DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x16 Review: “Legendary” (The Future Looks Bright) [Contributor: Lizzie]

“Legendary”

Original Airdate: May 19, 2016

Ironically, Legends of Tomorrow ends the way it started — with a lot of promise. Back when the first episode aired, however, it was easier to be optimistic about the show. We didn’t know what we were getting into, but we also had no preconceived notions of the characters or plot. We cared about the individual people, but we didn’t really care about the team as a whole.

Things are different now. We still care — more about some people than others, granted. But now we also care about their interactions, about Mick and Ray possibly becoming friends, about Ray and Stein geeking out together, about Sara and Rip and their complicated, and yet not-so-complicated friendship.

Is that enough to get us to come back for season two? Before this episode, I would have said no. Now? Well, maybe I’m just a sucker for a good bromance, or the fact that the Savage plot is dead and buried is enough for me, but I’m in. Add to that the fact that Kendra and Carter won’t be returning thing (hallelujah) and it seems like Legends of Tomorrow has finally gotten rid of its dead weight.

Well, except for Rip. He’s still there. But two out of three isn’t bad.

THE LANCE SISTERS

If you’ve stayed with the show for this long, then you were probably on the verge of tears at the thought of Sara Lance losing her sister. The fact of the matter is, Laurel had lost Sara twice, but Sara never lost Laurel. So Sara finding out that Laurel died is a different kind of pain. It’s the kind that can break you.

And it hurts because we love Sara. We loved her before this show even started, and we love her even more now. It also hurts because Caity Lotz can play the heartbreaking brokenness in Sara Lance like nobody’s business, and because the Legends of Tomorrow writers, surprisingly, dealt with Laurel Lance’s death better than the Arrow writers ever did.

How did they do this? By focusing on the people that really loved her.

Quentin and Sara’s first conversation is heartbreaking. Sara is so light, so carefree, and you know a trainwreck is coming, but you can’t stop it. You’ve been waiting for weeks for Sara to learn the news. And the pain, when it comes, is swift and merciless, with the desire to make it all better completely understandable. How could Sara not want to save her sister? And how could Rip possibly pretend to have the moral high ground in a situation like this?

Except that it’s not about the moral high ground — it’s about the implications of saving Laurel. Sara might be fine with dying to get her sister back, but she would never sacrifice her father for it, which is what would have to happen.

Because Sara understands Laurel. Sara loved Laurel. And, just as Sara was once an inspiration for her sister, Sara can now turn this tragedy around and make Laurel her inspiration. Her reason for living. For trying. For being better.

It’s the best — the only way — to honor the Black Canary.

A TEAM AT LAST

For the first fifteen episodes of this series, I didn’t feel like these people were a team. They didn’t care about each other, really. And though they had a common goal, it was like they stumbled upon it by accident. They didn’t really want to be there for their own personal reasons, just for abstract “saving the world ones.” So they didn’t really try to function as a unit or a true team.

And then “Legendary” happened.

Maybe it was Snart’s death that changed everything. Maybe it was just that, after a season of forced confinement, these people actually started to care about each other. Either way, the team that went up against Savage in this episode was, at last, an actual team.

And what a difference it made.

It wasn’t perfect, of course. There were still some absurd leaps of logic and some moments where you wondered if these people really cared about each other. But there was also Ray following Mick all the way down to Central City, Rip offering Sara as much comfort as he could and everyone deciding to go on an ill-advised rescue mission to save Kendra and Carter.

There was the end, where they all decided to come together, once again, for another senseless mission. There was a spark. That, plus an actually dead Savage — three times over! — made this the best episode of the season.

WHAT’S NEXT?

THE JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA! Yes, that deserved the all caps. Because this opens up the doors for a very, very fun second season. Plus, did I mention that Savage is gone? That, in theory, makes the show less cohesive in terms of plot, but since the show made no sense whatsoever even when they had a “big bad,” it’s probably best that they don’t have any sort of cohesive plot or bad guy after all.

Carter and Kendra are also gone! Can I just say, good riddance? We didn’t see much of Carter, so he’s more of a footnote at this point, but what we saw of Kendra was downright disappointing. Our Hawkgirl wasn’t a warrior goddess throughout this season. She was a woman stuck between two loves. And in the end, that was just exhausting.

Thankfully, Ray Palmer can, and has been, the bigger man on more than one occasion. He didn’t pout when she announced that she was leaving. He didn’t cry, and he didn’t even ask her to stay. He was just nice. And it’s understandable. She wasn’t “the one.” She knew it, he knew it, and WE ALL KNEW IT.

And that leaves a show that can focus on Mick/Ray, Sara/Rip, Firestorm... yeah, now that sounds more like a team I could fall in love with. That sounds like I should actually tune in for season two. If you’d told me this about five episodes ago, I would have laughed in your face.

But that’s the nature of TV. Sometimes you swing big and you miss big. And other times? Well, other times you actually hit it out of the park.

Other things:

• “I had to bring you to May 2016, not January 2016.” There was not even an attempt at an explanation at the beginning of the episode as to why Rip did that. But I hoped there was a reason and thankfully I got one.
• This hologram trick would have come handy about a million times before, but okay.
• This episode featured a budding Mick/Ray bromance. I’m buying it. 
• This show never really took full advantage of Stein/Ray, and it’s a darn shame. 
• Why does Rip do anything in this show? The answer: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
• (He is, after all, clearly to blame for at least half of what he blamed the team for screwing up during their adventures this season.)
• I love how just after Ray says, “not to dismiss what just happened,” he does EXACTLY THAT.
• Rip’s explanation for WHY Sara shouldn’t go back to save Laurel is both predictable and convenient. Shame on you, Legends of Tomorrow. Shame on you.
• Gideon is either the hero or the villain of this tale. I can’t decide which.
• “This is the craziest bad guy plan in the history of bad guy plans.” That is debatable at best. Comics are full of the crazy.
• When someone FALLS from a building, you can fly, and then you don’t move as they fall, that kinda makes you an accomplice. 
• Two episodes ago, everyone was having second thoughts about killing Savage, and all the sudden in this episode, everyone’s a ruthless killer. Suuuuuuure.
• Gideon could have flown the Waverider into the sun by herself. Rip didn’t really need to go.
• “YOU’RE A MORON.” Yes, Mick. My point exactly.
• Between the Mick/Snart conversation at the end and the Lance family feels, I might have shed a few tears this episode.
• Raymond Palmer, stop being so nice. It’s disgusting.
• Did I mention that Carter is gone, Kendra is gone, and Savage is dead? 
• Also, Mick Rory is now my favorite. The end.
• HEY IT’S MIKE FROM SUITS! MIKE FROM SUITS! (Also known as Patrick J. Adams.) And he’s Hourman! And he said “Justice League of America”! My geeky heart is jumping up and down. 

Thanks for reading! Legends of Tomorrow returns Thursdays at 8/7c this fall on The CW.

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x15 Review: “Destiny” (There Are No Strings On Me) [Contributor: Lizzie]

“Destiny”

Original Airdate: May 12, 2016

Stupidity aside, this was one of Legends of Tomorrow’s best episodes to date.

That’s the way it’s supposed to be at the end of a season for any show. And yet, for a while there, this show had us doubting. Could this nonsensical group of people ever truly become a team? Would they ever win just one fight? Might we ever come to care about anyone other than Sara, Snart and — on occasion — Ray?

Our answers are in, and they’re — in order: “yes,” “yes,” and a resounding “no.”

Yes, this motley crew of misguided idiots finally won one battle (thanks to Jax, of all people). And yes, it looks like they are well on their way to finally becoming something resembling a team. But no, we can’t say we care all that much. So, count this as a win. And as a loss. Fifteen episodes later, there’s at least something to be salvaged of this merry band of idiots. I’s just not what the writers probably expected. Or wanted.

IT’S ALL DESTINY

It’s about fifteen episodes too late for Legends of Tomorrow to try to get all Machiavellian on us, but the effort is appreciated nonetheless. It would, of course, have been much better if they’d taken the time to drop hints about this possibility during the course of the show, but the whole “the end justifies the means” theme that the Time Masters have got going on is better than no explanation at all.

And, of course, it also ties nicely into what I now get is supposed to be the whole theme of this show: choice vs. destiny. And I say that I get it not because Ray has been talking about this subject non-stop for the last few episodes, but because, at last, the show managed to get a message across without beating us to death with it.

