'Legends of Tomorrow': Constantine and Zari's first kiss deserved a lot better than a tired trope
Spoilers for 'DC's Legends of Tomorrow' Season 5 Episode 13 'I Am Legends'
Zari Tarazi (Tala Ashe) and John Constantine (Matt Reeves) are an unlikely couple. A sheltered social media starlet and a worldly practitioner of the arcane arts, there's nothing the two have in common besides a spot on a team of the world's strangest time-traveling superheroes. Maybe that's enough, however, as the romance between the two has been slowly developing over the course of the past few episodes.
It's one of the better developed new romances of the Arrowverse, which is why their first kiss deserved better than the hackneyed fight-turned-passion moment that it got.
Zari and Constantine really began bonding when we saw that there was more to Zari than just her obsession with her own stardom. There is a trickster side to her, something that Constantine is very much on board with. He may have had his frustrations with her, but he respects her craftiness immediately. Zari, for her part, sees right through Constantine's smoke and mirrors, and recognizes the pain he holds inside.
The development of their relationship has been one of mutual support, not given too much of the spotlight, and is a rare instance of a romance in the Arrowverse that's not too heavy-handed - especially rare for a show as unsubtle as 'Legends of Tomorrow.'
Which is what makes it especially disappointing when the pair's first kiss comes in the middle of an argument. The trope of a pair whose heated argument turns into a passionate kiss at their fight's zenith is a tired trope, one that feels especially forced into what felt like an episode that was rushed, overall. The show has been teasing their romance so well, that to see it officially begun like this feels unnecessarily forced.
It's not like the pair had had much in the way of antagonism towards each other up until that point. Both Zari and Constantine are attractive adults, with no commitments or romantic complications - there is nothing that prevented them from simply admitting to a mutual attraction and simply following up on it. It would have been thematically appropriate, as well - the heart of their relationship has been about two characters with dedicated public masks finding an open honesty in each other's company.
Openness and honesty have been somewhat missing from the Arrowverse's many relationships. The show seems to believe that drama sells a romance better than open communication ever could, and forces together two characters whose romance could have had a much more natural beginning.
However, now that their romance has officially kickstarted, it's hopefully the start of the Legends' more interesting pairings. Assuming they get resurrected with their memories intact, we look forward to seeing where this romance goes - although, with two episodes of 'Legends of Tomorrow' remaining, we're liking going to have to wait until Season 2 before we can see that happen.
The next episode of 'DC's Legends of Tomorrow' airs May 26, on the CW.