S01.E05: Fail Safe

[scarynikki12]

After some of the Legends are captured during the height of the Cold War of 1986, Snart leads the team in an elaborate escape plan to free their comrades.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q_JtQF3V_I

[scarynikki12]

Boom!

Ray really needs to watch Oz. Like his dynamic with Mick and earning his trust.

Love Sara kicking ass, not pulling the trigger and knowing the drinking age so Jax could have a shot. I just love Sara.

Cold's crush on Sara is very entertaining. Maybe I really will get my wish to see them hook up.

[mtlchick]

"This isn't my first prison break" made me giddy a lot more than it should have. 

[Jediknight]

Love that Mick and Snart call Ray, boy scout.  They gotta get the Superman references in.

 

I find it hard to believe that the destruction of that gulag would have had no effect on the timeline.  That really should have had an effect, they blew up a freaking top secret gulag.  There's no way that the Soviet Union wouldn't have looked into that.

 

It was awesome to see Jefferson be the hero this episode, and Stein give him credit for it.  Also awesome to see that Snart continues to pine for Sara, good news for Snart is that he may join Oliver as a guy that has a chance with Sara.

[Trini]

Three of the guys shirtless? It's like you get me, show.

 

However, teaming up the two weakest actors, not so great.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Trini

[Lantern7]

Good episode, even with the thoroughly underwhelming Vandal Savage. Here's hoping he doesn't rear his ugly head in 2046.

 

Ray is still a schmuck. Not as bad as Todd Ingram, but he's too determined to be a hero. At least Mick was a little impressed.

 

"Have you ever merged with a woman?" Oh, man. That was funny. And yay on Jax and Martin healing their partnership. And Kendra was useful this week. Good for her.

 

I kinda hate when stuff comes out of nowhere. First, it was Kendra housing a demigoddess instead of a priestess, now it's the link between Jax and "Grey." I mean, I know it's canon, but I imagine non-fans to be driven nuts by developments like that.

[Jediknight]

Three of the guys shirtless? It's like you get me, show.

To balance that out, give us Sara and Kendra in bikinis.

[scarynikki12]

One detail that I really liked was Jax causing his old injury to flare up at the gulag.  These type of scenes often have the character overcome the injury as if it never mattered.  Jax hurt himself again but he did it to save Stein and, by extension, the team and future.  Indestructibility doesn't make a hero, being willing to risk an injury to help others makes a hero.  I'm really liking watching Jax progress.

[Sakura12]

Boy Scout, Ray is Dudley Do Right. 

 

"So much for your code, crook."
"Anytime Assassin"

 

And Sara saying that she took out 6 guys while they couldn't handle 1. Mick saved Ray, it looks like he's changing for more than just him and Cold. Ray's still an idiot though. 

 

I guess that's Connor Hawke. 

[tennisgurl]

"This isn't my first prison break". You have been waiting for this whole franchise to use that one, huh writers? That made me smile a lot.

 

Man, they really trotted out every Russian stereotype they could find. Gulags and mad soviet science and mobsters, and even a bit of an America Fuck Yeah speech. I was just waiting for the strippers to show up. It kinda felt like I was watching Rocky 4 a few times. 

 

I am really glad they gave Mick something more to do this week, as well as they stuff they gave him last week. It seems like before this he was kinda just Colds sidekick, but now it seems like he is getting more of his own arc. I loved the whole thing where Mick just starred at the lighter the whole time. The dude has more of a fixation on fire than Captain Cold has on Cold related puns. 

 

Victor Garber is just having a blast here. Some pun intended. 

Edited February 19, 2016 by tennisgurl

[benteen]

Another ridiculously fun episode.  The pairings continue to shine, with Ray and Mick this week and the continuing interaction between Sara and Snart.

 

Ain't going to break SpyDaddy with torture, lady!

Edited February 19, 2016 by benteen

[Trini]

Prison Break references:

• Planning a prison break,
• Tattoo mention,
• Ray get called 'Pretty',
• "Not my first prison break"
• Snart(Wentworth) going in to rescue Rory(Purcell)
  

[Primal Slayer]

Another damn good episode. This show gets so much more done then it's sister shows I feel like.

