'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 4, Episode 4: 'Wet Hot American Bummer'

 A horror movie date night inadvertently prompts the team to travel to 1990's Maine where reports say several kids died at the hands of a monster while attending summer camp.

Naturally, this leads to several members of the team posing as counselors.  You'd think that the episode would draw humor by putting characters least suited for the job in the role.  Instead, some of the highlights come from watching the two characters who take to it the most, Sara and Ray.  The latter would obviously love it, but seeing Sara brighten up at the idea of going back to camp was a real treat.

John does accompany the group, and his magic does prove integral, but the episode doesn't really do much with him as counselor.  He just sticks to himself.  To his credit though, when he does interact with the kids, he's more impressive than his surly personality would suggest. 

Ava as counselor is an interesting case  Yeah, her "drill sergeant" persona isn't an act, but fraternities and sororities do similar schticks. On the other hand, her getting pranked was to be expected. You'll probably see that twist coming, but it was pretty funny and it did allow for a nice nod to the "Friday the 13th" movies.

This episode was actually not all that reliant on pop culture references.  It's surprising, as given the premise, you'd think that it would be chock full of them.  Instead, it puts more focus on character.  That being said, "Swamp Thaaaang" is a pretty brlliant movie title.  That joke alone would have been enough, but it prompts John to allude to the character actually existing in the Arrowverse proper. 

The biggest beneficiaries from this are Sara and Ava.  Their relationship has always been adorable, but it really shines here.  Even when the two turn into kids, the chemistry remains.  Props to the two child actors, as they did a great job capturing the characters' essences.

Charlie, the shapeshifter from the previous episode, also got some progression, as she is brought into the team.  It was a little rushed, but theydid go through the trouble of bringing Sellers back.  How long could they keep her in the cell throwing tantrums and screaming?  

The fact that she knew specifically which shtriga the team is facing is a little convenient and might be a possible red flag, but they needed something to prompt her being brought into the fold. Even having her as the team's resident "Hannibal Lecter" might have gotten repetitive after a while.

The bigger disappointment is Zari who doesn't really do much besides fall for the most obvious prisoner trick in the book.  

Even Mick gets more to work with.  Not only does he quickly undo Zari's epic screw up, but he manages to forge a solid bond with the shape shifter in a pretty short amount of time.  It's impressive, as it still feels completely natural despite only having a couple of minutes to be showcased.

All in all, this was a solid showing.  The humor was there, but it wasn't too out there.  The characters mostly had highlights and growth.  There are even some plot threads for the next episode, as John is still on death's door, forcing the team to seek the aid of Nora Darhk.  It did occur to me, that with all this magic, this could be a prime opportunity for Zatanna to be brought in.  Might happen, might not.  It would be cool though, as I'm a fan of the character.  In any event, it'll be interesting to see how things play out as we move further into the season.

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

Click here to become an E-Poll member

Click here to become a Swagbucks member

'The Punisher' Episode 11: 'Danger Close'

 It's been quite a while since we last talked about this show, hasn't it?  Let's say we get back into it.  With the Lewis subplot all wrapped up, this episode shifts the focus back to the bigger story regarding Russo, Rawlins, and the Kandahar cover up.

The conflict with Russo takes most of the focus, as Frank is surprisingly shaken by the revelation that his old comrade in arms is actually now his major opponent.  I think the sporadic viewing hurt this as, it did take me a minute to remember why Frank is so despondent.  Still,  it seems like we needed more time seeing these two as allies so that the sting of betrayal could really be felt.  Madani's venomous attitude toward him has more weight to it as we saw that bond to a much greater extent.

Speaking of bond, the one between "Pete" and Micro's family is put into jeopardy, with the prior's real identity exposed to the public.  I'm kind of surprised the son didn't latch on that more.  A kid his age should be blown away by the fact that he's friends with the Punisher. Then again,the news does frame him as a straight up terrorist as opposed to a vigilante, so that might have had something to do with it.

The climax of the episode does put Frank in a more ruthless light.  Where his appearances on "Daredevil" made it clear he leaves innocents unharmed, here he guns down mooks without hesitation. Yeah, they're working for the bad guys, but there are some who are clearly retreating or trying to surrender and they still get bullets for their trouble.

For his part, Frank does admit to Leo that he is scarier than "Pete".  I still think an attempt to play up that he only goes after bad guys might have helped assuage her fears  Also, bring up that time that he killed some ninjas.  That would certainly score some points with the kids  How that doesn't come up more in conversations is beyond me.

Speaking of Micro's family, it was nice to see him reunited with his daughter.  It's something he's clearly wanted from the beginning and the payoff was worth it.  There's still the wife and son, but that'll come later.

Using them as hostages was a little on the trite side, but they do have a bond with both Frank and Micro, so it does enable the pair to maintain their alliance, even if they are approaching their mission's endgame.

To her credit, Sarah does make a valiant effort to fend off her kidnappers, and only relents when her son is taken hostage.  

This was a good "jump back in" episode.  It did move the plot forward, but it also managed to naturally get me up to speed on all the goings on.  It also brought a healthy does of action, as well as good character moments.

With the final confrontation between Frank and Russo looming, I'm not sure how there's still two episodes to go.  The season could have the big climactic battle in the next episode and have the finale be a sort of loose end tying character driven affair.  A lot of shows have been doing that recently.  I guess I'll have to find out.  Hopefully, it won't be four months before the next one.  There's still a lot of other Marvel shows to cover.

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'The Stand' Trailer Reaction

 It's been a while since we've done a trailer reaction.  It's content that runs hot and cold.  For a while, it seemed like I was doing a bunch and then it just stopped.  But, with CBS releasing an adaptation of "The Stand" on All Access, I have an opportunity to dive back into the well and analyze the teaser we were given.

Not too shabby all things considered. It's got a pretty strong cast.  Gary Sinise as Stu Redman is a high bar to jump, but James Marsden isn't a bad pick.  Alexander Skarsgard looks pretty solid as Flagg.  Having Matthew McConaughey play the role would've been an interesting way to go, but he looks like he's capturing the character's essence quite well.  

The song choice worked well for the first part and brought the right atmosphere in terms of the aftermath of the Captain Trips outbreak, but as the trailer went on, it didn't seem like it really fit with what was being presented.  It seemed like the trailer was trying to drop it, but felt the need to keep bringing it back, maybe for the sake of cohesiveness? I don't know.

Speaking of, the virus itself isn't really brought up.  We see abandoned roads and headlines, but aside from a shot of Stu escaping the facility, there's no mention.  It's odd, as you'd think that they would, if for no other reason than to use current circumstances to augment the tension in the story.  

According to the comments in the video, this is partly due to the fact that the series is going to pick up in the free zone and then flash back to the virus outbreak.  I'm hoping this isn't the case.  I know some shows have done it ("Lost" and "Arrow" being the two most notable ones) but it can prove to be frustrating and in both circumstances, the format wore out its welcome after a while.  

Given how the virus only really plays a role in the first act, it could only be a temporary thing; but at the same time, if that's the case, why not just tell the story in chronological order?  

I'm not sure how many episodes they plan on running this, but I think that it will be a better fit as far as adaptation formats go.  The original mini-series did what its could, but this would give the plot and characters time to grow and progress.  

Some expressed concern about this, specifically citing the "Under the Dome" fiasco, but where that took too many liberties, this looks more like a straight adaptation.  That could change, things may be changed for the element of surprise or to draw things out so that the series can keep going, but as of now, it seems like a different circumstance.

I'm probably going to have to wait until this hits DVD to check it out, but based on what I've seen here, I'd be interested to see how well it pans out.

Click here become a Swagbucks member

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

Click here to become an E-Poll member

What Can Challenge the Z-Fighters?

 Goku and Vegeta are incredibly powerful beings, as such, it can be something of a challenge to come up with threats that would give them a run for their money.  Now, according to "Death Battle', the two are still weaker than Superman, which would appear to help.  However, it's also been made explicitly clear that these two were the strongest beings in the universe and that was before they acquired literal god modes.

"Super" has made an effort to show that even Goku and Vegeta can still be severely outclassed, but it still seems like we're getting close to hitting a potential ceiling.  I mean, there are only so many ancient beings that can be reawakened and the more mortals you introduce to challenge them, the less impressive their powers seem.  Still, the story must go on, so what do you do? Some ideas have popped up and I figured, why not lay them out?

1. Replicators   

For those who haven't watched Stargate SG-1, the Replicators were these creepy robot spiders that consumed matter (organic or inorganic) and used that to multiply (or replicate, if you will.)  They were a force to be reckoned with in the show, repeatedly overpowering the show's normal big bads, the Go'auld, and posing a threat to the galaxy as a whole.

