Aquaman 2: Manta’s Return Should Introduce N.E.M.O As Villains

The Nautical Enforcement of Macrocosmic Order, better known as N.E.M.O, should be the secondary villains in Aquaman 2. In 2018, James Wan’s Aquaman finally gave Arthur Curry Jr. (Jason Momoa) the live-action adaptation he deserved, which revealed a breathtaking take on his powers, a comic-accurate costume, and a collection of excellent villains. While Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson) was the first movie’s big bad, Aquaman’s legendary villain Black Manta was also given an origin story and an ill-fated first match against the rightful king of the seven seas.

Black Manta is destined to become Aquaman’s archnemesis in nearly every DC adaptation. Since the DCEU already established Aquaman’s colossal might in his very first cinematic adventure (he already has commanded a Karathen!), Black Manta will need his own army to be a believable threat. One of his options is ruling the deep-sea creatures known as The Trench, which are still set to have their own spinoff releasing some time in the near future. However, a team of anti-Atlantean villains would differentiate the sequel more from the original movie and help transform Black Manta into one of the most menacing DCEU villains.

Introduced in 2016 during DC Rebirth, N.E.M.O. functions as a secret society in search of influence over the world’s economy through clandestine practices like smuggling, genetic tinkering, and terrorist attacks, disguising it all under the pursuit of “macroscopic order.” Their usual procedure consists of stealing Atlantean objects such as weapons, armor, and valuable relics, which they trade and use for their own battles. In order to keep the order within their ranks, they implement a similar technique as Amanda Waller’s Task Force X: they equip their foot soldiers with an implant that fatally injects coral inside their heads if they step out of line.

N.E.M.O.’s link with contraband tech fits perfectly with Black Manta’s own work method. This organization could give the vengeful villain more resources than the humble Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park) could ever wish for. The introduction of N.E.M.O. also provides Black Manta with the perfect opportunity to prove how skilled he has become since his defeat in 2018’s Aquaman, as he can follow the comic book storyline and assassinate N.E.M.O.’s leader, The Fisher King, before taking his place. Other notable antagonists could also join Black Manta as his underlings and form an Atlantean version of the Suicide Squad. Interestingly, one of the main members of N.E.M.O. in the comics is King Shark, who will be featured as one of the anti-heroes in James Gunn’s upcoming The Suicide Squad.

Black Manta’s alliance with N.E.M.O. could also give the sequel a solid thematic weight. Since the first Aquaman movie tells the timeless story of a couple of brothers fighting for the throne, Aquaman 2 can focus on a more modern plot based on the conflict between nature and technology. This way, Black Manta can go through a redemption arc or a full transformation into a cruel villain by feeling torn between two worlds.

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