Entertainment

Jonah Hex Is An Old West Ally On 'Legends'

by Molly Freeman

The Waverider team on Legends of Tomorrow has traveled to a number of different time periods during Season 1 and next they're headed to the Old West. Although Rip Hunter and his crew of legends amassed from Arrow and The Flash have been attempting to vanquish Vandal Savage, they've also met a number of other DC Comics characters along the way, and the newest is a fan-favorite outlaw. So, who is Jonah Hex on Legends of Tomorrow and what can we expect from this Old West anti-hero?

Jonah Hex has an extensive history in the DC Comics mythos as a legendary bounty hunter in the Old West who killed many people, but stuck by his own code of honor (a code that I think we're likely to see in the Legends of Tomorrow episode "The Magnificent Eight"). Though Jonah Hex was known to cross paths with many other DC Comics heroes, like Green Lantern and The Flash, he could also be persuaded to the side of evil. In fact, at one point he was hired by Vandal Savage to defeat a time-traveling Batman — which he did. So, when the Legends meet Jonah Hex in the past, will he be friend or foe, an ally or an agent of Savage's?

Well, the official synopsis for "The Magnificent Eight" released by ComicBook.com should offer us some insight into where Jonah Hex's loyalties lie when the Waverider team meet him on the American western frontier:

When the team needs a place to hide out, Rip (Arthur Darvill) sets a course for the Old West. Upon arrival, they start a fight with a gang of outlaws, putting the small town in jeopardy. Luckily, an old friend of Rip’s, Jonah Hex (guest star Johnathon Schaech), steps in to save them.

"An old friend," huh? It seems Jonah Hex will be living up to the hero part of being an anti-hero, but that phrase opens the door to a whole new set of questions. For instance, when did Rip come across Jonah Hex in the past? Did the two compare fashion tips while getting up to some Old West shenanigans? These are the hard-hitting questions that demand answers, Legends of Tomorrow!

Although Legends of Tomorrow has a massive DC Comics backstory to pull from when adapting Jonah Hex to the TV screen, I'd bet that the show puts its own spin on the character and his history with Rip Hunter (I know the flashbacks are a bit overdone thanks to Arrow, but I wouldn't mind some of Rip and Jonah being outlaw buds, just saying). So, as the Waverider sets its sights on the Old West, we have plenty of outlaw cowboy fun to look forward to on Legends of Tomorrow.

Images: Dean Buscher/The CW (2)