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"I expect the worst, so I prepare for the worst, and when the worst comes, I’m READY."
—Constantine


John Constantine is an occult warlock originating from Liverpool, England. He travels the world investigating supernatural occurrences and defending humanity from them. His main base of operations is the House of Mystery where he resides with the magic of the house's physical form Black Orchid. He also uses it to store mystical artifacts which are considered too dangerous in regular people's hands. He later becomes the lover and spouse of Zatanna, and is recruited by Batman and Zatanna to join the supernatural team, Justice League Dark, until they are both eventually added to the main Justice League roster.

Biography[]

Early Life[]

When John Constantine was born, his mother died during childbirth, something his father never let him forget. Growing up because of his father's abuse and attitude towards him gave John a very prickly and cynical outlook towards life. John's best and only friend growing up was Chas Chandler. As they grew older, they started a band together, the Mucus Membrane. John eventually became an expert in the Occult with Ritchie Simpson.

At some point, John and Chas were involved in an incident in Newcastle where his actions resulted in tragedy. After discovering Alex Logue, one of John's mentors, was using his daughter Astra as a focal point for his dark magic, John made a grave mistake. Wanting to save the child, John summoned a demon named Nergal to fight Logue. Unfortunately, John forgot to cast a binding spell on the demon and his plan backfired. The demon slaughtered Logue, his followers and his guests but he also took Astra and cast her into hell for all eternity.

Following the aftermath of the Newcastle disaster, John had himself committed to a mental hospital, having suffered a nervous breakdown. Not long after, he and Chas went their separate ways.

Later, he trained Zatanna in magic and apparently introduced her to his friend Ritchie Simpson. The pair eventually became romantically involved, living and traveling together in the House of Mystery. At one point they went to Somalia where Zatanna insisted they rescue some monkeys; the details of the event aren't discussed, but the pair's conversation implies it didn't go well. The relationship, however, ended poorly, as Zatanna felt unsuited to the danger and moral complexity of John's world. Likewise, Constantine had a falling out with Ritchie. It is not known what the cause was, but the pair stopped speaking. John wasn't aware of Ritchie's declining lifespan until he asked for the man's help with the Justice League Dark's investigation.

At one point, Constantine met and became an enemy of Felix Faust.

Justice League Dark[]

While in Las Vegas he played poker with Jason Blood and The Demons Three. He was losing badly and could not raise the bet so he wagered his home, The House of Mystery, against a collection of mystic treasures including a chipped Dreamstone. Both John and the Demons cheated, though Constantine won. In the ensuing battle, Constantine forced Jason to transform into Etrigan to defeat the Demons. Blood was displeased when he was restored to normal, lecturing Constantine and punching him because of the magician's lack of concern or empathy for not wanting to turn into Etrigan. Constantine later collected the chest of the treasures and summoned the House of Mystery, entering it and disappearing, leaving Jason angry.

5 days later, when Zatanna brings Batman to Constantine, they are attacked by a magical whirlwind summoned by an unknown sorcerer. The trio narrowly manage to get inside John's house in time where they are joined by Black Orchid, the spiritual embodiment of the House. The group gather to share information, and after a quick discussion and an argument between John and Zatanna, form a team to investigate the cause and reason for these supernatural occurrences.

The heroes visit a friend of Constantine and Zatanna's named Ritchie Simpson, but outside the house, they find shrouded spirits of Death, waiting to collect Ritchie's soul upon his upcoming demise. The team was granted entry by Simpson, who was suffering from a magical cancer and resentful of Constantine for abandoning him to his fate, but he eventually gives them the Keshanti Key. Constantine and Zatanna look through one of the unwitting rampager's memories for the cause of his frenzy and discover that he was possessed by an unknown entity wearing a strange ring. Constantine, Zatanna, Batman, and Deadman narrowly manage to escape from a living feces beast conjured to consume the man, but Zatanna proceeds to destroy the monster.

Returning to Ritchie's home to identify the ring from the man's memory, the team find him about to die, with Blood nearby. Batman revives Ritchie with an adrenaline shot to the chest, but he quickly falls into a coma. After being brought to the House of Mystery for interrogation, Blood tells the team that he did not attempt to harm Ritchie, but was looking for a way into the House of Mystery to find the Dreamstone, revealing his past and Destiny.

The group then locates Faust's observatory and castle with help from Swamp Thing. When they infiltrate Faust's lair, the wizard battled the team but was ultimately defeated by Zatanna.

During the battle with Destiny, Constantine summons Swamp Thing and tricks him to fight Destiny, while Batman and the recovered Zatanna disable the Justice League. However, Destiny defeats Swamp Thing by ripping Alec Holland's remains from his body.

Constantine tricks Destiny into bringing him and Deadman within his protective shield, allowing Deadman to wound Destiny, before Constantine, Batman, and Blood destroy the Dreamstone and Destiny's body, leaving Ritchie, whose soul is then dragged to Hell by the shrouded spirits. Afterwards, Constantine, Zatanna, and Etrigan bury Blood's body near the place of his old village before Etrigan leaves for parts unknown. Zatanna offers Constantine a position in the Justice League after she joins it. Constantine initially declines, claiming that Batman wouldn't approve of him, but Zatanna claims that it was his idea. The two return to the now-rebuilt House of Mystery, taking a first tentative step to restoring their fractured relationship.

Constantine: City of Demons[]

Prior to joining the Justice League Dark, after drifting apart for nine years, John reunited with Chas Chandler when the latter approached him requesting for help. Chas's daughter Trish was in a coma as a result of dark magic. John reluctantly agreed to help, but warned that he did not expect a happy ending.

After meeting Trish's mother Renee at the hospital, John was allowed to be left alone with the comatose girl. He tried to use his magic to find the problem only to see Trish's body being briefly inhabited by a demon. John then summoned Asa, the Nightmare Nurse to help him. Asa was annoyed by the summons, but agreed to help. She told him that Trish's body no longer had a soul, before becoming briefly possessed by the same demon that stole Trish's soul. Wishing to confront John, the Demon revealed he was in Los Angeles. The Nightmare Nurse agreed to stay with Trish, while Constantine and Chas took a plane to California.

After arriving in LA, Constantine began noticing a glowing light coming out of the eyes of the locals. The two arrived at the address they were given back at the hospital, where they were greeted by the manor's butler, a man-sized, talking pig. After entering the house, Constantine found a swimming pool full of liquefying corpses and met Beroul, the demon that took Trish. It was then revealed that Beroul's goal in taking Trish was to get John's attention. Beroul then showed John a party he and other demons were throwing in the other room. Human guests were being tormented, slaughtered and sent to hell. Beroul revealed his goal was to expand hell to Los Angeles, claiming the power-hungry, egotistical, and selfish souls of the residents are just who demons look to torment when in hell. There were five other demons with similar plans, but Beroul wanted his new “franchise” to himself. Beroul agreed to return Trish’s soul if John kills his competitors.

Sometime later, John and Chas were attacked on the road by demonic dogs sent by Beroul's competitors. The two survived after being rescued by Angela, the queen of Angels. After getting back to Beroul, Constantine was permitted to visit Trish's soul, trapped in Beroul's body. After being dispelled out of the Demon's body, it was then revealed that Beroul was in fact Nergal, John's archenemy.

Constantine was once again approached by Angela in a LA bar. After leading him to a bathroom stall, the two have sex, during which she showed John a vision of the history of the city. Angela wanted Constantine to help her stop the demons' plan to set up hell franchises in LA. John was able to take down Nergal's demon allies after enlisting the help of Mictlantecuhtli, an ancient Aztec god of death. After the demons were slain, Constantine dispatched Mictlantecuhtli himself. Unfortunately, Nergal did not hold up his side of the bargain.

It is then revealed that Angela and Nergal were reluctantly working together. In a last ditch effort to save the child, Constantine and Asa cast a spell known as the candever curse to free Trish from Nergal, drawing power from Chas's love for his family and Trish and Renee's love for him, which fatally wounds Nergal. Nergal, realizing he's lost, tried to offer releasing Astra's soul from hell in exchange for his life. John refuses the offer, stating that saving Trish was redemption enough, and with it as Nergal is destroyed. After facing Nergal, John explains the price of the candever curse: as a tragic consequence of Constantine and Asa's spell, Chas lost all memory of his family and they lost all memory of him. John then revealed that the Chandler's family love wasn't enough to fuel the candever curse, and he had to sacrifice his and Chas's friendship as well. Chas then lost memory of John, besides a vague memory of the man who ruined his life. John however retained his memory of Chas. Angela then visited John, wishing him well and John asking Angela to take care of Chas. As he exits, he sees one of his demons survived the battle against Nergal and allowed the demon to join him as he walks alone.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War[]

Now an official member of the Justice League alongside his companion, Zatanna, they have now moved into the Justice League Watchtower since The House of Mystery kicked John out. Later, he attends the Justice League's briefing, where Superman plans to wage war against Darkseid. Constantine is one of the few individuals who directly opposes this plan, thinking about the consequences of dragging humanity into it, but gives up after Superman refused to discuss it. Constantine accompanies the Justice League as they raid Darkseid's planet, Apokolips, while the Teen Titans are assigned to defend Earth. Upon arrival, they are attacked by Darkseid and his army of Paradooms, genetic hybrids of Parademons and Doomsday. While the Justice League fought hard, they were ultimately overpowered, with most of them being either killed or incapacitated due to Darkseid having plans for some of them. Constantine watches in horror as Zatanna is viciously eaten alive by a group of Paradooms, fleeing through a portal as she calls out to him.

John-Constantine-Run-Away

Two years later, Earth has been almost completely conquered as it is reduced to a barren wasteland and Paradooms roam the streets. Constantine and Etrigan drink their sorrows away in a London pub until they are confronted by Raven and a depowered Superman, wanting Constantine to join them in their mission. No longer wishing to trust Superman after his failed plan, John initially declines, but is convinced due to his guilt over the death of Zatanna. The two ask Constantine to use a locator spell to find Damian Wayne, Batman's son who survived the Paradooms' attack on the Titans and Earth; at a League of Assassins outpost, in order to recruit him and convince him to help break Batman free of Darkseid's programming.

John-Constantine-Feel-Free-To-Join-Us-Etrigan

Eventually, Damian joins the group and they head to Metropolis to meet up with Lois Lane, who has recruited the Suicide Squad and formed a resistance. Constantine is left uncomfortable as he reunites with his apparent ex, King Shark. With the alliance set, Lois goes over the plan of destroying Apokolips, and the group heads to LexCorp, the location of the one and only boom tube on Earth. As the group did not have enough forces to assault all three Reapers at once, Constantine manages to convince Swamp Thing to destroy one of the Reapers in order to protect the planet. After making their way to the boom tube, Constantine assures Raven that he has a method of dealing with Trigon should he ever escape, but opts for Raven to continue subduing him. Constantine, along with Superman (wearing a battle suit with Kryptonite weapons given to him by Lex Luthor), Raven, Damian, and Etrigan, use the boom tube and head to Apokolips.

John-Constantine-What-About-Uxas

After arriving, the group is confronted by the Furies, consisting of Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Mera, Hawkman, and Starfire, who were beaten and converted into brainwashed partly-cybernetic soldiers to work under Darkseid. John is saved by Etrigan, who battles with Wonder Woman, but is defeated and killed. Using his magic, Constantine turns the Lasso of Truth against Wonder Woman, using it to remind her of who she is, breaking her free from her programming. She then fights off the remaining Furies as John and the remaining heroes continue their mission.

The group encounter The Flash, as the power generator who is forced to continue running on a treadmill to power Apokolips forever. After Barry is freed, Constantine scans his mind, learning about the Flashpoint Paradox. The heroes run into a dismantled Cyborg, fully integrated into Apokolips itself and subservient to Darkseid, where Constantine uses his magic to free him of his programming. The group is then confronted by Darkseid and Batman, who fights Damian. Before he lands the killing blow, Batman is freed of his programming by remembering his past, attacking Darkseid instead. When Darkseid retaliates, Damian is fatally wounded as he steps in front of Darkseid's Omega Beams, which enrages Raven and breaks Trigon free of his bondage. Constantine prepares to act, as Trigon emerges, opting to offer his own body as his host, but Trigon kills Constantine by snapping his neck after choosing Clark as his host instead.

