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TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Legends of Tomorrow Season 01 Episode 09: Left Behind

April 1st, 2016 by Todd Black Comments

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Legends of Tomorrow has always had a very tricky line to try and maintain. As some of the characters are likely not going to die, due to certain important in other shows. The trick then is to make the show meaningful without having that power. “Left Behind” not only showed that in spades, but proved just how powerful this series can be when used to its full potential.

There’s always an episode in the first season that truly shines above all the others, and this one was that for me. From the moment it started, you knew something was going to happen. But I bet you didn’t think this much. While I figured that Ray, Sara, and Kendra would be stuck in 1958 for a while, I didn’t think it’d be TWO YEARS!!! Again, using its potential to the fullest.

Watching them adapt to their new life was fun. From just stealing a car, to getting a house (somehow…) to getting furnishings, and then eventually accepted their 1958 lives, it was very compelling. You had to wonder just how long they’d be there. So when Rip finally got the ship under control and they “returned”, you could understand the shock of both him and Ray and Kendra.

For me, what really sold this was that Ray was the one who had trouble accepting his new life at the beginning. Even spending 10 weeks trying to make a Time Beacon. But then right before Rip came back, he had truly accepted it, and wanted to be with Kendra…by way of marriage. Then when they both returned to the Wave Runner, Kendra was thrilled to be out of 1960, and Ray wanted to go back. This switch was very good storytelling, as both had reasons for their feelings, and it wasn’t disjointed at all.

But of course…that wasn’t the only big change. Chronos captured Snart for some reason…only for us to find out it was MICK RORY!!!!! How epic was that? I’ve seen many people relate how Chronos was “cool in concept” but not execution. I bet the writers were smiling every time they heard that, cause they knew what was coming. Learning about Mick’s fates (both of them) was very jaw-dropping. Many had speculated he was alive, but the question would become, “In what capacity?” To which we got an epic and horrifying answer.

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But we were still not done! Sara’s hatred over being left behind led to her returning to the League of Assassin’s. Complete with Matt Nable as Ra’s once more! Oh, and his daughter…TALIA!!!! Epic.

Sara’s story here was short but also very good, as the League was honestly one of the truest homes she ever had, so going back to it was like second nature to her…third nature? Never mind. The fight between Kendra and Sara was fun, as was the resolution with Chronos and Ra’s. See that smile at the end? Beautiful.

More to the future, the ending was very nice. From Snart getting healed (after shattering his hand!), and Rip revealing his “backup plan” for finding Savage, the team now has a new heading and purpose. How will it turn out? Who can say. But this really has me excited.

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Todd Black is reader of comics, a watch of TV (a LOT of TV), and a writer of many different mediums. He's written teleplays, fan-fictions, and currently writes a comic book called Guardians (guardians-comic.com). He dreams of working at Nintendo, writing a SHAZAM! TV series, and working on Guardians for a very long time!