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Quote1 The absence of water is not my weakness. It's all of yours. Quote2
Mera src

Mera is the crown princess of the underwater kingdom of Xebel, the reigning Queen of Atlantis and the fiancée of the hero Aquaman.

Early Life

Mera was born to King Ryus and his wife in the kingdom of Xebel, one of the seven Atlantean kingdoms of old which had split off from the main Atlantis during the event that swallowed the continent into the deep.[1]

When Mera was young her mother died, and her father was left alone to raise her.[1] One night Ryus took Mera out of the kingdom to see their ancient enemy Atlantis up close, where she was disgusted by its beauty, believing it didn't deserve such luxury.[2] Mera was incredibly close with her grandmother - Lammia, who trained the sea beasts used in Xebelian wars. Mera was forged into the perfect warrior over years of her life by her father's chief taskmaster- Leron.[3] and was taught the royal secret of hydrokinesis.

Meeting Aquaman

As a young adult, Mera was promised to be wed to the military chief Nereus by her father. Ryus believed that vengeance should be exacted on Atlantis, and so tasked Mera with finding and assassinating the King of Atlantis, after returning from her job she was to marry Nereus. Before she left, Mera was given a Shell of Sounds by her father, this device contained a message for Mera from her mother which she was to open after making it to the surface. With fury and hatred in her heart, Mera set out to find and execute the King of Atlantis.[1]

Upon reaching the surface she asked a group of sailors where she could find the King of Atlantis. The sailors showed Mera a newspaper article of the supposed King of Atlantis - Arthur Curry/Aquaman, whom Mera learnt was a hero instead of a tyrant. Eventually she found him rescuing wounded whales and was completely taken aback by his kindness. Impressed by her hydrokinesis powers, Arthur asked Mera to join him for lunch, which she agreed to. Arthur asked her what the shell around her neck meant, making her realize she hadn't listened to her mother's message yet. In the message, her mother told Mera that she should make her own path in life instead of following the demands of her kingdom. Taking this advice to heart, Mera gave up on killing Aquaman and instead fell in love with the hero.[1]

The Trench

Aquaman Vol 7 6 Textless

Mera rampaging through Amnesty Bay

Having decided to completely abandon Xebel to pursue a life on land with Arthur, Mera helped defend Amnesty Bay when it was attacked by a carnivorous underwater species called The Trench.[4]

Mera and Aquaman followed the Trench, which had taken hostages to the Marianas Trench. There they discovered the predators dying out and desperately trying to feed their children in the remnants of an Atlantean craft. Mera and Arthur saved the captives, and Aquaman reluctantly caused the Trenches' extinction by pushing a tectonic plate over the Trenches' lair to prevent further loss of human life. After this incident, Arthur and Mera adopted one of the victim's dog and named him Aquadog.[5]

Shortly after, Mera was arrested while buying dog food when she broke the arm of a man who grossly harassed her. Although she initially struggled, Mera willingly gave herself up when she heard police chatter of a hostage situation she thought she could stop. When the police got to the crime scene, Mera broke out, apprehended the criminal, and fled the scene. Later, a woman named Jennifer Posey, who had seen Mera get arrested, visited the hero and volunteered to get Mera supplies whenever necessary, as she knew what had really happened at the store and supported her.[6]

Atlantean Invasion

While Mera and Aquaman were investigating some abnormal undersea activity with Batman in Gotham City, a giant wave began to emerge and threaten the city. Arthur believed that the wave was his brother's doing, following the Atlantean War plans against the surface.[7] Mera attempted to keep the wave back but was overwhelmed by its size. Arthur went to meet his brother the Ocean Master, who ordered war upon the surface due to a U.S. submarine firing on Atlantis. Ocean Master banished Aquaman and several other members of the Justice League to the Marianas Trench for opposing him, forcing Mera and Cyborg to rescue them. After the heroes were saved, the Justice League unleashed the Trench to hold back the invading Atlantean army and stop Ocean Master's plot.[8]

