghosts, and Yuri in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
  • In Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, he was voiced by Scott Porter, who also voiced Luke in Telltale's The Walking Dead, Nightwing in the Arkhamverse, and Lukas in Minecraft: Story Mode.
    • Porter reprised his voice for the character in Lego DC Super-Villains.

Quotes[]

There's an acirnt, wisdom I should have heeded long ago, if only I had recognized its truth applies as much to me as it does with all men. True happiness in the balance and the harmony -- with reason and emotion not at war, but hand in hand.
~ Aquaman.
It takes more than strategy and sacrifice to win a war... it takes passion!
~ Aquaman.
A crown does not make you royalty
~ Aquaman in Injustice 2.

Trivia[]

  • Ranked 52rd greatest comic book hero of all time by IGN.
  • Ranked among the Top 10 Superheroes of All Time in a poll by Parade magazine.
  • Listed 147th on Wizard magazine's greatest comic book character of all time.
  • At some point in the past (and in some comics), Aquaman had a hook for a hand.
  • In the Silver Age continuity, Arthur spent his teenage years under the name Aquaboy and teamed up with Superboy. This was later retconned after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths.

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Justice League: Throne of Atlantis: Aquaman: | Atlanna | Mera | Justice League (Batman, Cyborg, The Flash, Green Lantern, Shazam, Superman, & Wonder Woman) | Steve Trevor | Lois Lane
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