After his wife and son were murdered by Vandal Savage, Rip went rogue and recruited a team of 21st century superheroes and supervillains, whose actions had minimal effect on history, in a team known as the "Legends". Their goal was to travel through time and put an end to Savage, and prevent the deaths of his family before his rise to power could happen. However, his plan was opposed by the Time Masters, as Savage's uprising didn't endanger the timeline itself, and they sent various agents after him and his team to kill them and stop them from succeeding.
Publication Information
- Arrow : Rip Hunter
- Multiverse : Earth One
- Version : The Arrow Series
- Known As :
- Michael
- Time Master from 22nd century
- Type :
- Relative :
- Affiliation : Time Bureau
- Gender : Male
- Origin : Earth One
- Season : The Arrow
- First Appeareance : The Flash Season 1 Episod 23 : Fast Enough (Mentioned)
- Last Appeareance :
- Number of Appeareance :
- Potrayer :
- Main View : Full Episod
Additionally, the flawed nature of the Legends' members often resulted in numerous timeline alterations in their quest, much to Rip's annoyance. Ultimately, Rip wasn't able to prevent Savage's uprising or save his family after learning the Time Masters were in league with Savage all along and orchestrated his family's death precisely to manipulate him. However, Rip still succeeded in killing Savage before he could fulfill a plot that would destroy time itself, and brought the end of the corrupt Time Masters.
Rogue Time Master
By 2166, most of the world fell under the subjugation of the immortal dictator Vandal Savage with London being the last land untouched by Vandal's tyranny. One day during the Second Blitz Miranda and Jonas were killed by Savage and Rip found their bodies later, much to his heartache. Seeking vengeance Rip addressed the Time Council in the Vanishing Point and requested that Savage be removed from the timeline. However the council reminded Rip that since Savage was not exploiting time travel to achieve his goals, they weren't permitted to intervene.
Losing a team member
While still in 1975, thanks to Aldus Boardman's journal, Rip and the team figured out where to locate Savage: At an illegal weapons auction. When Kendra and Carter ask why can’t they go back and save Aldus, Hunter explained that they can’t change things they’ve already been involved in. He then explains that he has a room in the Waverider that can give them any outfit for any era. When Snart and Palmer started arguing over who would take point in the mission Rip reminded them that he was in charge, only for Palmer and Snart to blow him off still angry that he had lied to them.
USSR in 1986
While trying to figure out Savage's next stop, he then took his team to 1986 USSR, where he encounters an attack from the Time Masters along with Mick Rory, which injures Jefferson Jackson a.k.a Firestorm. Then, after Martin Stein, Ray, and Mick get caught, he sends Sara and Leonard to rescue them. He also tells Sara to assassinate Dr. Stein if they fail in their plan. While rescuing their team, Rip encounters Vandal Savage where Savage gives back the locket with Rip's wife and child's photo. But Rip planted the bomb which temporarily kills Vandal Savage.
Adrift in time
After being knocked out of the Temporal zone by Chronos into Star City of 2046, Rip informed the team that the grim future of Star City is not set. Despite his protests, Sara demanded to go with him into the city. He then led a group including Mick, Leonard, and Sara to steal a piece of technology from Smoak Technologies that could fix the Waverider. However, bandits and Connor Hawke ambushed them separating Rip and Sara from Mick and Leonard.
Stranding the team in 1958
According to the Acheron's timeline intel, Savage appeared in Harmony Falls, 1958. Rip and Leonard disguised themselves as FBI agents and asked the sheriff for information on the killings around town. The only thing they learned from the sheriff's files was that Savage was good at covering up the disappearances in the town. After losing contact with Jax, Rip and Leonard found a car with Jax's date Betty Seaver badly injured with talon wounds and Jax missing.
Kasnia, 2147
Rip apologized to Mick for lying to him and asked for his help, which Mick refused. Rip then proceeded with the mission into the Kasnia Conglomerate in 2147. They encountered Kasnia's A.T.O.M. robots so they split up. Rip took Sara and Leonard to investigate Savage during a Conglomerate shareholder meeting using eye contacts to fool an eye scanner but Sara and Leonard were not permitted to enter. Rip listened in on the meeting where Savage argued to thin the population outside the Conglomerate's borders but Tor Degaton vetoed the move.
Hiding from the Time Masters
Rip decided to hide out in the town of Salvation in 1871 since this specific time and place was a fragmentation invisible to the Time Masters. Despite his protests, the team decided to have a look around the town so he outfitted them all with time-appropriate clothing and weapons, but chose to stay behind on the ship. The team then returned with Jonah Hex who told Rip that Leonard had killed a member of the Stillwater Gang, which would bring about retribution to the town and reminded Rip of Calvert.
Return to the Vanishing Point
Rip and the team traveled to the Vanishing Point after capturing Savage and holding him hostage on the Waverider. Once they arrived there, Rip handed Savage over to the Time Masters only for them to release him, allowing him to go back to 2166, their reasoning being that he was part of the natural course of history, and essential to the timeline. Time Master Druce then captured Rip and the rest of the team, with the exception of Snart and Sara, and put them in holding cells. In the Time Master's cell, Savage confronted Rip again, gloating over his victory.
