Battle For Atlantis

"Battle For Atlantis" is the 6th movie in the 3rd level in The DC Movie Universe
==Cast==
Trevor Donovan as King Orin/Arthur Curry/Aquaman
Lucas Till as Arthur Curry (Age 18)
Felicia Day as Queen Mera
Michael Rowe as Prince Orm Marius/Ocean-Master
Logan Lerman as Garth/Tempest
Emma Roberts as Tula/Aquagirl
Donald Sutherland as Nuidis Vulko
Don Cheadle as Cal Durham
Stephan James as Kaldur'ahm/Jackson Hyde/Aqualad
Cary Elwes as Atlan
Michael Jai White as David Hyde/Black Manta
Russell Crowe as Tom Curry
Teri Hatcher as Atlanna
Simone Missick as Sha'lain'a/Lucia Hyde
Laura Spencer as Hila/Siren
Kevin Michael Richardson as Nanaue/King Shark (voice and motion capture)
Bug Hall as La'gann/Lagoon Boy (motion capture) and Topo (motion capture)
Emma Stone as Dolphin
Colin Firth as Poseidon
Rosario Dawson as Kako
Tiya Sircar as Kako (Age 17)
Daniel DiMaggio as Orm Marius (Age 12)
Sacha Dhawan as Koryak
Robin Atkin Downes as Charybdis (motion capture)
Bill Nighy as G. Gordon Godfrey 
Alex Pettyfer as Arthur Joseph Curry
Michael Ironside as Darkseid
Kathy Bates as Granny Goodness
==Plot==
8 months after Justice League 2: The Injustice League, Ocean-Master finally returns to one of his old hideouts, mentioning that he's been hiding out on the surface since he escaped capture and Aquaman has been raiding his many underwater hideouts. When he returns to the base, he finds some of his followers and happily greet him upon return. Ocean-Master though announces to his followers that he has plans for a full-scale invasion of Atlantis and vows to assume the throne that he rightfully deserves. He then orders his men to quickly gather his men and assemble his army. Meanwhile, in Atlantis, Orin and the royal staff prepare for Mera giving birth as her water breaks. While Orin comforts his wife, Vulko checks her vitals. Orin then demands to know where Orm is, but Vulko tells him that Orm is still leading the search party for Ocean-Master's whereabouts. Mera then has a contraction as Orin and Vulko struggle to keep her comfortable. The Royal staff are desperately running around, trying to contain the situation as Mera has more contractions. Arthur though clings onto her hand as he tries to soothe her and remind her to focus on her breathing, while Vulko waits for the doctor to arrive. Suddenly, Mera starts screaming as she tells them that the baby is coming, forcing Vulko to start delivering the baby, which he successfully manages to do and tells them that it's a boy, much to Arthur and Mera's glee. After Vulko and the medical staff clean the baby and cut the umbilical cord, Mera finally gets to hold the child as she and Arthur are both overwhelmed with joy while they try to figure out a name for the baby, but are unable to think of a good one, so Arthur suggests that they call him Arthur "AJ" Jr. for now until they think of a different name, which Mera happily agrees with. Orm then finally arrives and berates himself for missing the birth of his nephew as Arthur and Mera happily introduce him to Arthur Jr., causing Orm to joke that he's now cursed with the same "ridiculous surface name" as his father. While Mera continues holding AJ, Arthur takes Orm outside of the room and asks him on the whereabouts of Ocean-Master, but Orm tells him that they searched through all of his known hideouts, but they were unable to find him, but they had a few confrontations with his followers. Arthur angrily curses their luck as he tells Orm that he wishes for Ocean-Master to be found immediately, due to his plans to overthrow him and rule Atlantis, but Orm assures him that they'll soon find him. Arthur then returns to Mera and the baby, while Orm contacts one of his followers and orders him to retrieve a certain ally from the surface world.
On the surface world, in a prison transport van heading to Belle Reve, Black Manta sits in chains, reminiscing about his former life as David Hyde, a former Navy Seal that was proud to serve his country and grew up as a child in a small fishing village, where he would always play by the sea. In a flashback, 20 years ago, one day, during a deep-sea training drill, the Seals, including his friend, Calvin Durham, had to learn to conserve their oxygen tanks by putting less oxygen in them and having them dive to the base before their oxygen runs out. During the drill, David outswam the other cadets and bragged about reaching the base first, despite Cal warning him to swim slower, but David started overexerting himself, quickly losing his breath and falling unconscious as his body drifted to the ocean floor. When David wakes up, he finds himself in a beautiful room, with a lovely woman sitting at his bedside. David though asks where he is and what happened. The woman though tells him that he's in the underwater city of Shayeris and introduces herself as Sha'lain'a. David then remembers his mission and tries to get up to return to his unit, but is too weak to move. Sha'lain'a then tells him that he was without oxygen for 3 minutes before she found him and urges him to rest. The next day, Sha'lain'a offers to show him around the city, but David tells her that he lost his scuba mask and is out of oxygen, so Sha'lain'a casts a spell on him that allows him to breathe underwater for 24 hours. She then shows him around the majestic underwater city of Shayeris as she explains to him that Shayeris is a city-state that resides within the kingdom of the King, who lives in the capital city, Atlantis. That night, as she continues showing him the town, she asks him if he ever saw anything so beautiful, but David replies that it's the second most beautiful thing he saw and kisses her, which she reciprocates. The 2 of them then return to Sha'lain'a's place, where they share a night of passion. 2 months later, David wakes up and hears the sounds of explosions and screams outside. He notices that Sha'lain'a is gone and rushes out to find her, despite his spell wearing off in 30 minutes. When he swims out of the house, he sees armored guards with spears and blasters ransacking the city as he spots Sha'lain'a being dragged away. He then angrily attacks some of the guards, demanding to know what's going on. One of the guards cries that they serve the King of Atlantis and that he has commenced his invasion of the other city-states. David though manages to steal a blaster and attacks the guards before he swims after Sha'lain'a, who cries for him as he yells her name. Suddenly, he starts glowing as his spell wears off, causing him to gasp for air as he starts drowning. Sha'lain'a though uses the last of her strength to conjure an air bubble to carry him to the surface. David though desperately tries to break free of the bubble to save her, but is forced to watch as a guard blasts her, seemingly killing her, much to David's horror. David then reaches the surface and swims to the nearest Naval base, where he reunites with Cal, who believed that he died. Later, as David recuperates, he tells Cal about Shayeris and Sha'lain'a, which Cal doesn't believe at first. David though shows him a conchshell that Sha'lain'a gave him, which shimmers and glows with Atlantean inscriptions on it, causing Cal to believe him. David then angrily swears that he will return to Shayeris and have his revenge on the king of Atlantis for killing his love. 10 years later, David and Cal continue serving as Navy SEALs, with the military unveiling a new line of prototype dive suits, which David and Cal are given. David and Cal are then assigned to a new, prototype submarine to explore the depths of the ocean. David realizes that he now has a chance to return to Atlantis and visits one of the lab technicians about his suit. He asks the lab tech to upgrade his suit to include weapons and a new helmet, but the lab tech refuses. David then pulls out a gun and threatens the lab tech, who reluctantly gives in to David's orders. 2 hours later, after the lab tech finishes his upgrades, David dons his dive suit and kills the lab tech by snapping his neck. David then reports to the submarine, where Cal notices his new suit. David and Cal then report to their new commanding officer, who gives them their latest assignment. David then fires a laser blast from his helmet, killing his commanding officer, much to Cal and the crew's horror. David then assumes command of the submarine and tells Cal and the crew that they now serve him. Cal though tries to talk to David, but David angrily tells him that he's either with him or against him and that he's now Black Manta and will have his revenge on Atlantis. Cal then reluctantly accepts as David makes him his second-in-command of the new Manta-Sub. Back in the present, David then angrily curses Aquaman's name as he vows to escape. Suddenly, 2 Atlantean purists appear before the prison transport van and blast the guard and driver, killing them. The purists then blast down the backdoor and free David. One of the purists then gives him a duffel bag full of his Black Manta gear, upgraded with Atlantean technology, and tells him that the "future king of Atlantis" needs his services. David then happily accepts and dons his Black Manta armor as he escapes with the purists.
