Since Aquaman’s first appearance in 1941, the aquatic superhero has been the butt of many jokes. From comic fans to movie studios and even director Kevin Smith, it seems like everyone enjoys making fun at the self-proclaimed King of Atlantis’ expense.
To most people, on the surface, Aquaman is merely a man-fish with superpowers who lives underwater, and talks to, and has romantic encounters with fish. Yes, that’s t right, Aquaman’s first love was a Dolphin. But, despite the perceived negative aspects of Aquaman’s character, he’s actually a pretty incredible superhero. Here are five incredible facts about Aquaman you probably never knew.
5. His Crazy Backstory Made Him a Better Hero
Wait a minute, how does that work? Well…
Aquaman was raised by his mother Atlanna, a powerful Atlantian, and step-father Tom Curry, a lighthouse keeper with no super-human abilities. His biological father, Atlan, was a mystical being who impregnated Atlanna in a dream. However, in doing so, he indirectly caused his mother to be exiled from Atlantis after giving birth because, in Atlantian culture, Aquaman’s blonde hair was seen as a bad sign. Atlan is also the father of Aquaman’s half-brother/arch nemesis, Orm Marius, aka Ocean Master.
It could have been easy for Aquaman to just hate everyone and life in general. But, his mother and step-father never discouraged Aquaman from using his powers. They instead taught him how to control himself, and encouraged him to help the world around him.
4. He Was a Founding Member of the Justice League
Along with the Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter, Aquaman was a founding member of the Justice League. He was also one of the few members who was always there for any crisis.
Imagine being Aquaman. Imagine the media constantly praising Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Meanwhile, you’re fighting alongside them, and in some cases, even leading teams of lesser-known heroes to victories that the better heroes were unable to achieve. Even the most honest, selfless, and incorruptible superhero would feel somewhat slighted. Right?
Not Aquaman. He was always a servant of the greater good. He was always willing to do what was right for his team, and more importantly, his planet.
3. Aquaman Has Some Seriously Powerful Superpowers
Aquaman’s powers and abilities include:
- The ability to breathe underwater and withstand ocean depths
- Superhuman strength on land and in water
- Superhuman stamina in water
- The ability to swim at tremendous speeds
- Telepathic communication with sea life
- Energy/heat-resistance
- Enhanced vision, hearing, and smell
- Superhuman reflexes
- Nearly impenetrable skin
- Regenerative healing
There aren’t a lot of things this guy can’t do! Plus there also aren’t many superheroes that can do everything that Aquaman do. That says a lot.
Darkseid is arguably the most powerful villain in the DC Universe. See who’s on the ground? Not Aquaman! He’s the one thrusting a trident into Darkseid’s face, thus beating him in this fight in a storyline in the New 52. That’s how powerful Aquaman’s abilities are.
2. His Trident Is Insanely Powerful Too
Aquaman’s iconic trident once belonged to Neptune, the god of the seven seas. It can do some incredible things, but let’s remember this: Aquaman brought down Darkseid with a single weapon. That weapon made Darkseid bleed. This was a feat that was about as easy as giving Superman paper cuts.
His trident has some powers of its own, including:
- The ability to manipulate water
- The ability to manipulate weather
- Lightning bolts shoot out of it to create force fields
- The ability to make things disappear
- The ability to turn living creatures into other beings
As if Aquaman wasn’t already extremely powerful, his trident just makes him even more unbeatable. In the New 52, he also gains possession of Poseidon’s trident. This empowers him with new abilities, including the ability to create earthquakes, teleportation, command over storms and oceans, and the ability to conjure ice and cold.
1. He Is the Only Protector of Atlantis, and That Place Is Massive
On top of his usual world-saving and JLA duties, Aquaman is also the only sworn leader and protector of Atlantis, a Kingdom larger than any country in the world.
Gotham has Batman. Metropolis Superman. Star City has Arrow and The Flash. These cities also have the advantage of the countless other heroes working with the Justice League to protect them the World, and really anything above land. But who does Aquaman have around for help or if he wanted the occasional night off from ruling the enormous submerged continent? His wife Mera or his teenage sidekick Garth/Aqualad? That’d be fine if it weren’t for the fact that his kingdom of Atlantis covers 70 percent of the planet! That’s a lot of bad guys to track down for one superhero and a few sidekicks.
Despite how hard his job is, and despite the lack of help he gets from other superheroes in defending his home, Aquaman still fights evil for the good of everyone – both above, and below sea level. It sounds like Aquaman’s a pretty hard working guy, right?
Here’s the Thing…
Maybe the next time you think about Aquaman, and you decide to laugh at him enjoying the romantic company of dolphins or him being little more than some guy who talks to fish, just remember how incredibly powerful a superhero Aquaman truly is. So, this is just a reminder that the self-proclaimed King of Atlantis is one hell of a comic book character who shouldn’t be underestimated.
