The Aquaticans are a sapient, amphibious race indigenous to the Sea of Rakash as well as the Crystal Sea on the planet Eternia. It is unknown if their ancestors had yet evolved before the evil Hordak transformed the Caverns of Rakash into its later iteration as a body of water.
Biology[]
Their species are gilled, allowing them to likely breathe underwater indefinitely. They also have wet, scaly green or blue skin, with a set of fins framing their head that may be their species' equivalent to ears. They walk about with a plantigrade bipedal stance, and possess webbed hands and feet for better movement in water. Like many other primarily aquatic organisms, they have large, bulbous eyes and a wide mouth filled with needle-sharp teeth.
Noses or something akin to nostrils have been seen in some individuals but not others; these may be used like sharks to detect blood in the water, though this is purely speculative. It may also be that all members possess these nostrils, but that they can seal up tight enough to appear invisible to the casual observer. Either way, the species also possess sets of gills on their necks.
The face notably has a layer of rough, orange-hued scales which serve an unknown purpose, which surround the eyes and occasionally the upper lip.
Some individuals of this species look radically different, suggesting that there might be significant phenotypical variation, or that they might be capable of interbreeding with other races. Some Aquaticans, such as Princess Nami and Shelandor, are much more human-like than their brethren, and even have hair. An Aquatican named Octavia, who lives on Etheria, also has two pairs of long grasping tentacles on her back.
Abilities[]
The abilities of the Aquaticans are gleaned from knowledge about their king, Mer-Man (a.k.a. King Rex). As such they may or may not pertain to the species as a whole.
Aquaticans are perfectly adapted to an amphibious lifestyle, being just as comfortable walking about on the land as they are swimming through the ocean depths - however they are believed to be happier in their underwater habitats. Although their strength is not on par with that of He-Man, this is a given as he is the strongest man in the universe. They do, however, appear to have superhuman strength at some level and this strength is clearly augmented underwater. It is unknown what factor(s) contribute to the loss of strength when on land, though given the very nature of the planet Eternia it may be magical in nature.
Their king can control a number of other aquatic life forms through a form of primitive telepathy, and while they may all possess this trait, it would be assumed that only the king or leaders are given the right to utilize it. This power only works on cold-blooded sea creatures and will have no effect on sea mammals.
Culture and society[]
An Aquatican royal guard.
Despite having gills, this species prefers to live under domed underwater cities with air. They're ruled by a single monarch.
Technology[]
The Aquaticans are known to wield swords, lances and tridents as weaponry, and have the ability to give weapons such as their king's sword special properties such as an ability to discharge a freeze ray capable of encasing the target in ice. It is unknown if this is a magical or technological product.
For armor, they often wield fish hide that has been adapted into leather armor. This may cover the chest as well as be worn as gloves and greaves or boots. Trunks, possibly also made of fish hide leather, are also known to be worn by individuals and have been seen in oranges and yellows. Some level of furry or perhaps kelpy briefs have also been recorded.
The species appear to prefer the color yellow for their equipment, with their swords and leather armor all being colored similarly.
History[]
It is unknown what the Aquaticans' level of aggression towards land-dwellers was before the era of He-Man. However, their kingdom was destroyed in a great battle against other ocean clans, forcing their king, Mer-Man, to align himself with the original Masters of the Universe, the armies of Skeletor.
Notes[]
Mer-Man's "little ones".
- In the episode "Fraidy Cat", Orko and Cringer are chased by what appear to be Aquatican children. They look like miniature versions of Mer-Man, with the only distinction being that they have a tail, and Mer-Man refers to them as his "little ones".
- The character Octavia from She-Ra: Princess of Power was revealed to be a member of this species in her Masters of the Universe Classics bio.