Matt Ryan’s Constantine Worked Best Before Joining Legends of Tomorrow
When NBC canceled Constantine after only 13 episodes in early 2015, Matt Ryan's future as the English conman and mage was, at best, uncertain. It wouldn't be until November of that year that fans, who campaigned online for a second season, would see The CW essentially resurrect Ryan's now-iconic portrayal of the Hellblazer. The Arrow Season 4 episode "Haunted" revealed a connection between Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen/Green Arrow and Ryan's Constantine, ending with Queen calling in a favor from the demonologist.
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For the time being, fans rejoiced and, naturally, clamored for more. Constantine now had a foothold in the ever-expanding "Arrowverse" but it would take two more years for another appearance, this time on DC's Legends of Tomorrow. Guest starring in two Season 3 episodes, "Daddy Darhkest" and "Necromancing the Stone," Ryan fulfilled the same kind of plot beats as before, while bringing Constantine's lighter side to the forefront.
Matt Ryan's John Constantine Added Supernatural Spice to the Arrowverse
Retaining Constantine's signature look established on the NBC series, Ryan returned with his familiar trench coat, loose tie and black slacks — and noticeably blonder hair. Constantine's appearance on Arrow made good use of the character's antiheroic, loose cannon persona, something apparent in a large section of the source material. Constantine's sudden emergence on Arrow and his eventual inclusion on Legends of Tomorrow reflected the nomadic state of Ryan's take on the character, moving from one franchise to the next to keep John Constantine alive.
"Haunted" showed Constantine in his natural habitat — surrounded by bystanders equally perplexed and aggravated by his presence. Conducting a spiritual restitution to save Sara Lance's soul, Constantine rolls with the punches to get the job done. With his equivalent of Superman's wink and smile, he parts ways with Queen yet again.
Constantine Had Cameos in Two Key Legends of Tomorrow Episodes
Crossing over to the funnier side of The CW, Constantine's first time with the Legends saw him use his occult expertise to yet again help Sara in her struggle against supernatural forces. The character's sardonic nature meshed well with the rest of the crew, and Ryan, without missing a beat, made Constantine feel like a natural aspect of the show. "Daddy Darhkest," like "Haunted," showed Constantine drawing runes and saying strange spells — something that Ryan clearly relishes. Compared to his regular role on Legends of Tomorrow, Constantine's magic in these episodes stuck considerably closer to the sorts of rituals he conducted in the comics.
"Necromancing the Stone" saw Ryan's Constantine team up with Ava Sharpe and her assistant, Gary, making for a lot of silliness mostly taking place in one location. With Ryan, the goofy aspects of the show don't drag Constantine down but instead allow him to joyously ham things up a little, punctuating the character's trademark charm and wit. Leaving behind his NBC origins, Ryan was able to continue stretching Constantine's dynamics and idiosyncrasies from show to show, making for a portrayal that got richer over time.
Ryan Stayed True to Constantine Despite All the Gags on DC's Legends
Once Constantine became a regular Waverider shipmate, some fans were justifiably concerned about the show diluting the darker aspects of the character and his history. While obviously a tonal departure from most of the source material, Ryan retained a baseline throughout his time as Constantine on the show — the series even did a few of the classic Vertigo plot lines justice, reuniting Constantine with Astra, the girl he had accidentally doomed to Hell ages ago.
The real difference lies in exposure — using Constantine as an occasional interloper in The CW universe was a more effective way to extend the character's TV longevity. Going in and out heightened Constantine's impact on the other characters and their plots. Having Ryan be a regular was undoubtedly great, but with a show that has to balance at least eight different individuals at once, Constantine was often sidelined for no good reason other than to give the other characters their due.
John Constantine Has Never Really Been a Team Player
This is an understandable byproduct of a show that highlights such a large cast of characters, but Constantine — especially as brought to life by Ryan — arguably had more influence when it was uncertain if he would ever be called on again. In the comics that see Constantine interact with DC's superpowered beings there's a clear sense of delineation between characters like Batman and John. This helps Constantine, in the context of the story, stand apart and do what he needs to do. Magic in the DC universe is a very dangerous, unpredictable force. Despite the fact that many heroes dislike him, Constantine is one of DC's best magicians.
In a way, Constantine's prolonged time on the Waverider may have been an example of "too much of a good thing," as the character's story on the show lasted for three full seasons. For big fans of Ryan's take on Constantine, it was a major source of delight seeing him on a regular basis. In retrospect, though, the best way to tell Constantine stories rests with having Ryan be the main star. Whatever format this may take, animation or live-action, Ryan's John Constantine is at his strongest when it's just him against the world — the way it is in countless stories from the character's Vertigo days. What Arrow and the two aforementioned Legends episodes gave viewers was a brief, but dedicated and bright, spotlight on John Constantine — something Ryan's portrayal deserves.
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