The CW’s Arrow has been teasing a new costumed superhero for a while now, with former Superman Brandon Routh taking on a recurring guest role in the show’s third season as Ray Palmer, a.k.a. The Atom. But so far, Palmer has been all business-suited antics and tragic backstories, with little in the way of shrinking or tiny, two-fisted action. That’s about to change with the Feb. 25 episode, “Nanda Parbat,” which will mark the debut of Palmer’s superhero side as he suits up in the power-granting A.T.O.M. exoskeleton, pictured below. Routh and the costume will also both be appearing on Arrow’s sister show, The Flash, in an upcoming episode later this year.
Conceding to the Arrow universe’s (relatively) more realistic take on superhero physics, Routh’s costume skips the spandex in favor of what looks to be futuristic motorcycle safety equipment. It also appears to be equipped with a full set of Chinese finger traps, the better to immobilize any criminal children the Atom fights. And because apparently you can’t shrink with superscience anymore without wearing red and black, the costume forgoes The Atom’s traditional blue coloring in favor of a darker palette. On the plus side, the new Ray Palmer is clearly a traditionalist when it comes to wearing giant letters on your chest—a crucial accessory for a hero worried they might forget their own name in the middle of a fight.
