DC's Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 Episode 2 Review: The Justice Society of America
Carissa Pavlica
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We're already one member short on the Justice Society of America and we just met them!
Eobard Thawne left his dirty fingerprints all over DC's Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 Episode 2, as he was in search of some giant bauble that was originally in the possession of the Nazis.
For reasons unknown, he was unable to flash in and out and get it himself, but instead flashed into JSA headquarters, threatened and killed Rex Tyler aka Hourman, took the bauble and left.
Huh?
Sometimes things on this show just don't make a lot of sense. There aren't a lot of things that would appear to be off limits for Reverse Flash, so must've just wanted to kill Hourman. OK.
I still wait around hoping for a hint of the guy we knew for the entirety of The Flash Season 1, but he's gone. It's as if they're two completely different characters, Reverse Flash pre- and post-reveal.
It only matters if we assume the collection of said bauble will play into a bigger Legion of Doom story as the season progresses. Maybe it won't. For the sake of this hour, I'm going to ignore them going forward.
There was a lot to like about "The Justice Society of America."
Ray's announcement that he and his pals are superheroes like the JSA didn't go over so well, and after we got to know the JSA members a little better, it was obvious they're not jokers.
Nate: My dad used to tell me bedtime stories about you. You're a hero to me.
Commander Steel: I'm a hero to a lot of people. That's the job.
Being heroes is their job, and it's one they can't take lightly. Especially during a time of war, such as the dire circumstances of World War II, people are counting on them every day in life-altering situations. The president of the United States has a direct line right into their office.
They don't lurk about and hide while trying to save the day, but are recognized for what they are. They have reputations and understand the stakes. They're world weary and battle fatigued.
Being faced with goofballs like Ray, squabblers like Stein and Jax, or learning there's a felon on the team like Mick must have seemed fantastical to them. Why would anybody trust important missions in the hands of the Legends when true superheroes like the JSA came before them?
Ray: Well, I gotta admit, watching your team work like a well-oiled machine kinda makes me feel like I'm doing this whole hero thing all wrong.
Vixen: If it's any consolation, Dr. Palmer, you're not really a hero.
It really is hard to take in, but as the hour progressed, the Legends had some time to prove themselves. It wasn't easy though.
Nate continues to impress. Nick Zano is doing a keen job as the historian stepping out from behind the pages and into the field. Even when given the opportunity to meet his great grandfather, he's not overly excited, but instead deeply aware of what a unique situation he in. He wants to make the most of it.
It hurts him to discover the man he always wanted to emulate won't even look him in the eye, but their talk was enough. It explained what it needed to and left room for them to find more common ground in the future.
And as far as casting goes, Matthew MacCaull and Nick Zano not only share similar looks, but similar temperament, and there scenes together were a real treat.
It was also interesting that Nate had hemophilia. That will surely make his cure with the super serum and the resulting hero status he takes on as a result ultra special. After spending a lifetime on watch because the slightest injury can cause your death, becoming super human would be quite the adjustment.
We didn't get to know much about Stargirl and Obsidian, but they were pretty cool. Obsidian can, essentially, turn the lights out on any event so that day goes to night. We will get to know an older Obsidian in the future when he's played by Lance Henriksen. Can't wait!
While we were meeting the JSA members, the Legends were looking less than competent because of their inability to get it together in the leadership department. Stein is far too scientific to be a leader under their particular circumstances.
He's the kind of man who needs data to make a decision, who, at the very least, would prefer to weigh the pros and cons of the evidence before him before moving forward. In battle, those precious seconds can mean the death of your team members.
Rex: You don't have the authority.
Stein: Yes, she does. Ms. Lance speaks for all of us. I have watched her become the beating heart and steady hand of this team. She is the proper person to lead us. If she says that we are going to rescue our people, that is what we are going to do.
Jax was working hard behind the scenes to get Stein to see the limitations of his abilities, but Stein was able to come to the determination to turn leadership of the Wavewrider to Sara on his own.
We also got to meet Amaya, our new Vixen. I don't know about you, but I love her. The most interaction she had was with Ray, which was unfortunate. It did, however, make her stand out. The more I see of Ray, the more I realize Brandon Routh needs to dial back the dork on him.
Amaya, however, took her job seriously and didn't make her powers seem at all cheesy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but her power animal seems to be a gorilla. She turned into it more than once.
Unfortunately for Amaya, Ray blew her cover in 1942 Paris. She can't do the work she's best at doing any longer. While they didn't exactly invite her on board, it seems pretty obvious that's coming.
It was on Amaya that Ray made the bad impression and then turned it around when he chose saving Nate over making himself a true superhero by going metahuman with the serum he took while they were being held by Krieger.
Like I said, overall there was a lot to like here, but it's still hard to understand where the Legion of Doom is going to fit. Reverse Flash feels like an intrusion on an otherwise enjoyable hour. Was the Legion of Doom necessary?
How utterly annoyed am I going to be when Malcolm Merlyn shows up? Hawkgirl level of annoyance or Hawkgirl and Vandal Savage level of annoyance? Eeek. Just let them fight the baddies in history, you know?
Let me know where you stand and what you thought of the JSA. If you missed everything, you can watch DC's Legends of Tomorrow online.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
