Every week, Fangirlish writers will be discussing new episodes of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and sharing their thoughts, feelings, and speculation about the hour’s hot topics in a little something we like to call Fangirlish Roundtables.
Today, we’re breaking down episode nine of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, “Left Behind,” where we discuss our thoughts on the time jump in 1958, Ray and Kendra’s being at different points in their relationship, and the reemergence of Rory as a potential antagonist.
What were your overall thoughts on “Left Behind?”
ALYSSA
Overall the episode was a mess, but it did have its high points when it came to exploring different dynamics with these characters. There are moments where Legends excels with the time travel of it all, and then there are times like “Left Behind” where it doesn’t execute it as well as you’d like. But something the show continues to do well is give these characters opportunities to look within themselves and grow from their experiences. We saw that with Snart, with Sara, and in a way even Ray and Kendra. Overall while this episode was messy it was incredibly fun as it most always proves to be.
LIZZIE
It was messy. But then again, Legends of Tomorrow is always kind of messy, so at this point, that’s to be expected. Actual logistics of WHY they couldn’t come back earlier to save Ray, Kendra and Sara and poor planning of Sara’s rescue aside, this was a rather fun episode. That’s per the norm for Legends of Tomorrow, really. I like the characters; I have fun watching them, and if some things don’t make sense, well, the actors make up for it.
LYRA
LOT has a nifty habit of being predictably disappointing. This episode was just that. Sure, the surprise with Rory was brilliant and I’m more in love with Snart than ever before. He destroyed his hand without knowing it would grow back! But it was all overshadowed by the time we lost with Sara, Kendra, and Ray. I felt cheated and angry by the time lost because we’ll never get that back. We’re just supposed to settle for scraps like Kendra did when she settled for Ray. (Yes I went there. I don’t like Kendra or the way she handled the relationship with Ray.) Never thought I’d see the day I’d defend that man but here it is!
What were your thoughts about the show having Sara, Ray, and Kendra go through two years of evolution that we missed out on?
ALYSSA
Initially the idea of getting lost in time was intriguing, but the overall execution of it all fell short for me. When it comes to Legends something that the show can’t afford is lost exposition when it comes to character development. So when you take three characters and leave them behind in 1958 for two years and have all of this character development happen off screen it just digs you deeper into that hole. This mainly had to do with Ray and Kendra’s relationship. I mean even before this episode I was having my reservations about this relationship because I hadn’t seen anything to justify this relationship and show development. Then you put them together for two years and show us none of it and expect us to believe their relationship? So while in theory this idea could’ve been interesting, in this instance it just didn’t work for me.
LIZZIE
Worst idea they’ve ever had. I wanted to see Sara struggle, I wanted to see her find peace. This is part of what made her such an interesting character. I get that the show wanted the old Sara as part of this team, but they’re the ones that a) killed her and b) brought her back “haunted” so the least they could do is give me hear actual progression.
And even that’s better than what they did to Ray and Kendra. Look, one of the first rules of writing is SHOW, DON’T TELL, and Legends of Tomorrow has done a whole lot of telling when it comes to this pairing and not much showing. I don’t feel anything when I see them, I don’t connect, I don’t CARE. And that’s because the show has given us precious little interaction and somehow expects us to be on board with how these two are now? Well, I’m not buying it, Legends. I’m not buying it.
LYRA
I think it was a cheap cop-out on character development and interpersonal relationships. We missed out on two years of Ray striving to save them, building a home, and eventually settling down for a life with Kendra. We missed out on two years of Kendra struggling to live in a world where people were rude questioning jerks, her powers being cut off, and the “love” she shared with Ray. And lastly we missed out on Sara feeling like she was losing herself before heading off to Nanda Parbat to get back some control of that rage and anger. We missed out on all of it!
