“Blood Ties” is episode three of season one of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
The team’s first mission in the previous episode, “Pilot: Part 2”, did not go that well. Perhaps because they were not acting as a team. Vandal Savage was stopped from selling a nuclear warhead but in the process he got his hands on Atom technology. Which would have made an utter mess of the timeline. Recovering that resulted in Professor Stein never marrying his wife. However, Hunter fixed the latter – as he said, it wasn’t really fair to try and save his wife if Stein lost his own in the process.
The effort to recover a dagger, one that was used to kill Carter and Kendra originally, did also not go well. The dagger, if used with an incantation, would be able to kill Savage. So Carter stabbed him after saying the incantation. It didn’t work. Savage told Carter that Kendra had to be the one to do it. Okay, why tell someone who you know will be reborn again and try to kill you again in the future and who will remember what you said how to do it properly next time? Seems more than a little foolish. Savage didn’t need to use the incantation for the dagger to work on Carter and Kendra, so he stabbed them both, killing Carter and injuring Kendra. Savage also knows who is after him now.
This episode opens in Ancient Egypt, 1700 BC. A cloaked and hooded figure is sneaking into a place. It comes across Savage, who is writing in a book, and approaches. Savage senses the person behind him and asks who they are. The figure tells Savage they are the man who is here to kill him, and removes their hood, revealing Rip Hunter.
The Waverider arrives in Leipzig, 1975, according to Gideon the most current location of Vandal Savage. And Hunter is needed in the medbay. He arrives, as does Stein. Kendra is not doing so well, even though they thought she was stabilised. Ray arrives too. There have been complications and Kendra’s condition is worsening.
Hunter tells the team that pieces of the dagger that Kendra was stabbed with have broken off and are en route to her heart. Jax asks why they can’t time jump to the future where they have the technology to fix it. Hunter points out that the Waverider is from that future and has thus far failed. I.e., they already have that future tech and it isn’t working. Snart comments that Kendra wouldn’t survive the trip anyway. Rory asks Hunter if this is the plan; Hunter replies it isn’t. The mission is simple though; to stop Vandal Savage in the past and thereby save the future. Snart says that ‘simple’ does not mean ‘easy.’ Hunter replies that he never said it was. As a Time Master, he has seen darker days. He has seen men of steel die and dark knights fall (The Death of Superman and Knightfall), but he has accomplished his mission no matter what.
Hunter asks Gideon for a status update. She replies that the jump ship was damaged in Chronos’s attack, and needs repairing. When asked what the jump ship is, Hunter tells them it’s a small expeditionary vessel. He says to Jax that he is a mechanic, maybe he could take a look. Jax says he’s an auto mechanic, and gestures around indicating the spaceship. Hunter doesn’t see the problem. Jax says that if they have a set of wrenches he will see what he can do. Rory asks if they are supposed to just sit here. Hunter tells him that’s a capital idea and that Rory is not nearly as thick as most people say. When Hunter leaves, Rory asks if thick means stupid.
Sara comes across Hunter who is looking at pictures of his wife and son. He says that he would like to be alone. Sara says to Hunter that he doesn’t actually have a plan, that speech was to convince himself, not the others – and it didn’t work. Hunter agrees – that’s why he wants to be alone. Sara says that if they can’t kill Savage, they can slow him down. Ra’s al Ghul taught her that, when fighting powerful enemies, if you can’t kill them, weaken them. If you can’t cut off his head, take his heart.
Sara continues, saying that Savage was trying to sell the nuke. Hunter replies that money is power after all. So Sara says that if they take away Savage’s fortune, he will just be a regular guy with a really long lifespan. Hunter agrees that will set Savage’s plan for world domination back a few decades. So Sara asks him where Savage keeps his money in 1975.
