Character Spotlight: Constantine!

By Erin Oakley

Cynical, foul-mouthed, and clad in his trademark trenchcoat, John Constantine seems out of place among the cape-wearing do-gooders of the DC Universe. But this detective specializes in deception: the ordinary-looking Englishman is really a powerful sorcerer, capable of everything from necromancy to time travel. 

Constantine is known as “The Constant One” since he is descended from a long line of magic users. Fascinated by the occult from a young age, Constantine threw himself into learning magic to escape his unhappy family life. His studies took him across Europe before leading him to America, where he met the magician and heroine Zatanna. The two have had a tumultuous romantic relationship, but they remain friends to this day.  Currently working as an occult detective, Constantine is a member of Justice League Dark, a super group dedicated to dealing with demonic, paranormal, and magical threats.

Constantine is a paradox: although he is a skilled sorcerer, he rarely uses his occult powers. Instead, he prefers to trick his way out of confrontations, using manipulation, sleight of hand, and fast talk to get his way. The exception to the rule is his magical manipulation of probability to create his own luck, making sure he’s always in the right place at the right time. In addition, Constantine’s natural charisma allows him to call on a wide network of friends and contacts for anything he may need.

As a morally ambiguous character who believes that the ends justify the means, it would be easy for Constantine to fall into a villain’s role.  In fact, he’s lost so many friends and innocent people in the course of his work it has become a running joke for him. However, these losses haunt him, sometimes literally.  His willingness to do whatever it takes to rid the world of corrupt magic makes Constantine a true anti-hero, providing an interesting contrast to more traditional heroes.

In the world of DC Universe Online, DLC 8: Sons of Trigon will find Gotham City turned into a demon-infested ruin. As seems fitting, Constantine will be drawn there, and Heroes willing to brave the hellish hordes should look to Constantine for help and direction in the Gotham Wastelands. If you can put up with his attitude, he just may have a job for you.

DC Universe Online is free-to-play, so visit www.dcuniverseonline.com to discover the hero - or villain - within you today.