Fans were heartbroken to find out that Legends of Tomorrow was one of the casualties of the CW's recent string of cancellations. The show has always been somewhat of an outsider in the Arrowverse, rarely participating in crossover events and keeping a more quirky tone than its more grounded counterparts. But those differences were a large part of what made it so special.
The show had an incredibly diverse group of characters, all of whom brought their unique flair to the Waverider. In honor of an excellent show canceled too soon, we are taking a look at the ten characters with the most screentime on Legends of Tomorrow and the quotes that define them.
Jefferson Jackson
"When You Get A Bunch Of Broken Pieces, And You Put Them All Together The Right Way, They Make Something New, And Suddenly, They Don’t Feel So Broken Anymore."
Jax was introduced in the Arrowverse as a part of a whole, the only living person who could merge with Martin Stein to produce Firestorm. As the show went on, he created his own identity as an engineer, one of the show's moral compasses, and a hero in his own right.
Despite Jax eventually finding his identity beyond being Firestorm, he is defined by his connections to others. Whether that was his connection with Stein, his membership in the Legends, or his own family, Jax lived by this quote, taking broken pieces and making them whole.
Gary Green
"Not The Plan, But, Uh, I Adapted."
It took the longest time for Gary to be considered a Legend, with him having to betray the team before anyone would take him seriously, but the reveal that he was secretly an alien honestly made his character arc work so much better than it had before.
Gary was sent to Earth to find the best human but ended up falling in love with humanity and how they lived. He stumbled into just about every situation he found himself in but adapted to the situation in a way that let him get the most out of it. While frequently mocked for this behavior, his chaotic style fit well with the Legends as they came to appreciate what he could do.
John Constantine
"Do You Remember All Those Years Ago When I Said That Stable Relationships Weren't Right For You And Me? I Was Wrong."
John Constantine is practically defined by his powers, which made him the most powerful member of the team. Because he relied on his powers and his darkness, he consistently shut out others who could help him and told Sara that people like them didn't deserve happy companionship.
Over his time with the Legends, however, he found the importance of familial and romantic relationships. Through his paternal role with Astra and his romantic relationship with Zari, he discovered that he was more than just his abilities, and had value to give the world beyond the limitations of his past.
Ava Sharpe
"The Only Way To Keep Going Is To Take Control Of Your Life. Stop Letting Everybody Act Like They Know What’s Best For You And Make Your Own Choices."
If there was ever a character who needed to reclaim their agency, it was Ava. She discovered early on in the show that she was one of the thousands of Ava clones, and that her personality and history were programmed into her by Rip Hunter. This caused her to have an identity crisis, desperate to understand who she was as a person.
Over her time as a Legend, she was able to ignore her past and make choices of her own, demonstrating that she was more than her programming. She fell in love, became a part of the team, and built a future, all because she was willing to believe that choices make the woman, not their history.
Zari Tomaz/Tarazi
"I Can Handle Whatever It Takes To Save My Brother!"
It's difficult to find one quote that defines both versions of Zari, as their personalities were so vastly different, but her willingness to do anything for her brother certainly fits the bill. Zari Tomaz was a hacker extraordinaire, but her main character motivation was finding a way to safely change time to prevent her dystopian future and the loss of her brother.
Likewise, the sometimes vapid Zari Tarazi snapped after losing Behrad, willing to do anything to get him back. Both versions of Zari had a lot to give to the team, but their familial devotion was the most relatable and endearing trait about them.
Ray Palmer
"I Don’t Believe In Fate. I Believe In Choices."
Ray did everything right to be seen as a hero before his time on the Legends, but nothing seemed to work out for him. But that didn't change who he was at his core, the happy-go-lucky personality that made him the most likable member of the Legends.
Whether for himself, new members of the Legends, or his love interest Nora, Ray always believed that a person was more than their past and more than their destiny. They were defined by their choices in the moment, a philosophy that made him an optimistic powerhouse on the show.
Nate Heywood
"Sometimes, We Screw Things Up For The Better."
Nate was a historian with the heart of a hero, always looking for ways to help the people around him. While he originally was an important member of the team because he could help them keep history as it was, he gradually began to take on a more radical philosophy, understanding that the timeline as it was wasn't necessarily the best version of it.
The protection of the timeline and history was important, but it also required the Legends to maintain genocides, racism, sexism, and more. Nate's willingness to change things for the better fundamentally changed the mission of the Legends, from the preservation of events to make them better.
Mick Rory
“Being An Outsider Is A Good Thing. It’s A Great Thing. I’ve Been An Outsider My Whole Life. You Get To Tell People To Go Shove It.”
Mick Rory was one of the most nuanced, interesting characters on television, growing from Captain Cold's dumb sidekick to a father, romance writer, and heart of the team. All the while, keeping his gruff personality and penchant for violence and theft.
Rory was an outsider in his everyday life, an outsider in the Legends, and an outsider amongst criminals, but that meant he had the freedom to be exactly who he was, without having anybody limit him.
Gideon
"Just Because I'm An Artificial Intelligence, Doesn't Mean I Don't Exist."
Whether she was the Waverider's friendly AI system or a woman in her own right, Gideon was the smartest character on Legends of Tomorrow, providing the others with the information they needed to get through the newest struggle.
Like Ava, Gideon grew beyond her programming, and the directive to prioritize the Legends above the preservation of the timeline allowed her the ability to become her person. She was the only character other than Sara to be in every single episode of the show and quickly grew from just being the ship's AI to being a true member of the team.
Sara Lance
"I Know You Don’t Like Taking Orders From A Woman, But You’re Gonna Like Getting Your Ass Kicked By One Even Less."
There's so much that can be said about Sara Lance, but maybe it's best summed up by calling her a badass. She was one of the best characters on Arrow and came into herself even more as she became the heart and soul of the Legends.
Sara Lance was a capable Captain and a fierce warrior and was certainly never one to let sexists win. She was a powerhouse character, and whether she was dealing with grief over her sister, her relationship with Ava, or her loyalty to her team, she was not one to be stopped from accomplishing her goals. Fans can only hope there is a future for her on the few Arrowverse shows that remain, or in the comics, she forced her way into.