A unique entry in the Arrowverse is about to air tonight (Dec. 1) on The CW, bringing some festive cheer and old-fashioned holiday charm to the DC shared universe. It might sound like the kind of wacky gag that would feature in an episode of Legends of Tomorrow, but the network is really serving up Beebo Saves Christmas, a fully-animated Christmas special all about the world’s cuddliest God of War.
Since his debut in LoT season 3, when the Tickle Me Elmo-style children’s toy accidentally ended up being worshipped as a Viking deity due to the Legends messing with the timeline, Beebo has become a mascot of the Arrowverse, returning various times since in scene-stealing roles — like his recurring habit of growing to kaiju size. But now he’s starring in his very first spinoff adventure.
As EP Keto Shimizu explains in this featurette, the special isn’t a regular Arrowverse episode but is pitched as a genuine animated special from the Arrowverse. “So, basically, this Christmas special that viewers are going to get to watch would’ve been watched by Sara Lance or Oliver Queen or Kara Danvers or any of these people from the Arrowverse,” she clarified.
There is one crossover in it, however, with former Legends regular Victor Garber providing the narration. The rest of the voice cast includes Yvette Nicole Brown, Chris Kattan, Ben Diskin as Beebo, and Ghostbusters icon Ernie Hudson as Santa Claus. While speaking to AV Club, Shimizu revealed that, though The CW wanted something “much more meta”, the producers fought to do something with the “sweet, sentimental, but not overly syrupy” tone of a Peanuts or Rankin-Bass special.
So, despite its ties to the Arrowverse, Beebo Saves Christmas promises to be completely standalone and accessible to anyone, regardless of if or when you fell off the CW-verse wagon. Catch it tonight on The CW or else stream it on The CW app from tomorrow or check out its encore airing on Dec. 21.