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For alternate versions of Mera, see Mera's Character Hub.

"My obligation isn't to love. It is to my family and my nation, and I've turned my back on both. Sometimes, you have to do what's right, even if your heart aches against it."
―Mera to Arthur Curry[src]

Y'Mera Xebella Challa, simply referred to as Mera, is the daughter of King Nereus, the princess of Xebel, and the wife of Aquaman, the current king and former prince of Atlantis. She is the mother of the heir to the Atlantean throne, Arthur Curry, Jr.

During Orm's campaign against the surface world in what would become the War for Atlantis, Mera assisted Arthur at the behest of Nuidis Vulko, despite being betrothed to Orm by her father, and helped him locate the lost Trident of Atlan in the Hidden Sea, allowing Arthur to finally usurp the throne from Orm and take his place as the rightful King of Atlantis. Mera's journey with Arthur also caused the two of them to develop romantic feelings towards each other, which culminated with the two exchanging a brief kiss during the Battle of the Brine. Some time later Arthur and Mera got married and became the parents of Arthur Curry, Jr.

Biography[]

Upbringing[]

"My parents died in the wars. She took me in."
"What a saint."
"You dare speak of Queen Atlanna that way?"
"Your 'queen' left me on my father's doorstep and never gave me another thought."
"Your mother left you to save your life! You cannot imagine how it hurt her, what it cost her. But you're not a defenseless child now. It would have been her responsibility to follow that monster to the surface and stop him. Now... it's yours."
―Mera and Aquaman[src]

Mera was born sometime around the year 1985 or 1986 as the daughter of King Nereus of Xebel.[2] When her parents were forced to leave her behind during the Xebel Wars, Mera was taken in by Queen Atlanna of Atlantis, who raised her alongside her own son Orm and trained her over the years as the queen's protégé.[1] Over time, Mera became a prominent military figure in Atlantis and was eventually assigned to lead the Atlantean Guards in her early adulthood.[3]

Mera

Mera arriving to the Atlantean Mother Box Stronghold.

Hence, Mera stood guard at an Atlantean outpost when the shockwaves from Superman's death reached the Mother Box, triggering it to shudder and shake slightly. Shortly afterward, the Mother Box activated, alerting her and the remaining Xebelian soldiers nearby. As she went to investigate, a boom tube opened, from which Steppenwolf emerged, immediately attacking the Royal Guardsmen as he made his way toward his objective. As Steppenwolf neared the podium where the Mother Box sat, Mera displaced the water around him, causing him to fall to the surface below, before collapsing the water back onto him. As the New God recovered, he charged at Mera, slamming her against a nearby wall before throwing her below, knocking her unconscious.

Mera fighting Steppenwolf

Mera fighting Steppenwolf

Arthur then joined the battle, but was unable to prevent Steppenwolf from taking the Mother Box. Afterward, Mera creates a bubble around her and Arthur so they could talk, chastising him for finally appearing on Atlantean territory. When Arthur began to leave, Mera explained that she knew his mother, Queen Atlanna. When Arthur stated that his mother abandoned him on his father's doorstep when he was a baby, Mera tells him that Atlanna would have stayed, but she left to spare Arthur's life. She explained that Atlanna wanted to stay, and leaving Arthur and his father cost her more than he could imagine. Mera then told Arthur that he was no longer a child who couldn't defend himself, and that Steppenwolf would've been his mother's responsibility to defeat, but now the mantle passed to him.

Mera talking with Arthur

Mera talking with Arthur Curry

As Steppenwolf finally began the process of uniting the three boxes, the impact of the impending unity was felt all across the globe, reaching into the stronghold that Mera, Vulko and several other individuals were gathered in.

