Atlanteans (DC)

The Atlanteans are an aquatic offshoot of Humanity that feature in DC Comics.

History

Origin

Centuries ago, an offshoot group of Atlanteans known as the Sher'hedeen who allegedly engaged in arcane rituals to gain power over the oceans and even the dead. As Atlantis entered into a period of enlightenment, the magic worshipping Sher'hedeen struck out on their own where they left the city and took up residence in the black depths. (Aquaman v5 #5)

The New 52

Atlan was considered the first and greatest king of Atlantis who was the architect of their civilization when it was on the surface. (Aquaman v7 #24) When Atlantis ruled the surface, they established a distant colony on the surface that was known as Katangala with travel being achieved by way of mystical world gates. A desired good was a kelp that grew on the shores of Atlantis that boosted cerebral capability in animals. Such a capability led to the Atlanteans feeding it to aquatic creatures but at Katangala they would use it on the native gorilla's that populated the area. The minds of these apes thus arose and the became more capable leading to them being relegated into a servant class among the Atlanteans. In time, the apes came to believe that they were more than equals than their masters and rebel. Despite the kelp being kept from them, the gorilla's had achieved the highest state of intelligence among their kind that became permanent. The Atlanteans would drive the apes into the forest and would later pursue them but were brought down by their former servants with one ape making a meal of a general from Atlantis. By this point, the apes were still a developing society who had no place within the forests not did they have a concept of organized battle. However, the gorilla that consumed the brain of the Atlantean general absorbed his knowledge leading to them developing strategies after which they took Katangala as well as its secrets. Among the Atlanteans, many were killed by the apes but a few managed to escape through their portal and the gorilla's were unable to make use of the gateway. These apes would later form their own settlement that would become known as Gorilla City. (Aquaman v7 #38)

During the reign of Atlan, the people of Atlantis were at war with the inhabitants of the desert until a peace was forged whereby the deserters would share their power of the sands. The king would seek to unite all nations of the worlds as Atlan had done with the old lands leading to him having a greater tolerance to outsiders as he invited all people to join this great nation. It was in this era that Atlan's brother Orin and his wife began to lead a sect that opposed the unity with other civilizations at it would destroy Atlantean culture. As such, he would led an attempt assassination over King Atlan who was wounded and managed to flee but his wife Sala along with his children were murdered. This forced Atlan to become a hunted man with his loyalists similarly being pursued. As a result, Atlan would seek the arcane knowledge of the deserters to forge the six Artifacts of Atlantis that took years to create. The deposed king would take a vow of silence and return to Atlantis where he slew his brother Orin and his wife whereupon he battled his followers where he broke his vow by uttering the word 'die!' and plunged his trident into the ground. Such was the power of the blow that it shattered Atlantis causing it to sink into the sea where 90% of the population was killed. The sinking led to the formation of the Seven Kingdoms of Atlantis with four being lost and the survivors each evolving under the ocean into new forms. Among these were the Atlanteans, the exiled inhabitants of Xebel and the beastial Trench. (Aquaman v7 #24)

Overview

One custom among their people was to betroth a princess to a naval captain in order to keep the royals and military bonded to one another. (Aquaman v7 #36)

On a child's twelfth birthday, they young Atlantean went through their Meritunus which was a celebration of adolescent ascension. (Aquaman v7 #36)

Members

• Atlan :
• Atlanna :
• Garth :
• Tula :
• Vulko :

In other media

Television

• In Young Justice, the Atlanteans were shown as a varying degrees of aquatic races that resided beneath the ocean and represented the various city-states of Atlantis that consisted of mermaids, some with octopus styled heads and others that were more fish-like in appearance.

Films

Atlanteans from Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox.

• In Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox, the Atlanteans featured in the animated feature that was an adaptation of the Flashpoint storyline. Within this altered timeline, the Atlanteans were led by Aquaman who saved Wonder Woman's life after she nearly drowned in the ocean outside Themyscira. As a result of this encounter, it was decided that both the Amazons and the Atlanteans should unite their kingdoms to become a combined force in the world by marrying Aquaman to Wonder Woman. Mera who was in love with Aquaman would attack Wonder Woman but Diana would behead the Atlantean. As a result of her death, Aquaman became distraught and declared war on the Amazons which saw Themyscira sunk beneath the ocean but not before the Amazons fled it. This saw the Atlantean and Amazon war continue where it rampaged across Earth with Aquaman capturing Captain Atom to power an earthquake machine with the view of destroying Wonder Woman's empire now based in England. During their journey, the Atlanteans would encounter a ship crewed by Lex Luthor and Deathstroke who were overwhelmed and killed. Afterwards, the final battle would erupt in London between the Atlanteans and Amazons who both faced heavy casualties as Emperor Aquaman was killed by Wonder Woman. The Flash would go back in time to avert this timeline and return reality back to normal.

Video games

Atlanteans in DC Universe Online.

• In DC Universe Online, the Atlanteans feature as one of the factions that resided on Earth and were active during Brainiac's invasion of the planet. Hero players were called to help civilians being attacked by Atlanteans in Metropolis with these ones claiming war in the name of Aquaman and Mera. These Atlanteans consisted of Tigersharks, Kitefins, Cancer Makos and others where it was later revealed that they had been tricked into waging war against the surface world when Circe disguised herself as Queen Mera who enchanted Arthur into creating hostilities. During the Tides of War mission, Ocean Master incited a mutiny among the Atlanteans in an attempt to claim Aquaman's throne. Loyalist Atlantean and Mutineer firgates were battling once another in the strait between Metropolis and Little Bohemia. Oracle would instruct the new hero players in assisting Aquaman in quelling the coup whereas Calcaulator aids the new player villains in supporting Ocean Master's mutiny.
• In Injustice: Gods Among Us, the Atlanteans led by a ruthless Aquaman of a parallel Earth that was dominated by the One Earth Regime led by a tyrant Superman. These Atlanteans were shown as his allies in enforcing his rule over the world when the heroes of the regular Earth arrived on it. Their Aquaman would journey to Atlantis to consult their records to find the One Earth's version of history that led to a confrontation between the two Aquamen. Afterwards, the Atlanteans led by the One Earth Aquaman were dispatched by the corrupt Superman to punish the people of his Earth starting with Metropolis by drowning the inhabitants. They would be opposed by Wonder Woman from the regular Earth who had taken control of the One Earth's version of the Amazons who battled the Atlanteans.

Appearances

• Aquaman:
• Justice League:

External Links

• DC Database Entry

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