Now, you could point out that the robots were taken out by regular gun fire, so the Z-fighters should be able to easily take these things out, right?  Not necessarily.  While the robots themselves aren't all that formidable, there are a large number of them and the number only gets bigger.  As such, it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to see Goku and Vegeta get either overwhelmed or just worn out trying to take the robot horde down.  

In fact, this particular enemy gives the other characters a prime chance to shine without it feeling forced or clunky.  This isn't one super powerful being, but a massive amount of weaker ones that make up for said weakness with an unending swarm.  If that isn't enough to make the case,remember that the animated version of the Justice League took on a similar opponent in an episode and even the full might of their then 50+ hero roster was barely able to keep them at bay. Thus, saying that they could give the Z-Fighters a good go isn't too much of a stretch.

Even fitting them into the established universe isn't that difficult as it's just tech (nano-tech specifically).  All you need is a scientist (Bulma, an aspiring rival, or an alien one) who creates these things, perhaps even with good intent, and it just goes awry.  

2.  Zombies

Like the Replicators, zombies are a threat that thrive on numbers.  The individual zombies aren't so daunting, but the massive numbers would be the factor that makes them a threat.  Some tweaking regarding the rules of infection would be needed so that characters can get bitten, but not immediately turned, but other than that, I could see this working out well.  

While they don't have regenerative abilities like Cell or Buu, the take out the head rule means that the Z-fighters can't just blast off limbs or blow holes in torsos.  They'd either need to aim rather well or make large enough blasts that the brain gets taken out with everything else.  One interesting twist here is that Krillin's Destructo Disc would be a useful and even formidable technique.   Speaking of, like the Replicators, the zombies are a threat that could incorporate the other Z-fighters in a believable fashion.

You might be thinking that they can fly, thus just rain down ki blasts with impunity; but remember that collateral damage is still a concern and they have to land some time. On top of that, this approach doesn't guarantee results.  They could ki spam an area and only take out a few zombies if the blasts don't land right. Fatigue would very much be a factor that  could make this a tougher fight than you might think. 

Incorporating them into the universe wouldn't be too difficult either.  You can go with a virus or some sort of mystical incantation that brings the dead back wrong.  It's simple and still fits within the established rules of this universe.

3.  New Life

The main job of the Supreme Kai is to create life to populate the universe.  Unfortunately, the Tournament of Power arc showed that universe 7 is sorely under-populated.  As such, it wouldn't be too much of a leap to have him make an effort to rectify this short coming.  Still being something of a novice, some of these could end up posing a problem.  Maybe he tries to create beings that can compete with the saiyans and the forced rushing of the process is what does it, or maybe it's just law of averages and there are some "bad eggs" that go along with the more benevolent beings that he creates in his endeavors.  Either way, it would give the writers room to work with going forward.

This doesn't just aid the villainous end of the scale, more new beings means more potential allies who could offer assistance from time to time.  It could widen the scope in many respects and create a more expansive universe both literally and figuratively.  

4. Multi-versal threat

With the multiverse established, it makes sense to threaten it all.  This would likely be another ancient being that's been imprisoned for eons, but rather than just pose a threat to Earth or universe 7, it would threaten all of them  Not only would this bring in the other Z-fighters, but the characters from other universes to all stand together to take this thing down. Unlike the last multi-versal threat (the ToP), this would have the fighters fighting alongside each other as opposed to facing off.

Whether it results in a universal consolidation like DC's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" or not, it would still be a huge story with massive scope.  Seeing the Z-fighters, Pride Troopers, the Trio de Dangers, the universe 6 fighters , and the rest all banding together would be a hell of a sight, if I do say so myself.  

Any thoughts? Suggestions about what else the heroes could face gong forward?  I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 4, Episode 3: 'Dancing Queen'

 After reading reports that the Queen of England has been indulging in something of a punk rock phase,the team travels to 1970's England to investigate. More specifically, they intend to get close to a punk band called "The Smell", a band that Constantine has never heard of.

John is, of course, right in his element here, which is why the plot passes the ball to Ray, who unintentionally ends up becoming their getaway driver and later friend to the band.  While his persona clashes with the other members, it's the team's best shot at figuring out who is behind the mayhem.

Constantine's initial theory that it was a leprechaun is almost immediately proven wrong, but given the fact that prior adversaries this season were a unicorn and a fairy godmother, a leprechaun wouldn't have been that far out of left field. 

