Do The Atlantis Scenes In Justice League Square Up With The Movie?
After watching Aquaman, it’s worth going back and revisiting the underwater scene from Justice League which gave moviegoing audiences a primer on Arthur Curry’s backstory and homeland. Wan’s film takes a very different approach to what Snyder/Whedon did to the character in the team-up pic, so it’s interesting to see how well the two interpretations gel together.
For the most part, things sync up pretty nicely. There’s a brief line in Aquaman, for example, that makes clear it takes place after Steppenwolf’s attack and that JL featured Mera and Arthur’s first meeting. The talk about Queen Atlanna leaving Arthur as a young boy that’s referenced in Justice League is also played out here, though in the team-up film, he seems to have a lot more anger directed at his mother than in Aquaman.
The best difference though is Justice League‘s use of Mera’s air bubbles as the only way for Atlanteans to speak underwater. Fans disliked this scene as it didn’t seem to fit with the merpeople’s powers and sure enough, Wan does away with it in his movie, as it’s explained that Atlanteans can speak underwater. You can easily retcon Mera’s use of the air bubble, too, as her simply not knowing that Arthur had already mastered the ability to talk under the sea.
The fact that Mera appoints Aquaman as the only one capable of stopping Steppenwolf seems curious, though, considering that his brother Orm was king of Atlantis during this time. I wonder what he had to say about his fiancee telling his hated brother to go be a hero.
What Exactly Are Aquaman’s Powers?
Aquaman does a great job of smashing the old stereotype about the character that he’s only good for talking to fish. Over the course of the movie, he proves himself a very formidable individual. His most incredible ability is his high durability to harm. He’s shot at, stabbed and attempted to be blown up numerous times throughout the two and a half hours. And he still keeps going, without many scars to show for his troubles.
So, what’s the deal with Aquaman’s powers? Well, most of his special skills seem to be shared with the rest of the Atlantean population – as Vulko explains to the young Arthur, their kind can speak under water, swim super fast and can see in deep darkness, among other things. Going by the action scenes, though, typical Atlanteans aren’t as super-strong or invulnerable as Arthur is, so this must be a trait found in the royal family, perhaps.
But what about his aforementioned knack for “talking” to fish? Well, here it’s depicted more as a kind of beam that calls the creatures of the sea to him, like they’re reflecting his will. The Karathen says that no Atlantean has spoken to her for eons, so clearly this is a unique power even under the sea. Presumably this is an ability that only someone destined to command the oceans is born with.