Legends of Tomorrow - 'The Justice Society of America'

Stargirl, Doctor Mid-Nite, Hourman, Obsidian, Vixen and Commander Steel -
The Justice Society of America

For the next episode of Legends of Tomorrow we're staying in 1942; less by choice than because the Legends are detained by the Justice Society of America.

We open where we left off last time, with the JSA wanting to know why these clowns are impersonating the OSS. Our heroes explain, but when the JSA don't buy the time travel thing it all kicks off and the Legends get spanked by a team with a working hierarchy and group cohesion. Once they are captured, the JSA ponder whether to bury them in the deepest cell in Levenworth or send them to receive the professional medical help they so clearly need. It doesn't help that Hourman has no recollection of ever meeting them, let alone of almost immediately vanishing from time. They only begin to believe when Nate reveals that he wears the dog tags passed down from his grandfather: Commander Steel of the JSA.

"You take the blue pill; you stay in Wonderland and see how deep the rabbit
hole goes.(2)"

Still, the JSA are roundly dismissive of Ray's claim that the Legend are heroes, denouncing them as unqualified amateurs(1) and inviting them to take the next timeship home. Unfortunately, as soon as they are underway, Nate's dog tags vanish, revealing that the timeline is in flux. The JSA are all heading to their deaths. It is revealed to the audience that this is because the Germans have a secret weapon; an 'enhancer' to level the playing field against the supersoldiers of the JSA, given to them by Eobard Thawne.

The Legends drop in on a Parisian cabaret as Stein masquerades as Max Lorenz. He is called upon to sing - mixing up references by performing 'Edelweiss' while telling the backing musicians to 'watch me for the changes and try to keep up' - which he does surprisingly well. Jax manages not to punch out a Nazi who requests 'please, no negro music' and they locate Vixen(3) undercover as a patron. Unfortunately, Ray just can not bring himself to heil Hitler, and a brawl ensues, broken up by the arrival of the rest of the JSA, who agree to a team up, but with some reluctance. Stein is adopted as leader of the legends, given his automatic acceptance as such by the JSA, and Sara notes that Nate is a haemophiliac.

Vixay? Raxen?

The two teams snag an amulet of mysterious provenance from a German convoy, but are driven off by an enhanced ubermensch who captures Ray and Vixen. Hourman is all for bombing the enemy compound, friends and all, but Sara insists on giving them time for Ray to work an escape plan. When Hourman questions her authoritah, an overwhelmed Stein steps down in favour of Sara, recognising her as the get-shit-done one in the Legends.

Ray and Vixen bust out, swiping an improved dose of enhancer. The ubermensch is bombed out of existence, but Steel and Nate take a hit. Nate is critically injured, but Ray uses the enhancer to save his life. Vixen tells him that he still isn't a superhero, because damn but these JSA types are hung up on powers, but that giving up the chance of them to save Ray does make him a hero. They leave the amulet with the JSA and head out, but Hourman is murdered by Thawne who swipes the amulet.

Once more, Legends of Tomorrow manages to chart a course between 'history was weird and different' and 'watchable episode of an ongoing series', with enough sexism to make the point - Hourman shuts down Sara in favour of Stein on several occasions, and Vixen notably always voices her ideas in the form of a request for permission - although the racism is perhaps over-generously limited to the Nazis. With Vixen as a recurring character, I'm worried that they're setting her up for the same sort of romantic dead-end that ate up so much of Hawkgirl's already unconvincing screen presence in season 1, and the character herself is a bit of a powers-centric douche. Still, hopefully they'll find things for her to actually do, instead of the black woman being the team load again.

(1) As a critique, this is entirely fair, although frankly the JSA could stand not to be so much a pack of dicks about it.
(2) Yes, I know.
(3) Due to scheduling conflicts, a reverse-legacy Vixen has been dropped into the JSA instead of using the 21st century one.