It was risky to keep Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill) prisoner on the Waverider, but it all paid off this week for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. In “Land of the Lost,” the former captain overrides control of his own ship using a secret code to compel the Waverider’s A.I., Gideon (voiced by Amy Pemberton) to free him. As Rip crashes the ship into the time of dinosaurs, half the team explores Jurassic Park while Sara (Caity Lotz) and Jax (Franz Drameh) enter Rip’s mind to rescue his old self once and for all. In the process, Sara and Jax meet Gideon in her physical form — sort of.
Inside Rip Hunter’s mind — think Inception, but on a TV budget — Jax meets Gideon, who is no longer a disembodied voice but a being with a physical body (a “hot” one, as Caity Lotz’s ever-flirty Sara points out.) Amy Pemberton finally steps out of the ADR booth and onto the physical set of the Waverider to share some screentime with the Legends as Gideon.
Sadly, Gideon’s embodiment isn’t permanent. As Jax and Sara fight off evil versions of themselves — again, sort of like Inception — Rip regains control of his faculties. As his mental prison breaks down, Rip kisses Gideon goodbye. To his surprise, when he’s out on the other side, Gideon actually remembers it happening. She tells him, “I rather enjoyed it.” Rip concurs: “Me too.”
“Land of the Lost” at last brings Rip Hunter’s absence from the team to an end. Leadership of the Waverider may or may not once again rest in Rip’s hands — Sara did such a good job, she probably deserves to keep the captain’s chair — but it’s also a relief to have Rip back.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow airs Tuesday nights on The CW.
