𝐃𝐂 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐧

𝐀𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐍: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐃𝐎𝐌

DC Stories Chapter 3.3
Directed by Chloé Zhao
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Plot:
> The sun dipped beneath the horizon, casting its warm, golden glow across the coastal land in Amnesty Bay where Arthur Curry, known to the world as The Aquaman, has found solace with his mother, Queen Atlanna, and his wise mentor, Vulko, a serene chapter of his life untold. Ever since he bestowed the throne of Atlantis to the beloved and respected princess of Xebellian, Mera, he embraces his role as protector of the surface world either as himself or working alongside his group, The Justice League, spending his day living in harmony with the land and the sea. A simpler life away from the politics and conflicts of the underwater kingdom. Atlantis, however, was far from the utopia he had envisioned after his leaving. The crisis emerges in the kingdom. Moreover, many of its civilians were reluctant to accept Mera as their new queen, citing her status as a woman as a reason for hierarchy. However, her unwavering passion to make Atlantis a better place for all never subsided as time went by and the exposure that befell her. As tension rose within the underwater city, Arthur patrolled the coastal region to protect them from various threats, ensuring that both the surface and Atlantis remained safe.

> One day, a teengar named Jackson Hyde was in the school while his uncle promised to pick him up. However, he noticed his friends were getting bullied by the seniors. Jackson received hard punches at his face as he helped him, leading him to get a more hit from them. However, this ignites the trigger to suddenly uncover his hidden self, a powerful water-based ability that he never knew before, causing many people to be afraid of him. Arthur was patrolling the outskirts of Atlantis before encountering him. Seeing a true potential within, he later brought him into the Xebellian academy for a training to hone his ability to a maximum. However, the journey doesn't go as he expected since Arthur must face a challenge from its guardians who forbid it to include humans carelessly. As each of the two sides were debating, Mera approached to give advocacy before permitting Jackson. Mera, with her extensive knowledge and experiences, was trusted for mentoring Jackson, while Garth, known as Tempest, welcomed him so well that he became his close friend during the training. As the academy goes by, Jackson has turned into a more skilled fighter. Taking his Atlantean' nickname, Kaldur'ahm, he joined forces with the young warriors named The Aqualad. Mera took it upon herself to share a little knowledge about Atlantis and its history and heritages, including the ancient prophecy that spoke of a half-Human-Atlantean individual whose presence would lead to the fall of Atlantis. As Mera spoke these words, she couldn't shake the feeling that this prophecy might soon come to pass, becoming their worst nightmare ever. Jackson was silently worrying if he's the one the prophecy mentioned, considering the time when he was rejected back in his first moment here.

> Meanwhile, far from the depth of the ocean, a malevolent force was at work. David Hyde, better known as Black Manta, was consumed by vengeance and thirst for power. As he spent most of his time preparing his weaponry, gadgets, militia, and such, he sought the fabled Black Trident, a relic rumored to grant its wielder control over all of Atlantis, and possibly able to rival Aquaman's almighty trident. His burning desire for revenge against Aquaman, the man responsible for his father's death, fueled his relentless pursuit of power. Throughout his searches, Black Manta had also captured a fearsome beast known as King Shark. Tamed him to become his minion, he used King Shark as a weapon to further his nefarious mission. As he received the Trident after a long journey, he began his move to charge over The Atlantis. He goes to Amnesty Bay, targeting Arthur's most loved one to provoke him. Vulko and Atlanna were there, fighting against King Shark and Black Manta with the Black Trident. Black Manta manages to outpower them easily. Arthur arrives but only to witness them being tortured. Vulko was injured while his mother was dying in Black Manta's grip. Arthur demands Manta for not hurting her, whereas Manta demands for his surrender. The situation soon got worse when The Atlantean squad, under Mera's command, were coming for his aid. As The Aqualad team were approaching, Jackson battled Black Manta that caused a shocking revelation afterwards. David Hyde, his uncle, was the man behind The Black Manta as Jackson broke his helmet. While he was looking for Jackson after a few months of disappearing, David's hatred towards Arthur soon became furthered, blaming Arthur for what he did to his family again. David later tells them a story, revealing his and his family's past. Years ago, David was following his brother and his wife, Lucia, on vacation. Lucia is a Xebellian from the underwater that she invited some of her people to join. It was their happiest day ever until a tragedy changed their life. A ravenous creature is attacking and separating them apart. David yelled for help and did all he could to signal them, but no help came. As a sole survivor, David believes that Xebellian had taken his brother and betrayed him, intensifying a hatred of the underwater creature. David is a man of his word. Promising to keep his nephew safe, he formed a pirate group to demolish the underwater's threats as a demeanor to his words.