 

Sadly Hawkgirl is still the weakest link but everyone else has been getting some great stories, most of all Sara. Rip using Star City to dangle over her head to get the job done was so wrong but oh so good.

[HighwayFlower]

Show keeps getting better in my opinion. Kendra and Jax were still weak and putting them together didn't help, but the rest of the characters really made up for it.

[Sakura12]

I'm really enjoying this show, each episode is more interesting than the last. Since I'm not one that cares about the plot or cares about the time travel issues. I'm just enjoying the show for what is, entertainment. 

 

I also liked Sara bringing up the Bravta since she knows one of them. It's too bad we didn't get to see younger Anatoly. He was the first person to find her scary.

 

Connor Hawke and future people. Poor Sara but she probably won't believe Oliver's dead not with how many times people thought they were dead before.

[Trini]

To balance that out, give us Sara and Kendra in bikinis.

Skintight leather not good enough for you?  :-P

(I'm sure it's coming; ... although, they film in Vancouver, so it's less likely, maybe...)

[nksarmi]

I just love this show.  It entertains me constantly - the lines are fantastic.  And the best part is that it doesn't piss me off the way Arrow sometimes does (at least not yet - knock on wood).

 

Actually, the really best part is that it gives me the "I can't wait for next week" and the "I've got to watch this one again" feeling that I've hardly ever gotten from Flash and not had from Arrow since season two.

[tarotx]

I can't help it, I just love the team. Only Kendra is a weak link this week. I love Sara and Cold and Sara and Rip. I loved Heat this week. Jax had his good moments making me sure he has a ton of potential. Ray is Ray but I understand him. I loved Sara's dilemma-save Stein or save her city. I think they handled each members importance this week really well. I can tell the show has gotten cheap with Sara handling a chunk of the fighting and the CGI not being the best but I'm a go with that.  I loved Bratva being used. And I loved the Future Star city, the Smoak building and Connor showing up at the end <3

 

I think Sara looked really pretty this episode. I loved Cold's code <3

Edited February 25, 2016 by tarotx

[Trini]

So there's a black Green Arrow in the comics?

[Sakura12]

So there's a black Green Arrow in the comics?

 

Connor Hawke in the comics is half black and Oliver's son. 

 

I'm liking that we are seeing more of Sara and seeing that she was probably a pretty good assassin. Unlike the rest of the LOA who seem to really suck at winning a fight. Apparently Sara was on the Varsity Team in the League as well. 

[bmoore4026]

I think I know what my problem with this series is: every single character on this show is boring!

 

I could give two flips about Rip Hunter.  In the comics, he was part of a group called The Forgotten Heroes for a reason!

 

I don't care about Sara.  I don't care about Hawkgirl.  I miss Ronnie Raymond because this new half annoys the shit out of me.  Cold and Heat would work better on an actual Suicide Squad.  Ray is and forever will be a tool.

 

That whole "America is flawed but great" speech would have sounded better out of Captain America than learned Professor Stein.  Victor Garber's a great actor, but that speech just didn't suit his character.

 

This show needs to be retooled, I think.  Maybe with more Earth-2, possibly some 30th Century, definitely more Constantine preferably teamed up with Zatanna in some sort of wacky Hart to Hart/Supernatural private eye show.

[HunterHunted]

I know it's the other DC show, but I have to believe that Ray is an alien whose home planet doesn't have jails or prisons. Unless you are an alien or perhaps Amish, I can't imagine that you could be raised in modern society and avoid any depiction of jails or prisons in the news, books, music, television, or movies. Why was Ray acting like it was summer camp? Or perhaps Ray's parents were like Teresa Giudice from RHoNJ who told her children that she went to college when she was in prison.

Edited February 19, 2016 by HunterHunted

[Julie335]

I'm really liking this show. This episode was strong.

