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"Beebo the God of War"
Legends of Tomorrow episode
A blue furry toy with a flower crown sitting atop a shrine.
Beebo at the Viking shrine
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 9
Directed byKevin Mock
Written by
Production codeT13.20609[1]
Original air dateDecember 5, 2017 (2017-12-05)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Daddy Darhkest"
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"Beebo the God of War" is the ninth episode and mid season finale of the third season of the American science fiction television series Legends of Tomorrow. It was released on The CW on December 5, 2017. The series revolves around the eponymous team of superheroes and their time-traveling adventures.

In the episode, Martin Stein (guest star Graeme McComb) and a Beebo doll (guest star Ben Diskin) are sent to Vinland, captured by Vikings, and rescued by the Legends. It features the Legends mourning the loss of Martin Stein, but contrasts the sadness with a goofy tone. Franz Drameh stars as Jefferson Jackson in his final regular appearance as the character alongside Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, and Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Amy Louise Pemberton, Tala Ashe, Nick Zano, and Dominic Purcell.

"Beebo the God of War" was written by Grainne Godfree and James Eagan and directed by Kevin Mock. The episode was the third highest viewed of the season and was positively reviewed by critics.

Plot

[edit]

After the death of Martin Stein in the previous episode, the episode opens on a younger version of Stein buying a Beebo doll for his daughter. The store claims to be out of dolls, but Stein finds the last one, takes it, and is chased by a crowd of upset people.

The Legends are then alerted to a change in the timeline that is causing the Vikings to conquer America. They also learn that the younger version of Stein has been transported to a Viking colony in Vinland where he is found by Leif Erikson. The Legends conclude that Stein and the Beebo doll caused the change in the timeline. The Vikings begin to see Beebo as a god.

The Legends bring Stein onto the Waverider, he notices that his future self is missing. Jax attempts to inform him of his upcoming death but Nate stops him. Sara receives a call from Time Bureau director Ava Sharpe, and she asks Ava to assist with the change in the timeline; Ava accepts.

The Legends party with the Vikings, but Mick Rory tries to steal mead from an altar to Beebo, leading the Vikings to attempt to burn him alive. Leo Snart puts out the fire. The Vikings then find Nate and Zari in the process of stealing Beebo. The Vikings attack, Beebo is thrown into the air, and melted by Mick. The Vikings proclaim Beebo a false god and prepare to leave Vinland, until Damien and Nora Darhk arrive and claim that Damien is Odin. The Legends then flee to the Waverider. Ava contacts the Time Bureau and they order her to return. The Legends attack and defeat Damien, but Sara is briefly sent into an alternate dimension.

Jax attempts to save Stein's life by providing him with a note containing the details of his death. However, Stein destroys the note to help Jax come to terms with his death; this prompts Jax to leave the Legends. Sara then boards the Waverider and finds John Constantine, who asks for the assistance of the Legends.

Analysis

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The episode features tones of grief and sadness, which it pair with a light-hearted and "goofy" vibe.[2][3] The Legends mourn Martin Stein in various ways.[4] Sara refuses to allow the Legends to be involved in the attack against Damien Darhk out of fear they might be harmed.[5] Leo Snart hosts therapy session for the Legends though his efforts are unappreciated.[6] Jax attempts to save Stein's life by providing him a letter detailing his death; Stein opts to destroy it and instead helps Jax move on. The nature of the death is unique for the series as it was at the hands of a no-name character who was almost immediately killed off. Without a named killer there was nobody to blame or feel anger towards unlike with Damien Dahrk or the Reverse Flash.[5]

Some critics have considered the episode a turning point for the series.[4][7] Writing for Gizmodo Beth Elderkin called the episode "...the episode where we learned just how weird Legends was willing to go in pursuit of a great story."[7] Collider's Gregory Mysogland felt that the episode was "crucial" in transitioning Legends of Tomorrow from the serious and grounded tone of the first season to the more comedic and whimsical one highly prevelent in the later ones.[4]

