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The oceans make up seventy percent of the surface and one individual is master to them, Aquaman. If it was up to Orm Marius, though, he would master them all. Who is Orm Marius? Why does he want to best Aquaman so badly? Let’s find out!

Pre-Crisis
Orm Curry was born to Tom Curry and Mary O’Sullivan, he was the fully human half-brother to Arthur Curry, Aquaman. Jealous of his brother for his Atlantean powers from his mother’s side, Orm would take to crime to fill the void in him. He would turn to piracy because the Curry family have sea-faring in their blood. Old school piracy with boats not recording movies in the theater or any modern version, to be clear. He would steal the latest technology to make himself a fearsome threat to humanity, going so far as to hold the world for ransom. If the world’s governments didn’t pay, he could activate his weapons to cause natural disaster levels of devastation. It would take his brother, Aquaman, to stop him, this would go on many times. Sometimes Orm would have the entire Justice League having to stop him from trying to get his ill-gotten gains under the danger of destroying the world otherwise.

Post-Crisis
Orm Marius was born to an Iñupiat woman and an Atlantian wizard, Atlan, who was also the biological father to Arthur Curry. Orm would meet his half-brother, though neither knew of their familial ties at the time when Arthur would begin dating one of Orm’s friends. Orm would flee in a jealous rage  and learn of his Atlantean heritage and his family’s skill in wizardry and his right to the throne. Orm wouldn’t see his brother again again they were now going by the names of Ocean Master and Aquaman, respectively. Orm yearned to rule Atlantis and would do whatever it took to gain the throne.

Learning Atlantean sorcery any way he could, Orm would become a magical threat to Atlantis and the world at large. He would sell his soul to a demon for more power but have to find a way out of the contract because his new trident that bestowed great power also gave him great pain when he did not hold it. In his quest for power he would confront Aquaman and learn of their familial bond, which would shake Orm to his very core, now knowing that he wasn’t the rightful heir, he was second place. Just as his brother would join the Justice League, Orm would join the Injustice Gang to counter the League’s power.

New 52
Orm Marius was born to Atlanna, Queen of Atlantis and an Atlantean guard, he was the second born child to Atlanna but the only one known to the people of Atlantis. His father was abusive and died by the hand of his mother when Orm was twelve. Years later, when his mother died, there were whispers that Orm was responsible since he was eager for the throne. Now as the King of Atlantis, Orm ruled with great distrust in the surface world, always preparing for war if they ever decided to strike at Atlantis. When his brother would arrive, rightful heir to the throne, Orm stepped down with no resistance and offered to consult for his brother in the ways of Atlantis and the dangers of the surface-dwellers. Eventually, his brother would leave for his own needs, placing the crown back with Orm, having built up even more defenses against the surface with Arthur’s help when he had ruled.

When a US test torpedo accidentally hit Atlantis, Orm took this as an act of war, his preparations meant he was able to flood many coastal cities, killing many. Arriving in a flooded Boston, Orm would be visited by his brother along with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, they would plead for him to understand that this was all a misunderstanding but Orm was distrustful when he was nearly hit by them in a sneak attack. A fight broke out as Orm called in the Atlantean army to aide him when another army arrived, not the US but the long considered lost Atlantean Kingdom of the Trench, who fought both Justice League and Atlantean. Aquaman would reveal to Orm that it was Vulko, the Atlantean wizard who had originally suspected Orm had killed his mother for the throne, had been orchestrating things so that Arthur could take over for good, even going so far as to attack Atlantis with a torpedo, knowing Orm’s paranoia would get the better of him. Orm would relinquish the crown to Arthur and aide him in fighting off the Trench army then get taken into custody.

While in custody, an organization of villains from another reality, the Crime Syndicate, would cause a break out allowing Orm to be freed. While he was finding his way on the surface world, Orm would begin a life with a woman, Erin, and help her raise her son, Tommy. It wasn’t until he saw on the news that his brother was announced dead that he knew he had to return to help Atlantis. He would return and while he was there, Mera, his sister-in-law, would challenge him for right to the throne. Their battle was hard fought but Orm could not stand against Mera’s hydrokinesis for long. Orm would be imprisoned for his crimes by Mera and would only be set free to aide in an alien invasion where he would be transformed into a bizarre creature.

There you have it! Ocean Master has long been a thorn in Aquaman’s side, the second to the throne being a long held villain in royal dramas. He’s appeared in many animated and video games forms and most recently in live action. What will happen to Orm next? Who knows! See you next time!

Suggested Reading
Aquaman #29
Mera: Queen of Atlantis
Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth

Dr. Bustos
drbustos@comicattack.net