Liberty, Colorado – 1874
A searcher walks through the desert, checking a high-tech device. He follows the readings to an object buried in the dirt near a mine. As he unearths it, Quentin Turnbull and his men ride up. When the searcher offers to let Quentin go on his way, Quentin takes offense. Both men draw their guns, and the newcomer says that he knows more about the mines then Quentin does. Quentin tells him to lower his gun and start talking, and the searcher says that the ore in the mine is more valuable then gold. He shows Quentin his device and says that there's enough in the mine for both of them, and they could be partners. Quentin tells the searcher to hand over the device, and then shoots him dead before he can and takes the device for himself.
On Waverider, the team tries to work out what Damien wanted with the amulet and why he's teamed up with a speedster. They explain to Amaya that the Speed Force grants a speedster chronal manipulation, and Sara tells Martin to gather everything he can on speedsters. She figures that there's a connection between the new amulet and the one that they recovered from the Nazis in 1942.
As Martin and Jax leave, Jax wonders how long they're going to keep Barry's message a secret from the others. Martin clutches at his head in pain for a moment, and then dismisses it as a headache.
In the study, Nick figures that the amulet dates back to the Late Antiquity. He tells the others that he can't find a reference to it anywhere in the history books, and Sara tells him to keep digging. Nate admits that he had hoped he'd be doing more as a hero than research, just as the timequake detector picks up an aberration. They realize that it's in 1874 Colorado, and Amaya gets stuck telling Rory where they're headed.
Ray and Nate suit up, and Ray tells Nate about their last adventure in the Old West. When Ray finds a sketch that Nate has been working on, Nate admits that he's been drawing his own superhero costume. Ray tells him to follow his lead, and lectures Nate on what to do.
Waverider lands in Colorado and the team rides out. Martin stays behind, and the others hear some cowboys ahead. They dismount and investigate, and discover that some bandits are lynching Jonah Hex. Nate says that he hands it and runs off, and then emerges from the forest and confronts the bandits. He turns to steel when the bandits open fire, easily deflecting their bullets. Jonah's horse rides off, leaving him hanging, and Sarah shoots the rope, saving him. Jonah attacks the head bandit, and Nate tells them to ride off.
The rest of the team walks up and Jonah recognizes them from their last encounter. Back on Waverider, Sarah explains how they arrived and Jonah asks where Rip is. They tell him that Rip's MIA, and Jonah is surprised to learn that Jonah is leading the team now. He explains that he was collecting a bounty on Quentin Turnbull, and Nate says that Turnbull Country now exists since the last time he checked the history books. The new map of the U.S. shows Quentin controlling all the land west of the Rockies.
The team heads into the nearest town and Jonah explains that everyone has either been run out of town or forced to work in the mine. He says that Turnbull has an office above the saloon and a guard force, and Sara tosses Mick a lighter and tells him to go into the saloon and have a good time. Once he leaves, Sara explains that Mick will have to deal with Mick. She tells Amaya to keep Mick under control he gets Turnbull out of the saloon, and the others to take off their hats and guns, and infiltrate Turnbull's base of operations.
Soon, Ray, Nate, and Jax meet with Turnbull's office manager and explain that they're tax collectors there to check their books. Once they're alone, Nate complains that he's now doing tax research while everyone is drinking.
Mick and Amaya go into the saloon and Mick orders a drink... and then two when Amaya joins him.
Ray finds a ledger showing that Turnbull is stockpiling ore in a nearby mining camp. Three of Turnbull's men come in and say that Turnbull doesn't like taxes or the Federal government. When Jax asks if Turnbill is starting his own country, the gunmen realize that he knows too much and draw their guns. Jax jumps him and the others.
As they wait down the street, Sara figures that Jonah has a vendetta with Quentin. He refuses to talk about it.
Once Nate and the others take the gunmen's outfits, Nate wants to ride out to the mining camp. After a moment, Ray reluctantly agrees.
Mick is playing cards and wins, and Amaya points out to him that he's cheating. Quentin comes down and introduces himself to Mick as the saloon owner. Mick lights the lighter and sets a bill on fire, and asks if Quentin is just going to make threats or fight. Sara checks in with Amaya, who says that Mick is starting a fire.
Nate, Ray, and Jax go to the mining camp and Quentin's men draw guns and say that they don't recognize him. Ray bluffs his way into the camp.
Martin has Gabriel ran a neuro-imaging scan again in case there's something the AI missed. It insists that it's accurate but he has it do it anyway. Gabriel reports that physiologically there's nothing wrong with him. Martin has another headache and has a vision of a woman, and tells Gabriel to run the test again.
Ray and the others enter the mine and find what Quentin is mining: dwarf star. He explains that there's enough potential energy there to power the entire Wild West… or blow it up. Nate finds the detection device nearby and figures that Quentin is using it to identify the dwarf star. Jax tries to lift the ore but is unable due to its density, and the trio goes to get the others.
Amaya tells Sara that her plan has hit a snag. Mick and Quentin are at a table drinking and sharing stories. Quentin insists that Turnbull Country is about keeping the Old West wild. An impatient Jonah tells Sara that he's done waiting and heads inside, and Sara tells Amaya to brace herself.
