Arthur Curry

* Arthur Curry
* King Orin
* Aquaman
* DCIU Concept Art
* DCIU Concept Art #2

**Aquaman** is the ruler of Atlantis and the Earth's oceans, an Atlantean with incredible strength and speed as well as the ability to command all sea-life. His unique physiology allows him to survive on land and at the ocean's greatest depths of pressure and temperature. Given the names **Orin** through his royal heritage and **Arthur Curry** by his human upbringing, he fights to protect both worlds using his mighty abilities and political influence. He is a founding member of the Justice League of America.

## Character Origins

Princess Atlanna's first husband, Lord Trevis died in battle shortly after the two were wed. As is customary among grieving Atlanteans, Atlanna undertook a journey intended to help her regain her composure. Still young and foolhardy, Atlanna dared to undertake her sojourn among the surface-dwelling humans. It was while visiting Amnesty Bay that Queen Atlanna met Tom Curry, a human lighthouse keeper, and fell madly in love. Atlanna had a child with Tom, a child they named Arthur (after the titular character of "The Once and Future King," which Tom had read to Atlanna) and for years, Atlanna was happy to live among the humans, neglecting her heritage and responsibilities... until the passing of her father required her to return home.

While sailing with Arthur, Atlanna's ship was scuttled by Atlantean scouts sent to retrieve Atlanna so she could be crowned. In the process, mother and son were both knocked unconscious and while Atlanna was claimed by the Atlanteans, Arthur was mistook for a human casualty and left floating in the sea by the scouts that had taken his mother. Arthur was later rescued by his father, washed up on the shore, injured but alive. Unable to find Atlanna, Tom and Arthur held a funeral and mourned their loss.

Tom took to drinking and though he was never an abusive father, he was never quite the same. Arthur was a troubled kid with a juvenile record to prove it. He was prone to violence and trouble never seemed to be far from him, but Arthur claims he never went looking for it... He just had a knack for letting it find him.

Uh huh, *right*. After Arthur's graduation, Tom celebrated with a few too many beers. In his drunken stupor, he saw Atlanna checking on her family from the sea, only to disappear when she realized she had been seen. Drunk, Tom jumped in after his believed to be dead wife. Arthur jumped in after him. Arthur saved his father from drowning that day, but one night after that summer, while Arthur was sleeping, Tom Curry took their sailboat out for a late-night voyage to look for Atlanna. Tom Curry was never seen again.

After the death of his father, Arthur Curry found himself suffering from migraine headaches and, like his father before him, tried to self-medicate through alcohol, only to find no amount of beer, whiskey, or anything else he could find in Amnesty Bay would get Arthur drunk. Arthur kept this to himself and continued to run the lighthouse, becoming more and more reclusive.

One morning, Arthur went for a morning swim. Upon returning to the shore, Arthur found a ghost awaiting his return. Atlanna embraced him, proving she was alive and began the long story of where she had been these many years, and how she was the Queen of the underwater nation of Atlantis. It took some convincing to get Arthur to believe this tale of magic and merfolk, but it explained many of the mysteries about his own life... except the migraines. When hearing of these headaches, Atlanna insisted that Arthur be brought to Atlantis.

Under the sea, Arthur learned many more things (like he could breathe underwater and he had a half-brother) and after meeting with the Royal Wizard of Atlantis, also learned that he had a rare gift. All Atlanteans were mildly telepathic, it is how they communicate underwater, but Arthur possessed the "Gift of Kordax," a recessive trait present only among Atlanteans of royal lineage which enhanced their psionic ability to allow them to command sea-life, but also allowed them to not only project their thoughts for communication, but instinctively detect the intentions of others, giving them an edge in combat, diplomacy, and leadership.