Carter. Kendra. Savage. They’re all trapped by destiny; and in a way, our heroes have been, too. But the thing is that destiny can look like free will sometimes. It’s not that Carter and Kendra chose to die all those times; it’s that they didn’t realize they were part of a never-ending circle. The same goes for our heroes. They’ve been chasing their own tails all this time without realizing what they were doing. But, now, with the oculus destroyed, destiny is no longer a fixed point in the future. Choice is, once again, possible.

Does that mean they can all break free of expectations? Mick already did it. So did Snart, in a way. Now it’s time for the rest of the team to get on with the program.

THESE ARE STRINGS, PINNOCCHIO

Leonard Snart was one of the best, if not the best character on Legends of Tomorrow. It wasn’t because he was always a good guy, or because he was perfect. No, it was because he was flawed. Because he was a hero who never dreamed of being one, because he was a thief with a heart, because he was a man who might have had a future with Sara Lance; because he was a brother, a friend. And now it’s all been ripped away. Snart is gone.

Or is he? Logic indicates that on a show like this, anything can happen. The news out of the Wentworth Miller camp seems to indicate he’ll be back in some capacity, though not as a series regular. And even though we can rejoice about that, we can’t help but feel a bit cheated.

Captain Canary was clearly not the long-term plan for Legends of Tomorrow. Neither was Atomic Hawk, for that matter. And yet only one of those two relationships worked. Sara and Snart were believable as friends, and we could have embarked on this journey with them and never looked back. And now, even that is left in a state of flux.

At the very least, though, we’ll always have that kiss. We’ll always have the confirmation that they both cared. We’ll always have Sara’s tears. And we’ll have Wentworth Miller’s campy, over-the-top and altogether wonderful performance. May the TV gods grant us more than a few short appearances next season. Maybe there’s still hope. Not just for Snart, but for Captain Canary.

Maybe that “maybe” is better than nothing.

CAN SOMEONE MANAGE TO KILL SAVAGE THIS TIME? PLEASE?

With just one episode left in this season of low-lows (the Old West episode) and some very few highs, let’s just hope someone takes care of Vandal Savage next episode. The only reason I’m still here it’s because of that promise. The mere thought of having to put up with this stupidity for one more season makes me want to bail. So please, Legends of Tomorrow — take care of Savage FOR GOOD.

Also, let Sara find out about Laurel. Give her time and space to grieve. Reunite her with her family, even if it’s just for a short while.

Finally, get rid of Carter and Kendra. I’m not saying kill them (though, hey, if someone has to die...), but I am saying don’t bring them back. They add nothing to the team. And if Savage is gone, they’re not really needed anyway. Kill Savage and let them go live a happy life together. That would be a fitting end after so many years of sorrow.

If you want us to care about season two, Legends of Tomorrow, some things have to change. Give us more of the people we care about. Get rid of those we don’t. Which brings me to...

ANOTHER RANKING (JUST FOR KICKS)

Last week I ranked them on stupidity, but this week I’m ranking them on our level of investment. Because some of these people we care for, and some we just want to go away. Fast.

1. Sara Lance: We’ve loved Sara for a while. Legends of Tomorrow hasn’t changed this. If anything, it’s made us love this wounded, beautiful, fierce woman even more. Because now, we finally get a show that focuses on her and her journey.

2. Leonard Snart: The charismatic thief was a fan favorite before his time on this show. And yet, did we ever think we’d see him become a true hero? Or that we’d be on the verge of tears at the thought of him leaving? The answer is surely no.

3. Ray Palmer: I almost dropped him down to number four based on last week’s shenanigans alone. But then he went all “hope speech” on us, and convinced me again. Every team needs a Ray Palmer, and it’s not just because he’s smart or pretty.

4. Mick Rory: The former villains win the day! It was hard going at first with Mick, but in between smacking Ray and so awesomely resisting conditioning, Mick went up a few (see: many) spots.

5. Rip Hunter: I hate him, like, 99% of the time, but I assume that’s better than apathy. I mean, at least he makes me feel something.

6. Firestorm: Jax gave me feels a few episodes ago, but Stein has been a shadow of his The Flash self and I just don’t care much if they’re on the show or not. And that’s never a good thing.

7. Kendra Saunders: The only reason she’s not at the bottom of the list is because Carter exists. I have no feelings for Kendra, either good or bad. She just bores me. She’s the equivalent of an Arrow flashback — there, but kinda not, and I just don’t pay attention when she’s on.

8. Carter Hall: Oh, Carter. You had such promise and... no, wait, no. I never cared for you. Not one bit. It’s good to know some things don’t change.

Other things:

• If they’d done a better job of setting up these characters, we wouldn’t NEED a flashback to explain how this team got together in the first place.
• Why the bad guys need to explain their motivations to the heroes I will never, ever understand. 
• “Face the facts, Raymond.” Okay, but when has he EVER done that?
• If the oculus can’t really control the actions of our merry band of idiots while they’re in the Vanishing Point, how did it know they were going to try to destroy it? That makes no sense. Or, maybe it would make sense, with a proper explanation. But Legends of Tomorrow is very bad at giving those to us.
• Ray can’t convince me that he doesn’t watch his diet. Not just because he looks like he works out twice a day, but because he ate that cupcake like someone who’s never eaten a cupcake before.
• I’m pretty sure Brandon Routh would look good even with a shaved head. 
• Apparently, even I can run out of snark. Shocking, I know! Just know that I will miss you, Leonard Snart. 
• So with season two already confirmed, I have to wonder: is this show still planning to go the White Atom route? Kendra and Carter are a non-entity, Kendra and Ray are kaput, and Snart is not coming back as a regular, so we need a ship we can root for. Was this the plan all along?

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

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x14 Review: “River of Time” (Mission Almost Accomplished) [Contributor: Lizzie]

“River of Time”

Original Airdate: May 5, 2016

I’m having trouble deciding if I liked this episode or not. On the one hand, it featured the same amount of nonsensical storytelling, it brought back our least favorite character ever, Carter, and it continued to depict what was meant to be an amazing female superhero as a woman whose only storyline centers around her love life.

On the other hand, this episode killed Atomic Hawk for good. And maybe for that reason and that reason alone, I can give it a reprieve in criticism.

So the moral of the story here is to lower your expectations and you won’t be disappointed. That’s lousy advice when it comes to life, but pretty good when it comes to television shows.

The things I do for you all.

DESTINY OR CHOICE

Ray talked about this dichotomy in last episode. And as nice as it sounded then, it seems like the show has finally chosen a side: destiny. That is all fine and good if you’re a teenage reading poetry and talking about soulmates, but it’s pretty sucky advice if you’re a time-traveler who is trying to save the world.

The fact is, Legends of Tomorrow — and more importantly, Kendra and Carter — can never win this battle if they continue to believe in destiny. It’s not their destiny to die at the hands of Savage; it’s not their destiny to loose. Destiny is just a word. The future is wide open – and it’s up to them to choose what happens in it.

This goes beyond love stories, beyond who ends up with whom. This has to do with the core of who these people are. Kendra might not have ended up with Ray, but if she learned something from him, it should be that she can still choose her destiny. She can still kill Savage. It’s not too late.

THE KENDRA PROBLEM

When Kendra was first introduced back in The Flash, I wanted to like her. I sort of did for a minute there, when she was with Cisco. I didn’t like her as much when she was with Carter, and much less when she was with Ray. But this is exactly the problem. Kendra’s whole storyline, her whole journey on this show, has been about her love life. We haven’t had a chance to explore who Kendra Saunders is — what she wants, what she likes.

All we know is who she loves. Or has loved. Or will love. Whatever, even THAT’S complicated.

Usually, I’m the one defending the exact opposite point. I’m the one saying “Hey, love is a part of life, and we can’t pretend it doesn’t exist on television.” But it’s different with Kendra. For her, love hasn’t just been a part of the story – it’s been the WHOLE story. And yes, I was initially excited for another female hero when she was first introduced. But now? Now I’m just disappointed that we didn’t get see the how amazing she is as much as we should have. I’m disappointed in the fact that they made Kendra the very stereotype that women in movies and TV have fought so hard against.

I’m disappointed.

LOVING YOU IS LIKE A CURSE

Oh, Ray. Finally. FINALLY.

You’re a good guy, Raymond. Despite all your creepy overtones when you were first introduced in Arrow, you really, really are. And that’s why I’m both sad and happy that you got stuck with this whole idiotic storyline. Sad because, well, you deserved better. And happy because... well at least that’s over, right? You can move on the bigger and better things.

