10 Most Powerful Aquaman Villains of All Time

At first glance, you may think that Aquaman’s enemies have been on the unfair end of jokes, and that may be true, but don’t for a second think that they aren’t worthy adversaries. In fact, they are quite the opposite.

Very few heroes have a villain list that boasts former kings, alien parasites, government officials, and Gods. Actually, very few villain lists can boast that the focus of their efforts is a King who rules over most of the planet. With that, I bring to you the 10 most powerful and feared Aquaman villains of all time.

1. Nereus

If the once-wed man to your wife, sends your eventual wife to hunt you down and murder you, how would you feel? If said wife falls for you and marries you instead, how would he feel? Nereus of Xebel is that man. Nereus is the King of Xebel and as such, has lived his entire life at war with Atlantis. In one of his many plans, he sent his wife, Mera, to Atlantis to kill their King, Aquaman.

What he didn’t see coming was that Arthur fell for her, she reciprocated it, and the two were later married. Sensing defeat on the highest of levels, his hate for Aquaman grew exponentially. I absolutely get it and cannot blame him for how he feels. I mean, c’mon, who steals another man’s woman?

2. Siren

The sister of Mera, Siren has proven herself one of a few worthy Aquaman enemies on more than one occasion. Siren, like Mera, is a Hydrokinetic with an advanced understanding and control of the water around her. This means that she can do just about anything with water. Whirlpools? Yep. Tsunamis? Oh yeah. Riptides? Definitely.

But this isn’t what makes her a powerful Aquaman villain. No, what makes her a powerful villain is her intricate understanding of both Mera and Aquaman. Think about this. Blood is thicker than water and because she is family, Siren brings a literal definition to the phrase. With information, only those closest could know, Siren understands exactly how to inflict harm. Therefore, she is one of the greatest Aquaman enemies.

3. Hagen

The once Prime Minister of Atlantis, Hagen used his power of magic to control and persuade the Royal Family like none before him. With his magic, he placed Mera under his control. With her by his side, he became a high-ranking official that easily took control of Atlantis. Unlike many politicians before him, he did not lose the faith of the people. Instead, he was able to keep the people happy with his promises and outward sense of Nationalism.

Don’t get me wrong. Every country can use a good politician. As far as the people knew, Hagen was a good politician. The problem is, politicians can become corrupt. Just ask Atlantis.

4. The Trench

The Trench is as vicious as they come. They rise from the deepest depths of the ocean with only one thought…to feed. Their desire to feed is as strong as anything in comics, so much to the point that they will devour their own should they fall.

The Trench is a violent species that is capable of flattening an underwater village in minutes. As individuals, they are very powerful. However, as a group, which they are often found in, they are near unstoppable. But it doesn’t stop there. The Trench renders Aquaman’s marine telepathy useless. It’s a combination of all of these that makes them one of the most dangerous Aquaman enemies.

5. Fisherman

A once thief that stole items using fishing equipment, the Fisherman quickly became one of the greatest Aquaman enemies. He is able to climb the villain’s ranks due to his knowledge of underwater technology. Within the technology, he specifically excels in his specially designed hooks and lures. Remember, he is called the Fisherman.

Over the years there have been multiple Fishermen. This is because the hood that each wears is actually an alien parasite that attaches itself to a host. Once attached, the host, whoever it may be, becomes the Fisherman. This means that there have been multiple Fishermen and as long as the parasite lives, the supply of them is endless.

6. Triton

If you think that the son of the God, Poseidon could best Arthur Curry in combat, you’d be wrong. Triton, also a God, became aware and jealous of Aquaman the moment he realized that the people of Atlantis were more devoted to Arthur than himself. To rectify this, he challenged Arthur to a battle…and quickly lost.

If you’re wondering how the non-God Aquaman beat the God, Triton in battle, remember this. A God’s strength is given and taken by how much they are loved by the people. In this instance, the people loved Arthur more. Therefore, Triton dropped like a bad habit.

7. Charybdis

If only known for taking the hand of Arthur Curry, Charybdis is one of Aquaman’s greatest enemies. Aquaman has lost a limb or two many times over but none may be more gruesome than how he lost one to Charybdis. To make the battleground a little fairer, Charybdis strips Aquaman of his ability to talk to sea life. Without his ability, Aquaman’s hand is plunged into piranha-infested water.

Unable to tell the fish otherwise, Aquaman watches and endlessly suffers as the fish chews the flesh right off the bone. Disgusting? Yeah. Deserving of this list? Oh yeah.

8. The Dead King

Atlan was the once King of Atlantis. Under his rule, Atlantis flourished. Unfortunately, his reign ended the moment that his brother betrayed him. Under his brother, many died and Atlan was forced to leave his Kingdom. In anger, just before he left he created the artifacts of Atlantis. When he returned, he promptly used the artifacts to sink Atlantis into the depths of the ocean.

Fast forward to the present and the Dead King returns to overthrow Arthur Curry as King of Atlantis. With his super strength and ability to control ice, he nearly does so. But that isn’t enough to get him on this list.

What gets the Dead King on this list is that the Xebel and The Trench see him as the true King of Atlantis and side with him in nearly all encounters with Aquaman.

9. Ocean Master

The half-brother to Aquaman, Ocean Master is as supremely evil as they come. More often known as Orm, Ocean Master shares the same mother as Aquaman. What makes him a half-brother is that Orm’s father is also of Atlantis. Because he is of “true” Atlantean heritage, Ocean Master feels that he is King. As such, he is constantly at battle with Aquaman for the throne.

A full-fledged Atlantean, Orm is a fighter capable of conjuring magic. This allows him control over water and lightning. He also possesses superhuman strength, durability, and speed. All of these attributes added to his desire for the throne makes Ocean Master an obvious choice as one of Aquaman’s enemies that you should know.

10. Black Manta

As a child, Black Manta was only able to find pleasure in cold water. Due to this, he unwillingly spent his time strapped to a bed. During his teenage years, he was subjected to experimental treatment at Arkham Asylum. The treatment, while a resounding success, came with a few drawbacks. First, it gave him an uncontrollably strong thirst for murder. Second, it enhanced his strength beyond that of a normal human. Both of these guarantee his spot on this list.

Black Manta is to Aquaman what Lex Luthor is to Superman…his mortal enemy. For as long as Arthur Curry has been patrolling the depths of the ocean, Black Manta has been there to wreak havoc.

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