 

Vandal Savage unfortunately is not scary nor interesting to me as a villain, but other strong characters and actors are making up for it - Sara, Snart, Stein are my favourites. I'm glad they're being written the way they are.

 

This series is pulling me in because I'm starting to care about the characters and about the team. I like how every member has something to contribute.

[scarynikki12]

Ray acting like it was summer camp

 

Oh my god that's EXACTLY how he was acting!!!  I couldn't figure out the best way to describe his behavior and you nailed it. 

[bettername2come]

I want future Green Arrow to be Diggle and Lyla's kid. Not sure how likely that is, but I want it.

[Maverick]

 That's who I thought it was.  Then I remembered they had a girl (I think...haven't seen Arrow since season one).

[HunterHunted]

Oh my god that's EXACTLY how he was acting!!! I couldn't figure out the best way to describe his behavior and you nailed it.

I'm Ray. I like nanobots. Those are small robots. Super suits that shrink. My girlfriend back home, Felicity, thinks that shrinky super suits are awesome. All my friends back home call me The Atom. You can me that too because you know we're hanging here like pals in prison. Did I mention that I totally have a hot girlfriend whose name is Felicity. She's super hot.

Edited February 19, 2016 by HunterHunted

[MarkHB]

Skintight leather not good enough for you?  :-P

(I'm sure it's coming; ... although, they film in Vancouver, so it's less likely, maybe...)

On the leather note, Valentina wasn't bad, either.  And I can see that ending leaving room for her to become a different metahuman....

[lion10]

This show is just ridiculously fun. I've got excitement watching this show that I really don't get watching Arrow anymore. I love the switch up of pairings every week and seeing Stein and Jefferson reconcile. I also like that Rip has really taken to Sara as being his equal and second-in-command. I also liked that Cold pulled Sara back from the brink this episode. I would've liked to see more of the female Firestorm. "Have you ever merged with a woman doctor?" Yep, that's a sex analogy.

Can't wait for Old Man Oliver next week!

[Artsda]

Really loved this show.

"This isn't my first prison break." My favorite line, especially since I was a Prison Break fan.

Felicity has her name on a building, Oliver's dead and there's a black Green Arrow in 2046? So interested in what's going on there.

[Gregg247]

Vandal Savage can be reincarnated if just a little of his essence survives, I believe they stated in The Flash.  Well, he just got blown up by 3-4 bombs, and then Russian Firestorm went nuclear on his ashes, so he MUST be gone forever, right? Right?

 

This show could be a lot better if they weren't constantly chasing after the same guy all the time.  Let's dump Vandal and concentrate on those other time traveler guys who keep shooting at them.

 

Philosophical question:  If you were immortal and had been alive for 4000 years, would you still be bloodthirsty and mad for world domination, or would you have mellowed out and settled in for as normal a life as possible?  Isn't it likely you'd be more like Bill Murray at the end of "Groundhog Day"?  That's the only interesting thing about Vandal Savage to me--Why is he still so mean?

[henripootel]

I'm trying hard to like this show but it's barely enough to keep me watching.  A few cute lines but so much of the plotting and dialogue are just awful.  Were it not for Rory and Snart I'd have deleted this already.

 

Remind me again why this gulag was impenetrable?  Once Rip got directly involved, suddenly he knows everything possible about the place (down to monitoring Martin's heartbeat for god's sake) and just flew right in.  Still no idea why he let these guys get caught in the first place, or launched a rescue mission of any sort if he was in a position to simply swoop in whenever he wanted.  And that gulag was so full of Soviet I honestly expected they'd bump into Boris and Natasha from Bullwinkle.  

 

Why was Sara so impressed by that 'glimpse of alternate 2016'?  Since events were still in motion in 1986, that could only have been a simulation.  As such, how was it more impressive than simply saying 'the soviets will have lots of Firestorms and burn down America'? I know, visual aids, but it's no more than a fake video showing what you mean by 'soviet Firestorms will burn down America', not a glimpse of the actual future or anything.  

