Season 6 of the Arrowverse show Legends of Tomorrow should introduce another super-powered superhero from DC Comics: Shazam. Shazam, previously known as DC's Captain Marvel (not to be confused with Marvel's Captain Marvel), gained renewed popularity in the mainstream thanks to the DCEU's 2019 hit Shazam! Given the character's newfound relevance in popular culture, as well as his generally goofy demeanor, the character is the perfect fit to fill the void in Legends season 6 left by Ray Palmer's (Brandon Routh) exit from the series.
Shazam! introduced a whole new generation to the unlikely hero Billy Batson, a teenage boy who is granted extraordinary abilities by an old wizard. Batson takes on the mantle, transforming into an adult male when he says the magical phrase "shazam," the wizard's name. In the original take on the character, the transformation makes Batson an adult in every sense, including emotional and intellectual maturity — this is the version of the character seen in the comics for almost 50 years. Billy and his adult alter ego had two distinct personalities (which, admittedly, raises some philosophical and existential concerns). In 1986, however, the character was rebooted following Crisis on Infinite Earths so that he now retained his immature personality when he transformed, making for decidedly sillier storytelling. Since the change was introduced, it's become the new standard for the character and was even incorporated into the New 52 reboot — as seen in the 2019 movie.
Legends of Tomorrow similarly began its run with a much more serious tone than it has now; however, Arrowverse fans have come to appreciate the Legends and their slaphappy, underdog antics. The show is at its best when it delivers laughs alongside its thrills. Tonally, this is in sync with Shazam, as he's characterized in contemporary media: the stakes may be high, but so is the fun.
Legends Season 6 Needs Shazam
Legends season 5 saw several key characters exit the show, and the finale featured a cliffhanger ending indicating that team leader Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) will be missing at the start of season 6. As a result of these events, the Legends will be finding themselves in a particularly vulnerable position: without A.T.O.M or Charlie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers), the team is already underpowered; furthermore, too many of the teammates share similar abilities. The brother-sister duo Behrad (Shayan Sobhian) and Zari Tarazi (Tala Ashe) control a magical air totem, while Mick Rory a.k.a. Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell) wields a heat gun that shoots fire. Both John Constantine (Matt Ryan) and Gary Green (Adam Tsekhman) practice magic (the latter, poorly). Nate Heywood a.k.a. Steel (Nick Zano) is the team's strongest member, as he can turn himself into steel, has incredible durability, and superhuman strength — but as it stands, he and Rory are the team's only fighters.
The upcoming Superman and Lois series proves that big, recognizable heroes have a place in the Arrowverse — despite also existing in the DCEU. Of all the powerful DC heroes who could balance out the Legends as they currently are, Shazam makes the most sense. Not only does he have the powerset the team is currently missing, but his backstory and comedic potential would suit Legends of Tomorrow more so than the other Arrowverse shows. The only other hero who might fit this description is Booster Gold; however, there are some problems with fitting him into the team. Booster Gold's hunger for fame doesn't fit the anonymous nature of the Legends' work, and as a time traveler himself, he doesn't really need them. Conversely, because Bill Batson is an orphan, his presence on the Waverider — and his need for a new home — could be easily explained.
How Shazam! Could Fit Into The Legends
As Shazam, the magical powerhouse would be a powerful ally to the Legends — but as Billy Batson, he fits in with the group's underdog ethos. Billy's vulnerabilities are an important aspect of his character and are what makes him a good choice for the team. Unlike someone like Superman, Billy doesn't have his powers all the time — in fact, when he isn't Shazam, he's a very-vulnerable young boy. He needs to say the magic word to turn himself into his powerful alter ego, and saying it while he's already Shazam causes him to transform back into a boy. There is a lot of narrative potential for the character to be in danger, despite his powerful abilities — and him being captured as a boy presents genuinely-high stakes for the other characters to respond to.
What's more, Shazam could fit into the show because Legends often kills characters off and replaces them, arguably more so than any other Arrowverse show. Of the original teammates, only Sara Lance and Mick Rory remain — and Sara's status in the Arrowverse is currently unknown. Even if Shazam were only to appear in a couple episodes, he could easily be slotted into the team on a temporary basis until another, more permanent, member joins the Legends. The group could come across him due to a time abnormality and invite him to travel with them, or they could stumble upon some sort of conflict with Billy and intervene on his behalf. Given that Mick Rory's daughter was recently introduced on the show, it would make sense for there to be another teenager added to the cast for her to have a romantic, or even just platonic, interest in.
Shazam's Connection To Legends of Tomorrow
Shazam has actually been a "Legend" before — in the DC Comics. The crossover event following Crisis on Infinite Earths was titled Legends (not to be confused with the Legends of Tomorrow comic). The 6-issue limited series introduced a number of rebooted characters — including the new, less-mature, Captain Marvel — who help thwart Glorious Godfrey. In the aftermath, Captain Marvel becomes one of the founding members of the new Justice League. Although there's no confirmed plans for another large-scale crossover in the Arrowverse any time soon, Legends would be a good option for source material.
Legends of Tomorrow season 5 saw not only the Arrowverse verison of Crisis on Infinite Earths, but it also teased the creation of the Justice League in Crisis "Part 5." While the headquarters hasn't been in Legends since the crossover, it's only a matter of time until the storyline is picked up again — and since it was the Legends episode of the crossover that introduced the new headquarters, it makes sense for that to be the show that continues the Justice League plot. It would be fitting for Billy to be introduced as a potential new recruit for the Justice League team — especially since it may be down two members, with both Sara Lance and Kate Kane a.k.a. (Ruby Rose) missing. Kate is to be replaced by new Batwoman Ryan Wilder, and Sara Lance will likely be rescued at some point in the next season; still, there's narrative motivation for the Justice League to seek out new members. If that resulted in Shazam's introduction into the Arrowverse (he almost certainly wouldn't be called Captain Marvel), it found fit with the history of his reintroduction in DC Comics post-Crisis.
Billy Batson's magical powerset and age-changing transformations make him one of DC's wackier classic characters. Given Captain Marvel, a.k.a. Shazam's, long history in the comics, it's unfortunate that he has yet to make an appearance in the Arrowverse, the most developed and complex live-action production of DC Comics to date. Shazam's existence was hinted at by The Flash previously, suggesting there may be interest within the production team in bringing the character to the small screen. If this idea comes to fruition, Legends of Tomorrow would be the best place for the character to debut.