| Aquaman | |
|---|---|
 Aqualad as he appears inYoung Justice | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Young Justice "Independence Day (November 26, 2010)" |
| First comic appearance | Brightest Day #4 (August 2010) |
| Created by | Brandon Vietti Greg Weisman Phil Bourassa |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Kaldur'ahm |
| Species | Atlantean/Human hybrid |
| Place of origin | Atlantis |
| Team affiliations | Young Justice Justice League The Light |
| Partnerships | Wyynde |
| Notable aliases | Kaldur Aqualad Aquaman II |
| Abilities |
|
Kaldur'ahm, orKaldur for short, is the superhero codenamedAqualad andAquaman in media published byDC Entertainment. The character was created byBrandon Vietti,Greg Weisman and Phil Bourassa for the television seriesYoung Justice, and voiced byKhary Payton.[1][2] His name is a reference to the characterCal Durham (the character's foster father), formerly a henchman of the supervillainBlack Manta (the character's biological father) who was sent to infiltrateAtlantis, but defected to the Atlanteans. While originally developed for television, DC quickly adapted the character to its mainstream comic books, withGeoff Johns andIvan Reis re-interpreting the character.[3] For television, creators were able to tell a story where Aqualad had known and worked with Aquaman for many years, while the comic book version had to be introduced to Aquaman and readers at the same time, meaning aspects of his backstory had to be changed.
Debuting under the nameJackson Hyde inBrightest Day #4 (August 2010), months ahead of his television debut, the character's history and background differ from the animated counterpart. In the comics, Jackson (birth name Kaldur'ahm) was originally born to an unnamed Xebellian woman and Black Manta in the Kingdom of Xebel, the young infant was granted powers due to extraordinary circumstances. As an infant, he is saved by a youngerMera, who leaves him on the surface and arranges for him to be adopted. When forces from the extradimensional realm target him and his adoptive family, Aquaman protects him and his family. When he learns his true origins, he decides to help Aquaman. Eventually, he adopts the Aqualad name and becomes asidekick of Aquaman and a member of theTeen Titans.
In 2016, years afterThe New 52 and duringDC Rebirth, Jackson is the son of Black Manta and Lucia, a Xebellian elite and former member of Xebel'shonor guard who was once seduced by Black Manta with promises of a life outside Xebel. The character would begin working as a member of Teen Titans, adopting the Aqualad alias (per a request fromTempest) similar to his prior comic version.[4] Later, the character sought mentorship in Aquaman and began working alongside him and Mera while being supported by his mother. InAquaman: The Becoming, the character would first use the Aquaman codename concurrently with Arthur Curry, the two are depicted as partners.
Aqualad is the protégé ofAquaman and a founding member of the Team. In between the first and second seasons, he learns that he is the son of Black Manta.[1][5] The episode "Downtime" reveals that Aquaman recruited Kaldur'ahm after he andGarth rescued him during a battle withOcean Master. Garth was also offered to become Aquaman's sidekick, but remained in Atlantis to continue his studies in sorcery.
In the second season,Invasion, Kaldur works undercover within the Light to uncover who the Light's partner is. He is exposed, but reveals the Light's betrayal of theReach via a hologram.
In the third and fourth seasons,Outsiders andPhantoms, Kaldur becomes Aquaman after Orin retires. He also becomes the leader of theJustice League and enters a relationship withWyynde.[6][7]
| Aquaman | |
|---|---|
 Jackson Hyde as Aquaman art by David Talaski | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First comic appearance | Brightest Day #4 (August 2010) |
| Created by | Brandon Vietti Greg Weisman Phil Bourassa |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Jackson Hyde(current) Kaldur'ahm(previous continuity birth name) |
| Species | Xebellian/Human hybrid |
| Place of origin | Xebel |
| Team affiliations | Young Justice Teen Titans Justice League Justice League Queer |
| Supporting character of | Aquaman |
| Notable aliases | Aqualad |
| Abilities |
|
A different version of the character debuted inBrightest Day #4 (August 2010),[3] shortly before the premiere ofYoung Justice.[8][9] Although similar to his animated counterpart, the comic book incarnation of the character features key differences from the animated version, originating from the kingdom of Xebel rather than Atlantis and lacking magical abilities.