Shortly after the collective triumph of the Unity of Earth's forces against Steppenwolf's army in Pozharnov, Mera and Vulko visited Arthur at Amnesty Bay to congratulate him and possibly attempt to convince him once again to take up his mother's responsibilities. But Arthur received them coldly, excusing himself by way of explaining that he had to see his father.[1]

War for Atlantis[]

Finding Arthur Curry[]

Mera holding back tsunami

Mera saving Thomas Curry

"Your half-brother, King Orm, is about to declare war upon the surface world. The only way to stop his war is for you to take your rightful place as King."
―Mera to Arthur Curry[src]

A year after the defeat of Steppenwolf, Mera left Atlantis to find Arthur Curry to tell him to come with her to Atlantis to stop Arthur's half-brother Orm from declaring war on the surface world. However, Arthur refused and left Mera as he drove home with his father Thomas Curry. Mera would save Arthur and his father from a tidal wave by using her hydrokinetic powers to move it. Arthur was then convinced to come with Mera to Atlantis.[3]

Return to Atlantis[]

Arthur, Mera and Nuidis Vulko

Arthur, Mera and Nuidis Vulko talking about the Trident of Atlan

Mera and Arthur went to Atlantis to meet with Nuidis Vulko, Arthur's mentor, who told them the history of Atlantis and explained to them that they needed to find the Trident of Atlan in order for Arthur claim his rightful place as king. They were then suddenly ambushed by Orm's men, and Arthur held them off while Mera and Vulko escaped. Arthur was then laid unconscious and captured by Orm's men.[3]

Finding the Trident of Atlan[]

Mera was in the royal box during the Duel in the Ring of Fire between Arthur and King Orm. She saved Arthur using her ship after Orm destroyed Arthur's trident. Together, they went to the Sahara desert to try to find the dead Kingdom of the Deserters in order to read the ancient artifact that held the location of the trident. After successfully locating the lost kingdom and locating the ancient piece of tech, Mera activated it once more by using her hydrokinetic powers. After they listened to the message from Atlan, Mera destroyed the ancient message container, and the two found a bottle with a map telling them to go to Sicily, Italy, where they would find the next clue.

Upon their arrival in Sicily, the used the bottle to discover the way to the trident, but were attacked by Black Manta, Murk and Men-of-War. Mera fought off Murk and the Men-of-War while Arthur defeated Black Manta. They set sail and then dived through the Kingdom of the Trench and escaped through a one way portal that led to the Hidden Sea. Once through the portal, they met Atlanna, which to their shock, had survived her "execution" to the Trench. After Arthur survived the Karathen's test and took the Trident of Atlan from the skeleton of King Atlan, Mera witnessed his return.[3]

Battle of the Brine[]

Arthur and Mera kiss

Arthur and Mera sharing a kiss

She would then help Arthur fight off the Men-of-War and shared a romantic kiss with him. After she informed her father that Arthur had become king, he stopped fighting. After he deposed Ocean Master and shattered his trident, she was by his side as he was hailed as king.

Becoming Queen[]

In the 4 years following the arrest and imprisonment of Orm, Arthur and Mera found themselves getting married and later on, Mera discovered she was pregnant. Eventually, Mera would give birth to a son named Arthur Curry, Jr. in the surf near the lighthouse, with the aid of her mother-in-law, Atlanna, while Tom filmed it. Both she and Arthur would then spend time on both land and sea, performing their duties as Atlantis' monarchs, as well as parents to Jr.

Personality[]

"Oh, you're crazier than I thought!"
Arthur Curry[src]

Dedicated and compassionate, Mera has a somewhat intimidating exterior but is still understanding (compared to other Atlanteans) and caring once she can trust someone. As Atlantean royalty, Mera was raised with a strong sense of duty to her people and country, and as such will honor her duty above her own emotions if her position requires it. For example, she was willing to marry Orm (despite her not loving him) to fulfill her duty as a Xebelian princess. Above all, however, she believes in doing what is right and ultimately best for Atlantis, which initially is why she begrudgingly works with Arthur Curry in order to prevent the harm that will come from Orm's proposed war.

Upon first encounters, Mera can come off as standoffish or stubborn, but this is often a result of her determination to reach her goals. Underneath this hard exterior, Mera is actually quite selfless and caring, as seen when she saved Thomas Curry from Orm's Tsunami and tended to Arthur's wounds from his fight with Black Manta.

In her role as a warrior, Mera is also brave and quick-thinking. She led the Atlantean forces protecting their Mother Box during Steppenwolf's invasion of Earth, and also outwitted several Men-of-War after being attacked in Sicily. Outside of combat, she is also shown to be inventive in tight situations, such as when she thought to use Arthur's sweat to reactivate ancient Atlantean technology and manipulated wine with her hydrokinetic powers and was even smart enough to memorize and destroy an encoded message so that it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands, with Arthur not thinking that far ahead. As a result of this quick-thinking, however, she can also be a bit impulsive, such as when she jumped out of a plane without a parachute, intervened during the Duel in the Ring of Fire, and stole a boat from an Italian marina.

