Legends of Tomorrow boss breaks down surprise Scrubs star twist

Legends of Tomorrow spoilers follow.

While we knew that DC's Legends of Tomorrow would be bringing in Scrubs legend Donald Faison, the details of his character had remained under wraps – until now.

In this week's (March 2) season 7 finale 'Knocked Down, Knocked Up', the team meet time-fixer 'Mike', who ends up betraying them twice, including handing them over to time cops.

At the end, we learn of his true identity – Booster Gold. Comic fans will know him as a disgraced former athlete from the future, who stages heroic feats after stealing technology and knowing historical events.

Faison's character description previously revealed he was a time-traveller seeking "fame, fortune, and glory", so it certainly fits in.

Speaking about bringing into Booster to Legends, co-showrunner Phil Klemmer explained that it was a "tonal fit and just knowing", while also fitting into the departure of Nick Zano as Nate Heywood/Steel.

"There's just something so lovable and unexpected," he told Entertainment Weekly. "You just knew that he was going to work as kind of a bit of the merry prankster, a bit of a BS artist.

"But yeah, it's also the bittersweetness of saying goodbye to one character and getting to know another one. There's that moment where Nick Zano in the 10th scene in the finale… It really does feel there is a passing of the torch in that moment.

"Nick Zano's energy and Donald Faison's energy, these are distinct performers and people. But I don't know, there is this tremendous loss with Nick Zano leaving and almost psychologically, you have to somehow [move forward].

"We have the promise of a new character, a new dynamic, just new stories. I don't know [if] that takes some of the sting out, but I got to say being there on Nick's last day [was] really devastating to watch a cast and crew surround this guy who's so beloved. He's leaving on the best possible terms."

Related: Legends of Tomorrow star explains reason for leaving the show

Of bringing Faison on board, Klemmer recalled: "You have these moments of not wanting to allow yourself to get your heart set on someone like Donald Faison and we saw it taking shape and [couldn't] believe this [was] happening. And then you have this moment of finally meeting the guy, and obviously we're all super familiar with his work.

"He just hopped on a Zoom from... For whatever reason he was hiding in his wife's closet. I think it had good acoustics or he was trying to avoid something else in the house. And you're like, 'This guy is the best.' This guy loves the show, loves the world. He's as steeped in this stuff as any of us who've been working on the show for seven years."

Related: Legends of Tomorrow just introduced TV's first asexual superhero

He added: "He just walked on set and immediately knew every single crew person's name. I showed up for the second half of the finale and he already had these inside jokes with everybody else. I started to get jealous [Laughs].

"It was exactly what we needed to get through what it takes to shoot World War I, trenches, snow. As it did in season 2, it was real snow, real rain, real sleet. Look, the bodies were fake, but other than that, it was very much a battleground.

"And then he comes on and just to have that infusion of energy from somebody who's walking into it for the first time, you're like 'Oh God, we're so lucky to have him.'"

Legends of Tomorrow airs on The CW in the US. It airs on Sky Max and NOW in the UK.

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Sam Warner

Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International.  Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.