DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season 1, episode 2 sees the legends going up against Vandal Savage.
Vandal Savage, the Big Bad of Legends of Tomorrow‘s first season, was introduced as “a knife-throwing villain” in the Flash/Arrow crossover earlier this season, according to actor Casper Crump. He’s been alive thousands of years and has been hunting down Hawkgirl and Hawkman in every life, killing them for their power.
The cycle of hunting them down began in ancient Egypt when Savage, then known as Hath Set, fell in love with the Priestess Chay-Ara. However, Chay-Ara was in love with Prince Khufu and refused his advances. Savage killed them both in response, but as they died, Chay-Ara prayed to the hawk god Horus, and the two began a cycle of reincarnation in which they can tap into the powers of Horus to become Hawkgirl and Hawkman.
“It is complex being in love with someone that you can’t get and your life depends on killing her. That’s one of Vandal’s soft spots that I am trying to develop more,” Crump tells TV Guide. “I’m trying to transform that weakness onto different [relationships] that he has with different characters.”
But after 206 kills, Teams Flash and Arrow combined forces to seemingly kill him. Unfortunately, Savage must be killed by the Hawks or he can be resurrected — as we saw Malcolm Merlyn gathering his remains at the end of the crossover. And by 2166, he had taken over the world, leading to Rip Hunter returning to the past to recruit his team of misfits.
The legends will come up against Savage for the first time in tonight’s episode, when the team infiltrates a munitions deal — featuring a familiar face for Arrow fans — but are quickly discovered.
Of the team, Crump says, “These guys make his life difficult. He sees it as a challenge and he likes a good challenge. That’s what he does. That’s what his motivation is — a good challenge.” However, Rip Hunter’s connection with the immortal is a bit more personal to both sides. “They have a thing because Vandal killed his family and now he’s coming back to take revenge.”
Crump adds, “They are really trying hard [to bring me down]. Maybe they’ll succeed, but we don’t know yet.”
Watch a promo for tonight’s episode:
