After some one and done stories, the ongoing story arc resumes as Damien Darhk rears his head in the 80's. It leads to a lot of fun nods to the time period. Heck, the episode opens with a homage to Miami Vice.
While the Reagan administration is used as a backdrop for the plot, the episode manages to avoid getting too soap boxy. There is, however, quite a lot of debating going on, which I suppose is fitting.
Jackson, for example, wants to step up their game and change history as opposed to just maintaining it. You can understand his point, and the intention is certainly noble, but that sort of rhetoric has also made way for many a super villain. At the same time, Stein's assertion that they need to worry about the butterfly effect also comes off as hollow considering how many times the team has cut loose over the course of the series.
Sadly, it isn't given much focus as the episode has many other aspects to explore. It was kind of disappointing to see Amaya regress to the colder, more detached persona, as she chides the team for their chumminess. It's consistent with the JSA as seen here, but it's a far cry from the comic team, that took the Titan approach and viewed it as more of a family than a team. Again, she warms up at the end, but it seems like a journey that was already taken.
Even the concept of the JSA being a legacy is tossed aside, as we see that the team disbanded soon after the war. To be fair, I'm OK with this development. If it were suddenly revealed that the team was still active, it would have pushed suspension of disbelief too far. It's said that the team operated under deep cover, but it still would have been a hard pill to swallow that there was a team of superheroes this whole time, even before Oliver and Barry rose to influence.
On the plus side, we get to see Lance Henrikson as an older Obsidian. It would have been nice for him to get more screen time, but he manages to do a lot with what he has.
The episode picks up a few dangling plot threads, such as Sara's desire for revenge for Laurel. It makes sense and, once again, her desire gets the team in trouble. Luckily, she is aware enough to acknowledge the mistake and try to avoid it, albeit temporarily.
Stein once again running into himself didn't work as well. It didn't really do anything that wasn't already done when they had met previously. Honestly, it would have been nice to see that time focused elsewhere.
Mick actually got to shine this week. Normally, he's just comic relief and he's great at it, but Purcell got to show some actual depth as we see that Mick is still mourning the loss of his old partner. It's one of the more memorable parts of the episode, in all honesty.
It was also interesting to see how this episode still managed to tie in the events from last season of Arrow despite technically taking place before it. Sure, Damien is unaware, but Thawne makes a reference to the ark and how that plays out and Sara goes into much greater detail as a way to break him.
It almost worked, except now Damien wants to change things, leading to him forming a more official alliance with Thawne. If the intent is to "fix" the events from Arrow's fourth season, this could be the means Sara needs (or the writers need) to bring her sister back.
I do find it a bit strange that immortal characters are repeatedly given access to time travel. First Vandal, now Damien. It seems redundant, as Darhk can play the long game, but going back is certainly an asset. Watching McDonough play off himself would be interesting to see, I'm not going to lie.
We're still not sure what Thawne's end game is. Darhk is a bit clearer, he's begun his quest to collect potentially powerful artifacts, presumably to combat the metas who now plague him. This lends credence to the self fulfilling prophecy I mentioned before.
The episode was a fun watch, but I don't know if it will go down as one of the season's highlights. Things moved forward on several fronts, but there weren't as many stand out moments as other episodes had delivered.
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Friday, November 11, 2016
Monday, November 7, 2016
'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 2, Episode 4: 'Abominations'
The team travels to 1863 to respond to a distress signal from a time pirate. It seems simple enough, but things get more complicated when the team discovers zombies. Zombies tend to complicate things.
It makes for a fun episode, as we see that Stein suffers from a severe phobia regarding flesh eating corpses. Said fear only gets worse when Mick is infected and it is up to he and Ray to cure him. Garber is given some solid comedic material, but the scenes also offer some solid horror aspects. Many of the scenes take place in dimly lit hallways, the pair are confined to the ship until a cure can be administered, and when Zombie-Mick does appear, his eyes get an eerie glow. It worked really well, especially given the fact that it aired right around Halloween.
As the episode takes place during the Civil War, it should come as no surprise that, much like 'Night of the Hawk', it tackles the issue of racism. Where that episode was eye-roll inducing and annoying, this one is incredibly effective, becoming moving and powerful as a result. The episode is much better written and, as such, the obstacles feel a lot more natural as opposed to having the characters do something simply because the plot needs them to in order to start preaching.
It did give Jax a bit of an internal struggle, as he initially put more focus on preserving the timeline as opposed to helping people in the short term. It seems like Rip had a bigger impact on him than he thought. It does differ from the venture into future Star City, as that was only a possible timeline, where as Jax's situation requires him to protect an already established timeline. Still, at face value, he isn't entirely wrong, butterfly effect and all that. Still, given what the team's done at this point, the timeline's all kinds of wonky anyway. The dilemma also gives Amaya a chance to show her heroic spirit and bring Jax into the "save people now" mentality.
Last season, I used to chide episodes where everybody split off into various subplots, but this episode (as well as a couple before it) have done a much better job of justifying the splits and giving them the room they need to function.
It actually built up tension here as many heroes were put at a disadvantage. While it would have been cool to see the whole team take on a massive zombie horde, I get why they decided to go this route.
At the very least, we see Sara and Nate having to contend with said horde, as it attempts to overrun Ulysses S. Grant's camp. You'd think that Nate's ability would give them a distinct advantage, but it never really comes up until the final gambit.
I do wish Grant got more to do. As he's unfamiliar with zombies, he's fairly limited in his ability to contribute to the problem at hand. However, his final scene manages to do quite a lot for him, as we see him offering food, shelter, and aid to newly liberated slaves and follow that by having a heart to heart with Sara about how to handle the burden of commanding people who are putting their own lives at risk. I just wish the episode gave him more moments like that throughout the episode as opposed to just giving him a really good send off.