Now we’re left to sift through the remnants of these characters and try to figure out who they are as people. Even better, any issues that they were dealing with before, that we were invested in…they’re GONE. Personally I would’ve liked to see all of this and not be told after. SHOW ME! It’s like giving me the last Harry Potter book and tearing out the middle. I don’t know how Harry got from Point A (fighting the good fight with his friends) to Point B (defeating Voldemort.) It’s lazy writing disguised as game changing moments that make you go ‘ohhhh’ and ‘ahhhh.’ The only thing I did was go ‘ehhhh’ and ‘blehhhh.’ That’s not a good reaction LOT writers. Not at all.
We saw Sara return to her roots with the League of Assassins after she felt she had to move on. Why do you believe Sara felt a pull there?
ALYSSA
Sara is a character who has always been searching for a place where she belongs. As someone who has been on the move since her time on the island she wants to find a place where she believes she serves a purpose. So when Sara was stuck in 1958 and believed that the Waverider was not coming back, she searched for the one place that she’s always felt at home – even despite its questionable morals: the League of Assassins.
While Sara ultimately got lost in those two years and being back in that environment with Nanda Parbat, the pull she felt there was triggered by her need to be a part of something that she recognized. While she’s been ashamed of her time with the League, she couldn’t deny that it was the one place that she felt like she belonged. In a way she had condemned herself to this life even though she wanted more. But this continued to show how Sara’s struggle with her humanity isn’t something that’s an easy fix. This is something that she’ll continue to struggle with in her journey, but it’s about how she rises above these moments of weakness that shows her growth and proves that she’s a hero despite her best efforts to convince herself otherwise.
LIZZIE
I think she felt safe there. And I don’t mean that she was physically safe, but it was a place she knew, a place whose rules were almost second-nature to her. In a way, Sara has never felt like she’s good enough for …well, for life, after what she did when she was in the League, so, of course, when she’s left alone, when she feels abandoned, she retreated to the one place she felt where she belonged, even if she didn’t really want to belong there.
Also, I think Sara felt that the League would, by virtue of being the League, help her get a handle on her bloodlust – and in that, she was right. Which, again, shame on you, Legends. Shame on you. I wanted to see it.
LYRA
In a world where she had no family and had limited options as a gay woman, the League of Assassins felt like home. It was a secluded option that she knew would be familiar. She knew it’s halls, rules, and practices. In this place she could escape the world she didn’t recognize and gain control over herself. The only problem is that she went too deep. Sara started off needing safety and ended up loyal to a man she escaped from years before. There was nothing else so go big, or go home, right? Having a firm grasp over the emotional turmoil she felt became her anchor. Because of this I don’t even know how Rip & Co. got through to her. She didn’t owe them anything!
On a side note, Sara created her own future. By coming to Nanda Parbat she completed the circle. There was never an escape from the pain, loneliness, and anger she would experience. There was also no escape from her gaining the strength to defeat her enemies, help her friends, and eventually become a hero.
With Ray and Kendra we saw that they are both at different points in their relationship: Ray is ready for marriage and Kendra isn’t quite sure what she wants. What do you think about their differing stances? Do you think it spells trouble ahead?
ALYSSA
I continue to remain unaffected or impressed by Ray and Kendra’s relationship to the point where I just don’t care anymore. The thing is that I want to like them as a couple, but this show has given me no reason to. We’ve gotten no development besides this two-year period that we were just meant to assume things had happened and that they’d both progressed forward in their relationship. But the thing I did find a bit intriguing was their differing stances in their relationship. We saw how Ray was to a point where he was ready to propose, and for a while it looked as if Kendra was on that same train, as well, she ultimately revealed that she had just been pretending. I left this entire thing feeling sorry for Ray and disliking this relationship even more than before.
LIZZIE
Please. I mean, I know it sounds bad, but since I’m not sold on the relationship at all, maybe some trouble in paradise will help me connect? I don’t know. I haven’t had a problem connecting with Ray’s side of the equation at any point in this supposed “relationship” but Kendra is another thing altogether. I didn’t believe that she wanted to be with him at first, I didn’t like it that she sort of settled for him and I certainly didn’t appreciate how she spent this episode making Ray feel like he wasn’t good enough, or that she didn’t want him, only to be all like, that’s not what I was saying at the end.