Meanwhile, in Silver City, New Mexico, 16-year old Jackson Hyde walks home from school, angry about being suspended from school for fighting. Suddenly, the local bullies confront him, with one of them having a broken nose, as they attack Jackson and shove him into their truck as they drive out to the desert. Once they get further out, the bullies park their truck and take Jackson out of the truck. The bullies then try to assault him, but Jackson fights back, until the sleeves of his shirt get ripped off, revealing the tattoos on his arms. The bullies then overwhelm Jackson and beat him. The bullies then hold him down as one of them takes out his water bottle and mocks Jackson's fear of water. Jackson though insists that he's not afraid of water, but his parents warned him to avoid water. The bullies then start pouring the water all over Jackson, causing his tattoos to glow. His eyes then glow as well as the water from the water bottle becomes tangible and attacks the bullies. Jackson then quickly runs from the scene and makes it back to town, where he looks at his tattoos and wonders what just happened. Jackson then goes home and nervously tells his parents that he needs to talk with them, as his parents are revealed to be Cal Durham and Sha'lain'a, who now goes by Lucia Hyde. Back in Atlantis, Arthur holds his newborn son while Mera rests. Garth and Tula then arrive and congratulate their king on his child as they came to see their sorcery mentor, Mera, who's happy to see them and tells them that their class at the Conservatory of Sorcery is canceled for the day. At his hideout, Orm, as Ocean-Master, communicates with Black Manta in his recovered Manta-Sub, telling him that he's now planning a full-scale invasion of Atlantis. Black Manta then assures him that he and his troopers will support him, Ocean-Master though tells him that before they launch their invasion, they will need more allies and sends him some coordinates for potential "recruits" to his cause. Back at the Hyde house, Jackson tells them that his arms glowed when he got wet, causing his mother, Lucia to explain that his tattoos are actually birthmarks and that he's technically not human. Cal then tells him that his mother comes from a village beneath the ocean waves, called Shayeris, which is part of the kingdom of Atlantis. Jackson though believes that they're messing with him, until his mother's eyes glow and she lifts the water from her glass, forming it into a ball, much to Jackson's shock as he realizes that this is why his parents didn't want him near water growing up. Lucia then explains his Atlantean name, his birth name is Kaldur'ahm and tells him that she thinks it's time to take him to her people. Cal though is hesitant about revealing him so soon and risk "him" finding him. Cal then turns on the TV and sees a breaking news report about Black Manta's escape from prison transport, which worries Cal and Sha'lain'a. Cal then says that they need to go to Atlantis to warn Aquaman. Jackson then asks if they know Aquaman, which he thinks is "cool."
2 days later, Mera nurses AJ when Arthur arrives and tells her that he wants to show her and AJ something on the surface. Mera accepts, having not been to the surface in years. Before they leave, Atlan visits the kingdom, where he congratulates Arthur and Mera on their newborn baby. Arthur though tells Atlan that he has much to discuss with him later before he and Mera depart for the surface. In Amnesty Bay, Aquaman and Mera emerge from the sea with AJ, where they quickly get recognized, forcing them to hide out at Arthur's lighthouse, where he finds clothes for him and Mera to wear. Mera though comments on how surface dwellers' fashion has changed since she's last been on the surface and wonders why they're hiding their identities when they should be recognized as royalty. Arthur though explains to her that he comes from the surface and, while he has found his people in Atlantis, he still feels a connection to the surface world and sometimes misses his days as an ordinary citizen. He and Mera then take AJ to the cemetery, where they visit the grave of Arthur's father, Tom Curry. Arthur then introduces his father to his son, AJ and tells him that a lot has changed since he last visited. Arthur then wishes that his dad could've been alive to meet AJ. Mera though kneels beside him and assures him that his father would be proud of him as she kisses him on the cheek and comforts him. Arthur then feels another hand on his shoulder. When he looks up, he sees his father, Tom Curry standing beside him, smiling as he says, "Well done, son." Mera then asks Arthur who he's looking at, but Arthur tells her it's no one as the vision of his father has vanished. Back at Atlantis, Atlan runs into Vulko, where the 2 old friends reminisce about old times and then discuss Ocean-Master before they run into Orm, Atlan's son, who he awkwardly greets. Orm though brushes him off and tells them that he plans to set out on another search party to find Ocean-Master, but Vulko tells him that he's needed here while the king is out. Atlan then offers to assist him until Arthur returns, but Orm coldly refuses and leaves. Arthur and Mera then return to Atlantis, where Mera leaves to teach a class while Arthur holds a meeting with Vulko, Orm and Atlan, where they discuss Ocean-Master's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Jackson, Cal and Sha'lain'a continue swimming towards Atlantis, where Cal reveals to Jackson that he used to serve an evil man, Black Manta and that he was a volunteer for a program that allows him to breathe underwater with gills, which resemble Jackson's gills. At the Conservatory of Sorcery, Garth and Tula practice their magic as they talk about Arthur's baby before they talk about possibly having a baby themselves one day. Garth then tells Tula that he loves her and wants to have a future with her. The 2 then kiss before they're teased by La'gann, a humanoid amphibious teen. La'gann then flirts with Tula, before Garth tells him to back off, causing the 2 of them to angrily glare at each other before their instructor, Mera stops them. Under the coast of Hawaii, at an underwater fight club, a large, humanoid shark, Nanaue a.k.a. King Shark fights a member of the Trench. Black Manta then arrives with some of his troopers and watch the fight. The Trench quickly overwhelms King Shark with his speed, but King Shark eventually becomes angry and viciously attacks the Trench, devouring it. After the fight, Black Manta confronts King Shark, who angrily attacks him before his troopers step in. King Shark though easily kills them, but Black Manta reveals that he has come here to talk and tells him that Ocean-Master sent him. King Shark then allows him to continue as Black Manta reveals that he has been sent to recruit him for Ocean-Master's army, as he plans to invade Atlantis and overthrow the king. King Shark though laughs at his offer, telling him that he heard about Ocean-Master's recent failure with the "group of surface dwellers" and believes that his time will come soon. Black Manta though asks him what his father, the Shark God, would say about this. King Shark though tells him that his father isn't a "god" and that he knows it's foolish to invade Atlantis. Black Manta though reminds him of his past in Atlantis, where he studied at the Conservatory of Sorcery and was mocked and ridiculed by his fellow students before he was eventually expelled and exiled after he supposedly ate one of his tormentors. King Shark then angrily attacks Black Manta, who blasts him off. King Shark then accepts his offer. At the palace, Arthur reminds Vulko, Orm and Atlan that Ocean-Master is actually a member of the Royal family, due to him being able to wield the Trident of Neptune. Atlan and Orm though vow their loyalty to him. Vulko then suggests that Ocean-Master might be a king from some of the other city-states. One of the guards then tells Arthur that he and Mera have a visitor. Arthur and Mera then go to greet their guest, who turns out to be Hila, Mera's younger sister, much to their confusion. Arthur though says that he didn't know she had a sister, while Mera coldly asks her sister what she's doing here. Hila though claims to have come to visit her newborn nephew, but Mera refuses to believe her. Hila though says that she has come to visit her sister's new kingdom. Arthur then has Orm show Hila around the palace and her guest room before he asks Mera about Hila. Mera tells her husband that she and Hila were the princesses of Xebel, but Hila was the wild child and would constantly rebel against their parents. She then says that 20 years ago, Hila and her boyfriend tried to overthrow their parents with a rebellion, but were foiled. Hila was exiled from Xebel, while her boyfriend was sentenced to death. She then tells Arthur that she hasn't talked to her sister since then and believes that she's up to something.