Alas, there isn't much in the way of ongoing arc material. There's a brief scene where we hear a part (though still not all) of future Barry's warning. I was convinced that it had to do with Reverse Flash, but given his line about a war coming, this could be building up to the big three and a half part crossover concerning the Dominators, maybe even tieing into what Alchemy is doing over on "The Flash".
There is follow up about Ray concerning his lack of suit. While he was able to contribute by playing medic here, Mick helps Ray deal with the existential crisis by offering him Snart's gun. I'm kind of surprised that there was no talk of a new suit. I do wonder how long "Ray as new Captain Cold" is going to last, but given how chummy he and Mick are now, it seems like it could be interesting to see.
This episode covered the emotional gamut, providing dark, real world horror, over the top zombie horror, comedy, and several heart warming moments. You'd think that it would lead to mood whiplash or inconsistency, but it actually made for a very well balanced episode. It never gets so dark that it becomes grim, but the comedy doesn't undermine the serious nature of what's on display either.
All in all, it made for an entertaining one and done. All of the characters got a chance to shine in some capacity and it allowed for some nice character development along the way.
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It makes for a fun episode, as we see that Stein suffers from a severe phobia regarding flesh eating corpses. Said fear only gets worse when Mick is infected and it is up to he and Ray to cure him. Garber is given some solid comedic material, but the scenes also offer some solid horror aspects. Many of the scenes take place in dimly lit hallways, the pair are confined to the ship until a cure can be administered, and when Zombie-Mick does appear, his eyes get an eerie glow. It worked really well, especially given the fact that it aired right around Halloween.
As the episode takes place during the Civil War, it should come as no surprise that, much like 'Night of the Hawk', it tackles the issue of racism. Where that episode was eye-roll inducing and annoying, this one is incredibly effective, becoming moving and powerful as a result. The episode is much better written and, as such, the obstacles feel a lot more natural as opposed to having the characters do something simply because the plot needs them to in order to start preaching.
It did give Jax a bit of an internal struggle, as he initially put more focus on preserving the timeline as opposed to helping people in the short term. It seems like Rip had a bigger impact on him than he thought. It does differ from the venture into future Star City, as that was only a possible timeline, where as Jax's situation requires him to protect an already established timeline. Still, at face value, he isn't entirely wrong, butterfly effect and all that. Still, given what the team's done at this point, the timeline's all kinds of wonky anyway. The dilemma also gives Amaya a chance to show her heroic spirit and bring Jax into the "save people now" mentality.
Last season, I used to chide episodes where everybody split off into various subplots, but this episode (as well as a couple before it) have done a much better job of justifying the splits and giving them the room they need to function.
It actually built up tension here as many heroes were put at a disadvantage. While it would have been cool to see the whole team take on a massive zombie horde, I get why they decided to go this route.
At the very least, we see Sara and Nate having to contend with said horde, as it attempts to overrun Ulysses S. Grant's camp. You'd think that Nate's ability would give them a distinct advantage, but it never really comes up until the final gambit.
I do wish Grant got more to do. As he's unfamiliar with zombies, he's fairly limited in his ability to contribute to the problem at hand. However, his final scene manages to do quite a lot for him, as we see him offering food, shelter, and aid to newly liberated slaves and follow that by having a heart to heart with Sara about how to handle the burden of commanding people who are putting their own lives at risk. I just wish the episode gave him more moments like that throughout the episode as opposed to just giving him a really good send off.
Alas, there isn't much in the way of ongoing arc material. There's a brief scene where we hear a part (though still not all) of future Barry's warning. I was convinced that it had to do with Reverse Flash, but given his line about a war coming, this could be building up to the big three and a half part crossover concerning the Dominators, maybe even tieing into what Alchemy is doing over on "The Flash".
There is follow up about Ray concerning his lack of suit. While he was able to contribute by playing medic here, Mick helps Ray deal with the existential crisis by offering him Snart's gun. I'm kind of surprised that there was no talk of a new suit. I do wonder how long "Ray as new Captain Cold" is going to last, but given how chummy he and Mick are now, it seems like it could be interesting to see.
This episode covered the emotional gamut, providing dark, real world horror, over the top zombie horror, comedy, and several heart warming moments. You'd think that it would lead to mood whiplash or inconsistency, but it actually made for a very well balanced episode. It never gets so dark that it becomes grim, but the comedy doesn't undermine the serious nature of what's on display either.
All in all, it made for an entertaining one and done. All of the characters got a chance to shine in some capacity and it allowed for some nice character development along the way.
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'Dragon Ball Super' episode 65: 'Final Judgment!? The Supreme God's Ultimate Power'
Now invincible and capable of infinitely increasing his power, the newly fused Zamasu is more than a little drunk on this new form. Odd as it may sound, the kai develops one of the most extreme god complexes you're likely to see.
The episode really plays up his god form too, with all sorts of religious imagery and rhetoric. Zamasu spends a lot of the episode hovering in the air with his arms out in a Christ pose, his attacks all have Biblical-style names now, and he even gives himself a halo, not to mention all the references to being light or bringing light. It really gave the episode a bona fide apocalyptic feel.
In the face of this, the resilience of the human/mortal spirit really comes to the forefront. The more obvious instance is the saiyan's refusal to surrender, but even the human survivors get some highlights. They don't contribute to the fight in the same way they had before, but when they see someone get blasted to death when they're trying to escape the tunnels and have to send somebody out to do recon to make sure it's OK, every single person offers to go themselves. It's slightly undercut (though still funny) when they all immediately agree to let Yajirobe go when he offers, but it was still a really nice moment.
The saiyans themselves also get some great highlights as they wage battle against a foe that even Gowasu and Supreme Kai note is absurdly powerful.
We get not one, but two "beams o'war" as Zamasu attempts to finally destroy the world in one foul swoop. Trunks puts up a valiant effort on his own, which is impressive considering Zamasu overpowered both Goku and Vegeta in Blue form with ease, but with Vegeta's aid, the two are able to repel the attack.
