Aquaman 2’s Lost Kingdom, Blood Magic & Orichalcum Explained

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s blood magic, Orichalcum, and other elements added some nice complexity to an otherwise straightforward DCEU movie. 

Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry teamed up with his brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) for the last movie in the DCEU, leading to a fun adventure that gave Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s characters, both with small and large roles, their time to shine before the franchise gets rebooted.

The sequel to Aquaman continued director James Wan’s exploration of the DCEU’s underwater Kingdom of Atlantis, adding some exciting worldbuilding as Arthur embraces his new role as the King of Atlantis.

1. The Lost Kingdom Necrus Explained

In DC Comics’ Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Necrus is a crucial element drawn from the depths of imagination. As the Kingdom depicted in the movie’s enticing title, Necrus holds a pivotal place in the epic finale of the DCEU. 

However, how Necrus is portrayed in the movie differs to a certain extent from its original depiction in the comics.

In the comics, Necrus, also known as the Black City, is a mystical metropolis that mysteriously appears and disappears over time. This elusive quality is attributed to the city’s existence in a different realm, only materializing in our world when an otherworldly satellite passes through Earth’s orbit.

The powerful magnetic force of Earth has a unique effect on a satellite, causing it to open a gateway for Necrus to enter. The exact location of the lost Kingdom on Earth depends on the foreign satellite’s path, which is constantly shifting and elusive.

In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the depiction of Necrus deviates significantly from its original portrayal in the comics. Unlike the original Black City, Necrus in the DCEU is not connected to an extraterrestrial satellite but is instead a fixed location on Earth, existing in a separate dimension.

The DCEU movie’s Necrus was one of the seven kingdoms, becoming lost to all after it was cursed. King Kordax’s fight with his brother led to the ruin of the Black City. Necrus was a superpower due to its exploitation of Orichalcum. 

However, as Necrus’s efforts were poisoning the land and the sea, King Atlan tried to stop Kordax. Kordax used black magic to craft the Black Trident to defeat Atlan and continued doing as he wished.

Kordax used the Black Trident to corrupt all of Necrus’ citizens, transforming them into mindless monsters. After being defeated by Atlan, Kordax, Necrus and its inhabitants were frozen.

2. King Kordax’s DC Comics History & Changes Explained

In the highly anticipated sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Necrus is portrayed remarkably differently from its depiction in the comics, and so is its ruler, King Kordax. 

Unlike in the comics, where Kordax was not in command, and the warlord Mongo held that position, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom introduced him as the leader. 

Furthermore, the film presents him as the brother of King Atlan, a role that Orin fills in the comics.

Kordax’s journey in the comics is vastly different, with him not sharing the same human appearance as Game of Thrones’ Pilou Asbæk, who plays the character. In the comics, Kordax’s visage boasts green skin and blonde hair, contrasting with what is portrayed on screen.

In DC Comics, the Curse of Kordax impacted children.

Due to Kordax’s terrible actions, leading the Tritonians in a bloody battle against the Poseidonians, the character’s image was so vilified in Atlantis that any Atlantean child born with blonde hair, like Kordax, was abandoned at birth to die. That impacted Aquaman.

3. How does Magic & Blood Magic Work In Aquaman 2?

Aquaman’s entrance into the franchise ushered in the concept of magic, adding a whole new layer to the already popular series. The highly anticipated sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom delves deeper into the mystical realm.

With the sensational performance of Amber Heard as Mera, we get a stunning demonstration of the incredible power that Atlanteans possess through the use of enchantments. 

Mera wields the incredible gift of Hydrokinesis, allowing her to command the very waters of the ocean. But she’s not the only one with a magical advantage. King Atlan’s iconic trident grants Aquaman unparalleled authority over the vast expanse of the seven seas.

In a groundbreaking move, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom introduces the concept of blood magic to the franchise. King Atlan used this unique sorcery to trap his wicked brother, Kordax, and all the corrupt inhabitants of Necrus, sealing their fate.

4. What Is Orichalcum In Aquaman 2?

Orichalcum is one of the most essential elements of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Orichalcum has two primary uses in the DCEU film. Black Manta and his crew are looking for the scarce resources needed to fuel the ancient Atlantean machines they found when discovering the Black Trident. 

Moreover, Black Manta decided to burn the Orichalcum, which led to the release of a large volume of greenhouse gases. The intention was to mess with the Earth’s temperatures, exponentially accelerating Global Warming. 

Orichalcum has its place both in DC Comics and the real world, making it an exciting addition to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

In DC Comics, Orichalcum is a mineral used for defense against magic. When transformed into metal, Orichalcum provided excellent resistance to spells and the ability to wound powerful foes.

In the comics, Black Manta forged a trident for himself made of Orichalcum, with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom giving the villain King Kordax’s corrupted Black Trident instead.

In the real world, Orichalcum is a metal that dates back to ancient writings. Interestingly, Orichalcum is said to have been found and mined all over Atlantis in Plato’s Critias, explaining its connection to Aquaman.

5. Devil’s Deep DC Comics History & Changes Explained

Amidst the vast expanse of the South Pacific lies a remote island known as Devil’s Deep. This elusive location serves as Black Manta’s operations base for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The film depicts the island as a lush jungle teeming with mutated flora and fauna.

Interestingly, in the original comics, Devil’s Deep is not an island but a treacherous undersea trench. In this haunting place, Spotty, a monstrous creature, has made its home, drawing a connection to Lagoon Boy. Lagoon Boy gained notoriety through his role in the beloved animated series Young Justice.

Not only does Devil’s Deep serve as Black Manta’s lair in the comics, but its depths are also believed to reach the depths of Hell itself.

6. Octobot DC Comics History & Changes Explained

The Octobot is interesting, as the vehicle does not have a direct counterpart in DC Comics.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly before the movie’s release, director James Wan revealed the inspiration for the Octobot and the other vehicles from the Lost Kingdom that Black Manta finds.

He said that it comes from a specific comic book era, “Everything about the Lost Kingdom came from my love for the Silver Age Aquaman comic book, which is the 1960s comic book. So, everything about it has a very retro feel.” 

7. About Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC character Aquaman. Produced by DC Studios, Atomic Monster, and the Safran Company, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the sequel to Aquaman (2018), and the 15th and final installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

The film was directed by James Wan from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman, alongside Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, and Nicole Kidman.

In the film, Arthur must work with his half-brother Orm (Wilson) to prevent Black Manta (Abdul-Mateen II) from killing his family and using the cursed Black Trident to overheat the world while searching for the lost seventh kingdom of the seas.