DC’s LEGENDS OF TOMORROW “Star City 2046” Review

Star City 2046 contains what is most likely Legends Of Tomorrow‘s most interesting story concept, making it a shame that the execution heavily falters.

After returning to Star City, 30 years after they had departed, in the last episode, the team finds the city in a state that can only be described as Escape From New York mixed with The Dark Knight Returns. The entire city is more or less a massive slum, overrun with gangs led by Deathstroke (Grant Wilson), and Team Arrow, aside from a retired Oliver Queen and his successor Connor Hawke (aka John Diggle Jr) have been killed. While a story in this vein is not the most original idea, it contains ripe potential for exploration, and given the final result, would likely have worked better as a two-parter.

Many of the finer details about the episode’s setting, mainly the fates of Arrow’s cast or the wider universe, and the character development (why did Diggle Jr. specifically rename himself “Connor Hawke” other than comic accuracy) were heavily glossed over. Nonetheless, the production and costume design of the future Star City were, at least relatively) well done, and Joseph David-Jones as Connor & Jamie Andrew Cutler as Grant proved worthy successors to Amell and Bennett, respectively.

Given her Arrow roots, the main POV of the episode was Sara, though the remaining cast recieved a good deal of screentime as well. Undoubtedly the more interesting of the two subplots was focused on Snart and Rory. Rory feels at home in the anarchy and lawlessness of 2046 and intends to stay, while Snart, having grown somewhat fond of the team, instead decides to continue his participation in their crusade against Savage, and when Rory refuses to cooperate, Snart knocks him out and drags him back to the ship. Having worked together seamlessly since The Flash Season 1, seeing the pair at odds with each other was refreshing and will hopefully continue down the line. On the other hand, the less said about the forced love triangle subplot between Ray, Jax, and Kendra, the better.

Overall, while one of the weaker episodes thus far and not living up to the potential of its premise, Star City 2046 still provided a passable hour of televion.

Rating: 3 Out Of 5 Stars