Lesson Plan: Mera Tidebreaker

Review

As a loyal and devoted fan of DC, I’ve been looking forward to seeing some of their new DC Ink titles. Mera: Tidebreaker delivers with force and energy, having  made the wait more than worthwhile. Aimed at young readers, Mera: Tidebreaker offers readers a new, and compelling origin story for both Mera and Aquaman.  

Mera is born and raised in Xebel, a penal colony ruled over by Atlantis.  Expected by her father and the entire kingdom of Xebel to marry and present a new King to rule over Xebel, Mera’s independence and strong will take over.  Wanting to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a warrior for her people, Mera isn’t so sure she wants to be married to her father’s proposed suitor and fiancé, Larken. 

After secretly overhearing and watching her father and Larken plan an upcoming attack on the Atlanteans, Mera decides to not only take matters into her own hands, but also wear a crown of her own choosing.  Emulating her famed and beloved warrior mother, Mera secretly heads to the shoreline beaches of Atlantis to prove that she is both mentally and physically strong enough to rule over Xebel.  Her plan: Kill the young and incoming King of Atlantis, Arthur Curry.

In order to do so, Mera must face some personal and royal challenges she did not expect, and that’s when her plan to kill Arthur Curry becomes more and more complex and riveting for all readers.

Elements of Story

Plot: A teenager from Xebel, a penal colony ruled over by Atlantis, Mera is supposed marry the man of her father’s (King of Xebel’s) choosing.  A strong-willed young warrior herself, Mera feels a bit differently, much like her famed warrior mother, and wants to prove that she can wear a crown of her own choosing.

Major Characters: Mera (Princess of Xebel), Pilan, Hikara, Ryus (King of Xebel and Mera’s Father), Nerrisa (Mera’s Mother), Larken, Larken’s Father, Arthur Curry (Prince of Atlantis), Ellery, Jacob, Tom Curry, Atlanna (Arthur’s Mother)

Major Settings: Xebel, the Embassy, Mera’s Home, Amnesty Bay and Boardwalk, Arthur’s Home and Lighthouse

Themes: Identity, Family, Loss, Love, Family, Politics, Forgiveness & Acceptance

Lesson Plan Recommendation Using the Common Core Standards (CCS) for Young Adults

Common Core Standard(s)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Directions for Lesson Plan

There are many complex and intriguing characters that play a role in Mera’s origin story.  Below is a “character tracking line” that allows readers to link Mera’s origin story to some of the key characters that play a role in informing her story. 

Readers should fill in these spaces with details as to how each character informs Mera’s storyline and decisions.

 MERA