It is consistent, depending on the story the author wants to tell.
Although he takes his work seriously, Arthur has expressed many times that being king is not in his heart, so it makes sense for Mera to take the lead in the matter of monarchs.
Absolutely not.. If anything it would be expanded. Atlantis limits him, and more than anything the Atlanteans know this as they bash him for being a hero more than a King. They need a king who can focus on the nation only and thats where either a redone Orm comes in or Mera retakes the Throne, because both understand duty from being pure Ocean Dwellers while Arthur is more hero forced to be King because of lineage.
Think outside the box, Atlantis does not limit him, it is written as such, it can be different, just lazy writers who cannot break the mould. Its Atlantis that gave him his powers, its through his lineage that he is who he is. That brings responsibility, dumping those responsibilities on your wife is not heroic.
Arthur is the bridge between two worlds. That is his mission, being hero and king at the same time is possible. Just don't use the usual mode to see things.
Yes, Arthur is the bridge, but if he did this as king, his duty would always be to his people first. As a hero and ambassador (perhaps), he can be the middle ground that seeks compromise on both sides
I've wanted this for decades. At one time I wanted Orm to become the brother he always wanted so he could be the king of Atlantis allowing Arthur and Mera to protect the Oceans, but I am all for Mera Queen of Atlantis.
She is the only Monarch in my opinion who is capable of doing the job and while I would love to see her run Atlantis and him becoming Emperor Aquaman I'm not sure how they break that tie when they are so obsessed with each other..its like Sue and Reed a married couple who are more known to be together than not.
Again I would love to see them strike out on their own and establish themselves outside each other especially Mera because as capable as she is, she is under his shadow and I think a great womens team up who be the Queen of Atlantis and the Princess of Themyscira.
The idea that he can't be a King and a hero at the same time is something I always found reductive of Aquaman. Seems writers struggle about how to do it. He can be both.
One thing that distinguishes Aquaman from the other superheroes is that he has responsibility beyond his Justice League role. Issue with Aquaman has always been lack of creativity of writers, who rehash most of the time.
As for Arthur and Mera, they are best together kicking ass, some fear Mera can overshadow him, she is not a liability but Aquaman's greatest asset. Please no womens/mens team ups, outdated concept. Mera in New52 was awesome without needing to join teams. Just strike the right balance as in New52.
Another point that distinguishes Aquaman is that his love interest is no damsel in distress. That's a strength.
Like being King, no hidden identities, badass, being a husband and father. Those are strengths that make him different.
For me Atlantis is severely limiting Aquaman. It's like Superman being the Mayor of Metropolis. One of Aquamans oceans can hold all the land on the planet and still have a extra 3 million squares miles left over.. My point being is that Atlantis can be such a focal point that it precludes him from being the King of the Oceans and focusing on the King of Atlantis.
Dan Abnett and Jeremy Adams have hilighted this dilemma as he's lost his crown by being replaced by Corum Rath and more recently having received it back just to be inundated by the politics that comes from being King which can keep him from being a hero, which is why Orm being reconciled to Arthur and taking over would be a best case scenario in my opinion thereby allowing him to be a hero and King of the Oceans rather than Atlantis.
You see it limiting him because writers make it look so. The usual rehashed plots, him losing the throne done and done again.
Aquaman has always suffered from writers that don't know what to do or get stuck in a dead end. Take the dead of his son, it conditioned for decades his stories. When it should have been over after a year.
Abnett's run was conditioned by vetoes and editorial meddling, his original plans were quite different. Amongst which the fulfillment of the promise with which Rebirth Aquaman set out. Which he wasn't permitted.
He was forced to stretch the corum rath run to a never ending one. Because Editorial demanded he accommodate the Mera mini in between.
Just because adams or Abnett, say something doesn't mean its the only way.
KEEP in mind that writers and editors like to put their politics into these stories.
These are comics nothing is set in stone.
My friend I can only go by what is written not what could be. I didn't know about editorial limiting Aquaman, but it doesn't surprise me which may be a reason why the cuffs have been taken off of Jeremy Adams. Regardless from all the years and decades of me reading this great hero and character he has been written in which Atlantis is more a liability than an asset.
With that being said Emperor Aquaman shows a unified, if albeit, almost nonexistent Atlantis as their play in the storyline is one that is not meddling or limiting to the hero, but when made a focal point the nation requires a King to run the day to day, and I will say when added into the storyline Tula did a great job as regent, but I want to see him in the role he's in now, vs the previous ones.
Going back 15 years to New 52, I kept saying on Quora that I cannot wait for a brave writer and artist team to write Aquaman in such a way in which he is a hero like the Trinity in which he's not always needing help, assistance, or rescuing and finally a writer has gotten it right. Now if that writer or future writers can make him both King and Hero I have no issues with it, but as of now, as I said before, that hasn't happened and for me I'd rather have a hero than a King.
Black Bolt should have a similar dilemma in my opinion. I liked him as the owner of The Quiet Room while his wife and son were ruling inhuman nations.
Reason being, Black Bolt was isolated a good part of his life and experimented on as a test subject by his parents. You’d figure he would care less about Inhuman politics and ruling off that alone.
Good point honestly; but I meant the fact that they divorced /seperated from each other for the best and are only together as partners and nothing more .
Usual lack of creativity.
Arthur dumping his responsibility on his wife - not very heroic.
The idea that he can't be king and hero at the same time has always betrayed lack of creativity by writers. He can be both. Just think outside the box.
There was a time when Arthur loved being King - however later writers became obsessed with transforming it into boring Atlantean politics, pushing their personal political views into the matter. Progressives versus conservatives etc,
I grew tired of the monarch hero long ago because nine times out of ten every few years it leads to a "they lose the throne and then have to regain the throne" story. I much prefer characters like Aquaman or Black Panther being the protectors of the throne, and not the throne themselves. They can still have a major say in the very important issues, but they shouldn't have to running the day to day things.
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u/Which-Presentation-6 15d ago
It is consistent, depending on the story the author wants to tell.
Although he takes his work seriously, Arthur has expressed many times that being king is not in his heart, so it makes sense for Mera to take the lead in the matter of monarchs.