[beeping]
Sir, unidentified craft approaching.
Bearing 010.
At this depth?
Establish radio contact.
I've tried all frequencies. No response.
Whatever it is, it's big and closing fast.
Evasive maneuvers.
Planes down 20 degrees.
Still closing, sir. It's going to...
[crashing]
Unh!
Damage report.
Starboard rudder's out.
Captain, the hostile craft is turning!
It's making another run!
Prepare torpedo tubes!
There's no time!
[all screaming]
This is U.S.S. Defiant.
We are under attack and have sustained heavy damage.
We are going down. Repeat, we are going down.
The surface dwellers' ship has been disabled.
Good.
Let it sink.
U.S.S. Defiant,
This is the Justice League responding.
Help is on the way.
I've locked onto their distress beacon. We're getting close.
We're not the only ones.
We've got company.
Not for long.
Lost 'em.
You were saying?
Those sailors won't have a prayer
If we keep playing cat and mouse. Come on.
Push!
Man: Halt!
You've violated the sovereign borders of Atlantis.
Leave at once, or you will be destroyed.
We apologize for the intrusion.
We were responding to a call for help.
They should have stayed on the surface where they belong.
Please. The men on board-- they'll drown.
Take the crew. But the vessel stays.
No way. That's a nuclear sub.
If you think we're just going to walk away and leave it--
What makes you think you have a choice?
Superman: He's right. Time's running out.
That's the last one.
Escort them to the surface.
You know, all this could have been avoided.
How?
Come and air your grievances at the world assembly.
Negotiate for peace.
You'd have me crawl to them like some beggar?
No. Stand before them like a king.
Man: I say the surface dwellers are barbarians.
They sail their weapons across our seas
And pollute our oceans with their garbage.
There's only one way to ensure Atlantis' safety,
And my troops are prepared to take action.
What sort of action?
We have the technology
To wipe them off the face of the Earth.
Just give the order.
General Brak,
I decide policy here, not you.
But how much longer
Must we endure these affronts?
Surely you realize that now is the perfect time--
Hold your tongue, Brak. Your king has spoken.
Forgive me, lord Orm.
General Brak, I will consider your counsel,
But this is a most serious matter.
I must give it more thought.
He has quite a grip.
Takes after his father.
Look at him.
So peaceful, so innocent.
Mera, what kind of future
Am I making for our son?
Whatever you decide,
I'm sure it will be the right choice.
Will it?
Your hands are strong and noble.
I would gladly place my fate in them.
I understand your concerns, admiral,
But lives were at stake.
There was nothing else we could do.
Green Lantern: The admiral's right.
We never should have left the sub down there.
Now it's in the hands of that madman.
Aquaman's no madman.
He's a king.
He only wants to preserve and protect his own kind.
So, who's going to protect us from him?
Whoa.
Hey, where'd that dude come from?
Oof! Hey, watch it!
Out of the way, meathead!
Aah!
Not so fast, buddy.
Where do you think you're going?
Unh! Aah!
Where is the world assembly?
Green Lantern: I knew we couldn't trust that fishman.
The sub's been stripped, and the plutonium is gone.
And you think Aquaman's responsible?
Who else, princess?
We've got to go back to Atlantis and get some straight answers.
If it's Aquaman you want,
He's not in Atlantis.
According to eyewitness accounts,
Aquaman then forced his way past the guards
And into a closed session of the world assembly.
But as to why he's here or what he wants,
We'll have to wait for further developments.
[all talking angrily]
Man: Order! Order, please!
First you sink a nuclear submarine,
And then you threaten us to make peace.
Who gave you the right?
I am the born ruler of Atlantis.
A country we do not even recognize.
These are my final terms.
Refuse them at your own risk.
But your demands are outrageous.
They would compromise our entire world defense and economy.
Your problem, not mine.
[all talking angrily]
Aquaman!
I offered them a chance for peace,
And this is their answer.
Please, these things take time.
I've wasted too much time already.