I was expecting Goku to join in too, but just seeing the father and son blasting alongside each other was still pretty epic. Vegeta jumping in front of Trunks to take a hit was also an incredibly effective moment, both awesome and heartwarming in its own right.
Goku gets his own when Zamasu just tries it again. Considering he's doing on his own what it took two incredibly powerful warriors to do, it really shows what Goku can do.
The climactic blast off also makes for the episode cliffhanger, as the episode pulls a "Lost" and ends with a bright flash of white light. If you didn't watch the preview for the next episode, it was rather effective, but if you did, it loses some of its luster.
Again, we're given a highly enjoyable episode. It seems like they're pulling out all the stops. You wouldn't think it possible by this point, but it really does feel like the stakes have never been higher. It seems like we're reaching the end of the saga, but what an ending it's turning out to be. I kind of feel bad for whatever arc has to follow this, but for now, we can just look forward to the next episode to see the cataclysmic battle between good and evil, gods and mortals continue.
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The episode really plays up his god form too, with all sorts of religious imagery and rhetoric. Zamasu spends a lot of the episode hovering in the air with his arms out in a Christ pose, his attacks all have Biblical-style names now, and he even gives himself a halo, not to mention all the references to being light or bringing light. It really gave the episode a bona fide apocalyptic feel.
In the face of this, the resilience of the human/mortal spirit really comes to the forefront. The more obvious instance is the saiyan's refusal to surrender, but even the human survivors get some highlights. They don't contribute to the fight in the same way they had before, but when they see someone get blasted to death when they're trying to escape the tunnels and have to send somebody out to do recon to make sure it's OK, every single person offers to go themselves. It's slightly undercut (though still funny) when they all immediately agree to let Yajirobe go when he offers, but it was still a really nice moment.
The saiyans themselves also get some great highlights as they wage battle against a foe that even Gowasu and Supreme Kai note is absurdly powerful.
We get not one, but two "beams o'war" as Zamasu attempts to finally destroy the world in one foul swoop. Trunks puts up a valiant effort on his own, which is impressive considering Zamasu overpowered both Goku and Vegeta in Blue form with ease, but with Vegeta's aid, the two are able to repel the attack.
I was expecting Goku to join in too, but just seeing the father and son blasting alongside each other was still pretty epic. Vegeta jumping in front of Trunks to take a hit was also an incredibly effective moment, both awesome and heartwarming in its own right.
Goku gets his own when Zamasu just tries it again. Considering he's doing on his own what it took two incredibly powerful warriors to do, it really shows what Goku can do.
The climactic blast off also makes for the episode cliffhanger, as the episode pulls a "Lost" and ends with a bright flash of white light. If you didn't watch the preview for the next episode, it was rather effective, but if you did, it loses some of its luster.
Again, we're given a highly enjoyable episode. It seems like they're pulling out all the stops. You wouldn't think it possible by this point, but it really does feel like the stakes have never been higher. It seems like we're reaching the end of the saga, but what an ending it's turning out to be. I kind of feel bad for whatever arc has to follow this, but for now, we can just look forward to the next episode to see the cataclysmic battle between good and evil, gods and mortals continue.
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Thursday, November 3, 2016
'Luke Cage' episode 7: 'Manifest'
The open and shut case regarding Stokes is closed, though not in the way you'd think. I know, having the rich, well connected villain dodge the charges is a common plot device, but this still felt abrupt; especially after the last episode made it look like the legal system had the organization dead to rights on multiple crimes. It does feel like the "status quo is god" trope is kicking in hard.
On the plus side, having Stokes out gives Mahershala Ali a chance to have some fun. He really does steal the show here. I think the major highlight is his little palaver with Luke. True, he can't physically harm his nemesis, but he does have leverage, which he dangles over Luke's head to get him to stay out of it.
It allows him to get his confident swagger back, but also put on a faux affable front. On top of that, he gets some legitimately funny one liners in there. You'd think making the villain a wise cracker would undercut the menace, but it worked well here.
The episode also gives us a glimpse into his upbringing. Not surprisingly, the contrast between the past and present personas of Cornell is striking to say the least. Suffice it to say, the influence of "Mama Mabel" was quite strong.
Even though she didn't have a ton of screen time, she still made a lasting impression. Just the sight of her nonchalantly chopping off some kid's finger really tells you all you need to know. A part of me wishes the show could find a way to make her the main antagonist because...damn.
I'm not sure I buy the idea that Cornell never wanted the "gangster" life. We see that he was a musical prodigy and it does give him some depth, but it isn't like he "had" to do this. He could have gone straight and just run the club as a legitimate enterprise. If anything, he basked in the role of bad guy.
It probably wouldn't be that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, but the episode makes it a big deal when, all of a sudden, there's resentment between Cornell and Mariah regarding her ability to escape the life of crime. It escalates quickly and makes for a decent "wham moment" but it really does come out of left field.
Luke isn't left completely in the dust, as he too has an arc of sorts. True, it's yet another iteration of him deciding whether or not he wants to be a hero, but it works better than you'd think. It could have easily come off as redundant wheel spinning, but the episode does a solid job of explaining why. Between the speed in which Stokes was back on the streets and the threat of going back to prison, you can understand why Luke would want to retreat into obscurity.
Thankfully, Claire is there to keep the heroic fire burning. It was nice to see some nods to Daredevil. More specifically, I did like Claire's allusion to knowing a lawyer friend. Matt is traditionally the go-to lawyer for superheroes, so it's nice to see that come into play here. I doubt he'll actually appear, but we are seeing some groundwork for the Defenders being laid.
Where the last episode's ending didn't really do much to leave you hanging, this one manages to pick pu the slack. After seeing Luke's skin deflect all manner of ammunitions and weapons, he is finally struck with a Judas bullet, which succeeds in wounding him. On the plus side, Claire is right there, but things aren't looking good.
