The Real Reason Brandon Routh Left Legends Of Tomorrow
Premiering back in January 2016, "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" is a spin-off from the iconic DC superhero shows that were ruling The CW at the time of its debut, "Arrow" and "The Flash." As we know, "Arrow" stars Stephen Amell as archer-vigilante Oliver Queen. The series is the beginning of what was then fittingly dubbed the "Arrowverse," a TV extended universe encompassing all DC-related shows, including "Supergirl," "Batwoman," and "Black Lightning," on the channel that is currently up for sale (via Decider). Throughout multiple seasons of "Arrow" and "The Flash," fans were introduced to more and more characters from DC Comics who were either directly or tangentially connected to Green Arrow and The Flash's exploits.
A multitude of heroes and villains have appeared, including Deathstroke (Manu Bennett), Black Canary (Katie Cassidy, then Juliana Harkavy), Supergirl (Melissa Benoist), Superman (Tyler Hoechlin), Batwoman (Ruby Rose, then Javicia Leslie), Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale), Firestorm (played Robbie Amell, Franz Drameh, and Victor Joseph Garber, respectively), and of course, The Atom (Brandon Routh), to name a few. Routh's Atom, aka Ray Palmer, became one of the original members of the Legends of Tomorrow with White Canary (Caity Lotz) after he was recruited by time traveler Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill).
Ray Palmer evolved in unique ways during his time with the Legends of Tomorrow (via Arrowverse Fandom). Losing The Atom suit, being trapped in the past, losing love interests, and eventually getting married to Nora Darhk (played by Routh's actual wife, Courtney Ford) are among the pivotal plot points in Ray's "Legends of Tomorrow" arc. However, Routh's character had a somewhat abrupt exit in early 2020, leaving plenty of speculation as to why it happened at all. Here's what we know.
Legends of Tomorrow producers say Routh's exit was a creative decision
According to the "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" producers Phil Klemmer, Grianne Godfree, and Keto Shimizu, the decision to have both Brandon Routh and Courtney Ford exit the Waverider and continue their lives elsewhere was a completely creative one. In an August 2019 Deadline report, all three producers noted that many of the main characters in the Arrowverse, and "Legends of Tomorrow" specifically, have storylines that naturally come to an end, leading to what would seem to be a fitting exit from the show. This reason makes sense, as plenty of long-running television shows — especially superhero shows — eventually run out of ideas to further challenge characters and storylines, thus making for a necessary exit to open the door for other ideas.
Klemmer, Godfree, and Shimizu also made sure to note theirs and many fans' love and appreciation for Routh and his work on the show as Ray Palmer, although they felt it was an appropriate time for his character to make an exit. They remarked jointly, "As one of the founding 'Legends of Tomorrow,' Brandon is extremely beloved by the fans and everyone on the show," and went on to express optimism at the possibility of Ray's return to the Arrowverse: "We love these characters and hope to check in with them in future seasons, to see how life off the ship has transformed them for better or worse."
Routh wasn't expecting his involvement to end so soon
Although the creative decision was noted by "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" producers in 2019, in an early March 2020 interview on the "Inside of You" podcast, Routh opened up about leaving the "Arrowverse" series, noting the entire exit was "not well-handled." He then clarified his remarks in an Entertainment Weekly interview. He began, "I just think that with my journey with the show and the time I spent in the Arrowverse [...] everybody feels they deserve communication and deserves to be a partner. And when you're not made a partner, when you give that much time to the relationship, it hurts."
Although the creative decision was noted by "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" producers in 2019, in an early March 2020 interview on the "Inside of You" podcast, Routh opened up about leaving the "Arrowverse" series, noting the entire exit was "not well-handled." He went on to clarify his remarks in an Entertainment Weekly interview. He began, "I just think that with my journey with the show and the time I spent in the Arrowverse [...] everybody feels they deserve communication and deserves to be a partner. And when you're not made a partner, when you give that much time to the relationship, it hurts."
Routh recently guest-starred as Ray Palmer on "The Flash" for the "Armageddon" event, making it likely that the door has been left open and the tension over the exit has possibly healed. Based on everything said by the "Legends of Tomorrow" alum and the show's producers, there likely was no alternative reason but a creative one for Ray Palmer's exit — although it may not have been handled in a way that Routh felt appropriate.