Kendra was never going to love you the way you deserved. She was never going to love you the way you loved her. You’ve had bad luck in love, Ray, but you’re a literal ray on sunshine on this show. You’ll find your love. Maybe you just need to stop looking for her? Isn’t that the clichéd advice?

Either way, I’m glad you put yourself first. I’m glad you finally took the blinders off and saw this for what is was — a distraction. It’ll be better for both of you, in the long run.

WHO’S THE STUPIDEST?

This was hard, but I think I’ve got it — the definitive list of who’s the stupidest on this show, based on all the Legends of Tomorrow episodes that have aired so far. The order is from “wow, what an idiot” to “the smartest person on the show”:

1. Rip Hunter: Everything that goes wrong is essentially his fault, since he not only brought the legends onto his ship, but also didn’t explain the rules, had no plan whatsoever as to HOW they were going to kill Vandal Savage, and oh, did I mention that he likes to keep secrets?

2. Ray: Letting Savage bait you into a fight has earned you second place, Raymond. Congratulations. Add that to the fact that love has made you blind, and you deserve your spot on the list.

3. Kendra: “I love Carter, wait... no... Ray. Wait, no, I changed my mind. Carter. No, no, Ray.” Yes, you were doing this when you should be focusing on killing Savage since, oh right, you’re the only one who can. And yet does NOT.

4. Jax: You’re just too trusting, Jax. That’s why everyone takes advantage of you. That’s how you end up drugged and doing things you don’t want to do.

5. Stein: It’s not that you’re always on point, Stein, it’s that so many others are worse than you. And at least you do whatever it takes to get what you want — that puts you above the emotional fools listed above.

6. Mick Rory: Well, yes, you did betray the team and tried to kill all of them, repeatedly. But somehow, you’re still less stupid than the five people above combined. How does that feel?

7. Snart: Your only mistake was letting your emotions get in the way of your thinking when it came to Rory, but even that was temporary. You’re one of the few bright spots of this team. And you always tell it like it is.

8. Sara: My baby. You’re the best character in this show, by a country mile. Even if they sometimes make you buy Rip’s crap, you’re usually one of the few people willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your mission.

Other things:

• How come no one in ancient Egypt went: “Oh, these clothes you’re wearing are pretty odd, man-with-no-name?” (Also, has Rip been wearing the same coat this entire time?)
• “Mission almost accomplished” should really be the name of this episode.
• Snart and Rory are pretty much on point re: the whole killing Savage thing. So, obviously, no one listens to them. 
• Wait, so we didn’t know Vandal Savage could travel through time? I’ve always assumed so. Does this mean I’m smarter than everyone on this show? 
• (Rhetorical question. Of course I am.)
• Does Rip really expect us to believe that he cares about the world at this point? We know he only cares about his family.
• Why Kendra thought to talk to Carter WITH Ray present is beyond me. It’s like she wanted to hurt everyone involved. Additionally, why not restrain Carter’s feet? Everyone knows you restrain the feet too!
• “Have you spoken with your sister Laurel lately?” I’m glad you didn’t totally answer that question, Legends of Tomorrow. I want Sara to find out about Laurel, but not that way. NOT THAT WAY.
• “I’d tell you to go to hell but you’d probably feel at home there.” Sara Lance, with the best line in this episode.
• Look, Rip, if you send Jax into a contaminated room and you don’t want Stein to rebel and ruin it all, why not refrain from asking Gideon about the levels IN FRONT OF STEIN? 
• Yuck, sugar-free snacks.
• No one cares about Jax. NO ONE.
• All things considered, the fact that the voiceover at the beginning of the episode has Rip calling these people “my friends” is the most ironic thing in this show.
• The Ray/Savage conversation was probably the best of all the heart-to-hearts Savage had with the people keeping him captive on the ship. 
• Felicity Smoak makes everything better. FACT. And one thing I’ll say for the Legends of Tomorrow writers is that they know how to write Ray/Felicity scenes better than Arrow ever did. It was almost like I could buy that those two were actual friends!
• I’m glad we got some Nyssa/Sara closure. I loved the two of them together.
• Stein’s idea of love looks a lot like control. Though I’m kind of glad they added a Clarissa scene, nonetheless. It had only been bothering me since, like... the pilot. 
• Why didn’t Sara go with Rory and Ray to try to recapture Savage again? 
• The level of contrived storytelling in this show boggles the mind. So Carter just conveniently remembered who he was when Kendra was about to get killed?
• The Time Masters are evil. I bet no one saw that coming, right?
• Snart and Sara sure like to play card games. And spend their downtime together. If I was going to choose two people to hide out and save the others, it would have been those two. 

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

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x13 Review: “Leviathan” (I Believe in Choices) [Contributor: Lizzie]

“Leviathan”

Original Airdate: April 28, 2016

If I could sum up my emotions after what the promos promised us (an exciting episode of Legends of Tomorrow! One that would bring us closer to the endgame!), I’d use two words: “supremely unimpressed.”

But then again, the joke’s on me. I don’t know why I expected better. We’ve reached that time in the season where Legends of Tomorrow has to focus on plot, has to lay down some groundwork, and has to get us ready for the final battle. And, well, let’s be honest: that’s just not what the show does best. Oh, that pesky plot. That awful villain. Those reincarnated Hawks.

God grant me serenity.

FATHERS (PART II)

We talked about fathers last week as well, but we talked about the good fathers. It’s our turn to talk about the bad ones. I, thankfully, have no real experience with this phenomenon, but I know plenty of people who do. Leonard Snart and Cassandra Savage’s fathers are not the same. Snart’s father was clearly not a good man, but he also wasn’t a great father. Savage is the worst human being ever, but from the looks of it, he wasn’t necessarily that bad of a father.

But the thing is, Cassandra is now an adult. So is Leonard. There comes a time for all of us in which we need to break free. Sometimes we do this because, like Leonard, our parents are actively hurting us. Other times we do it because we want to spread our wings, to try new things. And, like Cassandra, sometimes it’s because we are finally ready to see our parents for who they truly are.

And it is at that point that we’re finally ready to decide who we want to be.

Snart didn’t want to be his father. Cassandra doesn’t want to become hers. And that’s really the only thing that matters. “It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities,” Dumbledore said. And he’s never been more right. You don’t have to be what other people expect, or what your parents are. You can always — always — choose yourself.

WAR

Jax jokingly called the time the legends landed in “World War III,” but it isn’t really a joke. That’s part of the problem, of course. We’ve been introduced to this merry band of characters and we like them because they’re fun, and because they have issues and quirks, and they get along with each other. But other than some physical fights, we haven’t seen them deal with the emotional repercussions of fighting a war. They just fight and leave. They don’t stay for the hard part. They don’t stay for the aftermath.

In this regard, they could learn a little something from Oliver Queen and Barry Allen. They’re both out there every day, in the trenches, trying to defend their city. Sometimes they do a good job, and sometimes they don’t, but they keep going out — in good times, and bad. They understand the toll defeat takes on you. They understand what’s at stake.

They know what they’re fighting for.

Our legends had no idea. Now, at last, they’ve seen it for themselves. This is the future they’re trying to change. This is what they’re trying to avoid. The question is, are they strong enough to do what’s needed?

I BELIEVE IN CHOICES

Ray wins the motivational speech of the night award — it’s just too bad he can’t use it on himself. He doesn’t believe in fate, but Kendra does. Kendra’s fate is Carter, and now she’s found him again.

In a way, at this point in time, I’m glad the writers completely failed in getting me to care about the Kendra/Ray pairing, because if they hadn’t, I’d just be mad at them. Love triangles are iffy at best, and the kind where one guy doesn’t even remember and the other one is just... well, Ray Palmer? That just doesn’t compute. But this is not about a love triangle. Or, at least, it shouldn’t be. This is about Kendra making a choice. But this time, we’re going to need an actual choice from her, one that she sticks to. She’s going to hurt someone either way. Now she just has to decide which one of these two men she can’t bear to lose.

And I think we all know what that answer will be.

HONOR IS AN OUDATED TERM

“There’s no honor in war, less in killing and none in dying,” is one of my favorite quotes, and I think it encapsulates what the end of this arc is all about. Savage needs to die and he needs to die soon. All the talk of honor that Stein engaged in is just that — talk. “There’s always honor to be found in standing for a just cause and defending the defenseless,” the above quote continues, and I think maybe Stein would like this way of looking at it a lot more.

Honor is a very personal thing and one that, so far, has kept our heroes from actually achieving anything. I asked this before, and I’ll ask it again: are these people willing to do what it takes, even if that’s not always something that coincides with their moral codes? Are they really the heroes we need? The heroes we deserve?