Mera was initially somewhat abrasive towards Arthur, notably chastising the Atlantean when he disparaged his mother Atlanna, attributing to the fact that Mera bears lingering affection for the Queen, due to the latter raising and mentoring her akin to a daughter. During their quest to find the Trident of Atlan, however, Mera noticeably began to warm up to Arthur, to the point that she instinctively reached out for his hand when there was danger seemingly present, although they quickly parted hands in embarrassment. Unfamiliar with human customs, she also displayed wide-eyed glee and childlike curiousity when exploring Sicily, mistaking a bunch of roses for food upon witnessing some inhabitants eating red food, and likewise copying them. She also retains a playful and light-hearted side in contrast to her usually standoffish disposition, notably creating water-based dolphins from a fountain and manipulating them much to the delight of a little girl. This aspect of her personality eventually drew her ever closer to the fun-seeking Arthur, with the pair almost meeting lips before being attacked by Black Manta. This underlying romantic liaison would eventually culminate in her passionately kissing Arthur, before he was to engage Orm in combat. Following Arthur's victory, Mera proudly stood alongside her newfound love with dignity and poise, as he was finally hailed King of Atlantis.

Not knowing what they are, Mera seems to enjoy eating roses.[3]

Powers and Abilities[]

Powers[]

  • Xebelian Physiology: As an Xebelian, Mera possesses superhuman abilities, especially when exposed to water.
    • Superhuman Strength: Like all Xebelians, Mera is superhumanly strong and possesses greater physical strength than the average Xebellian as a warrior princess. She was able to defeat several Men-of-War with their large armor, as well as defeating Murk, by opening his visor so that the water that held the suit would come out, and thus leave him almost dehydrated and fighting the trenches. Her strength is surpassed by Aquaman and Steppenwolf, as Steppenwolf was able to effortlessly dispatch her, while Aquaman held his own against the New God with much greater ease.
    • Superhuman Durability: Mera's body is much more resistant to physical damage than a human being, as it is capable of withstanding great impact forces, immense pressures under water and falls from great heights, as well as being hit against a stone pillar by Steppenwolf and came out with minor injuries.
      • Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite her body's resistance, Mera can be injured like any other Atlantean. However, her metabolism enables her to rapidly regenerate damaged bodily tissue with greater speed and efficiency than a human being is capable of. After, the battle with Steppenwolf, she fully healed her injuries after. During the battle in Sicily, Mera quickly recovered from her injuries after being thrown from a ceiling to the floor.
    • Superhuman Speed: While underwater, Mera can swim at supersonic speeds. While on the surface, Mera is also extremely fast, able to escape the Men-of-War, even though they used the thrusters on their backs to go faster, and dodge many shots in the process.
    • Superhuman Agility: Mera naturally has greater agility, dexterity, balance and body coordination than a human being. She was able to jump across several rooftops in Italy while fleeing the Men-of-War.
    • Superhuman Senses: Mera possesses enhanced senses that allow her to better navigate the underwater environment of the oceans. From her perspective, the oceans are brightly lit, as clear to her as if she were on land.
    • Aquatic Adaptation: Mera can survive both on land and in an underwater environment. She can be immersed indefinitely without suffering any ill effects, though, prolonged dehydration will weaken her. Mera is able to breathe both on land and in the water.
  • Magic: Mera learned how use Atlantean Magic to manipulate water while growing up in Atlantis.
    • Atlantean Magic: Mera is a very powerful user of Atlantean magic being able to create water constructs, manipulate liquids that are not just water, e.g. wine and much more. She is a very capable sorceress and has great potential.
      • Hydrokinesis:
        Mera's hydrokinesis