With Ocean Master captured and Aquaman restored to the throne, Arthur and Mera realized that the real person behind the war was Arthur's personal advisor and mentor Vulko, who hoped that the incident would incite Aquaman to return to his rightful place in Atlantis.[9]

Return of the Dead King

Sometime after the invasion, Mera resided in Amnesty Bay, as she knew a princess of Xebel would not be welcomed in the kingdom of Atlantis. However, she was discovered and arrested for her previous assault charge.[10] Mera fled from the police but encountered a mysterious man, who used ice manipulation to knock her unconscious.[11]

Mera later woke up on a boat outside the Bermuda Triangle. Her kidnapper told her that he was the man who designed the imprisonment of Xebel, as he was Atlan the first King of Atlantis. Atlan wanted to use Mera to bypass Xebel's security. However, she escaped and attempted to warn the underwater city's inhabitants of the impending threat. Upon getting to the bottom of Xebel she was greeted by Nereus, her former fiance, who asked her where she had been all those years.[12]

Swimming 001

Arthur and Mera flee from Xebelian soldiers

Mera was deemed a traitor by Nereus after she told him about what had happened during her time on the surface. Before Mera could be arrested, Atlan broke through the barrier and froze all the people in Xebel including Mera.[13] Aquaman soon broke Mera out of her ice prison and began fighting Atlan while Mera began freeing the soldiers of Xebel. However, despite all this, the Xebelians sided with Atlan anyway as they saw him as their true king, forcing Aquaman and Mera to leave Xebel.[14] Arthur and Mera attempted to warn Atlantis of the villainous king's return, but Aquaman was sent into a coma during a coincidental separate attack by the Scavenger. With their hero incapacitated and without a leader, Atlantis fell to Atlan.[15]

Mera was imprisoned for six months, often going days without water as punishment for her escape attempts. Eventually Arthur returned and, together, he and Mera led a revolt and freed all of the imprisoned Atlanteans. Arthur forced Atlan into a lava bed where the old king melted away. With their master defeated, Nereus and the Xebelians fled back to Xebel. As the threat was averted, Mera returned to Amnesty Bay to live her life of isolation but soon decided to rule alongside her partner, believing she could rise above the prejudice.[16]

However, as she expected, she faced opposition. She would later survive an assassination attempt by xenophobic assailants loyal to Ocean Master and eventually brought them to justice.[17]

Siren and the Coven

Siren Prime Earth 0001

Mera held captive by her sister

While investigating a collection of mysterious structures that appeared to kill anything they touched, Mera was kidnapped and held hostage by her sister Hila A.K.A. the Siren, and the Coven of Thule, who were behind the structures' sudden appearances. The Coven were Atlantean warlocks who split Atlantis into two dimensions, where they could prepare for an invasion. Siren stole Mera's appearance using magic and ruled Atlantis for several months while she was captured, weakening it for the invasion.[18]

However, eventually, Mera was able to break free and defeat her sister with the help of Garth, Tula, Swatt and Murk. With the help of their allies Mera and Arthur were able to destroy the Coven, ending their invasion.

Relations Collapse

Mera Prime Earth 0014

Mera as Aquawoman

Some time afterwards, Arthur asked Mera to be the face of the political campaign between Atlantis and the Surface World, which she accepted. Mera decided to fully embrace her new role as she donned the same Atlantean Chainmail as Arthur and began calling herself "Aquawoman",[19] but this moniker was short lived.[20]

While Wally West, the original Kid Flash, was escaping the Speed Force in what could be described as his "rebirth", Mera was brought to Paradise Island where Arthur proposed to her and the two became engaged.[21]

Knowing of their engagement, Aquaman's arch nemesis Black Manta attempted to kill Mera to hurt Arthur.[22] Arthur was able to defeat Manta, however the entire situation caused Spindrift - the facility where their fight was held - to lose its status as an embassy. Due to this Mera and Aquaman traveled to the White House to discuss the problem with the President.[23] Upon arrival, Arthur was arrested due to an American ship called the Pontchartrain being attacked by a group of "Atlanteans".

