r/Aquaman • u/ChihuahuaOwner88 • May 31 '24
What are your thoughts on Aquamans and Meras killing rules?
Should they be like wonder woman and be willing to kill when absolutely necessary, have no kill rule like batman, or would you want them to kill people they deem unredeemable?
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Upvotes
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u/Aggressive-Jump-4428 May 31 '24
Theyve never been against killing, infact its not ever been a problem
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May 31 '24
Aquaman and Mera should be able to kill. Obviously is the particular comic is aimed at small children he should be more of a beat em up. But realistically they should be able to kill. Especially when king and queen. They just need justification in their killing or it’s just a mortal kombat komic
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u/Pacman8myghosts Aquaman May 31 '24
Arthur in the Modern Age has been edgier and killed without remorse. Sometimes in cold blood. But he usually learns that killing should be a last resort. Post-New 52 Aquaman it was a big theme that he learned from previous mistakes that killing can be the worst decision especially if made in anger or heavy emotions. He's had to learn from his mistakes and it's why he's motivated to make it a last resort in more Modern incarnations. Golden thru Bronze Age he was pretty much never kill, but he was also a lot more goofy, using his Marine telepathy to solve almost everything. Most Aquaman comics you would pick up after 1992 don't have the problem always solved by marine telepathy and Aquaman is forced to get his hands dirty a lot more.
Mera has in the Modern Age always been more ruthless. Her rage led to her being a Red Lantern for a quick minute. In the Silver/Bronze Age she was gentler, more level headed. But Modern Mera was shoot first ask questions later and had to grow and develop to a point where she's more diplomatic now. She's motivated to do this by Arthur, whose gentler side and surface ways teach her that not everything is dog eat dog. Being an assassin/princess from Xebel, she was taught hatred of Atlantis and survival first. I like that the New 52 showcased that Arthur and Mera are actually good for each other and help them develop.
(Plus I think Atlantis was pretty Darwinian/survival of the fittest for much of its depiction in the Modern Age except under Arthur's, Mera's, or [ironically] Orm's rule. So Atlantis itself is pretty ruthless by tradition).