After that perfectly in character moment, we are immediately taken to the past where our once brave and noble leader, Rip, has become the complete opposite of the man we met in season one, aiding the British forces during the American Revolution (at least he knows he’s British again), and planning to kill George Washington on Thawne’s orders.
Of course it’s a trap and the crew of the Waverider is very aware of this, but a time aberration the size of the murder of George Washington and subsequent destruction of America isn’t exactly something they can ignore, even if they wanted to. So, as Mick wraps up his snack and Ray stops his lecture on following the Chore Wheel, Sara instructs the crew to suit up and they head to the past to save America.
The team gets to Washington and starts to warn him, just as Rip springs his trap. With Rip’s knowledge of the crew and its needs, he immediately takes out Ray’s suit, Gideon, and even Firestorm’s Quantum Splicer, leaving the team at a disadvantage. Though none of those are near as detrimental as the moment Rip shoots Sara and leaves her to die, as he steals Washington and Mick (mostly because he’s there) to deliver to the British leader.
Sara is near death when they return to the Waverider, hoping to save her without Gideon’s assistance. Sara uses her fading strength to put Jax in charge, and after a couple of seconds of panic, he starts organizing the team.
Ray (who is stuck in action figure size since his suit is deactivated) is sent to try to get the power back on, Stein is focusing on saving Sara, Nate and Amaya get sent to recover George Washington (and Mick…something that seems to be the implied afterthought for everyone this episode), and Jax sets to Home Aloning the ship for the arrival of Rip and his crew of Red Coats.
Mick’s rough honesty pitted against Washington’s extremely old fashioned values is actually the highlight of the episode. Unable to comprehend why George Washington would want to be a gentlemen and simply wait to die, hoping for a parley type circumstance, Mick continues to push him to fight for himself and for his country.
Line of the night definitely goes to Mick when he tells future President Washington, “You don’t know the first thing about being an American. We’re misfits, outcasts, and we’re proud of it.” Mick continues to encourage Washington to stand up, telling him Americans do what they have to win and they never give up. Washington reminds him that he tried to help spare Mick’s life, which is why, according to Mick, he is going to save him, and when the morning comes he does just that.
Meanwhile, Nate and Amaya, who are actually supposed to be the ones saving Washington (and Mick), get attacked by a group of rebels and Nate goes falling over a Cliffside. Amaya invokes the power of a seal and jumps in to retrieve him. In order to save a nearly frostbitten Nate, Amaya uses the whole body heat technique which, of course, leads to the hook up Nate’s been waiting for. Unfortunately for him, Amaya took to heart what he said about the future rules of dating allowing for casualness and he gets the teammates shouldn’t fraternize speech… again.
Back on the Waverider, Jax and Rip are squaring off. Rip tells Jax he can give him anything he wants if he joins the Legion, including his father back. He tries to convince Jax to give him the Spear to show his loyalty, but Jax refuses to budge. That is until a recently saved Sara, once again finds her life in danger. As Rip holds Sara’s neck between his hands, Jax finally yields the information to save his new captain from his old.
But Rip’s a pure, cold-hearted villain now, and even after he gets the information he needs, Rip snaps Sara’s neck (which you hear, damn Rip! Savage!), and there’s nothing the team can do. Unless of course Ray gets the power back online and Gideon does one of those magical life-saving even if they’re dead moments. Time-travelling ship interfaces, man, how did we ever live without them? Oh, yeah the Lazarus pit (how many times can Sara Lance die, honestly?).
Jax goes after Rip, completely forgetting who the captain used to be and what he means to him, much the same way Rip just did with Sara. Jax holds a gun up ready to fire when Sara, healed by the power of future science, comes out and reminds Jax that this isn’t who he is. Jax tells Sara not to protect Rip, and she tells him that she isn’t, she’s protecting Jax. And he thankfully drops the gun.
Rip gets away. So does the Spear. And as usual all seems lost. Unless you’re Mick, and suddenly there’s a statue in your honor in Washington D.C. because you and George Washington are BFFLs now.
But, even still, the Legends persevere.
Thanks to Ray’s chore wheel they create a Christmas Day dinner (because that’s what day they travelled back to. I guess when you’re on a time ship you can celebrate whatever holiday you want). A couple of them actually exchange presents. Ray giving Mick the rat that chased him and tried to eat him in the air ducts. And best present ever, Nate (who totally isn’t cool with the whole just teammates thing) gives Amaya a custom made, exact replica, pair of Ruby Slippers because she mentioned going to see the Wizard of Oz when it came out (and yes, I’m totally jealous).
Maybe it was fighting an alien invasion back during the crossover, or maybe they’ve been heavily influenced by finding out that Rip is still alive, but the Legends have moved beyond the days of struggling to get along and into a period of time when they can finally work together. Even when they thought Sara was gone, the team was able to rally around Jax. Mick even managed to be the hero without anyone telling him he had to do it. Perhaps it’s as Sara said “as powerful as the Legion is they don’t have this. Family. And we all know no one fights like family.”
The Legion of Doom may have the missing piece of the Spear and Rip, but the Legends aren’t going to back down now, and it looks like if nothing else in the future is certain, at least we know there’s a damn good fight on the horizon.
Written by Shannon Brewer, LoT Beat Writer -- Click to read Shannon's posts
Related Posts:
LEGENDS OF TOMORROW Season 2 Episode 10 Review: Even Speedsters Can't Outrun TimeLEGENDS OF TOMORROW Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Traveling to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
The CW Renews SUPERGIRL, THE FLASH, LEGENDS OF TOMORROW and ARROW For Another Season