Atlan

"*If you seek my power, you must prove your worth.*"
―King Atlan[src]
**Atlan** was the king of Atlantis prior to the nation's submergence, during the time of Darkseid's first invasion of Earth. He led his army to the shores to aid in the battle against Darkseid, and was one of the three people entrusted with the security of the Mother Boxes.

Later, he went into exile and died when Atlantis sank into the ocean during a test with the Trident of Atlan. His skeleton held the trident ever since. Millennia later, Arthur Curry, a distant descendent of Atlan, followed the leads left by his ancestor and obtained the trident, becoming the true King of Atlantis, accepting the name of Aquaman.

## Biography

### Becoming King of Atlantis

At some point, Atlan gathered the Atlantean tribes together into one civilization, and became the first king of Atlantis. He created a trident to rule the kingdom. Because of his lead, Atlantis faced great technological advancement.

### The great fall and exile

"*It was a time of great prosperity and technological advancement. We had unlocked the secret of unlimited energy at a time when the rest of the world still thought the Earth was flat. But we became too ambitious; too hungry for power. The ocean swallowed us, and Atlantis sank.*"
―Nuidis Vulko tells Arthur Curry about the history of Atlantis[src]
In 14,304 BC, a disastrous experiment with the Trident of Atlan headed by Atlan caused Atlantis to sink beneath the waves. Horrified and guilt-ridden by this travesty, he went into a self-imposed exile and died in a deep pit in the Hidden Sea. Before his death, Atlan left behind a message inside of an artifact that can only be displayed when inserted into a stand in the forge in the Kingdom of the Deserters, where the Trident was made. In the message, Atlan guides the true heir to the Trident, telling them that with its power they can unite above and below.

### Legacy

A life-size statue of Atlan was constructed and placed in a remote location, away from Atlantis beneath the sea. Arthur Curry regularly visited this statue before finding the real remains of Atlan, which enabled Nuidis Vulko to track him down when the Atlantean Stronghold was on the verge of being attacked.

## Powers and abilities

### Powers

* **Atlantean physiology**: As a Highborn Atlantean, Atlan possesses incredible superhuman abilities, especially when exposed to water. While using his trident, Atlan could control the sea and the marine creatures existing throughout the planet.
	+ **Longevity**:
* **Marine communication**: With the help of his trident, Atlan could control marine life, as he saw when he used the trident to make two whales jump.
* **Hydrokinesis**: With the help of his trident, Atlan could control the water of the oceans, managing to create two large waves around him while he made two whales jump.

### Abilities

* **Expert leader**: Atlantis experienced great technological and philosophical advancement under his steadfast leadership.
* **Master combatant**: Atlan, as the King of Atlantis, was an exceptional warrior, capable of easily defeating several Parademons and surviving the Battle of Earth that killed many of his fellow Atlanteans without any injuries.
* **Marine communication**: Atlan could also converse with sea life without his trident. This was also a hereditary ability, which was inherited by his descendant Arthur Curry.

## Equipment

* **Trident of Atlan**: Atlan wielded this trident throughout his life.
* **Armor**: Atlan wore this attire throughout his life.

## Relationships

* Atlanna – descendant
* Arthur Curry – descendant
* Orm Marius – descendant

Allies* Atlantis
	+ Atlanteans

## External links

* Atlan on DC Database
* Atlan on DC Extended Universe Wiki