In the medbay, Stein is saying that the knife fragments are miniscule and they are not capable of neutralising them. Ray says that the Atom suit can shrink down so that he can enter the bloodstream and use the ion cannons to vaporise the fragments. Professor Stein replies that this is pushing the suit’s limits, and they need to run tests to make sure it is the best choice. Ray says that he is not Stein’s student any longer. The professor says that Ray was never his student. Ray responds that just because Stein doesn’t remember him doesn’t mean he wasn’t. Stein’s response is that if Ray were his student, he would have taught him the principles of scientific analysis, not bravado. Ray replies that they don’t have the time.
Hunter says to Sara that, according to Boardman, Savage had entrusted his money to the Brümberg Group, the oldest bank in the world. He is also going in alone. Hunter tells Sara that he can’t have any more blood on his hands – she replies except his own. She tells Rip that he can’t go in without backup. He says that he brought them along on false pretences, and if he hadn’t, Carter would still be alive. Sara tells him that no-one is on the ship who didn’t agree to come. Hunter says they can’t risk the whole team and Sara says just her. And that’s not a choice. Snart and Rory enter, perking up at the word ‘bank.’ Hunter tells them it’s just reconnaissance; Rory replies that they know how to case banks. They are, after all, like bankers. Except, you know, they take money out. Hunter is still not taking them, even though Rory says he will get bored and he makes bad decisions when he’s bored. After Hunter and Sara leave, Rory tells Snart he should have let him punch Hunter. Snart tells him if he had, he wouldn’t have got this, holding up something he has taken from Hunter.
Back in the medbay, Ray is in his suit and shrinks down, flying into an injector. Professor Stein then injects Ray into Kendra. Stein tells Ray that he is coming up on the first fragment. Ray replies he doesn’t see it, asking if he missed it. Stein replies that it’s the size of an iceberg; he can hardly see how Ray could miss it. Ray replies that’s probably what they said on the Titanic. Ray blasts the first fragment into pieces, some of which hit his suit. He contacts Stein, saying he is losing core containment, and asks him to plot Ray a course out.
Hunter and Sara arrive at the bank and Hunter tells the receptionist that they would like to deposit some heirlooms. She replies that this is a private bank (really? in Communist East Germany?) and they don’t accept deposits of less than ten million. Rip opens a briefcase, revealing six doubloons, which he says have been appraised at ten million dollars. The two are then shown to a Mr Blake, who takes the case away, promising to be back shortly. Once Blake leaves the room, Hunter sits down at Blake’s computer. Which looks both primitive and far in advance of what you’d expect to see in 1975.
Hunter tells Sara that he has come across a reference to something called a ‘vessel.’ She replies that they have a problem. He agrees, saying that Savage’s funds are not here, and he is working to find out what this vessel is before their new friend returns. Sara replies to kill them. She explains further. The receptionist had a silenced Beretta, the guards are South African mercenaries and Blake had calluses on his right hand that you get from a specific type of sword training. Which she recognised because she has the same calluses. Sara continues that the bank has figured out they aren’t Rockefellers who have come into their inheritance. Rip tells her not be alarmed; she replies that she’s pretty sure they’ve been made.
She’s right. There are armed people approaching. Hunter stars talking but Sara takes out a knife and throws it at the receptionist. Who looks as if she was the only one with a gun. Hunter says he thought he said no weapons and Sara replies that he can thank her later. Sara takes out almost all of them, Hunter accounting for one, and is about to take Blake’s head with his own sword when Hunter tells her not to kill him, as they need him alive.
Back on the Waverider, Hunter asks Sara what happened. She replies that Hunter knew she was a killer, that’s why Sara was recruited. Rip says that wasn’t a killer he saw back there; it was an animal. Sara thinks he’s the last person to judge but he replies that he isn’t judging – he’s concerned. Sara says she thought Hunter knew how she was resurrected. Which he does, the Lazarus Pit. What he didn’t seem to know fully was the effect it had on Sara. She says there is a downside to being brought back to life. Thea calls it blood lust but Sara thinks that’s too generous. She also thinks animal is too generous; the correct word is monster.