The reveal was pretty funny, though. Apparently, Ray wasn't the first person to give the Irish band member the grain test.  Ray, at least, had some precedence and context for doing it.  I guess people were just trolling him or he just knew enough about mythology to pick up on it. Either way, it got a laugh.

As the episode progresses, Ray does actually get close to the group.  He has some help from Sara in one instance, but overall, his charm wins them over.  Even when his square nature is revealed, the group's lead singer sticks up for him.  It's mostly a clue that she's the "mythtery", but it was still a sweet moment.

Said sweetness actually results in one of the more interesting aspects of the episode.  Unlike the unicorn or the fairy godmother, this creature doesn't come off as particularly malevolent.  Because of this, Ray wants to change course and call an audible.

You can't fault Sara and John for being skeptical.  The prior notes that the previous creatures had nice facades but were very real threats.  John himself also has more experience dealing with these kinds of things, but Ray can't help but follow his gut, which appears to put him into conflict with his team.

It was kind of weird to see Mick lament Ray's apparent descent.  You'd think that he'd be happy to see Ray start to loosen up, even going so far as to get a tattoo; then again, you could argue that Mick has developed a respect for that trait and doesn't want to see it lost.

Rather than follow the formula and have the team send the creature to hell, they choose instead to keep it captive on the ship, though John does make a point to cast a spell that robs her of her magical abilities.  It's seen as a dick move on his end, but at the same time, it's a logical move to make given the circumstances.  By the episode's end, the team still has no idea what they're going to do with her. It was kind of surprising, to be honest, but we'll see where the plot takes it.

The subplots worked well.  John is given some time to brood over his past.  It seems that whatever's after him has him so spooked that he tries to commit suicide by self erasure. It was a peculiar bit, but it does answer how the Arrowverse addresses the grandfather paradox.  Then again, how many times has Thawne been erased, now? 

On other fronts, Nate and Gary seem to be bonding.  He clicked with Ava so it as nice to see him do the same with Gary. Admittedly, Gary's overly excited enthusiasm is starting to get a little grating, but Nate doesn't seem to mind and the two actually bond over their own losses (John for Gary and Amaya for Nate.)  

The thing with the plant was largely just comedic filler, but it would have been nice to see Nate "armor up". either that or when they faced off against the saber-toothed tiger. Ray suited up, you'd think that they'd want to put Nate's abilities to use.  Oh well.

All in all, a strong episode.  It was more character driven and wasn't quite as overtly goofy as the two prior episodes, which was a bit of fresh air.  There was still comedy to be had, but it was more downplayed and I think the episode benefited from that.  We'll see where things go from here.

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

5 Characters Who Should Appear on 'Legends of Tomorrow'

Over the years, I have written a series of articles detailing different DC characters who I wanted to see appear on the "Supergirl" TV series (you can read said articles here, here, and here.)  Rather than do a fourth edition, I thought I'd change things up by switching to "Legends of Tomorrow".  It's in the same wheelhouse, still being DC and Arrowverse related, but it should still change things up to bring at least some degree of freshness to the table.

Now, this one differs from the others in that I'm not currently up to speed on the series. At the time of this writing, I've only gotten to the second episode of the fourth season.  As such, it is possible, though not likely, that these characters have appeared.  From what I've read, I've seen nothing to indicate that they do.  As such, I'm operating on the assumption that they haven't, but I could be proven wrong.  In any event, let's get on with the list, shall we?


1. Legion of Super-Heroes

This team has made its way into the Arrowverse via Supergirl, but to my knowledge, the Legends have not come across them. Rather than have the Legion come to the past, it would be no small thing for the time traveling band to venture to the 30th century and cross paths with them there.  It would allow Legion members who haven't been featured yet to be introduced and it would give the Legends a chance to visit a future that wasn't dark and dystopian.

Where the JSA was brooding and moody, this team can be bright and hopeful.  They'll likely mesh with the Legends better, but it would also show how the Legends aren't complete paragons either.


2. Booster Gold

One of DC's most prominent time traveling heroes seems like a logical pick for the show.  He's also one of the more light-hearted DC heroes, meaning that he'd fit right in with the goofy band of misfits.  Sadly, he doesn't have Ted Kord to bounce off of, but I'm sure the writers could make do.  If I recall correctly, he's Rip Hunter's son, so the show could also use that as a nice nod to the now departed character.



