Heroes have been teaming up since comic books first started hitting shelves. Sure, it’s fun for a good guy to look their arch-enemy in the eye and tell them that they’re going to stop them, but it’s a lot more fun when there’s a group of heroes who all share a common goal. The Arrowverse certainly understands the appeal, as it features several major crossovers that bring together characters from all the different corners of the franchise. The two heroes that are always in the middle of the action are The Flash and Green Arrow, which makes sense because they’re the ones who started it all.
Barry Allen and Oliver Queen go from reluctant partners to best friends who save the multiverse together. Their relationship is so impactful, in fact, that Barry can’t get over Oliver’s death in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” allowing the guilt to eat at him for years. Despite their bond, though, they aren’t the Arrowverse’s best bromance. That title goes to a pair of Legends.
Nate Heywood and Ray Palmer Become Fast Friends in the Arrowverse
Ray Palmer makes his Arrowverse debut in Arrow as a rival of Oliver. He wants to buy Queen Consolidated from his fellow billionaire and use its assets to help him upgrade his Atom suit, which he uses to fight crime in Star City. Despite warnings from the Arrow, Ray continues his vigilante work because he’s grieving the loss of his fiancée. He works through all that eventually, though, and chooses to put all of his energy into helping his new friends, the Legends of Tomorrow. Rip Hunter recruits a team of characters that the timeline won’t miss and asks them to help him take down Vandal Savage. They complete their mission but quickly find themselves in more trouble in Legends of Tomorrow Season 2.
With the help of his big brain, historian Nate Heywood deduces that the Legends’ ship, the Waverider, is at the bottom of the ocean and asks for Oliver’s help in retrieving it. They find Mick Rory on the Waverider, and Nate agrees to help him find the rest of the Legends, who are scattered throughout time. Everyone returns to the ship in one piece, and Nate gets an opportunity to join the team. It takes him a little while to settle in, but he takes a liking to Ray, who gives him a supersuit once a device created by the Reverse-Flash unlocks powers within him. Their relationship only grows from there, becoming the stuff of legend.
Ray & Nate Always Have Each Other’s Backs When It Matters Most
Ray and Nate bond over their love of pop culture properties, such as Star Wars, which annoys the other residents of the Waverider. Thankfully, the nerd-out sessions are easier to tolerate because the two heroes make a great team. They frequently go on missions together, and even when they don’t, they’re ready to help at the drop of a hat. When the Dominators capture Ray, Sara Lance, and Oliver in the “Invasion” crossover, they manage to escape, but it doesn’t look like they’re going to get far because the aliens are hot on their tails. Well, the Waverider, piloted by Nate and Amaya, arrives at the perfect moment and brings everyone to safety.
There are countless other examples of Ray and Nate being there for each other, and it’s not always in crime-fighting scenarios. Despite the Legends holding a real grudge against Damien Darhk, Ray falls in love with his daughter, Nora, and asks her to marry him. Nate serves as the best man at the wedding and is happy for his pal. Unfortunately, his smile quickly fades when he learns that Ray plans to leave the Legends to be with Nora. Nate starts lashing out and briefly calls off his friendship with Ray. However, he realizes the error of his ways and goes to apologize to his best friend. Nate catches Ray right before he’s about to leave, and the two embrace. It’s a tough pill for Nate to swallow at the time, but Ray’s brave decision helps him make one of his own later on when he leaves the Legends to be with Zari.
Legends of Tomorrow is streaming on Netflix.
Do you think Ray Palmer and Nate Heywood have the best bromance in the Arrowverse? What do you like most about their friendship? Let us know in the comments below!
The post The Arrowverse’s Best Bromance Doesn’t Involve Oliver Queen or Barry Allen appeared first on ComicBook.com.