Legends of Tomorrow

Legends of Tomorrow: Lance Henriksen Talks Obsidian and His Green Lantern Connection

Obsidian is older, wiser and ready for another superhero team-up.

Tonight's new episode of DC's Legends of Tomorrow, "Compromised," takes the team to 1987 as they battle Damien Darhk and protect President Ronald Reagan. Fortunately, they'll have a ally in that fight, and one viewers have met before this season. Justice Society of America member Obsidian is returning in this episode, albeit in a much older form. And this time he'll be played by geek legend Lance Henriksen (Aliens).

We recently had the chance to chat with Henriksen about his guest appearance. He hinted at what's to come for Obsidian as he encounters the Legends once more and reunites with his old teammate, Vixen. Henriksen also teased that viewers might learn a bit more about Obsidian's father, Green Lantern Alan Scott. Scroll down to find out what he had to say.Lance Henriksen as Obsidian in Legends of Tomorrow.

Lance Henriksen as Todd Rice/Obsidian in Legends of Tomorrow.

IGN: I'm glad we have a chance to talk about the new episode. I'm excited to see what you guys have in store with this one.

Henriksen: I've got to say, I think they're very, very clever, the writers on that show, especially the one that I did. I play a superhero, Obsidian, who's the son of Green Lantern. I always read comics. I never thought I'd be in one. So it's pretty cool. It's very cool.

IGN: Were you familiar with the character before you were cast in the role?

Henriksen: Not really, no. And then, of course, what I do every time I work is I go and research to see what the story is and what's behind it. And they were very gracious about it. The whole company has good writers. Very good.

I've been really busy. I've got a couple of films coming out, one of which is After the Sun Fell. It was a Broadway show that they made into a film, and it's a comedy. I've been getting all kids of different work. I've got one coming out that I'm the lead in, a Western called Gone Are the Days. I've just been really working all the time. And it's a great feeling. I have nothing but gratitude. It's a good deal.

IGN: Obsidian is a complex and kind of a psychologically troubled character. How much of this episode is going to delve into his past and what happened during those 40 years since we saw him last?

Henriksen: Oh yeah, they do. They do. The thing is, time forces you into transition and something else. He went from being very dark to coming into the light. And the time travel aspect of this is really amazing. The way they're handling it, it's not trite at all. It has purpose to it. It really works. I hate to use the word trite, but what I mean is that we've seen a lot of time travel stuff, and this one had a logic to it that I liked.

IGN: We saw the Justice Society in their prime back in the second episode of this season. How would you say things have changed for the team in the 40 years since then?

Henriksen: Well, certainly things have changed. The world has changed since [Election Day], for us. It's a real thing. It's a phenomenon. We don't live that long, humans don't. And so 40 years is a very long time. Many things have happened. You try to catch up with people who you assume were traitors, in a way, and it turns out there's a story behind it. And it's a good one in the way they wrote it. Every ten-year juncture, the world changes a bit more. They handled it very well. And the actors on it are very cool and very generous. It was a very pleasant experience in its roughness. [laughs]

And there's no mistake that they somehow timed this episode with the election. I mean, we go to the White House.

IGN: Building on that, we know that this episode takes place in the '80s and revolves around the Reagan administration. Can you talk a little more about what brings the team to the White House in the first place?

Henriksen: You know, my worry is tipping too much. There's a lot to this. The era, when you go to the Cold War and mutually assured destruction and that kind of thing, that was a very difficult time. It really was. Berlin and all these things that were going on, and all the disappointments and the deaths and everything else - that's very dramatic stuff. Especially if you deal with it in a respectful way. And again, it's comic books. There's a whole art to choosing the things you want to talk about. And they did it very well, I thought.Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe/Vixen in Legends of Tomorrow.

Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe/Vixen in Legends of Tomorrow.

IGN: Vixen was a member of the Justice Society. Is it safe to assume there's going to be a reunion between Obsidian and Vixen in this episode?

Henriksen: I don't know how much to tell you. [laughs] You haven't seen it yet, have you?

IGN: No, I haven't.

Henriksen: I think you're going to dig it! I remember the '80s really well. Of course, a lot of the characters involved here haven't aged, and Obsidian has. And with age comes maturity and a different take on things. It's really something. I enjoyed it, I really did. And they channeled me down the right road. And the wardrobe. I heard through the grapevine that what I was wearing cost $15,000. And they had made two of them. It's such an amazing piece of art. The woman who makes the costumes [Vicky Mulholland] did an amazing job. What Obsidian wears when he's in action is really well done, the whole thing.

IGN: That means we will get to see Obsidian in action again and using his powers?

Henriksen: Yeah, absolutely. They taught me how. [laughs]

IGN: You referenced this earlier, but in the comics, Obsidian is the son of the original Green Lantern. Will there be any references to his father in this episode?

Henriksen: Yeah, there will be. I couldn't believe what they did. Really good work there.

Legends of Tomorrow: "Compromised" will premiere on The CW tonight at 8pm EST.


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DC's Legends of Tomorrow

NetworksThe CW
Release DateJanuary 21, 2016