Mera is often viewed as the wife of the classic DC hero, Aquaman. Thanks to the success of the recent Aquaman, Mera has exploded in popularity thanks to her portrayal by Amber Heard. However, while Aquaman is typically viewed as the hero of the story, Mera herself possesses her own unique abilities that some would argue make her even more powerful than her husband.
Though Arthur’s journey to becoming Aquaman may make him the more intriguing character, Mera has still undergone a lot in her many years of publication history. To look at the differences between the two, here is our list of the 10 qualities, abilities and differences that could make Mera more powerful than her husband.
10 She Can Control Water
One of the most notable distinctions between Mera and Arthur is that Mera can control all water. Though she can’t communicate with sea life like her husband, Mera’s natural Atlantean abilities allow her to manipulate water however she likes, without the assistance of a magical artifact.
This ability has made Mera incredibly powerful, especially considering most of the planet is covered in water. Likewise, Mera’s abilities have only grown stronger over the years, making her all the more deadly to her opponents.
9 She Is Pure Atlantean
Unlike her husband, Mera is a pure Atlantean, meaning that there is no human DNA anywhere in her body. As a result of this, Mera possesses other abilities that Arthur simply can’t acquire. This is where Mera’s ability to control water comes from.
Being Atlantean also means that Mera grew up almost exclusively underwater, which definitely comes with its own benefits. Due to the intense pressures of the sea, Mera is actually bulletproof. Even without armor to protect her, Atlantean skin is much more durable than human skin, giving Atlanteans an extra advantage during battle.
8 She Is Undisputed Atlantean Royalty
Many have challenged Arthur for the Throne of Atlantis. His brother, Orm, has established a reputation for challenging Arthur’s status as King. Mera, however, doesn’t have that issue, as there is no doubt of her Altantean heritage. Though she is from Xebel, a neighboring Atlantean city, Mera is certainly the daughter of its king.
This has given her an extra advantage from a political standpoint, as no-one disputes her claim to royalty. She also makes Arthur appear more legitimate, especially to those who don’t see him as such. While Arthur is certainly the more powerful ruler when he’s on the throne, Mera’s undisputed bloodline has given her advantages that he doesn’t have.
7 She Was Trained to Fight Monsters
As befits royalty, there was no shortage of resources available to Mera. In being Xebellian, her father made sure she grew up knowing how to fight. As a result, Mera grew up training with some of the best instructors available to her. Furthermore, as she was learning combat, Mera was taught to take down some of the biggest and most threatening monsters in the ocean.
Even at a very early age, Mera was being trained in combat, which gives her an incredible advantage over Arthur. While both are skilled fighters, Mera’s talents are far more refined and precise than Arthur’s own.
6 She Was Trained in Magic
While she was being trained in combat, Mera was also being taught the ways of the mystic arts. Here, Mera really honed her abilities to manipulate water. However, she is also incredibly knowledgeable in the mystic arts.
Aquaman’s former sidekick, Tempest, also relies on Atlantean magic for some of his abilities. Mera has actually trained him to some degree and even been able to keep up with him. While she doesn’t rely on magic nearly as much as Tempest, her own magical abilities certainly surpass Arthur’s.
5 She Knows Her History
Thankfully, Arthur has Mera by his side to guide him in the workings of Atlantis. As someone who was absent from his heritage for so long, Arthur came to have very little understanding of Atlantean culture upon his arrival. Since Mera has been a part of Xebel for her whole life though, she was very familiar with the cultural differences and political tensions between sections of Atlantis.
This knowledge also makes Mera a great queen as she can advise her husband of certain affairs, while also recognizing the desires of each section of Atlantis. Without Mera, Arthur would undoubtedly struggle as a ruler.
4 She is the Underdog
While Aquaman may be the underdog of the Justice League, Mera is the underdog of Atlantis. Being of Xebellian heritage, Mera is often looked down upon by some Atlanteans. Xebel has always been the lesser of the two cities and its people have thus developed a reputation as the “lesser’ Atlanteans.
Therefore, when Mera became queen to someone with a disputable claim to the throne, she and Arthur were often criticized by other Atlantean citizens, just for their heritage. However, as queen, Mera would prove to have the interests of all Atlanteans in mind. Combined with Arthur’s leadership, the two would prove to be great rulers.
3 She is Far Deadlier
All of Mera’s abilities, combined with her lack of remorse for humans, make her far deadlier to humanity than her husband. In the past, Mera has been shown to withdraw the water from people, killing them as slowly or as quickly as she’d like.
Furthermore, her pure Atlantean heritage gives her an added bonus that Arthur doesn’t have, meaning that Mera is likely stronger and more durable than her husband. Hence, If Mera wanted to, she would likely be an unstoppable force on the surface world. At times, Mera has threatened to let loose, though she is usually soothed by Aquaman as he tries to avoid conflict.
2 Her Judgement Doesn’t Get Clouded by Emotion
Since she was brought up as royalty, Mera was taught to keep emotions out of many of her decisions. Therefore, whenever a tough call must be made, Mera is usually quick to decide and sometimes even a bit harsher than usual.
On several occasions, she has challenged Arthur on his decisions and thought processes, especially in regards to surface world relations. While this may make her come across as harsh at times, there’s no denying that Mera has a great devotion to her people. Due to this fact, she is all the greater a ruler.
1 Her Mental State
In the past, Mera has actually been shown to struggle on the mental health front. Due to her traumatic past and expectations set for her when she was young, Mera struggled under the pressure of her duties and responsibilities.
However, she did make a full recovery and has since become stronger than she ever dreamed she could be. Thanks to the lessons she learned, she is much more confident in herself. This confidence is also something that Arthur seems to continually lack, especially in regards to the throne.