 

If it was a glimpse of the future and they can actually do that, what are the odds that they'll use this fantastic ability to see the results for any 'changes' they make to history before they actually make them, and pick and choose carefully?  I'm gonna say ... zero.  So mindbogglingly-useful an ability would change everything, so they'll forget it exists because 'scriptwriting'.

 

By the way, Martin, did you mean that, if he could, Einstein would go back in time and kill Leo Szilard?  He's the guy who tripped on nuclear chain reactions (IIRC), and it wasn't a quantum leap so to speak so be prepared to kill the next guy who figured it out.  I think Martin meant to imply that Einstein was responsible for the bomb but he kinda wasn't.  If there're any physicists in the crowd, I'd be curious to know what you think. 

[VCRTracking]

Once again the interactions between the different characters are my favorite part of the show.

 

I really like Ray(especially on this show and not Arrow) but I was laughing when he was getting his ass kicked in the prison yard while Mick was doing nothing and just staring at the lighter!I

 

 I would have liked to see more evil female Firestorm.

Edited February 19, 2016 by VCRTracking

[Trini]

I know I shouldn't be nitpicking the "science" on this show, but how was Vostok able to merge with Stein anyway? The only reason Stein could with Ronnie and Jax was because of the freak accident in Central City that changed their DNA, and whatever.

 

This is really one of those shows that's very enjoyable, as long as you're able to accept that it's completely ridiculous. But I think it's doing okay so far; the different pairings, different setting, and action each episode keeps it from being boring.

[Starfish35]

I'm enjoying this show more with each episode. Of course, it probably helps that I watched this week's exceedingly flawed Arrow episode before watching this episode, so it looked really good in comparison.

I am never going to like Casper Crump as Vandal Savage. It's just not going to happen. But beyond that....

The rest of the episode was great. I continue to be impressed at how they are so successfully mixing up the cast and all the different combinations. This time it was Ray and Mick. And who would have called Snart of all people being Sara's conscience? Kendra and Jax were also good together, although I kind of felt like they were the C storyline. Kendra really didn't get much to do again this week - she was mainly supporting Jax.

And the cliffhanger ending really made me look forward to next week!

[yellowfred]

I'm glad the team finally got a win; they were definitely due for one.  Also, the show remembered that Sara and Oliver are friends, which is kind of a win for everyone.

 

I liked getting to see Ray and Mick bonding a bit.  I feel like both of them are growing on me more than I expected them to.  Also, I really want to know how Mick got all those burn scars.

 

So, the thing that's continuing to bother me about the way time travel is handled in this show:  if Star City is going to be a burning ruin and all the Lances are dead, as shown in Rip's projection, wouldn't Sara be erased from the timeline?  Like, when it looked like Stein wasn't going to meet his wife, his wedding ring disappeared, so shouldn't there be something that happens to the characters when they're in danger of erasing themselves from time?

[thuganomics85]

Today in unsurprising news: Ray gets his ass kicked in prison.  Out of the entire gang, he certainly would be the one least likely to adapt to the prison life.  I did enjoy seeing him play off Mick, and how Mick ended up feeling loyalty to him for taking the beating for him.  That's another pairing that I surprisingly enjoyed.  Then again, I'm still surprised over how much I'm enjoying Mick and how even Ray is entertaining me.  I have almost forgot about all the shit he did on Arrow.

 

But my favorite was all the stuff with Snart and Sara.  This is a duo that I find kind of fascinating; especially watching Snart actually become Sara's conscience in a lot of ways.  While they are both different in a lot of ways, I do think in other ways, both of them get each other in ways no one else will.  Plus, it helps that Wenthworth Miller and Caity Lotz work very well together.

 

Hopefully, Jax and Stein will finally start getting it together, now that both of them have put their own lives at risk for the others.  Plus, Stein now had to merge with a crazy lady, which made him appreciate Jax even more.  That always works.

 

Vandal Savage continues to be a weak link.  I still think Valentina was a more fun antagonist.  But that might just be because I really enjoyed the actress.  Hope she'll be back on Mr. Robot at least. 

 

Rip really did screw up when it comes to his wife and son.  It sounds like Vandal just spend all this time memorizing their faces and names, in order to plot his revenge.