In the palace, Orm greets Hila as he asks her if she's made preparations, revealing that Orm and Hila have been in contact with each other for the past 8 months. Hila though assures Orm that she has the perfect solution to deal with her sister. The 2 then share a kiss as Orm vows to make her his queen. Meanwhile, in an underwater prison beneath the surface of San Diego, Black Manta and his men, along with King Shark and some purists, scout the prison, where Manta reveals that their target is Charybdis. King Shark then says that he thought Charybdis was a myth, but Manta assures him that he's real and that many, many years ago, he and his wife, Scylla were terrorists that terrorized the ancient nation of Atlantis, but were eventually captured, where he and Scylla were sentenced to death, but Charybdis survived and continued serving as a threat to Atlantis before the Atlantean king banished him into a secret prison that was sealed with an Atlantean spell. Black Manta, King Shark and their men then attack the prison, taking out most of the guards, with Manta interrogating the last one for Charybdis's location. The guard though refuses to give up his location, only for Manta to notice a tattoo on the guard's arm. He then kills the guard and has King Shark rip his arm off as they venture into the prison until they come across Charybdis's cell, a magical containment pod. Black Manta then has the purists decipher the Atlantean spell tattoo from the guard's arm, which manages to release Charybdis. Suddenly, Charybdis emerges from the cell and immediately attacks the purists before King Shark steps in and attacks Charybdis. The 2 prove to be evenly matched, until Charybdis fires a magma blast from his right hand, scarring King Shark's face. Black Manta though blasts Charybdis with his laser blasts and has the purists restrain him. Black Manta then appeals to what remains of Charybdis's humanity by telling him that he was sealed away by the king of Atlantis and that he now has his chance to take revenge on Atlantis and their king for Ocean-Master. Charybdis though refuses to serve anyone, especially an Atlantean. Black Manta though tells him that he'll make sure that they both get their revenge on Atlantis. Charybdis then eventually agrees, as long as he gets the chance to kill the King, which Manta agrees to.
At Atlantis, Cal, Sha'lain'a and Jackson arrive at the underwater kingdom, where Cal requests to speak with the king. Aquaman, Atlan, Orm and Vulko then arrive and greet Cal, noting that it's been too long since they last saw each other. Cal introduces them to his wife, Sha'lain'a and his "son," Jackson Hyde a.k.a. Kaldur'ahm. Sha'lain'a though coldly greets Arthur, noting that it was because of Atlantis that her hometown, Shayeris was left devastated and many were taken captive, but Arthur assures her that those were the actions of his predecessor and that he and his mother, Queen Atlanna have since used their position to undo the previous king's actions and have even turned Shayeris into a thriving city-state. Cal then assures her that Arthur is his friend. Mera then arrives with AJ and greets Cal and meets Sha'lain'a and Jackson. Cal and Sha'lain'a then have Jackson show them his tattoos, which they say have a reaction towards water. Mera though notes that Jackson's tattoos are very typical for the citizens from Xebel and even shows him her tattoos. Sha'lain'a also reveals her tattoos and says that she was born in Xebel, but migrated to Shayeris when she was young. Cal then asks Mera if she can help train Jackson on how to use his powers, which Mera agrees to, but asks why Sha'lain'a can't train him. Sha'lain'a though tells her that she's out of practice and hasn't used her powers since she started living on the surface. Mera then tells Jackson that he'll be starting at the Conservatory of Sorcery tomorrow and calls him "Kaldur'ahm," or Kaldur for short. The next day, Kaldur, now wearing Atlantean garb, arrives at the Conservatory of Sorcery, where he immediately gets picked on by La'gann. Kaldur though angrily insults him, causing La'gann to shove him. Kaldur and La'gann then angrily face each other, ready for a fight, before they're stopped by Garth and Tula. Garth and Tula then apologize for La'gann and introduce themselves, where Kaldur introduces himself. Garth then notices a new blonde student and asks about her. La'gann tells them that the new student is named Dolphin, from the city-state of Cerdia who transferred to the school last week. As she swims by, Dolphin winks at Garth, much to Tula's anger. Mera then begins the class, where she has them pair up with each other and pairs Kaldur with Tula and Garth with Dolphin while La'gann gets paired with Topo, an octopus-like Atlantean, who's known for being the weakest student. Topo nervously asks La'gann to take it easy on him, but La'gann chuckles and tells him "no promises." Garth and Dolphin then introduce themselves to each other as Dolphin asks Garth to take it easy on her, since she's still new to sorcery and just transferred. Garth smiles and assures her that he'll go easy. Tula tells Kaldur to take it easy until he gets a handle on his powers. The matches then begin and Garth and Dolphin spare, with Garth conjuring magical blasts, but Dolphin easily dodges them and then defeats him with her hydrokinesis as she tells Garth that she never promised to go easy on him. La'gann uses his tattoos to enlarge his body and attacks Topo, who uses his magic to summon an ink cloud, but La'gann easily pins him. Tula then fires blasts of water, which Kaldur dodges and tries to summon his magic, but ends up firing several blasts of water, injuring Tula, much to Kaldur's dismay as he apologizes and assures her that he didn't mean to hurt her. Mera though heals Tula with her magic and tells Kaldur that since he's half-human, he'll have even more trouble learning to control his power. Meanwhile, Arthur, Atlan and Vulko talk with Cal, where he reveals that after he helped Arthur defeat his doppelganger and reclaim Atlantis, he decided to explore the ocean and met Sha'lain'a. He then tells them that after a few months, they decided to live on the surface to raise Sha'lain'a's son, Kaldur, who believes that Cal is his long-lost father. Cal though reveals that he isn't Kaldur's real father. He then tells them that he saw a news report to tell them that Black Manta has escaped from custody, much to Arthur's worry. 
