Legends of Tomorrow season 5, episode 8 review: Zari, Not Zari

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season 5 returned from its hiatus with a memorable episode, but did it live up to expectations?

The last time DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season 5 was on our screens, the show bid an emotional farewell to two of its most beloved characters in Nora Darhk (Courtney Ford) and original Legend Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh). Though nobody expected it to take such a long hiatus in the weeks that followed, it almost felt right because it allowed the episode to serve as something of a midseason finale and end one era before it began another.

After a month off screens, the show made its return with an episode that saw Charlie take the Legends – particularly Sara Lance and John Constantine – on a hunt for the missing pieces of the Loom of Fate. But that wasn’t the only, well, Supernatural occurrence in the episode. Here’s everything that went down in “Zari, Not Zari”.

Looming large

The primary focus of the episode was undoubtedly the arrival of the Charlie’s sister Atropos, who was willing to do whatever it took in order to get her hands on the Loom of Fate. This led the Legends to Vancouver, BC where they just so happened to find their way into the set of Supernatural… because of course they did.

The showdown between the Fates proved to be an interesting one because, with Charlie clearly being the youngest of the sisters, she was no match for her older sibling. And yet this ultimately drove her to find a different way to defeat Atropos – by allowing herself to be helped by her new family: The Legends.

There’s a warmth to this narrative that, although Charlie would never admit it, feels almost familial and it’s beginning to feel like the show finally ready to delve into her character a little bit more.

With Atropos out of the way – lost in the Timestream apparently – for the moment, the Legends have obtained all but one piece of the Loom. And with the stakes greater than ever, you can rest assured they’ll be determined to get their hands on the last piece before one of Charlie’s sisters do.

You can’t outrun Fate

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that a season built around the ideology of controlling our fates resulted in an episode during which some characters were forced to confront their relationship with it head on.

The first character the writers explored that narrative with was Zari as, following a sleepwalk bedroom rendezvous with Nate, she went on a quest to discover what the old Zari was like. You know, the one from the post-apocalyptic future who managed to cheat time by finding a loophole that would allow her family to live but ultimately erased herself from existence? Yeah, that Zari.

Seeing the two versions of the character come face-to-face after the sassy iteration took a trip inside the totem to chat to the woman who once held it proved to be an enlightening experience for not just both characters, but for us as viewers, because it highlighted just how exceptional a talent Tala Ashe really is (not that we needed reminding).

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However, original Zari’s willingness to accept her fate stemmed from the realization that her family was alive because being erased was a price worth paying if her family lived. Unfortunately, in an eerie reflection of her journey, the person who ultimately replaced her in the new timeline – her brother Behrad – was killed by Atropos, who pulled his chord from his chest and told him he could no longer outrun fate (because he wasn’t meant to be there in the first place).

Everything is up in the air now because the person Zari laid down her life for is no longer living. While this won’t directly change the timeline because Behrad still lived, it could result in the current Zari evolving into the hero that her predecessor was as she now seeks the Loom to bring Behrad back.

An episode that was epic on the outside, its emotions within were its true shining light – and it once again highlighted that new Zari is quickly becoming the best character on the show.

Legendary Leftovers

• So Sara is a Dean Winchester fan, huh? You know, it figures… it really does.
• John Constantine in front of the Impala. ICONIC.
• It’s impossible to choose between both Zaris. Tala Ashe is a gift.
• If Sara can survive Atropos’ murderous light what does that make her? Sure, it probably has something to do with the whole dying twice thing, but still: What is she?
• The decision to kill off Behrad no doubt caught a lot of people off-guard, but as Shayan Sobhian has proven a great addition to the show, let’s just hope its reversible.
• The Mick arc could have used a little more screentime. It felt like it was cut off just as things were about to get interesting. That said, highlight reel that he and Ava created was something special.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season 5 returns to The CW next Tuesday, April 28, at 9:00 p.m. ET. Are you looking forward to what happens next in Legends of Tomorrow season 5? Let us know in the comments below!