3.  Terry McGuinness

With Batman becoming a more prominent fixture in the Arrowverse, why not include the second iteration of the character?  Even now, the "Batman Beyond" franchise still has its fans and it still has appeal.  It's another recognizable DC Comics time period for the team to visit.  While the future is a bit darker, it isn't completely dystopian.  The Legends could even meet up with some members of that period's Justice League for added measure.



4. The Big Hand

No, we're not crossing over with the Defenders here.  This is a being that has appeared in the comics (notably in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" mini-series) as well as in an episode of "Justice League Unlimited".  Whenever a character has made an attempt to witness the beginning of time (a fundamental law of existence dictates that this can't be done,) said character would see a giant hand opening up with a galaxy inside it.

Seeing as the Arrowverse has already had its "Crisis On Infinite Earths", this is the character that (oddly enough) has the biggest possibility of already appearing.  As noted above, I've read nothing to indicate that it's appeared, but it isn't outside the realm of possibility.

Does it have a whole lot of depth or complexity? No, but it would be a cool moment for the team to come across it.  The series could even mirror JLU and have the team racing to stop a villain from going back to claim reality as their own.




5.  The Thanagarians


Hey, remember how the time masters said that Earth is eventually invaded and conquered by the winged alien species?  Yeah, the team should probably do something about that.  Dangling plot threads are bothersome and it would be nice to see this acknowledged after all this time.



So, there you have it.  It covers a lot of ground, giving the team various established DC periods to visit and heroes to encounter while also bringing some fan favorites into the fold.  I'm not sure I can get two more lists from this show like I did with Supergirl, but this one turned out pretty well in my opinion.  We'll have to see how well things fare as far as success rate goes. 

Click here to become an E-Poll member

Click here to become a Swagbucks member

Click here to join our Patreon

'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 4, Episode 2: 'Witch Hunt'

It turns out that John's encounter at the end of the last episode convinces him to have a change of heart and join the Legends in their quest to cleanse the timeline of magical creatures.Sure, he tries to paint it like he's doing them a favor, but viewers know the deal.

Most everybody's happy to have him aboard, though he and Mick do butt heads.  I was kind of surprised by it.  You'd think that the two snarky loners would bond over booze and sports.  The way it plays out, you can see the logic, but it was still surprising to me.

It's not quite as surprising as the Legends's adversary-du-jour.  Where the team faced a unicorn before, now they face off against a fairy godmother.  As was the case before, the episode juxtaposes the bright cheerful imagery normally associated with the figure with grim violence.  Admittedly, she's not quite as gruesome as the unicorn, but she does express a desire to rain down hellfire and brimstone.  At the same time, though, she lambastes previous hosts for being self serving (making a blatant and yet nonsensical reference to Cinderella in the process) and actually seems to like that Prudence, a young girl who's mother has been accused of witchcraft, cares about other people's well being.

Oddly enough, she's not really the villain.  I mean, she's not a hero by any stretch, but the real villain here is man.

It makes sense given the setting and, sadly, the lingo still resonates.  Still, the writing here was solid.  Zari chastises the townsfolk, but she also spends a lot of time appealing to the tenets of their faith, rather than lambaste them for it.  It doesn't work, but it was still a strong and sincere effort that is well sold by Ashe. 

Even when Zari lets her anger get the better of her, it still comes off as a genuine character moment.  Her subsequent realization that she was turning into what she hated and what the people feared made for a poignant moment in the episode.

Zari gets quite a lot of character here.  This episode follows up on the scene where she laments her inability to save her mom by putting her in a similar situation here.  It turns out that Prudence's mother is set to die and there's nothing the team can do if they want to keep the timeline intact.  It was a logical way to draw some conflict between the team and Prudence.

The episode doesn't really address this by the end.  Zari just tells Jane and Prudence that they need a change of scenery.  I thought Zari was going to send them both to Themyscira, but it isn't really explained how they managed to skirt that particular issue.

There's also a sub-plot where Nate tries to reconnect with his dad.  It seems like the progress made in the premiere is undone as the two can't really click.  The fact that both do work that requires secrecy doesn't help matters.

It's made worse when it's revealed that Ava has to go to him to ask for funding for the Time Bureau.  It's a bit of a contrived coincidence, but having Nate point out that he just had told his dad that he doesn't need his money before they go in validated it.

I never thought of the Time Bureau as a government thing.  It just seemed like one of those things that just exist in the show.  Actually, now that I think about it, didn't Rip put it together in the future?  I guess the Legends have changed the timeline enough that it now exists in the present as a government operation. Interesting note: the Time Bureau's budget is less than the Stargate program's.  It's a little strange, but there you go.