Fact is, Ray treated Kendra, and the life they had together as his life, and was happy with it, while Kendra sort of shrugged and said, well, it’s not like I can do anything else. And now that they’re back with the team Kendra has to decide what she really wants, and, if she wants Ray, she has to adjust her attitude. FAST.
LYRA
Hell yeah it spells trouble ahead. Oh god Kendra and Ray had me at my whits end. Their stance on what they wanted in life did not match up at all. They had football fields in between them full of different needs and wants. Ray wanted a future with Kendra. He had settled into a comfortable life where they shared a home, experiences, and a love that led him to buy an engagement ring. After the tragic death of his wife and fated to fail romance with Felicity, this was a big step. He was ready to move on with Kendra, the two of them against. From the look of it, Kendra was ready too!
Then Rip comes around and they’re back on the ship. The difference is that Kendra immediately submerges herself in their life on the ship. She shows no concern for the life she shared with Ray for two years. Kendra even calls all their stuff junk. And it’s like she was blind! For living with him for two years she certainly doesn’t know anything about him! That puppy dog look of confusion on his face spoke of how heartbroken he was that she was only playing house with him, bidding her time, and not caring for the memories they built in that home. That’s what her stance was. Words have meaning and she did not care. She was back on the ship, that’s all that mattered. Meanwhile, Ray had to stand there, taking blow after blow, as she tore down their life with the same nonchalance as buying a new pack of socks. It was all about Kendra and what she wanted. They weren’t partners anymore from what we saw.
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Then the kicker came, that moment that made me scream, “Are you kidding me? I’m done with you.” When the chaos is done and all is well, she acts as if Ray’s decision to room by himself is confusing. Doesn’t he care about her? Why is he treating her so cold? Doesn’t he know how I feel? *rolls eyes* No, Kendra he doesn’t. Everything she told him at the end was trying to bandage up the holes she made because it was convenient for her. She could have told him all this in the beginning and saved them loads of grief! They would have made the team stronger by working together. Because of all of this I’m firmly against Kendra being anywhere near Ray. He doesn’t need that ignorance or selfishness in his life. He can do better. Plus we all know it’s only a matter of time before Carter comes back. Ray needs to drop her before she drops him.
We learned that Snart hadn’t killed Rory like the team had assumed. What are your thoughts on Snart’s decision and that dynamic now that Rory has returned?
ALYSSA
Snart is easily becoming my favorite character behind Sara, and it’s because of the growth that we’ve seen in just nine episodes. While Snart is someone who is looked upon as an antagonist – I mean, I’m not going to deny what he’s done in the past – this mission has been something truly great for his character. Snart, as we’ve heard and seen of his past, has undergone a lot of troubles in his past and he hasn’t handled it the best way he could’ve. But I just think Snart hadn’t found his purpose. While he won’t admit it, Snart is someone who craves that sense of belonging and purpose like we all do; it gives our life meaning.
I knew that Snart hadn’t killed Rory. 1) I don’t believe death until I see a body, and 2) Snart is not the kind of man who would do that, especially to a friend like Rory. It just shows you how, while Snart and Rory disagree and have different viewpoints about all of this, that they still have a history that they can’t ignore. Their dynamic has been one of the most intriguing aspects of this show this season, and to think that we’re going to get to see more of that development makes me very happy.
LIZZIE
I never believed he’d actually done it, especially not considering what we knew about their backstory. Snart is a softie and he cares for Mick, so this is all on par with the course. It makes sense. Now, I don’t think Mick really appreciated it, not then, not now. Especially considering what happened to him. So, even if the team CAN manage to somehow turn Mick, and that’s a big if, I don’t think his relationship with Snart is something that’ll be easily mended. Little betrayals are easier to forgive than large ones, after all.