Production

[edit]
Franz Drameh speaking at the 2016 WonderCon in Los Angeles, California.
Franz Drameh stars in the episode as Jefferson Jackson, marking his final appearance as a series regular.[8][9]

The episode was directed by Kevin Mock and written by Grainne Godfree and James Eagan.[10] The first draft of the script was completed October 3, 2017, with the final version being completed the day shooting began. Preparation for the episode began on October 3, 2017, and concluded on October 12. Filming began the following day and concluded on October 25.[1]

Executive producer Phil Klemmer, described the plot of the episode as the Vikings pursuing worship of Beebo over Christianity, causing them to continue "charging across the new world" instead of returning to Scandinavia.[11]

The character of Beebo takes inspiration from Tickle Me Elmo.[12][13] During a panel at a fan convention in Vancouver, the show's cast explained that Beebo represented an attempt from the writers to introduce further chaos into the series' plot. They stated that they were worried that audiences could perceive Beebo's inclusion as "jumping the shark".[14][12] However, Beebo was well-received by audiences and was featured in a spin-off Christmas special titled Beebo Saves Christmas.[15] The episode's title is a reference to its basis in Norse mythology.[11]

Casting

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Main cast members Caity Lotz, Tala Ashe, Nick Zano, Brandon Routh, Franz Drameh, Amy Louise Pemberton (voice), Dominic Purcell, Maisie Richardson-Sellers appear as Sara Lance / White Canary, Zari Tomaz, Nate Heywood / Steel, Ray Palmer / The Atom, Jefferson Jackson / Fire Storm, Gideon, Mick Rory, and Amaya Jiwe / Vixen.[10][16]

This is the first episode of Legends of Tomorrow to not feature Victor Garber as a series regular due to the death of his character, Martin Stein, in the previous episode.[17] However, a younger version of Stein played by Graeme McComb appears.[18] McComb previously portrayed this version of the character in "Pilot, Part 2" (2016) and "Compromised" (2016).[19] This is the final appearance of Franz Drameh as a series regular.[20] While Garber's departure was a personal decision, Drameh's was a creative choice by the writers.[8]

The guest cast includes Jes Macallan as Ava Sharpe,[21] Matt Ryan as John Constantine,[22] Courtney Ford as Nora Darhk, Neal McDonough as Damien Darhk,[10] Wentworth Miller as Leo Snart,[23][11] John Noble as the voice of Mallus,[21] and Ben Diskin as the as the voice of the titular Beebo.[21][24] Ryan reprises his role from the canceled NBC television series Constantine, which was retroactively added to the Arrowverse after Ryan guest starred in the Arrow season four episode "Haunted".[25] He would go onto join the main cast in the fourth season of Legends of Tomorrow.[26][27]

Release

[edit]

"Beebo the God of War" was first aired in the United States on The CW on December 5, 2017.[28] 1.61 million viewers watched the episode's original broadcast, with a 0.6/2 share among adults ages 18–49; down 1.2 million viewers from the previous episode, but up 100 thousand from the following one.[29][30] The episode placed fifth in its time slot, behind The Mick, Black-ish, SEAL Team, and Will & Grace.[31] The episode was the third-highest viewed of the season.[32] After factoring in seven-day DVR viewership, the episode received an additional 1 million viewers, totaling 2.61 million viewers.[33]

The trailer for the episode was released to YouTube on November 29, 2017.[34] On September 25, 2018, the episode was released on both DVD and Blu-ray as a part of the Legends of Tomorrow season three box set.[35][36]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]
Ben Diskin voices the titular Beebo, the character was praised by critics.[2][6][7]

