DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW 7.7

 

RECAP - DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW  7.7:  "A Woman's Place Is In the War Effort"  

We get some actual history lesson today, as well as a commentary on racism in the days of World War II, as that is where our time travelling team escaped the rogue HAL known as Gideon and the Waverider that's chasing the Legends throughout time, trying to kill them, as per the instructions that Bishop had installed in her reprogramming.  So, while he now realizes that he made a mistake, she's still on point in her mission---protect the timeline.  Bishop managed to escape, but also got sucked into the time stream when the Legends made their last jump.  So, with him in tow, we find out Legends once again having to blend into the time period to accomplish their latest mission...getting the parts needed to fix the time machine that Bishop's toilet damaged in the time jump.  

Thankfully for the team, they land near a U.S. military plane manufacturing plant during World War II, where they can see if they can pilfer the parts they need in order to repair the damaged part of the time machine.  So, with the team escaping into the pocket dimension, they map out what they need to get in order to fix the time machine to get home.  Davies stays behind, as does Nate, Zari 2.0, who has returned, and Behrad for the time being, as everyone else heads into the plant to see what they can do to obtain the parts needed to repair the time machine.  Turns out, the factory has "Rosies" who are helping build the planes for the military ("Rosies" meaning women working the factory line, and doing the actual building).  The plant is run by  a man named Mr. Staples, who doesn't have a fondness for the women working on the factory line, and has even LESS regard for Astra and Spooner, who're stuck into the janitorial department because of the color of their skin.  This really doesn't sit well with Astra, who is tired of the racism they've had to endure since landing in 1925.  Spooner tries to assail her issues by saying they can use the janitorial supplies to smuggle the parts they need for her to build the parts needed by Davies to repair the time machine. Meanwhile, Ava and Sara are on the factory line trying to not only help the rest of the Rosies build the plane, but to also smuggle what parts they can to Spooner.  

The head of the janitorial department takes a little of a shine to Spooner and Astra, and they have set up a private shop for them to help build things for the war effort.  Spooner is allowed to use it secretly, and manages to get one of the parts built, but they need 18 overall.  Astra tries to figure out how to increase production of the parts to get it done faster.  With Gideon serving as Mr. Staples, and helps them get the approval for the parts they need to increase the production of the parts.  However, Astra is in Staples' office when she gets caught.  He goes to fire her, and she uses her magic powers to freeze him in place.  Gideon and Spooner see what she did, so she secretly begins running the plant herself to increase productivity and get what they need.  She also integrates the staff, using the janitorial staff of black women to help out as well, but a good portion of the staff quits because they're not happy about it.  But everyone steps up, and even gets Behrad involved as he makes meals for the staff, and keeps them motivated.  Things are going well, as not only are they getting the parts they need for the time machine, but the crew is working well in getting the plane built for the military.  

Speaking of Behrad for a bit, he and Zari learn that Nate is going to live in the totem with his Zari, and then warn him about their 400 year old uncle, who isn't fond of him.  So, they spend their time trying to teach Nate about Persian customs to prepare him for his life inside the totem, by teaching him using Bishop as an example.  But Bishop...who'd been banned to John's room upstairs, doesn't make it easy on Behrad, who's being taken advantage of by Bishop's demands.  Zari eventually tells him to put his foot down and refuse him.  It seems to work, as Bishop apologizes for being a dick to him, but he also took the time to borrow Zari's cellphone in order to build a device that will help guide the team back to 2021.  

As the team and the Rosies finally finish their tasks...the plane completed after a much needed pep talk from Astra herself, and the Legends getting their parts.  They are ready for the plane to be inspected, and just at that time, Mr. Staples awakens, and is extremely pissed at the fact that Astra took over, and for the fact that the women of color are working on the factory floor.  However, Astra had another idea in mind, as she had informed Time Magazine to show up to see the work done by the Rosies, as well as then First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.  As the First Lady inspects the factory, and has military brass with her, they look at the finished product, and the ranking General looks upon the plane, and says it's ready to go.  Roosevelt gives props to Staples for not only putting coffee and food on the floor for the ladies to help them keep their energy up, but also integrating the staff.  A pic is taken, and the head janitor gal gives props to Astra for what she did---and Astra thanks HER for the progress SHE made.  

Later on, Sara and Ava realize that Astra's move to have Time Magazine and the First Lady there, helped her decide to integrate the factory lines across the country....but it happens two years too soon, thus it will call the Waverider to them.  So, later in the evening, we see that HAL Gideon has arrived, and they're about ready to be destroyed.  Davies has finished the work on the time machine, and uses it to transport himself to the side of the Legends, who're in the factory, under attack from what looks like a SWAT team, firing at them.  Davies grabs Gideon, and Bishop, and they have her put on the device that Bishop designed.  He then gives himself up in order to buy time for the Legends to escape.  With that, the team hits the time machine, and they're off...barely escaping capture.  When we see the SWAT team take off their helmets, it's the Legends....robots apparently created by our HAL Gideon, and they're looking to destroy the Legends.

This wasn't a bad episode, as it really showed Astra's heart, and how personal she's taken the racism that was still an issue in the United States...even during World War II.  But she really rallied everyone, and stepped up when it mattered most to accomplish the mission.  Much like Nate last week, having to take charge of everyone, Astra took her turn to lead this week.  However, the Legends managed to muff history JUST enough to allow them to be caught by the Waverider, and this new robot version of themselves, created by Gideon, that's now on a mission to destroy their counterparts at all costs.  We see that Bishop sacrificed himself for the cause, and allowed them to escape.  Whether or not we hear or see from him again remains to be seen.  But for now, our team escapes, but we have NO idea whereto, even though the makeshift device Bishop made for Gideon (which all the questions he asked about Gideon and her being half human/half computer led to him making the device), should help guide them back to their real time of 2021.  But their destination is unknown at this point, and we'll have to wait until mid-January to find out.  

Everyone seems happy for Nate and him and Zari 1.0 advancing their relationship forward.  And with any luck..any of the lessons Zari 2.0 and Behrad taught him will help him when he's in the totem.  It was also interesting that this Zari took a bit to notice that Davies looked somewhat like John.  I don't see much developing there, but it was an interesting note to make.  Oh....and one more note:  anyone catch the "I Love Lucy" nod when Ava was falling behind on the production line?  Nicely done, Jes Macallan.  

So...how did everyone ELSE like this episode?  Subscribe and leave a comment below to lemme know YOUR insights into this fall finale.

Until mid-January.....time is on our side.