'Legends of Tomorrow' recap: 'Welcome to the Jungle'

Legends of Tomorrow travels to Vietnam in 1967 where the Legends look for a creature who is taking soldiers.

Last time on Legends of Tomorrow, the Legends went back in time to Hollywood. Damien Darhk and his team caused trouble and he revealed Eleanor is actually his daughter Nora. Also, Zari took Helen of Troy to Themyscira.

“Welcome to the Jungle” begins in a Vietnam jungle in the late 1960s during the Vietnam War. A group of soldiers are attacked by an unknown creature as they walk through the jungle.

On the Waverider, Stein tries to wake Sara from her coma. Jax comes in and the two talk about Firestorm. In the gym, Nate talks to Amaya about Kuasa. Amaya says she is ready to fight her granddaughter when they meet again.

The team discusses what to do since Sara is still undisposed. Rory tells the others Zari took Helen to Themyscira. Zari reminds them they are not the Time Bureau and shows them no anachronisms happened because of her actions. The group decides Sara would want them to continue fixing the anachronisms and Jax points to one randomly. They learn of the soldiers missing in Vietnam in 1967 and decide to go.

Zari, Amaya, and Ray pose as journalists in Vietnam and ask a soldier what happened to his squad. He says the creature wanted them out of the jungle. Zari notices a woman, Anh Ly, watching them and asks questions. Anh says she can show them what is happening in the jungle. She takes them to see the creature, who she dubs a god.

In the jungle, Nate and Rory find where the squad was attacked. Nate notes Rory seems more agitated than normal. Rory says his father is in Vietnam at this time, and a moment later they are ambushed by Rory’s father, Dick Rory, and his men. Nate diffuses the situation by saying he and Rory are from the CIA and are investigating the missing soldiers. Rory is tense so Nate pulls him aside. Rory confesses to a shaken Nate that he does not regret killing his father.

Nate encourages Rory to work through his issues with his father, citing his own experience. Rory opens up a little but is interrupted when a man tries to attack the group, claiming he is now enlightened. Other men with guns appear and attack the group. Rory’s father knocks him out of the way and the two use flamethrowers on the men.

Ray, Zari, and Amaya meet Gorilla Grodd, and he welcomes them to his new kingdom. Amaya asks Ray for his shrink tech and says she will take care of Grodd while he and Zari take down the communication jammers in the camp.

Elsewhere, Rory is sitting by a fire when his father sits down. Rory mentions Dick saving his life. Dick says he did not want to lose another man, showing Rory a list he keeps of his dead comrades. He talks about going home, getting married, and having a family.
Back on the Waverider, Stein works with scientists Newton, Curie, and Galileo on the Firestorm problem. Stein cannot figure out a way to break up Firestorm without Jax also losing his power. Jax hears and is upset. Later, Jax talks to an unconscious Sara about his fears of losing Firestorm.

Nate attempts to call the team on the comms and says he is worried about Rory. He runs into Rory, who is using a lighter to burn his skin. Rory says he always blamed his father in life but now thinks he should have died in the fire instead.

Amaya goes to find Grodd and he attacks her and makes her break the shrink ray. Meanwhile, Zari and Ray find the communications tent and get to work. Zari is surprised and conflicted when she learns Grodd was in an ARGUS facility, but Ray says Grodd is definitely evil. Zari unjams the comms and Nate calls, telling them what is happening with Rory. They discuss how weird it is that he keeps meeting family members. Zari tells the team they are facing Grodd and Stein tells them the anachronism level jumped to 10. Gideon says the timeline is still changing but shows them a news clipping about World War 3.

Zari looks through papers in one of the tents and finds a plan to assassinate President Johnson, who arrived in Vietnam that day. She talks Ahn down after the woman threatens her with a gun, saying she has lost everything and everyone in the war. Ahn cries out as she is overtaken by Grodd, then she knocks Zari out.

Jax gets dressed to go help the team. Stein tries to step in, but Jax says that even if he does not have powers, he has to get used to being a Legend on his own.

Dick Rory tells his team they found the base and are going to attack. Nate tells him no, so Dick knocks him out. Rory agrees to go with his father and his men.

Zari and Ray are brought to the same place as Amaya and tell her Grodd wants to rule. Amaya tries to make peace with Grodd. She offers to take him to a time before humans existed. He questions her motives and she uses her totem to show him she is a different kind of human. Grodd appears to be receptive, but then the shooting starts. Grodd accuses them of betrayal, despite Amaya’s assurances. He says he can take the time ship and make the Earth a planet of his own. Rory and the men break into the camp and see Grodd running away.

Ray tells Stein that Grodd is heading for the ship. Dick Rory’s group gathers the people in the camp together, thinking they are all traitors. The Legends try to reason with him, and Rory, to no avail. But when Dick threatens to kill people, Rory turns on his father. Nate warns him what will happen if he kills Dick. Rory talks Dick down, saying he will not be able to forget killing innocent people, then knocks him out.

Meanwhile, Jax stops the President's car and tells them they have to go back. Unfortunately, they do not listen and soldiers step on the minefields hidden in the grass. President Johnson steps on one and Jax tells him to stay put. Jax manages to save the President, then they hear gunfire. Jax risks his life to get the President through the minefield safely.

Stein manages to fly the Waverider with Gideon’s help, but Grodd jumped aboard and is hanging onto the ship. Grodd mind-controls Sara and makes her attack Stein. He is saved by Isaac Newton hitting Sara on the head. Gideon announces airplanes are attacking nearby so Stein flies the ship near to knock Grodd off and it works. Grodd falls down towards the burning jungle.

In the camp, Zari talks to Anh and learns she will be staying to help her people. Dick thanks Rory for his help. Rory gets some closure, telling Nate he does not need his lighter back.

On the Waverider, Amaya goes to see Ray, who is working on the shrink ray. She talks to him about Kuasa, saying maybe she was not born a villain. Stein tells Jax he will be okay because he is a hero even without the powers. Jax shares that President Johnson gave him Lady Bird Johnson’s pecan pie recipe as thanks for saving his life.

The team gathers in the kitchen to eat the pie and Nate tells them Lady Bird’s recipe was a closely guarded secret. Sara walks in, teasing them for not saving her some pie. The Legends welcome their captain back and she tells them Gideon says she is fine. Sara sees Newton and Rory wipes his memory.

In the present day, Darhk brings Grodd back with magic. Grodd wants to go back for the Waverider, but Darhk holds up a magical object and says it can transport him with a thought.

While not my favorite episode of Legends of Tomorrow, I enjoyed getting a Rory storyline. I found it weird that Stein chose scientists from the past when working on the Firestorm problem. Once again I question why the writers are bringing back villains when there are many interesting villains in DC comics. Damien Darhk is overused in the Arrowverse and Grodd has been in The Flash multiple times. I am glad Rory got some sense of closure and that Sara appears to be okay.

Legends of Tomorrow airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW. The next episode is part of an Arrowverse crossover; watch the trailer for the event “Crisis on Earth-X” below.