Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Who Dies?
A detailed look at the characters who meet their end in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
The Fate of King Kordax
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ends both the Aquaman franchise and the wider DCEU, meaning several characters lose their lives over the course of the film's story due to its climactic nature. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's cast of characters is varied, from the heroes of Arthur Curry, a redeemed Orm, and Dolph Lundgren's returning Nereus. Conversely, the villainous roster of the film contains Black Manta who seeks revenge against Arthur for the events of 2018's Aquaman, alongside a host of monsters belonging to the titular lost kingdom of Necrus.
A dark sea creature wielding the Black Trident in Aquaman 2
Given the film's climactic clash of forces, several characters are lost by the time of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's post-credit scene. While the looming reboot of James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU means it is unclear how the surviving characters of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's story will continue, the film manages to end a handful of character arcs. Some of Aquaman 2's arcs are capped with satisfying conclusions of their stories, but others are ended using character deaths as the DCEU draws to a close.
Black Manta In Full Costume With Black Trident In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
The first casualty of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the titular civilization's King Kordax. Kordax was revealed as the leader of Necrus, the lost kingdom around which the film's story centers. Kordax once battled against his brother, King Atlan, for dominion over the seven kingdoms. Kordax lost the war and was subsequently cursed to remain frozen under Antarctica for centuries using Atlan's blood pact. However, Black Manta uncovers Kordax's weapon, the Black Trident, and uses it to free Kordax from his imprisonment.
David Kane aka Black Manta with Aquaman and his Baby Son
Aquaman and Orm oppose Kordax after his resurrection which results in his demise at the hands of the two brothers. Aquaman throws the Black Trident at the villain which the latter catches with relative ease. In a bid to catch Kordax unawares, Orm tosses his brother's trident to Aquaman who then throws it at Kordax. Atlan's trident crashes through the Black Trident and impales Kordax, thus ending the threat of both the king and Necrus and resolving the film's plot.
Amber Heard's Mera in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
The Uncertain Fate of Black Manta
The final act of Aquaman 2 disappointingly sidelines Black Manta in favor of Kordax becoming the main villain. This happens after Black Manta is defeated by Aquaman, meaning he does not show up again until after the brief fight between Arthur, Orm, and the leader of Necrus. After Kordax's death, the kingdom of Necrus begins falling apart with the citadel and its surrounding buildings crumbling beneath the ice.
Tom Curry and Queen Atlanna in the DCEU's Aquaman Movie
This causes Black Manta to fall between a crack in the icy floor where the villain hangs on for his life. In a show of heroics, Aquaman offers to save Black Manta. He kneels next to the crevice, offering the villain his hand. However, Manta lets go and falls to his death beneath the crumbling ruin of Necrus. While Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom does not confirm that Manta died, his weakened state and the lack of hints that the villain survived seemingly confirm his demise.
Patrick Wilson as Orm and Jason Momoa As Arthur Curry Looking Dirty In A Cave In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
The reason why Black Manta does not take Aquaman's hand and survive is based on the first movie and the source of his hatred against Arthur. In the first film, Arthur killed Black Manta's father, leading the villain to vow revenge against the king of Atlantis. As such, it is Manta's pride that stops him from accepting Aquaman's help. Black Manta would rather die than be helped by the man who killed his father, accepting his own fate as he falls to his death.
Jason Momoa as Aquaman Floating Underwater Looking Past The Camera In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
The Survival of Aquaman's Family
One of the prevailing theories of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was that some of Arthur's family members would be killed. The trailers, and the film's story, make it clear that Black Manta is targeting Aquaman's family as the hero once did his. As such, many assumed that Thomas Curry and Arthur's son would be killed in the film in order to provide Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's story with an adequate amount of emotional depth.
Midway through the film, it seemed as though these theories would come true. For one, Thomas Curry was attacked by Black Manta so that the villain could kidnap Arthur Jr. Manta planned to sacrifice Arthur Jr. to free Necrus of its curse as only a member of Atlan's bloodline has the power to do so. However, Thomas Curry survived Black Manta's attack thanks to the advancement of Atlantean technology, meaning one of the more commonly held theories of Aquaman 2 was proven wrong by the film's ending.
Concerning Arthur Jr., the character was saved by his father in the final act. Mera then escaped Necrus with Arthur Jr. which led to Aquaman's confrontation with Black Manta and Kordax. As such, the many theories about the deaths of Aquaman's family were proven wrong by the time of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's ending. This means that - throughout Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's entire story - only villainous characters meet their end, meaning the DCEU culminates with somewhat of a brighter story than the films that began the franchise in 2013.