In any event, Nate's dad is skeptical.  It's played for laughs, but given that this is the Arrowverse and the agency has been approved funding before, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  It never even occurs to Nate to go into "Steel" mode until the last second and even then it seemed like it was done on accident after pig-Ray turned back into a (nude) human. What? It makes sense in context.

I'm getting the impression that Nate is leaving the show in the near future.  He opts to stay in the present and continue building his relationship with his dad.  True, his newfound position as a member of the time bureau (which is paid, unlike being a Legend) would allow him to continue to help, albeit in a different capacity, but it's just the vibe I'm getting.  It's a shame too, as his bond with Ray gets to shine here and he also clicks pretty well with Ava.

Overall, this was a solid episode that managed to balance humor, drama, and character rather effectively.  I am starting to worry that the show is getting a little too goofy, but it's still pretty entertaining overall.  I have to admit, I did get a kick out of Nate's inexplicable ability to communicate with Ray when he was still a pig.  So far, though, the fourth season is turning out pretty well.  We'll see how things play out going forward.

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'The Punisher' Episode 10: 'Virtue of the Vicious'

Lewis continues to wage his war by setting the pro-gun control senator from the last episode in his crosshairs.

Rather than pick up where the last left off, this jumps to the resolution and then proceeds to describe what happened via interviews and flashbacks.  It's a little disorienting at first, especially if it has been a while since you sat down to watch the show, but once you get the hang of it, the structure actually works out very well.

Sadly, a lot of Lewis' nuance is gone for most of the episode. He spends a majority of it nonchalantly headshotting random personnel and holding Karen hostage.

Thankfully, this is somewhat mitigated by the final standoff and the dialogue Frank has as he's trying to talk Lewis down.  The episode doesn't really have time to analyze Lewis, Frank, or their similarities and differences in great detail, but at least they weren't completely forgotten.

The tragic nature of Lewis' arc is brought to an abrupt, but still somewhat poignant end.  It was nice to see that degree of sympathy was still shown at his last moments.  Some reviews I read weren't too crazy about the opening scene where he tries to set a man's pet birds free after killing said man,but I thought it was a nice reminder that even in his crazed state, he's not pure evil.

It was also nice to see Frank and Karen's connection shine.  The two clearly get each other and care a great deal for one another. Both are able to say a lot with few words and it makes for some great scenes between the two.

Speaking of great scenes, the episode delivers on the action front. There are plenty of shootouts and explosions to keep the tension up.  Frank himself also shines.  Not only does he get to show off his badassery more than once, but he does so whilst taking quite a bit of punishment himself.  It shows just how much willpower the guy has when he has a need to get something done.

While the episode does wrap up the Lewis subplot, it also advances the main plot quite a bit.  Both Frank and Madani know about Russo's nefarious exploits.  The guy does try to deflect and use his charm (which the episode shows he has in spades while talking to Karen) but it is too little too late.  With only a few episodes left in the season and the show's side plot being wrapped up, it'll be interesting to see how things play out.

As noted, this episode does pick up where the last one left off.  At the same time, I thought it worked rather well as a stand alone.  Sure, Lewis' motivations were established in the last episode, but you can still watch this and pick up on that over the course of the episode. Said self containment also helps if you've been away a while and are just jumping back in.

All in all, this was a solid outing.  Both from a technical and from a casual viewer's standpoint, this episode worked well and brought a healthy dose of everything to the table. 

Click here to join our Patreon campaign

Click here to become a Swagbucks member

Click here to become an E-Poll member

Dragon Ball: The Next Generation

While Goku and Vegeta are incredibly popular and iconic characters, there does seem to be a growing desire to see the two to step back and either retire or go out in a blaze of glory.  I have to figure this desire comes from how much the two have overshadowed everybody else.

Now, this is an idea that the main story line has toyed with.  The latter half of "Dragon Ball Z" put a lot of emphasis on Goku's desire to pass the torch as Earth's primary defender.  This started during the Cell saga with Goku grooming his son, Gohan, to step in.  It had promise at the time.  By the arc's end, Gohan had actually hit a level that surpassed his dad and Goku showed some growth by choosing to stay dead due to his belief that he was drawing too much negative attention to Earth. 

