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The following contains spoilers for Black Adam, now playing in theaters.

Throughout the course of Black Adam, Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) is portrayed as a sweet-natured young hero, a quietly perfect contrast to the more self-serious members of the Justice Society and the cold Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson). But their very brief interactions in the film hint at something bigger. If the DC Extended Universe expands on the Justice Society, it'll likely play on Atom Smasher and Black Adam's unlikely friendship, which was part of the Post-Crisis DC Universe.

How Black Adam Sets up Atom Smasher's DCEU Future

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Throughout Black Adam, Atom Smasher is codified as the fresh-faced rookie of the team. The nephew of the original Atom Smasher -- himself a veteran of the Justice Society -- Al is excited to get the chance to be a hero. He's sweetly flirty with fellow young teammate Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and does his best to live up to the standard of the team's leader, Hawkman (Aldis Hodge). Despite making some simple mistakes -- like getting turned around in the city streets and accidentally striking Hawkman mid-battle with a clumsy move -- Atom Smasher proves dependable and capable. He even takes part in the final battle with Sabbac (Marwan Kenzari) and helps the heroes save Kahndaq.

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But as the Justice Society prepares to leave the country, Atom Smasher lingers behind to talk with Black Adam. He notes that they made a pretty good team, which Adam agrees with. While Atom Smasher pushes his luck by noting they could be friends, there's a genuinely sweet beat between the enthusiastic young hero and the ancient guardian. And that is potentially a big hint of how the future could play out for both characters, given the history the two shared in the comics when they were both cast members in the JSA ongoing series.

What Black Adam & Atom Smasher's Friendship Means

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By the time Black Adam had decided to redeem himself in the Post-Crisis DC Universe by joining the Justice Society, Atom Smasher was caught in a morally dubious place, having killed the incredibly dangerous Extant during the events of Zero Hour. Finding a like-minded lethal protector in Atom Smasher, Black Adam pushed the younger hero to embrace harsher forms of justice. The pair eventually went rogue, murdering the villain Kobra and the dictator of Khandaq -- putting the nation into the hands of Black Adam. They worked together for a time, but their partnership eventually fell apart.

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Atom Smasher's youth in Black Adam leaves him more innocent and goofy than his comic counterpart -- the closest thing the movie really has to pure comic relief. But any future exploration of the character could have him bristle against the morally defined tactics of Hawkman and Cyclone and push him further down the path Black Adam paved for him. Atom Smasher's comics fate might not be an exact match for his big screen incarnation, but the film clearly sets the stage for their friendship to develop. If the DCEU becomes further defined by the characters in Black Adam, then this partnership could play a part in splintering the cinematic version of the Justice Society.

To see the DCEU's newest friendship blossom, Black Adam is in theaters now.