The Legends of Tomorrow have another giant monster to fight, but this time there’s no Beebo to help. They journey to Japan, and even get Oriental characters for the title screen, in “Tagumo Attacks!!!” John Constantine is still pretty much out of it after his sacrifice last episode, so they split the team. Ray goes to find Nora Darhk, while the rest of the active team look into a giant creature attacking Tokyo… I think I’ve seen that movie.

 

As the team assembles, we get very unsubtly reminded of Mick’s secret hobby that only Zari knows about from her time loop mishap. Charlie the frozen shifter, drunk on Sara’s whiskey, gets coerced into helping. Back at the Time Bureau, Director Sharpe gives Hank Heywood an update on their current activities, and ends up with an invite for Thanksgiving dinner. Nate looks on in amusement and warns her of what to expect, while we see Gary dealing with some newly captured creatures.

 

Sara, Mick, Zari, and Charlie go to the movie studios that are the best lead to the monster due to attack the city in a few days. They bluff their way in and have an odd meeting with Ishiro Honda, the director who supposedly got the footage. He’s not helpful, although polite, and the team are sure he’s lying. Charlie and Sara bicker as they search, and find the footage. Back aboard the Waverider, they finally see what they’re up against and make some Jaws jokes. Zari even has popcorn. No one agrees what the creature is or where it came from.

 

Ray finds Nora in her new job, makes a dramatic entrance, and begs her for help on behalf of John. At the Heywood home, Ava gets a crash course in what not to do or say as two kids storm around utterly out of control. Mona the Sandwich Girl brings Gary some food and their awkward courtship continues. A complication for their evening together starts coming in to play.

 

John Constantine isn’t happy to see Nora, and he looks really horrible. The makeup crew outdid themselves this time. Sara and company return to the movie studio, argue about what to do, come up with a decent plan, and then find out things aren’t what they thought at all. They finally get the real story from Mr. Honda, and Charlie fills them in on details with her usual heaping helping of disdain. Things continue to go downhill at the Heywood house.

 

Sara comes up with a simple way to solve their problem, which of course doesn’t work. Charlie explains why with minimal sneering. We learn of Honda’s tragic backstory, and Sara is very kind to him. Nora explains to Ray why his idea isn’t necessarily going to work, either. There seems to be a lot of that going around.

 

Gary’s night takes a turn, and he hides Mona from danger and then calls Ava to tell her what’s going on. Nate seizes the chance to portal back to the Bureau, leaving poor Ava to cover for him. Not cool, Nate. Mona causes more complications, while Ray has an idea to solve Nora’s problem.

 

Ava stumbles through ever-more awkward ways to stall for Nate, while Mona reveals an unexpected talent to help with the crisis at hand. Team Japan slowly finds a way around their issues, but it involves Zari pressuring Mick about one of his secrets. Sara and Charlie go to stall the monster, and Charlie immediately bails on Sara’s plan. To be fair, I probably would have, too. Charlie finally manages to help, and they get a partial victory on the monster.

 

John is willing to lay down his life for his beliefs, and urges Nora to be sure of what she’s doing before she takes action. Ava’s distractions with Hank and the Heywood clan finally run out. Mick bonds with Ishiro in a most unexpected way. Ray helps Nora save John with some high tech wizardry of his own. Nate, Gary, and Mona prove to be a really successful team, and Ava and Hank portal over to a surprising sight.

 

Sara finds out what’s going on with Mick, and is very surprised. His approach proves effective, if in the usual Legends weird way. it makes for a hell of an action sequence, and the aftermath is entertaining, and sends the rest of the Legends fleeing back to the ship. Mick and Shiro talk later, bond over the creative process, and Mick drops a hint that tells us what Shiro will go on to do.

 

Sara and Charlie talk, and come to something of an understanding. The Time Bureau cleanup goes better than expected, and Hank surprises Ava. Nate, in turn, gains some understanding of his father’s life, and they use a Time Bureau trick to dodge some family fallout. Nora is pleased with John’s recovery, and comes to a decision. I understand why she does it, but it isn’t going to do Ray’s love life any good. The man can’t catch a break in that department. Then again, neither can most of the Legends with the current exception of Sara and Ava. John and Mick each get small wrap up scenes, and the Heywood family dinner finally comes together. Until Hank ducks out to make a phone call, and make us really wonder what he’s up to.

 

What I liked: Nate’s directions to Ava about his family dinner were really entertaining. I’m glad Mona isn’t going to be just comic relief, although Gary seems to be stuck there. John is a pain in the neck, but he’s deeply committed to his principles. Sara’s first plan was great, and it really wasn’t her fault it didn’t work out. Mick, as usual when they actually give him something to do, had some great scenes. Nora made a hard decision.

 

What I didn’t: I really don’t get the point of the Charlie character. They decided to write Amaya off the show, but liked the actress, so they turned someone else into her? I personally always think of magic and science as very different things, and don’t like it when they blur the border, like they did here. I’m hoping Hank isn’t up to something as bad as it seems like he is.

 

It was, as the show usually is, a lot of goofy fun. This may well be my favorite of the CW shows at this point, given the changes some of the others are going through. I’ll give this a 3.5 out of 5.