A teenager fromSilver City, New Mexico, Jackson Hyde was taught by his parents to fear water since he was young; they do not want him near it because his true parents would be able to locate him and his Atlantean abilities would awaken. Jackson has kept this secret hidden for years, lying to his girlfriend about being afraid of drowning, being unable to swim and being in the dark about the mysterious tattoos he has had since birth.Aquaman is later contacted by theLife Entity, which tells him to locate Jackson before a second unidentified group, which is speculated to beSiren and her Death Squad.[10][11]
DuringBrightest Day, Jackson's Xebellian abilities activate and he learns thatBlack Manta is his biological father.[12] After witnessing Jackson in the rain, his adoptive father takes him to a cottage by the sea. He tells him that Mera had given Jackson to him, asking that he keep him away from his parents, and he was given an Atlantean chest to be opened when the truth is discovered. Before the chest can be opened, Black Manta, along with Siren and her Death Squad, attacks. Jackson defends his adoptive father, but cannot stop Black Manta from shooting a trident-shaped dart at him. Jackson's adoptive father would have died if not for Aquaman's intervention, who blocks and crushes the dart.[13]
Aquaman gets Jackson and his foster father to safety where everything is explained to them. The chest is opened, which activates a map.[14] Using the map, the two discover a sealed chest that only Jackson can open. Once the chest is opened, Jackson is shown a recording from Mera, who explains that his father and mother had been kidnapped and tortured by the people of Xebel while exploring theBermuda Triangle, where the gateway to the colony is located. Xebel's king had ordered that the child, the first "outsider" born there in centuries, be experimented on to serve as a key that would finally free them from their exile. Fearing for the child's safety, Mera had stolen the infant and brought him to the surface world, where she subsequently gave him to the foster family that ended up raising him. She also reveals his true name; Kaldur'ahm. Once the recording is over, Jackson discovers several items which Mera had left for him, notably a soldier's uniform from Xebel and a pair of "Water Bearers", metallic constructs that help him control his water-manipulation abilities.[15]
Aquaman and Jackson end up inMiami, Florida, which Black Manta and are invading. Jackson successfully uses his waterbearers to create blades, which he uses to fight off the attacking troops, and even briefly holds his own in a duel with Siren.[16] After Black Manta severs Aquaman's right hand, Jackson attacks his father and berates him for siding with the people who killed his own wife, only for Black Manta to throw Jackson to the ground and coldly states that both he and his mother mean nothing to him. As Black Manta is about to impale his son with one of his blades, Mera arrives withAquagirl, who saves Jackson by kicking his father in the face. After using his bio-electrical abilities tocauterize Aquaman's wound, Jackson and Mera seal Black Manta, Siren, and the rest of the invaders in the Bermuda Triangle. As the heroes celebrate, Jackson is shown to have a crush on Aquagirl.[17] Afterwards, Mera tells Aquaman that Jackson wants to continue his training. Aquaman informs her that he has already contacted the Titans.[18]
AfterDamian Wayne joins theTeen Titans, a vision of Jackson arriving atTitans Tower and confrontingSuperboy,Wonder Girl,Beast Boy, andKid Flash is shown as part of a collage of future events that will affect the team.[19][20]
It is mentioned that he displays a near-superhuman talent for swimming.[21] Aqualad joined theTeen Titans after the team encountered him while exploring theSan Francisco Bay for a mission.
Kaldur'ahm is granted various powers through his Atlantean-based hybrid physiology, possessing superhuman strength, durability, enhanced senses, capability to breathe underwater and swim at fast speeds, and one mentioned to have resistance towards poisons. In addition to his natural abilities, he trained in the mystic arts in the Conservatory of Sorcery, gaining eel-like tattoos. With his magical abilities, he can generate electricity, bend and shape water at will, create hard-water constructs, and utilize spell-casting.
In addition to his powers, Kaldur is an expert combatant and is considered a capable tactician and leader, having led both the Team and later became the chairman of the Justice League. He is alsoduplicitious, having managed to position himself within the clandestine organization, the Light, as adouble agent and was able to create and perform complex manipulations and plans to maintain his position.
Due to his hybridized Xebellian physiology, Jackson is capable of living and breathing underwater, possessing superhuman strength, superhuman durability, and enhanced senses (allowing him to see in the dark). Due to his Xebellian heritage, he is also capable of generating electricity in a manner similar to anelectric eel as well as manipulating and shaping water at will similar to characters like Mera and Siren, his powers being telepathic in nature (unlike hisYoung Justice counterpart, in which are magical).[22] Sometime after adopting the Aquaman name, the character's hydrokinetic prowess is depicted as being at a higher level, being proficient enough to manipulate blood within an individual.[23]
In addition to his powers, the character is also a skilled combatant, having received training fromRobin (Damian Wayne)[4] andAquaman (Arthur Curry).[24]
An alternate universe variant of Kaldur'ahm makes a cameo appearance inJustice League: The Flashpoint Paradox as a member of Aquaman's army before being killed in battle with theAmazons.[2]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help)| Supporting characters | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enemies | |||||||
| Publications and storylines | |||||||
| In other media |
| ||||||
| Other | |||||||
| Founding members | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current members |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Past members |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Supporting characters | |||||||||||||||||||
| Enemies |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Locations | |||||||||||||||||||
| Publications and storylines | |||||||||||||||||||
| Affiliated teams | |||||||||||||||||||
| In other media |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Founding members | |
|---|---|
| Other members |
|
| Enemies | |
| Publications | |
| In other media | |