        Mera using her magic to control the water in the wine

        Mera has the ability to manipulate water via her magic, which makes her eyes shine bright blue, her hands are wrapped in a bluish aura and even the liquid she manipulates becomes bright. She was able to create a sudden breach while fighting against Steppenwolf, eliminating all the water that surrounded the New God, and collapsed on him, likewise used this ability against Orm to prevent him from killing Arthur, removing all the water around him and then collapsing on him. She also has the ability to drain the water of others, as she did Steppenwolf, to save Thomas Curry from being drowned and later performed a similar technique in Arthur Curry by using his sweat to activate a dried out ancient Atlantean device that contained a hologram of the King Atlan. Mera was also able to manipulate an immense wave to save Thomas Curry and demonstrated superb control by generating dolphins and other marine life in a fountain for a little girl. Also, she created a bubble around her and Arthur so they could talk in privacy and use a similar technique during the fight against the Trench monsters, managing to create a bright bubble around her and Arthur, and then expand it to send the Trench away from them. She even demonstrated the ability to manipulate her son's urine stream to hit Arthur in the face, as a way to amuse both herself and the baby.
        • Hydrokinetic Energy Projection: Mera has the ability to project beams of hydrokinetic magical energy from her hands and knock back her targets she has shown this when saving Nuidis Vulko during the war for Atlantis and many other times.
        • Hydrokinetic Constructs: Mera can also hard the water and create solid water constructs. She use the water in wine to generate spikes capable of piercing Atlantean soldier armor, create tentacles of water to defeat two Xebelian soldiers and to free Vulko from the Men-of-War.
        • Water Vortex Creation: When Black Manta tried escaping with Orichalcum from Atlantis, Mera used this power to try and and catch him. However, he ended up getting away.
        • Hydro-Telekinesis: In order to save Arthur, Mera used this power to remove the rocks that pinned him to the ground. Additionally, she later used this power to pull down some spikes during a battle.

Abilities[]

  • Master Combatant:
    Mera fight Atlantean soldiers

    Mera fighting the Men-of-War

    Trained extensively by Atlanna and with years of combat experience, Mera is highly proficient in armed and hand-to-hand combat. Her abilities are sufficient, that she became the Commander of the Atlantis Guard. She was able to defeat several Men-of-War, including Murk, and later defeated several Men-of-War and destroying several Trench, before being overtaken by its superior number, taking down two Xebillian soldiers. She was however, easily dispatched by Steppenwolf.
  • Sword Mastery: Mera is highly skilled with an Atlantean sword, was able to fight alongside Men-of-War.
  • Master Swimmer: Mera, like all Atlanteans, is an extremely skilled swimmer, being able to masterfully coordinate herself while underwater, having spent her whole life in water.
  • Master Acrobat: Due to her superhuman agility, Mera is an extremely skilled acrobat.
  • Expert Pilot: Mera has a two-person ship that she could pilot through even a barrage of blasts from the hydro-cannons stationed on the walls of Atlantis.

Equipment[]

  • Mera's Suit: Mera wears an Atlantean outfit, which consists of a green shiny one-piece suit with neckline that has small hexagons resembling fish scales and also suits the color blue under some light.
  • Mera's Armor: During the Steppenwolf attack, Mera wore a dark green Atlantean armor with neckline as she goes to battle that resembles the armor Aquaman used during his time with the Justice League.
  • Mera's Ceremonial Dress: During Orm and Arthur's battle for the throne of Atlantis, Mera wore a ceremonial dress while watching the fight.

Vehicles[]

  • Mera's ship: After Aquaman's trident was destroyed during the fight against Orm, she saved him using her ship.

Relationships[]

Family[]

Allies[]

Enemies[]

Trivia[]

  • In the DC Comics universe, Mera is the wife of Aquaman who later becomes Queen of Atlantis and joins the Justice League. She and Aquaman eventually have a son named Arthur Curry, Jr., who is murdered by Black Manta. In DC Comics Rebirth, Mera and Arthur have a daughter Andy, who will eventually take her place on the Future Justice League as Aquawoman.
  • In the 2017 version of Justice League, Mera's accent is vaguely British/American. Aquaman and subsequent future installments have Mera speak a standard American accent, though her depiction in Zack Snyder's Justice League retains her scenes seen in the theatrical version with the vaguely British/American accent as well as newly-shot scenes where her British accent is more pronounced.
  • In DC Comics, Mera was betrothed to Nereus, who is her ex-fiancée instead of her father.

Behind the Scenes[]

References[]

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