"Beebo the God of War" was met with positive critical reviews who praised the humor of the episode as well as the sad ending. The A.V. Club's Oliver Sava rated the episode an "A−". He praised the episode for its use of Damien Darhk, stating that while he had grown bored of the character, his appearance was well executed. He also stated the episode successfully blended comedic and more serious moments, particularly the grief over Stein's death, and that it helped the "family dynamic" of the Legends.[37] In a review for Den of Geek, Jim Dandeneau rated the episode 4.5 out of 5. Dandeneau said that while he found the episode hilarious, he was still emotionally impacted by the departure of Jax in the episode's final moments.[6] Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Shirley Li praised the episode for providing closure for Jax and Stein, describing it as a good example of why the time travel genre works and saying that it "accomplished something special".[5] Jesse Schedeen of IGN rated the episode 9.8 of 10 and described it as a great follow up to the tragic ending of the previous episode. Scheedeen felt that the episode was both very silly and incredibly heart felt. He labeled the only problem he had with the episode minimal role Mallus played.[2]

In a 2020 ranking of the series best episodes for Gizmodo Beth Elderkin placed the episode sixth. Elderkin felt that the episode told a "great story" and marked a turning point for Legends of Tomorrow.[7]

Beebo

[edit]

Fans and critics praised Beebo.[21] The character returned multiple times throughout the series in different forms, such as in "The Good, the Bad, and the Cuddly" as the totem avatar[38][39] and in "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Five" (2021) as a magical manifestation.[40] He also appears on Legends of Tomorrows parent shows Arrow and The Flash as a doll in the episodes "Level Two" and "The Elongated Knight Rises" respectively.[41][42] Beebo also serves as the cover for both the DVD and Blu-ray of "Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Series".[43][44]

