In December 1967 in Vietnam, soldiers are on patrol and hear something up ahead. It's a wild pig, but as it runs off, something picks off the soldiers one by one. The last one comes face-to-face with their attacker, which roars in triumph.
Martin is in the medbay attacking a dummy to try to provide a stimulus that will bring Sara out of her connection. Jax comes in and asks if Martin needs help with their project to uncouple firestorm. Martin assures Jax that all of Firestorm's power will reside in him, and heads back to the lab to double-check his calculations.
Amaya is punching a bag as Nate holds it, and he finally asks if she's okay. He suggests that she talk about Kausa, and Amaya says that the next time they meet, she'll take her granddaughter out.
Later, the team gets together and Jax tells them that Sara hasn't come out of her coma. Mick mentions that Zari dropped Helen off, and Zari points out that she didn't alter history by leaving her elsewhere. Amaya says that they owe it to Sara to keep doing their job, and Jax chooses an anachronism at random: Vietnam in 1967. Gideon reports that it's a Level 8 anachronism about a creature attacking American and Vietnam soldiers. Nate warns that the military objectives in Vietnam weren't clear, and Zari figures the team should be right at home.
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Once Waverider arrives in 1967, Ray, Amaya, and Zari poses as journalists so that they can speak to the sole survivor of the last attack, Ryan Sanders. They spot Ryan drinking, and a woman watches them as they question him about the attack. Ryan finally tells them that the creature took them by surprise and was pure evil. It had a message for them: "Stay out of the jungle."
Nate and Mick go to the last attack site and find blood and scattered equipment. Mick is eager to leave.
Zari spots the woman who has been watching them, and they confront her. The woman Anh Ly says that she knows what's out in the jungle, and offers to show them what is attacking them.
As Nate and Mick head back to Waverider, Nate wonders why Mick is in such a foul mood. Mick finally explains that his father is there in the war, and Nate assures him that there's almost no chance that they'll run into him. Soldiers emerge from hiding and order them to surrender, and Mick realizes that the leader is Mick's father Dick. Nate quickly surrenders and says that he's an Operations Officer with the CIA, and the two of them are there investigating the squad's disappearance. Dick welcomes them and Nate suggests that they investigate the disappearance together. Mick disagrees, and Nate drags Mick off and tells him to suck it up. Mick says that he let his father burn to death and walks off.
On Waverider, Jax discovers that his pecan mother's pecan pie is gone. He asks Gideon who the thief is. Meanwhile, Martin is working with time traveled versions of Madame Curie, sir Isaac newton, and Galileo. Jax has learned that Curie took his pie, and comes in and tells Martin that he didn't have to lie to him that he couldn't find a solution.
Ahn leads the trio through the jungle, and Ray tries to talk to Amaya about Kausa. She doesn't want to, and Ahn points out that they're unusual journalists. When Zari says that they're looking for a monster, Ahn insists that the creature is the New God, stopping the fighting between the two sides. They reach a dead zone and their comms go down.
Nate realizes that the comms are down. Dick notices the burn scars on Mick's arm, and jokingly calls Mick "son". Mick insists that he isn't his son. When Dick runs off, Nate points out that Dick is a Green Beret. Mick tells him that his father sat in a chair and drank beer, but hesitates to say why he occasionally got up. Before he can finish, a soldier--Petey Adams--emerges from the brush. When Dick asks him if he got lost, Petey says that he got enlightened and they can become enlightened as well as they join "them" with the New God. More soldiers join him, rifles ready, and Dick tackles Mick as they open fire. The two of them open fire on the soldiers killing them, and Dick says that they're traitors.
Ahn leads the trio to the New God's camp, and realizes that there's radio jamming equipment present. Ahn asks if they want to speak to the creature, Ong Troi Moi, and takes them to a hut. Ahn says that their guests are reporters as he wanted, and the figure emerges from the shadows. It's a giant gorilla who says that his name is Grodd, and welcomes them to his kingdom.
After Ahn escorts them out, Amaya figures that the soldiers are slaves. Ahn says that Grodd has freed the men from their "slavery" as soldiers, and reminds them that they're only there to document. Once Ahn leaves, Amaya borrows ray's shrink ray and tells Ray and Zari to take down the jammer and call for backup.
That night, Mick is staring at the campfire. Dick joins him and Mick points out that he saved his life. His father shows him the names of all the men that died under his watch, and shows Mick a photo of his girlfriend. Dick says that he's going to marry her when he goes back, and might start a family. When Mick asks if he wants kids, Dick figures why not as long as they don't end up in the jungle. He hopes that he doesn't bring home what he's seen.
Jax tells the comatose Sara that he doesn't know who he is if he isn't Firestorm. He figures that Sara doesn't have any superpowers and she's still a Legend, and pats her hand before leaving.
Ray and Zari sneak into the shack with the jammer, and Ray explains that Grodd is a psychopath. Zari figures that he's another prosecuted meta.
Nate finds Mick standing in the darkness holding a lit lighter to his skin. Mick says that he blamed Dick for all of the sick things that he did, but he's realized that he's worse than Dick and it should have been him that burned in the house.
Zari shuts down the jammer and Nate contacts them to say that Mick is losing it. Ray warns them that they're dealing with Grodd, and the Anachronism goes to Level 10. Gideon finds a newspaper headline announcing that the U.S. and Russia began World War III. Martin figures that Grodd is somehow setting off nuclear annihilation, and Zari and Ray go to find Amaya.
