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The CW’s Arrowverse just wrapped up its ambitious five-part “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover. The world of The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman — yes, a singular “world” now — will never be the same. And it looks like consolidating The CW’s superhero lineup is just the beginning of the changes ahead.

The events of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” have resulted in a ton of little changes throughout the Arrowverse. However, fans probably didn’t expect one of the first things Legends of Tomorrow would bring to the table is an acknowledgment of an actor famous for playing a certain chatty Marvel character.

The 'Legends of Tomorrow' cast at San Diego Comic-Con
The ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ cast at San Diego Comic-Con | Mike Coppola/Getty Images

The gag featured on ‘Legends of Tomorrow’

The time-hopping heroes of Legends of Tomorrow have encountered a lot of strange things over the years. With a revolving door of team members and a looser narrative focus than its sister shows, the series has always felt like the one willing to roll the dice on something weird. Even so, one of the most bizarre turns was the season 3 introduction of Beebo.

Within the Arrowverse, this fuzzy creature has become an in-universe pop cultural landmark. Beebo is based on the fictional Cuddle Me Beebo toy, a clear analog for the real-life toy sensation Tickle Me Elmo. The Legends’ encounters with Beebo include a romp through the Viking Age. But by the looks of it, Beebo could get a lot more airtime within the Arrowverse.

Ben Diskin has played Beebo in all his appearances. The veteran voice actor has worked on countless animated projects and video games over the years. He even currently voices both Gonzo and Rizzo on the Muppet Babies reboot. However, a sly gag in a recent Legends of Tomorrow episode playfully teases another actor might step into the role.

Who is set to play Beebo in the Arrowverse?

The Legends of Tomorrow Season 5 premiere — titled “Meet the Legends” — doesn’t feature Beebo prominently. But the team behind the show snuck in a reference anyway. During news footage of a congressional hearing, the ticker tape at the bottom of the screen reads, “Ryan Reynolds to star in Detective Beebo live-action film.”

We don’t expect Reynolds — who famously plays Marvel’s Deadpool — to join the Arrowverse anytime soon. Rather, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it joke refers to Reynolds’ real-life starring role as the voice of the titular furball in 2019’s Detective Pikachu. The first live-action Pokémon movie, that release brought in $431 million worldwide.

Of course, Reynolds has a history with DC Comics. The actor starred as Hal Jordan in 2011’s notorious misfire Green Lantern. Ever since, the film has been the butt of countless jokes, many of which come from Reynolds himself. So it’s nice to see the Arrowverse integrate him back into the DC fold in some small way.

Beebo could play a more prominent role

More than just an Easter egg for fans, the Beebo-centric gag could indicate a continued and even increased role for the character going forward. After all, The Flash teased the eventual appearance of Darren Criss’s Music Meister long before he showed up on-screen. Perhaps then the Arrowverse has bigger plans in mind for Beebo.

To that end, Beebo — or, at least, an illusion of him — served as the first challenge the Arrowverse heroes united to take on after resolving the “Crisis On Infinite Earths.” Could this be a sign of things to come? Beebo feels like a strange choice for a villain at this critical moment. So don’t be surprised to see Beebo’s impact continue to reverberate throughout the Arrowverse.

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