DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - Season 4.5

REVIEW:  DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - SEASON 4, EP. 5:  "Tagumo Attacks!!!"



Well...just when we thought we've seen everything that our Time Bureau Team has dealt with...they keep throwing us another curve.  Fairy Godmothers, shapeshifting punk rockers, a killer unicorn....and now, monsters from the deep threatening Japan.  Oh yes, kids---our dear Legends yet again come face to face with a piece of history that leaves us monstrously giddy with delight.  So let the campiness begin!

It's Tokyo, Japan in 1951, where we see this young filmmaker looking to create a monster movie for audiences to enjoy.  Gets more than he bargains for when a giant tentacle comes out of the water to attack everyone.  He captures the entire event on film.

We then head to the Waverider, We see Mick having writer's block, and Zari commenting on it. Our wayward travelers are also pondering on how to save Constantine, who's magic he used to save a boy at the camp last week, has left him weakened and dying.  Ray feels there IS a way to help him...by going outside normal channels, and finding Nora Dhark.  For once, Sara doesn't disagree with him, and sends him off...meanwhile, the team gets the alert about said monster destroying Tokyo in 1951, and the adventure begins!

Back at the Bureau, Hank Heywood is getting the lay of the land with a tour by Ava and Nate, giving him reason to up the budget to contain the several magical creatures they've captured to preserve the timeline.  He's impressed, and says he'll make sure they get the budget to complete their project.  He then let's Nate know about Thanksgiving dinner at home, which Nate so enthusiastically agrees to (that's sarcasm folks!), and somehow, Ava is curious, so she gets invited along.

Back with the team, we see them meet up with movie director Ishiro Honda, who is busy trying to direct his movie.  Mick and Zari pose as movie producers from LA, who're interested in his work.  They want to get the film he shot of the monster, so they know how to defeat it.  It's not going so well, so Sara---with Charlie in tow (who Sara feels it's time to earn her keep)---manage to sneak into Honda's office, and nab said can of film.  The team heads back to the ship, where they try to figure out the monster in question.  One our dear punk rock shapeshifter has no idea what it is.  

Back in 2018, Ray has managed to track Nora to said Reniassiance Faire, where she's being harassed by one of the patrons.  Ray comes to her rescue, and she asks what he's doing there.  Ray says he needs her help in saving John, but she's wary of using her powers, considering who her father was.  Ray convinces her to go along and try.

Thanksgiving at the Haywoods is exactly the nightmare that Nate had warned Ava about.  Kids screaming and running around, breaking things, drunk relatives, and so on....Nate only informs her that it's going to go on for AT LEAST another six hours---both start to drink heavily.

Meanwhile---at the Bureau, Gary is set to enjoy his Thanksgiving when who should happen upon him but our sweet little Lunch Gal.  He's giving her the mini-tour, and she's asking him just what it is they do (my, my, she's an inqusitive one, isn't she?  But she's adorable, so she gets a pass for it).  He asks her to spend Thanksgiving with him, which he does.  When he clears a place for them to set up and eat, he accidently releases all the prisoners from their containment units----Gary bumbles again!

We see the team return again to confront the beast, only to see Honda tossing a book into the water...only to have the book come back to him.  They explain to him that they're not producers, and whatever's out there is trouble.  He explains that he found this book and he drew his ideas for a movie in it---based on the nightmares he had about Hiroshima (which the actual Honda DID experience as a member of the Japanese military), and all of the sudden, his nightmares came to life...in the form of Tagumo!  Charlie explains that the book is called the Book Of Bridgit.  It bounds itself with whomever has an imagination.  Honda's has now come to life, and it's going to destroy Tokyo.

Back at the Haywood house, chaos ensues, and Nate and Ava are trying to survive, when they get a call from Gary.  Uuuuh oooh!  They find out all the captured creatures are not running amcuk in the Bureau.  Nate teleports over there to see if he can prevent a total meltdown from happening, meanwhile, Ava tries to run interference when it's time to carve the bird, and Hank wonders where Nate went.  As they try to wrangle the beasts, leave it them to discover that the poor creatures are starving.  Our little Lunch Lady to the rescue!  When Ava can't cover for Nate anymore, she fesses up to his Dad, and they arrive a the Bureau, to see Nate get everything under control.  Nate and Hank bond over the fact that they just needed to escape the family madness, and it was one of the reasons his Dad took off most Thanksgivings---there was a crisis at work.  All is good, and I think the Lunch Girl is going to be a new team member---provided they don't go all Men In Black on her again, and zap her to forget.  Hank agrees to increase the Bureau's budget to help them out.

