Nereus (DC)

Nereus is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Nereus was a male red haired Atlantean from the underwater kingdom of Xebel. (Aquaman v7 #19)

Xebel later received an invitation from Atlantis to attend the royal wedding of its monarch Mera with Nereus attending the events. He was among sea nations that attended the gathering that included delegations from the kingdoms of Brine, the Wrights, Sea Lights, the Trench and newly established Dagon. To the delegates, it was believed that Mera was still comatose and King Orm looked to take control of the gathering but Mera revealed that she had regained consciousness. She then revealed that there was no wedding and instead had long thought about the dangers of absolute power where she wanted to dissolve the monarchies. This outraged the delegates and Orm used the incident to launch a sneak attack from his forces as he intended to end the age of Atlantis. In the resultant fighting, Nereus and his advisor stood to protect themselves in the chaos that erupted in the city. (Aquaman v8 #61)

Notes

• Nereus was created by Geoff Johns and Paul Pelletier where he made his first appearance in Aquaman v7 #19 (June, 2013).

Alternate Versions

• In DC Comics Bombshells v1 #8 (2016), a version of Nereus appeared in an alternate world set during World War II. This version was an Atlantean who was formerly betrothed to Mera though this was broken and he later came to marry her sister Hilda. Nereus grew to resent the surface world for polluting the oceans and killing its sea life with him wanting to kill the humans. He eventually took over Atlantis where he allied himself with the King Beneath the Black and his army the Tenebrae that were summoned during the world war.

In other media

Television

• In Young Justice, Nereus appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "Emergency Dive" where he was portrayed by actor David Kaye. Ryus Nereus was the King of Xebel and the father of Queen Mera of Atlantis.

Films

• In Aquaman, Nereus appeared in the live-action film set in the DC Extended Universe where he was portrayed by actor Dolph Lundgren. This version had a different backstory as he was instead the father of Mera and the King of Xebel. During a clandestine meeting at the Council of Kings, Nereus tensely greeted Orm and derided him for choosing a location too close to the surface, which Orm countered with an impassioned speech of past glories and surface threats, which Nereus rebuffed as he believed the surface will destroy themselves before long and remained unconvinced by Orm's statements of Atlantis being destroyed first. Although Vulko offered him a chance to unite the Atlantean Empire by reminding him that Xebel was honored as the first Kingdom to join the alliance, Nereus bluntly revealed he knew full well the truth of the meeting, as Atlantis didn't actually have any other choice but to ally with Xebel first due to the ancient laws that stated only with at least four kingdoms can any Atlantean kingdom launch an attack on the surface. Xebel was the only kingdom able to give Orm the military strength needed to force the kingdoms of the cowardly Fishermen and stubborn Brine to support the attack. The Lost Nation and the Deserters having long perished, and so they weren't options and the denizens of the Trench were too animalistic to be marshaled into organized army. Without Nereus and his army, Orm's request for an alliance were but a 'stillborn' proposition. He then coldly told Orm he knew what he really wanted: to be declared "Ocean Master" by having the allegiance of at least four kingdoms, which would allow him to command the greatest military force on the planet. He dismissed Orm's claims that is was a mere title. When Orm impatiently said that he is the natural choice to lead it, Nereus sarcastically reminded him of the existence of his half-Atlantean brother who was still of royal blood and even stated that as he is not the first-born, Orm's claim to the throne of Atlantis was weak and therefore he was unworthy of uniting the empire. Orm angrily responded by dismissing his half-brother as loyal to the surface.
• In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Nereus appeared in the live-action film sequel set in the DC Extended Universe where he was portrayed again by actor Dolph Lundgren.

Appearances

• Aquaman v7: (2013)
• Mera: Queen of Atlantis v1:
• Aquaman v8:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry

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