‘Aquaman’ Villain Ocean Master Is Sick of the Surface Dweller’s Crap

When Aquaman premieres later this year, the Justice League superhero will be torn between two worlds and forced to face his brother Orm, known as the Ocean Master in the comics, who has a very particular score to settle.

Aquaman director James Wan spoke about Orm, who is played by his frequent collaborator Patrick Wilson, and why he’s becoming hostile to the other inhabitants of the planet in the new movie.

“It’s so rooted in the environment and that’s what Orm hates,” Wan said to Yahoo! “He hates how we treat one another, treat the planet with so little regard. And the idea here is that all the crap from the surface world literally rolls down to him and his people. And he’s just sick of it.”

Based on Wan’s comments, it sounds like they’re making Orm relatable to help intensify the conflict between him and his half brother Arthur Curry. As any storyteller will say, all of the best villains are heroes in their own story, and this seems to be in that vein.

Wilson previously spoke about his character’s motivations too, adding more insight into Orm’s grudge against the surface world and its self-centered population.

“He’s kind of an eco-warrior,” Wilson said. “He’s got a very clear gripe with the surface world, which has been polluting his oceans for centuries. And that’s something for me — I’m sure for you too — that’s very easy to understand. If somebody was just constantly polluting our air and ruining how we lived…”

Wan has worked with Wilson in many previous projects, including the critically acclaimed and financially successful series The Conjuring. There’s a reason why the two continue to collaborate, and Wan told Entertainment Weekly exactly why Wilson was perfect for the role.

“Patrick is such a talented actor and a chameleon as well, he can disappear into any role,” Wan said about Wilson. “Orm’s got a soft spot for his brother who lives on the surface world and if anything just wants him to rule Atlantis and the world together, but his brother doesn’t see it that way. A lot of the clashes they have stem from their different upbringings. So I didn’t want to cast a typical villain actor.”

We’ll get to see how Orm plans to make the surface dwellers suffer when Aquaman premieres in theaters on December 20th.