Star City – 2016
Rip shows his recruits an image of
the future after Vandal has conquered the world, and hopes that they
won't let him and the world down. He then gives them an address to meet
him at if their answer is yes. Once the team is alone, Len says that he
isn't interested in saving the world. He leaves with Mick, and Jax says
that he's not going to sign on just to die in the future. Martin goes
after him, and tells Jax that he has confidence that they can save the
world. He asks Jax to come to his office tomorrow if he changes his
mind, but Jax says that he won't. Once Jax walks off, Jax from the
future comes in and tells Martin that he needs his help because the team
is in trouble.
The Vanishing Point
In his
cell, Martin is slowly dying because he can't merge with Jax. He wonders
why the Time Masters are keeping them alive, and Mick says that they'll
all be dead soon. As for Mick, they'll try to brainwash him into
Chronos again, and he only kept his sanity the first time because he
focused on how much he hated the team. Time Master guards come in and
take Mick out. As they remove Kendra as well, she fights free
momentarily but a guard stuns her and they drag her away.
Guards take Rip to Druse, who orders the guards away. Once they're
alone, Rip asks his mentor why the Time Masters didn't kill the team
when they had the chance. Druse asks where Sara and Len are, and Rip
refuses to answer. The older Time Master explains that in 2175, Earth is
attacked by a warlike race of aliens from Thanagar. Without Vandal to
unite Earth under one rule, the Thanagars lay waste to the planet. Rip
insists that Vandal isn't the world's only hope, and Druse tells him
that they've checked the timeline and there is no other hope. He has one
more thing to show Rip to convince him.
On Waverider,
Sara and Len emerge from hiding. Len is ready to leave, but Sara
refuses to abandon her friends. She points out that they're surrounded
by timeships, and Len draws on his gun. Sara tells him not to act like
the cold-hearted bastard who told her to kill Martin. Len says that she
seemed to have a problem with being a killer, but she doesn't. Sara
tells him to prove it and shoot her. An old-fashioned phone on Rip's
desk, and Sara answers it as Len lowers his gun. It's Gideon, who says
that she moved her operating system to a latency core when the Time
Masters tried to wipe it. The AI tells Sara where the team is, and warns
that they're only alive for the moment.
Kendra wakes up aboard
a jumpship with Vandal. She's strapped to a chair, and Vandal explains
that the time masters gave him the jumpship. Carter is in stasis in the
cargo hold, and he's taking them to an appointment that he has with
destiny.
Declan prepares to brainwash the strapped-down Mick,
and explains that they've made some refinements. Once they're finished,
Chronos will be feared throughout history. Declan begins the procedure.
Druse takes Rip to the Oculus viewing chamber, the Time Masters' source
for all of their information on the timeline. The Oculus gives them
ability to shape the timeline, and Druse explains that they've been
helping Vandal gain time travel. Once they realized that only Vandal can
save the world, they've been using the Oculus to manipulate Rip.
Everything the team has done has benefited Vandal, providing the outcome
that history requires. Druse shows Rip the timeline, past and future.
The elder Time Master says that there is no free will except at the
Vanishing Point. Rip steps back and Druse says that what Rip saw will
happen, The Time Masters counted on Rip's anger and his going rogue, and
they ordered Vandal to kill his family to provide the necessary
impetus.
Later, the guards lock Rip up next to the others. He
explains that the Time Masters showed him the truth, and everything
they've done was orchestrated by his superiors. When Ray doesn't believe
it, Rip says that he saw the timeline... and Ray's death.
Central City – 2016
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Jax tells Martin that the team is in some kind of
trouble. He refuses to give Martin greater knowledge of the future, just
as Martin burns out some equipment. Jax says that he forgot how
arrogant Martin "was," and Martin wonders why he's referring to him in
the past tense. Jax says that Martin doesn't die, and tells Martin to
help him reroute the temporal buffer. Martin reluctantly goes back to
work.
Declan apologizes to Mick for the pain of the induction
procedure, and forces him to say his name: Chronos. The guards release
Mick, and he dons the Chronos armor. Declan tells him to start his
duties by hunting down Len and Sara.
In the hangar, Len and Sara follow Gideon's instructions and put devices on the other ships.
Martin points out to Ray that he's about to die and Mick is being
brainwashed. Ray refuses to accept that their future is already written,
and says that Rip and Martin are both quitters. He reminds them that
Sara and Len are on the loose and they still have a chance.
On Waverider,
Sara and Len wait for Gideon to finish bringing the time drive online.
Sara notices that he's wearing a ring, and Len explains that it's from
the first job that he pulled with Mick. It's a reminder that even the
best-laid plans can go sideways. Gideon finishes its work and Sara
time-jumps Waverider.
Druse gets word that Waverider
is escaping and orders the other ships to pursue. The devices go out,
overriding the ships' AIs and shutting down the timeships.
Druse confronts Rip and tells him that with the others gone, he's lost
any reason to keep them alive. He tells the guards to kill the
prisoners, starting with Rip. The guard says that Waverider is
heading for the present, just as Sara opens fire on the Vanishing Point.
Captain Cold enters the brig and takes out Druse, and Chronos arrives
with Declan. Declan orders Chronos to fire, and Captain Cold tells his
friend to put the gun down. After a moment, Chronos shoots Declan and
removes his helmet. As Declan lies on the ground, Mick crushes his skull
with his boot.
The team gets to Waverider and Len
takes Martin to the medbay. Gideon tells Rip that they have a slight
problem, just as the Time Masters lock onto the ship with a tractor
beam. Sara orders Gideon to prepare to jump, while Rip and Ray try to
override the tractor beam. Ray uses the operating system in the Chronos
armor to send the override from an alternate source, and the tractor
beam disengages.
