Praise Beebo because everyone’s favourite bunch of time travelling misfits are back. If you remember, this season has been dealing with ‘Time Fugitives’, displaced magical and mythical creatures. There’s also been the slowly revealed plot that Hank Haywood is using the fugitives for something dubious. Oh and he’s also in the pocket of a demon wearing the face John Constantine’s former lover.
After too long a hiatus, Legends picks up right where they left off, with the aftermath of Mona and Konane, the Kaupe. The first half of the season saw Mona bonding with one of the fugitives, Konane. When she witnessed him being taken off the Time Bureau site by mysterious men dressed in black, she tried to intervene. This ended with Konane escaping after killing the two men and accidentally injuring Mona.
Now, the Bureau’s in a panic over the escaped Kaupe and Hank’s pissed Ava wasn’t at the Bureau when it happened. The security footage shows Mona as the one who let the Kaupe out, without a hint of the men in black in sight. With Hank breathing down her neck, Ava starts to regret her side mission with the Legends. Sara, wanting to make it up to her, volunteers to capture the Kaupe.
Meanwhile, Mona awakes in the hospital to find her parents standing over her bed. We get some signs as to why Mona is the light-hearted and compassionate person she is. Her parents are the complete opposite. In a few moments, it’s clear they’re the classic overbearing parental archetype: the kind of parents who have one set image of success in their minds and Mona with her love for fantasy and unconventional job (that they aren’t allowed to know about) doesn’t meet that image.
After they leave, Gary shows up with orders to wipe Mona’s memory because the Bureau believes she’s the one who let the Kaupe’s escape. She tries to stop Gary, accidentally wiping his memory in the process. Escaping the hospital, she finds Konane in a parking lot. When a suspicious black van starts chasing them, Mona uses a time courier she took from Gary to send Konane away for his safety.
The Legends find her, taking her into custody. She tries to convince them that she wasn’t the one who let Konane out and that there’s something going on at the Time Bureau that the ‘men in black’ are behind. At first, Sara can’t believe something like that would be happening without Ava’s knowledge, but Zari isn’t one to trust easily, especially not a government organisation. She convinces Sara to let her investigate Mona’s story.
The rest of the Legends track Konane to Mexico City, 1961, where he’s become a star of the Lucha Libre ring, known as El Lobo. Constantine meets another luchador, El Cura, who in the proper timeline is a famous luchador and movie star. Here he’s been overshadowed by ‘El Lobo’ because as a demigod, Konane doesn’t know how to lose.
After his fight, Konane sees Mona and takes her to the den he calls home. The rest of the Legends track them down. Mona tries to convince them he’s not the monster they think he is. Her argument is undercut by Konane attacking Mick, forcing Sarah to tranquilize him.
At the Time Bureau Zari’s snooping uncovers that the footage was altered. Nate, who saw her acting suspicious, joins her. Her search uncovered a cell phone was used to alter the footage. Unfortunately for Nate, he knows the number that belongs to it. It’s his father’s phone. Needing the phone to get hold of the original security footage, Zari and Nate decide to attend a charity gala being held by Nate’s parents later that day.
When Zari informs Sara about the altered footage they both realize either Ava knows about this or she’s potentially in danger. Gary, meanwhile, turns up the Bureau very confused, without most of his memories and very concerned that he’s short one nipple. Ava calls the Waverider to warn them Mona mind-wiped him and she may be dangerous. Instead, she finds the Legends already have Mona and Konane and Sara’s hesitant to explain anything.
Sara goes to the gala to speak with Ava in person, leaving Ray in charge. It takes all of two minutes for Charlie and Constantine to peer pressure him to go back to Mexico City when Gideon discovers major changes to the timeline because ‘El Lobo’ didn’t participate in an integral match. Mona, Mick and Constantine watch as El Cura and Konane struggle to cerograph a fight, Konane unable to lose as they need him too. Mona convinces him with the promise that if he loses, he’ll be free to return to ancient Hawaii and she can go with him. She even references her favourite ‘Rebecca Silver’ book, not knowing the author is really Mick.
At the gala, Sara pulls Ava onto the dance floor in case anyone is listening to them. They dance the angriest tango as they both talk without really listening.
Zari and Nate endure some awkward conversation with Nate’s mom when she thinks they’re a couple and then get Hank’s phone from him. The real footage confirms Mona’s story and their fears about Hank.