Sadly, this backfired, as Gohan didn't train after and actually got weaker in the next major arc.  Nevertheless, even when Goku returned for a day to partake in a tournament, he made a point to try and stay in the back seat when Majin Buu got loose.  As he says, Buu wasn't his enemy to defeat.  He wanted the next generation to face it themselves. Vegeta had just nobly sacrificed himself to try and kill the monster, so it seemed like a prime opportunity for the young up and comers to shine.  They did try.  Gohan got a power up and Goten and Trunks learned the fusion technique, but it wasn't enough, and it fell to Goku and Vegeta to come back and save the day again.  Since then, they've more or less, stepped back into the role with little complaint.

But what would the next team look like, and how capable would they be of keeping the planet safe from whatever threats lurk out there?  Let's run through a possible roster and find out, shall we?

1.  Gohan

He's a natural pick, being Goku's oldest son and original heir to the mantle.  Thanks to a mystic power up from elder kai and some training from Piccolo, Gohan can hold his own against a Super Saiyan Blue Goku (though, who couldn't during that batch of episodes?) 

The thing is that Gohan has a problem in that he doesn't particularly want to train.  It was bad enough when he regressed in the Buu arc, but he makes the same mistake again and ends up getting blasted nearly to death by a newly resurrected Frieza in "Super".  He could barely even go Super Saiyan for crying out loud. 

If Gohan had wanted to retire from fighting and just be a dad, that would be his right, but when things happen he still comes out and puts himself on the front lines of Earth's defense.  That just seems like a bad combination.  He doesn't need to have Goku's and Vegeta's zeal and obsession, but he should at least try to maintain a status quo so that he can still contribute when things get dire. 

Between hearing about what Goku Black was doing and participating in the tournament of power, it seems like Gohan has found a balance between the two roles, but we'll have to see if it sticks this time around.


2.  Goten and Trunks

Both were able to achieve Super Saiyan at a very early age, showing a lot of promise for future challenges.  The flash forward at the end of 'Z' suggests that they aren't too keen on training too much, but I'm not sure that ending even fits anymore anyway.  Before the tournament of power begins, the two do seem to be fired up and want to train, so who knows what could happen?  Of course, the two also have to be allowed to age if they are going to join the team proper. 

If the two did find themselves in a tight spot, they could also use fusion to tip the scales in their favor.  True, Gotenks hasn't scored a win yet, but with more training and maturity, the fusion could be a force to be reckoned with.

3. Pan

Gohan's daughter has been shown to have a lot of potential in "Super" even as a toddler.  True, she wasn't portrayed well in GT, but that's it's own thing.  This would give the character an opportunity to make up for that particular misstep.

4. Bra/Bulla

The daughter of Vegeta, she could possibly play a role as well.  In GT, she was more of a valley girl. That persona could remain in tact, while still showing that she's a capable and determined fighter.  It would be an interesting way to play a member of the new dragon team and make her stand out a bit more from her compatriots and predecessors.


Now, you might be thinking that these are all Saiyan related characters.  That doesn't really fix the franchise's problem, now, does it?  Don't worry, the cast is about to get more diverse.


5.  Uub

Dragon Ball Z ended with Goku taking a new protege under his wing.  Said protege was a young boy named Uub.  As the name suggests, he is the good reincarnation of Kid Buu that Goku wished for before the spirit bomb vaporized the mass murdering monster. 

Kid Buu was already formidable enough, but from what I read on TvTropes, the Moro arc in the "Dragon Ball Super" manga establishes Kid Buu had god-level power.  If you think about it isn't that far-fetched, as he had killed several of them back in the day.  In any event, this means that Uub could step up and possibly fill Goku's shoes even better than originally thought.

Like Pan, he was a missed opportunity in GT that can be redeemed.  Of course, for this to happen, the story has to move past the end of "Z" and "Super" doesn't seem too keen on doing that.  There was a mention of Uub in one episode, but it's hard to bring him into the story when it's already established that he hasn't shown up yet and has no idea who the main characters are.


6. Marron

The daughter of 18 and Krillin may seem like an odd pick at first.  Unlike Saiyan genetics, she can't exactly inherit the strength that 18's tech affords her. That doesn't make any sense. The two can train her, sure, but that has limits.  In a recent video, MasakoX put forth the idea that she could be a kind of technomancer, having a connection to technology.

