WARNING: THIS IS ALL SPOILER-RELATED!!

One of the universally praised aspects of SUICIDE SQUAD– a film that didn’t leave the best taste in the mouths of most critics and fans- was Jay Hernandez’s portrayal of El Diablo. The character, who can create and manipulate fire, was one of the more fascinating and sympathetic figures in the film. In fact, despite not getting a ton of focus in the SUICIDE SQUAD‘s promotional material, the character loomed larger over the film’s story than Jared Leto’s much-ballyhooed turn as The Joker. 

One scene, in particular, allowed for El Diablo to take center stage and- in essence- push the plot and its characters into the most important sequence in the film. The scene involved El Diablo, who was kept mysterious and guarded throughout much of the film, suddenly opening up about why he is the way he is. According to Hernandez, that scene was his Holy Grail and it was the one he poured the bulk of himself into.

“It was the scene I was most focused on. I wanted to make sure, because a lot of the story hinges on that moment,” the actor told ComicBook.com. â€œIt’s the moment the Squad is sort of galvanized. Before that, it’s a bunch of just random people and everybody has their own goal and direction, they hate each other, some are plotting to kill each other. After that, they sit down and they realize this is it, this is their shot or not, and they decide to do the honorable thing. I think part of why that happens is the opening up of Diablo, who has been closed off for the whole movie up to that point. It was a pivotal moment, and a really important scene for me.”

The scene, indeed, was powerfully gripping. Some have argued that the fact that El Diablo was seemingly killed off so soon after this scene was extremely disappointing, because he seemed so filled with potential.

According to Hernandez, though, SUICIDE SQUAD may not have seen the last time we see El Diablo.

In fact, the actor reveals that he wasn’t even originally supposed to bite the dust in the original form of the movie. “It was interesting, because there were some changes that happened later on,” Hernandez revealed. â€œI didn’t know that’s how the end was going to happen, early on. For me, it was important to make it good, make it impressive, and go out in a blaze of glory. Ultimately, I think it worked to give it some meaning, some emotional weight to the end of the story.“

When asked if there’s a chance he may pop up in another film, Hernandez coyly said, “Of course there is! I’m not saying anything, just that it’s a possibility.“

What did you think of Hernandez’s work in SUICIDE SQUAD? Would you want to see El Diablo return? 

SOURCE: Comic Book