Warning: Spoilers for the Legends of Tomorrow season 7 finale.
Audiences wondering if Legends of Tomorrow would return after the season 7 finale have their answer – a firm no, seeing as season 8 was canceled. For seven seasons, Legends of Tomorrow, much like its titular team, was DC’s plucky little CW show that could. When it premiered, it almost seemed like a catch-all show for characters who had been cut from the other Arrowverse shows due to casts getting too unwieldy. But over time, it grew into its own thing to become the Arrowverse’s most delightfully wacky and weird show. Sadly, having a lot of heart couldn’t save Legends of Tomorrow from geting canned before season 8.
The Legends of Tomorrow season 7 finale “Knocked Down, Knocked Up” had a lot going on. A major plot point of season 7 was the battle between the evil artificial intelligence, Gideon, and the motley Legends. The finale found the Legends living positively mundane lives, far away from timeline policing. It’s even revealed that Sara is pregnant. All that ends when they learn that Gwyn has traveled back in time to 1916 Mametz Wood, France, to replace his lost lover, Alun, with the robotic version. Once the Legends travel back in time, they meet none other than DC legend Booster Gold, played by Donald Faison.
All of that set up a lot of questions for Legends of Tomorrow season 8 to answer, and even which characters would return for the next season was open to speculation. Plus, with a show like Legends of Tomorrow, new characters from the wider DC universe showing up was almost a guarantee. Sadly, the final fate of the Legends will remain a mystery, because Legends of Tomorrow season 8 doesn’t have a “tomorrow” to look forward to.
Legends of Tomorrow Season 8 Has Been Canceled
Legends of Tomorrow season 8 had an uncertain future from the moment season 7 concluded, but Legends showrunner Keto Shimizu confirmed in April that the CW had officially pulled the plug. Speculation around cancelation began to surface when it emerged the show hadn’t been renewed for a new season by early 2022. Rumors circulated that Legends of Tomorrow season 8 had cropped up online, but Keto Shimizu debunked them in a tweet.
While Shimizu had previously said that with the season 7 finale they “chose to take the route of optimism and to tell a story that is propulsive into a future season” (via TVLine), a number of financial factors ultimately sealed the show’s fate. The cancelation coincided with parent companies WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS trying to sell the CW network. Despite a loyal fanbase and healthy ratings for a CW show, Legend of Tomorrow was canceled before season 8 entered production.
Legends of Tomorrow S7 Ending Set Up Unfinished S8 Stories
The season 8 set up by Legend of Tomorrow’s season 7 finale would have been eventful. Three huge developments happened during the season 7 climax. First, DC comics mainstay Booster Gold made his debut, played by Donald Faison of Scrubs fame. Sara Lance discovered she is pregnant, and the baby has inherited her regenerative powers. Nate Heywood, a.k.a. Citizen Steel, departed the team which left room on the roster for a new face, maybe even Donald Faison’s Booster Gold. Both were sure to be significant and engaging storylines for Legends of Tomorrow season 8.
What’s more, a newly-rescued Alun joining the Waveriders implied he’d factor into season 8 somehow. And beyond his double-double-cross at the end of the season 7 finale, Booster Gold being the father of former Legends leader Rip Hunter was a bombshell reveal that deserved to go somewhere. All in all, audiences were left in suspense when the season 7 finale credits rolled. Now that season 8’s cancelation is official, those unresolved arcs will likely stay unresolved.
How The Cast Reacted To Legends Of Tomorrow’s Cancelation
The Legends of Tomorrow cast has spoken out about the canceled season 8. Caity Lotz who plays Legends leader Sara Lance, a.k.a. White Canary, shared on an Instagram story “I am bummed! I am sad, I’m going to miss it so much,” (via TVLine). Lotz had played Sara Lance since the first episode of Legends of Tomorrow aired in 2016. For her and other cast members like Amy Louise Pemberton, Matt Ryan, Tom Forbes, and the rest of the Legends regulars, it’s the end of an era. “Working on Legends has been amazing.” Lotz went on to say in her Instagram story. “It’s been such a journey and I am so endlessly grateful for it, and for you guys. So, thank you. To all the Legends of Tomorrow fans out there we love you guys so much. And it has been a blast.“
Many of the cast took to social media upon hearing the news, sharing behind-the-scenes photos and stories of their favorite memories from their time on the show. Despite his character Nick Heywood/Steel already set for an exit after season 7, Nick Zano marked the occasion with a lengthy Instagram post to say his time on the show was “the absolute most insane, fulfilling experience”. It seems that Legends of Tomorrow was loved just as much by the cast as it was by its loyal fanbase.
While there’s a chance some characters may return in other Arrowverse shows if the CW finds a new home on HBO Max, for now, the plucky Legends have no tomorrow on the horizon. Legends of Tomorrow had a special place in the hearts of both its fanbase and the cast. Sadly, even the introduction of Booster Gold and a season 7 finale dripping with unanswered questions couldn’t save season 8 from cancellation.
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