Neron (Arrowverse)


 * NOTE: This article is about the incarnation of Neron from the Arrowverse. The mainstream version can be found here: Neron.

"Look at you. Take a look at yourself you miserable git. That's right. Soak it in. Your big sacrifice; it was for nothing. But instead of rolling up your sleeves and taking it to that demon bastard, you're getting rat-ass drunk in a shed."

- Neron taunting John whilst in the form of the latter.

Neron is the main antagonist in Season 4 of the CW TV series DC's Legends of Tomorrow. He is a malevolent demon as well as the archenemy of John Constantine who was secretly manipulating the Time Bureau's hunt for "magical fugitives" so he can terrorize mankind into giving up their souls to him. He is also looking for a vessel for the demon Tabitha.

Whilst possessing Desmond, he is portrayed by Christian Keyes; and whilst possessing Ray Palmer, he is portrayed by Brandon Routh, who also portrayed Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Daniel Shaw in Chuck.

History
Neron is a mysterious, malevolent and extremely powerful demon who once resided in the dimension Hell. At some point, he approaches John Constantine due to him making a deal with him to usurp the triumvirate ruling Hell, in exchange for his soul. However, once Constantine instantly refused, Neron started hunting him in retaliation. However, Constantine's lover Desmond made a different deal with him: to bind his own soul with the demon in exchange for his lover's freedom. Constantine found out and sent Neron to Hell, although he couldn't do it without sending Desmond as well.

Several months later, Neron went against his deal with Desmond and attacked Constantine in his apartment, making him think that he was coming for him. He also became the leading partner of the Time Bureau's financier and Nate Heywood's father, Hank. The two of them began secretly working on "Project Hades" that involved the Fugitives that escaped from an extra-temporal dimension prison following the death of the demon, Mallus. Neron offered him power and in return he would give him the fugitives where he intended on using them to terrorize mankind into giving up their souls. During this time, Neron was playing golf with Hank, while frustratingly learning of a setback in his plans. He also reveals that he is possessing Desmond.

Revealing Himself
He was also present in Hank's Hemophilia fundraiser ball a few days after that. Soon after, Neron got an alert that someone was changing Hank's password from inside the Time Bureau and called Hank to tell him about it while going into Hank's office and looking into it. When Hank returned to his office a few hours later, Neron was waiting there for him. Hank told him to part ways as he had a change of heart after spending some time with his son, Nate. Neron, however, having already realized that Hank betrayed him by going against their deal and planned to build a theme park with the fugitives, killed Hank after telling the latter he was no longer needed, disappearing just in time to let Nora Darhk take the fall for the murder.

Neron later appeared to John through a mirror whilst in the form of the latter and taunted him about his failures. After an angered John punched the glass, the demon switched to his Desmond form and continued to taunt Constantine before revealing himself, much to his horror.

Facing the Legends
Needing a vessel for a demon named Tabitha, Neron attacked Ava Sharpe in her own home and brought her to a motel where he left her to be possessed. After a few days, he returned while sadistically inducing rage in everyone around him. Arriving in the room, he finds himself ambushed and captured by the shape-shifter Charlie (who was posing as Ava), Nora and Constantine. Held captive at the Time Bureau headquarters, Neron quietly induced anger in Constantine while explaining his goals. He is then visited by an angered Nate Heywood. Neron explained that why he killed him and provoked him into thinking he was the reason he killed him. After Ray butts in to stop him and Nate punches him, Neron sadistically laughs.

Later, Nora arrives and the demon explains to her that he wants a vessel for Tabitha regardless if it's Ava, and then offered her to become his new vessel while also saying he can bring back her father Damien Darhk. After Nora knocks Constantine unconscious, she accepts the offer. After Neron exits Desmond's body and attempts to take her's, she reveals that she and Cosntantine tricked him to keep him in his true physical form so he can die without a vessel. However, after Ray runs in and accidentally throws Constantine off, Neron overpowers them all and then withers away and apparently dies. However, while Constantine believes she destroyed the demon, Neron is secretly revealed to have taken Ray as his new vessel without him knowing.

A week later, needing full possession of Ray, Neron tries to get him to kill someone he loves to complete it. Although he resists, Ray willingly gives in and allows the demon to possess him on the condition that he doesn't kill Nate, which he accepted. When face with Constantine, Neron persuades an arriving Tim Bureau agent Gary Green to join him due to being treated as a "doormat" by everyone and offered him his missing nipple that the unicorn bit off before because of the Legends. After subduing Constantine, the three escape using his time stone.

Trivia

 * In his true demonic form, Neron bears no resemblance to his comic book counterpart.
 * Neron's appearance (when possessing others) resembles, in many ways, a hive or insect nest - which is fitting as one of the alternative names for Satan is "Lord of the Flies" or "Beelzebub".
 * Neron's appearance (again, when possessing others) can also trigger a specific phobia known as Trypophobia (the fear of small holes), which may well be intentional on the part of the designers.
 * It is also worth noting the strange hive-like appearance Neron takes when possessing others is not his true form, as demons tend to take many forms and often do not reveal their true form until later in a story - or their true forms may be completely unable to be seen by mortals (as has recently been revealed as Neron's "true form" seems to be a mass of shadow and thus incapable of truly being understood by human minds).
 * Neron is often seen whistling "Pop! Goes the Weasel" whenever he is inducing rage in people around him.