Legacies - A New Hope

 

Discussing Ep. 3.15 - Ya know, I had heard prior to watching this that the episode was going to have ties to TVD, TO and was going to be set in space. So I didn't know what to expect. I will say that this episode was both fun, frustrating and I really felt like they were out to personally drive me insane!

In a lot of ways, this episode just seems to point to the idea that Lizzie and Landon should just become an item at some point during the series. That would be the biggest development on the show EVER but I say that because it's just absolutely hilarious how Lizzie has tried so hard to hide the geek part of her personality. The fact that she would write a fanfic that included elements of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and ninjas is just absolutely hilarious! The fact that she makes fun of Landon in particular means that there may be some kind of attraction on her part. Mind you, I have a feeling that they're going more in the direction of Lizzie and MG, which I wouldn't oppose since they have been building that relationship up during the series, so that's fair.

I had said last week that I had hoped they got past all the truth bombs and psychology reveals, but apparently that wasn't the case. Still, I'm not upset because they did this all in a very creative and funny way that it made it entertaining. Focusing more on Lizzie's insecurities more than the others, especially when it came to Hope, was nothing new. We knew this about her and about the Wonder Twin's relationship with Hope and I was surprised they had brought this up again. But I guess it was one of those things that, much like the last episode, was meant to solidify the trio together and I think they did a rather decent job with it. 

Then we got to Reveal #1. Well done, Legacy writers! Well done! I wasn't expecting this at all and I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the original Hope Mikaelson pop up in that room. It was both fantastic and funny at the same time, given how Summer Fontana is a bit older now and looks NOTHING like DRR! Like, putting them side by side, you can't imagine one growing up and looking like the other. But this was great and it was a nice little nod to TO and the Hope from that series. Brought back good memories of a time when vampires and werewolves and witches were quite bad ass in the TVD universe. But then we got to Reveal #2.

I mean, I said it last week that I had hoped that the entity who was in that room that Clarke was looking into would turn out to be The Hollow or that she would make an appearance on the Legacies show at some point. And lo and behold, who does Originals Hope think is walking around as Lord Marshall....but The Hollow! I literally got up from my chair and paced around my room when she said that! I was so shocked that they had even mentioned her, let alone created the possibility that she might make an appearance on the show! I was so excited that perhaps all my dreams and visions of The Hollow returning and replacing Malivore as the big bad in the series had FINALLY come to pass!

But no! 

It was still all about this glorified Play Doh fuck! 

And I get it. Even Legacies Hope said it, that The Hollow was defeated and is no longer a threat and I can accept that. But like I also said, it's Malivore fatigue at this point. He's been the big bad for the past 3 seasons and I'm just here like, when does it end? I had also wanted them to go back to a time when Hope was actually afraid of something worth being afraid of. Malivore has been far too comical and non-threatening to be seen as something that Hope should be afraid of. Her mere existence, her blood, is a threat to Malivore. He can't do fuck all to her, so why is she afraid? The Hollow, on the other hand, has done far more devastating acts against Hope to the point that she would create the kind of trauma that Hope would be afraid to face again and that's why I wanted her to return. And I will say that I liked how they kind of turned this around for the Hope character. It's not that she's afraid of Malivore, but more like she's afraid of what she has to become (i.e., a tribrid) in order to defeat her. But that's also where I have a major issue with both Malivore as a villain and Hope's supposed dilemma.

Like it's been asked before.....why does Hope have to become a tribrid to defeat Malivore? Her blood seems to do the job just as effectively. I've said this to others in the comment section that there has to be a cost, or a threat, to Hope becoming a tribrid other than she becomes immortal. I recall when Klaus was set to become the world's first hybrid and how Elijah really built that up, with Klaus having the powers of both a werewolf and a vampire and being able to create his own race of hybrids and nothing, not even sunlight or silver, could stop him. Given Klaus' personality at the time, that was a real threat that needed to be stopped. With Hope, no such threat exists. So she becomes a tribrid. Whoop-dee-dooo! She defeats Malivore....and then what? She remains the most OP supernatural creature in the world and spends all her time trying to live as a normal high school student? 

