Legends of Tomorrow - Turncoat - Review

Maybe it's the fact that the last two episodes of Legends have been a bit more entertaining that made this last episode, Turncoat, feel like such a chore to get through. Maybe it's the decision to air a Christmas episode full of homages to Die Hard and Home Alone in February that rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it's the lack of the legion that really bogged this episode down. I can't quite put my finger on it, but this episode of Legends didn't quite leave me as thrilled as the show normally does.

After abandoning the usual aberration hi-jinx in the stellar Legion of Doom centered episode, legends returned to a form that it has sort of perfected this season with the team traveling to Christmas in 1776 to stop George Washington from being killed before he crosses the Delaware River with his army during the American Revolution because of a time aberration of him dying alters history. We know the show isn't going to take the huge risk of trying to show the repercussions on time should the legends fail, so the stakes here may seem high, but there's no reason to truly believe the team won't succeed which really makes this seem very routine. Jax and Stein stay on the ship, while Sara and the rest hit the ground undercover to secure General Washington. Washington is portrayed pretty much as you'd expect him to be, with no real depth being added to the character but I suppose he serves his purpose here. Things go awry as they usually do, as Evil-Rip is the legends adversary this week, since Evil Rip has been dropped off by the Reverse Flash with a cache of automatic weapons that he's given to the redcoats because this all just a trap to lure the team out and steal the piece of the spear. (They were aware it was a trap, but they persevered on because...duty and whatnot) The team find Washington but also finds themselves under fire as well do they fight back as they usually do. Nate's dancing with Amaya and steeling to deflect bullets was pretty cool though.

Because it would be way too easy for the Legends to wrap things up here, Evil-Rip came prepared and uses a device to strip away the power from the Waverider that also leaves both Mick's gun and Firestorm powerless, which we all know is for budget reasons as Firestorm has not lit up that much this season,(also it effects Ray's suit, which leaves him small) and then he confronts Washington, Sara and Mick as they are escaping. He shoots Sara and leaves her for dead and takes Washington and Mick(I'm still a bit unclear as to why, feel free to explain it to me) and delivers them to the enemy. The team manages to get Sara on the ship, but she's dying, so she leaves Jax in charge (This was a bit random, but welcomed). Jax orders Amaya and Nate to track down Rory and Washington, while the rest of the team will focus on getting power restored on the ship. Stein is rather uncomfortable with idea of playing Doctor, but Jax, also uncomfortable with playing leader, has faith in him. Things can't be easy of course and Evil-Rip manages to make his way onto the ship with some soldiers in an attempt to find the spear piece. It's actually really fun watching Jax and Rip play cat and mouse in an homage to Home Alone. (While Rip gets all Die Hard in the vents running from a mouse) Jax takes out the soldiers pretty easily, but almost finds himself tempted by Rip when he tells him that he could bring back his father by using the spear. Jax manages to get the auxiliary power on, but then also manages to get to cornered by Rip.

Jax plays his final card, telling Rip he will lead him to the spear piece but really he's just leading him to another booby trap which allows him to escape. It didn't incapacitate Rip though and he finds his way to Stein and Sara. By the time Jax finds them, Rip has already knocked out Stein and he's threatening to kill Sara. Jax panics and tells Rip where the spear piece is hoping that will stop him. Jax even pleads that this is Sara for goodness sake, but that doesn't mean anything to Rip, so he kills Sara before departing for the telescope where the spear piece is hidden. Stein wakes up and sees that Sara is dead (For what, the umpteenth time?) coupled with a very distraught Jax, who says it too late before grabbing a nearby gun and heading off to kill Rip. Stein yells for Ray to get a move on with the power, so Ray manages to escape his furry tormentor and cut the power on. Gideon is able to save Sara because her brain cells are still active. (So, we've got plenty of Deus Ex Machinas to save Sara and Oliver but Laurel is still dead? I hate how this universe treats her so much) Jax confronts Rip and threatens to kill him, but Rip thinks he doesn't have it in him. Sara shows up and manages to talk Jax down because it's Christmas and Rip goes on his merry way to deliver the spear. (Yes, that really happened)

