Arrow, “Legends of Yesterday,” was directed by Thor Freudenthal, the story was by the team of Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, and the teleplay was by Brian Ford Sullivan and Marc Guggenheim. This episode was the second half of a Flash/Arrow crossover event. I have to say that the episode felt a bit more like a Flash episode than an Arrow episode – but maybe that’s just me? Don’t get me wrong, I really like the Flash, but I would have liked to see a bit more impact on the ongoing Arrow storyline. Of course this was also a backdoor “Pilot” – sort of – for Legends of Tomorrow – coming soon! In order to get the back story on Kendra (Ciara Renee), Carter (Falk Hentschel), and Savage (Casper Crump), you’re going to have to watch this episode!
This episode picks up pretty much right where the Flash episode left off. Both teams have relocated to a remote farm house outside Central City. Laurel (Katie Cassidy) joins them as she was visiting her mom. Technically, the episode begins with Kendra having a flashback to ancient Egypt, and as the episode unfolds, we get the entire story of how Kendra was a Priestess and Carter a warrior. They were lovers but Savage also loved her. In the end, he kills them after finding them in bed together. They die just as the meteors start landing and we see the dagger and staff glow blue as they are infused with power.
In the present, the team splits up to take care of different errands. Most notably Oliver goes off to find Samantha (Anna Hopkins) and William (Jack Moore). Felicity knows somethings up, but Oliver puts her off. He’s not an idiot and he’s done the math, but she still denies that William is his son. Oliver manages to get some hair and takes it to Barry (Grant Gustin) for DNA testing. I was thrilled to see Hopkins join the show as I’ve been a big fan of her work since she was on
Defiance.
The most interesting thing about this episode is the time travel aspect. It takes a lot of suspension of disbelief, but it’s interesting to watch how the events are changed – and it allows them to kill everyone off in a spectacular special effect! Barry knows he’s going to time travel – just not why when he ‘ghosts’ himself. He does tell Cisco (Carlos Valdes) who cautions him against telling anyone else.
In the first run of the timeline, Carter takes Kendra out to spar. Cisco tries to interrupt but is brushed off. Carter basically beats Kendra up until she loses her temper and her wings come out. In the second pass, Cisco doesn’t back down and he’s the one to teach Kendra how to work her wings. She is a warrior Priestess.
Carter wants her to focus on the warrior but Cisco tells her to focus on the Priestess – the good person inside her. He tell her that it’s a gift and a miracle. He tells her she can chose, she just has to let herself remember. Her memory gives them the clue about the dagger and staff that allows them to defeat savage. It’s Cisco’s help that ends with her wings working at the crucial moment.
In the first timeline, Barry does the DNA test and Oliver goes back to Samantha. She tells Oliver that Moira gave her $1 million – but she still has the check! She left because she really didn’t want the person Oliver was then to be the father to her child. She tells him that he can’t be near William and he can’t tell anyone. Oliver asks if he can tell Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), but she says no. Not if he wants a relationship with his son – which seemed to contradict herself.
When Oliver comes back to the farmhouse, Felicity is waiting. She’s seen the paternity test and she’s pissed! And rightly so. She tells Oliver she can’t hear another lie. Oliver tries to put her off, claiming to need a moment to process. She tells him that if he trusted her, telling her wouldn’t be a burden, it would be a relief. She asks him how she can be with someone who doesn’t trust her.
Consequently, Oliver goes into the first encounter with Savage distracted. He refuses to take the entire team, and it ends in everyone’s death. On the second pass, Barry doesn’t give Oliver the paternity test. He tells him about the paternity test, however and that it resulted in a huge fight between Oliver and Felicity. I loved Oliver telling Cisco to go to Kendra and Cisco saying “You shoot arrows and give love advice – you’re like Cupid!” Hilarious!
The second confrontation with Savage goes much better. Oliver brings the entire team, so Thea (Willa Holland), Diggle (David Ramsey) and Laurel all arrive via van. Kendra’s wings work, so she and Carter are able to get the others to safety. Cisco has added the meteor to the gauntlets so together Oliver and Barry are able to turn Savage to dust.
Kendra and Carter go off to try to help people. Cisco is unlucky in love again, but he’s made her a microchip that will allow him to find her if she’s ever in trouble. Kendra tells Cisco that her relationship with Carter is complicated.
Barry tries to get Oliver to agree to tell Felicity about William. Oliver considers not telling William, but Barry also tells Oliver that he grew up without a father and that’s not a good solution. The two share an awkward hug before Barry leaves.
Oliver once again agrees not to tell Felicity. He gets to meet William in his room. Naturally, William is playing with a Flash toy – and Captain Cold, which is another nice little shout out to Legends. Oliver tells William he’s just a friend of his Mommy’s as Samantha instructs him too.
Once again, Oliver doesn’t tell Felicity even though she asks him directly again to let her know what’s going on. She asks him how she can be a good teammate if he doesn’t tell her. Hard to know the game without the rules. They seem to be in a good place, but Felicity’s face clearly shows that she knows Oliver is holding something back. There is absolutely no way this doesn’t end badly. I foresee that trust conversation coming back in spades…
I’m still not sure how much I like the introduction of the “magical” element into the show. Malcolm (John Barrowman) shows up to arrange the meeting between the team and Savage. He tells them he doesn’t know anything about Savage and that’s why he’s afraid of him. It’s always nice to see Barrowman in an episode anyway. I did love him threatening Oliver if anything happens to Thea! Too bad Malcolm isn’t more careful with her himself.
The final scene sees Malcolm scooping up the ashes that remain of Savage. He says an incantation of some kind over them, and that can’t be good. No surprise that Malcolm is out to further his own agenda. I wonder if there is some way for him to absorb Savage’s power.
This was a fun episode, and it’s always nice to see those Flash folks. I love Carlos Valdes and Grant Gustin – and missed Jesse L Martin. Actually, my favorite interactions might be Lance (Paul Blackthorne) and Joe! It was a pretty perfect choice to have the flashbacks be Kendra and Carter in this episode in place of the Island flashbacks we’re used to – so kudos to the writers for keeping the series structure in that creative way.
What did you think of the episode? Are you excited for the spinoff? Do you think Oliver should have told Felicity about Samantha and William regardless of what Samantha said? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, Agent Carter, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, The X-Files, Defiance, Bitten, Killjoys, and a few others! I'm active on the Con scene when I have the time. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