Finding out the truth
Druce let Rip out of his cell to show him the Oculus. Druce told Rip that the Time Masters had been controlling the team's actions and that free will didn't exist outside of the vanishing point. Rip saw the future and saw Ray die trying to destroy the Oculus. Druce then proceeded to tell Rip that they knew he was going to go rogue and had Vandal Savage kill his family to make sure he turned his back on the Time Masters. When Rip returned to his cell the other members thought he had been tortured, but he revealed to them that he saw the truth.
Defeating Savage
Without the Oculus controlling the team's actions, they came up with a plan to finally stop Savage. They realized his goal was to destroy the timeline, bringing him back to Ancient Egypt in 1700 B.C. To stop him they had to travel to three different places throughout history. Splitting up into teams of two, they went to the three places in time where the meteors giving Savage his immortality were. Ray and Mick were in 1958 Harmony Falls, Sarah and Firestorm were in 1975 Norway, and Rip, Kendra, and Carter were in St. Roch 2021. If they all attacked each Savage at the exact time near the meteors he would lose his immortality so they could kill him.
Protecting the timeline
After defeating the Time Masters and Savage, Rip decided to protect the timeline with the help of any of the team members that wanted to help. Returning to Star City 2016 later that night Rip was pleased to see the entire team wanted to rejoin, though Kendra and Scythian announced that they weren't coming as they wanted to start fresh now that Savage is dead. After they bid farewell and flew away Rip and the remaining members of the team prepared to re-embark into history.
Original timeline
Sometime after taking up the Time Masters mantle, the Legends learned of an aberration in 1942 caused by Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash. While trying to stop it they met Rex Tyler/Hourman, leader of the JSA in that time. Around this time Hourman discovered Reverse-Flash's plans and was instructed by Mick to take the Waverider back to 2016, and stop their initial departure. Reverse-Flash learned of this and tried to stop Hourman but the Legends sacrificed themselves to buy Hourman enough time to complete his mission and ventured through time to warn the younger versions of the Legends.
Current timeline
Before the Legends could depart another heavily damaged version of the Waverider suddenly appeared and crashed near them. Soon a man disembarked and after Jax confirmed his whereabouts at his request, he told the Legends not to depart on the Waverider or they'd all die. Strangely the man told them that Mick was the one who sent him. Rip asked who the man was and he identified himself as Rex Tyler, a member of the Justice Society of America[16], and was from 1942.
Hollywood film student
Phil traveled to Los Angeles to pursue his filmmaking desires. He also became friends with aspiring filmmaker George Lucas. However, Phil began remembering his original life as Rip Hunter but believed they were fictions of his mind, and began making a movie based on his old life. During the production of a scene, he was confronted by Legion of Doom members Malcolm Merlyn and Damien Darhk, who addressed him as Rip Hunter. Believing they were looking for Rip Hunter's actor, Phil didn't take them seriously until the Legends showed up, and they started fighting each other.
Turned to the Legion of Doom
Damien and Malcolm tried various methods to get information from Hunter, including torture and hypnosis, neither men being able to produce results. Damien tried torture again, pulling one of Rip's teeth out and finding information hidden in it, about a bank account in Switzerland in 2025. Damien wanted to use force to enter the bank vault, but Malcolm persuaded him to use Hunter as an asset. Their first attempt failed because Phil was unable to recall Rip's password, but all three men were able to escape without capture. they did in the League of Assassins.
Re-joining the Legends
After he tried to access Gideon, the team stopped him and then he tried a different tactic. He overrode Gideon with a code that allowed him to cause the ship to self-destruct. The Legends stop him and send Sara and Jax inside his mind. Inside they find Rip, who doesn't know who he is anymore. Sara helps him discover that he has power within his mind. They then get to the bridge, however, they are stopped by evil versions of Sara, Firestorm, and Rory. Rip then learns with the help of a human Gideon who he is. This helps Sara and Jax defeat their dark counterparts. Everyone discovers that the Waverider inside Rip's mind is falling apart due to Rip no longer believing its existence. They all leave except Rip who doesn't think the human Gideon is real. Gideon tells him that she is.
Struggle for leadership
After rejoining the Legends he attempted to re-assume command over the group only to find the team had adopted Sara as their new leader, and that the team functioned much more smoothly under her leadership. Eventually, he realized that the team would rather have Sara as their leader and begun questioning his place on the team, only for Sara to console him and remind him that despite everything he was still a Legend. After defeating the Legion of Doom, Rip decided to leave the Legends, Sara caught him leaving, in which the pair parted ways both giving each other good luck.
Forming the Time Bureau
After leaving the Legends, Rip would spend the next five years forming an organization to replace the Time Masters called the Time Bureau, tasked with preserving the timeline and correcting anachronisms. After fixing the Legends mess in Los Angeles with the help of the Time Bureau, Rip informs the Legends that they are no longer required as the Bureau will deal with the anachronisms. He thus disbands the Legends, takes the Waverider from them and leaves them.
