When we last left off, our heroes had broken time by creating a massive paradox. The result wasn't unlike what we saw on "Doctor Who" when the titular doctor tried to avoid his own unavoidable death. You'd think that this would be the story arc for the season, but alas, the episode cleans up the mess rather briskly.
Honestly, I kind of get it. If time had remained broken, fans would constantly wonder why we never saw any repercussions on "Arrow" or "The Flash". Seeing Ollie and crew fight a dinosaur would have been cool, but it's a little out of place.
It isn't the Legends who fix the mess, however. It turns out that Rip has formed a new successor to the Time Masters. They serve primarily to act as a more competent and professional foil to the team. It's kind of like what the JSA was supposed to do, but this group comes off looking better. They talk smack, but you can understand why they don't think highly of the Legends. Even Rip seems to have lost faith in them. His barbs are the sharpest ones just because he had the close bond with the group. He even acknowledges that he's the one who brought them together before effectively relieving them of duty.
Like the end of the first season, this episode shows the team going through a malaise after trying to settle back into the present day. I still have a hard time buying it, though. They're still superheroes. Nate's the only one who acknowledges this and decides to keep going in Central City, even forming a friend/partnership with Kid Flash. Everyone else just kind of wanders off.
The bits with Sara working a crummy retail job were funny, but I don't get why she had to do it. She's in Star City, why not reunite with her friends and family there? Her dad would be happy to see her and I'm sure Oliver could bring her on as some sort of adviser. Not to mention the possibility of seeing the White Canary join Team Arrow.
It's not all bad news, however. Martin's going to be a grandfather. It was a nice reveal and it leads to a bit of tension as he now wants to settle down, whereas Jefferson wants to keep being a time traveling superhero. Again, the prospect of continuing to be Firestorm in the present never comes up, but it ends up being a moot point.
Mick also finally makes it to Aruba. He seemed to be enjoying himself until Julius Caesar got in the way. While he's not the show's most memorable villain, he served his purpose in giving the team a reason to get back together and a chance to prove themselves.
Sure, Caesar does end up changing the course of history in a "Back to the Future part II"esque way, but it's an afterthought. Instead, the episode puts its focus on the characters themselves and it works out rather well.
The episode is fun and entertaining from beginning to end. We got to see a lot of great character interactions, a changing dynamic for the team, and the action sequences were also well done. The big fight between Caesar's army and the team was appropriately epic and had its fair share of highlights, but I think fans will remember Caesar's one on one bouts with both Mick and Sara more in the long term.
Credit to him, Caesar held his own against Mick. Or you could commend Mick for holding his own against Caesar. Either way, it made for a fun brawl. Sadly, the Roman Emperor's skills were no match for a former League of Assassins member, leading to a curbstomp battle.
The episode also made sure to deliver a healthy dose of humor. The banter was on point (as per usual) and there were some great bits throughout. I already mentioned Sara in retail, but we also see the Time Bureau referencing Legends tactics in a derogatory light and Caesar attempt to galvanize an army of drunken frat-bros. It makes sense in context, but how many shows can present such a scenario and have it fit and make sense.
There was a missed opportunity to follow up on the last season's cliffhanger, but the episode managed to establish a new course that looks to be promising. We have a new foil, a stronger bond between the crew, and even a quick mention of a big bad looming on the horizon. It made for a solid season opener and I'm looking forward to getting back up to speed on this, and the other "Arrowverse" shows.
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