Arthur, Vulko, Atlan and Cal then agree that Black Manta must be working with Ocean-Master. Suddenly, one of Atlan's tattoos starts to burn. Atlan then checks on his tattoo and realizes that Charybdis has been released from captivity, much to Arthur and Vulko's worry, but Cal doesn't know who Charybdis is. Arthur though explains it to him before he then asks where Orm is, but Vulko tells him that Orm left to lead another search party. Arthur though finds it suspicious that Orm is always gone, which they all agree with and agree that Black Manta and Charybdis's escapes were connected. At his hideout, Ocean-Master meets with Black Manta and the new recruits, King Shark and Charybdis. He praises Manta for his good work and tells King Shark and Charybdis that they must follow his plan if they wish to overthrow Atlantis. Charybdis though tells Ocean-Master that he follows no one and only wishes to have his vengeance on the king. Ocean-Master though tells him that once this is over, he can have his half-brother while he takes his rightful place as the king of Atlantis. Ocean-Master then orders Black Manta to take King Shark to Amnesty Bay. Manta though asks about Mera, but Orm assures him that he has someone close to take care of her. At the palace, Hila plays with AJ, while considering smothering the infant before Mera arrives. Orm then arrives back, with Arthur questioning his wherabouts, but Orm tells him that he found another dead end on Ocean-Master. Arthur then takes Orm to the balcony and tries to appeal to Orm, noting that, even if they have their differences, they are still brothers and he cares for Orm. Orm though tells Arthur that he knows and cares for him as well, but admits that he is a bit jealous of Arthur, especially since he was raised by his caring father and was their mother's favorite, while Atlanna only spent time training him and Atlan left him after his mother's death. Arthur though assures Orm that their mother loved both of them and that Atlan does care for him, but has trouble showing it. Arthur then tells him that his youth wasn't always great, especially after his father died, but he tells Orm that he did find someone when he was young. In a flashback, 3 years after learning about his heritage, Arthur swims across the world's oceans, looking to find anything about his heritage, which led him to an underwater ruin that bore Atlantean symbols. While investigating, the symbols began to glow and activated a booby-trap, which severely injures him as he tries to escape, eventually reaching the surface before he collapsed. When he wakes up, Arthur finds himself in a hut, where he's cared for by an Inuit woman. The woman, who's near Arthur's age, introduces herself as Kako and treats his wounds, while noting that he doesn't seem to be suffering from any damage from the frozen waters. Arthur then introduces himself as Kako then asks what he was doing way out here, but Arthur tells her that he was looking for clues about where he came from. Later, Kako shows Arthur around her Alaskan village, introducing him to her people, with Arthur asking around for info on the mysterious symbols that he saw. One of the village elders though reveals to him that those symbols belong to the ancient city of Atlantis, much to Arthur's disbelief, but the elder reveals that Atlantis was very real. The elder then tells Arthur that thousands of years ago, Atlantis was a city that stood among the waves and was one of the most mystically-advanced societies, before the Greek God, Poseidon became angry with the king of Atlantis and plunged the city to the ocean floor, where it currently rests. The elder then helps draw a map of Atlantis's location. That night, Arthur says goodbye to Kako as he prepares to leave to find Atlantis, but Kako tries to convince him to stay since he hasn't fully healed from his wounds and that storm season is approaching, which will make the waters unsafe for him. Arthur then finally agrees to stay, but insists that he'll stay only for the week as he and Kako share a kiss. 6 months later, Arthur continues living in the village, proving to be an excellent fisherman, while living with Kako in her hut. One night, while lying in bed with Kako, she asks him about his tattoos, but Arthur tells her that he's unsure since they appeared on his body after his father died. He then tells her about his father, who raised him to fear the water, knowing that he was special and that he would tell him stories about his mother, who he claimed was his "queen." Later, as Kako sleeps, Arthur's tattoos start to glow, waking him up. He then takes out the map that the elder drew as mystical symbols appear on the paper. He then kisses Kako goodbye and leaves, taking off into the waters. When Kako wakes up in the morning, she finds Arthur missing, much to her confusion. As she gets up to start looking for him, she starts to feel a pain in her stomach before becoming nauseous. 
Back in the present, Arthur finishes his story with Orm and reveals that he's never told Mera about it. Orm then starts remembering his childhood with his mother. In a flashback, 20 years ago, when Orm was still a young man, Atlanna continued training him, preparing him for the role of king. Orm though angrily defeats all of his opponents and almost kills one, until Atlanna intervenes. She then takes her son aside and tells him that, while he has all of the makings of a great king, he still has an intense anger within him that must be quelled in order for him to become a worthy king. Atlan then enters and asks about Orm's training, with Atlanna telling him that he has progressed. Atlan then suggests that he begin his sorcery training at the Conservatory, but Atlanna insists that Orm isn't ready yet. Orm though insists that he is ready and shows off some sorcery spells that Atlan taught him. Atlan though tells Orm to listen to his mother. The next day, Orm notices everyone rushing into his mother's quarters and heads there, where he finds his mother, Atlanna laying on her deathbed, with Atlan, Vulko, and the royal staff surrounding her. A confused Orm asks what's going on, so Atlan reveals to him that his mother has been feeling ill lately and the medical staff have been unable to determine what's wrong. Atlanna then weakly calls Orm over to her bed. As Orm starts to cry, she caresses his face and reveals that she gave him the last name of Marius in honor of the late Orvax Marius, who was the general of the Atlantean fleet and her king long before Orm was born. Atlanna then kisses his forehead and says, "I love you, Orin." Atlanna then slowly passes away, causing Orm to cry out in grief, forcing Vulko to take him out of the room, as Orm ponders her last words to him. In the present, Orm tells Arthur that after Atlanna died when he was 12, Atlan became withdrawn and distant until he eventually exiled himself from Atlantis, leaving him to be cared for by the Atlantean royal staff. Arthur though comforts his brother as they both admit that they've both had to deal with loss. At the Conservatory, Mera continues teaching a class, while Kaldur struggles to maintain control of his new water-bearers that Mera had given him. Tula though gives him some advice about control, before Mera then dismisses the class. Tula then tells Kaldur that she and Garth are going to grab something to eat and invites him to join them. Dolphin then approaches Garth and tells him that he's very good and asks if he can tutor her, but Garth says that he doesn't think that's a good idea. He then admits to being in a relationship with Tula, which shocks Dolphin, but Garth offers to be friends, which she accepts as he invites her to join him, Tula and Kaldur. While out to dinner, Dolphin and Tula bond, while Dolphin tells her friends that she grew up in the Ninth Tride of Atlantis, which is the slums of Atlantis, and that she always dreamed about moving to the capital and studying at the Conservatory. During her speech, Kaldur reaches out and grabs Tula's hand as he smiles at her. Tula though quickly pulls her hand away. Meanwhile, Orm mystically contacts Black Manta and tells him about Arthur's story of Kako and orders him to send King Shark there to take her out, knowing that killing her will break Arthur. Vulko then enters the room and asks Orm what he's doing. Orm though slyly covers it up and tells him that he's making a gift for AJ. Vulko though becomes suspicious and reaches for his communicator, causing a scuffle between him and Orm. During the scuffle, Vulko notices a tattoo on Orm's wrist that resembles the tattoos of the purists, causing him to realize that Orm is Ocean-Master. He then threatens to reveal Orm's deception to Arthur, when he's suddenly attacked from behind by Hila, knocking him unconscious. Hila then offers to kill him, but Orm tells her that he'll need him once he becomes king and that he can use him as leverage. Later, Kaldur swims with Tula and apologizes for his gesture and admits that he likes her. Tula though calls him sweet and admits that she likes him, but only as a friend and that she's with Garth, which Kaldur understands. When Vulko wakes up, he finds himself locked up in Orm's hideout, with Black Manta guarding him. Orm then admits to Vulko that he's doing what's right for Atlantis and that Arthur's allegiances with the surface world has brought nothing but trouble to Atlantis and seeks to fix that, by declaring that he shall invade the surface world once he's made king. In Alaska, a grown Kako spear-fishes for food with her grown son, Koryak, who bears a tattoo on his chest. The 2 of them then return to the village with their fish, where Koryak boasts about his fishing skills, causing Kako to tell him that he reminds her of his father. Koryak then asks about his father, when King Shark suddenly bursts through the ice and attacks the village. The village is shocked and terrified of the creature, but Kako quickly steps in and attacks King Shark with her spear. Shark though easily tosses her aside and gets ready to devour her, before Koryak steps in and tackles King Shark through the ice, where they duel underwater, revealing Koryak's ability to breathe underwater. In Atlantis, a royal guard reports to Arthur that Nanaue was reported near the shores of Alaska, causing Arthur to immediately become worried about Kako. He then summons Cal and Sha'lain'a and orders them to head to Alaska to stop King Shark and save a friend of his named Kako. The 2 of them agree to help and depart for Alaska. In Alaska, King Shark gains the upper hand against Koryak, until Kako wakes up and dives into the water to save her son by distracting King Shark. Shark though manages to take a bite of her shoulder and slams her through the ice, knocking her unconscious. A weak Koryak though calls King Shark's attention, when Cal and Sha'lain'a appear. Cal quickly rushes in and saves Koryak before taking on King Shark, while Sha'lain'a begins using healing magic on Kako. King Shark though manages to toss Cal aside and then escapes into the water. Cal and Sha'lain'a then introduce themselves as friends of Arthur Curry, who knew his mother. Koryak thanks them for their help as they tell him to come with them, but Koryak tells them that Kako can't breathe underwater like him, so Sha'lain'a casts a spell on her that will allow her to breathe underwater for 24 hours as they depart back to Atlantis. King Shark directly reports back to Black Manta, who praises his good work. 
