[Warning: This submit comprises spoilers for Tuesday’s episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Learn at your personal threat.]
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow mentioned goodbye to fan favorites Ray (Brandon Routh) and Nora (Courtney Ford) in a delightfully bizarre hour that additionally packed an enormous emotional punch. Tuesday’s episode, titled “Romeo V. Juliet: Daybreak of Justness,” noticed Ray Plamer embark on his last mission as a Legend, whereas Nora rang in her last days on the Waverider with an epic bachelorette bash.
A lead on the Loom of Destiny prompted Ray, Nate (Nick Zano), Constantine (Matt Ryan), and Charlie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) to journey to Elizabethan England the place they got here head to head with William Shakespeare. Their mission shortly developed right into a pseudo bachelor celebration for Ray, with everybody consuming and having a very good time. Little did they know, Shakespeare had been being attentive to their wild tales and reworked his seminal romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet right into a bawdy superhero story.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow‘s Brandon Routh Opens Up About Ray and Nora’s ‘Forced’ Exits
In the meantime, Sara (Caity Lotz), Ava (Jes Macallan), Nora, and Mona (Ramona Younger) invited Zari (Tala Ashe) to hitch them for e book membership, which become a fun-filled bachelorette celebration for Nora with scooters, a stripper, and even a pony. It was each magical and spontaneous — the proper going-away celebration for Nora.
As soon as the Legends realized Constantine and Nate’s drunken rambling modified historical past, the gang was compelled to return to the 1500s to scrub up their mess. Issues had been much more sophisticated with Ray struggling to inform Nate that he was leaving, solely gaining the braveness to take action after a touching dialog with Shakespeare. Nevertheless, Nate overheard their heart-to-heart and stormed off, and it appeared just like the besties wouldn’t get a correct sendoff. Alas, Legends got here by way of for the pair in one of many present’s most transferring scenes. Again on the Waverider, Ray and Nate lastly acquired their much-delayed goodbye, and Ray and Nora had been quickly off to start a brand new chapter of their lives.
Within the wake of Ray and Nora’s bittersweet exit, TV Information spoke to Brandon Routh about Ray’s touching goodbye with Nate and what it was prefer to movie that scene. The actor additionally opened up about his favourite Legends episodes and weighed in on whether or not or not he’d return.
Nick Zano and Brandon Routh, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
What was it like filming this episode realizing that it might be the final one for Ray and Nora? Did you guys do something particular for the event?
Brandon Routh: I believe simply being there on daily basis was the factor. Additionally, to make issues tougher, we filmed the final two episodes and the crossover all on the similar time. So we had been going backwards and forwards, capturing three totally different episodes. My precise last day was a pickup day of capturing inexperienced display with the Atom for a half hour so it was a really unusual exit. If I have a look at the moments the place Ray is saying goodbye to Nate, after which Ray and Nora going off the ship for these two days, a few of these issues had been type of what I mark in my mind and my coronary heart as the ultimate days for Ray. However it was difficult. [There were] quite a lot of tears by the actors and by crew members in sure scenes. We’re a household.
All through this episode, it seemed like Ray and Nate weren’t going to get a correct goodbye however then they really do and it is simply this earnest, heartfelt second. What was it prefer to movie that scene?
Routh: It was actually tough on a private degree after which, clearly, for Ray. There’s quite a lot of the actual emotion effervescent up so these moments in these scenes and that entire episode might be a few of my finest work. I am truthful and actual in a manner perhaps I have never been earlier than as a result of it was hitting so near residence for me. A digicam was glitching once we had been capturing that day so we may solely shoot with one camera–normally now we have two or three–And due to that, Nick and I had to try this scene many extra occasions than usually we’d have. It was such an emotional second for each of us and our characters and we had been in a position to proceed conserving the through-line of the emotion all through the scene. However we had been actually crying to one another and we saved messing with the ultimate line as a result of it wasn’t becoming till we made it what it was.
For a lot of, Nate and Ray’s friendship kind of flies within the face of poisonous masculinity. They’re so open about their emotions with one another and it is lovely. What has that bond meant to you all through the collection?
Routh: That is one of the serendipitous issues that is come out of this for me. We actually did not notice that in any respect within the second. We had been simply doing our factor and being two guys as a result of that is how we’re with our associates and I suppose not everybody [is like that]. It is actually not exhibited on tv, that type of a relationship between two males. And so, it was us simply having enjoyable, appreciating one another. Then we began to see that individuals had been actually responding to the bromance facet of it and breaking down poisonous masculinity and so then there have been moments that then we began to place in particularly. Possibly the writers did, too, to type of to push that, to indicate that it is okay for 2 dudes to like one another in a very heterosexual manner; to indicate love for one another and appreciation for the humanity that you simply discover in another person irrespective of who they’re.
Completely. And in my earlier interview with Courtney, she touched on Ray and Nora’s relationship and the way they’ve helped one another to grasp what it is prefer to be absolutely human. What’s your tackle their relationship and the way it’s modified Ray?
Routh: I believe you see that type of development of Ray’s change all through the time with Nora. It could appear that her change is extra pronounced from having been possessed by demons, you could possibly say, to working with the great guys. However Ray involves phrases with the truth that not all the pieces is at all times sunshine and rainbows and it’s a must to enable for heaviness and darkness to be part of life. I do not assume that Ray and Nora would have been in a position to succeed as a pair if Ray would not have accepted Nora’s previous. Not simply realizing it however accepting it and letting it’s part of her.
Letting folks sit with their heavy feelings was a giant factor that Ray discovered. I believe historically, he would have simply tried to bypass it, tried to say, “Oh, however you can be higher. We’ll simply do that and this and that and it will make all the pieces higher” as an alternative of realizing that typically the most effective drugs when any person is having a tough time is to only enable them to vent and communicate and to be supportive of them. We do not see these moments essentially within the present however they’re there, these little bits the place we see Ray opening as much as that and that is what makes the connection work.
If you happen to had been to be requested to return, is that one thing you have think about or is that this the final we have seen of Ray?
Routh: It is a actually robust query to reply. It is one which I do not even know the way I can actually reply as a result of what I used to be instructed was that there was simply no extra to write down for Ray and Nora, so I do not see how they are often introduced again if there is not any extra story to be written for them. There is no, “Oh, we’ll come again. We have now a time crew. We’ll come again and verify in on you.” It was a goodbye endlessly. That is what’s scripted and when Ray says goodbye to Nate, that is what’s occurring. I do not know why that is how they selected to write down it, however that is how I performed it. I can say that I like this character. I like my solid and my crew and the followers who’ve supported this present so he is at all times close to and pricey to my coronary heart. I undoubtedly want to see Ray part of one thing once more however there’s quite a bit that has to alter earlier than that occurs, I believe.
There are such a lot of superb, unforgettable moments within the present. What are a few of your favorites and why?
Routh: I actually liked the final episode [“Mr. Parker’s Cul-De-Sac”], so many improbable components in that. Courtney is so humorous in it and I like the connection between her and Damien [Darhk]. After which, we do not get to see quite a lot of it, however simply the connection between Ray and Damien. There are such a lot of ranges there, it was so attention-grabbing and enjoyable and bittersweet to shoot.
I truthfully assume that perhaps this final episode shall be my, in a bizarre manner, my favourite as a result of it is so earnest and true and speaks to Ray. And we see extra of his reality than we have seen earlier than. Previous to filming that episode, I normally go along with the Camelot episodes and the Knights of the Spherical Desk and Sir Raymond of the Palms. After which “Cellphone Dwelling” can also be an important episode to me.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
Brandon Routh, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow