Spoilers might crossover to your city.

(Source: The CW)
(Source: The CW)

The Flash 2×08: Legends of Today (1) starts us on our path to the release of the new spin-off Legends of Tomorrow, as a two-part crossover event between The Flash and Arrow. I’m not going to judge myself neither a hardcore nor a casual comicbook fan, but if I may give you my non-professional opinion on comic crossovers… Well, I’m about to anyway. The best you can hope for is a decent, but not great, show. There will be moments of greatness and other moments in which we’re just trying to put aside the storyline we were building on because we have guests. So, they’re not my favorite thing.

I dare say this week’s crossover episode manages to still give us an entertaining albeit a bit busier storyline. Kendra Saunders (Ciara Renée), Cisco’s new significant other is targeted by a mysterious character named Vandal Savage (Casper Crump) who appears to be an immortal. After an encounter with Savage, Barry is convinced this one goes beyond meta-human and in the realm of the mystical. It’s a bit of a rushed estimation, one that would usually need more encounters and evidence to get to, but the idea is that for Barry this falls more under Oliver’s expertise. Road trip to Star City.

After the changes they’ve gone through, it’s nice for Barry and Cisco to get reacquainted with Oliver and company. I specially like Felicity’s dynamic with Cisco, second only to her interaction with Barry. If there was a hint at something in the past, nowadays Barry and Felicity act more like siblings. It’s very sweet to see Felicity genuinely happy for Barry’s new relationship. Of course Savage interrupts and Barry, Olivier and Thea are forced to act.

I’m not going to go much into the back and forth. To cover the basics, Kendra is sought after by Savage because she is the incarnation of a priestess. She is also not alone. Enter Carter Hall aka Hawkman (Falk Hentschel). At first, he just tries to take Kendra away from Team Crossover but eventually he’s forced to recognize that together they make a stronger team. According to him, Savage has killed them in several lifetimes, growing stronger each time. Also, he’s after a certain staff of Horus. Thanks to Cisco for the very necessary Indiana Jones reference here!

Meanwhile in Central City’s STAR Labs, Harrison Wells is working on a drug called Velocity 6 that will augment Barry’s speed. He wants to test it on Jay Garrick. Jay is opposed to it being used at all. However, Harrison is seen by Patty Spivot. Here’s a scene that will be analyzed to death. Harrison approaching Patty with the gun-like serum injector. Patty shoots him down. When Joe West arrives on scene, his reaction is to dismiss Patty altogether. I’m going to sound off on this one later, but the gist of it is that Jay has to save Harrison’s life by taking the Velocity 6 serum.

Back in crossover central. Hawkman tells Kendra/Shiara that she needs to “emerge”, something that will bring forth her winged self. I wasn’t too thrilled with the idea that to do that Kendra basically has to throw herself from a tall building. In the end, after a failed attempt which would’ve ended in tragedy if not for The Flash, she finally does it by herself and her wings appear. Hawkgirl has been born. But Vandal Savage now has the staff.

It was a fun, action packed episode in which we get a lot of funny interactions. However, the plot moves a little slow.

Highs/Lows/Legends:

  •  More than any other episode, this one needs the suspension of disbelief as everything happens at the same time.
  • Vandal Savage comes across as somewhat believable? I found the idea of an immortal man messing with history interesting. Hawkman and Hawkgirl not so much. However, I think the actors did the best they could with their roles. The central figure is Kendra/Shiara/Hawkgirl. It’s actually her story here, and she only seems to feature in when she gets her wings. Cisco gets to name her, but she’s going to fly away from him soon.
  • Cisco has an emergency app to call Barry, because of course he does.
  • Thea’s reaction to the Flash saving them from Damien Darhk: “It’s the Flash. Did I know we knew the Flash? We know the Flash. Ok. I didn’t know we knew the Flash.”
  • Cisco letting Felicity know that she should have used copper wiring. I guess we know who’s the hardware geek. Felicity still rules the keyboard though. When Olivier and Barry ask for intel, both Felicity and Cisco answer in unison: “I’m on it!” Followed by Felicity pushing Cisco away from the keyboard: “This is my house!” Oh, kids 🙂
  • Cisco’s reply to Hawkman about the 206 lives that he and Kendra have lived together: “You’re 0 for 206 and you still think you’re her best bet?”
  • Barry’s reaction to Malcolm Merlyn and the League of Assassins appearing from nowhere for a second time: “Is that the only way this guy knows how to enter a room?”
  • A definitive huge LOW: Joe West dismissing Patty Spivot without even a hint of an explanation. This is NOT good. Patty is being kept in the dark for too long. Bring the girl in while she still considers you a colleague, Joe. At this rate, Patty is going to become an antagonist to the whole team rather than a valuable asset. I know I would.
  • Finally Oliver sees the girl he dated a long time ago, with a kid that could potentially be his son. Not sure how this one will turn out. With a kid in the picture, does Oliver’s life changes for the better? Will he get an option?

That will do for now.