And Here's How 'Legends of Tomorrow' Is Gonna Write-Off Half of Firestorm

Zari has only been part of the Waverider crew for one episode of Legends of Tomorrow and she’s already fitting in with the rest of the gang. It’s a good thing, too, since Tuesday’s Ray-centric Halloween episode laid out the groundwork for Martin Stein’s exit from the show.

This post contains spoilers for Legends of Tomorrow*, Season 3, Episode 4.

The episode, a delightful unashamed parody of E.T., brought back the Dominators — once the greatest threat to the entire Arrowverse — only this time, they were cuddlier. As Zari and Ray Palmers young and old bonded, and Sara, Amaya, and Nate handled the momma Dominator, Jax and Rory investigated Stein. The pair feared that he was ready to turn them into the Time Bureau, but in reality, he was trying to be there for the birth of his grandchild.

Stein’s daughter, Lily, didn’t exist until Season 2, as she’s actually a time aberration created when Stein encouraged his younger self to spend more time with his wife in a trip to 1987 in the episode “Compromised.” It worked — in a big way — as Stein found he now had a daughter. (One wonders if Ray caused any aberrations when he was interacting with his young self in this episode.)

Even though she was an aberration, Stein opted to stand by his daughter, and they spent some quality time together while the Legends were disbanded during the season premiere. Stein’s also trying to sand by the Legends, but Jax can see it’s not where his heart is. He wants to be with his new family. That’s why Jax ends the episode by telling Ray he wants to “break up Firestorm.”

News broke earlier in October that Victor Garber, the actor who plays Stein, will be leaving the show during the third season, probably due to his commitment to the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! So, fans were just waiting for the show to find a way to write him off. Wanting to spend more time with his family, that classic resigning politician’s line, is a pretty solid way to go.

But, will Firestorm still be around? It takes Jax and Stein together to make Firestorm, but maybe Jax will find a way to be a solo-Firestorm. Or maybe he’ll get a new partner. It’s happened before. In any case, it’s not like Firestorm actually shows up that often on Legends of Tomorrow, which has a knack for sidelining it’s powerful, expensive heroes.

Firestorm did appear at the end, when the Legends went trick or treating with lil Ray. That scene also featured what seems like it just a one-time joke costume for Zari, one that’s a reference to her flowing white outfit from the The Shazam! Isis Hour TV show and more recent DC comics.

Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern on the CW.