Aquaman 2 splashes into theaters on December 20th of this year. When it does, fans of Jason Momoa's half-human, half-Atlantean king will be treated to many faces new and old. In addition to the return of series familiars like Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta and Patrick Wilson's Ocean Master, DC has announced a surprising addition to the roster - the obscure seafaring villain Karshon.
Karshon is a name that only the most devout DC readers will recognize. And even so, the character's most impactful adventures took place back in early sixties. So who is Karshon, and what does his inclusion in the troubled sequel portend?
Who is Karshon in DC Comics?
After King Shark's appearances in The Suicide Squad and Harley Quinn, DC fans might think Aquaman 2's inclusion of a villainous, anthropomorphic, talking shark is retread. While the quality of the sequel is uncertain, one thing is sure - Karshon is an entirely different animal.
While fan favorite King Shark, or "Nanaue," is the demigod son of the ancient shark god, Lord Chondrakha, Karshon started out as just a regular old tiger shark. The being sometimes referred to simply as "The Shark," was swimming somewhere off the coast of California when an atomic blast from an experimental research station detonated nearby. The resulting explosion turned the hapless animal into a mutagenic monster. The Shark underwent rapid evolution, not unlike the Humaninals is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, advancing well beyond human levels of mental and physical prowess and gaining superhuman abilities.
Despite The Shark's newfound capacity for higher thought and immense psionic and physical abilities, it retained an animalistic bloodlust. The desire to hunt and devour prey was stronger than all other impulses. Eager to find new prey on the surface world, The Shark used its powers to grant itself a more humanlike appearance so that it could move undetected among the citizens of Coast City. But ordinary human beings made for boring sport, and the creature soon craved a true challenge.
The Shark's first target was none other than Hal Jordan, Green Lantern and space cop of cosmic Sector 2814. Jordan was headed to a double date when The Shark sent him a telepathic message summoning him to a battle. Though the Green Lantern ultimately defected the creature and restored it to its original form, the victory was short-lived. Inexplicably, the creature regained its mutated form and returned with more sinister motives. Assuming the name and appearance of an Atlantean named "Karshon," The Shark hatched a plot to steal the Atlantean throne from its regent, Aquaman.
Working alongside Ocean Master and Black Manta, The Shark framed Aquaman for stealing Atlantean tech and selling it to an evil surface world corporation. Aquaman was ultimately dethroned, allowing The Shark (in his disguise as Karshon) to ascend to the throne for a short while before his inevitable defeat.
In modern comics, The Shark no longer used the name "Karshon," as it was never meant to be permanent. This raises the question of which "Karshon" will be appearing in the DC film. The mutagenic shark? Or the Atlantean official?
What are Karshon's Powers and Abilities?
Another key difference between The Shark and King Shark is the former's insane list of abilities. Where King Shark is essentially a tank with teeth, Karshon will provide Aquaman a much more versatile threat.
The atomic blast that mutated The Shark granted it the ability to manipulate matter at will. Meaning the creature can transfigure objects, move people and things via telekinesis, and even manipulate the weather of its surrounding environment. Once the creature used this god tier ability to kill a man merely by looking in his direction. It can also alter its appearance, as evidenced by its decision to take on a humanoid form, and fire deadly psionic energy beams from its forehead.
During the early days following its evolution, the creature used its psionic abilities to devour the minds of unsuspecting humans, gaining intelligence at the expense of each victim. It was through this mind-leeching ability that The Shark learned to speak and impersonate ordinary humanoids like Atlanteans and common surface dwellers. Rounding out The Shark's impressive list of psionic powers, is its fear sense.The Shark can detect and feed off of the fear of its enemies. In the presence of great fear, the Shark can use the emotion to grow or shrink its body, reaching titantic and infinitesimal sizes.
Who is Playing Karshon in Aquaman 2?
Actress Indya Moore, of Pose and Escape Room: Tournament of Champions fame has been case as Karshon. Moore has shown herself to be a skilled dramatic and comedic actress capable of delivering incredibly high highs and devastatingly low lows. A relatively obscure, but narratively dynamic villain like The Shark/Karshon could provide the actress a chance to deliver a memorable performance, no matter what happens with the rest of the film.
Although there are no details yet about the nature of Moore's portrayal, the potential is exciting to think about. Whether Karshon and The Shark will be one and the same for the entire film, or if we'll see Moore play an ordinary Atlantean slowly possessed by a psionic mutated shark, is anyone's guess.
Fans will find out what director James Wan has in store for Karshon and Aquaman when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters on December 20th.