Post — Aaron Ngo

Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.

The Legends have decided to go to summer camp. This episode works so well with how the team works and bringing Ava along for the ride also enhanced the story. The same goes with leaving Nate and Gary out, as it would’ve focused primarily on his reaction to Charlie looking like Amaya and we’re not ready to deal with that just yet. Although the show is not going to put that off for much longer.

The Swamp Thing references were too good. I liked how the show anticipated the audience’s desire to see him and ended up making a lot of good nods like John Constantine knowing him or the movie, “Swamp Thaaaaang” not sure if I put the right amount of a’s but you get it.

Leaving Zari and Mick behind on the Waverider with Charlie was a good use of the buddy system. Ray mentioned this a bunch of times throughout the episode, which is how I’ve been structuring my blog reviews… Character pairings and interactions are what makes most TV shows/movies/books work. We’re invested more in the characters rather than the story plot most of the time, which is why I try to hold back a lot when it comes to “spoilers”.

My meta moment is over.

Let us get back to the buddy system. Zari isn’t given much screentime this week, which is fine, she got plenty of good moments in the past three episodes. Mick and Charlie are the ones who actually get a bond going over their criminal pasts and love for booze. I wouldn’t mind seeing them get together… to be frank, I originally thought Mick and Amaya were the better pairing rather than Nate and Amaya… so this is like a dream come true.

I wish they addressed how Charlie felt about losing her shape-shifting powers, but she is more scared about going back to hell. Like yeah, hell is probably a screwed up dimension, but you lost a part of yourself, Charlie! I’d be so mad if I was stuck in one form, and it wasn’t even my original form. John Constantine is kind of a dick for doing that to her. Hopefully Charlie proves herself to the team because she’s joining them full-time.

Sara and Ava, John and Ray… the buddy system works. Sara and Ava are trying to get the girl campers to talk, but they don’t trust adults especially “Lake Beast”, a horrible nickname that Ava was given for her strictness. Sara tries to convince Ava that bonding with them using their inner child is the solution, but Ava refuses…

If you had forgotten, Ava is a clone and has no real memories of being a kid and thus… was never a child. Sara was insensitive this entire time. She didn’t think about Ava being a clone and how she never got a childhood. Luckily, Sara was able to give her just that using John’s magic potion. After they drink it, Avalance turns into children. Constantine didn’t even know if it’d work, but he’s happy to learn that he does.

The child actresses who play Sara and Ava were spot-on in their portrayals. They nailed a lot of their characteristics and mannerisms. Sara wouldn’t have been too difficult to pull off, but child Ava was the one who impressed me the most.

Ray and Constantine were effective foils to each other. I think Ray had the best one-liners regarding camp safety and how much he loved being a boy scout. The writers were clever in letting Ray deliver all the goofiness of summer camp. Even his little campers took his lessons to heart and saved the day with everything Ray taught them.

By episode’s end, Constantine used a crap ton of magic to save a kid… nice reference to Astra from his original series. He is currently in bad shape, but Ray thinks Nora Darhk will be able to save him using magic. This is the perfect time to address Nora’s redemption arc and budding romance with Ray Palmer.

I was disappointed with the monster-of-the-week. The handsome boy does not triumph killer unicorn or malicious Fairy God Mother.

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