Atlanna decided to legitimize Arthur, giving him the Atlantean name of Orin. Within a year, Arthur married his mother’s attendant, Mera. As Prince Orin, he talked his mother into officially making contact with the surface world in 2005 and became the nation's ambassador to surface affairs, even becoming a superhero when the JLA invited him to join them (Flash named him "Aquaman"). Impressed with her son’s clear mastery of his gifts and hybrid heritage, Atlanna named Arthur heir to the throne, hoping to usher in a bright future for Atlantis. Instead, she brought her own death at the hands of her son, Orm, and bloody war for the throne of Atlantis.

It took Arthur years to rally the people of Atlantis against the armies and mercenaries of his half-brother Prince Orm (now calling himself Ocean Master). After the war, Arthur insisted he had work that needed to be done (and even a newborn son on top of it all), but at the urging of Mera and his Royal Court, with the war over, it was time for Arthur to pay his respects to his mother by undertaking the traditional journey of mourning.

So while Orin may have been forced to take a break, Arthur was always one who found manual labor the best way to clear his head. Arthur returned to the surface, with Mera and his son (Arthur, Jr, aka: "AJ") in tow, restored his father’s lighthouse to working order, and began to take a more active role among the Justice League (which was now under the supervision of the United Nations). When it came time to return to Atlantis, Arthur did so, but realized more than ever he had before that he was meant to be a bridge between the people of the surface and the sea. To that end, Arthur trusted the daily operations of his kingdom to his wife, advisers, and even his young son, AJ who was already being trained to be much more proper monarch than his father.

This freed Arthur up to travel as a guardian and enforcer of the peace, whether in the sea or on the surface, often accompanying the Justice League on their adventures and representing the interests of Atlantis among the United Nations.

In his many years as Aquaman, Arthur has taken many pupils (two Aqualads, two Aquagirls, and even a Lagoon Boy) but through it all he has only had one real partner: Mera, his queen and consort, who he adores to this day, much to the complaint of many Justice League fangirls out there... Yes, even I admit I’ve gotten weak in the knees seeing him without a shirt.

When not on an adventure, Arthur is usually at home, and whether that is his castle under the sea or his humble lighthouse beside it, Arthur remains, above all, a champion of his people, human and Atlantean alike.

## Powers, Abilities and Weaknesses

Although Aquaman's origin and even identity have been revised several times over the decades, in most iterations he possesses superhuman strength, the ability to breathe underwater, and the capacity to communicate telepathically with creatures of the sea, among other powers.

**Atlantean Physiology**: The Atlanteans are an offshoot of humanity that is biologically adapted to the deep ocean environment. For most Atlanteans, this means that can breathe underwater, endure the pressures of the deep (among other adaptations), and can only spend a very limited time out of water. He also possesses superhuman levels of strength, speed, endurance and durability, all by-products of his body being adapted to survive unprotected in the tremendous pressures of the ocean depths. Although other Atlanteans possess similar adaptations, Aquaman's royal lineage makes him a super-Atlantean as well as super-human, and as such he has greater physical capabilities than does a typical Atlantean.

* **Amphibious Nature**: Aquaman, as an Atlantean, can breath underwater and on land. He can be immersed indefinitely without suffering any ill effects but being super-Atlantean due to his royal lineage, he can survive on land longer than an average Atlantean. This length can be extended by the humidity in the atmosphere but eventually prolonged dehydration will weaken him thus he must return to aquatic environment at various period.
* **Enhanced Vision**: His ability to see in the murky depths of the ocean allows him exceptional night vision while on land. He has claimed that his eyes are adapted to see at 6,000 fathoms (or 36,000 feet below the surface of the water).[*citation needed*]
* **Enhanced Hearing**: several times more acute than human capacity.
* **Enhanced Smell**: several times more acute than human capacity.
* **Superhuman Strength**
* **Superhuman Stamina**
* **Superhuman Durability**
	+ **Energy-Heat Resistance**: Aquaman is extremely resistant to energy/heat based attacks as he has with stood multiple blasts from Amazo's heat vision, Black Manta's heat beams, and energy blasts from an OMAC.
* **Superhuman Reflexes**: While no speedster, Aquaman's reflexes are superior to even near metahumans such as Deathstroke the Terminator, and his reflexes are on the order of 12-15 times faster than a normal human. Aquaman is probably the greatest swimmer in the world.[*citation needed*]