Hunting Mallus and arrest
While the Legends were tracking down an unforeseen anachronism in 1895 London, Rip met up with his former team and explained why he was allowing the Legends to operate again. For five years, Rip wanted to hunt down and prove the existence of one of the Time Master's most feared legends, Mallus. Director Bennett of the Time Bureau wouldn't allow such a hunt, forcing Rip to work alone. Reluctantly, and to call off the Time Bureau's pursuit of the team, Sara agreed to help. Rip would work alongside his team again, however, upon Damian Darhk's resurrection, Rip called in several Time Bureau agents, all of which were killed by Darhk.
Returning to the Time Bureau
After Wilbur Bennett was killed by Grodd, the new director of the Time Bureau, Ava Sharpe allowed Rip to return to the Bureau instead of returning him to prison like Director Bennet ordered. Rip is currently aiding the Time Bureau in stopping the anachronisms so Mallus cannot escape from his time prison.
As Phil Gasmer
Rip, under a new identity as Phil Gasmer, had retained some of his prior traits. Although Phil seems more anxious and fearful than his previous self, he showed that he was still courageous when it counted. He tried to help the Legends when they were engaged in a fight against the Legion, and made an attempt at escaping while a prisoner of said group. Phil was also shown to be creative, having been implied to have spent some time in film school before the appearance of the Legends, and coming up with an interesting solution to pose as Rip Hunter to help them in battle.
Under mind alteration by the Legion of Doom
While Rip is under mind alteration thanks to Eobard's tampering of his memories, it rendered him a ruthless, immoral, cruel and cold version of himself. His loyalty has seemingly shifted, as he is now obeying the commands of the Legion and shares in their determination to find the Spear of Destiny at any cost. These traits were demonstrated several times as Rip is willing to kill his former teammates to achieve a piece of a spear. He was not hesitant to shoot Sara in the stomach and later crush her throat while choking her when she was helpless and wounded.
Abilities
- Genius-level intellect / Expert tactician / Leader : As a former Time Master, Rip has an immense understanding of the flow of time, able to calculate what events will affect the time-stream and by how small/large a margin. Rip is very intelligent as he is the creator of the first time sphere. He also knows a lot about the flow of the timeline, able to calculate every change and its consequences. Rip is also a capable leader as he led the Legends while they were fighting Vandal Savage though admits Sara is a better leader than him. He later creates the Time Bureau to replace the Time Masters.
- Peak of human physical condition : Rip is in top physical condition, able to crush Sara's throat with little effort and using only one hand, however it is to be noted that Sara was unconscious at the time
- Master engineer : Rip is shown to be extremely skilled in building and repairing time travel technology, building the first time sphere and teaching Jax everything on how to repair the Waverider. Also, during his last 5 years, he was able to create a device that opens portals.
- Expert marksman / Firearms : Rip has shown high levels of skill in the use of his sidearm. As seen in a showdown in 1871, Rip is a very skilled quick-draw and sharpshooter, able to beat Jeb Stillwater with ease.
- Skilled hand-to-hand combatant : Rip is a very skilled hand-to-hand combatant, as he was able to go toe-to-toe with Vandal Savage in his earlier years, and even manage to overpower and slit his throat to temporarily kill him in 1975. However, he has been shown to easily be outmatched by stronger or more skilled combatants, shown when he struggled to handle a large member of the Russian Bratva.
- Skilled knife wielder : Rip was able to skillfully use a knife in a fight against Vandal and slit his throat with it.
- Mimic / Impersonation : Rip has shown himself capable of fluently imitating an American accent. Also, as Phil, he's able to perfectly imitate Rip's British accent.
- Energy gun : Rip carries an energy gun that resembles a six-shooter, but fires blue bolts. The energy rounds can easily cause damage to solid materials or even stun foes wearing advanced body-armor such as Chronos. The gun's energy shots seem less harmful to those wearing future clothing, as Jon Valor was unharmed when shot. With such clothing, a shot from the gun is the equivalent of being struck in melee combat. Rip owns at least two versions of this gun, with one of them glowing green and firing green bolts and the other glowing red and firing red bolts.
- Time courier : Rip carries a time courier. This device allows him to transport through time and space without the need of a timeship.
- Stun device : Rip owns a flashlight-like device used to render others unconscious with a flash of light. He notably used this device to capture his original team members to recruit them, as well to capture Per Degaton and sedate Mick Rory to put him in stasis. Ray Palmer took possession of the stunner after Rip disappeared, attempting to stun a zombified Mick Rory with it while locking him in the medical bay, though it failed. The device is also capable of erasing memories, as Mick and Sara Lance used the device to erase the memories of Leonard Snart and Damien Darhk of their time as time travelers with the Legion of Doom.
- Waverider : Rip owns one of the most powerful timeships of all-time, the Waverider, which he and his team use to jump through time and find Vandal Savage. The ship was stolen from the Time Masters. The ship is also used for protecting the timeline.
