Aquaman 2 Story Recap: 10 Things To Know From Previous DC Movies & Shows

James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom continues the story of Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry after three major DCEU appearances that influence the events of the sequel. Introduced in the form of a brief cameo in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman has become one of the biggest DC stars. Although he only appeared a few times in the franchise, the King of Atlantis starred in DC’s highest grossing movie, became a founding member of the DCEU’s Justice League, and received the duty of providing the final chapter to the DC Extended Universe’s 15-movie run.

Now, Aquaman faces his biggest challenge. After becoming a king and a superhero, Aquaman needs to protect Atlantis from David Kane a.k.a. Black Manta, who seeks to unleash chaos both underwater and on land in order to exact revenge on Aquaman. Black Manta is responsible for Aquaman’s most painful tragedies in the source material, though Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry might be able to escape his tragic fate in live-action. To better understand the sequel’s story, it’s important to revisit the events of Aquamanand Justice League.

10 Atlantis Sinks And Splits Into Seven Kingdoms

Atlantis’ Backstory Is Explained In Justice League And Aquaman Flashbacks

One of the earliest events known in the DCEU’s chronological timeline is Atlantis’ alliance with the Amazons, the Ancient Gods, and human warriors against Darkseid and Apokolips. Together, they defend Earth and keep the alien invaders from retrieving and using the powerful Mother Boxes to conquer the universe. Centuries later, Atlantis has advanced so much as a society that they have figured out a source of infinite energy. However, Atlantis’ state-of-the-art technology isn’t enough to prevent their downfall, as the immense power of Atlan’s Trident accidentally destroys the kingdom, plunging it into the depths of the ocean. Fortunately, it also provides the Atlanteans with the ability to resist intense pressure and breathe underwater.

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As the Atlanteans adapt to their new environment, the kingdom splits into seven factions, each with its own ruler: Atlantis, Xebel, the Brine, the Deserters, the Fishermen, the Trench, and the Lost Kingdom. Whereas Atlantis, Xebel, the Brine, and the Fishermen thrive throughout the centuries, the Deserters die off in the Sahara, the Trench devolve into monstrous creatures, and the Lost Kingdom distances itself from the other underwater societies. None of Atlantis’ seven factions are widely known on the surface world, at least until Aquaman reveals his existence.

9 Aquaman Is Born To Queen Atlanna And Tom Curry

Aquaman’s Father Is A Human Lighthouse Keeper, His Mother Is The Atlantean Queen

What makes Aquaman a unique Atlantean is that he’s Queen Atlanna’s half-human son. Unbeknownst to Atlantis, Queen Atlanna falls in love with lighthouse keeper Tom Curry, with whom she has a child. However, the Atlantean kingdom learns of the Queen’s secret, and they force her to return home without her baby. In the following years, Arthur Curry grows up with his father as a regular kid, but only until he realizes he has the ability to communicate with sealife and breathe underwater.

8 Aquaman Trains With Nuidis Vulko

Willem Dafoe’s Vulko Is Aquaman’s Mentor Since Childhood

Nuidis Vulko, Chief Advisor to the King of Atlantis, eventually gets in touch with the young Arthur Curry and reveals his true origin. While Arthur assimilates his nature and his heritage, Vulko trains him in hand-to-hand combat and swimming, as well as in wielding Queen Atlanna’s trident, which she left behind before returning to Atlantis. Vulko also reveals Queen Atlanna’s possible death in the depths of the Trench to Arthur, which hurts Arthur and leads him to abandon his training. However, a grown-up Aquaman reunites with Vulko years later, and they join forces to topple King Orm’s rule.

7 Aquaman Joins The Justice League And Helps Defeat Steppenwolf

Aquaman Is A Founding Member Of The DCEU’s Justice League

Before Aquaman claims the Atlantean throne, however, he proves himself as a hero with other metahumans. After training with Vulko in his teenage years, Arthur Curry mostly uses his superpowers for personal gain, frequenting pubs and winning street brawls effortlessly for the sake of alcohol. That is, until Bruce Wayne himself shows up to recruit him with the help of Amanda Waller and Lex Luthor’s intel on the world’s secret metahumans. Aquaman accepts reluctantly, but his partnership with Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, the Flash, and finally Superman helps him change his mind about what it means to be a hero.

