Matt Ryan Liked Constantine’s Legends of Tomorrow Exit

Warning! Spoilers for Legends of Tomorrow season 6, episode 14

Matt Ryan approves of the way his character John Constantine exited Legends of Tomorrow. The actor had a somewhat unconventional path to the Arrowverse series. He first played Constantine on NBC’s show of the same name. However, Ryan’s time on the series was short-lived, as it was canceled after only one season in 2015. Constantine soon found new life in the Arrowverse, with Ryan appearing in a season 5 episode of Arrow. Then in 2017, he made the leap to Legends of Tomorrow, recurring in season 3 but taking on a main role in seasons 4-6.

Season 6, which concludes on September 5, has been a tough one for Constantine. He’s wrestled with losing his magic and chasing the Fountain of Imperium, which has proved detrimental to his relationships, especially with Zari. In late July came the news that Ryan will actually play a new character, Dr. Gwyn Davies, in season 7. At the time, the actor also confirmed this means Constantine’s journey on Legends of Tomorrow will come to end, saying “The time has come for John to part ways with the Legends, and for me to part ways with John.” This appeared to come to fruition in season 6, episode 14, where Constantine was effectively swallowed by the Fountain of Imperium as Astra, Zari, and Nate looked on.

Now, Ryan has shared his reaction to Constantine’s exit with ComicBook. He approves of the way his character left the show, calling it “very John Constantine.”

The one thing I said to the showrunners and the writers is, I agreed that it was time for him to leave, and I just said, ‘Don’t let him go out all happy and good.’ I think that that is represented in the way that he goes out, in a way. It’s very John Constantine…That, in a way, is his happy ending. It’s almost like it would be so definite and out of kilter for it to be all, ‘John walks off with Zari into the sunset and they live happily ever after.’ I’d be like, ‘There’s something wrong. Something’s going to happen.’

While some viewers may be disappointed by Constantine’s exit from Legends of Tomorrow, Ryan makes a good point that it’s very in-character. Though Constantine’s rough edges softened a bit on the show, particularly in his relationship with Zari, he’s still a definitive antihero in the comics, so it makes sense for his goodbye to reflect that. Ryan is also uniquely qualified to weigh in on Constantine’s exit storyline, as he knows him inside and out at this point, having played him on and off for seven years now. The actor’s full-throated support for his character’s departure could sway some viewers who are on the fence about it.

It also helps that Ryan himself isn’t leaving Legends. Though there haven’t been too many details shared about his new character, it will be interesting to see the actor take on a different challenge in season 7. Legends of Tomorrow has had a lot of success in the past with actors taking on different roles, and it’s very much in the show’s DNA at this point. Hopefully, viewers come to love Ryan’s new character, softening the blow of Constantine’s exit.

Source: ComicBook

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Rebecca VanAcker
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Rebecca VanAcker is a trainer and news editor at Screen Rant. In the past, she’s written TV recaps for Screen Picks and reviews for Yahoo. She enjoys covering all things superhero, especially the MCU and Arrowverse.

A graduate of Michigan State University, Rebecca got her teaching certificate before falling in love with writing and the entertainment industry. She has a B.A. in English and can often be found ignoring everyone in favor of a good book. Her other hobbies include baking, anything Disney, and exploring with her dog, Beckett.

You can follow Rebecca on Twitter @BecksVanAcker, or contact her directly at rvanacker23(at)gmail(dot)com.

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