TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Legends of Tomorrow Season 01 Episode 12: Last Refuge

With time running out (literally), you knew things had to ramp up, and “Last Refuge” did exactly that. Showing how far the Time Masters are willing to go in order to stop Rip and his team from changing time, even if it meant changing time to do so. The threat has never been more real for the Legends team, as the Time Masters sent the Pilgrim to erase the team from history via their younger selves.

This offered some very interesting notions about time travel, as well as the effects it can have if disrupted. Though none of the team technically lost their lives, the “time pirate” getting killed was a clear showing that this could’ve happened to the team. Obviously, it didn’t, for very logical reasons. But after everything we’ve seen in this season, it may not have been a jump to think it would’ve happened. In fact, the scene with Ray nearly dying was a grim reminder of the fate they all face if they failed to stop Pilgrim.

Pilgrim was easily the biggest bad guy we’ve seen outside of Savage. But also, the most unique, going so far as to be able to stop and reverse time in order to dodge and block attacks. The final battle was easily one of the coolest visual in the show. For a TV budge, it was top notch.

The real crux of the episode though was seeing most everyone interact with their younger selves. From Sara and Rory “meeting” their teen selves, to Jax seeing himself as a baby, and meeting the father he never knew, it was great stuff. And once again, the beauty this show can do without the need to “cheat” like other superhero shows.

Then there’s Rip, who got to learn more about here. It was very interesting to see not only the true “Last Refuge”, but his “mother” as well as his younger self, who is nothing like you’d expect. As was further cemented, Rip’s childhood was very rough, and his stabbing of Pilgrim when she wasn’t expecting it was very real, as he smiled and laughed at her when she underestimated him.

Kendra and Ray’s love story continued on here, and though it almost veered into very ugh-ish territory, it stayed the course and may offer a potential happy ending to the duo. It could still swerve, but for now, not bad.

As the show ended, a true sense of dread and fear was setting in. The effects of them saving their younger selves is already having an effect on the timeline. If they don’t stop Savage soon, everything they’ve worked to save will be undone. And now there’s only one place left to find Savage in time. The year he took over the world: 2166.

“Last Refuge” gave us both a history lesson and a reminder of how dark things can get in time travel. With only four episodes left this season, there will be no going back from here on out.