Speaking of, I did find it a bit odd that Diamondback was hesitant to sell Stokes the Judas bullet because of Stokes' conflict with Cage, but dealing with Cage was the main reason he wanted the bullet in the first place. It's a bit of circular irony that was, sadly, never brought up.
All in all, this episode was a mixed bag. There were notable highlights, to be sure, but there were areas where it didn't work as well as it could have for me. At the very least, it does change up the status quo significantly by the episode's end as we move into the second half of the season.
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On the plus side, having Stokes out gives Mahershala Ali a chance to have some fun. He really does steal the show here. I think the major highlight is his little palaver with Luke. True, he can't physically harm his nemesis, but he does have leverage, which he dangles over Luke's head to get him to stay out of it.
It allows him to get his confident swagger back, but also put on a faux affable front. On top of that, he gets some legitimately funny one liners in there. You'd think making the villain a wise cracker would undercut the menace, but it worked well here.
The episode also gives us a glimpse into his upbringing. Not surprisingly, the contrast between the past and present personas of Cornell is striking to say the least. Suffice it to say, the influence of "Mama Mabel" was quite strong.
Even though she didn't have a ton of screen time, she still made a lasting impression. Just the sight of her nonchalantly chopping off some kid's finger really tells you all you need to know. A part of me wishes the show could find a way to make her the main antagonist because...damn.
I'm not sure I buy the idea that Cornell never wanted the "gangster" life. We see that he was a musical prodigy and it does give him some depth, but it isn't like he "had" to do this. He could have gone straight and just run the club as a legitimate enterprise. If anything, he basked in the role of bad guy.
It probably wouldn't be that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, but the episode makes it a big deal when, all of a sudden, there's resentment between Cornell and Mariah regarding her ability to escape the life of crime. It escalates quickly and makes for a decent "wham moment" but it really does come out of left field.
Luke isn't left completely in the dust, as he too has an arc of sorts. True, it's yet another iteration of him deciding whether or not he wants to be a hero, but it works better than you'd think. It could have easily come off as redundant wheel spinning, but the episode does a solid job of explaining why. Between the speed in which Stokes was back on the streets and the threat of going back to prison, you can understand why Luke would want to retreat into obscurity.
Thankfully, Claire is there to keep the heroic fire burning. It was nice to see some nods to Daredevil. More specifically, I did like Claire's allusion to knowing a lawyer friend. Matt is traditionally the go-to lawyer for superheroes, so it's nice to see that come into play here. I doubt he'll actually appear, but we are seeing some groundwork for the Defenders being laid.
Where the last episode's ending didn't really do much to leave you hanging, this one manages to pick pu the slack. After seeing Luke's skin deflect all manner of ammunitions and weapons, he is finally struck with a Judas bullet, which succeeds in wounding him. On the plus side, Claire is right there, but things aren't looking good.
Speaking of, I did find it a bit odd that Diamondback was hesitant to sell Stokes the Judas bullet because of Stokes' conflict with Cage, but dealing with Cage was the main reason he wanted the bullet in the first place. It's a bit of circular irony that was, sadly, never brought up.
All in all, this episode was a mixed bag. There were notable highlights, to be sure, but there were areas where it didn't work as well as it could have for me. At the very least, it does change up the status quo significantly by the episode's end as we move into the second half of the season.
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Monday, October 31, 2016
'Dragon Ball Super' episode 64: 'Revere Him! Praise Him! Fusion Zamasu's Explosive Birth!'
It wasn't too long ago that Black appeared to be an unbeatable opponent. The arrival of an invincible Zamasu only made the heroes' chance of victory that much slimmer. Lately, though, the two saiyans have done a commendable job of turning the tables. Vegeta legitimately has Black on the ropes; and while Goku isn't doing any real damage to Zamasu, he is keeping the god occupied to protect Vegeta, as well as allow Bulma and Trunks to implement the long term plan.
You'd think that seeing the villains on the losing end would rob them of some of their menace, but the episode does a solid job of keeping that intact. Befitting an episode released the day before Halloween, both Black and Zamasu bring the creepy through their dialogue and mannerisms.
While Black's deduction that Vegeta's surge in power is due to anger at seeing Trunks hurt is incorrect, it does yield some results as it gives Black an idea that allows him to tap into an even greater power. Seeing as saiyans have surged in strength due to anger in the past, you can't fault him for coming to this conclusion. At first it looked like he was taking his masochism to a new level, maiming himself for the sake of a power boost, but in the end, he's just "forging" a new weapon.
At first, the scythe may not be that impressive. Even the fact that it can shoot energy beams may feel kind of "meh" to some, but the true display of Black's newfound power comes when we see that said beam has caused some sort of rip in space/time.
Even Black himself says that he doesn't know what it is, putting forth a handful of theories, such as the idea that they are looking into another universe or perhaps the far future or past. From the look of it, it seems more like the void between universes, but it's never really made clear. Black's suggestion that it is, in fact, his anger made manifest seems like the most viable conclusion, as smoke monster doppelgangers of Black start appearing, putting Goku and Vegeta once again on the defensive. The fact that it later disappears when Black shifts his attention elsewhere also lends credence to the idea.
In any event, this frees up Zamasu to go after Trunks and Bulma, which only makes things worse. She is still working on the time machine and Trunks doesn't know the technique necessary to imprison Zamasu.
Fortunately, Bulma was ready for that as she reveals that she made a video where Piccolo displays the attack. Not only was it a nice callback to Bulma's offer to hear his instructions when Goku left, but it showed nice foresight in having a plan B. It also gives Piccolo a chance to lend support even though he can't really help in the fight directly.
