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Black Manta #2 revealed that Aquaman’s sidekick has power that no one expected and could potentially bring serious change to the DC Universe.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Black Manta #2, on sale now from DC Comics.
When Jackson Hyde was first introduced to the DC Universe during the Brightest Day era, it was clear that he was being positioned to someday be the next Aquaman. For now, he’s still the sidekick to Arthur Curry in comics even though he has been promoted in the Young Justice animated series, possibly foreshadowing what the publisher may have planned. Regardless, Jackson is still a very important character in the books, seeking out his identity as a queer hero and a son of two worlds. Now, in Black Manta #2 (by Chuck Brown, Valentine De Landro, Marissa Loiuse and Clayton Cowles), it appears that the current Aqualad may have more power than anyone ever expected, and his destiny may be forever changed.
In this issue, Jackson’s father, Black Manta, attains a mysterious orb and works with Dr. Shin to unearth more about its secrets. He learns that the orb is made from Orichalcum, a metal that reacts with the blood of members of a lost tribe of Atlantis. Manta has been experiencing headaches since coming in contact with the metal, and Shin confirms that many people, including a student he’s studied, are going through aneurysms that are connected to the metal.
The doctor believes that there’s a larger rock somewhere on the planet that is targeting folks who possess this unique Atlantean blood. The awakening could kill these humans, or possibly make them stronger, which shocks Gallous, Manta’s new sidekick, as it seems Manta is indeed Atlantean and of a powerful species. Thus, if he’s not just a pirate or human mercenary, that means Jackson, his son, will have a more pure Atlantean heritage.
Prior to this revelation, Aqualad’s Atlantean mom, Lucia, was thought to be the source of his powers, but it looks like Manta may also play a key role. More so, Jackson could be on the cusp of unlocking new abilities as Aqualad and may also grow to be even more powerful than Aquaman.
Ironically, the metal appears to be the opposite of DC’s anti-magic metal, Nth metal. This was used on Thanagar to bestow its soldiers with power and possesses anti-magic capabilities, which has been effective against many mystical soldiers in the DCU. But according to Shin, Orichalcum is attuned to magic, giving Jackson the potential to become the most powerful mage ever seen in Atlantis.
Young Justice touched on Aqualad’s magical abilities, powering up his hydrokinesis and turning Jackson into a powerful weapon of mass destruction. With the Phantom Stranger reaffirming Nth metal comes from Heaven in Are You Afraid of Darkseid #1, this new metal may be celestial in nature as well, hinting at a big transformation for Jackson in the near future. More so, with other humans reacting to the metal, Jackson now has a means of locating and reforming his lost tribe.
While the powerful new group of Atlanteans may align with Arthur, there’s a chance that Manta will want them and his son to rally to a united cause. Either way, there is a good chance that Jackson will end up being the leader of this new group, making him the new king of an entire race of powerful new beings.
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