DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 3×04: ET phones… Ray?
We have:
- Rebel time travelers – check
- TV’s first Muslim superhero -check
- A baby dominator -check?
Adult!Ray is dealing with boredom on the ship by being his usual optimistic self. This time that included forcing the team to do team building exercises and paying Mick to do a trust fall. Zari, our newest legend, doesn’t care to get to know the team because she already has them all figured out (she does) and manages to insult all of them (including Gideon). Fun team hijinks are soon over because Ray disappears into thin air. It turns out he died in 1988 on Halloween.
What follows is basically the story of ET. Young Ray adopted a baby dominator, murderous government agents want the baby dominator, and Nate almost sleeps with Ray’s mom (who is actually the baby dominator’s mom). OK, maybe not exactly like ET.
While this episode was extremely ridiculous, it had some fun moments, and established more of Zari’s character. She spent the episode running after young!Ray. While she seems annoyed with him, and probably is, she also understands him. Young!Ray had a hard time making friends, and Zari understands loneliness, having lost most everyone that was close to her. She and adult!Ray at least seem to be bonding. We’ll see where that goes.
The subplot of this episode involved an investigation into Stein led by Mick and Jax. Mick discovers that someone has been using the jump ship to sneak off the ship, and thinks Stein is reporting on the team to the Time Bureau. Of course, he’s not reporting to the time bureau, he’s checking on his daughter Lily who is pregnant. Mick and Jax help Stein make the birth of his first grandchild. And later, Jax realizes that Stein belongs with his daughter and grandchild, causing him to ask Ray to help him break apart Firestorm. Victor Garber, who plays Stein, will be headlining the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! so will be unable to continue as a series regular on Legends of Tomorrow.
As for the other characters, Nate, who apparently has no consistent characterization, tries to sleep with Ray’s mom (who is actually the dominator). I really hope that was just the dominator messing with his mind because if he was doing it to make Amaya jealous that would be a serious regression of his character. Amaya’s time this episode was spent putting up with Nate’s stupidity (and saving him). Sara spent the episode being the group mom, especially when some of her team members stole the car (Waverider).
Highlights of the episode:
Ray disappearing right as Mick did the trustfall.
Sara finding a note pinned to a tree that says, “BORROWED THE WAVERIDER! BE RIGHT BACK! Jax, Rory, Stein”
The baby dominator making the scary government agents sing “Good Morning” from Singing in the Rain. They all have surprisingly good voices and tap dance skills.
Young!Ray getting a happy ending when the legends backed him up against the bullies (Mick threatened them with his heat gun and demanded their candy and allowance).
Best Quotes:
Ray: “Trust falls. Now, to demonstrate, Mick, who hated me when we first met, will fall trustingly into my arms.”
Mick: “Ok, you promised me good coin for doing this.”
Ray: “And you said you weren’t going to say that out loud.”
Ray: “I must be picking up the new issue of scientific American.”
Stein: “I was more of a national geographic boy myself.”
Mick: “Once a geek always a geek.”
Mick: “I could knock this place off with a water pistol.”
Ray: “Ok new mission, keep me away from mick. I don’t want today to be the day I descend into a life of crime.”
*young!Ray immediately starts shoplifting after that’s said*
*After hearing young Ray’s voice*
Zari: “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”
Ray: “Oh no, yesterday I’m shoplifting, today I’m a truant? This thing [Gumball] is turning me into Rory.”
Nate: “Wait the dominator has a mominator?”
Ray: “I can’t believe you made out with my mom.”
Nate: “Dude it was the 80s.”