DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Review: Necromancing the Stone (Season 3 Episode 15)

The show gets its groove back after a few uneven episodes when Sara and Mallus take the newly discovered death totem out for a spin on Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 Episode 15, “Necromancing the Stone.”

It is relieving to see Legends of Tomorrow return to focusing on the emotional core of its characters and their relationships as team members. This is one of the elements that really sets this show apart from the rest of the Arrrowverse. While the episode is not perfect, it is a big improvement over the last few outings.

While Cold War assassins, Pirates, and Elvis Presley communing with ghosts may be great for creating a spectacle, it is no surprise the two best episodes in the back-half of Season 3 so far involve the simple premise of the crew being trapped together on the Waverider. Strip away all the crazy and zany hijinks of recent adventures and what you are left with in this basic setting are the characters.

And that always makes for better, more effective storytelling. Always.

Sara gets the focus this time, but seeing her fight her darker impulses and instincts is not a new storyline for Legends of Tomorrow . Unfortunately, because this is a familiar plot for viewers, it never feels as though there is a real risk Sara will actually join Mallus and the Darhk’s evil team.

However, she is genuinely terrifying when possessed by Mallus with the additional power of the death totem behind her. The scenes with her stalking and attacking the rest of the crew are incredibly tense and scary.

In fact, all the scenes with the various team members interacting with ghosts from their respective pasts are well executed. Although I do not watch The Flash and have no connection with Wally’s prior relationships, the moment between him and Ghost!Jesse did feel like an important one for his character.

Once again, I applaud the writers for being so adept at introducing new team members. They successfully brought Zari in early this season and now they are doing a great job with integrating Wally too.

Tala Ashe also gives a good performance in her brief scene with the ghost of her brother. It’s heartbreaking to witness the depth of her sadness, but the way she then pulls herself together to accomplish her goal shows how strong a character Zari’s become.

All of these moments really elevate this episode, but the most effective has to be Mick Rory’s ascension to being the bearer of the fire totem. In hindsight, this development seems pretty obvious, but I did find it surprising.

Recently, Mick’s character seems a bit lost and even a little disinterested in life on the Waverider. Turns out it isn’t inconsistent characterization, instead the writers were taking Mick down a step so that when he is introduced to the fire totem his character finds a renewed sense of purpose.

Because of Mick’s long history as a Legend, this new development feels well deserved and earned. It is both gratifying for viewers who like his character and raises interest in seeing where Mick will go from here. Good stuff!

John Constantine is also around being his usual self. He fits in with Legends of Tomorrow better than I was expecting, but most of his place in this episode is tied to one of my least favorite tv relationship tropes – the jealous significant other. In this case, Ava is feeling a little green-eyed because Sara and Constantine recently had a fling.

Sorry, I just find Constantine more interesting when he is filling his role as a complicated demonologist and not when he is dispensing relationship advice.

This leads into where I feel this episode did not work – Sara and Ava.

Are they cute in the beginning? Yes, absolutely. The chemistry between the actresses is good and Ava is an interesting character that works well on the show.

However, if the writers are planning to pin a big dramatic weight to Sara and Ava’s relationship they really need to spend more time developing it. Their romance is still very new and the connection between the characters is not yet sufficient enough to warrant the level of emotional stakes on display here.

As it is, the episode’s climax, as Sara breaks through Mallus’ possession, sort of falls flat. I wonder how much more effective that moment would be if it were her friends and fellow Legends calling Sara back from the demon?

 

What did you think of this episode of Legends of Tomorrow? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Legends of Tomorrow airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW.

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