With just three episodes to go, I guess we’re about to find out.

Other things:

• Who uses words like subjugated? Rip Hunter, that’s who.
• Savage is giving off a few not-so-subtle Hitler vibes in his speech. 
• “Especially if, and by ‘if,’ I mean ‘when’ this thing goes south.” Hey, at least you know what you’re getting into, Snart. 
• “Are you seriously jewelry shopping right now?”
• “We’re outnumbered.” There are literally four of you. What did you think was going to happen? 
• So, Snart has a thing for blondes? I don’t like it. He can only get with one specific blonde. WE KNOW WHO I MEAN. 
• Rory and Snart are back to being BFFs. Okay. Fine. They’re men. I guess it could happen that quickly.
• “I’m your fiancée; I listen to you.” Oh, Ray. Could you be any more of a stereotype? 
• At least when Rip makes ill-advised decisions in 2166 he’s in his own time and I don’t feel like he’s messing everything up. I mean, he is, but at least it doesn’t really feel like it.
• The fact that Rip thought to take Firestorm and the Atom when he was confronting the resistance forces means he can actually think things through — which makes it all the more disappointing that this is the first time he’s actually done it.
• The whole thing with Rip telling Ray that he watched his family die over and over again was cruel beyond words. Especially because the conversation involved the two actors in this cast who can emote best. 
• Resistance lady seems very quick to give up for someone who, you know, leads the Resistance. 
• I love the budding Sara/Kendra friendship.
• Shirtless and silent Carter is the best Carter.
• “You’ll never be without me. No matter what. I’ll always be near.” I know you were going for romantic, Carter, but that was just creepy. 
• I can’t help it — I like Mick Rory. He’s funny.
• “And there I was, thinking we could go a whole week without kidnapping anyone.” Those words are the equivalent of you accepting you’re the absolute worst at this leadership thing, Rip.
• Even Savage is calling them idiotic. Everyone knows it!
• Please, make this bracelet mean something. Please.
• The Olympics of murder? Sometimes the dialogue on this show makes me cringe.
• When the ground is shaking, there’s always a handy bottle of liquor to stare at. 
• How did all the refugees get into the Waverider so quickly?
• Why did the Leviathan throw the ship instead of, like, crushing it?
• I’m not saying Stein should have died, but where are the consequences again?
• At least they all decided to have good ideas at the same time, I guess?
• I’m just assuming The CW blew their entire special effects budget on this episode of Legends of Tomorrow.
• Jax is like a kid playing video games and yelling at the screen.
• Where’s the Kendra from 2166? Or has the fact that she hasn’t died in the present altered the timeline?
• This is the first (and possibly last time) I’ve been rooting for Kendra.
• I can’t say I’ve missed you, Carter. 
• Why does everyone take what villains say at face value? 
• I told you this was going to end in heartbreak, Raymond. I told you.
• Sure, locking up Savage isn’t going to backfire on you. It’s not going to backfire on you AT ALL.

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

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x12 Review: “Last Refuge” (He Would Have Been Proud) [Contributor: Lizzie]

“Last Refuge”

Original Airdate: April 21, 2016

I’m going to preface this piece with a warning. If you’ve been following my thoughts on Legends of Tomorrow, you might get whiplash from this review. You are, of course, not the only one. Half of the time, I don’t even know what I’m thinking or feeling. Either I want to quit the show for good or I’m getting emotional over Jax, of all people. That is Legends of Tomorrow for you — a show that only knows how to do extremes. Either it does things really well, or it does them really, really badly.

Of course, even in its best moments, the show is nonsensical. You literally have to turn off common sense and logic before going into every episode. But, as I’ve said before, Legends of Tomorrow really succeeds when it focuses on the characters; when it gives us insight into their motivations, lets its cast do the heavy lifting, and throws plot out the window.

Because these people — they’re good at what they do. And they do it well together. And sometimes, that’s better than plot. It would be better to accomplish both, but hey, if you’re just going to have one, I’d pick this.

COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE

The whole plot about how the legends are going to return their past selves, babies not included, to the moment where they were taken and make it so this won’t make a permanent change on the timeline aside, I enjoyed this whole plot twist. It imbues the show with the kind of urgency it desperately needs. It’s time to stop taking detours in time and having fun. It’s time to get Vandal Savage.

Of course, this would have been better if it’d happened about seven episodes ago, but I’ll take it. With just five episodes to go, it’s now or never in the hunt for Savage. For all that he doesn’t scare me one bit, he is the big bad this season. (Unless I’m wrong and Gideon is the actual mastermind behind everything, which, at this point, is entirely possible). The show needs to have him do something other than look vaguely menacing in his long coats and slicked back hair. Please.

FATHERS

If you’d told me last week that Legends of Tomorrow was going to have me straight-up bawling, I would have laughed and asked if you were drunk. But I’m not about to deny it. Legends of Tomorrow got to me. It did so not by being outrageous or funny, or any of the other things it’s tried before, but by bringing a little bit of normalcy into the madness.

Losing a parent is a very difficult thing. Jax handles it in the same way most of us would, badly. For the entire run of the show, Jax has been the one character I’ve had more trouble connecting with. And yet, in this episode, I wanted to go through the TV screen and give him and actual hug. Because I get it.

It’s hard. It’s really, really hard. There’s no sugarcoating this. I lost my dad not that long ago, and it still feels like that knife that Rip stabbed the Pilgrim with is wedged into my heart. I can move, I can function, but I’m not whole. I will probably never be again.

And yet, like Jax, I’ve learned to live through it. Some people say that you learn to live for the people you’ve lost, but that’s not the truth. At least it hasn’t been so for me. You remember how to live because of them, but you live for YOU. Because that’s what they would have wanted. And this sounds like a nice sentiment, but it’s actually a great weight. You place the burden of their expectations upon yourself, and since they’re not around, there’s nothing you can ever do to make that disappear.

“What would my dad think about this?” is something that anyone who’s lost a parent can tell you never, ever goes away. It doesn’t matter how old you are. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve lived. You always wonder what that person would have thought, you always wonder if they would have been proud. It never goes away. It never dims. It just is.

In a way, Jax gained something, and lost something this episode — and both are good and bad things. He gained the image, the knowledge that he was loved, that he was wanted. But he lost so much more. He lost his father, when before he’d lost an abstract person who he could have never actually envisioned. Was it worth it? I think we all have our own answers to that question. My answer would be yes. It’s better to have loved and lost, they say. And, I would add: it’s better to know than to imagine. It’s just worse, as well.

THE SHIP THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED

No, but seriously, what is the Ray/Kendra ship name? Is it Atomic Hawk? I’m just asking so I can know for sure what tags to avoid. Because, oh yeah, in case I hadn’t been clear before — I want NO part of this.

The past four episodes have been pretty much the same storyline — Kendra has doubts, she makes Ray worry, and then she decides that she does care and wants to be with him. Lather, rinse, repeat. At this point I don’t trust her not to do the same next episode, despite the fact that she said she’d marry Ray now and they shared that supposed-to-be-romantic and very well-framed kiss. Nope, not buying what you’re selling here, Kendra.

And I don’t even know if there’s a way Legends of Tomorrow can fix it. “We’ve been through a lot together,” Kendra tells Ray at one point. And while that might be true, we didn’t see any of it. So we don’t care. All Sara and Snart do is exchange quips in this episode, and yet I could watch them for an entire hour. Kendra/Ray? I just want to forget they’re there. And that they’re together. I especially want to forget that last part.

Other things:

• I didn’t notice this last episode, but the only thing I could focus on during the “Previously on...” segment was on the fact that Ray and Sara are wearing practically the same sweater.
• “Time piracy in the first degree” is the most ridiculous term I’ve ever in my entire life.
• The guy sentenced to death was awfully calm, wasn’t he?
• How can Gideon calculate WHEN the Pilgrim is going to strike up to a 97% probability? That makes no sense. Wait, this is Legends of Tomorrow. Never mind.
• The little Kendra/Sara friendship that we’re getting lately is the only thing that’s keeping me from tuning out every time Kendra is on screen. I could like THAT woman.
• “Yeah, who wants a relationship based on honesty and communication?” Sara Lance, articulating all that’s wrong with Ray/Kendra in 10 words.
• Ray/Mick bromance is a thing. It’s happening.
• Considering that Mick now knows all the things, it’d be really helpful if he could help rein in the stupidity, not contribute to it.
• The Quentin/Sara conversation before the Pilgrim showed up felt sort of off. I know they were going for snark, but they both just came off as blasé about the whole jail thing.
• We are all Mick Rory appreciating Sara Lance’s awesomeness.
• First Gideon was calculating where the Pilgrim was going to be with like 97% certainty, and then she can’t find her. *rolls eyes* Can you say deus ex machina?
• I need a GIF of Snart saying “convenient” to use in all my Legends of Tomorrow reviews from now till the end of time.
• “He won’t lose you. Ever.” I mean, unless you want to count those years he thought you were dead that first time. Or the time he thought you were dead the second time. Or the time you left on a time machine and missed my sister’s funeral. Or...
• The guy at the beginning of the episode died very quickly, but when it’s Ray’s turn, the Pilgrim suddenly takes her time. CONVENIENT.
• Also, how did he suddenly get better?
• #RayPalmerdeservesbetter2k16
• Are we still pretending Mick Rory is not getting a redemption story? Are we?
• Rip’s selective worry about the timeline always baffles me. It’s like he only worries on Tuesdays, Fridays, and every other Sunday. The rest of the days it’s a free for all!
• Jax is literally the only person on this team who cares about the timeline. The ONLY ONE.
• I’m gonna call Rip by his given name every time he’s bad. Which is, like 97% of the time.
• Should I care about Michael’s origin? Because I don’t.
• If the Pilgrim is the best the Time Masters can do, then why are we even worried about them?
• The special effects during the battle sequence at the end were kinda cool.
• Little Michael was a psycho.
• “You’re too young to understand, but understand...” is actual dialogue from this show.
• I got Lance family feels a lot this episode.
• So, Stein DOES remember Clarissa. Good to know.
• LET’S SCREW THE TIMELINE HERE, AND THERE AND EVERYWHERE!
• Stakes, finally.

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

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x11 “The Magnificent Eight” (Wake Me Up When This Episode Ends) [Contributor: Lizzie]

“The Magnificent Eight”

Original Airdate: April 14, 2016

Sometimes (most times) Legends of Tomorrow is a show without direction, getting by on amazing chemistry and pretty likable characters. And yet, even on the worst of days, when the plot has deserted us and we’ve waved goodbye to logic, the only thing we’ve been able to count on is the pure entertainment value of the show. Even when it’s bad (and if it often is), Legends of Tomorrow is still pretty watchable, even if only for how ridiculous and over-the-top it is.

Until “The Magnificent Eight,” that is.

I’m not even sure what happened in this episode, much less how to describe it to you. Ray pretended to be John Wayne, our heroes saved a small town and uh, Kendra found herself? See, that sounds lame even to me. And that’s just it. This episode was lame.

Lame, boring, and nonsensical: the killer combination. The show wanted to bring Jonah Hex in. They really, really wanted to. They wanted it so much that they wrote a whole episode around this idea just so they could fit him in. And, in the end, no one cared about the episode, no one cared about Hex, and — for the first time — no one cared about our heroes.

Talk about a miss.

LOGIC IS NOT INVITED TO THIS PARTY

There’s so much that doesn’t make sense in this show that the only way you can actually enjoy it is if you shut your brain off for a while. By that, obviously, I mean the whole hour. In discussing lack of logic, I can start with just about anything and everything that comes out of Rip Hunter’s mouth, continue with the nonsensical character development of Mick Rory, and end with the fact that Gideon, the supercomputer that can see into your dreams can’t possibly locate Savage. Not to mention that she is pretty selective in what information she shares. Kendra and Sara out for a walk? No one needs to know that. Stein about to steal medicine? Let’s alert everyone!

Why, Gideon? Why?

And, of course, let’s not forget the whole notion of the timeline. At this point I’m surprised there’s even a future, considering all our “heroes” have done to mess up each and every time period they’ve been in. Am I really supposed to believe there are no repercussions? Is that why they came up with the notion of “time wanting to happen”? So the writers could do whatever they want and throw that excuse around?

EVENTUALLY FATE BROKE BOTH OUR HEARTS

I can’t say it enough: Ray/Kendra is the ship that never should have happened. And if this episode proves anything, is that even the people behind Legends of Tomorrow know it. They’re just taking a really long time to break them up. Absurdly long. I’m tired of this already. Well, I was tired of everything in this episode, but I’m especially tired of Kendra going through the same “I love Ray. Wait, do I really? Forget about Carter, I totally love Ray!” regression and progression every episode, especially because, in the end, the only person Kendra is fooling is herself. We know the truth.

She doesn’t love him. Not really. She loves the idea of him, the promise, the maybe. But, as her old self told her, this can only end in two ways: tragedy or heartbreak. And I get the sense it won’t be her heart that’s getting broken.

WHAT WAS MY MISSION AGAIN?

What was the name of that guy again? You know, the immortal tyrant that killed Rip’s family and pretty much destroyed the world? I can’t remember. I mean, I think he and his overabundance of hair gel were around last episode, but what with the cowboys and the dust, I totally forgot about Vandal Savage again. Just like our heroes seem to forget about him. Every single episode. And have to be reminded of their mission and its villain. Every single episode.

Savage is a bad villain, I’ll give him that. But the set-up for this season of Legends of Tomorrow has been ridiculous. And that’s me being kind. You can’t present a seemingly unconquerable villain and then have your main characters care so little about him. Or, like, you can. But you shouldn’t. You really shouldn’t.

Other things:

• Being featured in the “Previously on...” is never a good thing.
• Why does Rip have to explain the side effects of time travel EVERY TIME they time travel? You’d think they would know the deal by now.
• Finally, someone is asking for an explanation! It only took eleven episodes.
• “What’s the harm in us just taking a look around?” “With this group? Clearly you haven’t been paying attention.” 
• How did they convince Rip again? Oh, wait, I remember now. Rip could not care less about how these people affect the future. Gotcha.
• The tiny Snart/Sara moments are everywhere these days. The Captain Canary is strong, and it’s one of the few things about this show that seems to always work. 
• I wouldn’t bet against Sara in anything. Not even drinking. 
• “You killed him.” “You’re welcome”
• The bar fight scene is probably the funniest thing the show has done to date. 
• I don’t even know why Rip is trying to scold the heroes. He let them go. He KNEW they were going to get in trouble. Why the hypocrisy? 
• I’m having trouble deciding who is being more ridiculous this episode. Sadly, that happens a lot with this show. 
• Ray has more of a plan than Rip. Color me surprised! Oh wait. Not.
• Gideon knows everything. Let that sink in. Gideon knows everything. She basically sees you when you’re sleeping, knows when you’re awake, and definitively knows if you’ve been bad or good. She’s a creepy version of Santa without toys and with all the boundary issues. I bet she even knows Laurel’s dead. It’s just that no one has asked her. And hey, Barry, you designed Gideon. So this is all on you.
• Rip, if you really wanted to stop Stein, YOU COULD, you know. You’re stronger than him.
• Why is it always Jax? 
• Rip is really and truly a self-righteous bastard, and I’m not even saying that in a, “oh, but he’s endearing” way.
• One pep-talk from Sara and Kendra is good to go again. *rolls eyes* Sara’s good, but she’s not THAT good. 
• And now we have no problem killing people? All the death! Last episode they couldn’t kill the kid because they needed to preserve the future. Oh, right, also because the timeline. THE TIMELINE. I weep for the timeline.
• These Hunters are either really, really incompetent or they have a back-up plan.
• I take it back. This back-up plan is awesome. 

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

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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.

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x09 Review: “Left Behind” (Chugging and Sputtering Along) [Contributor: Lizzie]

"Left Behind"

Original Airdate: March 31, 2016

Once upon a time, there was a show with a brilliantly-crafted plot, smart, analytical characters, a creepy and convincing villain, and ships that made you swoon.

This is not that show. This is not even its little cousin, twice-removed. This is a patchwork mess of diverse and somewhat entertaining characters with a plot so thin you couldn’t even cover yourself up with it. Does it work? Not often, and even when it does, it almost seems like it’s by chance, not by design.

And yet, despite that, Legends of Tomorrow keeps on churning merrily along, mostly on the strength of big brothers Arrow and The Flash, but also because of stand-out moments from Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, and Wentworth Miller. When good actors/characters happen to bad shows, sometimes, they can save the show.  Other times, though, other times they are just there to remind you of what you could have had. What you expected. What you deserved.

I would almost say it’s time to give up on Legends, except... well, except, at this point, it can only get better, right? I’m asking a serious question here. Can it possible get worse? I don’t think so. And fine. You’ve got me, show. I still care about Snart and Sara. I still want to give Ray a hug. And there’s a Felicity cameo to look forward to! Because she is coming, right? Right? Please say she is. I need a beacon of hope.

(The joke was just there. I couldn’t resist!)

So let’s talk about the decent, the bad, the terrible, and the downright ugly in Legends of Tomorrow, starting with...

A HERO IN HIS OWN RIGHT

Leonard Snart has been many things in his life. He’s worn many faces, taken part in many plots. And yet, the one thing Leonard Snart has never been is a hero. In a way, maybe he’s never wanted to be. Being a hero is hard work. It doesn’t always mean you get to be happy. In fact, most often than not, heroes have to sacrifice everything. But they do it not because they want to, but because they believe in the greater good. They understand that their needs, their desires, don’t come first. Heroes are the people who can put others first.

And that’s exactly what the fearsome Captain Cold did in this episode.

Snart always seemed like a redeemable villain. And yet, it was hard to imagine, when he was first introduced, that he would one day turn his own gun on himself — that he’d be willing to sacrifice a limb in order to save his friends and sister. The end result of him getting his arm back in no way diminishes the sacrifice, though, because he didn’t know the possibility was there to ever get it back. He made that decision consciously, knowing that if he had to cut his hand off, he would do it in order to both stop Rory and save him. And he did. Snart became a hero, and he, perhaps, allowed his friend the chance to someday become better.

Remember back in The Flash when Snart told Barry that he didn’t want to be a hero? We knew he was lying then, but we have proof of it now. Leonard Snart is no longer a villain, no longer existing in shades of grey – he’s now one of the good guys, with all the problems that entails.

TA-ER AL-SAHFER

Sara’s journey after being left behind by her inept team was the most believable and, at the same time, the most disappointing storyline. The Sara Lance that we knew and loved, the one that came out of the League of Assassins and found a place on Team Arrow, was gone. In her place there was a broken, scared shell of a woman. And that was fine. Wait, no, that was more than fine — that was interesting.

However, Sara was only that way because the creative teams behind Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow had to jump through about 83 hoops to bring her back. They never really wanted her to be this broken. They wanted the old version of Sara back – slightly damaged, but still mostly functional. And so, when presented with an opportunity to take a shortcut and speed up Sara’s journey, they took it. And in doing so they took away half of what made Sara an interesting character.

Now, don’t get me wrong — I still like Sara. I like her more than roughly 75% of the people on this ship. But I was more interested in the journey they didn’t show us than the one that came after. I have already seen this version of Sara find a place in the world, find love, find closure. And sure, this love is going to be different — this time she’s going to change the world or something. But it’s still pretty much the same journey. I wanted to see Sara broken down into tiny pieces. I wanted to see her remake herself. Instead I get to see another ship, and another mission. And that’s fine, but it’s not extraordinary. And it’s definitely not like it could have been.

THERE’S IDEALISM... AND THEN THERE’S THIS

Look, I love the idea of redeeming Rory. I’ve long believed the show planned to redeem him anyway, because they gave him a likeable backstory with Snart, and because they made him save Ray when he didn’t have to. TV shows don’t usually do those things unless there’s a larger plan at play.

But, and I’m sorry to have to be the one to play devil’s advocate here, can’t anyone see how easy this could backfire? I mean, no one other than Snart, who desperately wants to help Rory, but would rather protect himself by acting like he doesn’t care? Because this is surely going to come back to bite the team, probably sooner rather than later.

But, at this point, I’m not even sure why I’m trying to argue against something that’s endemic to the show. I should just resign myself to waving common sense goodbye and accepting that Captain Rip Hunter and his merry band of morons can prioritize saving ONE man over, you know, THE ENTIRE WORLD. God, sometimes, I wish this mission HAD included Oliver Queen. At least there’d be someone to point out how stupid they were all being.

(Or John Diggle. Felicity Smoak. Caitlin Snow. Cisco Ramon. Anyone but these people would do!)

PLENTY OF WORSTS

Legends of Tomorrow already features what is, arguably, the worst villain in DC TV history. And if you’d asked me before this episode aired, I would have told you they featured the worst couple in the history of DC TV as well. And though, logically, they still sorta do, at least now there’s a small ray of hope for Kendra/Ray. And that’s saying a lot.

First things first — Kendra was a jerk in this episode. Over and over again, she dismissed what she and Ray had shared for two years, refused to have an honest conversation with him, and — when pushed — sounded very happy to be back to “herself.” As if the version of Kendra that Ray had loved for the past two years had been merely an impostor — a shell of the real Kendra.

Now, I don’t actually believe that’s true. I think Kendra is just really bad at relationships. Or at least, she’s really bad at relationships that aren’t with Carter. We have to remember she’s had the same partner for like, a gazillion years. She doesn’t know how to be in a relationship with anyone else — and that can translate to not knowing how to be in a relationship at all. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t care, it just means he was more comfortable within the parameters of their boring 50s life, and that when she was brought back to the Waverider – back to the person who remembered what it was like to love another man — she just couldn’t deal.

This, of course, was extremely hurtful to Ray, who had probably been himself every second of those two years. That’s just who Ray Palmer is — a genuinely good guy who has only ever wanted love and a chance to be a geek. The end scene where Kendra finally manages to communicate with him just proves that. He’s in this relationship. In fact, he’s so much into it that it’s actually sorta cute, albeit in a I-still-don’t-buy-this-and-please-stop-kissing way.

Which brings me back to my problem with Kendra/Ray, which is that, like Sara, we missed the good moments. We missed all the little things and moments that made audiences fall in love with Olicity, and the things that made us yearn for WestAllen. We’ve been told they happened between Kendra and Ray during those two years, but the cardinal of writing is “show, don’t tell.” Legends of Tomorrow has so far told us (repeatedly) that Kendra and Ray are good together. And yet, they still haven’t shown us that this is true. They’ve managed to make us more involved in a couple that, in this episode, didn’t share one scene together (CAPTAIN CANARY FOR THE WIN!) than we are in a couple that had the equivalent of four marital spats and is now cohabitating.

Now, I’m not saying the show can’t fix this; I’m saying they don’t know how. So, I’m not too interested in Ray/Kendra, whatever their ship name is. I am, however, interested in Ray. So don’t you break his heart, Kendra. He’s a fragile, gentle soul. YOU TAKE GOOD CARE OF HIM, YOU HEAR ME? Or I’m coming for you.

Other things:

• “Kronos” totally didn’t want to kill anyone when he attacked the Waverider. Mick’s an old pro at this. He can’t be THIS bad at shooting. 
• What exactly is “superior time master technology”? Wait, why am I asking? You’re never going to explain, Legends of Tomorrow. You probably don’t even know yourself. 
• Free-falling through time (whatever that is) sure looks a lot like being electrocuted. 
• Was anyone surprised to learn Ray had once been an Eagle Scout? Anyone? 
• Similarly, was ANYONE surprise to see that Mick was not only alive, but that he was “Kronos”? 
• Even if it’s not romantic, the contrast between Ray’s optimism and Sara’s realism (and occasional pessimism) makes every interaction between them feel real and charged. Talk about opposites. 
• Sara literally had her bag ready to leave. Either that or she doesn’t need much to look awesome. I can work with both. 
• This show’s costume department must have had a laugh giving Brandon Routh the Clark Kent makeover. 
• “Your son is Bill Gates?”
• I could believe that the temporal navigation system was compromised if Legends of Tomorrow had maybe, perhaps, given me a little more information on how it worked. As it is, I smell plot device. 
• Why couldn’t they just go back to like a week AFTER they left them? A month? Two? I don’t get it. They don’t get it. No one gets it. 
• Mick Rory is 98726265352732 times the villain Vandal Savage is. 
• The fact that Kendra had to get to the Waverider to question WHY Kronos had taken Snart and not Rip tells you all about the level of advanced thinking the three men on the ship were actually engaging in before she got there. 
• Also, it was Kendra and Ray who somehow leapt to the conclusion about where Sara was. Rip -79, rest of the team -3. (They all suck; Rip just sucks more)
• SO CONVENIENT THAT RIP DID HIS THESIS ON THE LEAGUE OF ASSASINS. SO CONVENIENT. I wonder why he didn’t mention this to Sara before.
• Lazarus Pit = life-extending-jacuzzi. “Nanda-I-can’t-believe-I’m-back-here-Parbat.” Fine Ray, you are funny. 
• By joining the League in 1958, Sara essentially created her own future. You’re so meta, show. So meta.
• Ray, for the love of God, never again go into a mission WITHOUT the Atom suit. I don’t CARE what Rip says.
• I don’t even know what the plan of finding Sara was supposed to be – Rip goes for Sara and everyone else walks around aimlessly? Does that sound right? 
•  “If we die, at least it would be in pursuit of a greater purpose” is said... by the one person who’s sure to reincarnate. 
• For all of Ray’s token protests at Kendra being the one to duel Sara, he didn’t actually try to stop her. Ray Palmer, the feminist. 
• Okay, what happened to Talia? Why is Nyssa Heir to the Demon?