Trigon-Have-An-Nice-Afterlife-John

Constantine wakes up in the afterlife, with Zatanna, who pulled a few "strings" to get him there. She also apologizes to him for using a compulsion spell to force him to escape when she died, as a contingency plan set by Batman. Since Constantine still has a job to do, Zatanna uses her powers to revive him, saying she will see him again when his time comes. As a repowered Superman battles Darkseid, Cyborg plans to send the heroes to Earth, while he sends Apokolips into a void of nothingness. Not wanting to leave Superman behind, Constantine and Raven combine their powers to grant Trigon a physical form, allowing him to take over the battle against Darkseid. With Cyborg integrated into Apokolips itself, he is unable to leave, shooting down Constantine's idea of transferring his consciousness. The heroes are transported to Earth, while Apokolips is sent into the black hole, trapping Darkseid, Trigon, Cyborg, and the Paradooms for all eternity.

Zatanna-See-You-In-The-Afterlife-Johnny

Back on Earth, the remaining members of the Justice League lament over their failures and losses, despite being victorious. Batman announces to the team that despite the Reapers being destroyed, the damage was done, and the Earth lost 31% of its molten core, compromising the planet as well as over a billion of the population. Remaining optimistic, Constantine informs Flash that he must clear the board and create a second Flashpoint, despite Flash promising Iris West that he wouldn't do it again. Although reluctant at first, Flash is convinced that regardless of the changes, it would be a better situation than they're in now. Constantine and the heroes watch as the Flash runs and the timeline is reset.

DC Showcase: Constantine: The House of Mystery[]

As Barry Allen ran back in time before his Pre-Flashpoint version could head towards the past to save his mother. Constantine placed a protection spell around him to prevent the Darkseid of the past from detecting him and their universe like he detected them when Barry altered time previously. As the second Flashpoint engulfed all the heroes, Constantine finds himself back in the House of Mystery, clean shaven and with a shorter trench coat confused at what has just happened.

Tomorrowverse[]

After escaping The House of Mystery and realising The Spectre trapped him there for protection as the universe wishes to "balance the scales" after what he did having The Flash create another Flashpoint, a massive void in the universe opens up dragging Constantine into it screaming.

Now in a new universe he has taken the appearance of an old homeless man who visits every Earth as they are being destroyed by the Anti Matter wave, with no memory of who he is or why is being placed on multiple Earth's at their end. He only knows that he is responsible for it along with Barry Allen. While on Earth-1 while with Barry and Iris, Constantine touches Barry's heard sending him through the Speed Force to Earth-3.

He later froze the Crime Syndicate with his magic allowing Barry to escape that universe.

Personality[]

Constantine is not considered a superhero in the traditional sense and seems to hold a dim view of "the capes and tights crew," at least in regards to their ability to handle magical situations. However, Constantine seems to have a lower success rate than the League, as Zatanna claims he is guilty of "A hundred screw-ups. Costing lives and souls."

Despite being firmly on the side of good, Constantine is often blunt and disrespectful even when his life is in danger. He often employs risky strategies and is perfectly willing to manipulate his friends to achieve his goals and is flippant when called upon to defend his actions. Because of this, he frequently ruins his own relationships, as seen with Jason Blood, Zatanna and Chas Chandler.

He is capable of loyalty and comradely, such as when he talked Zatanna out of killing Felix Faust and arranged Jason Blood to be buried in the place the knight's home village once stood, he even goes as far as sacrificing his friendship with Chas to save Chas' daughter. However, he will still sacrifice his friends without hesitation especially if he feels wronged by them, as he allowed Ritchie's soul to be taken to Hell despite his obvious remorse.

Zatanna implied that Constantine is something of a womanizer. Constantine despises having to "play telephone" with spirits and people who can't see them at which point he uses his magic to solve the issue.

John is usually relax and hard to be shocked. It seems he is accustomed to violent scenes. John is also very negative, he believes there is no good ending.

Powers and Abilities[]

"Aaand now I'm sober again. Magic can be such a bitch."
—Constantine complaining about a boon of magic

Powers[]

JL Dk Apokolips War Constantine Magic

Constantine's magic.