It's an interesting idea and it would be unique, but I think the better way to go would be to take a cue from his "What if Bulma trained like Goku?" series and have Marron augment her training with a high tech suit of armor.  Between 18 offering insight into how her own infinity engine works and having close contact to Bulma's wealth and resources, they could put together a formidable accessory for the fighter.


7.  Piccolo Jr. Jr.

I have no idea what the Namekian life span is.  It's quite possible that the Piccolo we know and love could keep fighting without too much fuss.  He is a popular character that has managed to maintain a degree of relevance despite the power gap.  Still, him having a child of his own seems like an interesting idea.  The species reproduces asexually if I recall correctly, so it wouldn't be too hard to pull off.  Where he helped mentor Gohan, Gohan could help mentor the newborn Namekian.  It would make for an interesting role reversal and it would add a bit more flavor to the Z-team. 


8.  Tien's disciples.

"Super" did Tien dirty, but it did establish that he has taken on a mentor role and had started his own dojo.  Granted, the pupils didn't get the best showing, but we have no idea how long they had been training.  Given time, they could turn things around. 

Even if they were only able to match Tien at best, they could compensate by using strength in numbers and strong team work.  Look at what the Trio de Dangers did when they worked in tandem. The same idea could be put to use here and have the group's power become more than the sum of its parts.


So, what do you guys think?  Is this team up to facing the still growing threats that are out there?  Is it too big? Too Saiyan focused?  Are there additions that I missed?  Feel free to weigh in in the comments below.





Click here to join our Patreon campaign

'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 4, Episode 1: 'The Virgin Gary'

Where the last season ended with an ominous warning about more dark forces being let loose, this season opens with things going pretty well for our time traveling heroes.  It's been five months, the last of the anachronisms has been returned, and Sara and Ava are, once again, in a happy relationship.

Admittedly, the team does express boredom over the lack of impending peril, but it is nice to see things calm and happy, if only for a short while.

Sure enough, the dark forces that Constantine had alluded to rear their malevolent heads, at Woodstock, no less.

Yeah, the setting gives the cast a chance to play dress up and rub shoulders with some prominent musical legends, but the backdrop actually works really well given the entity that they have to confront...a unicorn.

It isn't the most complex or menacing villain the team has faced, but the show puts it to good use, contrasting the usual bright, happy, colorful imagery associated with the beast and the more macabre aspects of its behavior, namely goring people and eating their hearts.

Given the environment, it should come as no surprise that a large portion of the team ends up high as a kite (courtesy of a mystical ability of the unicorn). Having the team trip balls is something that the show has done before, but it works well here.  It fits the setting perfectly and the gags are good for a laugh.  The conversation between Nate and Mick when they both think that they're talking to other people probably ranks as the best of the bunch, but the others are not without their own charm and entertainment factors.

The show does try to provide some character advancement with mixed results.  The sub-plot with Nate and his dad didn't resonate as well as the writers might have hoped.  It came and went too quickly.  It does seem like Nate and Mick are bonding a bit, with the pair attempting to embark on a crime spree together.  Nate steering them to his parents' house was a bit predictable, as he's not the type, but the fact that Mick invited him along speaks volumes.

Ray's pining over Nora is understandable, but there wasn't much in the way of progression.  Zari does make a direct comparison of Darhk's daughter to their adversary, but beyond that, the main standout is Ray making out with a tree (it makes sense in context...sort of.)

As far as character moments go, the MVP's are Sara and Ava.  Their relationship is still adorable and it's good to see them grow together.  There is even talk of the two moving in together.  While Constantine's arrival does somewhat hinder things, the two actually manage to work out their doubts and issues by having an honest discussion about what's going on and how they want things to play out.  Not only is it a great scene, but it subverts the usual Arrowverse trope of creating forced, overdrawn, drama. 

Constantine himself is still a welcome addition.  I did enjoy the little nod to his own series when he talks about how the darkness is rising.  Beyond that, he's still nailing the role.  On the one hand, John is a loner by nature, but his appearances in prior episodes suggested he actually liked galavanting about with the team. He gets on well enough with them, though he does make a distinction between friends and roommates.  Even Sara seems a bit perplexed as to why John is acting the way he is, probably going to act as fodder for the season as it progresses.

All in all, this episode didn't break any new ground, but it did its job of picking up where the last season left off and setting things up for what's to come.  It gives viewers just what they would come to expect from the show at this point.  It did get a little too meta at points (Ray's comments about ratings seemed a little forced to me) but it is very aware of what it is and just has fun with the concept. 

Click here to join our Patreon campaign