We received some amazing emails this week that we didn’t have enough time to read fully on the podcast. So we wanted to showcase these emails on our website. Hope you enjoy the read and send your Legends of Tomorrow thoughts to our email: [email protected]

Hey, everybody!

I just finished watching the season one episode “Last Refuge” and I have to say that I was most moved by Jax’s story in this episode. I’m not sure what it was that got me but I think it’s because my dad was in the military for all of my formative years. I grew up as a Navy brat, so that image of Jax’s in uniform, all packed and ready to go, uncertain about when you’ll see him again is something that I experienced as a boy too many times to count. I even have one of those giant green seabagsthat you see in that hospital scene, and with my dad’s name on it!

The first thing about the scene that appreciated was Professor Stein. Victor Garber said in an interview that the thing he loves most about playing Martin Stein is the opportunity to play someone who is so intelligent with such a big heart. You see that on display in this scene when Stein sees the soldier and immediately puts together that this man is Jefferson’s father. Then, without hesitation, goes to get Jax so that the two of them can meet for the first time. No hesitation. Professor Stein knows that Jefferson longs for this experience, he needs this experience. It was the kind of thing that only someone who is literally your other half would do for you without hesitation, regardless of whether or not it could damage the timeline. I really liked that.

Then Jax gets to meet his father, and like a good time-traveler, doesn’t reveal anything about himself or the future (for now). You know he wants to. You know he needs to. But he doesn’t break the rules because Jefferson Jackson, whether he is the Jax of multiple episodes or not, is still a hero. And heroes do the right thing. I think that’s something he gets from his parents: a soldier who died in service to his country, and a widowed single mother who did it all to raise her son.

When Jax first appears on the Flash, you learn that he’s an auto mechanic who could have had a promising career as a pro athlete. An injury took away that opportunity to be a star and an idol for millions, but that didn’t stop Jax from doing what was right. When Team Flash comes and offers Jax the chance to become a superhero, he initially turns it down. All the power, the adventure, the opportunity to become a star and an idol for millions — he says, “No.” He doesn’t want to give up the life he built for himself and his mother because those things are important to him. But when he learns that doing this thing will save another man’s life, a stranger, a person he might have never met under normal circumstances, Jax agrees to become the other half of Firestorm. He gave up everything he knew for no other reason than to save Martin Stein’s life.

That’s why I kind of think that Papa Jax will still die in Somalia even though his son warned him. He’s a soldier, and if that same stuff that makes Jefferson a hero is also running through Papa Jax’s veins, that means he’s going to make the right choice even if it means giving up everything. In my head canon he’s going to be careful, he’s going to keep his head on a swivel, but he’s going to have choose to save his fellow soldiers or some other innocent people. He knows that choice is going to cost him his life, but he does it anyway because it’s the right thing to do.

I’ll always think of that when I think about what makes a character a hero.

Anyway, I’m glad this emotional beat wasn’t the Jax of the episode.

I’m off to listen to this week’s episode about “Last Refuge.”

Thanks for your time,

–Troy

Hello,

While listening to your most recent podcast I came of with two theories:

• What if Vandal Savage himself is the head of the Time Masters?  This could explain why they are so insistent on preserving this version of history!
• This one came to me when one of you misspoke Carter’s name (sorry haven’t quite memorized who’s who, yet; new listener): You know how, in this version, Connor Hawke is John Diggle, Sr?  And how some people want Diggle to turn out to be John Stewart?  What if (sniff) something eventually happens to Lyla, and Diggle later meets Kendra and has a son with her, named after him?  But when he chooses his new name, he takes one that pays tribute to his mother?  This could also serve as a way of adapting the whole HawkLantern ship from JLU that absolutely proves that Shayera can love other people than Khufu!  And yes, I realize they’re aliens in the DCAU, but still.

Also, you were discussing what could happen in season two.  What if they take another cue from Doctor Who and make the main villain another renegade Time Master, albeit one that’s evil?  Specifically, Tempus!  Last week, Dr. Stein got to meet HG Wells (by the way, the liberties they took with his history have led me to believe Harrison Wells is his descendant in the Super Legends of Flarrowverse, just saying).  On Lois and Clark, HG Wells was a recurring character, and essentially the arch-enemy of Tempus.  This little plotline could have been foreshadowing for season 2.

Here’s a picture of Tempus and “Herb:”

Time to go,

Dillon Exner

Hi! Big fan here (I also listen to the Flash Podcast and Supergirl Radio!), first time writing in. Sorry this is so late, I just listened to last week’s episode today, but here are some of my thoughts about the episode and some of the things mentioned on the podcast (and I’m sorry if other people have written in and said these things already):

1. I’m pretty sure the Pilgrim is dead. It looked like she turned into a pile of ash when all the legends’ powers hit her at once.

2. I think Jax would absolutely still be talking about his high school injury several years later. They explained on the Flash that he had scouts from college football teams coming to watch him before he was hurt, so that injury essentially killed any chances of him being able to go to college (since they made it clear that he couldn’t afford it without a scholarship). So if he’s talking about why he’s working in an auto shop instead of going to school, it’s bound to come up. Also, football was a really big part of his life? It seemed like once that was taken away from him, he felt like he didn’t really have much of a purpose or direction until he became Firestorm. Seems reasonable that it would have come up one way or another.

3. Rip said the reason why the legends’ younger selves weren’t restored to the proper timelines is because even though they defeated the Pilgrim, the Omega Protocol is still in effect, so the Time Masters would just send someone else after their younger selves. That’s why they’re still staying at the Time Master orphanage with Rip’s mom.
The longer they keep their younger selves out of their timelines, the more concrete the altered timelines become. So apparently they need to go after Savage RIGHT NOW so they can return their younger selves back to their timelines before it’s too late (because apparently once Savage is defeated the Time Masters will just be like “nm, it’s cool, you guys can live”?).

4. I think they’re pushing/rushing Ray and Kendra’s relationship just to make things that much more dramatic when Hawkbro inevitably comes back somehow. (Which I’m positive is what’s going to happen, not necessarily that Ray or Kendra will die. I would be so sad if Ray dies. I’ve always loved him.)

5. I love the idea of the team working for the Time Masters next season. I feel like it would add some structure to it that they desperately need. And them picking up other DC characters (even if just temporarily) along the way would be AWESOME. (TALIA AL GHUL PLS AND THX)

6. I don’t ship Atomic Hawk (I don’t hate it either, but I’m just not buying it, it feels too forced to me) but between last week and this week’s episode, I’ve been super annoyed with the idea that any relationship Kendra has that isn’t with Hawkbro “ends in heartbreak”. Because that’s literally every relationship ever. All relationships end either because they broke up, or because someone died, and it’s sad no matter what. All of Kendra’s past relationships with Hawkbro have “ended in heartbreak” too, because one or
both of them DIED. I just think it’s a really vague and dumb concept and not a very legit reason for Ray and Kendra to not be together. I hope they stop bringing that up eventually.

7. A huge round of applause to Franz Drameh this week. I’m so glad Jax (finally) got some time to shine, and his acting was exceptional this episode. Also major props to whoever his dialect coach is, because his American accent (nay, “young black man in America” accent) is flawless and I noticed that more than ever this week.

Thanks for being great hosts! Looking forward to next week’s episode.

Whitney
twitter: @aeonish

About the author

Kat C.