'Aquaman' post-credits scene: What the Black Manta-Dr Shin alliance means for the DC universe
If you haven’t watched ‘Aquaman’ already, I implore you to turn back right away, because there are spoilers coming your way, and they are aplenty.
Now that you are here, I assume you have already reveled in the magical VFX of ‘Aquaman’ and experienced the majesty of Atlantis. From the costumes to cinematography, there is quite a bit that we can gush about this film. However, it is the end-credit scene that has stayed in the dreams of this fan, post ‘Aquaman’.
The good guy aka Aquaman (Jason Momoa) underwent a Herculean challenge to prove himself worthy of the title of a superhero, and defeated the bad guy, aka his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson). Aquaman is the new Ocean Master and Orm is tucked away in the very secure depths of Atlantis' prison. "So now, what?" You will find yourself asking if you did not stay for the credits to be rolled out.
Turns out the really real bad guy, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is actually alive despite the seemingly fatal soirée with Aquaman at Sicily. If you want a gentle refresher, Arthur Curry threw a very heavy - understatement - chain and ball at Black Manta’s neck which threw him to the sea and, in all probability, sank him.
Whether it’s some sort of Atlantis tech or his sheer determination to get revenge for his father’s death, he is alive as of the end credits scene and has renewed vigor and seemingly a new ally. In the comic book universe, Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park) is a friend of young Arthur, before begrudging him because of his refusal to give the marine biologist the location of Atlantis.
They have a complicated relationship because Dr. Shin is obsessed with Atlantis and has the most information on the underwater world among all land-dwellers. However, his pursuit of finding out more is hindered by Arthur’s inhibitions.
In the movie, however, it seems like Dr Shin and Arthur do not seem to have any personal knowledge of each other. We see him asking Black Manta, who was saved from the sea by a boat of fishermen, to share all the knowledge he has about Aquaman. He is shown as a conspiracy theorist in newsroom panels, where his opinions on Atlantis are perceived as the paranoid ramblings of a mad scientist.
Come ‘Aquaman 2’, this is sure to change. The high-tech pirate’s friendship will prove to be beneficial for the good doctor, even as his expertise will help Black Manta exact his revenge on Arthur. Momoa has already admitted he has pitched the opening scene for ‘Aquaman 2,’ and we cannot wait to see what that looks like.
We wonder if it will introduce Arthur Jr., his son with Princess Mera (Amber Heard). In the comic book universe, Black Manta had killed the boy, dubbed Aquababy, by suffocating him. We wonder if the movie universe would go this far, but we are excited for what is to come. Noticeably, no other member of the ‘Justice League’ appeared in the movie, however, the DC Universe will see the return of their superheroes introduced in so far.
Momoa confirmed Henry Cavill will return as Superman, and it would be nothing short of suicide for the franchise not to bring Gal Gadot back as the Themyscirian, Diana Prince. Gadot is already working on ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ which is set for release June 5, 2020. Ezra Miller (Flashpoint), meanwhile, is working on ‘Flashpoint,’ while Ray Fisher’s Cyborg remains movie-less.
‘Aquaman’s success definitely calls for a sequel. After all, the ticket sales for the first 24-hour pre-sale is the highest in the history of Atom Tickets. On Fandango, the movie set the record for number of tickets sold. Moreover, in China, where the film was released two weeks prior to its U.S. debut, 'Aquaman’ made $24.6 million (¥169.5 million) on its first day, setting a Warner Bros. opening day record in the country.