As tensions grew worse between Atlantis and the Surface World, Mera broke Arthur out of prison against his wishes.[24] The pair fought off an entire U.S. battalion until Superman arrived on behalf of the government to stop them. Aquaman and Mera retreated into the water, but not before Superman encouraged them to fix the mess that had been created.[25]

N.E.M.O. and H2.0

Roy Harper Cry for Justice
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Arthur Usurped, Mera Justice Leaguer

At some point, it became clear that the people of Atlantis were displeased with Arthur and were planning a revolution to replace him with Corum Rath.[26] After the coup started, Mera witnessed Arthur being seemingly killed by Atlantean soldiers [27] and, for a period of time after this, went into a phase of mourning at the Curry lighthouse.

However this was short lived as Tula told her Arthur was possibly alive.[28] Upon hearing this, Mera traveled to Atlantis where she used her powers for days, attempting to break through the Crown of Thorns, the invisible, magical barrier that had been placed around Atlantis.[29]

Justice League Vol 3 24 Variant Textless

Mera and the Justice League

Mera, while attempting to shatter the dome keeping her from her fiancé, was confronted by the Justice League due to the massive tidal waves she had unintentionally caused by her attacking the Crown of Thorns. After a lengthy battle between herself and the team, she eventually calmed down after hearing that her actions threatened millions of civilians.[30] Impressed by the extent of Mera's hydrokinetic abilities and her excellent skills in combat, Batman invited Mera to join the League as a temporary replacement for Aquaman until they could find a way to help him.[30]

While working as a member of the League, Mera had a number of adventures on the surface world. She joined them in battle with Shirak, and also faced the time-displaced descendants of the Justice League.[31] This undertaking led to Mera's encounter with her daughter from a possible future, Serenity.[32] The descendants of the League traveled back to the past in order to prevent the uprising of The Sovereign who had ravaged their futures.[33]

Returning to rescuing Aquaman from the man who usurped their kingdom, Mera approached Garth - the former Aqualad - and pleaded with him to use his potent magical abilities against the Crown of Thorns. Knowing what was at stake, Garth agreed to help Mera bring down the Crown. Mera successfully infiltrated Atlantis using a magic necklace Garth gave her, but the the item had an unexpected side effect that permanently removed her ability to breathe underwater, forcing her to flee to the surface.[34]

During the invasion of the Dark Knights of the Dark Multiverse, Mera and the rest of Atlantis were changed into fish monsters known as Dead Water by the Drowned. She was returned to normal when the Dark Knights were defeated by the Justice League, with Aquaman, alive, among them.

Reclaiming the Throne

Mera survived another assassination attempted, this time by the villainous Eel. The assassin was hired by Corum Rath, the current ruler of Atlantis, who was threatened by the former queen's attempt to depose him.[35]

Mera Queen of Atlantis Vol 1 3 Textless

Mera and Ocean Master, teaming up

Mera also lost a fight to Ocean Master, having returned from his multi-year absence and declared that instead he would depose Corum Rath and take his rightful place as Atlantis' ruler.[36] After some level-headed discussion, the enemies decided to team up against their common foe.[3]

Mera and Orm worked together to convince Nereus, Mera's ex-fiance and head of the Xebelian military, to aid them in deposing Rath. Nereus reluctantly agreed to help, but only if Orm was assured to get the throne, since he did not trust Mera. In an attempt to show her worth through combat, Mera challenged Orm to a fight in a Xebelian arena where, by the skin of her teeth, using everything she had, managed to best the Ocean Master and become the true heir to the Atlantean throne.[37]

In the months since Mera's departure Atlantis grew worse. Corum Rath had been corrupted by the Abyssal Dark, a foul magic which helped build Atlantis. The dark transformed Corum into a hideous creature hell-bent on the destruction of Atlantis as he believed Atlantis could only be great again if it were reborn in the ashes of tradition. Aquaman, working as a freedom fighter, led a last resort attack against the mad king in which his trident was shattered by the dictator.[38]