Even Bulma does what she can, stalling Zamasu in order to give Trunks time to learn the attack. I wasn't sure what her plan was, but we see that she just shamelessly flirts with him. Honestly, it wasn't the worst plan, feeding his ego and showing deference to his status as god seems like as good a way to appease his homicidal desires as any, but alas it doesn't work (or did it?)
You figure that Bulma's not really dead, but the episode does a decent fake out, as we only see her unconscious. Normally, you might see a hand twitch or something to indicate that she's just hurt, but she doesn't move at all. Suffice it to say, Trunks doesn't take it well, flashing back to the death of his timeline's Bulma. This pushes him into a rage and drives him to use the technique to banish Zamasu once and for all.
Despite the technique being difficult and highly dangerous, Trunks pulls it off without a hitch. Even Zamasu is caught off guard as he is coerced into the pot.
All that's left is to attach the seal to keep him in....Oh, oh no....
Now, I thought that they would reveal that the seal was still on the time machine, thus it was destroyed, but we see instead that they left it Master Roshi's house. I don't recall forgetfulness ever being this much of a problem for these characters, but it really has plagued them in this arc. First with the senzu beans and now this. It's amusing, no doubt, but it is a little strange.
Credit to the pot, it holds up much better than I thought it would; especially considering it's held together by super glue. It's only a matter of time, though, before Zamasu breaks out. I'm not sure if it's the fact that the mortals actually got the drop on him or he saw things while in that prison, but Zamasu seems legitimately spooked by what just happened. Even Black notes that something is up when he arrives to act as reinforcements.
It's here where the episode brings it's closing wham moment. Black and Zamasu decide to stop screwing around and Zamasu puts his earring on the other ear, bringing the two villains together into one being. I get why they saved this for the episode cliffhanger, but it probably would have had more of an impact if the episode's title didn't give it away right off the bat.
Still, having the whole thing set to Black's theme worked well. The overlapping voices also made for a nice creepy effect as the heroes bore witness to the birth of....Black Zamasu? (No, he's not black!) Zamasu Squared? Blamasu? Zamasack? I guess we'll have to tune in next week to find out.
This episode was highly enjoyable. It kept up the suspense and allowed Black to regain some of the unsettling traits that made him such a great villain.
With the plan in shambles and the villain more powerful than ever, things are looking grim, but it'll be interesting to see how the heroes turn the tide. I don't see them making yet another trip back to the past to get a new vessel and trying the mafuba technique again, but with an invincible opponent, they may have to.
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You'd think that seeing the villains on the losing end would rob them of some of their menace, but the episode does a solid job of keeping that intact. Befitting an episode released the day before Halloween, both Black and Zamasu bring the creepy through their dialogue and mannerisms.
While Black's deduction that Vegeta's surge in power is due to anger at seeing Trunks hurt is incorrect, it does yield some results as it gives Black an idea that allows him to tap into an even greater power. Seeing as saiyans have surged in strength due to anger in the past, you can't fault him for coming to this conclusion. At first it looked like he was taking his masochism to a new level, maiming himself for the sake of a power boost, but in the end, he's just "forging" a new weapon.
At first, the scythe may not be that impressive. Even the fact that it can shoot energy beams may feel kind of "meh" to some, but the true display of Black's newfound power comes when we see that said beam has caused some sort of rip in space/time.
Even Black himself says that he doesn't know what it is, putting forth a handful of theories, such as the idea that they are looking into another universe or perhaps the far future or past. From the look of it, it seems more like the void between universes, but it's never really made clear. Black's suggestion that it is, in fact, his anger made manifest seems like the most viable conclusion, as smoke monster doppelgangers of Black start appearing, putting Goku and Vegeta once again on the defensive. The fact that it later disappears when Black shifts his attention elsewhere also lends credence to the idea.
In any event, this frees up Zamasu to go after Trunks and Bulma, which only makes things worse. She is still working on the time machine and Trunks doesn't know the technique necessary to imprison Zamasu.
Fortunately, Bulma was ready for that as she reveals that she made a video where Piccolo displays the attack. Not only was it a nice callback to Bulma's offer to hear his instructions when Goku left, but it showed nice foresight in having a plan B. It also gives Piccolo a chance to lend support even though he can't really help in the fight directly.
Even Bulma does what she can, stalling Zamasu in order to give Trunks time to learn the attack. I wasn't sure what her plan was, but we see that she just shamelessly flirts with him. Honestly, it wasn't the worst plan, feeding his ego and showing deference to his status as god seems like as good a way to appease his homicidal desires as any, but alas it doesn't work (or did it?)
You figure that Bulma's not really dead, but the episode does a decent fake out, as we only see her unconscious. Normally, you might see a hand twitch or something to indicate that she's just hurt, but she doesn't move at all. Suffice it to say, Trunks doesn't take it well, flashing back to the death of his timeline's Bulma. This pushes him into a rage and drives him to use the technique to banish Zamasu once and for all.
Despite the technique being difficult and highly dangerous, Trunks pulls it off without a hitch. Even Zamasu is caught off guard as he is coerced into the pot.
All that's left is to attach the seal to keep him in....Oh, oh no....
Now, I thought that they would reveal that the seal was still on the time machine, thus it was destroyed, but we see instead that they left it Master Roshi's house. I don't recall forgetfulness ever being this much of a problem for these characters, but it really has plagued them in this arc. First with the senzu beans and now this. It's amusing, no doubt, but it is a little strange.
Credit to the pot, it holds up much better than I thought it would; especially considering it's held together by super glue. It's only a matter of time, though, before Zamasu breaks out. I'm not sure if it's the fact that the mortals actually got the drop on him or he saw things while in that prison, but Zamasu seems legitimately spooked by what just happened. Even Black notes that something is up when he arrives to act as reinforcements.
It's here where the episode brings it's closing wham moment. Black and Zamasu decide to stop screwing around and Zamasu puts his earring on the other ear, bringing the two villains together into one being. I get why they saved this for the episode cliffhanger, but it probably would have had more of an impact if the episode's title didn't give it away right off the bat.