  • Expert Sorcerer: Constantine is a talented magician, capable of casting a wide variety of spells for the purposes of attack, defense, surveillance, or transportation. However, his magical powers seem inferior to those of other more advanced magic-users, such as Felix Faust and Zatanna.
    • Spell Casting: Constantine can hurl fireballs, levitate, exorcise spiritual entities, undo illusions, restrain others, view events happening far away, even compel others to do his bidding. He occasionally supplements his own abilities with magical artifacts. Many of his spells involve fire.
      • Pyrokinesis: Constantine is capable of launching powerful blasts of fire from his hands, which he generally uses in his enchantments. These blasts of fire are powerful enough to counter Felix Faust's magical blasts.
      • Portal Creation: Constantine is capable of creating inter-dimensional portals. This was seen when he escaped from Apokolips while the Paradooms killed Zatanna
      • Enchantment: Constantine was able to enchant the Lasso of Truth with a spell to make her follow his orders, thus managing to free Wonder Woman from Darkseid's control. He can also use mystical energies to infuse playing cards with small, but concentrated explosive power. Constantine was also able to bound Trigon to himself, rendering Trigon without a physical body. He could also reverse the spell to free Trigon.
      • Mystical Shielding: Constantine is able to conjure up mystical shields in order to deflect oncoming attacks. He can also fire his energy blast through them. This is seen in the picture above. His magic shield looks like a Zodiac circle with symbols on the side and 3 smaller ones on the inside that looks similar to a ritual spell.
      • Eldritch Blast: Constantine can fire magical blasts either through his hands or his magical shield
      • Techno-Magic: Constantine was even able to utilize a type of magic which allows him to hack and manipulate even the most advanced technology known to exist, such as Apokopitcian technology. He used this to break Cyborg free from Darkseid's control, freeing the Furies from his control in the process.
      • Power Bestowal: Constantine was able to give Batman the ability to perceive spirits, because he did not want to have to "play telephone" with spirits and people.
      • Demonic Exorcism: Constantine is capable of exorcising demons out of human vessels. He used this spell to separate Destiny from Ritchie and eventually banish Destiny to hell.
      • Illusion Conjuration: Constantine was able to use this to render himself and his allies visually undetectable to the threats on Apokolips.
      • Astral Projection: He was able to make himself appear to Swamp Thing
      • Teleportation: Constantine was able to transfer himself and his allies to his secret hideaway in the Big Ben in London. During his fight with the cyborg Wonder Woman, Constantine was able to avoid her attacks by teleporting himself from her range of attacks.
      • Locator Spell: Constantine was able to use a spell to locate a person or object. He used this in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War to find Damian Wayne.
    • Clairvoyance: Constantine can perceive spirits invisible to the human eye such as Deadman.
    • Immunity to Forced Insanity: When facing off with Destiny, Constantine remained unaffected by his magic, which drove even Green Lantern, Superman and Wonder Woman mad with visions of demons.
    • Possession Immunity: When allowing Deadman to possess him in a Trojan Horse play to kill Destiny, Constantine was able to retain control of his body.

Abilities[]

  • Mystical Knowledge: Constantine possesses advanced knowledge of the nature and workings of supernatural forces and artifacts.
  • Master Manipulator: Even without magic, Constantine is very good at getting his allies and enemies to do as he wishes. For enemies, he prefers to tick them off so they make mistakes, leaving him able to make cold-headed choices, such as his confrontation with Destiny.. When conversing with allies, he tends to play on their consciences by reminding them of what's at stake, in order to get their help.
  • Leadership: Despite his claims otherwise, Constantine is a gifted leader and strategist, leading the Justice League Dark and Justice League on many missions
  • Multilingualism: He is able to speak English and learned Latin in order to recite his magical spells.
  • Occultism

Paraphernalia[]

Weapons[]

  • Ice Dagger: John used a dagger that shot icicles in his fight against the demons three

Equipment[]

  • Mystical Artifacts: Constantine has several mystical artifacts that he has obtained throughout his life. He uses them as a focal point for his spells. Among these include scrolls, daggers, etc.

Appearances[]

Films[]

Web Series[]

Trivia[]

  • He's implied to have his life/soul sought after by many he's wronged/ticked off.
  • According to Jay Oliva, though Constantine possesses an affinity for magic, he requires a medium to cast spells; because of such, John's magic is neither good nor evil. Throughout Justice League Dark, Constantine is shown using various objects to cast spells.
  • in Constantine: City of Demons, Constantine references the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Doctor Strange when exclaiming "Who do you think I am? Benedict bloody Cumberbatch?".
  • Unlike most superheroes who have a base of operations and vehicle to travel in. Constantine is unique as owning the The House of Mystery functions as both his base of operations and his mode of transport as it can appear anywhere willed to by owner.
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