Mera

Current Events

Since the new 52 reboot, Mera has been starring alongside her husband, Aquaman, in his self-titled series.  After confronting a defeating the denizens of the Trench, they have set out to find out what has happened to Atlantis.  This brings them into contact with the Others.  With the seer dead after being murdered by Black Manta, Arthur and Ya'Wana travel to examine her body.  Arthur asks that Mera stay behind so that she can supervise Shin to ensure that he will not betray them.  

Origin

As with any character that has existed in the medium for such a long time, Mera has had her origin told many times and this creates some confusion to the exact origin of the character.  In the silver age, she was the resident of a watery dimension known as Xebel, and she fled from there to Earth from the villain Leron.  After arriving on Earth she met Aquaman and the two formed a crimefighting partnership before eventually marrying.  A modified origin indicates that Xebel was actually a banished coloney of Atlanteans which had been sealed within the Bermuda Triangle.  Mera and her sister Hila were princesses of Xebel and sent to destroy Aquaman.  Instead Mera fell in love with him and abandoned her people to become the Queen of Atlantis. 

Creation

Mera’s first appearance was in Aquaman #11 in 1963. 

Character Evolution

Mera’s publication history is a lot longer than most contemporary characters, having spanned almost fifty years.  As with many characters of the silver age (and especially female characters) her depiction was generally two dimensional, but after the decision that one of her sons died in infancy, she began to be displayed as more independent, both in love with Aquaman, but also unable to face their past.  In the new 52 reboot, they seem to be at peace with one another, though it is not yet revealed hos this relates to the continuity before the reboot.

Major Story Arcs

The majority of the character’s silver appearances did not result in any notable story arcs.  This is mostly as a result of the general depiction of comic book characters at the time (in that most did not have story arcs) instead focusing more on self-contained adventures within individual issues, or occasionally in two or three.  The first major development which occurred to Mera was the death of their child Arthur Curry Jr, who was murdered by Black Manta.  Mera began to resent that the father was not by the son when he died (as the son died a short time later while they tried to save his life.)  The two eventually came to a violent confrontation in which Aquaman assumed that Mera had died, but it was later revealed that Thantos had brainwashed her.  She was held in a hellish dimension known as the Netherworld.  She was eventually freed by her husband.  The two remained estranged and she even ruled as Queen during his exile.  Arthur had also begun a relationship with Dolphin for a time, but her would eventually reunite with Mera. 

Atlantis was sent back in time by Tempest during the Imperiex War.  It was later restored with the help of the Justice League of America.  She later showed up shortly before Aquaman’s death in One Year Later.  After these events she regained her full abilities and formed a rebel army with the new Aquaman with the goal of rebuilding Atlantis after its destruction at the hands of the Spectre. 

During Blackest Night, a group of Atlanteans including Mera attempt to retrieve the body of Aquaman to return it to the royal tomb.  She is shocked to discover he has been returned to life as a Black Lantern, and was later joined by Dolphin and Tula (Aquagirl.)  In the end the remainder of the Atlanteans are killed and Garth is brought back as a Black Lantern as well.  Black Lantern Aquaman tempts her with their deceased child but she flees and joins forces with the Atom and the Flash.  She is eventually deputized as a Red Lantern, which increased her power substantially.  When the Arthur was subsequently revived, her red ring separated itself from her, leaving her in cardiac arrest, but Saint Walker and Carol Ferris were able to save her. 

During the events of Brightest Day the two of them rekindle their love and the two began to work together, notably saving a group of children from abduction, but they are confused as Aquaman can summon zombie version of marine wildlife.  Soon after she is forced to reveal to Aquaman her true history, that she was originally sent to kill him.

The events of Flashpoint created an in continuity world which had been modified to be quite different.  In this storyline Wonder Woman and Aquaman were to be married as a political union, but a well-planned assassination stopped this course of action.  The Amazons and the Atlanteans were subsequently at war.  Mera eventually faces Wonder Woman and is decapitated, with Wonder Woman taking her distinctive helmet as a trophy.  As depicted in the new 52, things are seemingly back to normal for the pair, as the events of Flashpoint were undone.       

Powers and Abilities

Mera's physiology allows her to live and survive under water for an indefinite period of time. Mera also possesses super strength and the invulnerability caused by her ocean physiology. Mera most famously has the ability to manipulate water by creating "Hard Water" constructs. She has been shown to use her water manipulating ability to create concussive blasts of water and weapons as well as lift and move water around her. Mera also has some limited telepathy. During her short tenure as a Red Lantern, she wielded a Red Power Ring, granted her the full range of abilities which the ring grants, though of course also the same limitations (she was overcome with range.) She also a trained soldier and expert in combat due to her training from the King of Xebel.

Other Media

Aquaman: The Animated Series

Mera appeared in several episodes of this show. She was voiced by Diana Maddox.

Justice League Unlimited

Mera appeared in the episodes The Enemy Below Part 1 and Part 2, The Terror Beyond Part 1 and Part 2. She was voiced by Kristen Bauer.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Mera and her family were the central characters in the episode Aquaman's Outrageous Adventure! . She also had a cameo appearance in the episode Evil Under the Sea! She was voiced by Sirena Irwin.

Smallville

Soon after their marriage, Arthur and Mera discovered that Slade Wilson was building prisons for super-heroes following the passing of the Vigilante Registration Act and destroyed one of them. Clark Kent went to confront Arthur about this, but Mera, deeming him a threat, knocked him aside with her hydrokinesis. As Clark and Arthur went off to investigate Slade's operation further (resulting in Arthur being kidnapped), Mera was confronted by Lois Lane, who was trying to help Clark. At first, Mera deemed Lois a lesser being compared to herself, Arthur, Oliver Queen and Clark, until Lois managed to help them save Arthur with information on the prisons. Mera managed to rescue Oliver and Arthur. Later, before leaving town with Arthur, Mera apologized to Lois and admitted that she is a worthy partner of equal standing for someone like Clark. She is portrayed by Elena Satine.

Young Justice

Mera made an appearance on the show's episode "Downtime". In the episode

after a mission gone awry, Aqualad decides to return to Atlantis where he hopes to rekindle things with Tula. However he comes to learn that Tula and Garth are now an item, and to make matters worst Poseidonis is attacked by Black Manta and his men, who sought after a beast frozen in ice. While Aquaman is away Mera, Garth, Tula, and Kaldur'ahm protect whats left of the city. Defeated, Black Manta resorts to drastic measures and decides to destroy the frozen beast, then flee the scene. As the episode comes to a close Aquaman entrust Aqualad with what's left of the beast, to take it to the surface world so that they may study whats left. Before Aqualad heads on back to the surface world he gives his blessings to Garth and Tula.