LYRA
I knew Snart didn’t kill Rory from the most he ‘got rid’ of him. Rule of thumb on any DC show. If you don’t see the death then there’s still a possibility that they’re out there. I was right! No matter how much Snart disagreed with Rory or how their relationship changed, he’s family. Not family like his sister but like a cousin you only see on Sunday night after church. You love him, would help him when need be, but get rid of him if he started to cause too much ruckus at the kids table. And Rory was definitely causing trouble at that kids table. Snart will see this as his second chance to bond with his companion and convince him that the road he has chosen is the right one. It won’t be easy but Snart is stubborn enough to challenge everything and anything the Time Keepers have taught Rory. I’m looking forward to the back and forth bickering that will ensue when these two men have their stand. There will be yelling, snorting, and banging of walls. Can’t wait!
As for Rory, he will always care for Snart. They were partners for a very long time and trust like that isn’t easily forgotten. Shattered? Yes. I wouldn’t trust Snart if I were Rory. He left him! But is it possible to forget the heists they ran together or how they bonded as friends, possibly brothers? No. He’s going to be a stubborn ass but he’ll listen to his old partners words. With time he might even join the time. But they’re on different levels now because Rory is the one at an advantage. He’s the one who will demand more respect for the knowledge he carries about the Time Keepers. Snart & Co. are going to have to adjust to the reality that the man they got back is not the one they left behind. He’s more dangerous now.
Rory was set up as an antagonist for this team in this episode and possibly moving forward. What are your thoughts on that?
ALYSSA
All of us at this roundtable have made it no secret that we have an intense dislike of Vandal Savage as a villain. So the fact that Mick Rory in one episode showed us that he could be a much more compelling villain than this supposed unstoppable villain is kind of sad. For Savage. Since the beginning this show has deserved a villain that is so much better than Savage. And I really believe at this point that Rory has more potential to be that kind of villain that this show deserves. When it comes to villains they need to be on the same level as the heroes they face: they need to be compelling, intriguing, and terrifying. All of which Savage is not. And all of which Rory has the potential to be. So I love the position that Rory is in.
LIZZIE
He’s a better villain than Savage? LOL. I don’t think that now that they’ve got Mick locked up they’re going to spend too much time developing him as a real antagonist, which is a shame. He really interests me way more than Savage. But we’re now at the back end of the season, and we’ve really spent little time battling the actual bad guy, Savage, so my guess is the show is now going to concentrate on that while our heroes try to, eh, turn Mick back into a good guy. Or, like, into a good guy for the first time?
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// What I’d really like is for them to fail at “turning” him and possibly make him an antagonist in Season 2? That’s what I’d really like. I’m not holding my breath, though. Legends of Tomorrow hasn’t done what I expected even once this year, so I don’t think they’ll start now.
LYRA
I think it was a positive strategy that I didn’t see coming. It elevated his character from meathead to badass who suffered, trained, and survived to fight another day. I knew he was out there because there was no way Snart would kill him, but this? Oh no. I didn’t see Rory taking on Kronos mantel. He spent years being moulded by the Time Keepers into something unrecognizable because of his connection to the team. It was a power play to stop Rip. It saved him, sure, but the mission continues to be finding a way to stop the team. Even now when he’s captured, I think Rory has contingency plans, things set in motion if something like this were ever to happen. I hope they emptied out his pockets, checked his clothes, and even checked his ears (Remember what happened in The Flash?) Rory will bring something unexpected to the team that abandoned him. They’ll try and fail at bringing him back (in the beginning) and I can’t wait. Rory is certainly more at fault because of his crazy plans and betrayal but…I want to see the team struggle to bring him to his senses. Hell, I hope they don’t and he escapes. Now that’s the kind of story arc I want to see in the show!
What are your thoughts on “Left Behind?” Sound off in the comments to keep the discussion going!
Join us for another Legends of Tomorrow roundtable next Wednesday.
Legends of Tomorrow airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.