How do you solve a problem like a giant octopus attacking Tokyo in the 1950s? It’s time for the Legends to find out!
Previously on LEGENDS OF TOMORROW…
I really am amazed it took the producers this long to tackle something as iconic to geekdom as the Japanese monster movies.
But the time that Sara, Mick, Zari and former shapeshifter Charlie (still stuck in former teammate Amaya’s form) go back to is 1951, three years before the creation of Godzilla. A young director, Ishiro Honda, is filming a movie about a giant octopus named Tagumo, and something about it triggers the magical warning onboard the Waverider.
(For those not in the know, Honda is one of the people credited with the creation of Godzilla.)
Charlie, who can sense other demons, swears that Tagumo isn’t a demon that needs to be put down. Instead, the sea creature is man-made. She’s right; a desperate and depressed Honda started writing his story in a journal that connects with the author to bring things to life and follow the characters’ path to the end that was written for it. In this case, Tagumo destroys all of Tokyo. It’s up to the Legends to stop it.
And it gets stopped in the most Legends way possible. Mick, who had been denying his writing all episode, finally steps in and manages to bond with the journal to create his own new ending: a three-breasted alien warrior woman who manages to destroy Tagumo and then make passionate love with her companion in the ruins of the city.
Back on the Waverider, Ray brings Nora Darhk in to save Constantine, as his life force is slowly draining away after saving the kid in the last episode. Nora hesitates, because she fears that using her magical power will turn her into her father. But with Ray’s very dorky support, she manages to find a way to save John’s life without turning evil. When Ray gives her the Time Stone back to allow her to run again, she decides to turn herself in to the Time Bureau to give her a chance to repent for her sins. It’s all very nice, and I’m sure it’ll all play in to what happens in later episodes, but I cared little about the whole Nora Darhk story.
I was much more excited about following Nate and Ava going to Nate’s family for Thanksgiving, as Nate begins to improve his relationship with his father. Ava gets a distress call from the Time Bureau, because Gary is there by himself, trying to woo taco delivery girl Mona and a trio of monsters escapes. So Nate runs back to the Time Bureau to help, but takes too long and Ava goes back to HQ with Hank Heywood to see what happened.
Instead of being disappointed, Hank is impressed with the way Nate handled the situation, and increased the Time Bureau’s budget again. But back at home for dinner, he takes a phone call and reveals that his intentions may not be all that pure. Because of course he’s a little evil. He’s BIFF!
Though, we do get a great BACK TO THE FUTURE reference, when Hank tells his son, “Let’s make like a tree and leave,” and Nate responds, “I don’t think that’s it.” At least everyone is having fun with it.