The CW's Legends of Tomorrow - Episode 5.01 "Meet the Legends"
The Legends have become famous and everyone except Sara is loving the spotlight, so much so that they invite a documentary crew on board the Waverider to film them as they investigate a strange new blip in the Timeline. The Legends discover that their new problem is none other than Rasputin, who happens to be straight out of hell, and it might be tougher than they thought. Meanwhile, Constantine thinks he knows the reason behind these new blips and informs the team that it won't be easy to defeat.
In 2019, the television industry aired 532 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the season premiere of The CW's Legends of Tomorrow.
"Meet the Legends" was written by Grainne Godfree & James Eagan and directed by Kevin Mock
The Legends are more accustomed to changes in the universe and timeline than the other superheroes within this extended universe. Unlike those other shows though, Legends of Tomorrow is starting off its season dealing the ramifications of "Crisis on Infinite Earths." There isn't actually a whole lot for them to grapple with though because they can exist outside of time. Sure, there are mentions of the events of the crossover and the ongoing grief Sara will be experiencing as a result of Oliver Queen's death. However, this premiere gets right back into the swing of things with the Legends learning about the latest threat to the timeline at large. This year they will be dealing with villainous encores. Mona comes up with that term here which Nate and Ray eventually support. It rolls off the tongue when they are flying into battle. Of course, Mona isn't going to stay a member of the team. Instead, Mick passes his role as Rebecca Silver off to her which may leave her firmly planted in 2020. That's a creative decision made here. She was certainly a hit-or-miss character last season. She is billed as a "special guest star" here. That is hardly the biggest move that occurs though. Instead, Zari is completely erased from the team. Behrad has stepped into her role. The character position is kept within the family. He is Zari's brother who didn't come from an apocalyptic future. Zari's work in the past led to the erasure of that doomed reality. And yet, the show is also making it clear that the team should be fighting to get her back. She was such a vital member of the team. Nate only has a vague memory of her though. He understands that there is this hole missing in his life. But the show has to contort itself in order to offer some insane explanation for how he can start piecing the pieces together. It's understandable that there are ripple effects to the multiverse coming together to create Earth-Prime. The Legends may actually believe that's why Gideon appears to be malfunctioning. Instead, the argument could be made that it was the disappearance of Zari that had the profound effect simply because her presence was more prominent to what the team has gone through together. The time travel logic and the various changes being made can often be a lot to handle. The show overcomes them mostly by being fun. It continues to do that so phenomenally well. The Legends are literally being filmed by a documentary crew here. They aren't used to being public superheroes. In fact, that's why they have the moniker of Legends. It doesn't matter who they are or what they have done in their pasts. They can come together as a collective team to make a difference without being recognized for it. The events of the fourth season produced a public display of heroism in the present-day. The Legends all eventually turn against the idea though because they are asked to play up their personalities in order to fulfill some kind of wish fulfillment for what they should be. The public may project certain feelings onto the heroes and villains of this world. That may not be a burden that everyone wants. The Legends have the satisfaction of knowing their jobs are important and life-changing. They have dealt with some severe repercussions by messing with the timeline as well. Nate can no longer remember the woman he loves. That is inherently tragic. But it's also incredibly rousing to see Sara and Ava strong as a couple despite the grief and anger present. Sara could grow bitter and isolated because no one on the team understands what she's going through. But that may just be a mood that is contained to this premiere because she has the support of her team no matter what. That is a reassuring sign right away even though these great villains from history are coming back to mount as much destruction as they can. That gives everyone purpose even though the public and government may no longer have any control over what the Legends are doing. That oversight was once important. And now, the Legends are back to being independent operators whose own sense of morals have to be good enough despite the chaos that they frequently welcome to get the job done. That can be glorious to watch though because of how entertaining and zany it can all be.
