Why ‘Legion’ Is a ‘Tragedy,’ Not a Drama: David Haller ‘Never Really Had a Chance,’ Noah Hawley Says

“In order to beat a monster, sometimes you have to become a monster,” FX showrunner says

Dan Stevens Legion
FX

If you’ve felt like David Haller is a tragic figure, well, that’s because he is.

“Legion” showrunner Noah Hawley told TheWrap that David (Dan Stevens) “never really had a chance to live a happy life” thanks to the monster that attached itself to him when he was a baby. 

But Hawley orchestrated David to be a tragic figure because he finds tragedies more interesting stories to tell.

I’m really attracted to stories that are tragic on some level,” he said. 

“Tragedy is different from drama. Tragedy has elements of the preventable to it, this idea that were a different choice to have been made, or events to have unfolded differently, we wouldn’t be in this mess, but we are.

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