The Flash: Why Dreamer Is More Important Than Ever

“It feels a little bit like Nia and Kara, doesn’t it?” she says. “It’s very similar energy—two reporter gals, one of which Nia’s a huge fan of, putting their noses to the ground and solving a mystery. It felt very classic. I loved it.”

In fact, the pair now apparently has monthly boozy brunches in National City together with several of the Arrowverse’s other favorite female characters, and the fact that we don’t see this onscreen is a travesty. But the easy camaraderie between Maines and The Flash star Candice Patton is apparently the product of their in-person interactions at various events. 

“Candice and I had done SXSW together. We did iHeartRadio together. So she and I already have a relationship. And going into The Flash, it was like ‘Wow this is the first time we’re actually working together!” Maines laughs. “We had a great time. We were just goofing around and it was really fun. It was great getting to work with her finally.”

Even though the CW’s Arrowverse is winding down, fans haven’t seen the last of Nia Nal or Dreamer. The character made her DC Comics debut last year—much the same way that Arrow’s John Diggle and Batwoman’s Ryan also made the jump from screen to page—and Maines is looking forward to writing more of her adventures in comic book form. 

“Here’s the thing: I will always, 100%, no matter what, no hesitation, say yes to Dreamer, and say yes to Nia Nal,” Maines declares. “I am this character’s number one fan. I love her so much and I am always advocating for her. I just put in another big pitch over at DC on the comics side of things. She’s just chugging away steadily, and so, in the comics, I know she’s going to have a role moving forward.”

It’s also hard to overstate the importance of Dreamer’s groundbreaking status as a trans superhero in a world where anti-trans sentiment is uncomfortably on the rise and bills restricting trans people’s rights seem to be popping up in almost every statehouse across the country. And Maines, who is herself trans, understands the necessary cultural role that her character occupies at this precise moment.