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x08 Review: “Night of the Hawk” (Left Behind) [Contributor: Lizzie]

"Night of the Hawk”

Original Airdate: March 10th, 2016

In some episodes of Legends of Tomorrow, the characters make the whole thing work. Last week was one of those episodes. Last week I could forget how little sense the plot made because I was engaged with the people. This week? This week is another story altogether. A horror story, if you will. And not one of the good ones, where you scream and leave the theater still thinking about how spooky it was.

This whole show is like a house of cards precariously perched in the middle of a trampoline. One wrong step and it will all come crashing down. And the worst part is that the writers don’t seem to understand that. They’re all jumping around on the trampoline, not realizing how incredibly lucky they are that the whole thing hasn’t collapsed yet.

We’ve had eight episodes — that’s half the season — of Legends of Tomorrow. At this point, someone (I’m looking at you, Rip) needs to come up with an actual plan other than: “Let’s find Savage and hope for the best.” If Kendra is the only one who can kill him, wouldn’t training Kendra make more sense than going: “Oh, nothing has changed, and he’s killed you over two hundred times, but we really believe this time will be different”?

Either that or they need to focus more on the characters and less on the plot so I can forget how little sense it all makes.

“IF YOU’RE WHITE, AND A MAN, AND STRAIGHT...”

Ah, the 1950s. If the show did anything well this week, it was managing to showcase an era that, on paper, looks picturesque but, in truth, was anything but. Stein’s memories of the 50s, when he must have been a child, are all very idyllic. But as Sara quickly points out, he’s: white, a man, and straight. Of course he’d have an easy time in the 50s.

Jax, on the other hand, doesn’t. We talk about racism in this day and age and how things can and should get better, but it’s hard to forget that sixty years ago, the world was very different. The fact that things aren’t perfect doesn’t mean they haven’t changed — and as much as a kid like Jax might have an idea of how bad it was for someone like him sixty years ago, living it is another matter altogether. In this regard, it was nice to see both Jax and Sara find people they could form a bond with in a place where they seemed not to belong. It was easier for Sara, of course: she could pass as just another nurse.

But in a way, that’s what makes it harder for Sara. The fact that she can hide who she is means that she WILL hide who she is. Sara might not be Oliver Queen, but she also has a self-preservation mode; and in that mode, Sara just doesn’t feel. Lindsay broke through that. And while that might have been a good thing for Sara if she’d gotten on the Waverider and flown away, it looks to be a more difficult situation for the Sara that’s now stuck in the 50s.

WHAT SHE NEEDS IS A PARTNER

Look, I get it. Ray/Kendra is happening. I should get used to it, probably. And I can, if I close my eyes and focus only on Ray. But that’s not really how I shipping works. Shipping is supposed to be about two people. But, before shipping is about how two people come together, it’s supposed to be about individual characters. How can I ship two people I don’t like?

And that’s the problem here. When it comes to Ray, the writers have done a good job. I’m sold. The man I didn’t like one bit in Arrow is now one of the highlights of Legends of Tomorrow. It’s probably half good writing and half Brandon Routh’s charisma. Either way, I’m game. Kendra, however, is another matter.

It’s not that I don’t like her as much as it is that I just don’t care about her. At first I could dismiss her lack of emotions as her being closed-off and confused. That made sense. But after a couple of episodes of The Flash, the crossover, and eight episodes of Legends, I’m forced to reach the conclusion that she’s just not a very well-written character. It’s not a knock on the actress, but if the only thing she’s asked to play is “Kendra is scared” and/or “Kendra pursing her lips,” then how am I to like and relate to her?

What I need is more of how she’s feeling. Does Savage scare her? Does she still miss Carter? How much does she remember of her past lives? How does Ray figure into how she feels for the love she’s apparently destined to have? Does she even believe in destiny anymore? What does she want from the future?

One or a few of those answers would go a long way for me, maybe, in caring about Kendra. And if I care about her, maybe, I can start to invest in the pairing. For now though, I’m just here hoping something will distract Ray from the woman, who — if you ask me — is just not as invested as him.

WAKE ME UP WHEN THE SAVAGE ENDS

Vandal Savage has two modes: creepy and boring. And even “creepy” is a bit of a stretch. He’s not creepy in the kind of way that will make you have nightmares. He’s creepy in more of the “Ugh, here’s that annoying guy who always tries to feel me up” kind of way. He supposedly has a plan to rule and conquer the world. But as of yet, we’ve only seen pieces of a puzzle that doesn’t seem to form anything.

I’m not sure if he truly wants to conquer the world, if he just wants Kendra, or if he really wanted to hang around in the 50s eating tuna surprise. I’m really not sure. And, just as with Kendra, I couldn’t care less.

Before, I had asked for more of him. I thought that if the writers would give Savage’s backstory, then maybe his plot to conquer the world would make sense. Maybe I would understand.

Now? Now I just hope the writers don’t try to give me backstory. Have you heard of the phrase “too little, too late”? This applies to Savage. He’s the worst villain DC TV has ever created, and there’s really nothing they can do at this point to salvage that. So, what Savage really has to do now is die in a way that furthers the journey of the people I DO care about (read: everyone besides Kendra). If he can at least manage that, then he’ll have done something right.

LEFT BEHIND

Ugh, drama for the sake of drama. All shows do it. Well, not all shows, but I can’t say Legends of Tomorrow’s big sisters Arrow and The Flash have been a shining example in this department. In a way, I didn’t expect Legends of Tomorrow to have to stoop so low because they already had the whole Savage idiocy to contend with. But, no. Now we have to deal with Sara, Ray, and Kendra stuck in the 1950s for what I presume will be a while, because no one could think of a better plan to get rid of Kronos apart from just up and leaving.

The whole thing makes no sense. I don’t know how the writers can justify themselves or how they’ll explain it to the three poor suckers who got left behind. What I do know is that this is the show’s way of trying to a) speed up Kendra/Ray’s relationship, and b) give Sara a full emotional arc in the space of one episode. And I get it. Sara has been too “nice” and “normal” and Ray/Kendra, as it stands, does not work. But it still sucks that no one could come up with an actual coherent reason for this to happen other than, oops! You were late to the ship!

But then again, I’m not surprised. It’s not like anything makes sense in this show, after all.

Other things:

• Rip refers to the team as “my friends” in the voiceover, but, eh... you’re going to have to give me more than you’ve given me so far to believe that Rip considers all of them his friends. WAY more.
• Do we think Kendra and Sara had a little talk about switching seats? Because Sara used to sit beside Ray on the Waverider, and now Kendra does. 
• “What the hell is Savage doing in Pleasantville?” You spoke for all of us, Jax.
• Do these people actually believe that Snart killed Rory? Do they? Because either they do and they’re pretty nonchalant about it, or they don’t AND THEY’RE PRETTY NONCHALANT ABOUT IT.
• At first Rip was telling the team not to mess with the timeline (over and over), and now it’s like he doesn’t even care. 
• An interracial couple in the 1950s. That’s inconspicuous. NOT.
• The more this episode went on, the more I wondered if Rip actually knew anything about the 50s. 
• Special Agent “Rip Hunter” and his partner “Leonard With-No-Last-Name”? There comes a point when the lack of actual coherent thought is not even funny; it’s painful. 
• If I’ve learned one lesson from scary movies is that you should never, ever split up. EVER. 
• Also, “I’ll let you know if I need help” only works if you have a way to let him know.
• What was the point of jiggling the lock, Ray? Are you still Superman, or did you think it would just open because of your pretty face?
• I love it how Jax gets kidnapped and everyone’s like: “Well, we have other problems right now.” Even Stein seems to feel no sense of urgency in spite of the fact that he, presumably, can feel what Jax is feeling. 
• But, I must say, this is the first time the show managed to make me feel SOMETHING for Jax. 
• So, let me get this straight: Ray and Kendra were late to the ship because Ray wanted to pack the stuff from their fake life that they weren’t going to take anywhere? Are you for real, Legends?
• Are we sure that taking flight while Kronos was IN the ship and leaving three members of your team behind was the best way to, you know, get rid of Kronos? Because it kind of seems like you TOOK HIM WITH YOU. 

