A nuclear submarine is attacked in the Atlantic Ocean by Atlanteans, forcing the League to come face-to-face with Aquaman. Aquaman takes Superman up on his advice to go to Metropolis and take his problems up with the various governments of the world. When a mercenary, Deadshot, attacks Aquaman, the League steps in. Aquaman discovers that Lord Orm, his own brother, was behind the attack and is attempting to usurp control of Atlantis and wage war on the surface.
Tropes:
- Arc Villain: Lord Orm, who falls to his presumed death at the end of the story, never to be seen or mentioned again. The writers later admitted that this was done
just in case they wanted to bring him back for another story, plans which never materialised (possibly in part because in later seasons, Aquaman was Exiled from Continuity, making any such idea unworkable). - Armor-Piercing Question: Mera calls out on Green Lantern for saying that her husband is mad, cutting off his hand to save their child.Mera: Is it madness to sacrifice all for someone you love?
- Art Evolution: Aquaman's character model from his previous DCAU appearance, which was based on his traditional look, is discarded in favor of a new model inspired by his then-recent 1990s redesign. Ironically, Bruce Timm's admitted they had used the classic design on STAS because they'd hated Arthur's Nineties look. However, the look grew on them in the interim and they finally embraced it for this episode.
- Artistic License – Geology: The threat of the doomsday device is exaggerated. Melting the North Pole wouldn't enormously impact sea levels (the ice is floating in water and therefore is already displacing a large amount of water, depending on exactly how the mass and density works out, the area level has an ever so slight potential of dropping of all the arctic ice sheet were to melt), though it could still be devastating to costal regions on its own, and would hardly be a world ending flood, however devastating it might be to world population centers which tend to be close to the coasts. It could have significant impact in another way, the amount of freshwater entering the North Atlantic could temporarily kill the Gulf Stream, sending temperatures in northern Europe into freefall for quite a while, but that still wouldn't be world ending. Though it could cause a collapse of civilization.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Upon learning her husband and son are in danger, Mera didn't hesitate in knocking out the guards to save the Justice League, who are the only ones that can help her find her family.
- Bittersweet Ending: Orm's plan to destroy the surface has been stopped and Aquaman takes back his rightful place as king of Atlantis, even starting to realize that his hatred and fear of the surface world has done him and his kingdom more harm than good. After everything that has happened, peace between Atlantis and the surface will be difficult to achieve, but Aquaman remains hopeful for the sake of his son.
- Cain and Abel: Aquaman and Orm.
- Captain Obvious: When Superman asks Deadshot why he tried to kill Aquaman, he sarcastically asks, "Gee, why would a hired gun try to shoot somebody? Could it be that someone paid me to?"
- Later in the episode, when Aquaman tells the League about the Doomsday Thermal Reactor, Superman declares "Orm must be stopped!"
- Disney Villain Death: The impact of Orm’s death via a deep fall is not shown.
- Drowning Pit: When Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and J'onn are captured, Orm orders them executed in a chamber that fills with water. Mera had to knock out the guards and shut it off to save them.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Nobody uses Aquaman's real name (Orin, in his case).
- Exact Words: The cliffhanger sees Aquaman confront his brother Orm in Atlantis' throne room, and orders the soldiers present to arrest the traitor. Unfortunately for Aquaman, in those soldiers' eyes, he's the traitor.
- Fanservice Extra: The 2 bikini-clad women on a beach where Aquaman surfaces.
- Gory Discretion Shot: We see Aquaman swinging his sharp belt buckle, and find out what he was doing when he returns with the baby's blanket wrapped around his severed wrist.
- I Have Your Wife: Orm kidnaps Aquaman's son to force Mera to cooperate with him.
- Just Following Orders: Deconstructed. After Orm's defeat, the soldiers that defected are brought to the throne room. General Brak tries to appeal to him using this line, but Aquaman is not having any of it and has them charged with high treason. It's worth noting here that Aquaman was still the rightful king and they did violate their oaths of service to the king by following a usurper, so no, the justification does not hold up.Aquaman: Get them out of my sight.
- Life-or-Limb Decision: Aquaman had to cut off his hand to free himself and save his son. Just like in the comics, he gets a Hook Hand.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": When Aquaman tells the Justice League of the Doomsday Reactor, everyone in the room has their jaws on the floor from shock.
- Not His Sled: Aquaman has long been a fixture of many iterations of the Justice League, so it comes as a surprise that he doesn't join the team here. However, later on he was considered for membership in "Hereafter", then becomes an official member in the third season onward.
- Papa Wolf: Orm's attempt on his nephew's life voids any affection Aquaman might still have had for him.
- Playing the Family Card: Orm has no problem begging his brother, who he tried to murder, for help by playing the family card. Unfortunately for him, Aquaman doesn't fall for it and just lets him die.
- Power Nullifier: When the Justice League is captured, they are fitted with headbands that stop them from concentrating enough to use their powers.
- Prongs of Poseidon: Aquaman, king of Atlantis, wields a trident as always.
- Refuse to Rescue the Disliked: When Orm ends up holding onto the ledge for dear life, he shamelessly begs Aquaman for help and plays the family card, despite attempting to murder him and his infant son, usurp him as King of Atlantis, and destroy the surface world. Aquaman, seeing right through the obvious insincerity and knowing that Orm will likely just try to kill him again if he does save him, instead just takes back his trident and lets Orm fall into the abyss below.
- Save the Villain: Subverted. Orm ends up dangling off a ledge over a high drop, screaming for help, after trying to kill both his brother Aquaman and his infant son as well as untold numbers of people by melting the polar ice caps. Aquaman reaches down...and grabs his nearby trident instead, while Orm falls to his death.Aquaman: I believe this is mine.
- Sequel Episode: A loose one to "A Fish Story", picking up Aquaman's storyline and Atlantis' tensions with the surface world that were established on STAS.
- So Much for Stealth: The League goes to Atlantis to warn Aquaman, and Superman suggests keeping under the defenders' radar. Unfortunately, they were spotted instantly.
- Tempting Fate:
- After he gets captured, Deadshot blusters "You can't scare me, Batman." After a quick "word of advice", he's telling all he knows.
- When he pulls out his knife at Aquaman, Orm calls him "spineless". Moments later, Orm ends up dangling on a ledge begging his brother for help, but Aquaman shows him how "spineless" he is by allowing Orm to fall to his death.
- Villain Has a Point: Orm may be a treacherous warmonger, but he is right when he says that surface-dwellers are polluting the ocean and intruding in their territory.
- Villains Want Mercy: When dangling off a cliff, Orm, despite having tried to kill both Aquaman and his infant nephew as part of his coup attempt, has the sheer nerve to beg Aquaman to help him. Instead, Aquaman takes back his trident and lets Orm fall to his doom.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit:
- A news report detailing Aquaman getting transferred to another hospital is actually a trap set by Batman to catch the assassin. The "Aquaman" who was being wheeled on a gurney was actually J'onn in disguise.
- Implied when Orm was begging Aquaman to save him from falling. When Aquaman reached down, Orm was seen smirking, but then loses all color in his face when Aquaman was simply picking up his trident, leaving him to fall to his death.
- You Do Not Want To Know: Superman refuses to tell Wonder Woman what Batman said to scare Deadshot. His expression suggests that he wishes he hadn't heard it himself.note
- You Don't Look Like You: Aquaman is given a completely different look here and for the rest of the DC Animated Universe from how he looked back in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "A Fish Story" and his brief cameo in the Batman Beyond episode "The Call". The redesign followed the new look Peter David gave him in his comic book but omitted how David showed his look changing.
