10 Ways Aquaman Is Better Than Black Panther

6. Romance That Serves A Purpose

When someone thinks about superhero movies and their romances, rarely do they feel necessary. The relationship is gradually hinted at during random points of the movie, and then they finally fall in love. Black Panther falls into this as T'Challa's connection with Nakia feels pretty half-baked. It's clear they have a past, but there's no exploration of it. They are then just limited to the standard 'I don't know if I can/yes you can' talks with little else left to be discussed.

This absolutely pales in comparison to the Mera/Arthur relationship. Whereas BP's romance feels pretty forced, the aquatic couple complement each other so well that their character progression comes from the other. Mera learns of humanity's qualities and becomes rather compassionate thanks to Arthur, while she simultaneously teaches him the importance of accepting responsibility when you're capable of benefitting the world.

Not only would much of the plot happen without their connection, but they'd be far lesser people too. This is a romance that feels essential to the film, which is a rare feat in comic book movies nowadays.