While all this was happening, Nate and Amaya had sex. I wish I could just leave it there and not discuss this but I guess because duty, I should elaborate. Lazy rom-com writing finds Nate and Amaya sharing glances, expressing desires for fresh air, wiping messes off each other and collapsing into each other arms after a time quake within the hour's first ten minutes. They seem pretty stoked about going undercover as a married couple and when Jax orders them to look for Mick and Rory later, it seems more like a date than a mission. We learn about Amaya's dating courting history, and Nate brings her up to speed on how dating works in this century. I cheered when a hatchet comes flying through, and the two of them have to fight against a pair of soldiers reaking up what was becoming cringe worthy writing. Nate ends up thrown over a cliff into the Delaware River, and Amaya channels a seal and dives in after him. Afterwards, Nate is suffering from hypothermia and Amaya takes him to the soldiers camp nearby and deduces he needs skin to skin contact for warmth. (Really. Really. Really. I'm not making this up, this actually happened. Amaya, who is also still wet herself, warms Nate up by pushing his face into her bosom. Not with the furs, not with the fire, but with the bit of cleavage that appears out of her undershirt.) Nate is all, this isn't how I wanted us to get nekkid and I barfed. He wakes up, and is naked under a fur blanket and Amaya comes in the tent, naked under a huge blanket as well to check on him. Nate is all, It's warmer in the tent than out there, and they do the nasty. They doze off for an hour afterwards and Nate hits Amaya with the whole "So, what are we?" eyes and probes. Amaya's response is basically the ultimate brush off, We're on a mission is what what we are and they set off to find Mick.

Mick has been spending his time in captivity with Washington, to let him know just how much he doesn't really like Washington. Washington believes in civility and strategy, which as we know are things Mick has no patience for, and he thinks they should be taking action. When they get to the Redcoat camp, Washington argues to General Cornwallis on Mick's behalf, and manages to get Mick freed since he was just following orders. Washington though, is set to be hanged, so he gives Mick a letter to give to his wife, Martha. Mick gives Washington a pep talk about how fighting is the America way and to not give up. The next day, Washington heeds Mick's advice and lets out a battle cry that signals Mick to take action. They take down quite a few redcoats, before one gets his musket turned on Mick. Nate steels up just in time after arriving on the scene with Amaya and saves Mick and Washington suggests they do the American thing and run. Later, Washington and Mick share a drink while Washington praises Mick for his perseverance. They share a hug as Amaya and Nate come to get Mick back to the Waverider and we find out later that Washington had a statue erected in Mick's honor.

On the ship, Jax and Sara have a moment about how hard it is to be a captain and to make the right decision. She tells him it's just best to remember the mission when it gets hard. Then it's time for the team to have Christmas dinner. Ray gives Mick the rat, and Sara gives the team a rousing speech about how they may not have much but they have each other. Her insistence that them being such a great team means that they will win this fight is very inspiring coming off such a huge loss with Rip. Nate also has a gift for Amaya, who has a gift for him as well. She wants to things to be chill between them, like how Nate explained to her earlier and though Nate says he's okay with that, his gift of fabricated ruby slippers like those in the Wizard of Oz(mentioned in their conversation when searching for Mick) says otherwise. It was a solid episode, it just didn't feel very balanced. The Nate-Amaya stuff felt lazy, Sara's death held no real weight and Mick's bonding with Washington was just weird. The Jax and Rip stuff was certainly the most fun of this episode as Arthur is killing it as Evil-Rip and it was good to have Jax take center stage for a moment. I just wish the stakes of the show were actually as high as they wants us to believe them to be, especially in aberration-of-the-week ones like this. C+

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The next episode of Legends of Tomorrow, Camelot/3000 airs 2/21/17 on The CW!

About the Author - Winston Mize

I always have the most trouble coming up with a blurb to describe me. Which is really weird for someone who wants to make a career out of writing. If you think I'm awkward online, it's just because you haven't met me in person. I'd like to think I have other interests outside of TV, and maybe I do, but TV is the one that gets me most excited. I live a pretty boring life so TV's the way I get my fix, and I'd love to chat about it with you. I'm also always looking to guest on podcasts and become a podcasting sensation, so if you've got the opportunity, I'm in there like swimwear. You can check me out with different previews of various shows or read my reviews of iZombie, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Legends Of Tomorrow here on the site. If you're a fan of One Tree Hill you can check out my podcast about as well by checking out our twitter page @OnlyOthPod.

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