A new image from The Flash season 8's upcoming "Armageddon" crossover event has teased the titular hero's team up with the returning Ray Palmer, also known as The Atom. After the superhero television series was officially renewed by The CW in February 2021 ahead of the premiere of its seventh season, it was later announced that the season's first five episodes would serve as a crossover-like event between the other Arrowverse shows. Other Arrowverse stars who are confirmed to make appearances include Batwoman's Javicia Leslie, Black Lightning's Cress Williams, Supergirl's Chyler Leigh, and Arrow's Katherine McNamara.
While the special five-episode event is set to kick off the new season, the rest of the episodes will be dedicated to continuing Barry Allen and Team Flash's stories from season 7. Once again, the show's original cast returns, including Grant Gustin as the titular hero, Candice Patton as Iris West-Allen, Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow/Frost, Danielle Nicolet as Cecile Horton, Kayla Compton as Allegra Garcia, Brandon McKnight as Chester P. Runk, and Jesse L. Martin as Joe West. Within the show's crossover event, Team Flash is said to go against their toughest enemy yet in the alien, Despero, leading them to team up with other Arrowverse heroes.
In a newly unveiled promotional photo from TVLine, The Flash is showcased standing next to Brandon Routh's Ray Palmer, better known as the shrinking superhero, The Atom. Within the image, the two heroes appear to be standing in front of a heavily damaged vehicle, looking towards the sky at what can only be assumed as the previously mentioned alien threat. While looking, the two heroes look incredibly shocked at whatever they could be witnessing and seem to be preparing to use their own powers against it. Check out the new image below:
Routh, who last appeared as Ray Palmer in the 100th episode of Legends of Tomorrow after departing from the show's main cast during the sixth season, has been previously reported to be unhappy with his choice of leaving the time-traveling superhero drama. Routh's departure from the show alongside his wife, Courtney Ford, was deemed to be a story decision decided by the writers, deciding that the stories of Ray Palmer and Nora Darhk were complete after the pair became a married couple on Legends of Tomorrow. However, The Flash writers appear to have been able to conjure up more stories for the character that allowed Routh to return to the character once again in the Arrowverse.
Routh's return for the character can be considered an extremely high point for such a fan-favorite character as, despite having been considered to be finished in the Arrowverse, the writers' ability to create a new story for him alongside The Flash only highlights his potential for a permanent return in the Arrowverse's future. This is not exclusive to The Atom, as it only further makes it possible for past members of the Arrowverse's lineup to return in some capacity in the franchise's future. Audiences will have to wait and see what surprises the returns of these characters have in store once The Flash season 8 premieres on November 16.
Source: TVLine