After the weakest episode of the series so far, Legends of Tomorrow bounces back with one of its most action-packed and plot-propelling installments yet. “Left Behind” picks up right after Ray, Kendra and Sara were left stranded in 1958 after Chronos attacked the Waverider. Chronos sabotages the timeship and leaves Rip, Stein, and Jackson in the temporal zone and absconds with Snart. Hunter is forced to reboot Gideon to regain control of the ship. By the time he is able to do this, Hunter finds Ray and Kendra in 1960. The two have made a life for themselves after the Waverider failed to return for them with Ray working as a professor and Kendra as a librarian. Ray seems very happy with the life they have built, and is even ready to pop the question. But once back on the Waverider, Kendra reveals how unhappy she was, not with being with Ray, but with losing her identity and her sense of who she was and used to be.
By this time Sara has already parted company with Ray and Kendra and has gone to the only place she feels she can make a life for herself in 1960: Nanda Parbat. Sara rejoins Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable) and the League of Assassins, over fifty years before she original signed up with them. When Rip and the other Legends realize this, they go there to bring her back to the fold. Meanwhile, Snart (and the viewers) finally learns who Chronos really is in the WTH!? moment to end all WTH!? moments: Mick Rory. Mick reveals that after Snart left him stranded, fully intending to come back for him after the mission was over, the Time Masters found him and recruited him to go after his former teammates.
“Left Behind” may very well be one of the lynchpin episodes of the first season. First, the Ray and Kendra relationship is in full bloom and in a manner that makes logical sense. The two of them have had time to grow as a couple because they have been stranded together for two years. Too often shows will force relationships on characters for the sake of the story. This time, it feels natural and works wonderful. Also, I dig Brandon Routh and Ciara Renée together. They make a cute couple and they do have nice chemistry. The relationship is also important to the Hawkman and Hawkgirl mythos as Kendra states that for once, she gets to decide who she falls in love with, not pre-destiny. I have a hunch that we haven’t seen the last of Hawkman in this show just yet, so when he returns, it will be interesting to see how this wrinkle plays out.
Also essential is the evolution of Sara Lance that we see in this episode and Caity Lotz shines in this one. Sara has been consumed by a blood lust ever since she was resurrected by the Lazarus Pit. By the end of the episode, we get a sense that side of her is finally under control and the more noble and honorable side of Sara is in charge. At last, she is the White Canary, the hero she was always meant to be. Also, this episode gave us a chance to see Matt Nable’s Ra’s al Ghul again and we even get to meet his most famous daughter, Talia (Milli Wilkinson), who, in the comics, is fated to become one of the great loves of a certain Darknight Detective (considering the way Warner Bros. and DC are about keeping their movie and television universes separate, I’m not even sure I am allowed to say ‘Atmanbay’ in my review).
Finally, there is the revelation that Chronos has been Mick all this time. To that I say wow. Just wow. Time travel really screws with your mind; you know? This was a twist I did not see coming, but given the build-up to Rory losing the trust of his friends, even his partner, Snart, the play is quite brilliant. Now that he is back with the group, there is a chance to reach him and bring him back to their side, which the team decides to do. It will be interesting to see the rehabilitation of Mr. Rory and if he can indeed come back from the darkness he had fallen into. Hey! Rebounds do happen. Like I said, this episode is proof. For a job well done, and a couple of curveballs that really push the fun of time travel to the max, I’m giving this episode of Legends of Tomorrow a solid 4.5 stars.