Amaya enters Grodd's hut and finds televisions showing news reports from across the world. Grodd telepathically attacks Amaya and forces her to smash the shrink rage. He points out all of the newscasts showing humans attacking each other, and shows her telepathic images of what the doctors did to him. Grodd says that he only wishes to help humanity find peace.
President Johnson arrives in Vietnam and is escorted to the officer's club.
Zari finds a series of top secret files showing Johnson's arrival, and Ahn up and takes them at gunpoint. She says that Grodd is only doing what is necessary, and explains that she lost both her parents, her brother, and her village. Grodd is the only one left to protect them, and Zari tells her that she's had the same loss but peace starts with Ahn. After a moment, Ahn lowers her gun and then clutches at her head in agony. Grodd takes her over, says that Ahn is weak, and knocks Zari unconscious.
Jax prepares to go out to save Johnson. Martin finds him and says that they should do it as Firestorm, but Jax tells him that he can do it on his own and he'll have to stand on his own eventually.
The next morning, Dick tells his men that they've learned the enemy's location. Nate tells Mick that they can't let the soldiers get near the encampment, and reminds him that Amaya is there. He then tells Dick that the encampment is a no-fire-zone, and Dick knocks him out and says that he doesn't take orders from the CIA. He asks if Mick is in or out, and Mick says that he's in.
Ahn's people line up Amya, Ray, and Zari, and prepare to shoot them. Grodd comes out and Zari tells him that he doesn't have to do it. Amaya tells him that they're there to take him home, and what was done to him was unforgivable. Grodd realizes that they're time-travelers and refuses to go with them. He says that there is nothing but pain where he came from, and Amaya offers to take him somewhere that he can live out his days in peace. When Grodd wonders why he should trust her, Amaya briefly summons the spirit of a gorilla and says that she's different. She puts her hand on Grodd's chest... and Dick and his men open fire Grodd grabs Amaya's hand, figuring that she betrayed him, and roars in anger.
The soldiers fire on the compound with Mick and Dick leading them. Meanwhile, Grodd tells Amaya that he will use Waverider to alter the course of evolution and create a planet of apes. The gorilla runs off, and Mick yanks Dick out of the way as Grodd heads for Waverider
Ray warns Martin that Grodd is coming, but is then arrested with the others as a traitor. He's placed with Nate, Amaya, and Zari, and Mick ignores them. Nate figures that Mick has gone native, and Dick tells them that he wants payback for Grodd did to his men. Ray and the others try to tell him that Grodd is going after Johnson, but Dick doesn't want to hear it and Mick ignores them.
Jax stops Johnson's convoy and tells them to back up. he explains that the road block is a trap, and when a soldier steps forward to stop him, mines go off. Johnson triggers one trip wire and Jax tells him to move so that it doesn't go off.
When Mick prepares to kill Ray and the others, Mick draws his heat gun on him and says that he's saving his life. Nate warns that if Mick kills Dick, but Mick doesn't care. Mick lowers his weapon and tells Dick that he gets to go home, but if he kills the people then he'll hear their screams forever and won't be able to look his future family in the eye. After a moment, Dick lowers his gun and Mick punches him unconscious, and tells his teammates that he always wanted to hit his father.
Jax freezes the mine with an aerosol spray and then has Johnson step away slowly. Johnson does so and gets away safely. They hear gunfire in the distance and Jax leads him through the minefield.
Martin takes off in Waverider with Gabriel's help. Grodd leaps aboard it as it clears the ground, and Gabriel warns Martin.
Jax leads Johnson out of the minefield and the soldiers cheer.
Sara arrives on the bridge and tells Martin that there is no Sara, only Grodd. She attacks Martin, and Isaac comes up behind her and knocks her unconscious with a frying pan. Gabriel warns that an American airstrike is approaching and Grodd is still clinging to Waverider, and Martin has an idea.
The aircraft open fire, knocking Grodd off of Waverider into the burning jungle below.
As the refugees rebuild the encampment, Zari offers to take Ahn somewhere safe. She says that her struggle is there and her people need a leader, not a god. Meanwhile, Dick invites Mick to join him on R&R. He says that Mick saved innocent lives and held him back from becoming a killer, and Mick says that he's been pulled back a couple of times himself. He starts to suggest that Dick name any son he has after him, but then they grunt and Dick leaves. Nate comes over and Mick shakes his hand. When Nate offers him his cigarette lighter back, Mick says that he doesn't need it anymore and nods to Dick as he leaves.
Ray is working in the lab when Amaya comes in and admits that he and Nate were right about Kausa. After seeing that Grodd was made into a monster, she figures the same might apply to her granddaughter.
Martin admits to Jax that he did what he did to keep Jax safe, but has realized that Jax has Firestorm's spirit. Jax shows him the top secret information that Johnson gave him. Martin looks at it and says that it's incredible. They tell the others that Johnson gave Jax the ingredient's for Ladybird Johnson's pecan pie. As the others eat the pie, Sara comes in and complains that they didn't save her any pie. She wonders about the bump on her head, and notices Isaac eating pie.
Grodd falls into a junkyard and finds Damien waiting for him. Damien explains that he pulled Grodd out of the napalm, and offers him the ability to time travel with a single thought.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 27, 2017