Legacies Season 1 Episode 16 Review: There's Always a Loophole
Paul Dailly
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Well, that was a little underwhelming.
Legacies Season 1 Episode 16 was a rushed affair that would have benefited from being a two-hour installment.
The show was initially supposed to span 13 episodes so the extension should have allowed some more mythology instead of the standalone episodes.
It was hero time on "There's Always a Loophole," and the ending seemed like a fitting conclusion for Hope Mikaelson ... if Danielle Rose Russell was leaving the series in her rear-view mirror.
We started Legacies Season 1 with Hope fretting that she was this horrible person with little purpose other than being a tribrid. In the end, she found purpose, but I did not expect it to lead to her diving headfirst into the bottomless pit that is Malivore.
If you watch Legacies online, you know that Hope has always struggled to cope with the hand she's been dealt in life. Both of her parents essentially committed suicide to save her life, and her giving up her own life to help keep Landon's father at bay was a ballsy move.
We're looking for an artifact known as the chalice of arithmea. We have reason to believe it's part of your school's collection. Now, you know this place a lot better than we do, so the sooner you help us find it, the sooner we'll be gone. Triad thanks you for your time.
Agent
Russell's finest acting to date was highlighted during Hope's chat with Alaric as she realized that being equal parts werewolf, vampire, and witch would allow her to save everyone. Hope confirmed what we all expected: Alaric's guidance had a profound effect on her.
She looked at him as a father figure, even if she wanted to push the boundaries. Hope's plight to Alaric to burn her belongings would make it like she never existed. She doesn't want to get found wherever she may be because it could mean hell on earth if Malivore was to return.
It was a heroic move, and it's just a shame everyone has forgotten about it. We have that pesky pit to thank for that one!
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Hope has all of the traits of a hero, and her showing up to save her boyfriend in his time of need was everything. One of the many complaints about Legacies has been that Hope's powers have been way more subdued than they were on The Originals.
Dorian: What's going on up there?
Alaric: Morning officer. What's the holdup?
Officer: Doctor Saltzman. Wickery Bridge is closed.
Dorian: Why?
Officer: Someone blew it up.
However, they were on full display during this high-stakes season finale. It's good that Hope got to tell Landon she loved him to his face, but it felt somewhat redundant when you consider the fact Hope's existence got wiped away.
Did anyone else find Hope's sacrifice similar to the one Buffy made on the final episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5?
At least Hope got to take down Landon's brother with her. That dude seriously needed to shut up. He spoke way too much over the last two episodes of the season. I get that some of what he said helped us understand what was going on, but he did not stop for a beat.
You're not very scared of me, are you? [Agent aims a gun.] How about now?
Agent
I expected Landon to make a snarky comment when he thought he killed him. There's a lot we don't know about Landon's powers right now, but they did kick in when he needed them the most. I dare say he's going to remember Hope down the line and find a way to take a trip to the place his father resides.
We now know that Landon was supposed to be a host. That's a wild development and one that is sure to rear its ugly head down the line. The show is poised to roll with the Malivore for the entirety of its run, and I can get behind that.
The action at the school was over way too quickly, but what we got were some exciting scenes that showed nobody should mess with these kids.
I can't be the only one that thought Hope was going to get shot and activate her vampire side, becoming a full-blown hybrid. Josie getting shot was not surprising, but it didn't feel like the type of development that would stick with the whole merge storyline coming to the forefront.
Josie jumping in front of the bullet was another moment in which she put her sister's life before her own. It's like she's done it for so long that she's subconsciously doing things to keep Lizzie safe.
My favorite part of the whole thing was Josie and Lizzie holding Hope's hand and telling her that she needs to find a way to get them out of their predicament. When the show started, the sisters wanted nothing to do with Hope.
It's incredible just how far they've come. In their way, they've bonded for life, and it wouldn't surprise me if Lizzie and Josie wound up treating Hope like a sister. That's assuming they find a way to stop the merge.
Lizzie was her typical self, complaining that she was going to be absorbed because she was the least powerful. That couldn't be further from the truth. There's no telling what will happen if we get as far as the merge.
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Now that we know they have the ascendant, it looks like Legacies Season 2 is going to be more about the merge than ever before. It would be the right time to bring Candice King back as Caroline Forbes and Chris Wood as Kai Parker.
Lizzie: Who the hell are you?
Agent: I think you should invite us inside.
I wanted there to be a Kai mention thrown into this finale very much, you guys. It would have made sense given the merge.
The moment Alaric mentioned the dark objects, I figured all of those objects Camille had in her possession when she perished on The Originals would finally get mentioned.
I love a good throwback, but did the dark object have to be something from the worst villains ever on The Vampire Diaries?
The only good thing about that twist was that it highlighted that Alaric had a contingency plan in the event the students got too powerful. It's just a shame that it almost resulted in the students getting killed because they couldn't defend themselves.
Alaric made many big decisions before the school opened, but he should have known more than anyone that anything can happen. He needs to make sure his bases are covered from here on out, assuming he is allowed to continue to lead the school.
It's hard to imagine the Honor Council giving him the boot. The more likely scenario is that there will be some changes to the classes. Wouldn't it be fun if someone from The Vampire Diaries or The Originals showed up as a teacher during Legacies Season 2?
I felt like there should have been a more significant tie to the predecessors and that could have been in the form of Aunt Freya showing up to help, or something.
"There's Always a Loophole" was a decent episode, but it could have benefited from a longer running time. Fast-paced installments are usually welcome, but sometimes storylines need to breathe, you guys.
What's your take on all of it, Legacies Fanatics?
How will everyone manage to bring Hope back if they don't remember her?
Hit the comments below!
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