* **Telekinesis**: Orin has an undefined level of telekinetic abilities that has been very rarely touched upon.
* **Marine Telepathy**: Aquaman has the ability to communicate directly with sea life and has done so throughout most of his life. Lately he possesses a greater range of control that can actually force sea creatures to obey his whims. Currently, he requests their assistance and they comply. He has chosen to continue to request since, if he forces them to comply, they will ultimately lose respect for him. He now also has access to a quantum field phenomenon called "The Clear". "The Clear" quantum phenomenon has been observed with the subject called the Swamp Thing who called it the Green or the Morphogenic Field of Animal Man (also called the Red). Aquaman is also an accomplished telepath in general and can perform such telepathic feats as mind to mind communication, mind probes, mental domination of a non-aquatic mind, and mental attacks. The potency of such mental domination is unclear but he has been seen to use his powers to great effect against the White Martians and Doctor Polaris.
	+ **Psychic Vibration Manipulation:** Aquaman learned a new technique while traversing the home planet of the Hexapuses, he could channel his psionic force into potent mind and body disorienting psychic waves which throw his opponents off balance. As though they were josseled about by a tremendous earthquake.
	+ **Limited Mentifery**: ***(Possibly Formerly)*** To a marginal extent, Orin is able to use his marine telepathy to alter the fabric of reality on a microcosmic level. I.e. controlling and manipulating the evolutionary phases and/or physical transformation of other's through the power of his mind alone. Having done so against an ancient primordial entity as old as the Earth itself sitting at the bottom of one of the planets deepest trenches, and again when the villain known as the The Shark whom he mentally willed back to being a simple sea predator instead of the hyper-evolved entity he initially was. This has the debilitating side effect of kickstarting an atavistic transformation which causes him to grow sharpened teeth, green scales, webbing along his hands & fingers accompanied by burning red eyes similar to his ancestor Kordax; it also disrupts his psionic rapport with sea creatures as they become frightened by his appearance and harsher mindset when using his power to their fullest.
	+ **Access to the Clear**: Aquaman has the ability to sense the primal emotions of aquatic creatures through "The Clear". The Clear seems to function as a universal consciousness of all sea life. Via it he can communicate or command sea life on the other side of the planet. He can see what they see and much more what he is only beginning to realize. He can also push his telepathic powers to reach out to the higher land creatures to find that element of their brains that was once an aquatic dwelling creature. This may account for Aquaman's facility with language.
	+ **Undead Calling** ***(Formerly)***: Due to having been a Black Lantern when he was first reanimated, Aquaman later retained his ability to call forth undead sea life to do his bidding.

**Magic** ***(Formerly)***: His mutation into the Dweller of the Deep through a bargain with ancient sea gods gave him untold amounts of powerful ancient magics.

**Water Emulation** ***(Formerly)***: Due to either a spell cast by powerful dark wizards and sorcerers, a union between him and a malignant vampiric entity, or further alteration by an outside force. Arthur has had his entire being transformed into that of an elemental affiliated with the clear, the quantum phenomena connected to waters and all life living within it. In this state of being Aquaman was an oceanic embodiment of tremendous power capable of assimilating with and manipulating all of the worlds oceans at once.

* **Ocean Embodiment**: Has the all composing ability to control water as a whole within his vicinity and beyond.
* **Metamorphosis**: Being composed entirely of water Orin no longer has the physical constraints his limited physical body.
* **Life Force Draining**: After his union with the thirst, effectively becoming the waterbearer itself, the amalgamated entity could drain all the life giving water from the world at will.

