Legends of Tomorrow season 6, episode 5 review: The Satanist’s Apprentice

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow season 6 returned from a brief hiatus with its fifth episode. Was “The Satanist’s Apprentice” worth the wait?

You know you really enjoy a show when a one-week hiatus feels that much longer than it actually is, but that’s just the effect that DC’s Legends of Tomorrow has on you. After four episodes of unadulterated fun, the show didn’t air a new episode in its typical Sunday slot last week but it certainly made up for that with an appropriately ambitious return.

So how do you follow alien battles aboard a spaceship, a giant killer moth that sounds like Godzilla, a network TV-saving singing competition and a game of nuclear football? Why, an animated adventure about a singing Disney Princess trapped by an alien-seeking historical figure that was once trapped in a painting, of course!

Yeah, it’s as freaky as it sounds. On that note, here’s everything that went down in “The Satanist’s Apprentice”.

Legends of Tomorrow season 6, episode 5 – Animated in more ways than one

This Arrowverse installment was primarily focused on giving us the chance to catch up with the one Legend we haven’t really seen much of this season. Astra never wanted to be a Legend but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t hoping to stay at John Constantine’s house as she found her way. And with that, “The Satanist’s Apprentice” took us on a journey through the previous four episodes to show us all what Astra was getting up to whenever the Legends were taking care of, well, all of the above.

As a continuity geek, I will admit that it was nice to see the little nods to the previous episodes (like Zari’s Big Bang Burger uniform and John’s glam rock look) as it did set the scene pretty nicely, showcasing just how long Astra had been lost for while also conveying her frustration at Constantine’s lack of consideration for her (and his promise to teach her magic) really well.

Her decision to rely on the painting of Aleister Crowley led to her predictably swapping the painting with Constantine, resulting in the latter ending up trapped in the painting instead and Crowley with complete control of Constantine’s body. And it all seemed to work out for her in the beginning because she quickly picked up all the magic that he taught her. That is, until the Legends showed up and she had to turn them into inanimate objects.

His quick betrayal was also pretty predictable but the fact that it only came after she made the right choice (and decided not to take the soul of her odious neighbor to level-up in the magic world) came as a pleasant surprise, highlighting that she has learned something in all of her time with Constantine and the Legends.

The episode was already bonkers enough before Astra was sent into an animated world in which she was dressed like a princess and could only sing her way through life (or express her concerns to Constantine in a very sophisticated manner). However, it allowed the pair to see the error of their ways and, together, they managed to defeat Crowley by stripping the house of all its magic.

Bishop’s Gambit

The episode’s subplot introduced us to the apparent Big Bad of season 6. Picking up where the narrative thread left off in the third episode, “The Satanist’s Apprentice” gave Bishop the stage and he performed his heart out.

So the main villain of Legends of Tomorrow season 6 is a campy, egotistical madman (that actually comes across as rather friendly) who wants to restart the human race by merging them with alien DNA to create the perfect alien/human hybrid that would honor him as their creator? I’d say “seems legit” but “seems Legends” would be much more appropriate.

Of course, Sara was having none of it, but how long can you refuse a man who can come back from the dead and is willing to literally kill you with “kindness” until you see things his way? Sara Lance will find out.

Legendary Leftovers

• The fact that John Constantine no longer has magic is rather intriguing. It might divide audiences but it could present him and Astra with an interesting journey as they learn it together.
• All 15 seasons of Wynonna Earp?! Now that’s an alternate timeline I know some people would like to find themselves in!
• A show that figured out what it wanted to be in season 2 and went with it? Nicely self-aware as always Legends!
• It was really nice to see Astra get some focus. She hasn’t had that much screen-time this season, so here’s hoping that this is the beginning of a greater role for her going forward.
• Jes Macallan is really nailing the other Ava. We love to see it!
• Zari freaking out over the fact that she was a flip phone (instead of the fact that she was, uh, a phone!) cracked me up. That’s so unbelievably Zari 2.0.
• Binder Ava firing sheets of paper at Crowley with “pew pew” is the best thing I have seen all season. Yes, I mean that.

What did you think of the latest episode of Legends of Tomorrow season 6? Let us know in the comments below!