Aquaman: The Dead King

***Aquaman: The Dead King*** is a 2013 superhero film, based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. It is a sequel to *Aquaman* and *Justice League*, the fourteenth installment in the DC Shared Film Universe and the sixth installment of Phase Two.

It was directed by James Wan and stars Jason Momoa, Kate Mara, Dan Stevens, Chiwetel Ejiofor. The film was released on December 13, 2013 to gross $958.4 million on a $217 million budget. The film ran 161 minutes. The film also received generally positive reviews.

The third film in the series, *Aquaman: Uprising*, was released in 2016.

## Synopsis

Three years after Arthur Curry was brought to Atlantis and crowned King, Arthur has been searching for his true heritage, his father, due to no one knowing Atlanna's lover at the time. Arthur teams up with Orm, Mera, and Debbie to find Atlan, the Dead King of Atlantis, who holds the secrets of Arthur's fatherhood.

## Plot

Millennia ago, Atlantis was a great nation on the surface. Ruled by King Atlan, the nation prospered. However, Atlan's jealous brother, Orin, murdered Atlan's wife and children and took the throne. Atlan escapes with his loyalists, though they were hunted one by one. However, years later, Atlan returns and murders Orin, his wife, and his children. Atlan used his strength to sink Atlantis underwater, leading the rest of the world to believe everyone on the island had died and it became a legend. Atlan granted the remaining citizens new genetics, which led them to be able to speak and live underwater in their new nation. Atlan laid to rest and his body disappeared, never to be found again. In the present day, King Arthur Curry of Atlantis has been on the throne for three years, with Queen Mera by his side. However, Arthur, speaking to his mother's grave, asks who his true father is. However, Arthur learns that no one in Atlantis, not even Nuidis Vulko know who his father was.

Arthur visits Atlanna's grave once again, where his telepathy sets in and she tells him to find Atlan, the first king of Atlantis. Arthur's telepathic breakthrough reaches all of the world, causing everyone to suffer a massive headache at once. In Antarctica, under a large sheet of ice, Atlan's lifeless body awakens due to the telepathic event. He emerges from the ice and attacks a nearby research station, asking to find Atlantis, killing the researches after they laugh at him. In Atlantis, Arthur tells Mera of what Atlanna told him. Mera decides to join Arthur in his search for Atlan. Arthur also asks Debbie Perkins and Orm Marius to join him and Mera on their quest. Vulko warns them that they may find more than they are seeking with Atlan. Arthur uses his new telepathy once more to find out Atlan has awoken and is in Antarctica. Taking an Atlantean jet, the four fly to Antarctica, where they find Atlan over the dead bodies. Arthur immediately defends himself and his friends. However, Atlan is glad to see them. Arthur asks the king why Atlanna knows him. Atlan laughs, revealing he is Arthur's father.

Arthur, Mera, Orm, and Debbie take Atlan back to Atlantis, where he reveals that he never "died". His body was dormant, but his spirit reached throughout history, impregnating women to ensure his family line never ended. Arthur realizes he has half-brothers and half-sisters throughout history. Atlan reveals that in the same generation as Arthur, he also impregnated Orm and Debbie's mothers, Kako Marius and Miya, respectively. Atlanna and Miya decided they could not raise their children without fathers and gave them to fathers on Earth that they knew. However, Kako decided to raise Orm on her own, and was shunned due to the circumstances of her pregnancy. Kako died and King Nereus took pity on the now-teenage Orm, adopting him. Arthur, Orm, and Debbie are shocked at the revelations, especially that they are family. Mera asks about her mother, and Atlan laughs, stating she was nothing but a whore who wanted at Nereus. Mera attacks him, so Atlan kidnaps her, leaving Arthur, Orm, and Debbie.

Vulko learns of the events and tells them to hurry to find Mera before Atlan kills her, which he would have no problem doing. Arthur uses his powers to determine Atlan took Mera to Xebel, where she was born and Nereus previously ruled. In Xebel, Atlan arrives with Mera. The Xebelians are taken hostage under Atlan. Mera questions why he brought her here. Atlan tells her that Xebel was always at war with Atlantis, even before the latter nation sunk. Xebel was once at the surface, but sunk itself to be neighbors with Atlantis. Mera learns that Nereus overthrew the King and Queen of Xebel and forced himself into the throne. A beggar woman pleaded to be with Nereus, and he let her in, only to rape her and impregnate her. Mera is shocked when she learns her father then killed the woman after she gave birth to Mera. Arthur, Orm, and Debbie fight Atlan as they arrive. Atlan nearly kills Arthur, taking his Trident and leaving him to die in Xebel. Atlan names himself the true King of Atlantis, ready to rule once again. Orm asks to rule at his side, which Atlan agrees to. Debbie and Mera get Arthur Xebelian help. The Xebelians believe Mera to be their rightful heir. However, she tells them that cannot rule as she belongs in Atlantis.

Atlan returns to Atlantis, where everyone but Vulko bows down to him as their King. Vulko finds Arthur, Mera, and Debbie in Xebel. Arthur is revived and the four return to Atlantis. In Atlantis, Atlan fights Arthur again and prepares to behead him until Vulko stops him, saying Arthur is the true King of Atlantis. Vulko gets the Atlanteans to remember Arthur as their King. As the Atlanteans all begin to revolt, Atlan realizes Atlantis is no longer the former beauty it was and decides to destroy the nation and everyone in it. However, the destruction begins but Arthur stabs Atlan, killing him for good and stopping the destruction. Orm is arrested for betraying the throne, while Atlan's corpse is burned to ensure he can never rise again. Arthur realizes he should never have searched for his father in the first place, but Mera gets him to see everyone would've done the same thing in his place. Arthur decides it is time to reveal Atlantis to the public, but not it's technologically advanced weapons and systems, as the world is not ready for it.

In a mid-credits scene, Orm meets David Hyde in the prison and the two team up to take over Atlantis. In a post-credits scene, in space a spacecraft travels through the stars. It's commander, Brainiac, is alerted that Kal-El has been found on Earth. Brainiac smiles and sets a course for the planet.

## Cast

* Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry/Aquaman
* Kate Mara as Mera
* Dan Stevens as Orm Marius/Ocean Master
* Alicia Vikander as Debbie Perkins/Deep Blue
* Colin Firth as Nuidis Vulko
* Brad Pitt as Atlan

## Appearances

### Locations

* Atlantis
	+ Throne Room
	+ Prison
* Xebel
	+ Hospital
* Antarctica

### Events

* Sinking of Atlantis
* Awakening of Atlan
	+ Kidnapping of Mera
	+ Duel of Xebel
	+ Battle of Atlantis