Major Story Arcs
Pre-Crisis
In her Silver Age incarnation, Atlanna left Atlantis to travel abroad. She was almost killed in a raging hurricane but her unconscious body was located by Tom Curry. A lonely lighthouse keeper, Tom took her in and nursed her body back to health. The two fell in love and acted as husband and wife. They had a son, Arthur Curry. She decided to keep her origins secret. She died young due to an illness. She confessed the truth about her life on her deathbed. Arthur was only a child when he learned of his Atlantean origins.
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, her history was significantly altered. She was wife to King Trevis who was sterile and thus their marriage was childless. One night in her dreams she was seduced by Atlan, a powerfull and ages old Atlantean sorcerer. Theygave birth to a son, Orin. But the boy was born with blond hair, considered an ill omen by their people. She was sent into exile and lost contact with her son. She attempted to return to Atlantis but was there captured and imprisoned. Vulko, an elderly scholar was her only friend in her years of captivity. An adult Orin got the chance to see his mother when he became a fellow prisoner. She died soon after due to illness. This world’s Tom Curry had adopted Orin but never met Atlanna.
Flashpoint
Following Brightest Day, aspects of the Silver Age version may be back in continuity but it is unclear yet as to what extent. It is possible the origin provided in Flashpoint will reflect the new origin.
During the Emperor Aquaman story in the crossover event Flashpoint, another altered origin for Aquaman’s birth (and thus Atlanna) was told. This one combined the silver age and modern age origins.
Instead of being the Queen of Atlantis, Atlanna is the princess who has run away. She meets the solitery lighthouse keeper Tom Curry, the two fall in love and she soon becomes pregnant. Atlantean soldiers sent by her father find her and drag her back to Atlantis, almost killing Tom Curry in the process, she dies giving birth and the unwanted child is abandoned on Mercy Reef. Dolphins (possibly Porm) knowing that the child is the destined ruler of the seas, take him back to his father who brings him up on the surface world. When the King dies and his advisor sends for the child to be returned, Tom Curry mistakes this for an attack and dies fighting the Atlantean soldiers. This version of Aquaman grows up violent and without the compassion he learns from his father.
Like all Atlanteans, Atlanna is amphibious but needs regular contact with the sea to remain healthy. Her body is durable enough to withstand the pressures of the sea depths. Her strength and stamina were superhuman to an unknown degree. She was a low-level telepath, an ability widespread in her people for communication.
The New 52
Atlanna in the New 52 is the mother of Aquaman and Orm and former queen of Atlantis. She was married to a military leader, Orvax Marius the father of Orm Marius. It is revealed that Atlanna sought to escape from Atlantis after Orvax Marius claimed he had killed Tom Curry and their son Arthur. She killed Orvax when he tried to stop her and escaped to a place called Pacifica alongside the purple eyed Atlantean refugees that possess some psychic abilities, while everyone in Atlantis thought she was dead. Pacifica is a place enhanced by ancient Atlantean magic and was cultivated to be a safe haven for Atlanteans who wanted to remain on land, after it was discovered that Atlantis was slowly sinking into the oceans.
There she found a powerful item called the Staff of Storms but also some kind of volcano, where the volcano god Karaku rests and must be given offerings periodically. The staff allowed her to keep Karaku at bay and live in harmony with the Atlantean refugees and the Atlantean beasts that live in Pacifica.
Recently Aquaman and Mera arrived in Pacifica after discovering that Atlanna was alive.
Powers and Abilities
Atlanna is an Atlantean royal with blond hair and possesses typical Atlantean attributes with the addition of some sort of telepathy due to the blond hair, similar to Aquaman.
Superhuman Strength
Atlanna like all Atlanteans has some degree of superhuman strength.
Enhanced Durability
Atlanna like all Atlanteans has some degree of enhanced durability.
Underwater Adaptation
She can function normally underwater and is able to withstand the high pressures and extreme temperatures of the deep.
Animal Telepathy
Atlanna has shown the ability to control the Atlantean beasts and animals that live in Pacifica.
Postcognition
She can sense things that have happened by touching something, like the local plant life.
Leadership
She was the queen of Atlantis and is now the leader of an Atlantean colony.
Tracking
Atlanna is a capable tracker, further enhanced by her postcognition powers.
Armed combat
Atlanna is quite skilled in the use of her magical spear, the Staff of Storms.
Weapons and Equipment
Atlanna wields a magical Atlantean spear called the Staff of Storms.
Staff of Storms
The spear is magical and can discharge blasts of energy strong enough to incapacitate a normal Atlantean in one strike (or more powerful opponents like Aquaman in multiple strikes). The blade can also pierce Atlantean armor.
Character Profile
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 180 lbs
- Eye Color: Blue
- Hair Color: Blond
- Citizenship: Atlantean
- Place of Birth: Atlantis
- Marital Status: Widowed
- Occupation: Queen
- Known Relatives: Tom Curry (ex-husband, deceased), Orvax (husband, deceased), Arthur Curry (son), Orm (son), Tula (step-daughter)
Movies
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis
Queen Atalanna is one of the many characters that appears in the this movie by Ethan Spaulding and Jay Oliva. The plot of the movie is that Prince Orm wanted to attack the surface world, but her mother opposed. As a result, she was killed by her son. We, the Audience can assume that the reason that she did not want to rage a war against the surface world is because she loved coming in the surface world. As her origin story goes: She went to the Surface world and fell in love with a human, Aquaman’s father, but she had to return back to the sea living her son, Arthur, aka Aquaman with his father on the surface world.
Aquaman (2018)
Queen Atalanna is set to appear as one of the many characters in the upcoming Aquaman Movie. The movie is schedule to release on December 21, 2018 directed by James Wan. Queen Atalanna is play by Nicole Kidman. At this point, no one knows anything about the movie yet or what her role is in it.
Television
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
She appears in a small flashback on third episode. She gave the power to rule Atlantis to Aquaman over his brother Orm.