When all seemed lost Mera arrived with the war hosts of Xebel to even the fight against Rath and his forces. In the final fight, Rath was defeated and his magic corrupted, turning him into a fish. Taking pity on him, Aquaman used his powers to commanded him to leave Atlantis and continue his new life among the other fish.[38]

While celebrating their victory. All of a sudden the ground began to shake and Atlantis began to rise. Arthur told Mera that during his fight with the Dark Multiverse invaders he had worn a set of the reality-altering Tenth Metal armor and made a wish. He had wished for a place that existed between the two worlds of land and sea, a place where he could live his life happily. Arthur's wish had been granted in the worst possible way, Atlantis had risen out of the water and onto the land.[38]

The Suicide Squad Strikes

Mera's Coronation 001

Mera during her coronation

Sitting directly in the middle of Europe and the United States, Atlantis was immediately viewed with caution by the surface dwellers, many nations preparing for war. Determined to prove that Atlantis meant no harm, Mera invited the Secretary of the United States to attend her coronation as Queen. After her coronation, Queen Mera spent no time sitting idly in her throne waiting for her problems to sort themselves out, immediately scheduling a private meeting with U.S. ambassadors in order to quell the fear and distrust felt by many on the surface world. She also tasked many of her labourers to rebuild the parts of Atlantis destroyed during the civil war.[39]

During the coronation, a secret penal black-ops team known as the Suicide Squad was sent by American xenophobic extremist Admiral Meddinghouse to destroy the kingdom. Fortunately, Aquaman caught wind of this and led his former Undercurrent forces against the Squad.[40] Disgusted that a member of the U.S. Government was attempting to destroy her city, Mera rose the water levels around America's coasts, threatening to sink America into the deep if they did not back down.[41] Fortunately Aquaman was able to stop the Squad and, in the aftermath, America and Atlantis returned to their fragile state of alliance. Admiral Meddinghouse was swiftly arrested on charges of high treason for sanctioning the mission.[42]

Drowned Earth

Aquaman Vol 8 41 Textless Variant

Mera is attacked by the sea-changed

Sometime after Mera's coronation as queen, the waters began to rise once again. However anyone who touched the water was turned into an aggressive sea beast hellbent on destruction. Mera evacuated the civilians into the upper part of the city while Murk and the Drift attempted to hold off the infected. Ondine informed Mera that the oceans were rising all across the globe, with both humans and Atlanteans facing extinction.

After comforting some civilians, Mera contacted the Hall of Justice to see who of Earth's heroes remained alive. After a moment Batman answered her call and told her that Arthur had gone missing during a mission to the Arctic six hours prior and that the current crisis was probably alien in nature. Mera held back the water from Atlantis as much as she could but failed to contain it all, and most of Atlantis' citizens were transformed into sea beasts.[43] Out of options and time, Mera headed to the highest spire of Atlantis where Orm was kept locked away. Breaking through the wall of his cell she asked him for help, when he agreed she gave the Ocean Master his trident back and the two formed another uneasy alliance.[43]

Mera and Orm began fighting there way outside of the city, eventually making it to the memorial to the dead kings of Atlantis. There, a man named Captain Gall introduced himself as an alien sea god and one of the three leaders of the invasion known as the Triumvirate of Sea Gods. Gall instantly overwhelmed the pair, forcing Orm to transform into one of the sea-changed before Mera escaped.[44]

Mera traveled across the globe until she found Superman and the Flash being chased by sea-changed heroes. After saving the pair from the clutches of Swamp Thing, she used a magical crown she acquired to teleport them to the location of an Atlantean weapon that could stop the invasion. Discovering they were too late, Mera, Flash and Superman were met by Black Manta, who revealed that it was him and his allies in the Legion of Doom who had summoned the Triumvirate to Earth.[2]

Mother Shark

When Mother Shark restores Arthur Curry's memories, it is revealed that Arthur actually survived the alien invasion and returned to Mera. However, they kept it a secret from the rest of Atlantis. Mera stops them from being romantic to talk about the politics of Atlantis and how the Widowhood wants her to marry. Arthur confesses his love for Mera once again, again proposing they get married, but Mera is hesitant with all the drama they've endured. However, she then reveals she's pregnant.

