As an ocean-dweller, surviving on land is no easy feat for Aquaman, despite the human side of him. The Atlantean King has been forced to adapt to the way of the land on multiple occasions, changing so much since his early days in DC. A major change was the way his powers worked and how well he can survive on land. It used to be that Aquaman was forced to fight crime on land for only an hour at a time. Despite his human side still being around back then, Arthur was forced to remain in water in order to truly survive and could only be on the surface for a limited amount of time before he risked drying out. Eventually, he was given a suit by Batman that would keep him wet and supply moisture when he needed it so he could remain on the surface for longer. Because of his inability to exist fully on land, though, the King of Atlantis became quite adept at surviving under the sea.
In order to survive deep underwater, his body had adjusted to withstand intense water pressure. This enabled him to move about normally, like a human moving on land. Like all Atlanteans, this resistance to pressure came naturally to him, and necessary for Arthur to survive as any human would burst upon entering the depths the sea people live in. However, unlike normal Atlanteans, he also achieved other powers, such as being able to propel himself forward at amazing speeds through the water, becoming as fast as the Flash, no matter how deep underwater he is. This ability to manipulate the surrounding water has granted him strength to protect his realm, but in order to protect the land he had to adjust once again.
Many readers may think that Aquaman’s abilities on the surface diminish because he’s not in his “home element,” but despite some abilities disappearing, his weaknesses on land actually give him an advantage. It is well known that Arthur has fast reflexes on land, so fast that he can even dodge a bullet. Even Deathstroke admits that Aquaman’s reflexes make him more agile than Slade in Deathstroke The Terminator #13 by Marv Wolfman, Steve Irwin, Will Blyberg, Tom McCraw, Pat Brosseau, Todd Klein, and Albert DeGuzman. But the reason for his quick reflexes is due to the fact that he’s no longer weighed under the intense water pressure he’s accustomed to. And because of the lack of pressure, the air becomes easier to cut through.
Aquaman’s Not As Powerful On Land, But He’s Not Helpless
Although Aquaman is quicker than a normal human on land, he still has some disadvantages. For example, because he’s used to seeing in the darkness of the ocean depths, his eyes are more sensitive on the surface. Even still, he is definitely nowhere near helpless on land. Where he lacks in superhuman powers, he makes up for in raw strength and agility. Despite every hindrance he faces on land, his ability to fight somehow continues to grow stronger. Being used to living underwater, many leagues under gives him the upper hand with an increased sense too. In fact, it’s confirmed that because of Atlantean biology he has super hearing while on land in Aquaman Vol. 7 #5 by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Eber Ferreira, Rod Reis, and Nick J. Napolitano. Aquaman’s greatest ability has always been to adapt to his surroundings, and because of that, his reflexes protect him from most surface weapons and villains.
Arthur Curry turns his weaknesses into strengths, and because of that he is one of DC’s most versatile heroes. He’s fought alongside the greats and has long since grown past the joke status that readers have placed on him. Aquaman’s abilities far exceed expectations, both on land and in the ocean, and fans hope to see more of what he can do in the future.
