The following has minor plot setup spoilers for the Legends of Tomorrow Season 6 episode “Ground Control to Sara Lance.”
The great thing about Legends of Tomorrow season openers is that you can always expect them to start off with a bang, and the opening to Season 6 is no different. We find our motley crew with a hangover in 1970s London, where they celebrated the defeat of The Fates at the end of last season. But their leader and friend, Sara, is missing! The audience seeing the end of Season 5 is privy to Sara’s last-minute abduction by aliens, but alas, our drunken and now hung-over band of misfits wasn’t. This episode, they investigate what happened to Sara, and we see what is happening to the abductee Legends leader in this riveting season opener.
Legends episodes work best when there’s a good balance of the team. Thankfully, we have that in this season opener. Characters such as Zari, Behrad, Astra, Constantine, Ava, and others get to shine, and are utilized in smart ways in this episode. In fact, as an in-reference, Ava has a checklist of typical Legends’ antics that result in their success! The show is wonderfully self-aware of its absurdities, and leans into them in some fantastic ways here. Balancing that with strong performances and writing, Legends proves to be near the top of its game here.
We are also introduced to new Legend, Esperanza Cruz (AKA “Spooner”), who has a backstory tying to the main plot of the season. Lisseth Chavez plays her with such hyper intensity and focus that has her both fit in and distinguish herself in the team. She’s a welcome addition who compliments the team dynamic in the first episode, and it’s fantastic to have a brown Latina added to the team and get the benefit of that representation on the show.
There’s humor, there’s shenanigans, and there’s that typical Legends heart, especially with Ava. This character has grown so much over the last few seasons since she was introduced as a Time Bureau agent, into a crucial team player and leader. Besides her girlfriend Sara, she has formed close bonds with everyone on the team, and this episode shows that in abundance. There are some really touching moments that will be tugging at your heartstrings in between your laughs at the show.
As most Legends pilots do, this episode sets up the main conflict for the season, and in an interesting way that you might not expect. It seemed obvious that the Legends would be going to space and aliens, but nothing comes simply with Legends of Tomorrow, and this season is no different as this pilot shows. Without giving too much away, as you might guess, the Legends mess something up and need to spend the rest of the season fixing it, and it’s done so in a way that feels true to the team’s shenanigans. I’m very looking forward to where the show goes from here.
If I have any critique, it’s that the episode goes a bit too far (again) with its involvement of Gary. I’ve had an uneasy relationship with this character, so the overemphasis on him in this episode left me a bit skeptical. But I could be wrong and the (latest) twist for him this episode could be something really good in the long run. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.
Overall, “Ground Control to Sara Lance” is a welcome return for Legends of Tomorrow. The writing, acting, directing, and everything in between comes together in a great and fun way that engrosses viewers into the mini-universe that Legends has made for itself in DCTV. With a new adventure at hand, I can’t wait to see what else is in store for our favorite band of misfits.
Rating: 9/10
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season 6 debuts Sunday May 2, and you can watch new episodes every Sunday on The CW and streaming the next day on The CW app.