Arthur affirms that he loves both Mera and their unborn child but, afraid that he won't be able to give his child the life it deserves, asks to go home and think. Mera, unhappy that she and her love don't seem to be on the same page, loses control, "kills" Arthur, and is later found by the Widowhood and Atlantean guards.[45]

Roy Harper Cry for Justice
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Powers

  • Atlantean Physiology: The Atlanteans are offshoots of humanity that are biologically adapted to the deep ocean environment. All their abilities are by-products of their bodies being adapted to survive unprotected in the tremendous pressures of the ocean depths.
    • Amphibian Nature: Like all Atlanteans Mera is able to breathe on land and while submerged in water due to a pair of gills hidden behind her ears. She can also talk unhindered while completely submerged.[46]
    • Enhanced Senses
    • Superhuman Durability: Mera can survive the crushing pressures of the deep ocean, which applies 1086 pounds of pressure per square inch.[47]
    • Superhuman Reflexes: As an Atlantean Mera's reflexes are far quicker then any ordinary humans. Mera was able to dodge a bolt of lightning at point blank range, meaning she can process events happening at 220,000,000 miles per hour and react to them accordingly.[48]
    • Superhuman Speed: Mera can swim at speeds that match her partner's and possibly surpasses them.[49] At a casual swim Mera has been reported to move at 575 miles-per-hour according to fellow hero Animal Man.[50] At her fastest Mera can travel at a speed greater then Mach 5, this means Mera is capable of swimming faster then 3836 miles-per-hour or 6174 kilometers-per-hour.[51]
    • Superhuman Stamina
    • Superhuman Agility
    • Superhuman Strength: Mera's strikes crash like tidal waves.[52] When fighting off the Trench she displayed that she could crack their subhuman skulls with just a single strike.[53] While above water she was able to snap a man's arm just by adding some pressure to it.[6] Mera possesses considerable superhuman strength (carrying capacity of at least 70 tons). She can easily leap hundreds of yards, and effortlessly rip through metal barriers.[54]
      • Super-Leaping: Like Aquaman, Mera can leap incredible distances due to her powerful leg muscles and dense bone structure. She once leapt out of the ocean and into a moving plane meaning she can jump at least 2000 meters into the air.[52]
Mera Prime Earth 0002

Mera using her Hydrokinesis

  • Hydrokinesis: Mera can control water due to her being royalty within Xebel. She often uses her aquakinesis to drain a person of their bodily fluids, quickly disabling them.[48] She can even draw upon water sources such as the Tear of Extinction, a divine elixir of death.[55] She cannot control snow or ice, and she does need a source to pull water from, as she cannot create it.[11][6]
    • Liquid Construct Creation: Mera has very fine control over water and can cause it to take any shape or form she chooses,[4] such as hands, piranhas and people.[1]
    • Toxikinesis (Formerly): When The Drowned altered her into a Dead Water hybrid, she gained the ability to transmute water into debilitating poison which could even disorient Aquaman.[56]

Abilities

  • Deception: Mera was trained in the art of deception in order to kill Aquaman.[1]
  • Diving
  • Master Combatant: Mera was trained by her father to murder the King of Atlantis, and was vigorously trained since childhood order to prepare herself.[6] She has fought Black Manta to a standstill,[51] and bested the Ocean Master in combat despite being in a weakened state.[48]
  • Historiography: As a princess of Xebel, Mera was taught the traditions and lore of Xebel from an early age to prepare her for her role in the Xebelian monarchy.[3] She also knows many Atlantean and surface tales such as the legend of King Arthur.[44]
  • Leadership: Mera has been deemed a great enough leader by the elders of Atlantis that she was chosen to rule the nation after the downfall of Corum Rath.[57]
  • Political Science: Mera was temporarily the figure head of surface world and Atlantis peace negotiations.[58]
  • Swimming: Mera has lived underwater her whole life. As such she is an expert in swimming and has taken to it like humans take to walking.[53]

Equipment

  • Shell of Sounds: A relic that can contain recorded memories and dialog from the user, in order to convey their memories to future generations.[1]

Weapons

  • Mera's Trident: Mera often wields her own trident during combat.
  • Orm's Trident (Formerly)
  • Clarion
    • Tear of Extinction (Formerly): Mera formerly wielded a fragment of the Tear of Extinction, capable of killing Gods. She has channeled this water into a scabbard and the Clarion so she can use it as a sword.[55]


  • Mera only used the alias Aquawoman briefly, but the public often uses this name for her.

Related

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Secret Origins (Volume 3) #5
  2. 2.0 2.1 Justice League (Volume 4) #11
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #3
  4. 4.0 4.1 Aquaman (Volume 7) #2
  5. Aquaman (Volume 7) #4
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Aquaman (Volume 7) #6
  7. Justice League (Volume 2) #15
  8. Aquaman (Volume 7) #16
  9. Justice League (Volume 2) #17
  10. Aquaman (Volume 7) #17
  11. 11.0 11.1 Aquaman (Volume 7) #18
  12. Aquaman (Volume 7) #19
  13. Aquaman (Volume 7) #21
  14. Aquaman (Volume 7) #22
  15. Aquaman (Volume 7) #23
  16. Aquaman (Volume 7) #25
  17. Aquaman (Volume 7) #29 - Aquaman (Volume 7) #32
  18. Aquaman (Volume 7) #45
  19. Aquaman (Volume 7) #49
  20. Aquaman (Volume 7) #52
  21. DCU: Rebirth #1
  22. Aquaman (Volume 8) #1
  23. Aquaman (Volume 8) #2
  24. Aquaman (Volume 8) #4
  25. Aquaman (Volume 8) #6
  26. Aquaman (Volume 8) #23
  27. Aquaman (Volume 8) #24
  28. Aquaman (Volume 8) #25
  29. Aquaman (Volume 8) #26
  30. 30.0 30.1 Justice League (Volume 3) #24
  31. Justice League (Volume 3) #25
  32. Justice League (Volume 3) #26
  33. Justice League (Volume 3) #27
  34. Aquaman (Volume 8) #30
  35. Mera: Queen of Atlantis #1
  36. Mera: Queen of Atlantis #2
  37. Mera: Queen of Atlantis #5
  38. 38.0 38.1 38.2 Aquaman (Volume 8) #38
  39. Suicide Squad (Volume 5) #45
  40. Aquaman (Volume 8) #39
  41. Suicide Squad (Volume 5) #46
  42. Aquaman (Volume 8) #40
  43. 43.0 43.1 Aquaman (Volume 8) #41
  44. 44.0 44.1 Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth #1
  45. Aquaman (Volume 8) #49
  46. Aquaman (Volume 7) #14
  47. Mariana Trench
  48. 48.0 48.1 48.2 Mera: Queen of Atlantis #6
  49. Aquaman (Volume 7) #10
  50. Justice League United #11
  51. 51.0 51.1 Aquaman (Volume 7) #11
  52. 52.0 52.1 Aquaman (Volume 7) #12
  53. 53.0 53.1 Aquaman (Volume 7) #3
  54. Aquaman (Volume 7) #1
  55. 55.0 55.1 Justice League (Volume 4) #12
  56. Justice League (Volume 3) #32
  57. Aquaman (Volume 8) #33
  58. Aquaman (Volume 7) #48


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This character is or was an ally of Aquaman, and a member of the Aqua-Family and/or its supporting cast. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "Aquaman Supporting Cast" category. See also: Aquaman Villains.

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This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats.
This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice League of America members" category.

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