At the end of last week’s episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow , Kendra/Hawkgirl was recovering after The Atom and Dr. Stein spent the episode removing the bits of a dagger in her bloodstream from her encounter with Vandal Savage. As the show went off the air, all the viewers knew about the crew’s next attempt to stop Savage and save the future was Rip Hunter’s announcement that they would be travelling to 1986.
“The future of the world is at stake”
ALL NEW. @TheCW_Legends at 8 on. @TheValleyCW . #LegendsOfTomorrow fans RT pic.twitter.com/BguYHFxNWW
— The Valley CW (@TheValleyCW) February 11, 2016
For episode 4, Rip Hunter and company begin in Washington D.C. and end up in the Soviet Union, all during the year 1986. A lot happens in this episode, as viewers learn that Savage now has ties with the Soviets, Hawkgirl and White Canary try to help each other learn to control their inner demons, and Hunter’s mentor from the Time Masters Council finally catches up with his rogue protege. They have also brought DC Comics character Valentina Vostok to life in the Arrowverse (more on that below).
Chronos and Zaman Druce
During the series premiere of Legends of Tomorrow , the Time Masters Council sent time-travelling bounty hunter Chronos after Rip Hunter and his/their ship, the Waverider. During this episode, Chronos finally catches up with Hunter, but not without the help of Hunter’s Time Master mentor, Zaman Druce. He gives Rip no real option but to turn himself and the Legends in so that they can be returned to 2016 and Hunter can be returned to 2166 as the Time Masters Council tries to rectify the damage Hunter has caused to the timelines.
Tensions within Firestorm heat up on a new DC’s #LegendsOfTomorrow TONIGHT at 8/7c. https://t.co/Mup2I7nMW6
— Legends of Tomorrow (@TheCW_Legends) February 11, 2016
Suffice to say, Hunter and company aren’t ready to give up on their mission. A battle ensues, and the Legends escape the clutches of Chronos and Druce — for now.
Hawkgirl and White Canary
During a battle at the Pentagon early in the episode, Kendra discovers that her inner warrior hawk-princess comes out when she fights. It makes her ruthless in battle and she is unable to control it. White Canary, meanwhile, struggles to control the Bloodlust she suffers from thanks to the Lazarus Pit (as viewers first heard about in the second episode of Legends ).
Cool episode. Sara and Kendra training was amazing. #LegendsOfTomorrow pic.twitter.com/LXAowHsS2B
— Estefania M (@SteffyZorEl) February 9, 2016
While both women struggle throughout the episode, their willingness to push each other while training together results in them both having a better grasp.
A Soviet Firestorm
Aside from dodging Hunter’s mentor, the main thrust of the episode centers around the work that Vandal Savage is funding on behalf of the Soviets near the end of the Cold War. Viewers are introduced to new villain Valentina Vostok: an evil, beautiful scientist on the Soviet side, fully aware of what Savage hopes to accomplish. While Captain Cold wanted to eliminate her right away, The Atom convinced him to hold off on the notion that she didn’t realize who was funding her research.
In the DC Comics, Vostok was a member of the Soviet Air Force who tried to defect to the United States. Along the way, her plane crashed, and she ultimately became Negative Woman. While the exact details of the story would have to change, it seems very possible that Vostok could return later as Negative Woman, whether as an ally of Vandal Savage or a villain on The Flash or Arrow.
On @DCComics @TheCW_Legends -Valentina Vostok, created by @JoeStaton & me for #DoomPatrol ! @supergirlcbs @CW_TheFlash pic.twitter.com/dOYGkBIl9P
— The Unreal Paul Kupperberg (@PaulKupperberg) February 11, 2016
Having already encountered Firestorm in 1976, Savage has spent the last decade trying to replicate what he sees as a weapon. Dr. Stein discovers the thermal core they are using to try to achieve this and manages to absorb all of its energy. However, Stein, Heat Wave and The Atom are all captured by the Soviets. Savage and Vostok believe they can create a Soviet Firestorm with Stein’s help — and if he refuses, they will torture Mick and Ray.
On next week’s episode, it will be up to Jax, Sara, Kendra, Snart and Hunter to save their friends from Savage and the Soviets.
DC’s #LegendsOfTomorrow must enlist in the Cold War to stop an even bigger one. A new ep is TOMORROW at 8/7c! https://t.co/p0kr2eLzT0
— Legends of Tomorrow (@TheCW_Legends) February 10, 2016
Where to Watch
The CW airs DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on Thursday evenings at 8/7c. Replays of the most recent episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow can be streamed on-demand at the CW’s website beginning Friday. Current episodes of Legends of Tomorrow (including “White Knights”) can also be streamed with a Hulu Plus subscription the day after it airs on the CW.
[Image via CW TV ]