Jonah enters the saloon and calls Quentin out. He draws his guns, and everyone in the saloon draws guns and aims them at Jonah. Quentin says that the ore he discovered has special qualities, and prepares to shoot him. Sara comes in and whips the gun out of Quentin's hand, and the bullet goes wild... and explodes. A fight break out and Mick, Amaya, and Jonah join in. Nate and the others get back as Sara and her people run out. Quentin shoots at them with his exploding dwarf star bullets, and the Legends retreat... except for Mick, who's glad for the excitement. When Quentin shoots at him, Nate turns to steel and steps in front of Mick. The dwarf star bullet wounds him, and Amaya and Mick carry him off.
Back on Waverider, Gabriel confirms that the bullet is lodged in Nate's internal organs. Meanwhile, Sara confronts Jonah and says that he went off books. She demands to know what's going on between him and Quentin, and Jonah says that he's been after Quentin for eight years. Quentin and his men harassed the town of Calvert, OK, and Jonah and Rip fought back. One night, Quentin gathered every person in Calvert in the church and set it afire. Jonah was the only one who escaped, although his face was scarred. Sara says that she has a Turnbull of herself and he's still out there, but she can't kill Damien without altering history. However, she says that she can help Jonah capture Quentin.
Jax finds Martin and asks about his headache, and knows from Gideon that there's more involved. Martin says that she had a vision, just as he has another vision of the same woman. He describes what he saw and tells Jax that it's like he's having memories of a stranger... but the woman is a stranger, even though he doesn't know why.
Mick is in his quotas working out his frustrations on a punching bag. Amaya comes in and asks why he lost control. Mick says that the Mick she saw was the real him. Amaya says that animals aren't vicious by nature unless they're attacked, and Mick says that he's no victim. She knows everything that Mick has done for the team, but Mick says that they just pretend he's part of the team.
In the medbay, Nate tells Ray that he might be better suited as a researcher. He says that when he was a kid, he stood up to a bully and got beat up. From then on he was afraid until he met the Legends, and he thought he didn't have to feel afraid again. Ray suggests that Nate knows how he feels when he destroyed his ATOM suit, but he figured that there was no bravery without fear. Nate thanks him for the advice, and Ray gets an idea.
Ray tells the team that Quentin would have to use the railroad to ship the dwarf star, and figures that Quentin is going to use the ore to close Summit Pass. Nate confirms that if Quentin destroys the pass then there's no way to transport soldiers and supplies from the East coast, locking the U.S. Army out of the west. They wonder what to do with Ray, Nate, and Martin out of commission, and Nate remembers that Quentin called for a meeting at his mine. Sara tells Nate, Ray, and Jax to stop the train while the rest of them deal with Quentin.
The next day, Ray, Nate, and Jax ride out to intercept the train. Nate says that he'll stop the locomotive on his own and rides ahead. Jax and ray ride after him.
Sara, Jonah, Mick, and Amaya go to the mining camp, and Sara says that she and Jonah will draw their attention while Amaya and Mick blow up the mine. Sara asks if Jonah is going to follow orders. Once he agrees, she hands him a pair of manacles, puts on a bandanna, and then takes him into the camp. Sara takes him to Quentin. Quentin says that he has a purpose now and takes Jonah and Sara to see what he's up to.
Nate tells the others to keep their distance.
Quentin tells Jonah that he has something that will win the West back for the outlaws.
Mick and Amaya prepare the dynamite and Mick lights a fuse.
Nate dismounts, steps out in front of the train, and turns to steel.
Mick tells Amaya that she has a minute to get out. Gunmen come up behind them, and Mick and Amaya attack them. Once they take them down, Mick keeps beating them until Amaya tells him to put the animal away and get out with her. They run out of the mine as the dynamite explodes.
As Quentin takes Jonah and Sara toward the mine, the explosion knocks them back. Jonah tackles Quentin and beats him, and Quentin tells him to get it over with. The bounty hunter glances up at Sara and then punches Quentin unconscious rather than kill him.
Nate steels up and braces himself, and the train slams into him. He manages to brake it to a stop, and then reverts to normal as Jax and Ray ride up. They admit that it was badass, and Nate cheers in triumph.
Later back on Waverider, Jonah congratulates Sara and call her "captain" for the first time. They share a drink and Jonah says that he's going to turn him over to the authorities. He tells Sara that she does a good job bearing few men could, and they shake hands before he leaves.
Waverider departs and Mick sits in his cabin, looking at the cigarette lighter's flame. Amaya comes in and points out that fire has the power to destroy everything in its path. She admits that Mick was right and he is the animal that wants to watch the world burn... but that's not all he is. Amaya tells him not to deny the animal, but to not let it control him. she grabs one of his beers and says that she knows how to control wild beasts.
In the mess hall, Martin is drinking tea when Jax finds him. He suggests that when Martin interacted with his younger self in 1987, he altered his own past. The memories are from Martin's new life, replacing his old memories. Martin has another vision of the woman and then tells Jax that he's certain he loves her. He wonders if there is a Clarissa to go home to.
Ray thanks Nate for saving the dwarf star so that he can use it to power a new ATOM suit. However, first he's built a suit based on the drawings that Nate sketched, and calls him "Steel." Sara comes in and tells them that their friends back in 2016 need their help.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 18, 2016