Cal and Sha'lain'a quickly arrive back in Atlantis with Kako and Koryak, where the medical staff take Kako away as Arthur worriedly greets them. He then becomes confused by Koryak, who introduces himself as Kako's son, much to Arthur's shock. Mera though asks Arthur about Kako and Koryak, so Arthur explains his history with her, but Mera surprisingly understands. Later, while being healed, Arthur visits Koryak and asks how old he is, but Koryak tells him that he's 21. Arthur then notices the tattoo on his chest and asks him about it, but Koryak explains that he inherited it from his father. He then asks about what's going on and where he is. Arthur explains that this is Atlantis and that he seems to be like him, half-human and half-Atlantean due to his ability to breathe underwater. Arthur then reveals to Koryak that he and Kako were once lovers long ago, but he had to leave her to search for answers about himself. Arthur then shockingly reveals himself as Koryak's father, much to Koryak's horror. He then asks about his mother, but Arthur assures him that she'll be fine. Arthur then leaves him to rest while he meets with Cal and Sha'lain'a, who tell him that King Shark seemed to be after Kako, which Arthur finds strange. Arthur then asks about where Vulko is, but Cal tells him that he hasn't seen him in a while. Arthur then summons Atlan and tasks him and Cal with finding Vulko, believing that Ocean-Master has captured him and has seemingly knowledge about Kako. Arthur though realizes that only one person could know about Kako. He then confronts Orm in his room about him being Ocean-Master. Orm tries to deny it, but Arthur angrily punches him and tells him that he knows the truth. Orm then finally stabs his brother with a dagger that he laced with poison, causing Arthur to collapse to the ground. Orm then finally reveals himself as he changes into Ocean-Master and reveals that he's been planning Arthur's downfall the minute he met him. Orm then reveals his hatred and disgust with Arthur, calling him a bastard and unworthy king. Arthur weakly tries to reason with his brother, but Orm reveals that Atlanna called him "Orin" before she passed and that she was always his favorite, because he was born with the person she most loved, Tom Curry. He then tells him that he prepared his whole life to become king, until Arthur showed up and took the throne. Ocean-Master then grabs Arthur's trident and blasts him with it, knocking him unconscious, with him spotting Black Manta and Charybdis enter before he blacks out. Orm then orders them to dispose of his body, but Black Manta asks for the next step in his plan. Orm though tells him that it's time they moved up their plans and begin the next phase. Manta though asks about Mera, but Orm tells him that he has someone taking care of her. Mera wakes up in the middle of the night when AJ starts crying and rushes to his room, where she finds Hila cradling him. Hila though threatens to kill him if she makes a move. Mera though asks her what she's doing, but Hila admits that she's always hated her ever since they were kids, since she was their parents' favorite and got to inherit the throne of both Xebel and Atlantis, but she's now going to take her throne as Queen of Atlantis. Some guards then arrive and Mera orders them to restrain Hila, but the guards attack Mera, knocking her unconscious. Outside, Garth and Tula swim together, where they start talking about their relationship, with Garth admitting about Dolphin while Tula admits about Kaldur. Garth though professes his love for her and tells her that he wants to spend his life with her. He then gets down on one knee and pulls out a pearl ring and proposes to Tula. Before she can answer, she spots one of the royal ships leaving, which she finds strange, especially at this time. Garth notices it as well as they swim after the ship. Along the way, they run into La'gann and Kaldur, who follow the ship with them as the ships arrives at the Mariana Trench. The 4 of them quickly hide as they spot King Shark and Charybdis exiting the ship with an unconscious Arthur, much to their shock before they toss him into the Trench. The ship then leaves back for Atlantis, while Garth, Tula, Kaldur and La'gann dive after him. When Arthur wakes up, he finds himself in his home at Amnesty Bay, with Poseidon standing beside him. Poseidon though assures Arthur that he's not dead, nor is it his time. Arthur though tries to tell him about Orm and Atlantis, but Poseidon reveals that he already knows since he's sensed Orm's anger for a long time. Arthur though admits that maybe Orm was right about his loyalties to the surface world endangering Atlantis. Poseidon though tells him that it's because of his duality to the land and sea that makes him not only a worthy king, but a hero, to both Atlantis and the surface world. Poseidon then gestures to Arthur's prosthetic hook hand, noting that he has already suffered many hardships and will likely suffer even more, but reminds him that those hardships make him a stronger leader and hero and that he must never give up hope. Arthur then hears footsteps and sees his father and mother enter. Tom and Atlanna admit that Poseidon is right, with Atlanna blaming herself for Orm's betrayal. Tom though tells him that Arthur now has his own family that he must fight to protect and must return to them. Before he leaves, Atlanna makes Arthur promise to not give up on Orm, telling him that he's just lost and angry and is still his family. Poseidon then promises Arthur to "return to him what was lost." Arthur then wakes up and finds himself being dragged out of the trench by Garth, Kaldur, Tula and La'gann. He thanks them for their help before he notices that his right hand is back. Garth though notes that it wasn't there a minute ago. Tula then begins healing him with sorcery as he reveals Orm's treachery to them and that he's working with Black Manta, King Shark, Charybdis and his purists. He then tells them that they must return to the kingdom, since many of his loved ones are in danger. At the palace, Black Manta and his crew have captured Cal, Koryak, Atlan and Mera, while Ocean-Master, King Shark, Charybdis and the purists make the preparations. Manta mocks Cal for his allegiance to Atlantis and calls him a traitor, but Cal begs his former friend to stop this. Manta though tells him that Atlantis needs to be dealt with, calling it a threat to humans, but Cal knows that isn't true. Black Manta is then shocked when he sees his men bring in Sha'lain'a and goes over to her, revealing himself to her as he happily embraces her and tells her that he thought she was dead. Sha'lain'a though assures him that she's alive and begs him to stop this, but Black Manta tells her that Atlantis needs to pay for what it's done to her and her people. Sha'lain'a though tries to explain that those were the actions of the previous king, but Black Manta refuses to listen to her and insists that this must be done. Sha'lain'a then admits that she still has feelings for him, with Manta telling her that they can finally be together once this is over. Sha'lain'a though reveals that her heart belongs to another as she looks over at Cal. Black Manta then turns to Cal and angrily realizes the truth, calling Cal a traitor to both his species and to him for taking what was his. He then angrily blasts Cal with his laser blasts, torturing him as Sha'lain'a begs him to stop. Hila then enters in her new uniform with Ocean-Master, who calls her his "Siren." He then has Black Manta stop torturing Cal, while Mera asks where AJ is. Orm though assures her that he's safe, kept captive on the Manta-Sub.