Beebo had a spin off Christmas special titled Beebo Saves Christmas that was received positively by critics.[45][46] The special aired on The CW on December 21, 2021. The special was narrated by Victor Garber, as well as featuring Diskin reprising his role.[47]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Guggenheim, Marc [@mguggenheim] (October 19, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow Ep. 309 is in production. @godfreestories #beebo" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2023 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b c Schedeen, Jesse (December 6, 2017). "DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "Beebo the God of War" Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  3. ^ Sava, Oliver (November 7, 2017). "The Legends' trip to Victorian London sets up this season's Big Bad". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Mysogland, Gregory (December 14, 2024). "'Legends of Tomorrow's Bonkers Holiday Episode Is Actually a Turning Point for the Show". Collider. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Li, Shirley (December 5, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow recap: 'Beebo the God of War'". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Dandeneau, Jim (December 6, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 Episode 9 Review: Beebo the God of War". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Elderkin, Beth (June 11, 2020). "May Beebo Bless This List of Legends of Tomorrows 10 Best Episodes". Gizmodo. The Onion. Archived from the original on July 3, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Hurley, Laura (December 6, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow Just Said Goodbye To Another Member Of The Team". CinemaBlend. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  9. ^ Abrams, Natalie (December 5, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow loses another team member". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "Beebo the God of War - DC's Legends of Tomorrow". CW50 Detroit. CBS News. December 1, 2017. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Anderson, Jenna (December 5, 2017). "Who Is Beebo The God Of War On Legends of Tomorrow?". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Drum, Nicole (October 17, 2018). "Legends of Tomorrow Alum Arthur Darvill Praises Beebo". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  13. ^ Agard, Chancellor (May 25, 2021). "Legends of Tomorrow breakout Beebo is getting an animated Christmas special on the CW". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  14. ^ Drum, Nicole (November 26, 2018). "Legends of Tomorrow Stars Explain How Beebo Came to Be". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  15. ^ Chase, Stephanie (May 25, 2021). "DC's Legends of Tomorrow gets spin-off Christmas special". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  16. ^ "DC's Legends of Tomorrow "Beebo the God of War"". The Futon Critic. December 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Abrams, Natalie (November 28, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow team member perishes during 'Crisis on Earth-X'". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on November 11, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  18. ^ Drum, Nicole (December 5, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow Midseason Finale Scene Brings Back Young Martin Stein". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  19. ^ Burlingame, Russ (January 8, 2016). "DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Professor Stein Meets His Younger Self In Episode 2 Synopsis". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  20. ^ Gelman, Vlada (December 6, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow Star Exits Series". TVLine. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  21. ^ a b c d Drum, Nicole (December 6, 2017). "5 Questions Raised by Legends of Tomorrow Midseason Finale". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  22. ^ Anderson, Jenna. "Legends of Tomorrow: Major Arrowverse Character Returns in "Beebo The God of War"". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  23. ^ Dandeneau, Jim (December 6, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 Episode 9 Review: Beebo the God of War". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  24. ^ Burlingame, Russ. "Beebo Saves Christmas Star Ben Diskin Talks Building a Character From "A Smile and a Catchphrase"". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  25. ^ Cecchini, Mike (November 5, 2015). "Arrow: Haunted review". Den of Geek. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  26. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (August 11, 2015). "Matt Ryan to Reprise 'Constantine' Role on The CW's 'Arrow'". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on August 12, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  27. ^ Whitbrook, James (March 19, 2018). "Your Incantations Worked: John Constantine Is Set to Become a Legends of Tomorrow Regular". Gizmodo. Gizmodo Media Group. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
  28. ^ Drum, Nicole (November 16, 2017). "Villains Get the Upper Hand in the Arrowverse the Week of December 4". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  29. ^ Porter, Rick (November 30, 2017). "'The Flash,' 'This Is Us' and 'Rudolph' adjust up: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 30, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  30. ^ Porter, Rick (February 13, 2018). "'Big Brother: Celeb Edition,' Olympics and everything else unchanged: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  31. ^ Porter, Rick (December 6, 2017). "'Chicago Med' adjusts up: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  32. ^ McLennan, Cindy (April 10, 2018). "DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Season Three Ratings". TV Series Finale. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  33. ^ Porter, Rick (December 21, 2017). "'Agents of SHIELD' gets a good bump in week 11 broadcast Live +7 ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 21, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  34. ^ Anderson, Jenna (November 29, 2017). "Legends of Tomorrow Midseason Finale: "Beebo the God of War" Trailer Brings Back Dead Character". ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  35. ^ "DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Third Season (DVD)". Amazon.com. August 15, 2017. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  36. ^ ""DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Third Season" Available on DVD and Blu-Ray September 25". WarnerBros.com (Press release). Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  37. ^ Sava, Oliver (December 6, 2017). "Legends follows up a major death with toy-worshiping vikings". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  38. ^ Li, Shirley (April 9, 2018). "Legends of Tomorrow season finale recap: Team Cuddle". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  39. ^ Motamayor, Rafael (April 14, 2024). "DC's Legends of Tomorrow Cast Thought Beebo Would Ruin Their Careers". /Film. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  40. ^ Dowling, Amber (January 15, 2020). "'Crisis on Infinite Earths' Finale Recap: Ezra Miller, Beebo Cameo in a Battle to Save the Multiverse". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  41. ^ Agard, Chancellor (November 5, 2018). "'Arrow' recap: Roy and William meet some familiar faces in Star City". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  42. ^ Schedeen, Jesse (January 24, 2018). "The Flash: "The Elongated Knight Rises" Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  43. ^ "DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Series releasing on Blu-ray & DVD". hd-report.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  44. ^ "DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Series (DC) (Blu-ray + Digital Copy), Warner Home Video, Action & Adventure". Walmart. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  45. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (November 1, 2021). "Beebo Saves Christmas First Look: Legends Mascot's Animated Special Is as Adorable as You Imagined". TVLine. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  46. ^ Barsanti, Sam (December 1, 2021). "Beebo Saves Christmas is even stranger than the Star Wars Holiday Special". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  47. ^ Agard, Chancellor (May 25, 2021). "Legends of Tomorrow breakout Beebo is getting an animated Christmas special on the CW". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
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