Legends on Tomorrow is on hiatus until March 31st, which is: a) a bad thing, because I’m curious about what’s going to happen to Sara, Ray and Kendra, and b) a good thing, because I need a break from the nonsense.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 1x07 Review: "Marooned" (Love is in the Air?) [Contributor: Lizzie]

"Marooned"

Original Airdate: March 3, 2016

I’ve been on vacation for a couple of weeks, and catching up on Legends of Tomorrow was both a pleasure and a pain. It was a pleasure because well, despite my better intentions, I’ve grown fond of these characters. I’m not made of stone. I have feelings. And the pain part? Well that’s because at this point, I think we can all agree to give up on any pretense of a plot.

This show doesn’t make sense. It probably won’t ever make sense. But that’s okay; we’re not here for common sense. We’re not here for Vandal Savage. We’re here for Ray Palmer and his unlimited supply of goodness. We’re here for Martin Stein and his beret. We’re here for Sara Lance, assassin with heart; and Leonard Snart, criminal and softie. We’re even here for Mick Rory, who doesn’t get a redemption arc just yet.

We’re here for the characters. The rest doesn’t even matter. It shouldn’t — not if you want to enjoy the show. And we do. We’re here to have fun, to feel, to laugh, to be entertained. And in that regard, the show IS getting better.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE...

If I’m going to dedicate a long section of this review to one couple, it has to be Sara/Snart, or — as the Internet is calling them — Captain Canary. I tried to resist it at first, but now I’m all in. I ship it. Maybe it’s because Sara and Snart are, without a doubt, my two favorite characters on this show. Maybe it’s because Caity Lotz has chemistry with every living soul in her vicinity. Or maybe it’s because Wentworth Miller does this thing with his voice when he’s ben earnest and talking to Sara, and he almost sounds like a human being instead of a cartoon villain. And I want more of that Snart. The cartoon villain is not nearly as interesting.

When I analyzed the possible pairings before the show aired, I thought the writers would go the Ray/Sara route. I thought Sara would be depicted a la season one Oliver Queen — in desperate need of a light. But Sara Lance is not Oliver Queen, and she never has been. Even in her darkest moments, Sara has always carried an inner light. She just didn’t always know how to let it shine.

Enter Leonard Snart.

The pairing, or shall I say, possible pairing (because nothing has happened as of yet), only works because Sara already has her own inner light. Snart is not the guy who’s going to be Sara’s light — he’s got too many issues for that. But he IS the guy who can fight against his worst instincts from time to time in order to help Sara fight against hers. And maybe, that’s exactly what Sara needs. Not someone too good or too pure, but an equal. Someone who can understand both the darkness and the light, and the struggle to be better. Someone who can share the best and worst of his past with you. Someone who will give you his jacket when you’re both freezing to death. Someone you can sit absurdly close to in completely normal situations. Someone who can be quiet with you, and snarky with you, and even deep with you. And maybe, just maybe, Sara has already found that person.

(As a bonus: Can you imagine the look on both Oliver AND Barry’s faces if/when Sara comes back with Snart? I’d pay to see it, I really would)

BUT IT’S OVER NOW...

Or, it’s not, but maybe it should be?

Look, the whole Kendra and Ray thing? It’s not working for me. Not because they don’t have chemistry. Brandon Routh is another one of those magical creatures who seems to have chemistry with absolutely everyone. And he is so earnest and, well, good, that he might actually be good for Kendra in the long run. It’s just that... well, first there was Kendra/Carter. And she was mad about the whole “destiny” romance he pushed, and it was problematic. But then she was crying over him. And now she’s kissing Ray? It just doesn’t add up. Not enough time has passed.

Now, I don’t want it to seem like my only problem with this ship lies with Kendra, but... oh, wait, who am I kidding? All my problems lie with Kendra. The Ray Palmer of Legends of Tomorrow is an actual ray of sunshine who smiles and takes beatings for bad guys. Who could blame the girl for liking him? Even I like him, and I thought he was a creep less than a year ago.

But that’s not the point. The point is that the writers have failed to show me Kendra’s journey toward liking him, and ships are not intuitive things. If you want me to FEEL things about a couple, you have to SHOW ME how that couple came to be. You can’t do what this episode did and say: “Here’s a handsome guy, and a pretty girl. They like each other, so now they kiss.”

Or, I guess you CAN do that, but if you do, then you can’t expect me to like it.

Kendra needs time by herself. She needs time to actually process and mourn Carter. She needs time to understand who she is and what she can do. And then, if she wants to jump into a relationship with Ray, so be it. But now? No thanks. It won’t end well. And I don’t even care about how Kendra comes out of this. I really don’t. I just don’t want her to hurt poor Raymond.

THE BONDS OF FELLOWSHIP

The Mick/Leonard rift was, without a doubt, the highlight of an otherwise filler episode. I don’t for a moment believe that Mick is actually dead, just as I don’t for a moment believe he won’t get his chance at redemption. This is the same guy who wouldn’t leave Ray a couple of episodes ago, after all. But, I also don’t believe it’ll be easy. Mick’s journey can’t be the same as Snart’s. He’s not the same person, and he’s not as advanced in the “hero” journey as Leonard was. Let’s not forget that even Barry was accusing Captain Cold of being a good guy when he last appeared on The Flash.

For now, I think Mick will be left stranded. Which, bad idea. BAD, BAD IDEA. He might even join Savage for a while. But that’s not the end of the story. It can’t be. The boy who saved Snart as a kid, the man who carried Ray out of a jail cell, that man isn’t really a villain. He just wants to be. It’s easier, after all.

His momentary disappearance, however, ups the stakes. It might even advance the nonexistent plot. And, it also makes Snart a much more volatile character. Sure, he’s chosen the team time and time again, but that doesn’t mean it was easy, and it doesn’t mean he won’t regret betraying his partner. If the story Leonard told Sara tells us anything is that the bond between these two men is not so easily broken.

Other things:

• This needs to be repeated time and time again: Rip is the most useless team leader in the history of television, and quite possibly in the HISTORY OF ENTERTAINMENT ITSELF. Not only did he lead his team into a trap that EVERYONE but him could see, but he made SURE not to take the Atom or like, both halves of Firestorm with him so if he got into trouble, he had to actually work to get out of it. Because, why make it easy or smart, right?
• Also, Rip managed to piss off the criminal with anger-management issues into selling them all out. Well done, Rip. WELL DONE. Even I would have betrayed you if you’d said I had the IQ of meat. 
• On top of all that, he left the ONE guy he KNEW would NEVER sacrifice him or anyone, for that matter, in charge of making the decision to SACRIFICE HIM.
• The flashbacks proved that he was an idiot in the past too, letting the woman he loved take the fall for him with only a token protest.
• The romance angle really wasn’t working for me with Rip/Miranda. I will admit that the message from his son at the beginning of the episode got me, though.
• I like you now, Ray. I really do. But you’re no Han Solo. You’re not even Luke Skywalker, though you’re closer to him than you’ll ever be to Han. 
• Can’t put into words how glad I am that Rip Hunter’s real name isn’t Rip Hunter. Now THAT would be a crime. 
• Ray’s betrayed face when Mick called the pirates was everything. For all this episode really focused on the Snart/Rory dynamic, I think they’re leaving subtle clues about Ray and his naïve and somewhat admirable belief that everything and everyone can be saved.  And with this I mean it’s all going to blow up in his face, sooner rather than later.
• There were time pirates in this episode. I think. I can’t really remember. That’s how boring they were.
• Jax’s sass has been on point lately. He’s still the least interesting character to me, but at least he’s no longer a waste of screentime. 
• This episode’s geeky references were a very nice way for the show to pay homage to the shows/movies that are responsible for it being around in the first place. Stein in a beret is the best thing this show has done so far. Victor Garber is my absolute favorite, and he will remain so, forever and ever.
• You can’t end an episode with the team supposedly going somewhere and start it a week later with the Waverider stuck in limbo for a week. Our memories are not that bad. 
• Please stop referring to Vandal Savage as an immortal tyrant. I beg of you. ESPECIALLY on episodes where he’s not even around. But, wait... when is he ever around? What was your mission again? I forget. 

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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