Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom belly-flopped into theaters late last year. The final fizzle on the decade-long cinematic universe known as the DCEU, when the movie was released it was with a sort of resigned “well, that’s over” for the most part. But now that we’re a few months removed and the movie is streaming on Max (formerly HBO Max), more folks are checking it out. So you might be wondering, is there a post-credit scene in Aquaman 2?
The answer is indeed yes: there is a post-credit scene on Aquaman 2. There’s only one, and it takes place right after the main credits. But to understand the final cherry on top of the DCEU sundae, you’re going to need some context. So let’s get into it.
Aquaman 2 Plot Summary: What You Need To Know To Understand The End Credits Scene
In the sequel to Aquaman 1: Aquaman Begins, Aquaman (Jason Momoa) has his life of balancing being a new dad with ruling Atlantis disrupted when Black Manta attacks his kingdom during a heist. In one of the sketchiest bits of logic ever committed to film, Aquaman decides the only way of tracking down Black Manta is by breaking his brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) out of prison. You know, the villain from the first movie, who was sent to prison because he lost to Aquaman? Who was working with Black Manta?
Anyway, Aquaman does free Orm from his desert prison which is also right by the ocean. They head off on an adventure to stop Black Manta from destroying the world by freeing an ancient evil from its slumbering prison. Eventually, they track the villain to an island in the South Pacific where he’s burning a made-up fuel called Orichalcum. One side effect Orichalcum? It destroys the atmosphere, which will melt the ice caps and help free the aforementioned ancient evil. Another side effect is that it mutates the creatures in the environment, including grasshoppers, plants, and more.
None of that is important though, because while wandering through the jungle towards their ultimate destination, Aquaman rails on Orm for not tasting the delicious food of the surface world. He urges him to get a juicy cheeseburger and a beer, or some pepperoni pizza.
In the middle of the conversation, they come across a normally sized cockroach crawling on a branch, and Aquaman tells Orm that people eat roaches all the time, calling them the “shrimp of the land.” Orm tentatively bites the head off the roach, and likes it enough that he pops the rest into his mouth.
Cut to the end of the movie, and Aquaman tells Orm they’ll essentially fake his death so he can be free because Orm helped them beat Black Manta and the ancient evil guy. In a montage sequence at the end of the movie, we see Orm sitting at a waterside restaurant, biting into a big burger with a beer on the side.
Is There A Post Credits Scene On Aquaman 2? The Mid-Credits Scene Explained:
The extra scene occurs right after the main credits of the movie. We cut back to Orm at the restaurant, and generally he’s enjoying the burger, but there’s something missing. That’s when the camera pans down to a big ol’ cockroach walking across the table.
Orm picks up the roach, puts it right on the burger, and takes a big bite. He loves it.
And that’s a wrap on the DCEU! Honestly no better visual metaphor for the end of this franchise than one of the main characters ruining a delicious burger with a cockroach, and then deciding that was exactly what was needed.
