Why did Mera use Aquaman as source of water?

Why did Mera use Aquaman as source of water? - Scenery of river head stream on rocky coastline

In the film Aquaman (2018), in order to unlock the holographic message in the cylinder, Mera used Aquaman as the source of water.

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Why did she not use her own body for water? Why did she say that Aquaman is the closest source of water while she herself is an Atlantean?



Best Answer

In most works of fiction, Atlanteans are weakened while out of water. This includes DC Comics' Atlanteans. As said in the comics' description of Mera on the DC Comics wiki :

Prolonged exposure in an above-water environment will cause Mera to weaken, and ultimately die.

On the linked page, this weakness is linked to Mera's peculiar metabolism, which is wired to breath underwater, not above ground. Still, quickened dehydration is a common trope when dealing with Atlanteans, which follows the same rules as the paragraph above. Take for instance Namor's description on the Marvel wiki :

When not exposed to water, many of Namor’s physical attributes gradually decline and can reach a point where he possesses only a small fraction of his powers. Namor's strength, stamina, and durability are affected most and, at their minimum known level, are much closer to the levels possessed by the vast majority of other Atlanteans. Renewed exposure to water will immediately restore his abilities.

In short, we could explain Mera using Aquaman's own bodily fluids as her water source to maximize her own "wetness" and push back her potential dehydration. It is true that, unlike other Atlanteans characters depicted in the movie, she doesn't need a special apparatus to breath our atmosphere or withstand dehydration... But at the time, they were stuck in a dusty temple smack-dab into Sahara, so it makes sense she'd want to protect herself, while Arthur as a half-human would be less vulnerable to typical Atlantean weaknesses. She wouldn't have explicitly told Arthur she was at risk because she was somewhat prideful and refused to look weak before him.

Or perhaps I'm reading way too much into this, and Mera simply cannot manipulate her own bodily fluids. Either way, I have not found an official statement regarding this matter, and thus can only speculate using common tropes and the movie's events.




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Why can Mera manipulate water?

Unlike her husband, Mera is a pure Atlantean, meaning that there is no human DNA anywhere in her body. As a result of this, Mera possesses other abilities that Arthur simply can't acquire. This is where Mera's ability to control water comes from.

Can Mera create water?

Mera's water manipulation depends on a source. She can't manufacture water, but can manipulate what's already there. That's why being in the water makes her so much more powerful. If she isn't in a body of water, though, she can pull water from the nearest source, even if that source is a person.

Can Aquaman manipulate water?

Aquaman became a living body of water in order to save Atlantis. His newfound form, known as \u201cWater Wraith,\u201d gave him control over all of the oceans. This extreme form of hydrokinesis made him almost god-like, with the power to grow to an unfathomable size and decimate anything in his path with giant tidal waves.

Who is more powerful Aquaman or Mera?

While both of them are very strong, Aquaman is just way, way stronger than Mera. Mera's carrying capacity is around seventy tons and she once was able to leap from the water to a plane that was two thousand meters in the air. She's pretty strong, but Aquaman has her beat.



Arthur and Mera go to Sicily Scene | Aquaman




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Erik Mclean, Daniel Torobekov, Little Visuals, Andrea Piacquadio