Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s trailer is finally here, confirming the return of not only Arthur Curry and Mera but also Black Manta.
The sequel to the DC Extended Universe’s highest-grossing movie will shift its focus from Aquaman and Mera’s journey to the former and his brother’s relationship, as the King of Atlantis will be forced to forge an unlikely alliance with his imprisoned brother Orm to protect their kingdom from the familiar foe, Black Manta.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s character remains driven by the need to avenge his father’s death and will again look to tear apart everything Aquaman has built and everything he holds dear in the movie that is set to fill the theaters on 20 December.
A Look at Black Manta’s Black Trident, Its Origins and Powers
The trailer of the final installment in the DCEU franchise got the fans talking about two things in particular: One, the lack of screen time Amber Heard got in the 2:46 minute-long clip, and two: the green color weapon, labeled the Black Trident, which Black Manta wielded.
The logline of the sequel read, “This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force.”
The power of the black trident is precisely the reason why Jason Momoa‘s character will have to join hands with Ocean Master. In the trailer, Orm can be heard saying, “During King Atlan’s time, there were seven kingdoms. The trident was a curse upon them all.”
Orm’s remark and the title of the movie itself suggest the black trident could be a relic connected to Atlantis’ ancient past. Another hint about the weapon’s origin comes from Atlanna’s warning about its dark magic. Moreover, toward the end of the trailer, a skeleton, who seemingly rises from the dead, wields a similar weapon. This whole necromantic theme suggests it could be inspired by the Dead King’s Scepter, one of the Dead King’s seven weapons. The Dead King, Atlan, ruled Atlantis centuries ago and ended up sinking Atlantis during a fight with his brother.
This weapon allowed its handler to start earthquakes, which have the potential to destroy the world. The logline of the sequel also mentions the possibility of the world facing irreversible destruction.
Is Black Manta’s Black Trident in Aquaman 2 Related to Triton?
Another popular theory regarding the origins of the black trident is that it’s somehow connected to Triton, the son of Poseidon, who claimed the seas as his divine territory and wielded the Trident of Triton, which has been sometimes illustrated to appear darker.
Speaking to ComicBook, director James Wan didn’t give much detail about Black Manta’s mythical weapon, but did state: “In his search to try and fix the power suit that he had in the first movie that was all banged up and destroyed, he stumbles across something much bigger.”
If the ruthless mercenary has indeed stumbled across anything similar to the Trident of Triton, then he’d take on Aquaman with a weapon that is more or less an extension of Triton’s godly power. In that case, all we can do is wish good luck to Arthur and his Trident of Neptune. Having said that, every theory is a big if till we hear any formal word from Wan.
Source: ComicBook
