Don't Expect The Atom To Join Team 'Arrow'

Starling City appears to be getting one more vigilante. When Ray Palmer was introduced in Arrow Season 3, it was assumed that eventually he'd turn into his comic book alter ego, Atom. Well, my friends, that time has finally come. Ray showed Felicity some of the mock up designs for his A.T.O.M. suit (oh, clever, Advanced Technology Operating Mechanism), and Felicity, once again, realized that she has a type. Considering that Starling City is currently down one Arrow, might Atom suit up to join Team Arrow during Oliver's down time?

If you think back a few episodes to when Ray and Felicity had a big heart to heart, Ray explained that he's lost a loved one. During one of the many segues of the city, his fiancée, Anna, died as they tried to escape from Deathstroke and his Mirakuru-fueled army. Ray is just as invested in Starling City as Oliver, and wants to see it become a better place.

Brandon Routh, the Atom himself, told Entertainment Tonight that in the next batch of upcoming episodes, "We start to understand why he’s doing what he’s doing, and there are a couple of conversations between [Ray and] Felicity that will happen in the next few episodes where you understand on a deeper level that he’s not here just because he’s a playboy billionaire wanting to make a cool suit, fight crime and wanting to be a hero."

While he might not suit up with the intention of joining Team Arrow to take down those who have failed the city, Ray will get more "involved with city politics," which could easily segue way into hanging out in the Arrow Cave. But it looks like, even if Atom does join the team, he won't stick around for too long.

The Television Critics Association press tour wrapped up last week, and during one of the talks, CW president Mark Pedowitz said the network is thinking about bringing another character into the DC Comics TV universe, alongside The

Flash and Arrow. And guess who's name was the first one mentioned in these talks? Atom. Executive producer Greg Berlanti was asked directly about it and mentioned that, "we're in very early talks in a very general idea that we haven't gone deeper on yet." That's still enough to set fans' hearts a flutter. If The CW is considering an Atom spinoff, you better believe that we'll see Ray suit up as Atom, just like how Barry Allen showed up in Starling City only to be struck by lighting shortly afterwards. That way if a spinoff comes to fruition, he'll have already been introduced on Arrow, before he goes his own way to fight crime.

So while Ray might never become a full fledged Team Arrow member (the gang should get jackets, no?), he will more than likely at least become a Team Arrow ally. And if we have to trade one member of the Arrow gang for one new TV series protagonist, that's not too bad a deal. Image: Cate Cameron/The CW; queensarrow/tumblr (2)