From the start, Legends of Tomorrow set itself apart from the rest of the Arrowverse pack by being a true ensemble show – and there was also the time travel element, of course. But, as the series endures, its lineup has gradually seen its fair share of changes, not unlike any heavy metal band that’s been around for a number of years.
To be more specific, the current season has seen the exits of both Victor Garber’s Martin Stein and Franz Drameh’s Jeffferson Jackson – both halves of Firestorm – thus leaving a considerable void. And while John Constantine and Citizen Cold will be around for the short term, the Waverider is in desperate need of more permanent fixtures.
Truth be told, one slot that absolutely must be filled is that of someone who is capable of keeping up the ship’s maintenance, a role that had previously been taken on by Jax. So, naturally, that’s just one more reason why someone with a mind for engineering like Wally West was expected to show up.
Not long ago, Brandon Routh let slip that such a thing was in the cards, but today, we’re finally able to confirm that Kid Flash is heading to Legends – and as part of the principal cast, not an Arrowverse floater as previously suspected. In fact, he’ll show up in the eleventh episode of the current season – set to air on February 19 – before definitively joining the team in episode 13.
Here’s what executive producer and showrunner Phil Klemmer had to say to Entertainment Weekly regarding the seismic shift:
“We loved working with Keiynan in our series premiere — the episode in which we learned that in between seasons 2 and 3 he had been fighting crime in Central City with Nick Zano’s Nate Heywood. So when his character stepped away from Flash to go on walkabout, after being dumped and feeling somewhat estranged from his family and team, we knew that Wally West would fit in perfectly on Legends.
Continuing on, he said:
“After all, our show is about a collection of unlikely heroes who all began their journeys questioning who they are and where they belong — only to find those answers while traveling through time and having wacky adventures. So now, Wally West is not only back in the company of old friends from the Arrowverse, he’s fighting alongside a former enemy and career arsonist Mick Rory/Dom Purcell. By the end of this season, Wally will learn that the Legends have a different definition of what it means to be a hero.”
Personally, I’m very much looking forward to seeing what Wally will bring to the table, and how he’ll play off the rest of the cast. Plus, the team can count having a speedster on their side as a win, especially when you consider how the Reverse-Flash was a thorn in their side a year ago.
Legends of Tomorrow returns with new episodes on Monday, February 12 on The CW.
