The Best Moments from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

At last, the sequel to Aquaman (2018) has arrived! Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is now in theaters. It’s also the final film to officially be part of the DCEU, as DC live-action and animated media transitions into James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU.

The first Aquaman movie was full of comedy, big battles, and family drama. It was essentially a love story, between both Arthur Curry and Mera as well as Queen Atlanna and Tom Curry. However, the sequel drifts to different shores with even more comedic beats and high-octane adventure. Aquaman 2 is a buddy comedy between Arthur and his estranged brother, Orm. Here are the best moments from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom — you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll never look at a cheeseburger the same again.

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Aquaman’s Son Inherits Power

Right off the bat, we get a window into Arthur Curry’s home life. Not only is he working as King of Atlantis but he is also a full-time dad alongside Mera. The family stays at Tom’s lighthouse so Tom can look after Arthur Jr. while the prince’s parents take care of things under the sea.

In an especially heartwarming moment, Arthur notices that his son shares his ability to speak with marine life. Arthur is excited to finally have someone who will understand him and he gushes about all the future adventures they’ll have together.

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Tom’s Fatherly Advice

Understandably, Arthur is a bit worried about raising his son. After all, he is also caught between the land and the sea — and Arthur knows that struggle too well. He looks to his dad Tom for some fatherly advice and Tom does not disappoint. When Arthur feels like he doesn’t know what he’s doing, Tom reminds him, “Sometimes not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do.”

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Mera & Atlanna Defend Atlantis

Black Manta is back and he plans to use an ancient Atlantean power source, orichalcum, to fuel his war against Aquaman. However, this fuel threatens the entire planet in the process. When Manta blasts his way into Atlantis, Mera and Atlanna rush to the kingdom’s defense.

As they ride atop crimson sharks, these two warriors hold their own against Manta’s forces. Well, until he breaks out the big guns. His sonic disruptor technology proves to be too much for everyone, including Aquaman.

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Meeting Topo the Cephalopod

Although we briefly glimpsed Topo in the first film, playing the drums during Arthur and Orm’s ceremonial fight, Topo finally gets his time to shine. Not only is he a skilled musician but he is also a renowned spy. Cephalopods are pretty handy.

When he first meets Topo, Arthur rudely says, “That’s an octopus.” But the cephalopod quickly proves his worth by squeezing into tight spots and helping Orm escape. From there on out, Arthur warmly refers to his aquatic companion as “a dumb squid.”

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Arthur’s Nicknames for Orm

One of the highlights of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the brotherhood that develops between Arthur and Orm. Previously, their rivalry threatened everyone and everything under the oceans. Now, working together is the only chance to stop Black Manta.

Along the way, Arthur creates various nicknames for his little brother. When he breaks a weakened and scraggly Orm out of his prison, Arthur says, “C’mon Castaway. Grab Wilson and let’s go.” Later, he also calls Orm “skinny jeans” and “Loki,” threatening to send him back to Azkaban. Aw, brothers.

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Orm’s Cheesburger

Amid all the brotherly joking, these two also share moments of growth. Like many Atlanteans, Orm harbors deep hatred of the surface world. Arthur tells him, “You’ve let your prejudices stop you from enjoying half the world.” Half the world that includes tacos, tequila, and cheeseburgers — plus cockroaches, which Arthur convinces his little brother is a surface snack.

As he attempts to be more open-minded, Orm chomps down on the bug. Later, in a fun mid-credits callback, we see Orm finally enjoying a cheeseburger. However, he reaches down to add one last topping for extra crunch: fresh cockroach.

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Revenge of the Whales

It couldn’t be an Aquaman adventure without calling upon the creatures of the sea to help save the day. Black Manta’s orichalcum-fueled weaponry features a devastating sonic disruptor. This device incapacitates Aquaman and his allies immediately. Fortunately, Arthur summons all the whales of the ocean to counteract the frequencies. Whale that was a good idea!

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Aquaman’s Haka

After all is said and done, Aquaman and Orm manage to save the planet by defeating Black Manta. The film’s epilogue shows long-awaited redemption and a tender family reunion. Aquaman also finally reveals Atlantis to the surface world.

Plus, we get to see Aquaman performing a Haka with his dad — one last scene that shows how Arthur Curry is destined to unite land and sea.

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Of course, there’s still entire oceans of other moments to enjoy in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. From the lively Las Vegas scene in the Sunken Citadel to Black Manta finally regaining his pride over Aquaman, this DCEU film will have you clapping your hands, fins, and tentacles.

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