Still, having the whole thing set to Black's theme worked well. The overlapping voices also made for a nice creepy effect as the heroes bore witness to the birth of....Black Zamasu? (No, he's not black!) Zamasu Squared? Blamasu? Zamasack? I guess we'll have to tune in next week to find out.
This episode was highly enjoyable. It kept up the suspense and allowed Black to regain some of the unsettling traits that made him such a great villain.
With the plan in shambles and the villain more powerful than ever, things are looking grim, but it'll be interesting to see how the heroes turn the tide. I don't see them making yet another trip back to the past to get a new vessel and trying the mafuba technique again, but with an invincible opponent, they may have to.
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Saturday, October 29, 2016
'Legends of Tomorrow' Season 2, Episode 3: 'Shogun'
Some of the first season's stronger episodes were the one-off episodes that really had nothing to do with the ongoing story arc about stopping Savage. As this episode falls into that category, it would seem to bode well. It doesn't quite hit the heights of "Star City 2046" or "The Magnificent Eight", but this episode manages to hold its own.
A lot of that is due to strong character writing. I got a kick out of seeing Nate geeking out over the fact that he now has superpowers. It feels natural and the viewers can easily put themselves in Nate's shoes. Seeing the others "test" his ability was also fun. It showed that he was starting to integrate with the team and develop stronger bonds. Said test becomes the plot's impetus as a mishap ends up with Nate and Ray ending up outside of the ship and crashing in feudal Japan. It's a moment that reinforces the idea that the group is a ragtag group of misfits who only get by by the skin of their teeth, but at the same time, it doesn't feel like anybody is grabbing the idiot ball in order to get things moving.
Even when Nate later challenges a samurai to a fight, you can't really blame him for being cocky. Not only is his self assurance and antagonistic rhetoric fueled by the idea that he can't be hurt, but his sheltered upbringing fuels his desire to fight for what's right. It only makes his ensuing curb stomp that much more brutal to watch.
Even New/Old Vixen gets a strong showing. Not only does she get to show her skills in combat, but she also presents a much more heroic front here. The last episode didn't paint the heroes of the JSA as particularly heroic, but this episode shows that Amaya is very much a protector at heart. I'm not sure how she could try to argue against the idea of ninjas, but that was largely played for comic relief as she developed a quasi-vitriolic best buds dynamic with Mick. I did also like the nod to the current plot of the 'Vixen' animated series, with Amaya mentioning the multiple totems. I doubt the timing was intentional, but it was still fairly fortuitous.
Mick himself doesn't have a whole lot to do, but his scenes still manage to be a lot of fun. Dominic Purcell is clearly enjoying it and we got to see him hold his own in a fight against a group of ninjas. I can't knock that.
I'm torn on Ray's arc. The possibility of having to destroy his suit after the villain du jour purloins it gave him some nice brooding introspection, but it seems like he's been told plenty of times that he's more than just a big guy in a suit of armor. They try to reinforce this in the 'previously on' segment, using Sara and Amaya's dialogue, but both later admitted that they were wrong about that, so it just comes off as bizarre.
Ray notes that he spent billions on the first suit, but there was a lot of trial and error there that shouldn't be necessary with an ATOM suit Mk II. Besides, he has access to future tech, so building a new suit shouldn't be nearly as much a hassle as he's making it out to be.
The two halves of Firestorm remain on the ship, but the episode keeps them busy by giving them a mysterious section of the ship, that Rip kept secret, to investigate. The cache of weapons isn't particularly notable, but they do stumble on a recorded message from a future Barry Allen meant for Hunter himself. I'm not sure why the writers bothered keeping the message a secret. It's safe to say that it concerns Eobard, so why bother leaving that thread hanging? Just let the audience hear the warning and let the plot go from there.
While Sara gets some good banter in here and there, she is largely present to act as melee fighter extraordinaire. I do wonder if the shogun warriors fared better against her than they should have. They're formidable, sure, and it's nice to see that they aren't just incompetent mooks who don't present a credible challenge, but I remember when league training put you in a class that put long time marines to shame in terms of capabilities in combat. It does give her and Vixen a chance to be back to back badasses, though, so it isn't a total bust.
One downside to the episode is the fact that, with so much going on, more pressing matters are pushed to the back burner. While Vixen is initially focused on finding Rex's killer, it's more or less forgotten until the episode's final scene. Rip's fate is also left up in the air, though Sara says they'll find him too.
They try to handwave why they aren't going back to stop Rex's death, with Sara saying that the time traveller would just go further back and so on and so forth. It makes sense at first, but then you remember that it was already established with the Pilgrim that time travelers couldn't do that. They needed something, I guess.
The whole romance with Nate was also kind of phoned in. Both characters are amicable enough, but the relationship doesn't get a real chance to develop.
I'm torn on the reveal that this family is Tatsu's ancestor. Like the time travel caveat above, it worked at the time, though in hindsight, you could argue that it was a bit too coincidental. It was still a nice nod to the character and it showed that she hasn't been forgotten, even if the show can't use her anymore. Thanks, DCEU.
All in all, this is very much a "popcorn" episode. There's action and humor aplenty. The character dynamics are strong, though I don't know if it' going to leave too much of a lasting impact in the grand scheme of things. It has its shortcomings, to be sure, but the pros do outweigh the cons and allow for it to stand as a fairly solid and entertaining hour of television.
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A lot of that is due to strong character writing. I got a kick out of seeing Nate geeking out over the fact that he now has superpowers. It feels natural and the viewers can easily put themselves in Nate's shoes. Seeing the others "test" his ability was also fun. It showed that he was starting to integrate with the team and develop stronger bonds. Said test becomes the plot's impetus as a mishap ends up with Nate and Ray ending up outside of the ship and crashing in feudal Japan. It's a moment that reinforces the idea that the group is a ragtag group of misfits who only get by by the skin of their teeth, but at the same time, it doesn't feel like anybody is grabbing the idiot ball in order to get things moving.
