Atomwave

Atomwave is the slash ship between Mick Rory and Ray Palmer from the Legends of Tomorrow fandom.

Canon
Season 1 = PILOT

Ray and Mick first met when Rip Hunter recruited them to become Legends. They woke up on a roof next to each other after Rip knocked them out and brought them there.

After the first time jump, Rip takes several of the Legends including Ray to question a professor on the possible location of Vandal Savage. Before they leave, Ray asks weather it's a good idea to leave Mick and Leonard unsupervised on The Waverider. Mick calls Ray haircut, and let's him know he heard his insult.

After Rip reveals that he's no longer a time master, and only recruited them because they had no impact on the timeline, Ray, Mick, Leonar and Sara end up in the cargo bay, working on their weapons. Ray accidentally causes the suit give off an energy blast. It hits one of the crates and Mick yells at him to watch it, Ray quickly apologizing. Ray wonders why they're even considering Rip's offer since they don't matter and are nothing more than what the world already thinks of them. Mick's okay with that. Both of them do decide that they should stay on the ship.

After Leonard agrees to steal the knife that can kill Savage, Ray volunteers to go with him. Leonard states that he already has a partner, referring to Mick. Ray says he trusts Mick less than Snart. Mick looks at him annoyed.

The three end up at the house where the dagger is, Mick and Leonard surveying the area. Ray walks towards the building, Mick asking what he's doing. Ray had realized that the security system was the same as his parents. Ray disables the security, but Mick and Leonard tell him that he tapped into a dummy box, and the guards show up. The two then punch out the guards, and they head inside. They find the dagger in a glass case and Ray asks what they need to do to get it out. Leonard smashes the case, and Mick smashes several more. He tells Ray and Leonard to start grabbing items before going through the rest of the house.

Mick comes back down stairs seeing that Ray and Leonard locked in a cage, and the alarm going off. He asks what happened and the two blame the other. Mick tells Len that they shouldn't have brought Ray along. Leonard agrees and tells Mick to go find a way to get them out. Before leaving he tells Ray that their problems aren't over.

They discover that the house is owned by Vandal Savage who had taken Mick. Savage knocks him out, and Ray tells Savage that the rest of the team will come for them.

FAIL-SAFE

Ray greets everyone in the Russian gulag, with a smile and an upbeat attitude, getting on Mick's nerves. Ray tells him that they need to find a way to get to Stein, since he's in the prison. Mick reminds him that so are they. The two are then shoved into a cell.

The next day, Ray is trying to put a positive spin on their situation, causing Mick to become annoyed again. Ray notices a fellow prisoner not getting enough to eat, and goes to talk to him. Mick tells Ray to just shut up and eat his food. Ray trying to help the guy causes another prisoner to show up and start beating up Ray. He calls to Mick for help, but Mick had become distracted by a lighter he stole from another prisoner. After waking up in the yard, Ray is dragged back to the prison cell and yells at Mick for not helping him in the fight. Mick states that the fight wasn't any of his business. Ray states that they're supposed to be a team, but Mick only thinks of Snart as part of his team, and that Ray had a beat down coming. Ray says that he couldn't just watch someone get pushed around. Mick then says that he's a bigger fool than he thought. Several guards then come by to take them to Savage.

The two are then strung up in front of a two way mirror and have, wires attached to them. One of Savage's men, who is in charge of their torture, then shocks them, while Mick talks him. Ray asks Mick why they skipped straight to the torture, instead of asking questions first. Mick tells him, that they don't want information from them, and are just being used as incentive for Stein to give them the information on how to become FIRESTORM. Ray yells to Stein not to give them anything, before they're both shocked again.

Their interrogator then picks up a hammer, and is about to beat Mick, when Ray interrupts him. Mick asks what he's doing, as does the interrogator. Ray then taunts him, causing him to beat Ray instead of Mick. After Stein yells that he'll tell Savage how to stabilize FIRESTORM, the two are then led back to their cell.

Back in the cell, Mick tells a very injured Ray that getting the interrogator to beat him was one of the dumbest things he ever saw in his life. Ray replies with a "You're welcome", but Mick stills see's the action as idiotic, since Ray could have been beaten to death. Ray says that there are things more important than survival, like his principals, and the team. He then asks if there's anything that Mick is whiling to die for. He replies the perfect score. Ray believes the difference between the two of them is how they each define score.

Leonard shows up to break Mick out. He leaves The Atom Suit in an unconscious Ray's prison uniform pocket and tells Mick that they need to go. Mick says that they can't leave Ray, since he wouldn't survive. Leonard says that with the two of them dressed as guards, they would be fine to leave, but if one of them was dragging Ray, they'd be suspicious. Mick tells him how Ray took a beating for him. Leonard argues that Ray would take a beating for anyone, and that the two of them stick together. Mick looks at Ray as he thinks about his answer.

The two then leave, Mick carrying Ray on his shoulders. Jax then turns off the power to the gulag, causing all the prisoners to escape their cells. Leonard and Mick change direction ending up at the prison entrance. Ray briefly wakes up and comments on their current situation in a slightly delirious way. Mick then carries Ray to the jumpship that's waiting for them.

