DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x10 Review: “Progeny” (The Wonders of Moral Ambiguity) [Contributor: Lizzie]

"Progeny"

Original Airdate: April 7, 2016

I’m going to start with a Godfather quote, because, well, because there’s a Godfather quote for everything in life:

“Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.” 

Funny, isn’t it? After what was probably my harshest review of the season, here I am, writing what’s sure to be the nicest review of Legends of Tomorrow I will ever write. Why? Because this episode worked. It wasn’t filled with logic or reason, but it also wasn’t overtly stupid either, so I’m going to count that as a win. “Progeny” had many wonderful interactions between a group of actors who exude chemistry in many different combinations. And, most importantly, it introduced — for the first time — a bigger question, a moral imperative, and something that made us think this show could be about something other than people running around through time messing it all up.

Now, let’s just hope they don’t forget about it next week. They tend to do that. 

HOT ‘N COLD

Kendra’s basically a Katy Perry song at this point, and that’s not a good thing. I get that her whole situation is complicated, and that she was with Carter for many years. But all these doubts and questions that she’s having are things she and Ray should have talked about in the two years they were together during the 50s! But, of course, since the writers wanted to advance the relationship WITHOUT losing all the possibility for drama, in this episode we were presented with a nonsensical Kendra, who — one moment is basically saying she’s still in love with another man — and the next is telling Ray that he’s her future.

It all makes no earthly sense. And that is why, once again, I can’t connect with this couple. I especially can’t connect with KENDRA, because even that whole thing of her still being in love with Carter is a stretch. We never even saw her in love with Carter in the first place! And the flashbacks are nice I guess, but there’s no emotional resonance to them. They could have been Arrow flashbacks for as little as I cared about what happened in them.

So, in conclusion: I don’t care about Kendra’s relationship with Carter, I don’t care about her relationship with Ray, and I don’t care about her. I still care about Ray, though, so can we just forget about this whole relationship? Locate another version of Carter that Kendra can shack up with? Can we?

SARA’S LOSS

I don’t know if we’re supposed to assume Legends of Tomorrow happens at the same time as Arrow or not, but I’m going to assume so and declare that Laurel is already dead and her sister doesn’t know yet. Because, after all, how would she know? They don’t exactly have cell phones that work through space and time. So, while Sara was giving Snart a good pep-talk, trying to talk some sense into Mick Rory, and being absurdly bested by Vandal Savage in hand-to-hand combat, all I could think about was Laurel.

Sara’s going to find out at some point, of course. And, considering what Laurel did for her, logic indicates that she’s going to try to do something to save her, maybe even discovering that the consequences of doing that are something she can’t live with. Snart’s probably going to try to comfort her in the way he can. Ray is going to look sad. Quentin is going to want to keep Sara by his side. I’m going to be a blubbering mess. It’s going to be bad. But it’s going to be closure.

Right now, though? Right now Sara’s just in limbo, and it’s torture. These shows exist in the same universe. These characters know each other. And, as such, Legends of Tomorrow has to find a way to make what happens in Arrow and The Flash resonate on their show. We’re not going to care about this whole Laurel/Sara grief so much if Legends of Tomorrow waits six episodes to give us a reaction from Sara. 

Or, maybe some of us will, but it won’t have as much of an impact. We need Sara’s reaction now. They owe us this. 

MORALITY ASIDE

This episode deal with moral issues that, at first, seemed way too grand for Legends of Tomorrow. Not because this type of show can’t deal with them, but because they’ve never shown an inclination to want to do so. Arrow has always straddled the line and discussion of morality, and even Barry has killed people if he’s needed to. And then, we have Legends of Tomorrow, where everyone suddenly wants to be a hero and no one is willing to kill a kid — even if it saves the world.

I’m not saying it doesn’t make sense, but... it doesn’t make sense. I understand that the show is trying to send a message, and that superhero shows are all about doing the right thing. But if this group of people, who Rip recruited specifically because they all possessed different skill sets, aren’t willing to even consider putting aside morality for the sake of saving the world, then how can they be heroes in this day and age? 

But what’s the use of saving the world if we stoop to Savage’s methods to do so? Stein asks. And this is the age-old question that no one wants answered, because the answer is simple: YOU’D STILL SAVE THE WORLD. Are you willing to take that upon yourself for the sake of the greater good? Now that is an interesting question, but obviously not one Legends of Tomorrow is ready to tackle. This is not that type of TV show, as much as I wish it was. So what this means is that they’re going to have to find another, probably convoluted and contradictory way to kill Savage. Because Savage has to be killed – there’s just no other way for this season to end. 

Then again, if you’re not killing a child, the whole murdering-an-evil-villain thing seems easier, I guess. Or something like that. 

Other things:

• Rip’s little moment of introspection with Mick was a nice moment of self-awareness for a character that comes off as oblivious 90% of the time. 
• Dystopian future = lots of grey clothes. 
• The camaraderie between Sara and Jax was both unexpected and refreshing.
• The “assistant... bodyguard” joke about Sara would be funny if it wasn’t also so on point. 
• Who was Ray sleeping with in 2016 anyway? Inquiring minds want to know. 
• Are we to assume this company is the same one that Felicity is now CEO of? Or did she leave for Smoak Technologies and leave Palmer Tech in the hands of Ray’s brother? See, this is why I HATE time-travel. I’m not really a fan of this show’s general ambiguity. Is an actual explanation too much to ask? 
• While I’m at it, if Ray had a brother, why did he leave his company to Felicity?
• And how did Ray’s brother even get access to the technology? They didn’t seem to be very close. Did Ray just leave another Atom suit lying around in 2016?
• Either you can change all of this or time wants to happen and it will. Make up your mind, show.
• Kendra Saunders is basically the Ray Palmer version we got in Arrow — a character you were supposed to like, but who you found to be a bit odd and sometimes nonsensical.  
• I’m here for Sara calling Snart by his first name. And for the flirting. And the talk of feelings. 
• And not here for another SECRET KID storyline. Thank God this was a fake-out.
• Remember when Rip said he chose all of them because they’d made minimal impact on the timeline? What part of creating the technology that Savage later uses to take over the world is minimal impact, Rip? What part?
• So, Savage got the drop on Sara. Is that what you’re telling me? Oooooookay. 
• Where exactly is Mick going at the end of the episode? It’s not like he can leave the time-traveling ship.

Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays at 8/7c on the CW.