WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Aquaman #51 by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Sunny Gho and Clayton Cowles, on sale now.

Right now, Aquaman is facing one of his most trying experiences in recent memory. After his resurrection from a mystical realm with a bunch of ancient sea gods, Arthur Curry has discovered that Mera killed him in her efforts Atlantis alone. She's also carrying Arthur's child, which has driven him back home to Amnesty Bay to find himself again after returning from the oceanic bed of the dead.

Aquaman #50 threw his life into further disarray, though, with Aquaman getting a phone call from Jackson Hyde (Aqualad) in a prison cell to come pick him up. Now, Aquaman and Aqualad have finally met for the first time in DC's  current continuity, and Aqualad finally takes up the long-promised mantle of being Aquaman's protege.

RELATED: Aquaman Foe Black Manta Gets a Massive Upgrade in November

After Aqualad debuted on Young Justice and jumped over to comics, many felt Aquaman should have immediately taken him on as an apprentice similar to Garth, the original Aqualad who's also known as Tempest. But in the Brightest Day and the New 52 , DC focused more on Jackson's past as Black Manta's son, forging a path away from his dad's evil legacy. Since then, the character has been reshaped into an LGBT hero and as of DC Rebirth, Jackson was a member of Damian Wayne's Teen Titans.

While we don't know how much has been altered in terms of continuity, this issue seemingly gives us our first meeting between Jackson and Arthur. It's a mystery how he gets Arthur's number or tracks him down, but Jackson makes it clear that he's looking for a mentor when Aquaman picks him up.

RELATED: Aquaman: A Fan-Favorite Hero Is Back - and He's in Trouble

He goes through the motions on Amnesty Island, with the citizens and Arthur's sea gods who are seeking haven there all making him feel welcome. He wants to hone his powers under the distracted Arthur, since Jackson has been cut off from his heritage and has lived all his life as an outsider. Admittedly, Arthur's still struggling with Wonder Woman's invitation to return to the Justice League, but he is entertaining the thought of grooming Aqualad, perhaps setting the stage for a similar partnership like we saw in the Young Justice franchise.

DC has teased this relationship for some time, but now it's coming full-circle in the books as Amnesty Bay's inhabitants urge Aquaman to take the boy under his wing. Arthur is impressed with his hydro-kinesis and other abilities, and unofficially takes the job on as he wants to strengthen the teen as he knows Black Manta is coming soon for revenge.

After quickly hitting if off, Arthur knows their connection needs to be deeper for him to put the kid through the rigors of war. Since he looks different from the character we knew before, Jackson might not be the battle-ready soldier we know from the old days thanks to this retcon. Plus, we have no clue what else was augmented in terms of power set, so it's just as much a mystery to Arthur as it is to us concerning the boy.

Since a kraken-like monster attacks the bay, Aqualad will have to show what he's made of very soon. It's a baptism of fire for the young hero, but he'll have his liege and leader at his side, schooling him and showing him the ropes. It's something he's grateful for, but as Aquaman quickly reminds him, it's not all fun and games. Nonetheless, Jackson is grateful to be learning from one of the best Leaguers out there, and he'll certainly be looking to discover more about his people. For Aquaman, this might be another unexpected shot at fatherhood that could redefine his future.

Aquaman #52 goes on sale September 18.

KEEP READING: Mera: How the DC Hero Became Queen of Atlantis