Back on the Waverider, the legends have a drink to celebrate a mission that went completely off the rails. Ray thanks Mick for getting him out of the gulag, and how he knows that he's more than just a thief. Mick says that since Ray took a beating for him, they're even and that's why he saved him. Ray thanks him again anyway, while Mick says that there should be less feeling and more drinking.

STAR CITY 2046

After Grant Wilson threatens the lives of the Legends, Leonard says that he and Mick should help them, since they're their friends. Mick questions when they became friends with the others, and Leonard comments how Mick and Ray got close in Russia.

As the Legends are preparing to leave 2046, Ray approaches Mick as he looks out over the city. Ray comments that the people there seemed like Mick's kind of people. Mick responds that he doesn't know who his people are anymore. The two sit next to each other during the time jump.

DESTINY

After all most of the Legends are captured, they are each put into separate cells. Mick says that the time masters are going to kill the rest of them. Ray why Mick won’t be killed. Mick says that they have different plans for him since he was one of the bounty hunters.

After being rescued and back on the ship, Mick walks onto the bridge, yelling to get him out of the Chronos suit. Ray attempts to mess with some of the technology on the suit, but Mick pushes away. Rip and Ray quickly come up with a plan to get out of the Time Master’s tractor beam, which they need a piece of the Chronos suit to do it. Ray quickly grabs the glove off of Mick’s hand and starts to access the Time Masters tech and is able to get them away.

Ray is eating a cupcake in the galley when Mick walks in. Ray jokingly says, that since he’s going to die there’s no sense in watching his diet. Mick tells him that the time master’s have been wrong before, but that causes Ray to go down a spiral of what if’s. He then asks Mick what he focused on in order to stop him from becoming Chronos, since he didn’t want to take revenge on Snart. Mick truthfully tells him that he focused on the team. Ray asks if he cared about the, but Mick just says that they would have been screwed without him. He then says that if he can survive getting turned into Chronos, Ray can survive anything the time masters throw at him. Ray thanks him. Mick then replies that if he tells the team he actually cares he’ll shave Ray’s head, before grabbing another cupcake and leaving.

As the Legends enter the Oculus Rip tells everyone else to fight the time masters while Ray destroys the Oculus and Mick protects him from the time masters that are already there. Rip tells Ray that this is how he saw Ray die, but Ray says that as long as he can protect the rest of the Legends he’s okay. But he’s in no rush and asks that they keep the time masters off of him. Mick says that they’ve got him, and fires at the time masters. Ray realizes that he has to keep in contact with the fail-safe in order to destroy the Oculus.

Ray tells the two to leave him and go back to the ship. Rip’s already seen the future so he’s essentially dead already. Mick then knock him out and takes his place at the fail-safe. He tells Rip to take Ray and leave, willing to sacrifice himself instead of Ray. Snart then knocks him out and take’s Mick place, and dies.

On the bridge of the Waverider Mick stares out into the distance, as Ray says that Leonard died a hero, which would have been the last thing he wanted. Later, Mick stares at Snart’s ring in the galley when Ray walks in. Mick tells him to leave since he wants to be alone. Ray tells him that Gideon confirmed that the Oculus was destroyed. Mick asks if that is supposed to make him feel better. Ray believes so, since it means that Leonard didn’t die for nothing. Mick pulls up the ring again as Ray apologizes for the loss of Leonard. Mick knows that all the time masters are dead, but he still feels the need to kill something for Leonard. Ray replies that Vandal Savage is still out there and has Kendra and Carter. Mick says that he’ll work nicely as Ray gives a slight smile.

LEGENDARY

Rip drops off the remaining Legends in 2016, several months after when they departed. One month later Ray shows up to Mick's bank heist, telling him that he thinks they should talk. The two end up in a parking garage where Ray asks why Mick went back to being a criminal. Mick doesn't respond and instead asks Ray why he's here. Ray says that he wants to apologize for Snart, since he was the one that was supposed to die. Mick says it wasn't Ray's fault since Snart never did anything without a plan. Ray gets the idea that maybe Snart knew that the two of them would keep an eye out for each other while fighting Vandal Savage. The two then meet Stein and Jax at the spot where the Waverider originally dropped them off, in order to contact Rip.

After convincing (threatening), Rip to let them back onto the Waverider and finish their mission the team gets a message from Kendra, and land in World War 2. Ray and Mick fight the Nazi's attacking them together, along with Sara. The team finds out Savage's plan and that they have to attack him in three time periods. Ray and Mick team up to take him down in 1958.

OUT OF TIME
 * -|Season 2 =

While fighting Nazi's, Mick warns Ray about one of them about to shoot him. Ray blocks the shot and knocks them out, thanking Mick for the warning. Another Nazi comes after Mick, Ray warns him, but Mick ends up getting shot. Ray knocks him out afters, and carries Mick back to the Waverider for treatment.

After all the Legends become time scattered, Mick is the only one left on the ship in stasis. Once he wakes up, with the help of Nate Heywood, the first person he finds is Ray in the Jurassic period, trying to fend off a T-Rex. Mick shoots the T-Rex with his Heat Gun, saving Ray.