Mera though asks Orm why he's doing this and insists that Arthur loved him, but Orm refuses to listen to her and insists that he's the rightful heir to the throne because, even though Arthur's older, he was born an outsider, a surface dweller, while he was born to lead, to rule Atlantis. Atlan though tells his son that his mother wouldn't have wanted this for him, but Orm angrily tells him that he has no right to judge him, since he was never a father, especially after he left Atlantis after his mother's death, when he needed him most, but he abandoned him. Atlan though apologizes and admits that he's right, he left his son after his beloved died. Before Atlan can continue, Ocean-Master blasts him with the trident. He then leaves with Hila. Black Manta then leaves with Sha'lain'a and orders his troops to kill the others. In the castle's armory, Arthur, Garth, Tula, La'gann and Kaldur take out the guards and infiltrate the building. Arthur then mentions that his fellow Justice Leaguer, Flash has recently taken up a young protege, Kid Flash, and admits that maybe it's time that he does the same as he asks Garth, Tula and Kaldur to become his young proteges, which they all accept as he gifts Garth and Tula with traditional Atlantean uniforms, while he gives Kaldur a smaller version of his suit, which Kaldur tears the sleeves off as he dons his water-bearers. He then excitedly asks if they get codenames like him, which interests La'gann, but Garth and Tula roll their eyes at. Kaldur then suggests that La'gann go by Lagoon Boy, which La'gann likes. Kaldur then suggests Aquagirl for Tula and Aquaboy for Garth, but Garth refuses to be called a "boy" and states that he shall go by Tempest, after the mystic sorcerer who's magic that he's been studying. Tula though admits that she kinda likes Aquagirl and suggests that Kaldur take Aquaboy, but La'gann calls it "lame." Arthur then suggests "Aqualad," which Kaldur admits has "potential." The 5 of them then take off for the throne room, where they manage to stop Manta's troopers before they can kill Mera, Atlan, Cal and Koryak, with the others joining in. Mera then tells Arthur that they have AJ. Arthur then tries to interrogate one of the troopers about Orm's plan, but refuses to say anything, so Atlan uses some sorcery to persuade him, revealing that Orm has the entire Atlantean fleet under his command and plans to invade the surface world as his first contribution as king. Cal then tells Kaldur that they have his mother too. Kaldur then tells her that they can get her back, but Cal tells him to follow Arthur, despite Kaldur's protests. Arthur then orders Garth and Tula to assemble their remaining allies, while they try to figure out Orm's next move. At Ocean-Master's hideout, Vulko manages to trick the purist guarding him into believing that he's dead and then attacks the purist when he enters his cell to check on him. Vulko then steals the keys to his shackles when a couple Manta troopers enter, but Vulko quickly attacks them. One of the guards manages to shoot him with a laser blast, but he manages to steal his weapon and takes out the troopers before leaving. In Atlantis, Aquaman gathers Mera, Tempest, Aquagirl, Aqualad, Dolphin, Topo, Lagoon Boy, Cal, Koryak and Atlan as he tells them about Orm's plan to invade, but he doesn't know where. Suddenly, an injured Vulko arrives and tells them that Ocean-Master plans to start at San Diego and announce Atlantis's might to the surface world. Atlan heals him with magic as Arthur insists that Vulko sit this one out, but Vulko refuses and assures Arthur that he serves the crown, the rightful heir. A confused Koryak though admits to Arthur that he's confused and scared and doesn't know if he can fight in this war, but Arthur assures him that since he's his son, he knows he has a noble heart and will always do what is right. Koryak though asks about his mother, but Arthur assures him that she'll be safe here for now. Aquaman then says that he's going after Black Manta first to save his son. Garth then vows to help him while Mera joins in as well. Arthur tries to convince her to stay, but Mera insists on going since it's her son as well. Cal then also insists on going so he can save Sha'lain'a, with Aqualad volunteering as well, despite Cal's protests. Arthur then tells the others to head to San Diego to stop Orm. Before they leave, Tula tells Garth that she accepts his proposal and the 2 share a kiss. At San Diego, Ocean-Master and his Atlantean army began emerging from the oceans along with Siren, King Shark, Charybdis and an army of giant crustaceans, sending everyone in a panic. News helicopters quickly begin circling the area, with Ocean-Master announcing to the surface that he's the new king of Atlantis and orders them all to bow to him. As Aquagirl, Lagoon Boy, Topo, Dolphin, Atlan, Vulko and Koryak head for San Diego, Topo worries about getting killed, since he isn't as skilled as the others, but La'gann assures him that he has his back. Tula then worries about Garth, but Dolphin assures her that Garth will be fine. 
The Manta-Sub continues treading through the ocean, with Sha'lain'a locked up in a cell, where she begs David to stop. Black Manta though refuses to go by that name, insisting that David died along with his love, but tells her that once this is over, they can live happily together. Sha'lain'a though insists that she loves Cal and that they've loved each other for the past 2 years, but Black Manta calls Cal a traitor. He then hears sobbing as one of the troopers tries to calm AJ down, but Black Manta orders his man to put the baby in a cell. Suddenly, the sub starts shaking. Manta looks out the window and sees an army of whales attacking the ship. The ship then stops as Tempest stops it with his sorcery, while Mera creates giant water dragons to attack the ship. Arthur, Cal and Aqualad then ride one of the whales to the sub, where they manage to get inside, causing the sub to start flooding. Aquaman, Cal and Kaldur then quickly take out the Manta Troopers, with Cal managing to free Sha'lain'a. Manta though stabs Cal with a blade and prepares to blast Sha'lain'a. Aqualad though steps in front and vows to protect his mother and father. Manta though notices the tattoos on his arms are similar to Sha'lain'a's arms and takes his helmet off as he asks Sha'lain'a about Jackson. Kaldur though announces that he's Aqualad, but Manta asks her if he's actually his son. Sha'lain'a though denies it and insists that Cal is his father, but a confused Kaldur confronts his parents. Manta then angrily forces them to tell the truth as he blasts Cal with his helmet. Sha'lain'a then finally admits that Cal isn't Kaldur's birth father, Black Manta is, much to Kaldur and Manta's shock. Manta then angrily asks her why she kept him from him, but Cal weakly says that Jackson was born a few months after she was freed from captivity. Sha'lain'a then reveals that she actually met Cal 10 years ago, when Cal still worked for Manta, who found her while on a recon patrol and that he actually helped her escape to the surface world and set up identities for them and she named Kaldur after Cal. Manta though angrily insists that Kaldur isn't Cal's son, he's his son. He then reaches out to Kaldur and embraces him, offering for him to join him in his operation and be rid of the Atlanteans that have ruined their lives. Kaldur though refuses and insists that Cal is his father, as he attacks Black Manta. The father and son battle, with Kaldur using his water bearers while Manta blasts him with his helmet. An overwhelmed Kaldur though suddenly releases a surge of electrocity through the water, revealing more about his powers, which weakens Black Manta. When Kaldur lowers his guard, Manta fires a missile at him, but Mera's hard-water constructs block the explosion. Arthur then tells Sha'lain'a and Kaldur to get Cal to safety. Garth then takes on the remaining Manta troopers while Arthur and Mera demand to know where their son is. Manta though blasts them and escapes into the boiler room. As the sub continues to sink, Arthur and Mera follow him, where they find Manta holding baby AJ. He then places AJ into a machine and locks the door. He then mockingly congratulates them and reveals that he's been studying Atlantean physiology and says that most Atlanteans can only sustain being on dry land for 52 hours before they must return to a water source, but notes that, due to Arthur's unique physiology, he can actually survive being outside of water and imagines that would be the same for baby AJ, but, due to AJ being only 1/4 human, it must take years before his lungs could fully adjust to the surface world and imagines that he can go without water for 30 minutes or less. He then notes that a baby's lung capacity is significantly more weak and fragile than a fully-developed person and reveals that he built this machine to use on Arthur, but notes that using this on his son will be much sweeter. He then pushes a button on the machine, activating it as Aquaman and Mera angrily attack him. They ask him what's happening as AJ starts sobbing. Manta though says that the machine is draining all water and oxygen from the chamber. Aquaman then angrily tries to tear the machine open, but to no avail. Mera then starts using her water constructs on the machine as well, but AJ begins coughing and wheezing. Manta then attacks Arthur