The Vampire Diaries Universe is filled with numerous complex romantic relationships. While some are difficult due to a love triangle, others never find the proper timing between being on opposing sides or tragedy. Legacies tried to make Hope and Landon’s romance central to the plot, and for a while, it made sense. Landon’s identity as a mysterious supernatural being and his presence helped Hope to open up beyond her loner ways. However, Hope and Landon’s relationship never found its proper footing and became far too bland before it got to soar. Their relationship was never as dynamic as it should have been for a leading couple. It only hurt the series when Legacies developed an entire arc surrounding Hope’s obsession with finding Landon.
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For a long time, Landon fell under the character in distress role. Unable to fight and never bothering to learn, Landon was pretty useless, prompting Hope to save him constantly. His role as Malivore’s son, destined to be brought to death by Hope’s blood, could have played a tragic role in their relationship had he actively been part of the story up until his death. Instead, Hope interacts with multiple fake versions of her boyfriend, taking some of the emotional ramifications away every time she reunites with “Landon.” Although their relationship may have made sense at the show’s beginning, it quickly lost its shine and should have concluded far earlier than being stretched as long as it was.
It Got Repetitive
Warner Brothers Television Distribution
How many times can two people break up and get back together? While Landon and Hope were not the only on-again-off-again couple The Vampire Diaries Universe dealt with, nothing new was added to the mix. Hope and Landon would hit nearly the same problems every time they attempted to be together. Legacies tries to mix it up by putting Landon and Josie together after they forget Hope, but the love triangle is short-lived. It never quite gains emotional traction as Landon tries to find any excuse to leave.
Landon tended to leave Hope, whether it be due to him feeling weak compared to her abilities or some other conflict the series attempted to find to portray how their relationship was not working. Hope and Landon were never significant enough together to gain excitement over their reconciliations. Having Landon die multiple times throughout their relationship and Hope’s worry about reviving him happened too often.
Landon Never Developed As Much As He Should Have
For the most part, Landon was considered the boyfriend-in-distress. While Hope continues to work on her magic and fighting skills, Landon barely gets the opportunity to broaden his Phoenix abilities. The most exciting things about him are left in the background in favor of discussing his connection to Malivore. Landon grew more as a character whenever he and Hope broke up or shared a story with someone else rather than attaching him to her. Landon’s storylines never grew because he was never allowed to be more. Even his friendships with the rest of the Super Squad suffered; at times, it seemed like everyone else had given up on him.
Hope’s Arc Got Trapped With Him
One of the most significant controversies Legacies faced was how Hope Mikaelson, a complex and exciting character, may have been restrained to a brooding love interest in her own show. While Hope always had far more to offer and much more going on than her relationship with Landon, there were times when Legacies turned Hope’s entire storyline into finding Landon. At times, it was as if Hope could not move forward until after things with Landon had been dealt with. Rather than relying on her friends, at times, it was as if she was willing to sacrifice them. One of the biggest storylines Hope had to face was the realization that the Super Squad did not trust her when it came to someone else’s safety if saving Landon was an option.
Too Many Fake Landons
One fake Landon was already too much, so why introduce a second? At first, Hope’s sacrificial play to bring Landon back from the Prison World works. Up until Hope realizes that her boyfriend is actually a Golem created by Cleo. Immediately following that reveal, Hope is reunited with the “real Landon.” Unfortunately, it turns out it is once again a fake, and it is Malivore possessing Landon’s body. In the span of one season, Hope has two reconciliations with Landon. Only right before Hope finally kills Malivore does she get to speak to the real Landon again.
Still, perhaps Hope’s tragic goodbye to her boyfriend would’ve felt like a more significant moment had it not seemed that Hope had already lost and reunited with him so many times already. Involving so many fake Landons just seemed like an excuse to keep the actor around while the actual Landon continued to exist in Malivore. Due to that, the real Landon did not gain any character development or growth throughout the third season, as he was barely seen. There is another fake Landon in season 4 when Cleo uses him to try to bring back Hope’s humanity, and it continues to fail as a ploy.
Hope Had More Chemistry With Every Other Character
When it came to Hope’s potential romantic prospects, she could have had the chance to have a relationship with nearly any other Super Squad member on Legacies. Hope had more chemistry with most of the other characters, and the potential for something more was beneath the surface for her to explore a potential romance with several other people. But instead, rather than allow Hope to test out a relationship with anyone else, Legacies insisted on keeping Landon as Hope’s main love interest, even though Hope portrayed much deeper connections with her other friends.
Hope’s friendships offered her far more exciting character development and relationship growth than anything Hope gained from her romance with Landon, which was one of the biggest problems with their relationship. At times, it seemed they did not bring anything out of each other except for Hope’s desperate need to save him.
