Aquaman (film)

> "*Look, I learned from a young age not to show weakness. Okay? I solve my problems with my anger and my fists. I'm a blunt instrument, and I'm damn good at it. But I've done nothing but get my ass kicked this whole trip. I'm no leader. I'm not a king. I do not work or play well with others. And I can't let you die trying to turn me into something I'm not."
> "You think you're unworthy to lead because you're of two different worlds. But that is exactly why you are worthy. You are the bridge between land and sea. I can see that now. The only question is... can you?*"
> ― Arthur Curry and Mera**[source]**
>
>

***Aquaman*** is a 2018 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the second installment in the Worlds of DC and was released on December 21, 2018.

## Synopsis

Arthur Curry, the reluctant heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, is caught in a battle between surface dwellers that threaten his oceans and his own people, led by his half-brother Orm, who are ready to lash out and invade the surface.

## Plot

In Maine, 1985, lighthouse keeper Tom Curry rescues Atlanna, the princess of the underwater nation of Atlantis, and they fall in love and have a son, Arthur Curry, who is born with the power to communicate with marine lifeforms. Atlanna is forced to abandon her family and return to Atlantis, entrusting to her loyal advisor Nuidis Vulko the mission of training Arthur. Under Vulko’s guidance, Arthur becomes a skilled warrior, but is rejected by the Atlanteans for being a half-breed and ultimately leaves Atlantis behind.

One year after Steppenwolf’s invasion, Arthur confronts pirates led by Jesse Kane, who are in the middle of a Russian nuclear submarine hijacking. Kane is killed during the confrontation, and his son, David Kane, vows revenge against Arthur. A second Russian submarine, in retaliation, strikes Atlantis, but Arthur’s half-brother King Orm, quickly destroys it and uses the seemingly unprovoked attack as a pretext to declare war on the surface. Nereus, ruler of the kingdom of Xebel, supports him, but Nereus’ daughter Mera, who has been betrothed to Orm, refuses to aide them and journeys to the surface to ask Arthur for help, earning his trust by saving Tom from a tidal wave sent by Orm. Arthur reluctantly accompanies Mera to a rendezvous with Vulko, who urges Arthur to find the Trident of Atlan, a magic artifact that once belonged to Atlantis’ first ruler, in order to reclaim his rightful place as king. They are ambushed by Orm’s men, and Mera and Vulko escape, while Arthur is captured.

Orm visits Arthur in captivity and announces that Atlanna was executed for the crime of having a half-breed son, blaming Arthur and the surface for her death. He offers Arthur an opportunity to leave forever, but Arthur instead challenges him to a duel in the Ring of Fire. Orm gains the upper hand and nearly kills Arthur before Mera rescues him. Together, Arthur and Mera journey to the Sahara desert, where the trident was forged, and unlock a holographic message that leads them to Sicily, where they retrieve the trident’s coordinates. Meanwhile, Orm provides David with Atlantean armor and weaponry and sends him to stop them, imprisons Vulko upon learning of his betrayal, and coerces the remaining five kingdoms of Atlantis to pledge allegiance to him and his campaign against the surface.

In Sicily, Arthur and Mera are ambushed by David, who fights and injures Arthur before being thrown off a cliff to his apparent death. Mera nurses Arthur’s wounds as they journey to the trident’s whereabouts, and encourages him to embrace his destiny as a hero. Arriving at their destination, Arthur and Mera are attacked by a legion of amphibious monsters known as the Trench, but manage to fend them off and reach a wormhole that transports them to an uncharted sea located at the center of the Earth. There, they are unexpectedly reunited with Atlanna, who was sacrificed to the Trench for her crimes, but manage to escape them and reach the uncharted sea, where she has been stranded ever since.

Arthur faces Karathen, the mythical leviathan that guards the trident, and voices his determination to protect both Atlantis and the surface, proving his worth and reclaiming the trident, which grants him control over the seven seas. Arthur, Mera and Atlanna lead an army of marine creatures in battle against Orm and his followers, who renounce their obedience to Orm and embrace Arthur as the true king upon learning he wields the trident. Arthur defeats Orm in combat, but chooses to spare his life, and Orm accepts his fate after discovering Arthur has found and rescued their mother. Atlanna returns to the surface to reunite with Tom, while Arthur ascends to the throne, with Mera by his side, and embraces his fate as Aquaman.

In a post-credits scene, David is rescued by Dr. Stephen Shin, a scientist obsessed with finding Atlantis, and agrees to lead Shin there in exchange for his help to kill Arthur.

## Cast

* Jason Momoa as King Arthur Curry/Aquaman
* Amber Heard as Mera
* Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko
* Patrick Wilson as King Orm Marius/Ocean Master
* Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus
* Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as David Kane/Black Manta
* Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna
* Temuera Morrison as Thomas Curry
* Ludi Lin as Captain Murk
* Michael Beach as Jesse Kane
* Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin
* Djimon Hounsou as King Ricou (voice)
* Natalia Safran as Queen Rina
* Sophia Forrest as Princess Scales
* Graham McTavish as King Atlan
* Julie Andrews as Karathen (voice)
* John Rhys-Davies as Brine King (voice)
* Andrew Crawford as Ricou and Brine King (motion capture)

## Appearances

### Locations

* Earth
	+ Atlantis
		- Atlantis Royal Palace
		- Ring of Fire
	+ United States of America
		- Maine
			* Amnesty Bay
				+ Curry Lighthouse
				+ Terry's Bar
	+ Italy
		- Sicily
	+ Sahara
		- Kingdom of the Deserters
			* Hall of Armory
	+ Xebel
	+ Kingdom of the Fishermen
		- Fisherman Royal Palace
	+ Marianas Trench
		- Kingdom of the Trench
	+ Kingdom of the Brine
	+ Missing Kingdom
		- Council of Kings
	+ Hidden Sea

### Events

* Attack on the Lighthouse
* War for Atlantis
	+ Attack on the Submarine
	+ Attack on the Council of Kings
	+ Attack on the Surface World
	+ Capture of Arthur Curry
	+ Duel in the Ring of Fire
	+ Attack on Sicily
	+ Escape from the Trench
	+ Battle of the Brine
	+ Coronation of Arthur Curry
* Assault on the Atlantean Vault
* Great Fall of Atlantis

### Items

* Aquaman's Suit
* Atlan's Trident
* Ocean Master's Suit
* Orm's Trident
* Atlanna's Quindent
* Black Manta suit
* *The Dunwich Horror*
* Arthur's Gladiator Armor
* Orm's Gladiator Armor
* Men-of-War's Armors
* Atlantean Plasma Rifles
* Atlantean Warships
* Atlantean Ships
* Scales' Warship

### Sentient species

* Atlanteans
* Fishermen
* The Trench
* The Brine
* Humans

### Creatures

* Great white sharks
* Hammerhead sharks
* Octopi
* Sea dragons
* Tylosaurs
* Whales
* Giant turtles
* Giant Crab

### Organizations

* Men-of-War
* Xebellian Soldiers
* Seven Kingdoms of Atlantis
* Fisherman Soldiers
* Brine Army

### Mentioned

* David Kane's Grandfather
* Steppenwolf
* Poseidon
* Orvax