Like any self-respecting and egotistical villain, Vandal Savage believes the best is yet to come. In ‘Legendary’ Rip Hunter returns the surviving members of his team to 2016. The ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ leader tricks the group into staying in Star City. Hunter also brings them back in May and not January. Using a hologram he stays on the ship and flies the Waverider away.
Sara learns of Laurel’s death, Ray talks Mick into getting in touch with Rip and both Palmer as well as Martin make a communication device to call Hunter back. The gang all explain they are not leaving till Savage is dead. Vandal is back in 1944 France with Kendra and Carter. She almost escapes and leaves a note in “that” helmet for the group to find in the future.
With the Oculus destroyed and the Time Masters gone, Savage has now worked out a way to destroy the world anew. Activating three Thanagarian meteors (these Thanagarian’s pieces of rock gave Savage, Carter and Kendra their powers) in three different time periods is the plan. Vandal’s three different selves will be performing the “blood ritual” required in each.
Ironically, it is Savage’s plan that leaves him vulnerable and able to be defeated, aka killed, in three different time periods. Amusingly the immortal would-be God may be a very impressive villain (all full of himself and with an insatiable quest for ultimate power) but each time we see Vandal with Kendra he comes across as the world’s biggest stalker.
Vandal to Kendra: “But this time, I will be the pharaoh, and you…”
Kendra: “Will hate you, like I’ve always hated you.”
After killing Savage three times (and in the last one the villain shows that, even as he is dying, Vandal is a stinker through and through). The last meteor has gone too critical to be easily disposed of. Palmer shrinks one and when it explodes there is a tiny puff of smoke and a “fhuff” noise and Firestorm transforms the meteor into water which gets all over Sara’s boots – cue a “cute” moment.) Rip grabs the final one and comes within a gnat’s whisker of following the thing into the sun.
Gideon saves the day and they instead jettison the meteor and then return to the group.
Rip invites his legends to help guard the integrity of the timeline. Sara, after visiting Laurel’s grave and talking to her father decides to go. Grey is talked into it by his wife and Jax. Mick goes to 2013 Central City to say goodbye to Snart and tells his old partner that he is a hero to him.
The group converge at Star City present day. Carter and Kendra reveal that they will not be joining the group. There is a touching moment between Hawkgirl and Palmer. The two then fly off. Watching them depart, and munching on one of his ubiquitous snacks, Mick gets the line of the entire season. He confides to Sarah that:
“Every time they do that, I get hungry for chicken.”
As the remainder of the team prepare to board the Waverider another one appears and a young man with stubble and a hood introduces himself to the legends. He is Rex Tyler (Patrick J. Adams), aka Hourman and he is from the Justice League of America. Tyler tells them not to board the craft because if they do they will all die. Mick growls out “who told you that?”
“You did,” Tyler replies, “When you sent me back.”
A combination ‘Back to the Future’/’Terminator’ moment.
Like the rest of this season ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ in the finale had its share of funny moments and touching ones. It was inevitable that Sara (Caity Lotz) was going to learn of sister Laurel’s death and get very upset at both the news and at Rip for bringing them back “late” in order to keep her from interfering.
Rory (Dominic Purcell) and his (almost) teary goodbye to Snart (Wentworth Miller) was a nice touch but one does hope that Leonard returns to the show next season.
Some lose ends were tied up, Rip informs the group that their younger selves will be returned to their respective times. Plus, Hunter learns that Gideon does not want to die and neither does he.
The introduction of the Justice League of America, besides being pretty cool, leaves the door open for next season’s “mega” CW superhero cross-over. With two huge, seemingly invincible, villains on both ‘Arrow’ and ‘The Flash’ the upcoming year should be completely addicting.
‘Legends of Tomorrow’ took a while to find its way and the pacing was that little bit off in the beginning. There was, though, that feeling that this show was going to do well, eventually. It did and gave us versions of old favorites that felt real and quite dear to us.
A very good end to the first season and the JLA is an exciting touch that brings to mind Wonder Woman, The Flash and Lex Luthor (or depending on what ever crew you remember a completely different set of DC dignitaries) and, once upon a time, Batman and Superman.
It should be pointed out that the one thing that was off-putting about the show was its clear desire to be a variation on British television classic sci-fi series ‘Dr. Who.’ Hunter (Arthur Darvill) is neither quirky nor charismatic enough to truly ape the good doctor, but it is a nice sort of homage (pronounced “oh-mage” if one comes from this side of the pond) and that “transgression” was soon forgiven.
Kudos to the entire cast for killing it and a hearty well done to Ciara Renée who had to put up with the worst storylines of anyone in the show.
Rock on season two.