and Mera and mocks them by telling them that AJ doesn't have much longer to live. Tempest then appears and blasts Manta aside as he summons the "power of Tempest" to try to smash the machine, but Mera stops him, worrying that he'll destroy the machine and AJ in it. Aquaman and Mera then begin to cry as they both try angrily to free their son, before AJ finally stops wheezing. Aquaman then manages to smash the chamber and takes AJ out. He reveals that he's not breathing and tries to perform CPR, but Mera stops him, telling him that CPR could crush him. Garth though notes that AJ was without oxygen for several minutes, which is highly dangerous for AJ and says that there isn't anything they can do. Aquaman then begins shaking as he holds his son's body in his hands, violently sobbing. He then gives him over to the grieving Mera, who craddles her son's body as he begins viciously attacking Black Manta, severely beating him and holding him underwater to drown him. Tempest though stops him, telling Arthur that AJ wouldn't want him to do this and that he's a hero, which Arthur eventually realizes and releases the unconscious Manta. Mera though angrily begins strangling Manta with a water construct and vows to kill him. Arthur though tries to stop her and insists that this isn't them, but Mera doesn't care and wants Manta to suffer. Suddenly, the ship completely fills up with water and begins sinking, forcing Aquaman, Tempest and Mera to escape with the unconscious Black Manta and baby AJ wrapped in rags. As they swim over to Kaldur, Cal, and Sha'lain'a, they notice the unconscious Manta and the body wrapped up, widening their eyes in horror as they all silently mourn their loss. In San Diego, Ocean-Master and his army continue attacking as the U.S. military struggles to fight back, but are quickly crushed by the giant crustaceans. Suddenly, a giant tidal wave appears and washes over Ocean-Master and his army, with Tula, La'gann, Dolphin, Vulko, Atlan, Topo and Koryak appearing before them. Aquagirl then steps forth and announces herself to the world and says that she and her friends stand with the true king of Atlantis, Aquaman. 
Ocean-Master though laughs at them and mocks them for daring to stand against the entire Atlantean fleet, but Tula reveals that she knows that there are those who still stand with the true king. Suddenly, half of the Atlantean fleet begins attacking the other half as Ocean-Master orders his army to attack. Vulko, Dolphin, Topo and Koryak then start taking on the soldiers while Charybdis attacks Lagoon Boy, who inflates himself and takes on the beast. King Shark then charges into the fight and heads toward Lagoon Boy, but Dolphin steps in and stops him with her magic as he turns his attention to her. Atlan then uses his sorcery to take Siren's place beside Orm and tells his son just how disappointed he is in him. He then offers Orm to stop this, but Orm angrily attacks him, causing Atlan to tell Orm that he must now stop him "for good." Orm and Atlan then clash, while Siren attacks Vulko with her constructs, easily beating and pinning the old man, before Koryak stops her. Hila then attacks him with a water sword, but Koryak defends himself by creating a water spear, revealing his powers. Aquagirl then attacks Siren with her magic. Charybdis starts gaining the upper hand against La'gann, angrily smashing the amphibous teen into buildings and cars before Topo leaps onto the beast's face and fires a blast of ink, blinding Charybdis as it releases La'gann. La'gann then thanks Topo, who tells La'gann that he has his back as well. In Atlantis, Aquaman ties up Manta and has Cal and Sha'lain'a stay to watch over him. Sha'lain'a though refuses to let Kaldur leave, but Kaldur tells her that he has to, since he's now the sidekick to the king of Atlantis. Mera though insists on going as well, knowing that her sister will be there. Aquaman, Tempest, Aqualad and Mera then leave for San Diego. Back in San Diego, Ocean-Master and Atlan continue to battle, with Atlan casting a spell that binds Orm. Siren sees Orm in trouble and quickly overwhelms Koryak before she attacks Atlan, freeing Orm. Ocean-Master then stabs his father in the chest with the trident, weakening Atlan and tossing him into the bay. Vulko charges towards Orm, but Ocean-Master blasts him with the trident, knocking him down. Aquaman, Tempest, Mera and Aqualad arrive at San Diego, but find a bleeding Atlan in the water. They quickly rush to his side as Garth uses some sorcery to try to heal his wounds. A weak Atlan then tells Arthur that he tried to kill Orm to spare him the burden, but Aquaman assures him that he knows he can defeat Orm. Atlan then admits to Arthur that, even though he's not his father, he loves him for the son that he never had. Arthur then has Garth stay behind to heal him while he, Mera and Aqualad then head to the surface, where Arthur cries out Orm's name. Ocean-Master gleefully smiles as he spots his brother charging towards him, taking out any soldier in his way. King Shark continues to fight Dolphin, who only defends herself with her magic, before Koryak leaps onto the beast and states that he has "unfinished business" with him. King Shark though tosses Koryak off of him, but the young man quickly gets back up and faces the beast. Aquagirl continues battling Siren, with her magic and Siren's water constructs until Aqualad leaps into the fight and forms a protective dome around him and Tula while Mera creates a water dragon that envelops Siren. In the bay, Atlan insists that Garth go to the surface and join the fight, but Tempest refuses to leave him behind. Atlan though insists that he'll be fine and even casts a spell that transfers most of his mystical power into Tempest. Atlan then assures him that he still has enough power for now and Tempest heads to the surface. Aquaman and Ocean-Master fight over the trident, with Orm noticing that Arthur's right hand has returned. Arthur then angrily asks Orm if AJ's death was part of his plan. Orm insists that killing his nephew wasn't part of the plan, but then smiles and says that he can see how much it's tearing him apart. Aquaman then angrily gets control of the trident and blasts Orm to the ground. He then gives Orm one last chance to surrender, for their mother's sake, but Orm angrily casts a spell that knocks Arthur down, revealing that he's learned a few tricks from his father. Koryak continues battling King Shark with a water sword, while Dolphin uses magic to heal his wounds. Lagoon Boy continues fighting Charybdis, with Topo blasting ink in his face before Tempest fires a mystical blast at Charybdis, knocking him down. La'gann though insists that he had him, but Garth just smirks. Mera and Siren continue to battle, with Mera angrily screaming at Siren that they killed her nephew, but Siren mocks Mera for her grief, causing Mera to become overwhelmed with anger as she finally unleashes her full power on Siren, knocking her unconscious. Mera though creates a construct around her sister's throat and starts choking her, but Tula and Kaldur try to stop her. Mera though insists that they stay out of her way and angrily tells them that AJ's dead, much to their shock. Aqualad though unleashes a small blast of electricity at Mera, stopping her. Ocean-Master then orders his crustacean creatures to attack the surface dwellers, but Aquaman uses his telepathy to try to bring them under his control. Tempest then charges towards Ocean-Master, but Orm quickly fires a magical blast at Garth's face, leaving a severe scar over his eye, much to Arthur's anger as he continues attacking his brother. Back in Atlantis, as Cal and Sha'lain'a watch over Black Manta, he begins to snicker. Cal asks him what he's laughing at, but Manta insists that he was never going to help Orm become the king of Atlantis and that he has a backup plan to kill all of the Atlanteans as he reveals a detonator in his hand. He then pushes the button. Beneath the surface of San Diego, seismic bombs planted along the city's coastline detonate, causing the whole city to begin violently shaking as the ground begins to crack and the city begins to sink into the waters. The citizens and Atlanteans all begin to panic as the city quickly begins to get submerged under the water. Lagoon Boy manages to save Vulko's unconscious body, while Tempest, Aquagirl and Dolphin try to save as many civilians as they can, before Tula gets hit by some debris, causing a panicking Garth to swim after her. He quickly digs through the rubble and finds her barely conscious. He then tearfully tells her that he thought he lost her, but Tula insists that she's not leaving his side. Aquaman and Orm continue to battle while Aqualad uses his electricity to help Koryak defeat King Shark. Atlan quickly notices the sinking city and realizes what he must do. He then summons all of his remaining mystical power and begins to create a protective magical dome around the city of San Diego. Tempest swims over to help, but Atlan insists that he has it taken care of and has used the last of his magic in this shield. Atlan then makes Garth promise to look after Arthur and be there to remind him of the hero that he is. Atlan then finishes the protective dome as the city of San Diego finally hits the ocean floor. Garth catches Atlan's body, but then realizes that he died from his wounds, causing him to mourn his death. 
