- "Destiny is like a riptide. You never know its pulling you in until it's too late."
- ―McCaffery
| "Mercy Reef" | |
|---|---|
| Series Aquaman Season 1, Episode 1 | |
| |
| Air date | 2006 |
| Writers | Alfred Gough; Miles Millar |
| Director | Greg Beeman |
| Producers | Alfred Gough; Miles Millar; Elayne Keratsis; Brian Wankum |
| Starring | Justin Hartley; Lou Diamond Phillips; Denise Quiñones; Rick Peters; Ving Rhames |
| Episode guide | |
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"Mercy Reef" is the unaired pilot episode of the proposed Aquaman television series. The show was intended as a spin-off of the CW Network action series Smallville, but never went into production beyond the pilot. The episode was directed by Greg Beeman and written by Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.
Synopsis[]
Ten years ago:
Atlanna Curry and her young son, Arthur (A.C) are piloting a small plane over the Bermuda Triangle. Suddenly she loses radio contact with her husband, Tom, as glowing columns of light burst from the water below, shearing the plane in half. The plane plummets down into the water below. Atlanna, demonstrating remarkable physical strength, pulls her son free from the plane and prepares to push him out the hatch. In their last moments together, Atlanna calls her son Orin and gives him a small Seahorse-shaped pendant. As the boy is swept away by the current, a mysterious creature bursts into the hull of the plane and attacks Atlanna.
Ten years later:
A.C. Curry swimming.
Arthur Curry is arrested for breaking into the Neptune World theme park and rescuing five dolphins. His adopted father, Coast Guard officer, Tom Curry, shows up to bail him out of jail. Shortly thereafter, A.C. returns to his boat, the Quint, and the dive-shop that he co-owns with a woman named Eva. Eva asks him about the theme park incident, and A.C. confesses to sharing an empathic relationship with marine animals. Eva dismisses his wild claims.
Later, at the Tempest Key Naval Airforce Base, an officer gives pilot Lt. Rachel Torres an assignment to scout a section of the Bermuda Triangle near Mercy Reef. Rachel asks why she was picked for the assignment, but her superior informs her that the request came from “on high”.
Torres takes her jet out over Mercy Reef where she begins tracking an undersea object moving quickly just below the waves. She doesn’t realize that what she is tracking is actually A.C. Suddenly, a column of light bursts from the water and Torres’ plane crashes into the sea. A.C. rescues her and brings her to the Tempest Key Hospital.
Meanwhile a government agent named Brigman, working for a top-secret operation named Project: Nautilus begins investigating strange occurrences related to the Bermuda Triangle. The first of which involves an Air Force ensign named Gus Thompson whose F-5 disappeared on December 5th, 1945. Thompson has recently resurfaced at Tempest Key Hospital, appearing no older than he did over sixty years ago. Further, he also possesses a seahorse-shaped medallion, similar to the one that A.C. wears.
Ving Rhames as McCaffery
A.C. visits Tempest Key Hospital to check up on Lieutenant Torres. While there, he finds Ensign Thompson who refers to him by the name Orin. Thompson cryptically tells A.C. that they "know he escaped". Before A.C. can question the patient any further, the government agent arrives and takes Thompson away.
Later, a siren named Nadia arrives in Tempest Key and tracks A.C. to the Quint. Although she at first appears human, she shape shifts into a monster and rakes A.C. with her claws. They continue fighting in the water, and their struggle brings them to a lighthouse at Atlas Point. A lighthouse keeper named McCaffery runs out and drives the creature away.
Nursing A.C.'s wounds, McCaffery reveals that he knows A.C.'s true heritage. He is actually Orin, prince of the mythical undersea city of Atlantis. A.C. doesn’t believe him at first, but McCaffery reveals that he is responsible for bringing Atlanna and young Orin to Mercy Reef over ten years ago.
Later, Nadia captures Orin and McCaffery and imprisons them on the Quint. She begins tugging the boat out across the sea with the intention of bringing it back to Atlantis. A.C. frees himself and fights with Nadia. McCaffery tosses him a harpoon, which A.C. then uses to destroy the siren once and for all.
Back at Atlas Point, McCaffery tells A.C. that he is prepared to educate him on his true heritage.
Elsewhere, Agent Brigman meets up with Lt. Torres and tells her that he needs her help investigating unsolved cases in the Bermuda Triangle.
Cast[]
Principal Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Justin Hartley | A.C. Curry |
| Lou Diamond Phillips | Tom Curry |
| Denise Quiñones | Lieutenant Rachel Torres |
| Rick Peters | Agent Brigman |
| Ving Rhames | McCaffery |
Guest Stars[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Adrianna Palicki | Nadia |
| Amber McDonald | Eva |
| Kenny Johnson | Sheriff |
| Daniella Wolters | Atlanna |
| Graham Bentz | Young A.C. |
| Mark Perun | Ensign Gus Thompson |
| Brett Rice | Commander Haley |
| Stacy Anne Rose | Military aide |
| Joe Klinker | Petty Officer O'Hara |
| Michael Hart | Patient |
| Justin Bell | Bar patron |
| Massi Furlan | Business man |
| Christine Hitt | Hospital patient |
| Dave Knight | Tempest Key Hospital employee |
| Amy LoCicero | Tempest Key bar waitress |
| Annette O'Toole | Atlanna (voice) |
| Stefan Pinto | Dock hand |
| Michael Russell | Lieutenant Russell |
| Corey Sevier | Jesse |
Notes & Trivia[]
- Aquaman was a proposed television program that was to be aired on the CW network in 2006. The character of Aquaman made his live-action debut on the season five episode of Smallville entitled "Aqua". Played by Alan Ritchson, Aquaman became allies with Clark Kent and even struck up a brief relationship with Lois Lane. After a harrowing incident involving the machinations of Lex Luthor, Aquaman took his leave of Smallville, with the intent of returning to his base of operations in Florida.
- The episode proved popular enough that WB Network executives decided to test the water with a spin-off series tentatively titled Mercy Reef. Casting agents passed over Ritchson to revive the role of Aquaman, ultimately bestowing it upon soap opera actor, Justin Hartley.
- A pilot episode was filmed, but studio executives ultimately decided to discontinue the program. The unaired pilot is available for purchase from the iTunes music store.
- In September of 2006, Justin Hartley became a recurring character on Smallville, but not as Aquaman. Beginning with the season six episode "Sneeze", Hartley plays the DC Comics hero, Green Arrow.
- Actress Adrianne Palicki also appeared in an episode of Smallville as a character named Kara (a proto version of the more popular Supergirl). Palicki appeared in the season three episode, "Covenant".
Allusions[]
- A.C.'s boat, The Quint is named after the character Quint, played by Robert Shaw in the 1975 Steven Spielberg thriller, Jaws.
Bloopers[]
Quotes[]
See also[]
External Links[]
- "Mercy Reef" at DCDP
- "Mercy Reef" at IMDB
- "Mercy Reef" at Wikipedia
- "Mercy Reef" at TV.com guide
- "Mercy Reef" at the Aquaman Wiki
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