Moonshot

"We're both scientists. We're both obsessed with achieving the impossible. You dedicated your life to learning how to shrink yourself down to the size of an atom, and I spent mine learning the secrets of the Speed Force."
"I became the Atom to help people."
"You could use the dwarf star in your exo-suit to power an entire city. But instead, you chose to become the Atom because you weren't satisfied with your small, pathetic life. There is no shame in wanting to be great or to reach higher. To... walk on the moon."

—Eobard Thawne and Ray Palmer

"Moonshot" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and the thirtieth episode overall. It aired on March 14, 2017.

Synopsis[]

When the Legends track Commander Steel to NASA Headquarters in 1970, they learn where Nate’s grandfather hid the last fragment of the Spear of Destiny. The team notices a time aberration during the Apollo 13 mission and believes that the Legion of Doom might be involved. As the Legends journey into space to intercept Apollo 13, the Waverider suffers massive internal damage and Ray’s life is left in jeopardy when he is stranded on the moon. Meanwhile, tension grows between Rip and Sara as to who is the leader of the team.[src]

Cast[]

Starring[]

• Victor Garber as Professor Martin Stein
• Brandon Routh as Dr. Ray Palmer/The Atom
• Arthur Darvill as Rip Hunter
• Caity Lotz as Captain Sara Lance
• Franz Drameh as Jefferson "Jax" Jackson
• Matt Letscher as Professor Eobard Thawne
• Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe
• Amy Pemberton as Gideon (voice)
• Nick Zano as Dr. Nate Heywood
• Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory

Guest starring[]

• Matthew MacCaull as Flight Commander Henry Heywood

Co-starring[]

• Milo Shandel as Flight Director
• Devin Johnston as Fred Haise
• Patrick Lubczyk as Hank Heywood
• Kent Thomson
• Sean MacLean as John Swigert
• Jesse Reid as Capcom
• Adam Pateman as Guidance
• Lana Jalissa as NASA Tour Guide
• Bola Omodara as Security Agent

Plot[]

The scene starts with Rip Hunter taking Commander Steel to Manhattan in 1965. He clarifies the job that needs to be done of securing the Spear of Destiny, and Henry hands Rip his dog tags to deliver to his wife and child. The two go their separate ways.

Rip, Nate, Amaya, and Sara show up immediately after, failing to discover Henry.

The four walk onto the Waverider. They verify that Henry's new identity may be an aircraft test-pilot working for NASA. They discover a news article that demonstrates that Henry was climbing the ranks at Apollo 13. Rip strolls in, and they verify that they have to break into NASA and see Henry.

Sara, Amaya, and Nate are taken on a tour through NASA's offices. Ray and Rip arrive at a press conference that Henry is going to give. Rip approaches Henry, who punches him in the face. Rip is taken into custody.

Rip is placed in a holding room. Henry discloses to Ray that the punch was a result of something between him and Rip. Sara, Amaya, and Nate stroll in and greet Henry, who requests an explanation. They explain what's been going on with the Spear of Destiny, and Henry reveals that he concealed his bit of the lance in the most secure spot conceivable - inside the banner that Neil Armstrong planted on the moon. The Legends at that point inquire as to whether Henry is going to help spare the Apollo 13 mission, Henry clarifies that it launched easily - implying that history has changed.

A team of astronauts sit on Apollo 13. One kills the other two and reveals himself to be Eobard Thawne.

The group agree that they have to stop Apollo 13 from landing on the moon. Meanwhile, Henry presents Mick, Stein, and Jax to the team in Mission Control, saying they are from the British space program.

Henry and the remainder of the Legends take the Waverider into space. Nate attempts to make casual chitchat with Henry, however he storms off. Nate tails him, and finds that Henry is disturbed in light of the fact that Rip's mission kept him from his family. Henry believes that Rip will take him back to the 1950s as though he never left his family.