Back in Tokyo, Tagumo...who's a giant octopus....is now on the rampage.  They try to get Honda to get inspired to finish the movie, but he can't.  Zari points out that Mick can write, but he wanted that a secret.  Either way, Sara and Charlie head outside to deal with Tagumo, and try to shrink him down to size.  The effort fails a couple of times, as Charlie was needed as a distraction, and she went and hid.  Sara gets captured by the beast, and Charlie then runs interference, enough for Sara to use the shrink ray on it.  It disappears.  Again, they try to appeal to Honda to finish it, and tell him that the nightmare is over----but, Tagumo is back for more!  At this point, Mick grabs the book, and gets creative.  He's got his groove back as he writes in his Xena-type character, Karima...who just happens to be a three-breasted warrior.  She does battle with Tagumo, and puts him down.  For good measure, Karima and Mick end up doing the horizontal mambo, while the others leave.  For good measure, and give Honda a new burst of inspiration---Mick says that LIZARDS are the way to go (I think you know where it goes from there!).

We see Mick back at the typewriter finishing his story, satisfied.  Nora---who--after a long conversation with John about using her powers, and telling her that it's up to HER to decide how to use them, manages to save him from death with the help of Ray.  Nora asks John about the man that was in his dreams, and he gave no answer...not wanting her to pry.  John feels relieved, and goes off to have a smoke.  Nora feels good about using her power for something good, and Ray says he's always believed in her.  He gives her a teleporter, and tells her to take off and disappear.  But she feels she's done running.  She teleports them to the Bureau, where she feels that it's time to serve her penance.  She gets arrested, and she begins her stay.  Ray can only look on.

Back at the Haywood house one last time, all is well, as Nate carves up the turkey, while his Dad gets a call from work.  He goes to take it, and around the corner down the hall, we hear him say to whomever on the other line, that they're going to give the Bureau all they need to be able to contain all the creatures.  Then says that "Project:  Hades" is well underway.

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This, like a few of the others this season, was a fun little romp through history...and to give a nod to Ishiro Honda and his efforts to cinema was a nice one.  After all---can't have a show about mythical monsters without talking about the Japanese contributions to the lore.  And for those in need of a history lesson---when Mick told Honda to think about lizards...that was in regard to the several Godzilla movies Honda directed in that period.  It was also neat that the actual "monster" in the story WASN'T actually a monster, but a book.  A book that, if not taken seriously, can have both good AND bad consequences.

It seems that Charlie still has some buttering up to do with Sara and Zari----but Mick likes her juuuuuust fine.  Was good that she finally contributed.  Not sure how much of a help she'll be as long as she's powerless...but I guess her insight and knowledge about said beasts are her greatest attributes.

Was cute to see Nate and Ava bonding---and Ava finally getting a taste of what REAL family life is like.  Being a clone and having a fake family, she had no experience to draw upon---not sure if she wants a family after dealing with Nate's.  And Hank...well, I couldn't help but cheer "YES!!!" towards the end of the episode when he said to Nate, "Let's make like a tree, and get outta here!".  For reference, the actor who plays Hank Heywood, Thomas Wilson, played Biff Tannen in the Back to the Future movies.  That was one of Biff's famous lines in the film.  I'd been waiting THREE episodes for that!  Thank you, writers for granting my wish!  Now...back to Hank himself---had NO IDEA there was an ulterior motive to HIM.  That was a big surprise.  And "Project:  Hades"?  Not sure what THAT is---but oh hell, I have a feeling it spells BAD NEWS for our team.

John's healed, but he's till got demons runnin' around in that noggin'.  The man in his head apparently is someone of importance, but he wouldn't tell Nora, and he wouldn't allow her to pry further.  That's another aspect that I feel is going to be trouble before this season is done---John's magical ties, and his highwire act with the dark magic forces and demons without a net.  Whether or not he faces them head on, or they become the team's headache is another matter.  

Finally...Nora's redemption.  I love that she's taking the noble ground here, and working overtime to repent not only her sins, but that of her father.  There is great attraction be ween Ray and Nora, and he's been her only supporter.  Will it spark to romance---hard to say right now,.  She's going to be doing hard time at the Bureau for the while.  And as for our little Lunch Girl?  Will she join the team?  Is she a magical creature?  Is she working with Hank?  And is she REALLY into Gary?  Guess you and I will have to watch next week to see just what in the heck happens!

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Same time, Next week!