It’s been known for some time that the ongoing strength of Arrow and the early success of The Flash meant that The CW was actively discussing plans for yet another spinoff series based on DC Comics characters. The first details concerning the spinoff in question claimed the inclusion of a blend of characters (living and dead) from both shows, leaving even devoted fans scratching their heads.
A new batch of details concerning the roles left to cast have arrived, providing some hints to those versed in DC Comics lore. With The Flash preparing to dive headlong into time travel, and previous claims that Booster Gold would likely appear on the small screen, it seems a time-hopping team-up is possibly in store.
Though no official details have been offered, TVLine reiterates the suspicion that the series will star Victor Garber (one half of Firestorm), Brandon Routh (Arrow‘s Ray Palmer), Caity Lotz (the late Canary), and Wentworth Miller (Flash villain Captain Cold). In addition, descriptions of the other three DC Comics characters expected to round out the cast (characters who have yet to be seen in live-action) are also now available.
The Mystery Roles
First up, a man known by the placeholder title ‘The Traveler’:
“THE TRAVELER” | Described as a “Han Solo-esque rogue who gets by with his charm, this hero hails from the future, and has journeyed back in time on a secret mission. His razor-sharp wit hides the pain of a man who has lived through serious conflict. He also harbors many secrets, always leaving both his teammates and the audience unsure of his true allegiances.
As badly as some comic fans (and Smallville enthusiasts) would like to hope that this role references Booster Gold, the description – and the claim that these heroes have not been adapted to TV already – implies that Rip Hunter is the most likely candidate. Despite the parallel timelines and realities of DC Comics, few heroes are tied directly to the art of time travel like Hunter – the man known by the title of ‘Time Master.’
The name itself is a moniker, meant to keep Hunter’s enemies from uncovering his true identity, and killing him as a child before he is able to take up his mission of maintaining or, in some cases, correcting the time stream. Where Booster Gold used time travel to return to the 21st Century and become a famous superhero, Rip Hunter travels from era to era in his efforts to keep the universe from chaos (though this new description sounds like a combination of both).
The long term viability of a DC Comics show following a time-jumping hero from one iconic setting to another is easy enough to grasp, and while not outright confirming Booster’s role, the presence of both time travel in The CW’s fiction and a character so closely tied to him is likely a sign of things to come.
The Traveler won’t be alone for the time being, joined by a young woman known by the straightforward title of ‘Female Warrior’:
“FEMALE WARRIOR” | This twentysomething Latina is pretty but unassuming, book smart and socially awkward by day. But by night, when she hears the cry of battle, her fury is ignited and she becomes a fierce warrior — so much so, that sometimes she can become a threat to others.
As readers can see, this Female Warrior could be any number of DC Comics heroines. The implied nature of her character and powers (concealed during the day, embraced at night) is too vague to be nailed down, but there are some possible contenders.
The fact that these three characters have yet to be seen in live-action is only worthy of note if they are well-known, or at least in moderate demand. But even that is hard to pin down with so vague a description: it could apply to Kendra Munoz-Saunders, the modern “Earth-2” version of Hawkgirl (whose identity is a combination of Kendra and a reincarnated spirit), a heroine popular in DC’s animated universe, but could also apply to many other heroines.
The notion of an unassuming young woman being possessed by supernatural powers isn’t uncommon for DC: it’s the power behind Hawk & Dove (planned members of TNT’s Titans), a few members of the young superhero team Infinity, Inc. – even Wonder Woman’s daughter. Without more information on the character, it’s hard to offer a more informed guess – and the same is true of the third role:
“MYSTERY HERO” | An African-American male in his twenties will fill the role of a regular, street smart guy who unexpectedly gains powers, and then, as part of the team, regularly quips about the insanity of the situations.
Unfortunately, that description is about as bare-bones as a superhero origin story can get. Online speculation has already pointed to the electrically charged hero Static, given the character’s ethnicity and previous animated series. Who knows: with the network apparently considering adding Green Lantern to its TV universe, and WB favoring Chris Pine for their film, a young John Stewart could be the culprit.
What is clear is that the rumors all point to the next CW series being based on a team, not a star. And until more details are revealed, the inclusion of Sara Lance (Lotz), Leonard Snart (Miller) and Professor Martin Stein (Garber) – without Ronnie Raymond (Robbie Amell) – is still more confusing than exciting. Booster Gold may play a part in the overall series (or universe to come), but it’s clear a large piece of the puzzle has yet to be revealed.
Will this new series be set in an alternate reality where Sara Lance was bound for a different fate? Will the series be set before or parallel to Arrow‘s timeline? The presence of Rip Hunter – time and universe enforcer – and a character whose existence defies such rules could prove telling. But would The CW be ambitious enough to break their own shared universe rules with just their third series?
We enjoy speculating about the future of The Flash/Arrow universe as much as anyone, but we welcome all theories and suspicions about the real identities of these new team members. So be sure to share them in the comments.
The Flash airs Tuesdays @8pm, Arrow Wednesdays @8pm on The CW.
