Top 10 Superheroes Who Use Water (Marvel and DC)
Let’s get right to this. Believe it or not but there are more superheroes who use water than just Aquaman. In fact, there are at least 10 of them. Manipulating water is nothing new when it comes, to superpowers, and superheroes on our list truly excel at it. Let’s take a look at our list of best superheroes that use water in both Marvel and DC universes.
10. Triton
Triton first appeared inside the pages of Fantastic Four #45 back in December of 1965. He was created by the now-legendary duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Triton is an Inhuman. As an Inhuman, once of age, he walked through the Terrigen Mists. The Mists affect different people in different ways. Some gain special abilities without undergoing any sort of physical transformation. Others, like Triton, gain special abilities while they undergo a physical transformation. For Triton, this meant he gained the ability to breathe and see underwater along with many superhuman attributes.
As an Inhuman, Triton is immensely powerful. He has sat on the Royal Counsel of the Inhumans, helped its leader Black Bolt navigate what it means to be a king, and formed a close relationship with Earth’s Namor. He is one of the most important members of the Inhumans and easily makes this list of superheroes who use water.
9. Namorita
Namorita is a clone of Namora and a cousin to Namor. As a clone, Namorita came to exist in the most unusual of circumstances. As an embryo, Namorita was implanted inside Namora. Namora agreed to this because she learned that she was unable to have children and this was her only chance at reproduction. Shortly after her birth, both Namora and her father were killed.
This left the young and impressionable Namorita alone. Sensing an opportunity to gain the upper hand, one of Namor’s enemies approached Namorita and began feeding her lies in an effort to gain her trust. This worked and the very next time she and Namor met, they fought. It wouldn’t, however, last and the two soon realized that they were related. After talking, they came to an understanding and worked together to stop Namor’s many enemies.
On top of the powers associated with being a relative of Namor, Namorita is also able to become transparent and secret a toxin from her skin. Namorita is a skilled fighter trained in Atlantean combat as well as capable of speaking in English, Atlantean, and Lemurian.
8. Namora
Namora first appeared as a 12-page story inside the pages of Marvel Mystery Comics #82. She was drawn by Ken Blast and inked by Syd Shores. Her original costume design was created by Namor creator Bill Everett.
For the most part, everything that Namor can do, Namora can do. Like him, she’s extremely powerful underwater. In fact, next to him she’s almost unrivaled with her underwater power. She can swim at speeds that some boats wish they could move at, possesses multiple superhuman attributes, is able to see and breathe underwater, and is immune to the cold that the depths of the ocean are.
Different than Namor, Namora disappeared from publication (notwithstanding a few flashback appearances) for almost half of a century. Once she reemerged, Namora quickly reestablished herself as a force to be reckoned with.
7. Kaldur’ahm – Aqualad
Raised by his adoptive parents and taught to fear the water as a way of keeping his powers from him, Aqualad is one of the most powerful offspring in comics. No matter which origin you look at, comic or television, one thing remains the same when it comes to Aqualad…he’s the son of Aquaman’s greatest enemy, Black Manta. And because Black Manta relies on technology and his smarts to get by, as it pertains to the genetic pool, Black Manta didn’t really pass along anything noteworthy. Don’t let that fool you, however, as it’s Aqualad’s mother that bestowed him with great power.
Because his mother is a descendant of the Xebel Tribe he was given Atlantean strength and more impressively, can manipulate water at his will. This allows him to create tidal waves, tsunamis, flash floods, make weapons from water, and the like. Further to this, he can breathe underwater, see to the deepest depths of the ocean, possess hydrokinesis, and can discharge electrical bolts from his fingertips.
6. Dolphin
While in her youth, Dolphin inadvertently fell from a cruise ship. She would’ve drowned had it not been for an alien race rescuing her and taking her captive. Unfortunately, while she was saved, her saving wasn’t for good intentions. After her rescued, the aliens began to experiment on her in an effort to create a sub-aquatic human-type race of beings. As a result of the experimentation, Dolphin acquired various aquatic adaptations.
Once free, Dolphin began to scavenge underwater as a means of survival. The next many years saw her live a life in isolation. Eventually, however, she grew tired of this and sought out company. Her travels led her to a near-death encounter with a shark. Luckily, she was rescued by a boat full of humans. The crew took her in and began to educate her about the ways of humans. Although she learned to speak over time, because she lived in isolation for so long, Dolphin is a being of very few words.
Like most of the other superheroes who use water, Dolphin is adapted to underwater life. This means that she possesses superhuman strength, speed, and durability, along with the ability to breathe underwater, swim great distances, and handle the water pressures associated with the deep ocean.
