Kaldur'ahm

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Jackson Hyde
)
Atlantis
Team affiliationsYoung Justice
Justice League
The Light
PartnershipsWyynde
Notable aliasesKaldur
Aqualad
Aquaman II
Abilities
  • Atlantean physioloigy grants him superhuman strength, adaptation to underwater environments, enhanced senses, and can swim at superhuman speed levels.
  • Proficiency in magic; allows for mystical hydrokinesis, hydrokinetic constructs, bio-electric energy blasts, and other magical abilities.
  • Natural-born leader and planner
  • Master strategist
  • Master of deception and duplicity

Kaldur'ahm, or Kaldur for short, is the superhero codenamed

Cal Durham (the character's foster father), formerly a henchman of the supervillain Black Manta (the character's biological father) who was sent to infiltrate Atlantis, but defected to the Atlanteans. While originally developed for television, DC quickly adapted the character to its mainstream comic books, with Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis' re-interpreting the character.[2]
For television, creators were able to tell a story where Aqualad had known and worked with Aquaman for many years, while the comic book version had to be introduced to Aquaman and readers at the same time, meaning aspects of his backstory had to be changed.

Debuting under the name Jackson Hyde in

Mera, who leaves him on the surface and arranges for him to be adopted. When he and his adoptive family were targeted by forces from the extradimensional realm, Aquaman protects him and his family. When he learns his true origins, he decides to help Aquaman. Eventually, he adopts the Aqualad name and becomes a sidekick of Aquaman and a member of the Teen Titans
.

In 2016, years after The New 52 and during DC Rebirth, Jackson Hyde was re-introduced as an openly gay teenager and is the son of Black Manta and Lucia, a Xebellian elite and former member of Xebel's honor guard who was once seduced by Black Manta with promises of a life outside Xebel. The character would begin working as a member Teen Titans, adopting the Aqualad alias (per a request from Tempest) similar to his prior comic version.[3] Later, the character sought mentorship in Aquaman and began working alongside him and Mera while being supported by his mother. In Aquaman: The Becoming, the character would first use the Aquaman codename concurrently with Arthur Curry, the two depicted as partners.

Fictional character biography

Young Justice version

In the

Tula
, who became involved with Garth after Kaldur left Atlantis.

In season two, titled Young Justice: Invasion set five years later, Kaldur is working undercover with Black Manta, for

Reach via a hologram and he and Artemis and Miss Martian reveal their play. During a substantial conflict between the Light, the Reach, and the gathered forces of the Team which had infiltrated the Light's foot-soldiers, Aqualad defeats Black Manta and it is soon after revealed he had also been the one to defeat Deathstroke. He is made leader of the team again by Nightwing, who soon leaves in the wake of Wally
's death during the defeat of the Reach in the season 2 finale.

In the

polysexuality
.

He appears in the Young Justice: Phantoms episode "Tale of Two Sisters", in where he informs Artemis that Conner has died. He has an arc in the second half involving a conspiracy where Vandal Savage creates clones of Ocean Master, one of which is disguised as the long dead Arion, to try to manipulate a prophecy to control Atlantis.[6] He laters grows a beard. Kaldur takes a brief hiatus from hero work to grieve in Atlantis, now sharing the title of Aquaman with Orin and Lagoon Boy. He later returns for the final arc of the season where he works with Nightwing and learns that Superboy never actually died, but had been trapped in the Phantom Zone, taking part in the mission to free him from General Zod's control.

Comic books

Aquaman
Xebellian/Human hybrid
Place of originXebel
Team affiliationsYoung Justice
Teen Titans
Justice League
Justice League Queer
Supporting character ofAquaman
Notable aliasesAqualad
Abilities
  • Xebellian hybrid physiology allows for superhuman strength, durability, enhanced senses, and ability to breathe underwater. Also inherited the natural of hydrokinesis (create hard water constructs) and electrokinesis.
  • Skilled hand-to-hand combatant and knowledge in various weaponry.

A different version of the character debuted in

Mera
. The character's set of powers also differs from his animated counterpart, his powers telepathic in nature in tandem with his natural physiology instead of being mystical and lacks inherent magical powers.

Pre-Flashpoint

Earlier life

A teenager from

Siren and her Death Squad.[9][10]

Brightest Day

Jackson Hyde and his on-and-off again girlfriend Maria are first drawn into the events of Brightest Day after witnessing

Mera also has some sort of connection to him.[11] After witnessing Jackson in the rain, his adoptive father takes him to a cottage by the sea. He tells him that Mera had given Jackson to him, asking that he keep him away from his parents, and he was given an Atlantean chest to be opened when the truth is discovered. Before the chest can be opened, Black Manta, along with Siren and her Death Squad, attacks. Jackson (using his ability to create hard water constructs) defends his adoptive father, but cannot stop Black Manta from shooting a trident-shaped dart at him. Jackson's adoptive father would have died if not for Aquaman's intervention, who blocks and crushes the dart.[12]

Aquaman gets Jackson and his foster father to safety where everything is explained to them. The chest is opened, which activates a map.[13] Using the map, the two discover a sealed chest that only Jackson can open. Once the chest is opened, Jackson is shown a recording from Mera, who explains that his father and mother had been kidnapped and tortured by the people of Xebel (an extradimensional Atlantean penal colony) while exploring the Bermuda Triangle, where the gateway to the colony is located. Xebel's king had ordered that the child, the first "outsider" born there in centuries, be experimented on to serve as a key that would finally free them from their exile. Fearing for the child's safety, Mera had stolen the infant and brought him to the surface world, where she subsequently gave him to the foster family that ended up raising him. She also reveals his true name; Kaldur'ahm. Once the recording is over, Jackson discovers several items which Mera had left for him, notably a soldier's uniform from Xebel and a pair of "Water Bearers", metallic constructs that help him control his water-manipulation abilities.[14]