In 2016, Jax and Martin finish repowering the
jumpship. Martin says goodbye to the future version of his friend, and
apologizes for being an insufferable know-it-all. Jax says that he
understands that Martin is just looking out for him, and tells Martin
that eventually he gets over Martin drugging his past self. He offers to
tell Martin the future, and Martin says that he knows something must
have gotten right on the adventure because of what Jax has become.
Len returns to the bridge and Rip explains about the Oculus and how the
Time Masters manipulated them. He figures that Ray's death isn't part
of their plan, but anything they do might be what the Time Masters want.
Ray says that they need to destroy the Oculus, and Rip confirms that it
doesn't work in the Vanishing Point. Everyone agrees and Rip has Gideon
plot a course to the Oculus Wellspring.
Later, Ray grabs
something to eat. Mick comes in and warns that Ray's future death may
still happen. Ray wonders how Mick resisted the brainwashing the second
time, and Mick says that he focused on the team this time and how
screwed that they'd be without him. He tells Ray that he can survive
anything the Time Masters throw at him, grabs some fast food, and
leaves.
Len checks in on Sara and offers a game of cards. When
she refuses, he offers to apologize for pulling a gun on her. Len
wonders what she thinks of Rip's plan, and Sara points out that
everything they've considered has been scripted for them. She still
feels responsible for everything that she's done, and Len says that it's
things he hasn't done that keep him up, and wonders about a future for
the two of them. Sara tells him that if he wants to steal a kiss, he'd
better be one hell of a thief, and walks out.
Martin visits Rip
in Rip's office, and admits that learning that what he's done is
predetermined is liberating. He's determined that they have a chance of
destroying the Oculus. Waverider arrives at the Oculus
Wellspring, and Martin explains that the scaled-down supernova that
powers the Oculus is at the bottom of the Wellspring. Atom will destroy
the contained supernova, causing an explosion. The timeship arrives and
the team heads out. Druse and the guards are waiting, and the Time
Master says that the team coming there is destiny. He orders his guards
to kill the team, but Jax arrives in the jumpship and opens fire on the
guards. Once they're down, Jax emerges and Martin assures him that he's
right on time. They merge into Firestorm, and they head to the
Wellspring.
The team enters the structure and Atom approaches
the contained supernova. He works on activating the self-destruct, while
the others guard the entrance to buy him the time.
London – 2167
Vandal's timeship arrives and he prepares to leave. Kendra begs him not
to kill Rip's family, and Vandal says that it's already been done. He
joins his men and looks for Rip's family.
Firestorm, Captain
Cold, and White Canary fight the arriving reinforcements. Meanwhile,
Atom rigs the self-destruct and says that once he's done, they have two
minutes to escape. Ray removes his gauntlets and helmets for the fine
work, and Rip realizes that his vision from the Oculus is coming true.
He warns Ray that's how he dies, and Ray says that it doesn't matter
because he's always wanted to make a difference. Creating a future for
them without the Time Master's influence counts. The guards pour in and
Heatwave and Rip open fire. A stray shot knocks Rip down, and Heatwave
pulls him back from the edge and insists that he's not doing it because
he likes Rip.
A failsafe activates within the core and Ray
tells the others that he has to maintain contact with the failsafe to
blow up the Oculus.
Vandal finds Rip's family and his men kill Miranda.
Rip refuses to abandon Ray, but Ray points out that Rip has already
seen the future and he's dead. Realizing what he has to do, Heatwave
knocks Ray out, holds down the failsafe, and tells Rip that he wants
revenge on the Time Masters. Rip shrinks Ray down and reluctantly
leaves.
Vandal asks Jonas if he's brave or foolish, and Jonas spits in his face.
Rip tells the others that they're leaving. When Captain Cold asks where
Heatwave is, Rip explains what he's doing and Captain Cold and White
Canary go to get him. They blast their way to the containment device and
Heatwave tells them to get out. Captain Cold refuses to abandon his
friend, and knocks Heatwave out. He tells White Canary to get Heatwave
out, and she kisses Captain Cold before going.
Vandal tells Jonas that he's foolish and kills him.
Druse tells Captain Cold to shut down the failsafe. Captain Cold says
that there are no strings on him... and the core explodes. Waverider soars clear as the Vanishing Point is consumed by the explosion.
As Waverider
proceeds through the void, Ray says that Len was a hero. The others
consider their teammates sacrifice, and a crying Sara that Len was a
hero whether he wanted to be or not.
In the hold, Rip sits
alone and asks Gideon for a report on the timeline. There's no data
because of the Oculus' destruction, and the AI reviews news accounts
from 2166. Gideon reports that Vandal has killed Miranda and Jonas.
As Mick looks at Len's ring, Ray joins him. Mick says that he wants to
be alone, but Ray tells him that Gideon has confirmed that the Oculus is
destroyed. They now have free will, and Len didn't die for nothing.
Mick explains that Len put the ring on him, and he still feels like
killing someone for his friend. Ray reminds him that Vandal still has
Carter and Kendra, and Mick says that Vandal will do nicely.
Vandal returns to the jumpship and tries to contact Druse. The Council
informs him that Druse is dead and they've lost the ability to
manipulate time. They can't help Vandal any longer, and without the
Oculus time will no longer unfold as they anticipated. Kendra laughs and
tells Vandal that his friends have cut him loose, and wonders how long
he can hold onto power without the Time Masters. Vandal says that with
the jumpship, he now has the ability to change the world. With that, he
pilots the ship into the timestream.
Written by Gadfly on Jun 23, 2019