Wait!
Oof!
Green Lantern: A real prince charming.
Here he comes.
Aquaman-- what happened in there?
Where's the submarine?
Will there be further-- move aside.
Oh, no!
Watch out! Watch out!
No!
[groaning]
Reporter: And following the explosion,
Members of the Justice League rushed Aquaman
To metropolis medical center.
There are still no official reports on his condition,
But his injuries appear to be critical,
Possibly fatal.
We cannot allow this treacherous attack
To go unpunished.
With all due respect, lord Orm,
You're in no position to give that order. The king--
The king may be dead,
And the prince is still an infant.
But even so, the law of succession must be respected.
The prince will take control
When he comes of age,
But in the meantime,
This outrage must be avenged.
Mera: Orm, did you hear?
Oh, my poor Mera,
All of Atlantis mourns your loss.
You speak as if he'll never come back.
I pray he will.
But who knows what the surface dwellers may do to him?
Have we got a line in yet? I need it stat.
Negative. His skin's tougher than a rhino's.
His vitals are falling.
This is hopeless.
How bad is it?
Hard to tell.
His physiology is not like ours.
It's unlike anything I've ever seen.
But can you help him?
I don't know.
Then maybe I can.
[beeping]
His vitals--
They're stabilizing.
Maintain saline at 3.5%.
But how could you possibly guess that?
He's a fish out of water, doctor--
Salt water.
Superman: He's coming around.
Good. Now maybe we can get some answers.
What did you do with the plutonium?
Plutonium?
From the submarine. You stole it.
My orders were to leave that vessel where it lay.
And you expect us to believe that?
Believe what you want.
Someone tried to kill me, and I need to find out who.
Wait. I can help.
But you're going to have to trust me.
Reporter: Here at metropolis medical center,
We've just gotten word that Aquaman is about to be moved.
Hospital sources say he's going to an unnamed
Marine research facility for further treatment.
Wonder Woman: I hope this plan of yours works, Batman.
Just keep your eyes open.
Here he comes.
Doctor, can we get a statement?
What's the prognosis?
What's the condition of the patient?
Doctor, is he going to be ok, sir?
Please, just go on record...
There!
I see him.
[all screaming]
Aah! Ahh!
Unh!
Are you ok?
Perfectly.
Diana, he's heading towards you.
End of the road.
I'll take a detour.
What's taking so long?
I must return to Atlantis.
Sit tight, your highness.
We'll tell you when it's safe to go.
Unh!
You presume too much.
[grunting]
Don't move.
[Batman coughing]
[groans]
Ok, ok, I give up.
You tried to kill Aquaman. Why?
[sarcastically] gee. Why would a hired gun
Try to shoot somebody?
Could it be that someone paid me to?
Wonder Woman: Who?
Oh, come on, babe. You know I can't tell you that.
Professional ethics.
But then again... Heh heh!
If you make it worth my while...
I'll take it from here.
You can't scare me, Batman.
Let me give you one word of advice.
[Batman talking indistinctly]
Ok. I'll tell, I'll tell.
What did he say?
You don't want to know.
Who hired you?
I don't know. I don't ask questions.
Not good enough.
How were you paid?
In gold. See?
Spanish doubloons.
Where would they get coins like this?
Atlantis.
We've got to warn Aquaman.
Too late. That royal pain in the neck's already gone.
And I couldn't stop him.
Hera help him.
[pounding]
My friends, now is the time for action.
Now is the time for mighty Atlantis
To rise up and strike terror
Into the hearts of its enemies.
Are you with me?
[all cheering]
Orm!
What treason is this?
No treason, brother. I thought you were--
Dead?
That's no reason to plunge Atlantis into a foolhardy war.
I left specific orders.
I'm only doing what you never had the courage to do.
Enough! I'll hear no more.
Arrest the traitor.
You heard him.
What?!
You are the traitor.
You abandoned your people,
Sold them out to the surface dwellers.
Look around you, brother.
I'm in charge now.