ABOMINATIONS

After fighting confederate soldiers that got turned into zombies, (yes this is that kind of show), Mick passes out. Ray checks him out in the infirmary, seeing a bite mark, meaning that Mick was turning into a zombie. Mick freaks out and grabs Ray, telling him that he better fix him.

Ray, along with Martin, thinks they've found a cure. Ray is about to inject Mick, when Mick touches his wrist, telling him that he's counting on him. Ray tells Mick not to worry. Ray inject the cure into Mick, but instead of curing him, it speeds up the process and turns Mick into a zombie.

Ray figures out that the cure needed to be administered as an aerosol. Martin hits Mick with it and he is cured.

Later Ray brings Mick a burger, and to check to see if he's alright after being a zombie. Mick notices something off about Ray, and asks whats wrong, causing Ray to reveal that he's had trouble figuring out what his place on the team is supposed to be, since his suit got destroyed. Mick tells him that, feeling like an outsider, isn't such a bad thing. He then pulls out the Cold Gun and walks over to Ray, telling him that he's been looking for a partner since Snart died, and gives the gun to Ray. Ray, looking shocked takes it, and smiles while making a cold pun.

COMPROMISED

In the Cargo Bay, Mick starts showing Ray how to use the cold gun.

Mick and Ray work together in the White House.

Ray and Mick stakeout together.

Ray and Mick stop the bomb in the White House together.

TURNCOAT

Ray catches up to Mick in the Waverider Hallway, telling him he found rats in his room. Mick sarcastically asks what Ray wants him to do about it, Ray saying that he should clean up after himself since their time travelers and any rats that happen to be on the ship could possible have the bubonic plague. He pokes Mick in the chest to add emphasis, with Mick then grabbing Ray's hand and twisting it behind his back. Ray realizes that he overstepped a boundary by poking Mick and Mick lets him go.

Moonshot

Mick becomes concerned after finding out that Ray is trapped on the moon.

FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPEAR

DOOMWORLD

ARUBA

PHONE HOME Ray calls all the Legends to the bridge, trying to convince them that they need to do some trust exercises in order to bond with Zari. Earlier he asked Mick to demonstrate a trust fall with him, Mick telling everyone that he was paid to do so. While during the trust fall Ray disappears and Mick falls on the floor.
 * -|Season 3 =

While following a young Ray, he stops at a newspaper stand to get some candy. Mick comments on how easily he could rob the place. Over comms Ray says that Mick needs to stay away from young him, so that he doesn't accidentally turn into a criminal. Mick tells Ray, that it's too late, since his younger self is stealing candy. Ray is horrified at his past self's actions, while Mick is proud. Ray tells Mick to stop past him, but Mick is against the idea and lets young Ray get away.

HELEN HUNT

Ray is talking to Helen at a Hollywood party, when Mick and Nate walk up. Mick tells him it’s time to leave, Ray giving the explanation of not hearing them beforehand that his comms weren’t working. Affected by the spell surrounding Helen, Mick punches Ray in the face out of Jealousy. Back on the ship, Ray is first to point out that Mick started the fight.

THE CURSE OF THE EARTH TOTEM

AMAZING GRACE

Season 1
WHITE KNIGHTS MAROONED THE MAGNIFICENT EIGHT LAST REFUGE DESTINY
 * Ray says that they should be focusing on the positives, instead of what went wrong. Mick thinks they did an awesome job, especially because of the chaos.
 * Ray and Mick are both captured by members of the Russian government
 * Ray is the first to voice disappointment when Mick joins the time pirates
 * Mick comments on Ray's use of the word "aim" and asks if he's going native on them.
 * After Ray giver a very convincing speech that puts the Stillwater gang on the run, Mick comments, "Nice Haircut".
 * Mick tells the team that the time masters have issued omega protocols on them. Ray comments that the order sounds terrible.
 * Ray blasts The Pilgrim before she has a chance to kill a younger version of Mick
 * Mick later thanks Ray for saving his younger self
 * Sara asks why the time masters would want to kill Ray, Mick responds that she’s heard what’s come out of mouth
 * Mick hit’s Ray and asks if the time masters wanted him to do that
 * Ray asks Mick if the cupcakes are good, they are

Season 2
CAMELOT/3000
 * Mick is the first to stand up to Sara, telling her that even though Ray is a pain, they need to save him from doing something stupid.

Fanon
Shipping between the two started to become more common after episode 5, when they were trapped in a Russian gulag together. The added scenes of them together throughout season 1 also helped.

On AO3 it is the second most written ship for both characters, and is the sixth most written ship in the Legends of Tomorrow tag.

Fandom
AO3

TUMBLR

Trivia

 * Mick only ever calls Ray by the nickname he gave him, Haircut". He's also called him "Pretty" and "Boy scout".
 * Mick called Ray by his actual name for the first time, when he was in danger of turning into a zombie in season 2 episode 4 "Abominations"
 * Both of them enjoy musicals
 * In a deleted scene from the first episode of season 2, Ray patched up Mick in the medbay after he was shot

Variations

 * ColdAtomWave refers to the ship between the two and Leonard Snart