The Bureau learns the Legends are in 1961, Ava sending a team to capture Konane. Sara orders her team to stop them. The Legends do as Legends do best and cause a ruckus. El Cura delivers the final blows, winning the match and setting the timeline to as it should be.
But in the present things are definitely not as they should be. Nate is seemingly on his father’s side, asking Hank to be let in on this secret project. But in actuality, he’s working Zari to uncover what’s really happening. Sara and Ava aren’t on the same page either. They couldn’t see eye to eye, fell on opposite sides this time and it’s hurt their relationship.
In one last sorrowful twist for the episode, Mick warms Mona to not follow ‘Buck and Garima’ romantic lead with Konane. They were star crossed lovers who could not be. Mona and Konane share their fate. Mona opens a portal for Konane but says she can’t go with him. However, before he can leave, he’s shot in the back by a Bureau agent. The shock of seeing him killed triggers something in Mona, revealing she’s a Kaupe. Mick finds the agent’s mangled corpse and Mona, covered in blood.
Review
Luchadores, ‘fake dating’ at a party, angry tangoing? On Legends could pack all of that into one episode and have it make sense. Maybe it was the long hiatus, but it’s so lovely to be back following the crazy antics of the Legends. ‘Lucha de Apuestas’ was Mona’s episode to shine. As enjoyable as she was as a character in the first half of the season, she feels more grounded here. Her character more focused in personality and motivations. Seeing her parents helped inform her character and why she is the way she is. The unexpected kinship between her and Mick was a nice surprise as well. While, I wish we could have gotten some more on Neron/Dez and Project Hades, but this episode was busy enough as it. It would have taken away from Mona’s soft induction onto the team.
Nate’s storyline with his father continues to get better as their relationship grows and wanes with the developments of the plot. I can’t wait to see where this story thread goes, with Nate possibly acting as a double agent by working with his dad.
Let’s talk about the Avalance in the room. I’ll be honest, this is exactly the kind of conflict I’ve wanted for Sara and Ava from the moment Ava became director. The Legends and the Bureau do the same job in vastly different ways. That’s going to lead to conflict. They’re never going to be able to work in the same ways either. The Time Bureau is a structured government agency with dozens if not hundreds of employees. The Legends are a mismatch of people, each with their own reason for being on the Waverider. As the leaders of those respective teams, Sara and Ava are going to be put in positions to make the tough choices. Ava decided having the Kaupe free was too much of a risk. Sara decided no matter how much of a monster he seems he shouldn’t be tortured or abused.
It’s tough, but in the end, both their arguments were valid. Of course, the Time Bureau, created by Rip to replace the Time Masters, would be more concerned with keeping the timeline safe over any individual. Of course, the Legends would go to bat for the underdog because they’re all underdogs in one way or another.
Ava’s right the Legend used to send fugitives to hell. But that was before they met Charlie and their hearts changed towards fugitives. Ava’s right that she’s defended the Legends time and time again and here Sara didn’t protect her. Sara’s right what’s happening to the fugitives isn’t humane. She was right that Konane needed to fight to set the timeline right.
The one fault I do see in their fight is that the arguments Ava had against the fugitives. While it’s understandable why some would value history other mythical creature, it seems out of place for Ava to be one of those people. Ava who discovered a huge aspect about herself that put her own humanity into question. Ava who had two important episodes earlier this season where she bonded with Nora Darhk and Mick Rory. It’s hard to believe that she couldn’t see where the Legends are coming from.
But at the same time, she was hurt her girlfriend didn’t stand by her decisions. She also doesn’t know yet her boss’ boss is a literal demon, so maybe she’ll change her mind once she starts getting more of the picture. As for Sara and Ava’s relationship, this is far from the end. This is a rough patch along what’s sure to be a long road (Jes Macallan has been confirmed for next season).
Overall, this was a solid episode for Legends return.
Only Legends could
- Of course Ray made a game called ‘Cards to Save the Timeline’. (Sidenote, who do I have to pay to make this a real thing?)
- Legends never fails to make the meta jokes, this time it being Charlie and Constantine calling out Vandal Savage’s and Damien Darhk’s names.
- Evil Stein Puppet appeared a few seconds, but I hope this isn’t the last we see of him for the season.
- I know they were arguing while it happened, but that tango was amazing. Note, Sara and Ava changed who was leading the dance a couple of times.
- Best line of the episode has to go Gary manically screaming ‘Where’s my nipple?!’
