Welcome back! As you know last week, we had a huge eventful crossover with all the DC TV shows from the CW, and we’re back just in time for the midseason finales. So before the Winter break, let’s check in on Supergirl, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow!
“Reign”
We get problems this episode, as a string of brutal criminal deaths and an unusual Kryptonian mark left at each crime scene plague the city. Samantha is somehow back in town after her mysterious trip to the desert, and seems to be having lapses in memory and time that coincide with our mystery vigilante’s activity. This is clearly not a coincidence, as we know Sam is in fact the Kryptonian “worldkiller” Reign. Of course Kara doesn’t know that, but eventually realizes thanks to the help of that imprisoned cult leader from a few episodes back, Coville, the seriousness of what Reign is.
Meanwhile, Mon-El and his new wife, Imra, are generally making things uncomfortable for Kara, besides revealing she is the influence being a band of heroes from Irma’s present, the 31st century, known as the Legion. But in the meantime, Kara decides to confront this Reign person head on, calling her out for a fight. And that leads to…Kara getting her ass kicked and being left in a coma. Pretty sure Kara didn’t plan on being unconscious for the Holiday season, but here she is. Now what do the rest of our heroes do?
You know, this is the second time this month she’s been sent falling to Earth by an evil Kryptonian. At least this time it wasn’t an evil doppleganger married to Oliver Queen. Ewww.
–An interesting piece of comic book trivia: the Legion of Super-Heroes took its inspiration in the comics from Superman, but here, takes it from Supergirl. I wonder what that says about the Man of Steel’s future destiny.
–We get a little bit of Morgan Edge machinations this week, but he survives getting killed by Reign, thanks to a lead shielded panic room. I doubt she was going to dump him on a freighter in the middle of the ocean like Kara would.
–Also related, it seems James and Lena are a thing now!
–I take it Ruby is about to see Reign up close based on that final scene?
–J’onn’s dad finds hot cocoa superior to coffee. Also, hopefully he’ll appreciate his son playing that Hall and Oates Christmas tune over and OVER again.
–“‘What’s a phone’? Oh, the future’s awesome.”
–“…And I will reign.”
“Don’t Run”
In more horrifying Yuletide events, Barry is kidnapped by DeVoe and Caitlin is snatched up by Amunet Black! Caitlin is not needed for her Killer Frost skills, but her medical skills as she has to help fix up a metahuman caused by that dark matter exposure this season: a sweet mind-reader named Dominic. Using more smarts than ice skills, she gets Dominic to safety, with the last minute help of the rest of Team Flash. This turns out to be a colossal mistake none of them can see, as we’ll see later.
Meantime, Barry is locked up in the Thinker’s lab, while Joe and Harry try to locate him. But Barry escapes his prison, and ends up in a fight with the Thinker above the skies in Central City. With DeVoe seemingly defeated (and thank goodness for that inflatable Flash suit or Barry would be splattered from the drop he takes when the Thinker’s flying chair crashes), Barry and Team Flash kick back for a Holiday bash with a visiting Dominic. Barry gets called away to investigate a break-in at his loft, and finds…DeVoe dead! Then he gets a call from Dominic, who reveals he is DeVoe, having just before the holiday get together transferred his mind into Dominic’s body! Barry’s been set up for murder, and the police arrive to arrest him!
So, um, Happy Holidays?
Yeah, probably should have run.
–Be wary of wedding presents, especially those that are just ONE KNIFE, just in case it’s used to frame you for the murder of an already dead body. Other Allen-West wedding gifts: an espresso machine from Ollie (once again, screwing up their nuptials by getting a item not on the wedding registry) and 40 toasters from Mick Rory (yeah sure, he got them at a “fire sale”).
–It’s a note some eagle eyed diehard Flash fans saw that has to be pointed out: at the end of season one when Barry went through the timestream, he passed by an image of himself in prison. That’s a long payoff right there.
–It’s funny that the person who gives the most inspiring speech to Caitlin about not feeling inferior to Killer Frost is Amunet herself. Of course, she’s clearly nuts (and obviously responsible for giving Dominic to DeVoe for that brain transfer), but still. I mean, even Ralph hits on her!
–What is this “Enlightenment” new DeVoe is taking about?
–Cisco’s cube from Gypsy was NOT a breakup cube. But yeah, he should see the rest at his place. Alone. Don’t give out details.
–“Your Scrooge to Grinch ratio is terrible!”
–“This Killer Frost iced mocha is really delicious.”
–“Yeah, told you. NOT a breakup cube.”
“Beebo, the God of War”
While the Legends deal with the loss of Dr. Stein (with the help of the Earth-X Captain Cold as a surrogate grief counselor), they get informed of a new and surprisingly high level anachronism: the Vikings somehow taking over America! The team travels to the 10th century to find Leif Erikson’s expedition of Vikings, with a few surprises, mainly a 1992 era Martin Stein, who was mysteriously dropped into this era, and a Beebo plush toy that Martin was buying for his daughter…that has become the Vikings’ new god! As messed up as a kid’s play toy becoming a god for Vikings to push them into the Americas is, it’s nothing compared to what comes next. With the help of Agent Sharpe from the Time Bureau, they destroy the Beebo doll, only to see Damien Darhk appear dressed like Odin to push the Vikings on to further conquest!
As the Time Bureau is ill-equipped to handle the Darhk father and daughter combo screwing around with time, it’s up to the Legends to turn the tide. They manage to stop the Vikings’ advance, and even Sara gets a glimpse into the dimension where Big Bad Mallus resides, and she is really creeped out by it. After Jax tries to warn younger Stein about his fate and is told by younger Stein not to worry about doing that, Jax decides to leave the Waverider to do some soul searching. As for the rest of the Legends, they get a visitor in occult magician John Constantine, who needs Sara’s help with a girl possessed by a demon who seems to know the White Canary!
At least one DC TV show this week will have an okay holiday celebration (what, you think ARROW will?).
–Let’s mention the minor detail that this might be the only holiday themed episode this week that has Hanukkah in it.
–Also, Rip Hunter is in prison right now, which I’m sure shouldn’t be a shock to Sara after she turned him in into his Time Bureau, but it is. Also, I sense there might be some more movement on your Sara and Sharpe shipping, fans.
–Leo with that Stein puppet. He thought that was a good idea. As was his idea to get Mick out of his constant drinking habit by cutting him off booze for several days. Hoo boy.
–I just like how random it is that we find out Gorilla Grodd is still alive, and has been sent back in time to destroy the Great Wall of China!
–Ray inside that Beebo doll, making it fly around was just absurdity on top of an absurd fun episode. “Yes, Jesus is the one true God! Which doesn’t mean science and evolution aren’t real!”
–I just giggle at Sharpe’s realization that “Beebo Day” is not suppose to be where “Christmas” is, thanks to the anachronism. “Yeah, never felt right.”
–“Beebo want cuddle.” The last words of the great Viking god, Beebo, before he got flame-broiled by Mick.
–“I hate puppets!”
And the Lord said unto thee, “Let Beebo be resurrected, for once he died for us after being burned to ashes by a man with a weapon of fire and smelling of alcohol. Praise be to Beebo, he wants cuddles. Amen.”
NEXT TIME: Come back in January as Supergirl recovers from that horrible beatdown, The Flash goes to trial for murder, and while we wait for the Legends to join us again in February, we’ll cover the premiere of Black Lightning!
dee2henry
intellichick
ladydethpool
magnitudev1
natashanerdlush
nerdlushguests
elizabeth ann
stewartmoncure
NerdLush 
What do you think?