WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Future State: Aquaman #1 by Brandon Thomas, Daniel Sampere and Adriano Lucas, on sale now.
Future State has taken the heroes of the new DC Omniverse to some pretty wild places. Whether it’s in the halls of Arkham Asylum or out in the far reaches of space on the planet War World, heroes and fans alike have been witnessing the promise of the Infinite Frontier firsthand.
The latest issue of Future State: Aquaman by Brandon Thomas, Daniel Sampere and Adriano Lucas expands that frontier even further with the introduction of the Confluence. Now, we’re taking a look at just what the confluence is, and how it will affect the future of the DC Omniverse.
Future State: Aquaman #1 begins with Jackson Hyde, the newest Aquaman, trying to escape from a prison on Neptune. Though his escape attempt fails, he sees something he calls impossible—something that makes him laugh like a madman as he’s recaptured. Brought in chains to a throne room, Jackson introduces himself to his captors for the first time after nearly three hundred escape attempts. When asked why now, he tells them it's because “she” is coming.
The story flashes back to six years prior as Aquaman and Aqualass—Andy Curry, the daughter of Mera and the original Aquaman—have just been defeated by Jackson’s father, Black Manta. The aquatic duo argue with each other as the headstrong Andy refused to stay behind and let Jackson face his father on his own.
She loses her temper, pushing a group of sharks into circling around Jackson: the first time he learns that she can control sea life. Ashamed of this power, Andy explains that while her father simply communicates with them, she actually controls their minds, and it feels incredibly wrong to her.
As the two have a heart to heart, they notice a difference in their surroundings, finding themselves in green oceans surrounded by all sorts of unfamiliar sea life after experiencing what Jackson compares to a shift in frequency. No longer on their Earth, Aquaman and Aqualass have stumbled into the Confluence: the great ocean that connects time and space. Unlike other linear forms of interdimensional transportation, including things like the Boom Tubes of New Genesis or even Marvel’s Bifrost Bridge, the Confluence is a bit harder to navigate, taking the form of an endless, multicolored sea.
In their search for a way home, the pair travel across the multiverse, righting wrongs on many worlds as they journeyed home. Unfortunately for them, they eventually run across the beast that protects the Confluence—a giant, Lovecraftian creature hellbent on their capture.
Jackson uses his bioelectricity to break free from the creature’s paralytics, but it manages to maintain its grip on young Andy. As Jackson hangs onto her by her leg, she sacrifices herself to protect him, slicing off her own leg with her hydrokinesis and allowing Jackson to fall and escape. While Jackson’s captors are sympathetic towards Aquaman, even offering to heal his trauma by simply making him forget, he refuses their help. It is revealed that as Jackson was re-captured, he saw the words, “Aquawoman Lives” written in the water.
Renewed by Andy’s imminent arrival, he breaks free of his chains, subdues the guards and breaks apart his captor’s throne to create a pair of makeshift waterbearers. Jackson is not planning on keeping Andy waiting much longer.
Fortunately for the heroes of the Seven Seas, fans have an idea of their fate thanks to Future State: Justice League #1 by Joshua Williamson, Robson Rocha and Daniel Henriques. In the future, Andy does grow into the mantle of Aquawoman, taking her father’s place amongst the next generation of the World’s Greatest Heroes. Meanwhile, Jackson, alongside Andy’s parents, travel the Confluence, helping to unite worlds across multiversal borders.
While we know that things eventually work out for Jackson and Andy, this issue ends with the pair still in hot water. As for how they get out of their current predicament, fans will just have to wait and see if the rest of their story is smooth sailing.
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