Even when Nate later challenges a samurai to a fight, you can't really blame him for being cocky. Not only is his self assurance and antagonistic rhetoric fueled by the idea that he can't be hurt, but his sheltered upbringing fuels his desire to fight for what's right. It only makes his ensuing curb stomp that much more brutal to watch.
Even New/Old Vixen gets a strong showing. Not only does she get to show her skills in combat, but she also presents a much more heroic front here. The last episode didn't paint the heroes of the JSA as particularly heroic, but this episode shows that Amaya is very much a protector at heart. I'm not sure how she could try to argue against the idea of ninjas, but that was largely played for comic relief as she developed a quasi-vitriolic best buds dynamic with Mick. I did also like the nod to the current plot of the 'Vixen' animated series, with Amaya mentioning the multiple totems. I doubt the timing was intentional, but it was still fairly fortuitous.
Mick himself doesn't have a whole lot to do, but his scenes still manage to be a lot of fun. Dominic Purcell is clearly enjoying it and we got to see him hold his own in a fight against a group of ninjas. I can't knock that.
I'm torn on Ray's arc. The possibility of having to destroy his suit after the villain du jour purloins it gave him some nice brooding introspection, but it seems like he's been told plenty of times that he's more than just a big guy in a suit of armor. They try to reinforce this in the 'previously on' segment, using Sara and Amaya's dialogue, but both later admitted that they were wrong about that, so it just comes off as bizarre.
Ray notes that he spent billions on the first suit, but there was a lot of trial and error there that shouldn't be necessary with an ATOM suit Mk II. Besides, he has access to future tech, so building a new suit shouldn't be nearly as much a hassle as he's making it out to be.
The two halves of Firestorm remain on the ship, but the episode keeps them busy by giving them a mysterious section of the ship, that Rip kept secret, to investigate. The cache of weapons isn't particularly notable, but they do stumble on a recorded message from a future Barry Allen meant for Hunter himself. I'm not sure why the writers bothered keeping the message a secret. It's safe to say that it concerns Eobard, so why bother leaving that thread hanging? Just let the audience hear the warning and let the plot go from there.
While Sara gets some good banter in here and there, she is largely present to act as melee fighter extraordinaire. I do wonder if the shogun warriors fared better against her than they should have. They're formidable, sure, and it's nice to see that they aren't just incompetent mooks who don't present a credible challenge, but I remember when league training put you in a class that put long time marines to shame in terms of capabilities in combat. It does give her and Vixen a chance to be back to back badasses, though, so it isn't a total bust.
One downside to the episode is the fact that, with so much going on, more pressing matters are pushed to the back burner. While Vixen is initially focused on finding Rex's killer, it's more or less forgotten until the episode's final scene. Rip's fate is also left up in the air, though Sara says they'll find him too.
They try to handwave why they aren't going back to stop Rex's death, with Sara saying that the time traveller would just go further back and so on and so forth. It makes sense at first, but then you remember that it was already established with the Pilgrim that time travelers couldn't do that. They needed something, I guess.
The whole romance with Nate was also kind of phoned in. Both characters are amicable enough, but the relationship doesn't get a real chance to develop.
I'm torn on the reveal that this family is Tatsu's ancestor. Like the time travel caveat above, it worked at the time, though in hindsight, you could argue that it was a bit too coincidental. It was still a nice nod to the character and it showed that she hasn't been forgotten, even if the show can't use her anymore. Thanks, DCEU.
All in all, this is very much a "popcorn" episode. There's action and humor aplenty. The character dynamics are strong, though I don't know if it' going to leave too much of a lasting impact in the grand scheme of things. It has its shortcomings, to be sure, but the pros do outweigh the cons and allow for it to stand as a fairly solid and entertaining hour of television.
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Friday, October 28, 2016
5 MORE Characters Who Should Appear on 'Supergirl'
About a year ago, I wrote a list of 5 characters who I thought should make an appearance on then CBS' now CW's 'Supergirl' (you can read said list here.) I'm actually surprised at the success rate for that one. Alas, still no Comet (though the show is still young) but we did kinda/sorta get Brainiac via Indigo and Barry Allen did appear in a bona fide crossover episode with 'The Flash'.
With the second season well underway, I figured, what the heck? Let's do it again and discuss five more options for potential character appearances on the popular show.
1. Batwoman
This seems like a popular "wild mass guess". It makes sense, what with Batman and Superman being as closely linked as they are. From what I remember, Batwoman's origin isn't explicitly tied to Bruce the way the other members of the bat family are. You can't really have Nightwing without implying that Batman is out there somewhere. With this character, you could theoretically just have her be the sole Bat-hero in Gotham (which was explicitly said to exist in a recent episode.)
For bonus points, you could also use this as a way to bring in Renee Montoya as the Question, given that those two worked together fairly frequently in the comics.
2. Granny Goodness and the Female Furies
Once again, a villain makes the list. It's a bit of a long shot, given that Granny Goodness is a servant of Darkseid, who is the big bad being built up in the DCEU, but there are ways you could do it. For example, just have her operate with no mention of Darkseid. It might be wonky, but she and her group are formidable foes in their own right.
I think the more viable route would be to establish that the Darkseid alluded to here is one and the same from the DCEU. Have his quest for the anti-life equation (I assume that's what he's going to covet) span the multi-verse. It's a way to cross over the franchises without actually crossing them over; as the war for existence would be fought on multiple fronts, but each story would stand on its own. You could even have him attack the Arrowverse and threaten their world across all four shows (if you want to include Vixen in there) to really broaden the scope.