I could see it if they were trying to build it up that indeed, the so-called Super Squad, becomes a thing and they all start hunting monsters throughout the world, then Hope could use her powers to defeat powerful monsters. But if she defeats Malivore, then all the fairy tale monsters disappear, right? So then she's left with nothing but boring vampires, werewolves and witches. And she's the most powerful out of all of them. So what's the challenge? That's why I say, there has to be something else, some kind of cost or threat, for Hope for turning into a tribrid. Otherwise, she sort of becomes like One Punch Man, this overpowered being who becomes bored with life because no one can challenge him. Where is the challenge for Hope once she becomes a tribrid? Even an internal struggle to not let her powers overwhelm her would at least be something that could serve as a cost or threat to her becoming a tribrid.

Then we get to the second storyline and I honestly couldn't have cared less about this. Other than MG, it featured the bit players that don't matter. And while I feel bad about saying that, it's true. Jed is just comedy fodder at this point. He's a set prop because that's the only material he's got to work with. He acts like a dumb jock and I can't, for the life of me, understand what he brings to the show. He's not even that funny, so that element isn't even there. And as for Kaleb....what the fuck? This was just as aggravating to watch as any Josie-Finch scene out there. Kaleb mopes around, giving MG the cold shoulder and saying that everything is alright when it was clearly not. The sheer level of immaturity and self pity was tough to watch. And having them re-battle the wendigo, this time together, just to get to the point where Kaleb finally reveals that he was jealous of MG and Ethan? This was fucking stupid and a waste of my time.

As was this! Who the fuck does she think she is?!? Coming in there, berating Alaric for putting her useless boyfriend, Dorian, in danger? Alaric has the patience of Job at this point because I would not have stood for this. I bring this up again and it's worth bringing up again....Dorian and Emma abandoned Alaric! That's it, end of story. Alaric owes of either of them NOTHING!!!! It was Dorian who decided to come back to Mystic Falls. Alaric didn't ask him. Dorian did it all of his own volition. And I forgot that Emma's a witch. Does she really think she can escape the supernatural when she's a part of it? What is it with Plague that she has to put Alaric through constant torture and surround him with such useless people? Him having to see Emma and Dorian kiss is just....it's just such a fucking slap in the face that he doesn't need! He doesn't deserve that so why are they putting him through this bullshit? 

What I did like is that Alaric basically said that he always had Dorian's back, no matter what (which is truly magnanimous of him). I hope that was a subtle jab at both Dorian and Emma because, clearly, neither one of them have Alaric's back! Fuck them! Fuck both of them! Even if Emma and Alaric end up as an item, I don't wish to see that at all. Get some other woman on the show to be a PERMANENT love interest for Alaric. He doesn't need some fucking fair-weather, hypocritical friend who'll abandon him when he needs her the most! And Dorian can go and just fuck off. I don't know what he brings to the show or to Alaric. He's super judgmental and his personality is as charismatic as drywall. And he's willing to throw Alaric under the bus just to save his own worthless ass when it came to getting in trouble by Emma? Please! He's no replacement for Damon, that's for sure, as far as a drinking buddy for Alaric goes. He's barely a worthwhile replacement for a potted plant at this point.   

So Clarke made his long awaited return to the show. I am curious to see what role he will play in the final episode and how that will set up next season. And of course, we do have to find out what happened to Cleo and Landon and if they play a part, at all, in Clarke's plans. I have to assume that they do and that Clarke has been aware of what's been going on with everyone. I'm looking forward to his return because, again, it's at least a personality that Hope and the others can engage with and it's not some low-moaning-groaning claymation creature come to life.  

So, like I said, an entertaining episode and very creative one. They did a good job with their homage to Star Wars. Let's hope they can end it all on a good note next week!