History Notes: Legends of Tomorrow Episode 210, "The Legion of Doom"

Given that the focus of this episode is on the so-called Legion of Doom -- comprised of Damien Darhk (NEAL MCDONOUGH), Malcolm Merlyn (JOHN BARROWMAN) and Eobard Thawne (MATT LETSCHER) -- it's fitting that this episode's introductory narration would come from Darhk's perspective. We get to see a repeat of eight months back, when Darhk was killed by Green Arrow. The video of the events are being watched by a morose Malcolm Merlyn, live as they happen, which is when he is approached by Eobard Thawne and Darhk. We know now that the Damien Darhk we are seeing in the series is from earlier in the time stream than that moment, and he is trying to change his future. Merlyn has been taken from the present so that he might be able to change his past. And Eobard?

Well, we learn quite a bit about Eobard's motivations in all this as well.

While the Legion of Doom lost the Longinus Medallion, which can serve as a guide to the missing pieces of the Spear of Destiny, which would allow them to rewrite reality, they are unconcerned that the Legends will be able to unlock it's secrets.

The Legends do their best to live up to being the "idiots" the Legion of Doom believes them to be. They know they're up against a time-traveling speedster, but never think to consult the Flash. Nor do they know how to operate the medallion, but Professor Stein (VICTOR GARBER) says he has a colleague in present-day Central City who can help. It turns out that this associate is none other than his time-aberration daughter, Lily (CHRISTINA BRUCATO), who is a bit of a genius with miniaturization (watch out, Atom!) and manages to activate the medallion with a minimum of fuss.

In the Legion of Doom's headquarters, the torture of Rip Hunter (ARTHUR DARVILL) continues, with Darhk pulling out a tooth that happens to have a barcode on it, tied to a safety deposit box in a Swiss bank -- in 2025. The team surmises that the rest of the Spear of Destiny may be there, and try to utilize Rip -- still under the belief that he is a hippy film producer named Phil from the late 1960s -- to gain access. It goes horribly wrong, so a brute force method will have to be applied.

Aboard the Waverider, the crew is taken aback that Stein has brought his daughter aboard the ship, revealing to her that he's working as a time traveler. Sara Lance (CAITY LOTZ) in particular is unhappy, as she knew about Lily's existence while the rest of the crew did not -- in fact, knew that Stein had no children and that Lily must be a time aberration. They try to keep it secret from her, but ever the gentleman, Mick Rory (DOMINIC PURCELL) lets the cat out of the bag, and Lily must deal with the notion that she was never wanted.

All is not well with the Legion of Doom, during all this. Darhk and Merlyn are starting to resent that Thawne is treating them like lackeys and henchmen. They wonder why a time-traveling speedster even needs them to help -- as he apparently does -- and why he always has to zip away whenever his alert chimes. Where does he have to be that's so important?

Well, it turns out that Thawne does have a better place to be -- and that's anywhere but where he is already. Because he too, is a time aberration. His ancestor, Eddie Thawne, committed suicide to prevent Eobard from ever being born. The Flash pulled Eobard from the time stream and held him captive for a while, after which point Thawne became...haunted...by something. Thinking at first it was a time wraith, he soon learned it was something far more deadly, and way scarier! And it wants him dead.

This episode was a good one for dealing with the interactions of the bad guys for once. It delves into why they are a team, works through their own internal conflicts, and solidifies them as a unit. At the same time, the episode doesn't let the Lily Stein plot thread dangle out there any longer, resolving Stein's feelings for his daughter and cementing her place in the universe.

Oh, and the Legion of Doom find out what was in the box: all of Rip Hunter's memories. Once uploaded back into his cerebral cortex, he'll be Rip Hunter again, with full knowledge of the Spear of Destiny. But while they're at it, why not...edit...some of Hunter's flaws before they upload the personality back?

I don't know what Eobard has in mind by doing this, but the episode ends on Christmas Day in 1776, with Rip Hunter turning up to assassinate General George Washington! That's going to change some history! I suppose the next episode will have to deal with how the Legends will make America great again. (Yes, he went there, folks!)