Aquaman 2: What Is the Lost Kingdom?

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom got its title knowing it hinged on the mystery of the titular “Lost Kingdom” – but the film doesn’t necessarily go too deep into the history and lore of the place. However, there is a good deal of DC lore built into the story of The Lost Kingdom of Atlantis – and we’re breaking it down! 

What Is DC’s The Lost Kingdom? 

In DC lore, “The Lost Kingdom” is named “Necrus,” or the “Black City.” However, the comic book version of Necrus is very different than the DCEU version seen in Aquaman 2. 

In DC comics, Necrus is similar to Atlantis: a domed city that sits in the sea. However, unlike Atlantis, Necrus cannot maintain its stability as part of the main DC Universe reality. Necrus can only be found during brief periods when an alien satellite moves into Earth’s orbit and magnetic field, opening a dimensional rift that allows Necrus to manifest itself. When the satellite moves out of range, Necrus fades away, until the next time and place it appears. The culture of Necrus is much different than Atlantis when it comes to viewing the surface world: they do not tolerate its existence in the same way that Atlantis does. That difference led to conflict between the two nations – led by Mongo, the tyrant ruler of Necrus. 

How The DCEU Necrus Is Different

In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Necrus takes on a very different role in the lore. 

In the DCEU, Necrus was one of the seven original kingdoms of Atlantis – the one ruled by Kordax, the brother of Atlantis’s ruler, King Atlan. Kordax is (briefly) depicted as being a ruler much like Mongo in the comics: ruthless and tyrannical. Kordax utilized an undersea fuel source called Orichalcum to make Necrus an industrial superpower, spawning advanced technology, vehicles, and weaponry. 

Kordax’s mad ambition led him to utilize black magic in the creation of one particularly devastating weapon: the Black Trident. However, the evil power of the trident eventually possessed Kordax and led him to do the unthinkable: transforming his entire kingdom into undead monsters – a fate the king himself also shared. The monsters of Necrus went to war with Atlantis, until Atlan used Atlantean magic and his trident to seal his brother and Necrus away beneath the ice of Antarctica. 

The story of Aquaman 2 unfolds when Black Manta starts amassing Orichalcum and ancient Necrus technology, eventually finding the Black Trident. The trident allows the spirit of Kordax to enthrall Manta, leading the dreaded pirate on a quest to discover Necrus and free Kordax from the ice. 

(SPOILERS) In the end, Aquaman (Jason Momoa) defeats Kordax with his trident after the undead king breaks free of the ice. The threat of Necrus is ended once and for all, and the world (and its environment) are saved. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is now in theaters.