Sunday, May 9, 2021

REVIEW: 'Legends of Tomorrow' - Ava Desperately Clings to a Nonsensical Plan Hoping It Leads to Sara in 'Meat: The Legends'

The CW's Legends of Tomorrow - Episode 6.02 "Meat: The Legends"

With Spooner on board, Ava hopes that her special abilities will help lead them to locate the aliens spread out on the timeline, which could ultimately lead them to Sara. The Legends soon find themselves tracking an alien in 1950s San Bernadino and having to figure out what is making the town go on a feeding frenzy. Behrad isn't ready to share the Totem with Zari, causing tension between them. After crash landing, Sara tries to figure out a plan and runs into none other than Amelia Earhart who could be her ticket home.

In 2020, the television industry aired 493 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of The CW's Legends of Tomorrow.

"Meat: The Legends" was written by Matthew Maala & Morgan Faust and directed by Rachel Talalay


Ava's plan doesn't make a whole lot of sense. However, she desperately needs to believe in it because it's the only sensible thought she has to potentially find Sara again. They are engaged. And yet, they are far apart. Sara and Gary have crash landed on an alien planet. They have absolutely no idea what's going on. This episode doesn't provide any clarity in that regard either. It starts with them being on a mysterious planet. They are mostly kept in a holding pattern. It has the appeal of a story that plays into the historical nature of the show with the inclusion of Amelia Earhart. That is mostly an empty gesture though. It's not until the end that some progress occurs. It's simply Sara being attacked by an alien. She is essentially poisoned with Gary unable to help her while a new threat closes in on them. It's an ominous note. That's all that this story basically aspires to be. It's not where the central focus resides. Instead, it's all about Ava's plight to reunite with Sara. That takes precedence over absolutely everything else. She doesn't care how traumatic this entire adventure could be for Spooner. She simply uses her for the powers that she doesn't even actually have. Ava believes that Spooner can track aliens and communicate with them. So far, she is only seen to have blistering headaches when an alien is in close proximity to her. She points the Legends in the right direction. However, they still must follow a number of investigative clues in order to discover the truth about this anomaly to the timeline. Again, that's the basic premise this show has always enforced. Something happens early in the season that sends these threats throughout time and space. The Legends have to address all of these issues. They mess up the past in the process. They hopefully make it for the better. It's mostly about them finding acceptance and clarity in the changes made. Plus, they are each dealing with their own personal issues as they embark on this journey. Here, Zari truly wants to step up as a member of the team. She believes she can only do so while wielding the totem. She has shown an ability to use it in the past. Previously, Behrad was the chosen one amongst the family. But now, she has been chosen as well. It may come solely from the whims of the original Zari. She remains stuck in the totem as a result of completely rewriting her history. She has given this new version of herself the opportunity to have a full and rewarding life. It's frustrating when the siblings argue. As such, the most rational decision ends this argument between the two. They respect each other. However, they can't spend the entire season debating who gets to wield the totem on each mission. In fact, it being split into two may allow each of them to have their own personal journeys with it. That's an intriguing thought that the show will hopefully explore in the future. Right now, the story is mostly concerned with getting Ava to accept that she is grasping at straws when it comes to pursuing these aliens in the hopes that someone knows what happened to Sara. They were prisoners as well. They are trapped in pods until whenever they crash land in the timeline. That is a priority for the team. They can't allow these changes to become permanent. That also comes with accepting the limits of this path. Spooner is motivated to kill aliens. That doesn't heal the traumatic past she has though. She still seeks answers. That journey is apparent. Her skills prove necessary on these new missions. Ava apologizes for using her. And yet, they can still help each other. Spooner may take the wrong lesson from all of this. However, she has found a place to confront what has long loomed over her life. Plus, she has a team that won't let her die. She always had to rely on that protection herself. And now, she is emboldened to kill aliens while knowing she has a team that has her back. She hasn't exactly earned that trust. It has to be given though. Ava may be reluctant. But she's desperately acting out of love. She makes mistakes as the leader of the Legends. Sara has made plenty of those. They pursue leads in the hopes that it unveils something beneficial. That may come even though it doesn't seem logical at the moment. The viewer must trust the creative team. It's a little more wonky with this specific premise. And yet, the show still presents a fun nod to the '50s diner atmosphere. Behrad and Nate have a blast even though they contribute to the consumption and growth of this alien. Spooner is still around to eliminate the threat once Ava gives her acceptance that this plan isn't going to give her what she needs quickly. It's a simple setup while still being just entertaining enough.