While plenty of actors in the Arrowverse have previously portrayed multiple DC Comics characters throughout their careers, one of the most intriguing and varied performances is Kevin Alejandro's separate recurring roles on Arrow and Lucifer.
Appearing on different DC Comics adaptations, Alejandro has shown his range portraying the villainous Sebastian Blood in the Arrowverse and the decorated LAPD detective on the Netflix series. Here's a quick overview of both characters and how they connect beyond being played by Alejandro.
ARROW'S SEBASTIAN BLOOD
Decades before Oliver Queen returns to Starling City to fight crime as Green Arrow, Sebastian Blood is raised in a broken home, abused by his violent father. Manipulated by Father Trigon and Cyrus Gold, Sebastian would eventually murder his father and join them in their religious cult the Church of Blood and receive the apt title of Brother Blood. Taking advantage from the chaos caused by Malcolm Merlyn with the destructive Undertaking that leveled an entire city neighborhood and killed scores of citizens, Blood, takes over the Church of Blood and secretly teams up with Deathstroke to become Mayor of Starling City.
Using a Japanese serum developed during World War II that was running in Deathstroke's blood, Sebastian empowers unwilling test subjects with Slade Wilson's tainted blood to create his own private army of super-soldiers that enhances their strength but leaves them violent and enraged. As the mayoral race intensifies, Deathstroke kills Sebastian's main opponent in election, Moira Queen, mother of Oliver and Thea Queen, effectively making Sebastian mayor. Horrified that Deathstroke is continuing to carry out his attack on the city despite him taking office, Sebastian reveals his true identity to Oliver and gives him the cure to the tainted blood. Upon learning of his betrayal, Deathstroke has Sebastian killed by his associate Isabel Rochev.
LUCIFER'S DETECTIVE DAN ESPINOZA
Dan Espinoza is a decorated detective in the Los Angeles Police Department alongside his estranged wife Chloe Decker. After Lucifer Morningstar arrives in LA and begins to help the police as a freelance consulting detective for the thrill of it, Dan takes an instant disliking to Lucifer due to his high-class nature and interest in Chloe, frequently dismissing the fallen angel as "Detective Douche."
Eventually divorcing from Chloe and splitting custody of their young daughter Trixie, Dan develops a begrudging respect for Lucifer, even defending him on occasion. It is eventually discovered that Dan had killed a corrupt cop to protect Chloe which had put an enormous strain on their relationship while an alternate timeline showed that without Chloe's influence, Dan would have become a corrupt cop himself.
The Unlikely Links Between the Two DC Characters
While considerably different on the surface, the no-nonsense Dan Espinoza and nefarious Brother Blood have quite a bit in common. Both characters have a sense of nobility and code of honor about them, though Sebastian's is hopelessly flawed as a result of his tragic upbringing and association with Slade Wilson. Despite this, both characters have a strong sense of duty to the cities the respective characters have chosen to protect; Sebastian in a genuine attempt to steer Starling City away from the chaos as its mayor and Dan as a dedicated member of the LAPD.
Portrayed gamely by Alejandro, the actor has shown considerable range tackling the very different roles while becoming a staple on DCTV. While Lucifer and Arrow exist in separate continuities, it's Alejandro's performances that help instill a sense of pathos on both series that have elevated the material as they lean into supernatural intrigue and superhero action, respectively.
Airing Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, Arrow stars Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, David Ramsey as John Diggle, Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak, Rick Gonzalez as Wild Dog, Juliana Harkavy as Black Canary, Colton Haynes as Arsenal, Kirk Acevedo as Diaz and Katie Cassidy as Black Siren.
Helmed by Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich, Lucifer’s much-anticipated fourth season stars Tom Ellis as the Devil, Lauren German as Det. Chloe Decker, D.B. Woodside as Amenadiel, Rachael Harris as Dr. Linda Martin, Kevin Alejandro as Det. Dan Espinoza, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Mazikeen Smith, Aimee Garcia as Ella Lopez, and newcomer Inbar Lavi as Lucifer’s ex and Adam’s wife Eve. The show releases on Netflix on May 8.