The team plan to invade Apollo 13. Ray flies down to enter the shuttle, and discovers Thawne leaving the boat to arrive on the moon. Sara advises Ray to remain escaped Thawne, yet Thawne has just spotted him.

Ray goes to full estimate and battles Thawne in the space container. A catch is inadvertently squeezed, sending the container separated from the remainder of the boat. Ray is compelled to fly the container onto the moon.

At crucial, Stein and Mick attempt to decide an approach to occupy the group so they don't see Ray land on the moon. They start singing, long enough for Ray to land the container without NASA taking note.

Sara inquires as to whether Ray is alright, yet he clarifies that the container needs more fuel to dispatch once again into space. He verifies that he will discover the bit of the lance while Thawne is tied up in the container.

Nate and Amaya talk about whether Henry ought to have come back to the course of events. Nate guarantees that despite the fact that he typically wouldn't like to play with history, bringing Henry back would help improve the connection between him and his father.

Sara sees an approaching meteor shower. The Waverider takes the container to security, however Sara and Rip contend about whether the boat will ingest the meteor impact. Meteors hit the boat, stopping Gideon's controls and sending the boat gliding into space.

Ray puts an impression of his Atom suit onto the outside of the moon. He continues to run and hop towards the American banner planted there. He takes the banner out, finding the bit of the lance covered up inside. He reports that he found the piece, and the group illuminates him that the Waverider is harmed and that Ray should make the escape have the option to fly again so as to leave the moon.

Ray starts a video journal clarifying his circumstance. Eobard stops him, consoling that he will help cooperate with Ray to control the escape.

Amaya stands up to Henry, disclosing that him coming back to the 50s would make a period variation, conceivably changing who Nate is as an individual. Henry inquires as to why Nate didn't let him know previously, and Nate says it was on the grounds that he needs to secure his family more than history itself. Nate enlightens Amaya concerning the destiny of her family, and inquires as to whether she would settle on a similar decision in her circumstance.

Henry apologizes to Rip for being furious with him previously, saying that he currently understands that leaving his better half and child was a slip-up. Rip apologizes for making Henry penance to such an extent. Henry at that point acclaims Rip for helping the Legends get along since he saw them during the 50s, and Rip clarifies that it was Sara who did that, not him.

Eobard mourns Ray about how he enjoys functioning with individual researchers. Ray calls Eobard a beast, yet Eobard guarantees that both of them are more similar than they might suspect.

Sara telephones into Ray, who clarifies that he and Eobard have the container prepared. Stein coordinates the group through the dispatch, which goes off consummately.

The Waverider sends Apollo 13 securely back to Earth. Mick sees that Stein is miserable about that, and Stein clarifies that the Waverider is harmed and will most likely not have the option to get back securely.

Ray and Eobard enter the boat, with Sara, Amaya, and Rip all pointing weapons at him. They escort him through the boat.

Stein drives Sara through the protected reemergence of the boat.

A little youngster strolls through mission control. It's Hank, Henry's child and Nate's dad. Henry clarifies that he fixed a paper challenge to carry Hank to mission control so he could really meet him.

Stein clarifies that the boat will require a super PC to enable them to ascertain what point to guide the Waverider. Ray races to Thawne, who offers him a response - 38 degrees.

The group banters about whether to confide in Thawne's computations. Rip consents to let Sara settle on the choice. In the wake of consoling that Ray trusts Thawne, Sara consents to follow the computations.

Sara pilots the Waverider through reemergence. Rip and Stein establish that opening the freight inlet entryway will send enough strain to impel the boat back to earth, however that whoever does it will kick the bucket. Both Rip and Sara volunteer, yet Henry has beaten them to it. Rip educates him on the most proficient method to open the load sound entryway.

Nate rushes to the entryway and implores him not to do it, however Henry clarifies that he has satisfied his predetermination by securing the lance, and can pass on with harmony. He asks Nate to make an impression on Hank, and he pulls the entryway open, tossing to his demise.

The boat is taken back to Earth. Amaya rushes to Nate, who cries on her shoulder.

