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- "I just kept going. You celebrate the wins, you mourn the losses. And you wake up the next day and you do it again. Sometimes not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do."
- ―Thomas Curry to Arthur Curry[src]
Thomas "Tom" Curry is the husband of Queen Atlanna and the father of Arthur Curry.
Biography[]
Meeting Atlanna[]
- "I will return to you. When it's safe. One day. Right here, at sunrise. We'll be together again."
- ―Atlanna to Tom Curry[src]
During a storm in Amnesty Bay, Tom Curry was trying to fix a broken window in his lighthouse when he saw the unconscious body of Atlanna in the distance. Curry rescued her from the shore to take her to her house, however, when Atlanna woke up from her, she attacked Curry, believing that he was an enemy, and then passed out again from her injuries, for which Curry began to heal her. The next morning, Curry met Atlanna again after she ate one of her fish, inviting her over for tea, beginning to warm to her.
Over time, Curry offered Atlanna lodging, with whom he fell in love. After a few months, Atlanna gave birth to their little son, whom they named Arthur Curry after Hurricane Arthur and in honor of the legend of King Arthur, Atlanna, believing that her young son was the one destined to one day reunite the surface and the seas, as well as become the King of Atlantis, told him stories about the legend of the Trident of Atlanna.
One day, while Atlanna was telling the story of the Trident of Atlan to little Arthur Curry, a group of Men-of-War sent by King Orvax attacked the lighthouse, due to Atlanna's defection from Atlantis, and finding herself surrounded, Atlanna decided to fight the soldiers until defeating them one by one with the help of Curry, who threw the trident at her to fight.
Forced to return to Atlantis to protect Thomas and Arthur, Atlanna had to say goodbye to them, while Thomas tried to talk her out of it, but Atlanna promised that she would return to them one day when it is safe, so they could be together again. For the next twenty years, Thomas began taking walks to the pier every morning, waiting for Atlanna's return, while he took care of Arthur.[1]
Supporting Arthur[]
- "She believed you'd be the one to unite our two worlds."
- ―Tom Curry to Arthur Curry[src]
By 2018, Thomas had become used to his son becoming a publicly-known hero called Aquaman. While he and Arthur were drinking beer at a local bar and discussing Arthur's heroic rescue of several Russian Navy soldiers, a tough-looking group of patrons approached the two with seeming intent to pick a fight, but who rather wanted pictures with Arthur.
In the night, Tom and Arthur left the bar to go back to the lighthouse, where Thomas waited in his vehicle, while Arthur talked with Mera about stopping Orm Marius to which Arthur refused. As they were driving to the lighthouse, a gigantic wave washed up on the shoreline of Amnesty Bay, flipping the vehicle over, but luckily, Mera showed up to help Arthur and save Tom, using her hydrokinetic powers to expel the water from inside.[1]
Reunited with Atlanna[]
Curry reunites with Atlanna
After Arthur defeated Orm and was crowned as the rightful King of Atlantis, Thomas walked down to the pier once more until he was surprised to Atlanna waiting for him. At the sight of his one true love, Thomas rushed up to Atlanna and happily embraced her, before they shared a kiss.[1]
Personality[]
Thomas is dedicated, compassionate and courageous. He is supportive of his son's heroics and believes in him more than Arthur did. He also loved his wife Atlanna and would wait at the pier every morning until she came back twenty years later.
Abilities[]
- "You want me to have them put that in a sippy cup for you?"
"How is that I can breathe underwater, but you can still drink me under the table?"
"That's my superpower." - ―Thomas and Arthur Curry[src]
- Seamanship: Thomas has shown excellent knowledge of the sea, akin to his career as a lighthouse keeper.
- Peak human metabolism: Thomas Curry has shown an amazing high tolerance for alcohol. Despite Arthur's high-born Atlantean anatomy, he cannot hold liquor as well as his father.
- Bilingualism: Tom speaks both English and Māori.
Facilities[]
- Amnesty Bay lighthouse: Tom Curry owns and operates the Amnesty Bay lighthouse, where he also lives.
Relationships[]
Family[]
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Enemies[]
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Behind the Scenes[]
- According to Zack Snyder, one detail included in the The Mother Box Origins teaser was Tom Curry's urn seen alongside Aquaman sitting on his throne.[3]
- In the DC Comics universe, Tom Curry was originally the biological father of Arthur Curry along with Atlanna. On her deathbed, Atlanna revealed to her son that she is the exiled Queen of Atlantis and he would someday inherit rule of the seven seas. Tom then raised Arthur and taught him to control his powers, eventually allowing him to grow up and become Aquaman. In Post-Crisis, Tom Curry found Arthur as a child swimming in the ocean. He became the boy's friend, mentor and gave him the name Arthur. One day, Arthur returned from a swim in the sea to find his foster father gone. Presumably, he was dead, because he never returned, Arthur was then left to return to the sea alone. In the New 52, Atlanna rescued Tom from a terrible storm and the two soon after fell in love. Together they had Arthur but Atlanna was forced to return to Atlantis. When Arthur's superhuman abilities began to manifest, Thomas was forced to reach out to Doctor Stephen Shin, believing his hunt for answers about Atlantis would make him the best qualified. Shin became desperate in his desire to reach Atlantis, and the believed Arthur could lead him there. He eventually went public and in act of desperation, he turned to Black Manta to recover a small sample of Arthur's blood to verify his claims. Instead, Manta attacked the lighthouse and attempted to murder Arthur, where he had a heart attack. He later dies at the hospital after spending his final moments with Arthur.
- Clint Elvy was a stunt double for Temuera Morrison in the role of Thomas Curry.