### Abilities

* **Master Swimmer**: Aquaman is a master swimmer. Perhaps the greatest there is.
* **Expert Combatant**: Aquaman excels at hand-to-hand combat and overall martial ability. His skill in battle is so proficient, that even when weakened, he held his own against Batman, even though he didn't win.
* **Genius Level Intellect**: Aquaman is adept enough at complex cybernetic and mechanical engineering that he can reorganize the lost informational databases of the JLA Watchtower files and databases single handed.
	+ **Computer Operation**
* **Expert Tactician**: He has an advanced strategic sense, and has natural leadership qualities.
* **Accomplished Diplomat**: His natural autocratic nature does not suit him well in environments where democracy is an issue but Orin is a natural commander and his ability has served him well in the protection of Poseidonis.

### Weaknesses

* **Water Deprivation**: Aquaman must return to water after a period of time or he will weaken and eventually die. He will first start feeling this effect after an hour (approximately).
	+ When Aquaman had the Waterbearer Hand, he always has water nearby, so this weakness did not apply.
* **Monstrous Appearance** **(Formerly)**: Whenever Orin pushed his mental abilities to the limit, causing subtle changes in the fabric of reality. It causes him to physically regress into a more predatory appearance similar to that of Kordax.
	+ **Increased Agression**: In his transformed state, Orin is colder and angrier. Becoming much more aggressive and demanding of those around him.
* **Waterbearer Abuse (formerly)**: Overuse of the Waterbearer Hand for violent means will cause the Thirst to attack the Secret Sea.

## Paraphernalia

* Trident of Neptune
* Trident of Poseidon
* Black Lantern Ring ***(Formerly)***
* **Harpoon Replacement** ***(Formerly)***: Aquaman's left hand was eaten by piranha and was replaced with a harpoon. Initially affixing his missing hand with the tip of a whaling spear he owned, Orin made use of it as a melee weapon both in and out of the water. He donned it as a symbol of his own title and authority as a hero and ex-monarch of Atlantis after his decisive battle with Charybdis, feeling he needed a new look to match his new mindset. The spear head was lost in a battle between the two elemental's Corona and Naiad when the later, his former flame and mother of his son Koryak, flash melted it to little more than a stump of molten steel.
* **Cybernetic Hook/Bionic Prosthetic** ***(Formerly)***: Replacing the harpoon that was later destroyed by Corona, S.T.A.R. Labs engineered a multi-functional hook replacement. Its primary weapon, a retractable lancet, could be drawn into its casing to be temporarily replaced with a prosthetic hand. The harpoon line was made of a tungsten steel cable that was capable of supporting 2 tons without breaking. It also was equipped with the ability to carry a powerful electrical charge. The harpoon, made of a high-grade hardened vanadium-titanium alloy, could be made to spin at high speeds and act as a drill, launched at an opponent to entangle them, or to wrap around an object to prevent a fall. Later, Orin had found a new bionic hand made by Atlantean technologies that functioned as his normal hand does, it was comprised of liquid memory shape alloy able to change its form in a limited capacity; mainly used to create shielding, armor or various bladed weapons with a direct application of his will.
	+ ***Harpoon***: normally had a harpoon attached to a retractable line that he could use to fire at ranged targets.
	+ ***Drilling***: The harpoon had a turn gear within its base which enables Arthur to perforate solid rock and steel with it.
	+ **Cybernetic Form Alteration**: Could be altered to form armaments and protective wear. Or simply act as a replacement limb.
	+ **Electrostatic Discharge**: Both his S.T.A.R. Labs spear and his Tritonis extremity could emit electrical energy to increase its effective weapon potential.
* **Waterbearer Hand** ***(Formerly)***: given to him by the Lady of the Lake. The hand was magical in nature and possessed various abilities.
	+ **Hydrokinesis**: The waterbearer hand like its namesake suggests, can manipulate vast if not astronomical amounts of water for various means and ends, be it shooting scalding water jets at varying pressures or erecting and splitting massive tidal waves clean in half.
	+ **Molecular Manipulation**: Aquaman can alter the shape and density of the hand, for example Orin can make his hand into a sword or harder than steel.
	+ **Healing**: It possesses healing properties.
	+ **Death Touch**: By dehydrating anyone he touches with it.
	+ **Farsight**: Can be used as a scrying pool.
	+ **Magic**: Could utilize unique mysticism to keep a humanized mera from drowning and undo a reality warp by Orm using the remains of his severed hand.
	+ **Negate Magic**: Can negate any other magics.
	+ ***Prolonged Adaptation***: Significantly increases the time Aquaman can spend out of water.
	+ ***Independent Life***: The hand can be separated from Aquaman and continue to work.
	+ **Portal Creation**: It has the ability to create portals into mystical dimensions for working as instantaneous travel.
	+ **Retrocognition**: Aquaman has placed his Waterbearer hand onto a sea organism and was thereafter able to see visions of that creature's past.

