In Ivy Town in 1988, an agent runs through a lab and reports that they have the target on the move. Young Ray runs through the complex, and two agents close the outside door. The boy slides under it just in time and heads for the lab, and the agent Glasses tells him to calm down and they'll have a nice chat. After a moment, Young Ray grabs the agent's key and his associate shoots.
On Waverider, Ray tells the team that he's taking them through a ten-step team process that he developed at Palmer Tech. The Legends are less than impressed, and Ray sys that Zari needs to bond with them. Zari says that she isn't a member of team, and already has them figured out. She identifies each of the Legends' issues, and they start arguing. Ray suggests that they go to trust falls, and picks Mick. Ray has paid Mick in advance, but Ray disappears and Mick hits the floor. Gideon reports that the record shows that Ray died in 1988. He went missing on October 31, and they recovered the body two days later. Sara tells Gideon to set course for October 30.
Waverider arrives in Ivy Town and Ray reappears. He sees Gideon's file with the newspaper article of his death, and figures that they can save his life and enjoy 1988. The team dresses up in 80s styles and Ray says that he'll show them around his home town. Zari asks how he can pretend that everything is okay, and Ray says that as long as he trusts in himself, things turn out all right.
The Legends go to the school and Zari takes in the 1980s. She and Ray spot Young Ray, who is thanking his teacher. The team follows Young Ray to the newsstand and see the boy shoplifting candy bars. Young Ray sees Mick watching him admiring him and walks away,.
Nate is at the house across from Young Ray's house, and spots bullies picking on him. Ray arrives and remembers that they were friends, and the bullies ride off on their bikes. Sara and Amaya arrive and says that everything seems normal. Ray figures that something is wrong and runs to his childhood home. He peers in the window as Young Ray gives the candy to something under his bed. An alien creature reaches out and take the candy, then spits the wrapper out. Young Ray calls the creature "Gumball" and says that it can come out. A baby Dominator crawls out and Ray tells the others that he knows what kills him.
Back on Waverider, the Legends tell Zari about the Dominators. Gideon says that the baby Dominators have all the strength of the adults, and can control minds. Ray says that all they have to do is sneak into Young Ray's house, kidnap the Dominator, and take it home.
Jax finds Martin, who missed the meeting, and says that he can sense that something is wrong. When Jax figures that Martin doesn't want to be on Waverider, Martin says that he's as committed to the mission as ever. Mick is listening in and offers to extract the information from Martin.
Atom and Zari break into the Palmer house after Mrs. Palmer leaves. Amaya and Nate are outside posing as Animal Control officers. Inside, Atom and Zari hear Gumball in the closet and find the creatures. Zari says that she can see why Young Ray is so lonely. Young Ray calls to Gumball from the kitchen. Zari hides under the bed and Atom shrinks down. Gumball grabs him, and Young Ray comes in and takes Atom away. Atom pretends to be an action figure, and Young Ray sets him down and turns on the VCR.
Mrs. Palmer drives up and goes into the house. She yells for Young Ray, and he has Gumball hide. Mrs. Palmer comes in and says that she got a call that he didn't show up at school. Young Ray claims that he was sick, and Mrs. Palmer sees the candy wrappers and figures that he's been eating candy. Atom warns that the Dominator is getting angry, and Nate volunteers to distract her.
In the house, Young Ray says that school is boring. His mother tells him that he's coming back, and hears something snarling in the closet. As she starts to open the door, the doorbell rings. Mrs. Palmer answers the door and Nate and Amaya says that they were with Animal Control. She lets them in and explains that her son is always sneaking off into the woods and bringing back strays. Mrs. Palmer wishes that Young Ray would make normal friends, and Young Ray and Atom both listen to her.
Gabriel tells Sara that it's detecting another incoming time ship. Sara goes off to check it out.
Young Ray tells Gumball that they know about it and they need to go, and no one cares about him. The boy picks up Atom and puts him in his backpack so that Gumball will have company, and Gumball crawls in. As Young Ray sneaks out the widow, Zari goes after him and says that she's there to save his life. The boy figures that she's after Gumball and crawls through a fence. Zari goes after him and tries to warn Young Ray, but loses him in the woods.
Mick takes Jax into the cargo bay and says that Martin is ratting them out to the Time Bureau. He has Gideon confirm that someone has been erasing the jumpship's travel log while they're asleep.
As night falls, Nate and Amaya search for Young Ray. Amaya complains that Nate was flirting with Mrs. Palmer, and he wonders if she's jealous. They see people up ahead and hide. Two agents are searching with Geiger counters, and say that they need to find the Dominator and take Young Ray with them.
Sara checks the area and reports that it was a false alarm. An adult Dominator knocks her out.
Mick and Jax go to a storage room and discover that Martin has converted it into a lab. Jax realizes that it's a radio transmitter that communicates through time, and figures that Martin is a traitor.
Zari tracks Young Ray to his treehouse and says that he's in danger. Atom tells her over the radio to think like a kid, and Zari says that she's there to speak to Sir Galahad and Sir Gumball. Young Ray steps out just as the agents arrive and grab Young Ray. The men sedate both Young Ray and Zari.