 

Next week looks insane!

[justjoan]

 

Why was Ray acting like it was summer camp?

Arrrrgh, Ray. It had to be a defense mechanism. That's the only way I can make it make sense. Because yeah, he's not great at reading people, but he's not actually an idiot. He's not Amish. He's not an alien. If he somehow managed to grow up in 20th/21st century America and yet missed every TV show and movie with a scene set in a prison (and there's no way he did, come on), he's at least heard other people talk about them. He had to know how much danger he was in. So the only way it works, IMO, is if he's actually really panicking, and thus doubling down on the sunshining to convince himself that everything's fine and all will be well. They'll be rescued in just a couple more minutes. Acting like a human will call forth the humanity in others. The world will make sense again soon.

 

Puppy's damned lucky he's on an 8:00 show on the CW, though. Lordy.

Edited February 19, 2016 by justjoan

[ottoDbusdriver]

So, the thing that's continuing to bother me about the way time travel is handled in this show:  if Star City is going to be a burning ruin and all the Lances are dead, as shown in Rip's projection, wouldn't Sara be erased from the timeline?  Like, when it looked like Stein wasn't going to meet his wife, his wedding ring disappeared, so shouldn't there be something that happens to the characters when they're in danger of erasing themselves from time?

 

That 's what I was thinking as well -- á la Back to the Future ?   Especially when Gideon indicated that there was a 99% chance that the Soviets won the Cold War.

 

I know I shouldn't be nitpicking the "science" on this show, but how was Vostok able to merge with Stein anyway? The only reason Stein could with Ronnie and Jax was because of the freak accident in Central City that changed their DNA, and whatever.

 

That needed to be explained a lot more -- since Vostok wasn't exposed to the Star Labs explosion, how would she have been able to handle the thermal core without killing herself let alone merge with Stein.

 

Plus, I just find it hard to believe that just "seeing" Firestorm in action 11 years previously would have put them anywhere close to the same working solution Stein figured out.  That's like seeing the Internet and just inventing it.  Plus, Vostok didn't have that handy piece of tech that Jefferson and Stein have clamped to their chest needed to stabilize them.

 

Though that "have you ever merged with a woman" line by Vostok was pretty funny.

[HighwayFlower]

I have just decided not to care about the science and enjoy the characters. Makes it much more fun

[Sakura12]

The future Gideon showed Sara was a projection of thr possible future. Histry wasn't cemented yet. That's why rip wanted her to hurry up and kill Stein.

[driedfruit]

I haven't been feeling the Russian arc so the last few minutes was the best part for me. Good to see them visit the future since traveling back only as far as the 80s and 70s was getting tedious. Bonus, even under mask and hood Connor Hawke looks pretty damn fine.

[Chicago Redshirt]

 That's who I thought it was.  Then I remembered they had a girl (I think...haven't seen Arrow since season one).

Digg and Lyla currently have a girl who's named after Sara. But this is 2046, so they would have as many as 5-10 years to have a son.

 

But like others have said, it's probably Connor Hawke.

[kirinan]

I'm really starting to love this show because of the relationships between the characters. They're all growing, which is my criteria for a good story.

 

Yes, Ray is naive and sometimes stupid, but I think he'll grow up and not be such a dork. Loved what they did with him and Mick in this ep, and I enjoyed seeing the new side of Mick, too. And Snart and Sara? My absolute favorite interactions. Not even in a romantic sense; just in a "making each other better" sense. They are both slowly finding their heroes within, and that's wonderful to watch. Wentworth Miller, to me, is the real revelation here, but I like the actress who plays Sara, too (sorry, I can't remember her name). Stein--I love the character and Victor Garber so much that he will never not get a pass from me for whatever he does. And while I do agree that the remaining members (Rip, Hawkgirl, and Jax) are maybe a little weak at this point, I sense that they're coming into their own. Rip went a long way toward that in my estimation with blowing up Savage. Loved the cavalier way he did it, especially since I was yelling at him for not shooting Savage when he had the chance.

