Could this season's Arrowverse crossover feature the return of the Justice Society of America? A photo of a prop from the set of Legends of Tomorrow season 3 indicates that the first superhero team in comic book history could somehow be involved.

In 2014, The CW began what has become an annual tradition with a crossover event for The Flash and Arrow that had the two superhero teams assisting each other in catching their enemies. The crossover event for the following year set up the plot for Legends of Tomorrow by introducing viewers to Hawkgirl, Hawkman, and Vandal Savage. The scale of the event only continued to increase in 2016 with a three-episode crossover that added Legends of Tomorrow with guest appearances from characters from Supergirl.  Titled "Invasion!", the event pitted the heroes against an army of aliens. The next event promises to be the biggest yet by encompassing all four Arrowverse shows for the first time.

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While filming the Legends of Tomorrow episode of the crossover, showrunner Marc Guggenheim tweeted a photo of a mask but left no clues of its role in the story. Many fans in the comments were quick to connect the mask to the Golden Age hero, Sandman, whose mask has already been spotted on display in the Waverider. However, other fans have noted that it more closely resembles the mask worn by Sandy Hawkins, the Sandman's teenage sidekick and the orphaned nephew of Sandman's girlfriend. Created in 1941, the character was originally known by the moniker, "Sandy the Golden Boy". Together, the duo battled Nazis and other threats. Decades later, the character was reinvented as "Sand" and was given a look similar to his mentor.

The Sandman was a character who operated more on the level of a vigilante, as he possessed no superpowers other than limited precognition in the form of dreams. Sandman's primary tools were chemicals that he could use to put his enemies to sleep. Sandy Hawkins inherited his partner's prophetic dreams, but also gained abilities that set him apart from the original Sandman. Sandy could manipulate the earth and soil on a grand scale.

Sandy Hawkins and Sandman were both members of the Justice Society of America, a precursor to the Justice League and the first superhero team ever. The Justice Society were a major plot point in season 2 of Legends of Tomorrow with one member of the team, Vixen, eventually leaving to join the Legends. Though viewers were able to meet several members of the JSA, Sandman nor Sandy Hawkins were among them.

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Legends of Tomorrow season 3 premieres Tuesday, October 10, on The CW.

Source: Marc Guggenheim