Aquaman and Jackson ultimately end up in

cauterize Aquaman's wound, Jackson and Mera are able to work together to seal Black Manta, Siren, and the rest of the invaders away in the Bermuda Triangle. As the heroes celebrate, Jackson is shown to begin harboring a crush on Aquagirl.[16] Afterwards, Mera tells Aquaman that Jackson wants to continue his training. Aquaman informs her that he has already contacted the Titans.[17]

Teen Titans: Team Building

After

Titans Tower and confronting Superboy, Wonder Girl, Beast Boy and Kid Flash is shown as part of a collage of future events that will affect the team.[18][19]

Rebirth

In the DC Rebirth timeline, the Jackson Hyde version of the character is reintroduced as a gay teenager, and visually looks more like his Young Justice counterpart. It is mentioned that he displays a near superhuman talent for swimming.[20] Aqualad joined the Teen Titans after the team encounters him while exploring the San Francisco Bay for a mission.

Powers and abilities

Young Justice version

Kaldur'ahm is granted various powers through his Atlantean-based hybrid physiology, possessing superhuman strength, durability, enhanced senses, capability to breathe underwater and swim at fast speeds, and one mentioned to have resistance towards poisons. In addition to his natural abilities, the character trained in the mystic arts in the Conservatory of Sorcery, his magic indicated by the eel-shaped skin icons. With his magical abilities, he can generate electricity, bend and shape water at will, create hard-water constructs, and utilize spell-casting.

In addition to his powers, Kaldur is an expert combatant and is considered a capable tactician and leader, having led both the Team and later became the chairman of the Justice League. He is also extremely duplicitous, having manage to position himself within the clandestine organization, the Light, as a double agent and was able to create and perform complex manipulations and plans to maintain his position.

Comic book version

Due to his hybridized Xebellian physiology, Jackson is capable of living and breathing underwater, possessing superhuman strength, superhuman durability, and enhanced senses (allowing him to see in the dark). Due to his Xebellian heritage, he is also capable of generating electricity in a manner similar to an electric eel as well as manipulating and shaping water at will similarly to characters like Mera and Siren, his powers being telepathic in nature (unlike his Young Justice counterpart, in which are magical).[21] Sometime after adopting the Aquaman name, the character's hydrokinetic prowess is depicted as being at a higher level, the character being proficient enough to manipulate blood within an individual.[22]

In addition to his powers, the character is also a skilled combatant, having received training from Robin (Damian Wayne)[3] and Aquaman (Arthur Curry).[23]

Other versions

  • A version of Aqualad appears as a part of the
    Red Robin.[24]
  • Jackson Hyde appears as Aqualad in the prequel comic to Injustice 2, where he's agreed to represent the oceans and joins Batman's efforts to repair the world after Superman's tyranny. However, he is later revealed to be allied with Ra's al Ghul and assassinates the president after Blue Beetle accidentally destroys a number of endangered species in Ra's' reserve.[25]
  • DC Comics released the original graphic novel You Brought Me the Ocean on June 16, 2020.
    HBO Max.[28]

In other media

Television

Film

Video games

  • Aqualad appears as a playable character in Young Justice: Legacy, which is set between the first and second seasons of Young Justice. Khary Payton reprises the role.
  • Aqualad appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains.
  • Aqualad appears in DC Universe Online.
  • Aqualad appears in DC Legends.

References

  1. ^ Toner, Allison (2010-10-11). "NY Comic-Con 2010: Young Justice Preview". Poptimal. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
  2. ^ a b "Opening the Vault - A Live-action Blue Beetle?" (Press release). DC Comics. 2010-06-15. Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  3. ^
    OCLC 987325969.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  4. ^ "NY Comic-Con 2010: Young Justice Preview". Poptimal.com. 2010-10-11. Archived from the original on 2010-10-21. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
  5. ^ "NYCC 2010: Young Justice Animated". Titanstower.com. 2010-10-11. Archived from the original on 2012-05-15. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
  6. ^ Christian Holub. "'Young Justice' showrunners tease the climactic second half of 'Phantoms'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  7. ^ "BRIGHTEST DAY EXCLUSIVE: WHO IS THE NEW AQUALAD?". DC Comics. 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
  8. ^ "New Aqualad to debut in Brightest Day, Young Justice cartoon". Comic Book Resources. 11 June 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  9. ^ Brightest Day #7 (October)
  10. ^ Brightest Day #9 (September 2010)
  11. ^ "Green Arrow vs. Martian Manhunter?". DC Comics. 2010-08-30. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  12. ^ Brightest Day #10 (September 2010)
  13. ^ Brightest Day #11 (October 2010)
  14. ^ Brightest Day #16 (December 2010)
  15. ^ Brightest Day #19 (February 2011)
  16. ^ Brightest Day #20 (February 2011)
  17. ^ Brightest Day #24 (April 2011)
  18. ^ Teen Titans (vol. 3) #88 (October 2010)
  19. OCLC 709682505
    .
  20. ^ DC Rebirth #1
  21. OCLC 1089398386.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  22. ^ Aquamen #2 (May 2022). DC Comics.
  23. OCLC 1293665669.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  24. ^ Red Robin #19 (March 2011)
  25. ^ Injustice 2 #10 (2016)
  26. ^ "YOU BROUGHT ME THE OCEAN". DC Comics. 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  27. ^ YOU BROUGHT ME THE OCEAN. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  28. ^ "DC's Aqualad Getting His Own HBO Max Series Courtesy of Charlize Theron". 8 April 2022.
  29. ^ "HBO Max to Develop Aqualad Origin Story 'You Brought Me the Ocean', Charlize Theron to Produce". Variety. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-09.

External links