Legends of Tomorrow’s Tala Ashe and Jes Macallan preview relationships and hardships for season 4

At SDCC, Tala Ashe and Jes Macallan reflected on their first year aboard the Waverider and previewed a magic-filled Legends of Tomorrow season.

After a rocky debut season, Legends of Tomorrow has evolved into the most adventurous show in the Arrowverse. Like its heroes, it rarely stays in the same place for long, juggling a variety of genres and aesthetics. The sense of unpredictability also stems from the rotating cast. Each year, the team loses and acquires members, allowing the writers to explore different dynamics.

Season 3’s most high-profile acquisition was Zari Tomaz, a hacker from the future played by Tala Ashe. Rebellious and charismatic, Zari instantly became a vital part of the team, stealing the spotlight in the standout episode “Here I Go Again”. During San Diego Comic-Con in July, Ashe spoke during a media roundtable about her character’s journey.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow — “Zari” — Image Number: LGN303b_0341.jpg — Pictured: Tala Ashe as Zari — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

She recalled being thrown off guard by the show’s use of computer-generated effects. “I remember being on set and seeing Brandon [Routh] jump in his Atom suit and run out of frame,” she said with a laugh. “And I was like, ‘What was that?’ And he was like, ‘Oh, I flew away.’ Like, what?!”

By the end of the season, both character and actress grew accustomed to Zari’s wind-harnessing power. Yet, plenty of challenges lie ahead. For one, season 4 will see Matt Ryan’s occult detective John Constantine join the Legends. After the demise of Mallus, the boundary between worlds has faded, allowing fantastical creatures to invade Earth. One imagines that, given her pragmatic attitude, Zari won’t find it easy to adjust to the new reality.

To exacerbate matters, she will find herself at odds with the new team member, objecting to his goal of sending the anomalous creatures to Hell.

“I think fundamentally, [Zari] is a bleeding heart covered up by a lot of sarcasm,” Ashe said. “She’s going to see a lot of parallels between these magical fugitives and the metas that she saw being persecuted in 2042 just because they were different. So, she’s going to butt heads with Constantine over that.”

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow — “No Country for Old Dads” — Image Number: LGN313b_0113b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Arthur Darvill as Rip Hunter, Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory/Heat Wave, Jes Macallan as Ava Sharpe and Nick Zano as Nate Heywood/Steel — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW — © 2018 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Halfway through the interview, actress Jes Macallan appeared. Like Ashe, she joined Legends of Tomorrow in season 3, taking on the role of Time Bureau agent Ava Sharpe. The two shared a delightful moment, marveling over a Beebo hat that happened to be lying on the table. (“Oh God, it’s so fluffy!” Macallan exclaimed.)

On a more serious note, Macallan explained that season 4 will find Ava rising in the ranks at the Time Bureau and progressing in her relationship with Sara. With both women in leadership roles, however, the couple will encounter a familiar dilemma.

“I have an office the size of this room and minions everywhere and screens and a big emblem,” she said. “So, I’m running that, and then obviously, Sara’s running the Waverider. You put that together, and then they try to find time to come home to each other and make chicken cacciatore, and there’s just no time.”

Oh, the irony.

Legends of Tomorrow returns Tuesday, Oct. 22 on The CW.