Season 1 was a bit of a mess. Let’s be real. It took itself way too seriously for a show about a guy in a robot suit and a resurrected assassin traveling through time in a ship called the Waverider. But then season 2 of DC Legends of Tomorrow happened, and everything changed. The writers basically stopped trying to make a gritty drama and decided to embrace the absolute insanity of the DC Universe. It worked.
The shift was palpable. Gone was the brooding Vandal Savage—a villain who, honestly, got boring after the third episode—and in his place, we got the Legion of Doom. It’s the moment the show found its DNA. You’ve got Rip Hunter disappearing, Sara Lance stepping up as Captain, and a historical romp that felt less like a chore and more like a Saturday morning cartoon with a massive budget.
The Legion of Doom Fixed the Villain Problem
Most superhero shows struggle with "Villain of the Week" fatigue. You know the drill. The hero fights a guy, loses, trains, and then wins. Season 2 of DC Legends of Tomorrow sidestepped this by raiding the cupboards of The Flash and Arrow. By bringing in Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher), Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough), and Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman), the show created a dynamic that wasn't just "good vs. evil." It was a workplace comedy for sociopaths.
Watching these three interact was the highlight of the year. They didn't even like each other. Thawne was the frantic boss running from a speedster-ghost (Black Flash), Darhk was the snarky muscle, and Merlyn was just trying to get his hand back. Their chemistry proved that you don't need a world-ending threat to be interesting if the characters are fun to watch.
The stakes felt real, though. Unlike the immortal Savage, the Legion had a clear, relatable goal: the Spear of Destiny. They wanted to rewrite reality because they all knew they were destined to lose in their respective timelines. It gave the season a propulsive energy that the first year lacked.
Enter Citizen Steel and Vixen
The roster change was surgical. Losing the Hawks (Kendra and Carter) was the best thing that could have happened for the team's chemistry. Nobody actually liked the "star-crossed lovers" trope that dragged down the first sixteen episodes. Instead, we got Nate Heywood.
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Nick Zano played Nate with this infectious, dorky enthusiasm. He wasn't a warrior; he was a "Time Detective" who just happened to turn into organic steel. Then you had Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe, the 1940s Vixen. Her presence added a much-needed moral compass to a team of outcasts and criminals. The romance between her and Nate didn't feel forced. It felt like two people bonding over the sheer absurdity of their lives.
Breaking History Was the Best Decision
In the first season, the team was terrified of changing anything. They were "Time Masters" in training. Boring. In season 2 of DC Legends of Tomorrow, they became "Time Idiots," and the show soared.
The "Abominations" episode is a perfect example. We go from the American Civil War to fighting zombies. It shouldn't work. On paper, it sounds like a disaster. But because the show leaned into the camp, it managed to address heavy themes like slavery and racial tension through the lens of Jax and Amaya, while still delivering a high-octane genre piece.
Then you have "Raiders of the Lost Art." This is the episode where George Lucas quits film school because of a time aberration, causing Ray Palmer and Nate Heywood to lose their memories of Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Since they aren't inspired by those movies anymore, they lose their scientific brilliance and bravery. It’s genius. It’s the kind of meta-commentary that The Flash would never touch. It signaled to the audience: "Hey, we know this is a TV show. Let's have some fun."
The Spear of Destiny and Reality Warping
The hunt for the Spear of Destiny took the team across some wild locales.
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- 1967 Manhattan to find a piece of the Spear hidden in a prop.
- The trenches of World War I to get J.R.R. Tolkien to help them find the blood of Christ.
- A prehistoric era where Rip Hunter is hiding out as a film director.
It was relentless. By the time we got to "Doomworld," where the Legion actually wins and rewrites reality, the show had earned its stakes. Seeing the Legends in their "altered" lives—like Ray Palmer as a janitor at S.T.A.R. Labs who remembers the truth—was a classic comic book trope executed perfectly on a CW budget.
Why the Finale Changed the Arrowverse Forever
The season finale, "Aruba," did something most shows are afraid to do. It broke the rules. To stop the Legion, the Legends had to travel back to a time they had already visited. In time-travel fiction, meeting your past self is usually the "Doomsday Scenario."
The Legends did it anyway.
The resulting battle, featuring two versions of every Legend fighting a swarm of Eobard Thawnes, was pure fan service in the best way. But the consequences were permanent. By interacting with themselves, they "broke" time. The season ended not with a clean victory, but with the sight of dinosaurs wandering through modern-day Los Angeles.
This cliffhanger wasn't just a gimmick. It set the stage for the show to become even weirder in later seasons (think Beebo), but it all started here. Season 2 of DC Legends of Tomorrow proved that the Arrowverse didn't have to be dark and brooding to be "prestige" superhero TV. It just had to be creative.
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Misconceptions About the Season
A lot of people think you need to watch every episode of Arrow season 4 or The Flash season 2 to understand what's happening. Honestly? You don't. While the villains come from those shows, the writing does a great job of explaining who they are. Damien Darhk is way more entertaining here than he ever was on Arrow. If you skipped his original arc, you might actually like him more.
Another myth is that the show is "just a comedy." While it’s funny, the character growth is serious. Mick Rory (Heat Wave) goes through a legitimate redemption arc. He struggles with his loyalty to Leonard Snart (who returns as a past version of himself) versus his new family. It's heart-wrenching stuff hidden behind beer jokes and fire blasts. Dominic Purcell delivers his best performance of the series in this stretch.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch
If you're diving back into the Waverider, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch for the subtle Easter eggs: The show starts dropping heavy hints about the JSA (Justice Society of America) early on. Stargirl’s cameo in the past is a direct nod to her future importance in the DC lore.
- Focus on Mick Rory’s eyes: Seriously. Dominic Purcell does so much character work without saying a word. You can see the moment he decides to choose the Legends over the Legion.
- Check the historical details: While the show plays fast and loose, the "Turncoat" episode featuring George Washington has some surprisingly accurate nods to the hardships of the Revolutionary War, despite the time-traveling assassins.
- Skip the crossover if you’re short on time: "Invasion!" is great, but the Legends-specific episode of that crossover is more of a side quest. You can follow the main season arc perfectly well without the alien invasion fluff.
The best way to enjoy this era of the show is to let go of the "logic" of time travel. The writers did. Focus on the character dynamics. This is the year the Legends stopped being a group of B-list heroes and became a family. If you want to see where the Arrowverse actually peaked, this is the season to study.