In a lab, the agents strap Gumball to a table. Glasses says that they have to keep it sedated so it doesn't use its telepathic powers, and uses a shock device to keep the Dominator from communicating with its mother, the queen. Another agent reports that they've locked up Zari and Young Ray, and Glasses tells her to interrogate Young Ray and then kill him. A shrunken Atom has been listening in and flies off. Meanwhile, Glasses tells the tech that the Dominators protect their young at any cost.
Sara wakes up to find herself tied up in a Dominator cocoon. The Queen is there and Sara figures that it's looking for her kid. She offers to help, and the Dominator scans her mind and learns about the last place that Sara saw Gumball: at Ray's house.
Martin goes to the jumpship and finds Mick and Jax waiting for him. Mick yanks the main conduit out of the jumpship, and Martin asks Jax to help him get out of 1988. When Jax says that he's working with the Time Bureau, Martin denies it. Mick points out that Martin has a communicator in his back pocket, and Lily asks if Martin will be there for the birth of his first grandchild. Once Martin signs off, he explains that hat he took the jumpship to 2017 to give Lily the other communicator. He wiped the jump logs so that they'd know that he meant it. Mick says that they'll take Waverider, and Jax figures that the rest of the team can manage.
Atom frees Zari as the alarms go off.
Glasses tells Young Ray to calm down, and Young Ray grabs his keys. Atom blasts them both unconscious, and more agents arrive. Once Atom takes them out, Young Ray says that they need to get Gumball. The boy insists that they can save him, and Atom tells him that he has to face reality eventually or will get himself killed. Zari tells Young Ray that they'll save Gumball and make it out together.
Sara manages to free herself from the cocoon and calls Nate and Amaya. They say that the government has turned the rec center into a government facility, and Sara tells them that the Queen is heading to Ray's house. Amaya says that she'll search for the queen while Nate watches Mrs. Palmer. He goes to the Palmer house and she drags him in and starts kissing him.
Amaya hears screaming and goes to investigate. She finds the real Mrs. Palmer suspended in a cocoon up a tree.
The Queen, using her mental powers to appear as Mrs. Palmer, shoves Nate onto the couch. Amaya comes in and tells Nate what's really happening, and the Dominator reverts to its normal form. She regains her mental control, and Amaya attacks the Queen while Nate throws records at the Dominator. Nate and Amaya run out and the Queen chases after them as the local trick-or-treaters assume that it's a costume.
Sara goes back to Waverider and finds a note saying that they "borrowed" the ship. She tells the others that they have to give the Queen her child back. Ray and the others find Gumball, and Glasses and his men come in and says that they're not letting the team take the alien. Gumball controls their minds and freezes them in place, and Young Ray refuses to turn on the scrambling device. Ray tells him that they're all going to die if Young Ray doesn't, and Gumball makes the agents sing the song from the movie Young Ray was watching earlier. They go into a dance number and Ray, Young Ray, and Gumball hum along. Ray admits that he should have trusted him and apologizes for the tough love.
Ray, Zari, and Young Ray tell the team that they have Gumball and steal some bicycles, and Nate and Amaya yell that the Queen is following them.
Martin, Mick, and Jax arrive at the hospital in 2017.
As Zari and Young Ray ride bicycles back to the others and atom flies along, Zari uses her amulet to summon a gust of wind, lifting the bikes into the air so that they make it in time.
Nate and Amaya reach Sara, and Sara prepares to fight the Queen. Ray and the others arrive, and the Queen reaches out its arms to its child. Zari tells Young Ray to hand the baby over, and he reluctantly does so. Gumball hesitates and Young Ray tells it that they'll still be friends and he has people to take care of him... and Gumball helped him find them. Gumball goes to his mother, who hugs her child. The Queen teleports away with her baby.
In 2017, Martin welcomes his grandchild Ronnie to the world. Jax comes over and apologizes for Martin almost missing the opportunity because of him. Martin says that he should have trusted them. Mick brings cigars over for everyone.
Ray uses the memory-wiping devices on Mrs. Palmer, and Nate claims that they were getting rid of possums. They tell her that one of Young Ray's strays didn't do it, and Ray assures her that she's doing a good job with her son.
Zari checks in with Young Ray and tells him that he did the right thing. Young Ray says that they were going to watch the movie together, and Zari says that she felt alone for a long time but it turned out that there were people out for her that she didn't even know about. She tells Young Ray that there are people out there for him and he has to keep watching. The boy asks her to ride the movie with him, and Zari says that she has to go but maybe next time. Young Ray says that he and Gumball were going to go trick-or-treating and he couldn't eat all the candy.
Later, Young Ray goes out dressed as the Atom. The bullies come over and insult Young Ray's costume, and the Legends come over in costume and says that they're Young Ray's friends. Mick tells the bullies to hand over their candy--and their allowance.
Back on Waverider, Zari is eating candy when Ray joins her. She asks if their missions always go that poorly, and Ray admits that they do. Zari says that she can't wait for the next one and that they should get to know each other. She starts sharing about her personal life with Ray, including the fact that she loves musicals. Ray tells her that they're going to watch Singing in the Rain. As he gets popcorn, Jax sees him and says that Waverider isn't Martin's home anymore. He wants Ray to help him break up Firestorm.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 1, 2017