* Spoiler Alert
As much as I like to love “The Magnificent Eight,” something was missing in this trip to the Wild West. Where’s the weird? As a western, this episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is enjoyable, but as a tribute to the material I adored from reading Jonah Hex comics, it was really lacking. The team is going into hiding in the aptly named Salvation City. Johnathon Schaech certainly put the grizzle into the performance, but I need my paranormal activity! The narrative did get science fiction-ish at the tail end, setting up a new villain for the team to fear, but I did not feel that this latest episode lived up to my expectations.
As Rip explained, there are periods in time where the Time Masters have difficulty homing in on. To find the team requires pinpoint accuracy and perhaps there’s something in this location which messes with the sensors this agency uses to find people. Whatever that may be, perhaps the reason will get explained in the future.
In this story, parts of Rip’s past gets revealed. The details help define why he’s taken on the mantle of reluctant hero. An incident in a destroyed town in Oklahoma resulted in its destruction and Hunter has regretted the incident since. The misfortune defined him in sad ways. I wanted to know more about this story because that was when he worked with Jonah Hex for the first time. The implication of Hex recognizing time travelers easily is a tease for what he knows about the future.
The reason why Rip likes wearing the duster is explained and he’s one heck of a shot with a six-shooter (technically five)! There’s certainly a few cheesy moments calling back to the style this genre epitomizes. I laughed when he did a half stride only to strike the hero’s pose; these cheesy moments is why this show is enjoyable. Oddly, Rory (Heat Wave) is too quickly accepted back into the fold is unsettling. He could have easily fitted in the old West like when he declared life in “Star City 2046” great. For now, the series is putting him back to being a side character and that’s not giving Dominic Purcell a fair chance to develop his bad boy image.
Oddly, Rory (Heat Wave) is too quickly accepted back into the fold is unsettling. He could have easily fitted in the old West like when he declared life in “Star City 2046” great. For now, the series is putting him back to being a side character and that’s not giving Dominic Purcell a fair chance to develop his bad boy image.
The team certainly looks like they are having fun playing cowboys. However, there’s no Indians. The atypical gang of rogues intent on terrorizing the town makes the antagonism simple. After an incident in the saloon, where one of the boys is shot, the rest will be coming. I love the little Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina scene nod where Snart explains who shot first. This narrative is okay for some to fixate upon, but I was wondering when the supernatural would come into play. Will someone come back from the dead? I certainly hope so!
The episode spends more time with Kendra, which is great, as the series finally looks into how here various incarnations have lived in the past. This episode and the last, “Progeny” is slowly setting up Carter’s return. As for when I’m thinking it will not be till either “River of Time” or “Destiny.” With this episode, Hawkgirl hates to have her life predefined as to who she can love or not. She has feelings for Ray but the inevitable will happen. She has to make a choice. Before, the series revealed Carter is the one who finds her. With her hopping space and time, he’s going to have a harder time at it! To see her and a version of him from another time get together may make for some awkward consequences (i.e. there could be a version of her in the past that a young Carter is supposed to shack up with), so it’ll be interesting to see how this story will resolve itself.
Another tale being weaved which has no weight is with Stein’s messing with the timeline. This subplot is a carryover from last week’s episode which looks at how important progeny is. The nod to saving H.G. Well does not mean much in the grander scheme of things but his adventures in the wild west no doubt has inspired him to write about the fantastic later.
I still have hope season one will go out with a bang, setting up season two. I learned during Emerald City Comicon from one of the production artists that season three is plotted out, and all the producers need to hear is a firm nod by The CW is that the series is a go. Eventually, by then, the team will have faced all their demons and come out fabulously united. The series has always been about the team facing uncertainty, and that’s the highlight this episode makes. It’s about finding peace within the self is important. It’s evident in Sara’s smile when riding the range.
For now, this episode only gets a passing grade for finding ways to introduce heroes to the fold. I suspect a change to the roster is going to happen sometime next season.