Exploring Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's Climactic Moments and Mid-Credits Scene

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom finds itself in a peculiar position as the last film in the original DC movieverse before James Gunn launches a new one in a few years. It's somewhat adrift because it was never meant to serve as a conclusion to anything; it's simply a new Aquaman movie. However, given all the chatter about the franchise, it's difficult to view it in that light.

Nevertheless, we'll make the effort to do just that.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom contains detailed descriptions of its ending, including the main plot involving Black Manta's quest for an ancient Atlantean trident to challenge Aquaman. However, in order to obtain the trident, he must free the monstrous ancient king who once owned it from a glacial prison.

After melting the glacier, the last step of the process involved breaking the magic lock using the blood of the deceased King Atlan, who was Aquaman's ancient ancestor and the imprisoned ghost's brother. The only three individuals who possess this bloodline are Aquaman, his brother Orm, and Aquaman's infant son.

Manta seizes the Aquababy and is on the verge of killing the child when Aquaman intervenes at the last moment, knocking the blade out of Manta's hand. Unfazed, Manta is ready to take on Aquaman in a final showdown, as he had intended to kill Aquaman all along. And so, the climactic battle commences.

During the battle, Manta wields his magic-powered trident and nearly kills Mera by throwing the black trident at her. Orm arrives in the nick of time to catch it in a dramatic moment. However, when Orm is unable to resist the ancient power, the evil ghost king possesses him, leaving Manta powerless and abandoned.

After Orm and Aquaman's second fight, Orm manages to free the ghost king by making Aquaman bleed on the lock. However, Aquaman cleverly defeats him by utilizing a trick from James Gunn, throwing his trident through the other one, similar to Deadshot's tiny bullet trick at the end of The Suicide Squad. Despite the silliness of this tactic given the metal tridents, such moments are par for the course in an Aquaman movie.

Manta is left powerless and stranded as the cave collapses around him after the intense fight. Aquaman tries to assist but Manta chooses to let himself fall. As the threat is neutralized, the aftermath of Manta's actions to accelerate climate change still lingers. The Atlanteans and underwater world decide to reveal themselves to the surface to counteract Manta's damage. Aquaman emerges with Dolph Lundgren and the king crab, delivering an impassioned speech urging unity to address the challenges ahead.

Does Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom have a mid-credits or post-credits scene?

In the midst of the credits, there's an additional scene that picks up where the burger moment left off. Remember when Aquaman tricked Orm into eating a cockroach during their earlier food banter? It was one of the comedic highlights of the film.

The mid-credits scene features Orm noticing a roach on the table while eating a burger. He then takes the roach and places it under the bun before taking a big bite. After a moment of thought, he nods in satisfaction. This serves as a quirky conclusion to the DC movieverse, which started with Man of Steel a decade ago, with Patrick Wilson's character indulging in a roach burger.

Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of the Aquaman franchise, I am thrilled with the epic conclusion presented in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The climactic battle between Aquaman and Black Manta is nothing short of breathtaking, showcasing the characters' incredible powers and determination. The film's visual effects are stunning, immersing viewers in the underwater world of Atlantis and bringing the action sequences to life. The emotional depth added by the conflict between Aquaman and his brother Orm adds a layer of complexity to the story, making it more than just a superhero spectacle.

The mid-credits scene is a hilarious and unexpected twist, providing a lighthearted moment after the intense events of the film. It's a clever callback to an earlier scene and serves as a fitting conclusion to the DC movieverse before the franchise embarks on a new chapter. Overall, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a satisfying and entertaining film that delivers on action, adventure, and humor, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.