3. Static
While I never got into his show back in the day, I did see enough from the crossovers with the DCAU to develop a liking for the character. He was also well used in 'Young Justice' and it would be great to see him make the jump to a live action adaptation.
I originally thought that he should be brought into the Arrowverse, but the more I think about it, the more I think that he might fit better here. The Arrowverse is a bit crowded and this Earth could use some extra firepower.
Like Supes and Flash, Static is a hero who will likely click with Kara immediately. Both are friendly, positive, and intelligent so the show can continue to avoid the "heroes have to fight each other first" pattern.
4. G'Nort
Given my fondness for the character, I'm surprised I didn't put him in the first list, but that's what happens when you only have five slots. Much like Comet, this one is a bit on the goofier side, though it is a safer pick as, unlike Super-Horse, G'Nort never got into a romantic relationship with Kara....at least, I don't think he did.
Still, it will likely never happen, as Green Lantern (and likely the entire corps) is locked into the film universe. If Hal Jordan was blocked from appearing in the Arrowverse despite several blatant allusions to him, there's no way we're going to get G'Nort on 'Supergirl'. Still, I do think it would be fun as hell and would love to see it happen. His doofiness would allow for some comedic interactions, but his pleasant disposition and heroic spirit would fit in perfectly with this brighter and more optimistic world.
5. Lobo
I wasn't sure who to put here to be honest. A part of me thought that Artemis (the amazon, not the archer from 'Young Justice' who is currently appearing on 'Arrow') would be a good pick, as she could act as an expy for Wonder Woman (fitting as she was Wonder Woman for a while.) The problem is that it might lead to viewers wondering where Diana is. Plus, you'd have a whole island of similarly powered characters, suddenly, the already existing superheroes aren't as unique.
Lobo, on the other hand doesn't have that sort of baggage. On top of that, he was already indirectly alluded to in one episode, so the groundwork has already been laid. The writers wouldn't have to bend over backwards to incorporate him into the narrative and I have to figure that an appearance from the main man would be a lot of fun.
Will I do a third list next year? I don't know. As I said before, we don't want guest appearances to become a gimmick, nor do we want this Earth to get too cluttered. I have a feeling that this list won't have the same success rate as its predecessor, but it's still fun to think about who could appear in future stories.
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With the second season well underway, I figured, what the heck? Let's do it again and discuss five more options for potential character appearances on the popular show.
1. Batwoman
This seems like a popular "wild mass guess". It makes sense, what with Batman and Superman being as closely linked as they are. From what I remember, Batwoman's origin isn't explicitly tied to Bruce the way the other members of the bat family are. You can't really have Nightwing without implying that Batman is out there somewhere. With this character, you could theoretically just have her be the sole Bat-hero in Gotham (which was explicitly said to exist in a recent episode.)
For bonus points, you could also use this as a way to bring in Renee Montoya as the Question, given that those two worked together fairly frequently in the comics.
2. Granny Goodness and the Female Furies
Once again, a villain makes the list. It's a bit of a long shot, given that Granny Goodness is a servant of Darkseid, who is the big bad being built up in the DCEU, but there are ways you could do it. For example, just have her operate with no mention of Darkseid. It might be wonky, but she and her group are formidable foes in their own right.
I think the more viable route would be to establish that the Darkseid alluded to here is one and the same from the DCEU. Have his quest for the anti-life equation (I assume that's what he's going to covet) span the multi-verse. It's a way to cross over the franchises without actually crossing them over; as the war for existence would be fought on multiple fronts, but each story would stand on its own. You could even have him attack the Arrowverse and threaten their world across all four shows (if you want to include Vixen in there) to really broaden the scope.
3. Static
While I never got into his show back in the day, I did see enough from the crossovers with the DCAU to develop a liking for the character. He was also well used in 'Young Justice' and it would be great to see him make the jump to a live action adaptation.
I originally thought that he should be brought into the Arrowverse, but the more I think about it, the more I think that he might fit better here. The Arrowverse is a bit crowded and this Earth could use some extra firepower.
Like Supes and Flash, Static is a hero who will likely click with Kara immediately. Both are friendly, positive, and intelligent so the show can continue to avoid the "heroes have to fight each other first" pattern.
4. G'Nort
Given my fondness for the character, I'm surprised I didn't put him in the first list, but that's what happens when you only have five slots. Much like Comet, this one is a bit on the goofier side, though it is a safer pick as, unlike Super-Horse, G'Nort never got into a romantic relationship with Kara....at least, I don't think he did.
Still, it will likely never happen, as Green Lantern (and likely the entire corps) is locked into the film universe. If Hal Jordan was blocked from appearing in the Arrowverse despite several blatant allusions to him, there's no way we're going to get G'Nort on 'Supergirl'. Still, I do think it would be fun as hell and would love to see it happen. His doofiness would allow for some comedic interactions, but his pleasant disposition and heroic spirit would fit in perfectly with this brighter and more optimistic world.
5. Lobo
I wasn't sure who to put here to be honest. A part of me thought that Artemis (the amazon, not the archer from 'Young Justice' who is currently appearing on 'Arrow') would be a good pick, as she could act as an expy for Wonder Woman (fitting as she was Wonder Woman for a while.) The problem is that it might lead to viewers wondering where Diana is. Plus, you'd have a whole island of similarly powered characters, suddenly, the already existing superheroes aren't as unique.
Lobo, on the other hand doesn't have that sort of baggage. On top of that, he was already indirectly alluded to in one episode, so the groundwork has already been laid. The writers wouldn't have to bend over backwards to incorporate him into the narrative and I have to figure that an appearance from the main man would be a lot of fun.
Will I do a third list next year? I don't know. As I said before, we don't want guest appearances to become a gimmick, nor do we want this Earth to get too cluttered. I have a feeling that this list won't have the same success rate as its predecessor, but it's still fun to think about who could appear in future stories.
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