6 Aquaman Kills Black Manta’s Father

Aquaman’s Refusal To Save Jesse Kane Creates His Archnemesis

Despite Aquaman’s heroics with the Justice League, Aquaman still struggles with his morality. At the beginning of Aquaman, Arthur Curry sabotages a submarine robbery, but in the process, he impales one of the pirates, Jesse Kane, with a pipe. Even though the injured pirate’s son begs Aquaman to help his father, Aquaman takes joy in leaving them for dead as the submarine sinks. Jesse Kane dies, but his son David survives and swears vengeance upon Aquaman. Meanwhile, Aquaman reunites with his own father and encounters Mera, who saves Tom Curry from drowning and informs Aquaman about King Orm’s danger towards the surface world.

5 Aquaman Fights His Brother Orm For The Throne Of Atlantis

Aquaman Arrives To Disrupt Atlantis’ View Towards Outsiders

Mera takes Aquaman to Atlantis for the first time in his life, but Aquaman isn’t able to enjoy the trip for long, as he’s captured by King Orm. Instead of accepting Orm’s order to leave Atlantis, Aquaman challenges his brother in an underwater duel, which the Atlanteans call “the Ring of Fire”. Although Orm defeats Aquaman in the duel, Aquaman manages to survive with Mera’s help. In order to claim the throne without facing Orm and the rest of the kingdom, Aquaman begins to track Atlan’s Trident, which grants absolute power over all of Atlantis to whoever wields it.

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4 Aquaman And Mera Fall In Love

Aquaman’s Relationship With Mera Develops Through Difficult Times

As Aquaman completes a series of challenges in his quest to retrieve Atlan’s Trident, he slowly falls in love with Amber Heard’s Princess Mera. They go to the Sahara Desert together to find the coordinates to Atlan’s Trident, after which they travel to Sicily to continue their journey. Aquaman and Mera go through various close calls while escaping King Orm’s Atlantean guards. After defeating their pursuers, Aquaman and Mera continue to bond on their way to The Trench, which serves as a barrier that separates the Hidden Sea from the rest of the ocean.

3 Aquaman Fights Black Manta For The First Time

Black Manta’s Defeat Only Makes Aquaman’s Enemy More Dangerous

King Orm’s soldiers aren’t the only threat Aquaman and Mera have to fight off in Sicily, however, as they come face to face with none other than David Kane, who has designed a supervillain suit with Atlantean technology. As the Black Manta, David Kane attacks Aquaman and Mera with Atlantean blades and powerful laser beams that come out of his mask’s eyeholes. While Black Manta demonstrates his might, Aquaman is able to defeat him rather easily. But once again, David Kane survives and swears to exact revenge on Aquaman.

2 Aquaman Claims Atlan’s Trident And Tames The Karathen

Aquaman Claims His Comic-Accurate Suit And Weapon

Once Aquaman and Mera arrive in the Hidden Sea below The Trench, they meet Queen Atlanna, who has lived there ever since she was exiled from her kingdom. Aquaman explains his situation to his mother before venturing into the Karathen’s lair. There, Aquaman manages to communicate with the beast and convince it to let him claim Atlan’s Trident. The Karathen complies, and Aquaman wields the royal weapon, creating a link between him and all sea life across the world. Finally, Aquaman dons Atlan’s royal armor and exits the cave, ready to fight King Orm.

1 Aquaman Defeats Orm And Becomes King Of Atlantis

Atlantis’ New Ruler Is A DC Superhero

With Atlan’s Trident, his enhanced powers, and the help of other underwater troops, Aquaman leads the Karathen into battle and crushes King Orm’s army. Taking the battle to the surface, Aquaman fights King Orm atop an Atlantean battleship. Aquaman then uses the lessons Vulko taught him in his youth to destroy King Orm’s trident and neutralize him. Although King Orm is ready to succumb in battle, Aquaman spares his life. Still, Aquaman claims the throne and Orm is arrested by the descendants of the Deserters, who take him to the Sahara Desert, as shown in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.