## Notes and Trivia

### Notes

* In E27 Aquaman is a jovial badass. He likes to have fun and party with his friends, family, and subjects... but when he throws down, he throws down hard. He can hold his own against the likes of Kryptonians, Dark Knights, Amazonian demigoddesses, Green Lanterns, and Speedsters.
* His appearance is based on Jason Momoa, who portrays him in the *Justice League* and *Aquaman* DC Extended universe films.
* According to Roy, regarding Arthur's name, "*I just felt like Arthur would feel like he was actually a Curry more so than an Atlan. After all, the people who raised him were Curry.*"

* **Aquaman** first appeared in Earth-Two continuity in *More Fun Comics* #73 by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris. He is later shown to be a Silver Age character on Earth-One, evidenced by his membership in the Justice League of America. There is no explicit mention of this until the Multiverse is retconned into existence in a later story, making it difficult to tell exactly when the publication crosses over. There is no obvious way to distinguish between the two characters, but the DC Database has chosen *Adventure Comics* #229 as the first Earth-One Aquaman story because it is the first appearance of Topo, Aquaman's first Earth-One supporting character. Eventually this distinction would become irrelevant when the two universes were merged into New Earth during the *Crisis on Infinite Earths*.
* In Silver Age continuity prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Arthur had spent his teenage years under the name *Aquaboy* and teamed up with Superboy. This was retconned out in his Post-Crisis origin story.

### Trivia

* "Waterbearer" is his Oracle-given codename.
* Aquaman joined the Justice League of America in 2005 nominated by Superman.
* Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain and many other female heroes consider him hot, as seen in Oracle Files: Arthur Curry 1.
* Thanks to his power of telepathy he once caught Dick Grayson thinking dirty thoughts about Mera.
* Garth ta'Idyl became his squire due to his name. When Garth was growing up Atlanna told his stories of King Arthur and these tales inspired him to be a hero.
* During the Atlantean civil war King Shark allied himself with Orm first, but he then swore fealty to young Prince Ar'Jeron, promising to serve the prince (and King Orin) in exchange for the prince's support in Nanaue's claim to the position of chieftain to the Sher'Hadeen tribes of Tritonis. Though King Orin has been reluctant to do so, Nanaue has been more docile recently.
* To the Atlanteans, Aquaman is Orin. Aquawoman is Mera. Tempest is Garth. They do not really have secret identities under the sea. Some have titles. Tempest is a title. Aquaman, Aquawoman, Aqualad, and Aquagirl are all essentially seen as roles to be filled. Tula was Aquagirl, now she is simply Tula. Kaldur'ahm was Aqualad, now he is simply Kaldur'ahm. Dolphin is and always was Dolphin. Kaldur and Tula do not really need hero names anymore. Both spend most of their time in service to the Throne in one form or another and both can use their Atlantean names among humans just as easily. They do not have secret identities to conceal.
* Orm often calls his brother "Orin zin'Atlan" ("zin" is used in Atlantean naming conventions to call someone a 'bastard child').