Snart and Rory enter the jump ship which Jax is taking a look at. Jax knows a fair bit about the ship already – because he’s read the manual. Snart asks if he’s read how to fly the thing as well. The answer is maybe. Snart wants to make a little jaunt to Central City. To free a priceless jewel from captivity. And he’s not exactly asking. Jax asks Snart if he thinks about anything but himself. Yes. Money. Rory asks if he can shoot Jax but Snart says that he doesn’t want Jax to help them steal the gem, an emerald, simply to take them to Central City. Jax says that, even if he did agree to take them, there’s a security lockout and they need an access key. Which is what Snart took from Hunter earlier. Snart asks Jax if he doesn’t want to see what the ship can do.
Stein approaches Ray who is working on his suit. He says that he has a way of more efficiently tracking the fragments, so that the next time Ray is more prepared. Ray says that there won’t be a next time. When Stein asks if Ray can’t fix his suit, Ray says that it isn’t the suit. Professor Stein tells him not to be discouraged. They are scientists; they learn from failure and keep going. Ray replies that Kendra is not a lab experiment. Stein says he knows, and that Ray needs to have more confidence in his work. Stein ends up asking Ray how many people he has lost. One. But Ray doesn’t want to talk about it. Stein tells him to fix the suit, as it is the only chance Kendra has.
Hunter and Sara have Blake, and Rip tells him it’s simple. If he tells them where Savage’s fortune is, he can leave alive. However, Blake calls Hunter by a name, one he recognises. Blake says that Hunter is a legend from 4,000 years ago. A man attempted to kill the Master (‘Master’? That sounds ominous), just after he received the gift of eternal life. Every member of the Order (even more ominous) knows of him. Blake tells Sara to run, as her friend failed to kill the Master once and failed. He will not be able to protect her; he will probably not be able to protect anyone. Which appears to strike a nerve with Hunter, he hits Blake.
Outside, Sara asks what Blake meant. Hunter tells her that, once before, he had a chance to kill Savage. He had him dead to rights but hesitate. The scene from the beginning is continued; Hunter had Savage pinned but hesitated and the guards came. Sara tells him that killing is never easy, especially for a good man. Hunter replies that Savage killed his wife and son, and who knows how many others. Killing doesn’t make you a monster; having the chance to avenge your family and not taking it does.
They go back in and Hunter says he wants to know about the vessel. Blake says it is his master’s most treasured possession. Hunter asks where it is, and is told the Grayhill Building. In fact, there’s a gathering tonight to celebrate it. Oddly easily given up, and Rip says that Blake wants them to go there and get killed. To which the answer is yes. He asks what the vessel is and is told it is the remains of Prince Khufu of the Middle Kingdom. Or, as they know him, Carter Hall.
Hunter does plan to go there although Sara tells him they have a plan. Rip tells her that he won’t let Carter’s remains be desecrated by that monster. Sara tells him to go in with the rest of the team. At which point they learn three of them are not on the ship. Snart has stolen the emerald easily enough, but want to make one more stop. Which Rory recognises as Snart’s home, at this time. Snart stole the diamond so that his father wouldn’t attempt it and go to jail in the process.
Stein is telling Ray that he knows what it feels like to have a crisis of confidence. In 2002, he had a gifted student, the only student that made him feel inferior. That student was Ray, who is exceptional. Ray says that, if Stein always remembered him, why did he make out he didn’t. The professor replies that he enjoyed taking Ray down a peg or two. Ray admits who it was he lost, his fiancée, Anna Loring, in the Starling City Siege. She was killed two years ago, and Ray was unable to help her. That’s why he built the suit, so he would never be powerless to save anyone again.
So, the team is starting to act more like, well, a team. But there are still a lot of rough edges. The timeline proves to be quite resilient against change though; one alteration still ends up turning out the same, only by a slightly different method. The references to ‘the Master’ and ‘the Order’ as just as ominous as they sound.