Summary
- The trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hints at a tragic storyline, involving family, lineage, and revenge.
- The villainous Black Manta is back stronger than ever, seeking to destroy Aquaman and targeting his family.
- If Aquaman loses his father, it will continue the dark trend of dead parents among the Justice League members.
The long-awaited trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is finally here, and it sets up the last DCEU movie to be shrouded in tragedy. Aquaman was a surprise box-office hit for DC that made over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, and that was in large part due to the film’s success in blending high-octane action with effective character moments and cast chemistry. All of this seems to be returning for the sequel as the villainous Black Manta is back stronger than ever and looking to enact revenge on the King of Atlantis.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s story seems to once again revolve around themes of family, lineage, and responsibility. Black Manta is set to receive a serious power upgrade thanks to the mysterious Black Trident, forcing Aquaman to team up with his once-antagonistic half-brother Orm to protect their kingdom and families. While the stakes of Atlantis’ destruction are, of course, harrowing, Black Manta is much more interested in striking Aquaman where it hurts the most – the heart. If he succeeds, Arthur Curry will be the latest Justice League member to befall the same devastating tragedy.
Aquaman 2’s Trailer Heavily Hints Arthur’s Dad Is Killed
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom villain Black Manta is famously driven by a desire for revenge against Aquaman after the hero refuses to save the life of his father, a pirate. While Black Manta was a secondary antagonist in Aquaman, the sequel sees him back and without qualms about his new goal. In the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer, Manta proclaims, “I’m gonna kill Aquaman and destroy everything he holds dear. I’m gonna murder his family and burn his kingdom to ash.” It’s a shockingly direct and personal goal, and, with Aquaman’s family only consisting of his mother, father, wife, and son, Tom Curry may be in serious danger.
While Black Manta kills Arthur’s son in the comics, there would be a level of poetic tragedy if Manta kills Aquaman’s father in an act of misguided payback. The Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer also shows a shot of what appears to be Tom Curry’s coastal home completely engulfed in flames. As the trailer opens with a heart-to-heart between Arthur and his dad, it seems very possible the marketing team is building up the relationship so that the tragic twist lands even harder.
Every DCEU Justice League Member Has Dead Parents
If Aquaman loses one or both of his parents in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, he’ll be the latest hero to continue a dark Justice League trend. Every other Justice League member has at least one parent die an untimely death. Batman famously lost both of his parents when they were mugged in Crime Alley. Superman’s parents died in the destruction of Krypton, and his adoptive father was killed by a tornado. Wonder Woman lost Zeus when he sacrificed himself to create Themiscyra, and the Flash’s mother was murdered by a burglar. Cyborg lost his mother to an accident, and his father sacrificed himself in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Key Release Dates