Aquaman and Ocean-Master continue battling until they end up at a trench, with Orm blasting Arthur with his sorcery. Aquaman though quickly summons a shark that attacks Orm, severely injuring him before he blasts the shark away. Arthur though finally fires a blast at Orm that critically injures him. Arthur then stands over his brother, ready to pierce his chest with the trident and kill him, before he remembers Poseidon's words and his mother's promise and angrily plunges the trident beside his head. Aquaman then tells Orm that, despite everything that he's done, he's still his brother and that their mother still believes there is good within him. Orm though angrily calls him a liar as he tries to get back up, but collapses on the ground. Later, Aquaman and his allies round up Ocean-Master, his subordinates and loyalists as he finally addresses the panicked citizens of San Diego. Arthur tells them that they are all safe for now, due to the sacrifice made by Atlan, and that, as long as they remain within the dome, which is filled with oxygen, they will be alright. He then promises them that he will not rest until he raises this city from the waters, but, until then, they will remain here in their city and that, despite thousands of innocent deaths, the people of San Diego will remain strong. He then promises that he will entrust one of his most trusted friends to look after this city and help rebuild it. The citizens all cheer and chant his name, "AQUAMAN!" Later, King Shark washes ashore of California and is quickly apprehended by the military and taken into government custody. Aquaman then visits the surface world with a captive Black Manta and delivers him to the authorities. Manta though asks Arthur why he hasn't killed him, but Arthur insists that he would never dishonor his son's memory with his blood. Manta then asks why he isn't being held in Atlantis, but Arthur insists that this is for his own protection. Manta though smiles and says that he isn't being held in Atlantis because his wife, Mera would kill him. Arthur doesn't respond as the authorities take him away. A few days later, the city of San Diego, now dubbed "Sub Diego" and the attack from Atlantis is covered in the news, with many reporting about the incident, including G. Gordon Godfrey, who blames Aquaman for bringing Atlantis "right to people's doorsteps" and for "dooming" the people of San Diego. Others report that Aquaman has released a statement, proclaiming that Atlantis remains an ally to the surface world and that he and his people will be helping to ensure the safety and protection of Sub Diego. Other reporters claim that President Luthor has already sent millions of relief workers to try to salvage and recover most of what remains of San Diego, but the White House hasn't released a statement about the Atlantean invasion or the plans for the citizens of Sub Diego. In Atlantis, a nation-wide funeral is held for Atlan, attended by Garth, Tula, Kaldur, Vulko, Cal, Dolphin, Sha'lain'a, La'gann, Topo and the city of Atlantis. Tula though points out that the king and queen aren't in attendance, but Garth admits that they "need some time." At Mercy Reef, Arthur and Mera bury their son, AJ among the coral. As they mourn their son, Arthur tries to embrace his wife, but Mera pushes him away. She then angrily blames him for their son's death, pointing out that it was because of his duties as a hero that placed AJ in danger and then blames his "weak genes," claiming that if she had the baby with a full-Atlantean, then maybe AJ would've survived. Arthur though breaks down and tries to tell her that he loves her and that he blames himself more than anyone over what happened. Mera though angrily points out that he spared their son's killer and even sent him to the surface world to escape from Atlantean justice. She then tells him that they must execute Orm, her sister and Charybdis for what they've done, but Aquaman tells her that he's not a killer and that they will face a fair trial. Mera though tells Arthur that she needs some time alone, away from him, and tells him that she's going back to Xebel. Arthur tearfully begs her not to leave, but Mera insists that she can't continue as his queen and support his decisions as she removes her wedding ring and gives it back to Arthur. She then kisses Arthur on the cheek and leaves. Meanwhile, Kako finally wakes up and finds Koryak at her side. Koryak though assures her that they're safe and that he found his father, much to her surprise. Later, Arthur returns to Atlantis, where he finds Vulko, Garth, Tula, Kaldur and La'gann waiting for him. They tell him about the funeral for Atlan and Arthur tries to apologize, but Vulko stops him and tells him that he understands why he wasn't there, but then asks where Mera is. Arthur simply tells him that she's "taking some time away." Garth then remembers Atlan's last words to him and steps up as he tells Arthur that, due to how he's changed all of their lives, that he, Kaldur, Tula and La'gann will continue standing at his side as his proteges and heroes, which the others all agree with. Arthur then thanks them for their support as they all share a hug. Kako and Koryak then walk in, with Kako surprised to see Arthur as she insists that she always knew there was something special about him and points out that he seems to have finally find out where he came from. Arthur then embraces Kako, who tells him that she heard about what happened and is sorry for his loss. Kako and Koryak then embrace Arthur as he continues to mourn. In the dungeons, Charybdis is held in a special cell, trying to break free. Hila is held in another special cell that dampens her powers, while Orm is held in an isolated cell. Orm though says that he'll bide his time and wait for the right moment to have his revenge as he carves a tally mark into the wall. 
In a mid-credits scene, in Avalon Cay, a blonde young man with gills emerges from the waters, remarking that his parents are going to kill him for sneaking out. As he gets out of the water, his father angrily calls to him from a distance, yelling at him to quickly get back inside his "tank," before angrily screaming his name, "Arthur Joseph Curry." Arthur though calls back to his dad to not worry and assures him that he's fine as he rushes back to his house. 
In a post-credits scene, on the hellish planet of Apokolips, Darkseid visits the orphanage run by one of his subordinates, Granny Goodness, where he tells her that Godfrey has reported back to him that the "Earthlings" has a race of beings that can survive underwater. Granny then asks him what he plans to do, but Darkseid insists that this won't delay his plans to invade the planet. He then asks Granny about her "Furies," but Granny insists that her girls are ready to serve him. Darkseid then tells her that he might have an "assignment" for them, causing Granny to smile.