5. Tempest
Garth is the near equivalent of Arthur Curry. He has superhuman strength, is able to breathe underwater, has accelerated recovery, is able to manipulate the currents of water, possesses telepathy with all sea life, and can dimensionally travel. Like Roy Harper, Garth is also a member of one of the most important superhero teams in DC, the Teen Titans.
Over the years, Garth has separated himself from the Aqualad moniker. For a time, he went by the name of Tempest. Different from his time as Aqualad, as Tempest, Garth also gained the ability to control both the temperature of the water and control the water around him, as well as emit a destructive force from his eyes. This came at a cost, however. With these new powers, Garth lost the ability to communicate with marine life. Eventually, his powers returned to full strength. Once that happened, Garth became one of the most powerful characters on both land and sea.
4. Mera
Mera is one of the most influential women in DC Comics. Alongside Aquaman, she has patrolled the Seven Seas, protected Atlantis, and helped bridge the gap between those living on land and those living in the sea. Mera is the Queen of Atlantis and not only one of the fiercest women under the water, but arguably the fiercest on land too.
She’s powerful beyond imagination, is able to do things that most can only dream of, and commands the attention and respect of all those around her. Put it this way. Mera is so respected that Batman, the most straight-faced and black-and-white character in comics, asked her to join the Justice League. No matter what’s thought of Mera, she is Aquaman’s equal. Not his underling, sidekick, or stay-at-home wife. His equal.
As a result, Mera’s popularity has soared over recent years. Aside from starring in multiple books, she has also made a transition to the big screen, and made little girls and boys fall in love with her.
3. Aspen Matthews
Arguably, there isn’t a superhero alive who can compete with Aspen Matthews and her power and abilities.
Aspen is the offspring of two rival, and equally powerful, water-based beings. As a way to ensure the survival of his people, Rahger of the Black seduced Eilah of the Blue. At her birth, it was announced that Aspen carried the genetic makeup of both people and as such, was the most powerful being alive.
Her power is incredible. With it, she can form tsunamis and tidal waves, as well as control the ocean current. She can also form water into any shape and size and even use it to make platforms to walk on. In addition, she can control all forms of liquid. This means that she can manipulate the blood in her enemy’s body even going as far as killing them from the inside out. Aspen is also able to project blasts of energy from her hands, is proficient in telepathy, and can even control and manipulate ice. Most impressively, she can change her own body into liquid and reform it should she need to.
Originally a property of Top Cow (Image Comics), Aspen Matthews and her Fathom Comic are now independently owned by her creator Michael Turner and his Aspen Comics brand.
2. Namor
Before Namor was born, Leonard McKenzie (his father) and his crew sought out the Lemurian city that had been rumored to house a mythical artifact. Seeing that a trusted crew member planned to use the artifact for destruction, Leonard quickly set some explosives at the site in an effort to bury not only the artifact but the city as well. What he didn’t realize was that the city was, in fact, Atlantis.
As a consequence of the explosion, Atlantis took heavy damage. To find out what was happening at the surface level, the King of Atlantis sent out his daughter, Fen. Her mission was to find the source of the explosion and report back. Little did the King know but at surface level, Fen and Leonard would meet and fall in love.
In an effort to retrieve his missing daughter, the King sent out his best men. Fearing that she had been captured, the men slaughtered Leonard’s crew, forcing Fen to return to Atlantis. 9 short months later, Namor, the world’s first Homo sapien/Homo mermanus hybrid entered the world.
Namor is one of the most powerful characters on the planet. In addition to being able to do practically anything he wants with water, he possesses superhuman strength, stamina, and durability, he can swim at speeds in excess of 60 mph, and can withstand hypothermic conditions.
1. Aquaman
When it comes to DC Comics, there isn’t a superhero alive more widely associated with water than Aquaman. Not only is he the hero by which they’ve molded other heroes around, but he’s also the one responsible for their health and safety.
Say what you will about him, Aquaman is incredibly powerful. As the ruler of 71% of Earth’s surface, he controls the planet’s greatest army (water life) and controls arguably the most prevalent and destructive force in the world, water. This means that he can move it, bend it, heat it, throw it, grow it, turn it solid, and cause it to rise from the ocean and fall from the sky. Above those, he also possesses superhuman strength, speed, and durability and is extremely long-lived.
Aquaman is a founding member of the Justice League and will hold a spot on the team for as long as he chooses. As one of the superheroes who use water, Aquaman is easily capable of standing toe-to-toe with any of his fellow members.