 

My only concerns with the show are: 1) Detest Vandal Savage, I think he drags the show down and I just want him gone. I realize he's the reason the team exists, so I could deal with maybe one appearance every half-dozen episodes or so, or much-reduced appearances in more frequent episodes if they have to keep him around. I dislike Sylar-from-Heroes type characters who are all-powerful and keep winning. To me, that's just lazy storytelling, especially since I care more about the interaction between the team. And 2) I hope there isn't going to be a reliance on Arrow characters and storylines. I've tried to watch Arrow, I don't like it, and I don't want to feel like I need to watch another show to understand what's happening in this one. I feel the same way about The Flash, too (even though I'm an enthusiastic fan of that show). I understand they're all in the same universe so there have to be occasional crossovers, but I hope they'll keep them minimal for those of us who don't care about Arrow, Flash, or both.

 

Oh, and I'm so glad that overacting female Russian scientist is gone. Hopefully that death is a permanent one.

Edited February 19, 2016 by kirinan

[starri]

I have to admit, hearing Stein state that for all America's problems, you still get to love who you love really got to me.  I wonder if it was scripted or if it was something Victor Garber came up with.  Either way, I'm glad they left it in.

[MarkHB]

The episode titles just dawned on me.  I recognized "Fail Safe" immediately as a nod to the classic film (and George Clooney's live B/W remake), but it just struck me that "White Knights" was also named after another Cold War film, "White Nights" with Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

[Primetimer]

Will she go back to her assassin ways?

Read the story

[darkestboy]

Somewhat better than the previous episode. The episode might have gone a little overkill with the Prison Break references and Russian stereotyping but I really enjoyed this one.

 

Valentina is a lot more interesting than Savage as a villain. Loved all of her scenes with Stein and kind of hoping that we actually get to see her again.

 

Nice to see Stein/Jackson finally on the same page, loved Jackson/Kendra working together, Rip had his moments and looked nice in a towel and the Ray/Heatwave scenes were great.

 

Sara and Cold, every scene with them is pure gold and this week was no exception. The Cisco cameo was nice too but the end scene with Connor Hawke and Star City 2046 was brilliant, 8/10

[TVHappy9463]

That was much better than the previous episodes, seems they are finding their footing.  I love Wentworth Miller, but he needs more variation in the voice, and it seems very "affected". His scenes with Caity are good and I look forward to seeing the relationship develop.  Next time the boys are shirtless, and their needs to be a next time! Please have them a better position and lighting, I am sure the Legends need to go to the beach for a mission, the boys will get Caity in a bikini and the girls will get the boys.  Does Wentworth not do shirtless?  It seemed odd he was in a robe in the steam room.  Rip keep your shirt on! 

To recap:  more Snart/Canary, more shirtless men (except Rip and Dr. Stein), way less Vandall Savage.  

Looking forward to next week.  

[KirkB]

Firestorm happened originally because Ronnie was at ground zero of the particle accelerator explosion which somehow turned him into energy that hit the matrix Stein was holding and caused the two of them to merge. It was a freak accident. Firestorm 2.0 was possible because they determined that Jax's DNA had been altered by the particle accelerator in a way similar to Ronnie, so the two of them were also able to merge. To my knowledge the Russian lady wasn't in Central City when the particle accelerator exploded and she shouldn't have any way of knowing about it or the genetic alterations, let alone be able to replicate it, so I don't understand how she and Stein were able to merge. It did look cool though. But I fail to understand what is so impressive about Firestorm. He can fly and throw fire. So maybe it's radioactive fire (does that mean he's risking giving the team radiation poisoning every time he flares up near them?) but would an army of flying guys really be that hard to stop? Eilling took down Ronnie and Stein pretty easily.

 

Savage continues to be the weakest link for me. I'm resigned to Casper Crump in the role (he still doesn't look the part to me but half the time the actors don't so I can deal with that) but every time he opens his mouth his squeaky little voice is hard for me to take seriously.

Edited February 19, 2016 by KirkB