Courtney Ford Opens Up About Leaving DC's Legends of Tomorrow: 'It's Been Very Emotional'

DC's Legends of Tomorrow will soon bid farewell to two more Legends. Tuesday's episode of The CW series marks the second-to-last outing for Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) and Nora Darhk (Courtney Ford), who are poised to leave the Waverider and embark on a new adventure together. For Courtney Ford, who plays Nora, saying goodbye to the character she embodied for the past three years has been no simple feat.

"It's definitely been a process. It hasn't been simple and it's been very emotional and I can say that playing Nora Darhk for three seasons is the longest I've ever played a character. That's not a gift that all actors get to have, and I'm incredibly grateful to have spent so much time having the opportunity to develop a character and get to know her and grow with her," Ford told TV Guide. "The fact that she is ending at a completely different place from where she started, it's a gift to me. I think it's a gift to trauma survivors."

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"It's complicated," Ford continued. "It's also true that the longer you play a character, the harder it is to let them go, so there's certainly a grieving process. For Brandon [Routh], playing Ray Palmer for six seasons with five on Legends and one on Arrow, that's a lot to process. So we've been listening to a lot of Lizzo. It's the best time if you're going to go through something like this and thank god for Lizzo."

Nora's journey on Legends hasn't been easy. Joining the series in Season 3, she nearly brought about the end of the world after volunteering to become Mallus' vessel, a job that would have killed her. However, Nora's life was spared by Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough), who took her place and sacrificed himself instead. He might have been an evil mastermind but he also really loved his daughter.

Damien's death and Nora's subsequent imprisonment at the Time Bureau gave her the second chance she needed to right those past wrongs, and the ex-sorceress has come a long way since then. In the last few years, she befriended the Legends and became a powerful ally, she took up the Fairy Godmother mantle to save a friend's life, and even she found her soulmate in Ray, a nerdy boy scout-like figure with whom she had more in common than you'd initially suspect. Nora's redemption arc has been one of brightest spots in Legends, which is what makes her exit so bittersweet.

But Tuesday's episode looks to soften that blow with one of its most delightful installments to date. "Mr. Parker's Cul-De-Sac" will see Ray plan a sweet date night for Nora which goes awry when a familiar face drops by: dear ol' undead dad, Damien Darhk. It's a bizarre yet heartfelt episode that, according to Ford, will be one for the books.

"I think ["Mr. Parker's Cul-De-Sac"] is one of the most iconic Legends episodes that we've ever made and I feel so fortunate to be a part of it," Ford said. And Ford isn't exaggerating; the episode includes puppets, evil swords, mix-ups and mishaps, and one insane homage to Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. It's spectacular.

See how it all goes down when Legends of Tomorrow airs Tuesday, March 10 at 9/8c on the CW.