Thawne eliminates the Waverider's jail. He is met with Ray, holding an anti-speedster firearm. Ray clarifies that he understands that he is a period remainder who ought to be dead after Eddie's passing, yet is being pursued by Black Flash. Thawne is told that Black Flash is near his area, and he dashes from Ray.

Crucial praises a fruitful arriving of Apollo 13. Nate strolls through and approaches youthful Hank. The two discussion about the space travelers, and Nate sees that Hank is wearing Henry's canine labels. Hank clarifies that he never knew his father, while Nate clarifies his father's abhorrence towards him. Hank feels frustrated about him, and Nate reveals to him that on the off chance that he remembers that exercise, he will be a superior man for himself and his child.

Sara discovers Rip savoring the commander's office. She says thanks to him for supporting her choices during the crucial, he clarifies that it's been difficult for him to grapple with the way that Sara is a superior skipper than he at any point was. He clarifies that he has an inclination that he's strange if he's not the group's chief, however Sara advises him that the entire group is loaded with individuals who don't fit in. They look to one another and toast.

Amaya apologizes to Nate for educating Henry regarding the outcomes of his arrival. Nate says that Henry would have yielded himself in any case. Nate apologizes for informing Amaya regarding her future, however she clarifies that she's mindful that her future is greater than herself. The pair embrace.

Amaya asks Gideon to pull up the Zambezi records that start after her arrival home. Gideon cautions her against it, and Amaya requests that she do it at any rate. She finds what befalls her future granddaughter, Mari.

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Trivia[]

• Multiple references to The Martian are made throughout this episode.
  • Ray states that he knows "how Matt Damon felt", referencing his role as an astronaut who is marooned alone on Mars after an accident with a spacecraft and is forced to repair the MAV in order to escape. Similarly, Ray was stranded on the moon after the LEM detached from the main body of the Apollo 13, and is forced to fix the LEM.
  • Ray later starts recording a video log, similar to what Matt Damon's character Mark Watney did, even quoting his line, "I'm gonna have to science the crap out of this." "Crap" is substituted for "shit".
  • The method of using the gravitational pull of the Moon to attach the LEM to Apollo 13 mirrors the method that NASA used to attach the MAV to Hermes.
• Martin Stein sings "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", the best-known version by Harry Belafonte, to distract the mission control. A video clip of him singing the song with the rhythm was shown at the ending credits.
  • This is the second time Martin shows off his singing skills, which he previously did in "The Justice Society of America" when impersonating Max Lorenz.
• When Ray walks on the moon, the song 2001: A Space Odessy is played("Also Sprach Zarathustra," was originally a tone poem composed in 1896 by Richard Strauss).
  • This is reminiscent of Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear who was quoted by Cisco Ramon in the episode of The Flash, "Into the Speed Force", which aired immediately before this episode.
• Thawne references working with Cisco and Caitlin Snow, despite having been pulled from the timeline before he would have started impersonating Harrison Wells and worked with them in Season 1 of The Flash. This implies Eobard has been getting memories from the altered timeline, like Stein's memories of Lily and Barry Allen's memories changing in Flashpoint.

Goofs[]

• Martin had to explain to Mick Rory what he meant by "infinitesimal", even though he already used the terminology in "Destiny" and "Invasion!".
  • It's possible Rory was not present in either one of those times.

Production[]

Preparation ran from December 14, 2016 until January 9, 2017, with a winter hiatus from December 19, 2016 until January 2, 2017. Shooting ran from January 10 until January 19, 2017.^[1]

References[]

DC's Legends of Tomorrow season 2
"Out of Time" • "The Justice Society of America" • "Shogun" • "Abominations" • "Compromised" •"Outlaw Country" • "Invasion!" • "The Chicago Way" • "Raiders of the Lost Art" • "The Legion of Doom" • "Turncoat" • "Camelot/3000" • "Land of the Lost" • "Moonshot" • "Fellowship of the Spear" • "Doomworld" • "Aruba"