Thanks to the success of Arrow and The Flash as well as the overwhelming popularity of superhero franchises, the CW was quick to develop a spin off of the two, moving forward with a third show in their shared universe. This time rather than focusing on one hero and the team that supports them - like Oliver Queen or Barry Allen - the upcoming Legends of Tomorrow focuses on a number of people banding together to fight crime.
Sarah Lance/White Canary (Caity Lotz) and Ray Palmer/Atom (Brandon Routh) are coming over from Arrow, while Dr. Martin Stein/Firestorm (Victor Garber), Mick Rory/Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell) and Leonard Snart/Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) will transition over from The Flash. The latter show has also just introduced Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Ciara Renée) as a possible love interest for Cisco, and we now have more information on her appearance with Carter Hall/Hawkman (Falk Hentschel).
The image below is from one of the upcoming Arrow/Flash crossover episodes “Legends of Today” or “Legends of Yesterday," which will develop Hawkgirl and Hawkman further. Other images from the episodes display the full superhero lineup, but in this image all four characters are decked out in their crime fighting outfits with both Hawkgirl and Hawkman are chained up. The episode titles and descriptions hint at the connections to Legends and give us some idea of the trouble we can expect from Vandal Savage. Why they are in chains still remains to be seen, though it's possibly due to a run in with Savage.
In advance of Legends of Tomorrow's 2016 premiere, both shows have been busy laying the groundwork for the new series. Arrow hasaddressed the problem of the two presumed dead characters by resurrecting Lance, as well as finding Palmer alive and saving him from Damien Darhk's tiny prison. The two shows have had the large responsibility of expanding the shared universe while introducing new characters. Hawkgirl and Hawkman are the newest additions, with Saunders having her first speaking lines in The Flash episode ‘The Darkness and The Light."
It is a delicate balance trying to move so many shows forward at once, while not losing the key narrative thread and heart of the individual series. So far both Arrow and The Flash have handled this well, Arrow especially coming a long way with its course-correction from an uneven Season 3. However all of the awareness around Legends has taken some of the suspense out of the two shows. It's difficult to worry about the restoration of a soul or invest in burgeoning romance when you know the characters will be moving on soon. Still, the series looks like a fun addition to the lineup, and the crossover episodes are always entertaining for fans of both shows.
Season 2 of The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7pm central; Season 4 of Arrow airs on Wednesdays at 8/7pm central; Legends of Tomorrow begins in 2016.
Source: The CW via Comic Book Movie