Darkseid's Son Teams Up with the Most Unexpected Justice League Hero Imaginable (It's Perfect)

Summary Aquaman and Orion make an unexpected but perfect team, showing vulnerability and common ground.

DC's odd couple, Aquaman and Orion, share a bond over being sons of notorious villains.

Aquaman and Orion's peaceful and reasonable team-up sets the stage for future meaningful collaborations.

Warning: contains spoilers for "The Rivers and the Lakes That You're Used To," appearing in DC Pride 2024.

Darkseid’s son Orion is by and large a loner, but his recent team up with the most unexpected member of the Justice League is perfect. In the story “The Rivers and the Lakes That You’re Used To,” appearing in DC Pride 2024, the noble but gruff Orion crosses paths with Aquaman Jackson Hyde. The two seemingly mismatched heroes find surprising common ground.

Written and drawn by Ngozi Ukazu and part of DC Pride 2024, “The Rivers and the Lakes That You’re Used To” begins with Aquaman and Ha’Wea having a heart-to-heart, when suddenly a giant Leviathan interrupts them. The Leviathan, scared by the Xebelian plankton farms, uses its dimension warping powers to send Aquaman to New Genesis.

There he meets Orion. New Genesis is currently celebrating a “love fest” which Orion does not participate in.

Aquaman asks if he feels like he belongs, and Orion’s answer encourages him to be more open with Ha’Wea.

Aquaman and Orion Are DC's Odd Couple

They Share An Unexpected Connection

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Aquaman Jackson Hyde and Orion are the last two DC heroes fans expect to see team up. The son of the Black Manta, Jackson Hyde is a former Aqualad who recently took on the mantle of Aquaman. Orion is the son of Darkseid, sent to live on New Genesis as part of a peace agreement with Apokolips. A former member of the Justice League, Orion is a fierce warrior who leads the fight against his father, whereas Aquaman by and large stays on Earth. These two have seemingly nothing in common, but by the end of the story, they are friends.

Aquaman uses the Leviathan’s dimension-warping powers to return to Earth, and the story ends with Orion admitting a grudging respect for Jackson, a respect he does not have for Arthur Curry. While Orion never explains his beef with Arthur, he forms a connection with Jackson. The two may seem like an odd pairing, but they share a huge connection: both of their fathers’ are bad guys, and both have struggled with their legacies. Orion and Aquaman turned their backs on their dads and embraced a brighter path.

Aquaman and Orion Need to Team Up Again

Their Meeting Should Point the Way to Future Team-Ups

What makes the team-up between these two former Justice League members so special is they never fight, either against each other or together.

What makes the team-up between these two former Justice League members so special is they never fight, either against each other or together. Aquaman was brought to New Genesis by mistake, and Orion works with him to get him home. No punches were thrown or weapons used. Instead, they talked, using sense and reason to get to the bottom of the problem. Orion is known throughout the universe as both Darkseid’s son and a fierce warrior, but here he shows a more vulnerable side, leading to DC’s most unlikely team up in years.

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