Without a doubt, Zack Snyder's release of the Aquaman pic was the most surprising thing of the past few weeks. Not only we didn't expect it, but it also showed a badass character that looks more intimidating than any other Justice League member we have seen until now.
Sure, there is a definite departure from the comic book origins (as in the dreads), but hey! Once again we say that the internet collapsed on itself at the sight of this magnificent specimen (now, more than ever, Jason Momoa seems like the best actor to portray the King of the Seven Seas).
What will Aquaman's role be?
Even more surprising is the attention to the details which was given to this character, of which we now know that won't have too much screen time. As Badass Digest reports, Aquaman will have just a small cameo in the end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, when he will be co-opted by Batman as a member of the Justice League.
Some references will be made throughout the movie, as the same website says - Lex Luthor will be the one to mention him, in his survey of all the metahumans on the planet.
So"¦
But the release of this character before others (such as Flash or even Green Lantern) also means something else: that Aquaman will play a much more important role in the newly formed DCMU. The caption Unite the Seven also suggests this, although it is quite a poor try at throwing the fans on the wrong track (is it the seven seas of the seven Justice League members?)
The Trident of Neptune
The reason why Aquaman looks so badass is not just because Jason Momoa is built like a brick-house, but also because of how is body is adorned. The first thing we notice is the Trident of Neptune (called trident even if it is a five-pointed spear), one of the seven relics of Atlantis - a very powerful weapon forged from the essence of Neptune, the God of the Seas. The Trident is very powerful and beholds a large number of magical powers, being able to pierce even the skin of Superman (even if, in the movie, its powers will be most likely reduced).
The Armor
Well, Aquaman doesn't have too much of an armor, does he? The thing is that he doesn't even need it, since his skin is very durable and nigh impenetrable in order to resist the pressure in the seas. All he needs as armor is his tattoos, shaped like overlapping spearheads (continued on his real shoulder armor) and shark teeth.
All of these suggest ferocity and power, as well as the character's role as a guardian.
The Hands that Feed
This is what makes us even more excited than the other tattoos - the markings on his hands, resembling open mouths with the tongues out. Given Momoa's ancestry and what he previously said about Aquaman, we can expect that these symbols mean that the superhero's hands are both bringers of death (as in a deity that feeds on his enemies) as well as bringers of life (as in the deities nurturing their subjects). In any way, we once again say: Good job, Zack Snyder, for all of these details!
The Insignia
We couldn't have forgotten that - after all, every superhero needs a logo. While in the comics, more recently in the New 52, the A shaped insignia is a piece of Atlantean technology, in here it seems to be just as decorative as the tattoos. You can see that the spearhead motif is kept in here too, as well as the shark one - take a closer look and see the spearhead is also a shark's mouth wide open, with the eyes on each side!