Brandon Routh of Legends of Tomorrow is reiterating that it wasn't his decision to leave the CW series. Routh plays one of the show's few characters left from the first season, Ray Palmer/The Atom. He started out on Arrow as the CEO of Palmer Tech and boyfriend of fellow science enthusiast Felicity Smoak. After developing the Atom Suit, he worked as a vigilante before joining the Legends when the team was initially formed. Other than Ray, Sara Lance and Mick Rory are the only two original characters left on the show.
Considering how long he's been a part of Legends of Tomorrow, Routh shocked fans last August with the announcement that he and Courtney Ford would be leaving the series at some point during season 5, which is currently airing. Married in real life, he and Ford also play a couple on the show, with Ford having joined the cast in season 3 as Nora Darhk. At the time their exits were revealed, Routh in particular made it clear the choice wasn't his, saying, "I will miss [Ray] immensely, and felt he had more adventures ahead, but unfortunately his storyline is pointed in another direction."
Now, Routh is further clarifying that it wasn't his decision to leave. In an Instagram post (via Reddit), Routh responded to a comment suggesting he could still decide not to leave Legends of Tomorrow by reiterating that it was "not my choice." This backs up his original statement about Ray having unfinished business on the show. However, Legends of Tomorrow's producers have made it clear that this may not be goodbye forever, as has Routh's co-star Caity Lotz. She pointed out that, "on these shows, once you're gone, you're never actually fully gone."
This has certainly been the case in the Arrowverse so far, especially on Legends of Tomorrow. Characters from various shows have come and gone on the Waverider, as have characters created especially for the series. Of course, Legends like Leonard Snart and Martin Stein have also died, but comments so far imply that won't be the case for Ray Palmer. It seems most likely that he and Nora will leave the ship together to start a life somewhere more permanent. This would be a satisfying ending for Nora especially, as she battled many demons as the daughter of villain Damien Darhk before joining the Legends.
Though shows frequently say goodbye to characters, it's always disappointing to hear the decision wasn't mutual. The ideal situation for any TV fan is both the writers and actor involved coming to a decision together that the character has run its course. This allows for a proper farewell that leaves everyone involved, including the audience, satisfied with the outcome. In this case, Ray Palmer's exit may still be exactly what Legends of Tomorrow fans are hoping for, but it's too bad that Brandon Routh never wanted it to happen in the first place.
Source: Brandon Routh (via Reddit)