Is Dr. Stephen Shin A Villain?
In what seems to be a fairly throwaway scene at first, about halfway through the movie we get to see a bit of a TV news show in which Dr. Stephen Shin is being interviewed about his “wacky” theories that Atlantis is real and the rumored hero the Aquaman is from the underwater kingdom.
The true reason for the scene’s inclusion, however, comes in the mid-credits sequence of the film, when it’s revealed that Shin rescued Black Manta and has been tinkering with his Atlantean armor. When David Hyde awakens, he asks him questions about his weaponry and David says he’ll work with him in exchange for info on Aquaman.
The implication is that Shin will act as Hyde’s tech guy in the sequel as he goes on his revenge rampage. However, the comics suggest Shin might turn out to be a bit more nuanced than that. On the page, he’s actually an old friend of the Currys, though he’s likewise driven to find out more about the Atlantean world. He’s also forced to work for Manta, but feels guilt for his betrayal and stops helping him.
Given that the first film played so closely to The New 52 era – plus the fact that Randall Park is so likeable – we imagine that a similar character arc could play out in Aquaman 2.