(Scenes from Legends of Tomorrow Season 3, Episodes 17 and 18)

Dr. Heywood calls everyone to the bridge soon after Miss Jiwe has disappeared. Mr. Rory yearns to finish Lord of the Rings. Director Sharpe evidently doesn't take him for a bookworm; however, he was watching the film trilogy. Since no one excluding Dr. Palmer has read his memo about his inventive codes, the historian defines what "Code 1-3-1" means. He spots that his girlfriend is missing as well. Miss Tomaz retrieves the jumpship's logbooks and pinpoints its most recent stop: 1992 Zambesi. They quickly realize that Miss Jiwe aims to defend her village from its forthcoming annihilation. Captain Lance almost requests me to plot a course, but I interrupt her. Agent Hunter is urgently calling the Waverider. "You good," she queries her ex-girlfriend.

"Gideon, put him on," she reluctantly answers. Okay, then.

Agent Hunter declares, "The Bureau needs backup. Grodd's after Barry." The temporal zone grows more erratic.

Dr. Heywood states, "Well, that explains the time turbulence."

"The Flash is always in trouble," Mr. West remarks. "It's kind of his thing."

"Not that particular Barry," the deputy clarifies. It appears that Grodd isn't chasing Barry Allen, but Barry Obama—as in, the young man who would become the 44th American President. The captain tasks Dr. Heywood and Mr. West in talking sense to Miss Jiwe. Miss Tomaz opts to use her time simulator to assist Zambesi. Everyone else is heading for 1979 Occidental College.

As the Grodd crisis is averted, Damien Darhk emerges. He conversely needs the Legends' help. As anyone can expect, nobody trusts him. They undertake imprisoning him in a magical circle drawn on the lab floor—a technique courtesy of Mr. Constantine. Figuring this was bound to happen, he extends the Water totem as a gesture of good faith. He also readjusts the Ankh symbol, thereby locking himself in the confines. Dr. Palmer is highly satisfied that he won't get choked to death. "That Water totem's gotta be worth something," his former abductor comments. "With all six, you guys might actually have a chance against Mallus."

"You mean the same demon you've been creating anachronisms to release," Director Sharpe reminds him.

"That was before I realized what our partnership would cost me."

The astrophysicist knows what—more importantly, who—he is referring to. "Nora..."

"...dies the moment the demon escapes." Damien Darhk addresses Captain Lance, "This might rankle you a bit, but our interests are aligned. We can save Nora and stop Mallus from being freed... together."

She categorically responds, "No."

"Excuse me?"

"Rory, kill him." The arsonist targets his flame gun at their adversary.

Dr. Palmer unexpectedly interposes. "I... I know Damien has done terrible things in his past, which cannot be forgiven, but I know that he loves his daughter. We can't just kill him."

"He's already dead," the stubborn captain evokes. "Killing him would be repairing an anachronism."

"Yeah, so would incarcerating him in the Bureau," Agent Hunter mediates.

"I agree with Rip," Director Sharpe attests. "We should think through this situation rationally."

An impatient Mr. Rory bellows, "Boss?"

Captain Lance scowls at her archnemesis prior to giving her final answer. "Stand down." She leaves the lab in disgruntlement.

Damien Darhk says, "I'm glad to see you came to your senses."

"Think that makes us straight," she proclaims, "you're wrong." She enters the parlour, riled by the adverse circumstances. The exhausted captain slouches in her chair with a drink in hand.

Director Sharpe enters through the bridge. "So, listen... are you okay?"

"The hardest thing I ever had to do in my life was letting Darhk live. Now he's back, and it is taking every ounce of self-control not to kill him. And I keep asking myself, 'Why?'"

The director crosses her arms, justifying, "For the good of the mission."

"'For the good of the mission'," she annoyedly repeats. "Listen to yourself. You sound like some government..."

"Clone?" Choose your next word carefully, Captain.

"I was gonna say, 'stiff'."

"You know, Rip thought I could talk some sense into you, but maybe..."

The flabbergasted captain stands up, demanding, "Wait, you're here because of Rip? Why would you do anything for that man?" She comes face-to-face with her. "Ava, he lied to you. He implanted false memories in your head. He hired actors to pretend to be your parents. What's gonna take for you to confront him?"

"I am prioritizing the mission over my own personal baggage," the indifferent bureaucrat declares. "You and your team should try it sometime."

She scoffs, "No, that's not what you're doing. You are covering because you're afraid of what you might find out."

"What is there to find out, Sara," her ex further deflects. "I'm one of thousands. I was grown in a lab."

"There has to be more to the story, Ava, and you deserve to know. Look, you need..." Seeing Agent Hunter approaching, she whispers, "You need to talk to Rip now."

Director Sharpe says nothing and fidgets with the globe. He walks in and senses the awkward silence in the room. Captain Lance stares him down.

"Ah, could do with a wee nip myself." He advances past her to the bar stand. "Everything good, Director Sharpe?"

She lies, "Peachy."

He remains unaware of the captain's wordless prodding. "Are we good to transport Mr. Darhk back to the Bureau?" He sips his drink casually.

"No, Rip, we're not." The latter sets her glass on the table before retreating.

"Where are you going?"

"To go talk to someone who can think straight when the whole world's going crazy." Hint: this person is a future president. After gaining a helpful perspective, Captain Lance returns to the lab along with Director Sharpe, Agent Hunter, Dr. Palmer, and Miss Tomaz. Damien Darhk is meditating in his "cell" at the time. "I want you to listen to me very carefully," she warns him. "I don't believe for a second that you've changed. You're still the same cowardly s.o.b. that put an arrow in my sister. But I will work with you to defeat Mallus under one condition. After this is over, I'm putting you back in the ground where you belong."

With no uncertainty, he says, "Deal." They shake on it following his release. They all contemplate a plan on apprehending Miss Darhk, who presently answers to Mallus alone. Dr. Palmer suggests he himself gets inside her. Not in the way you and Daddy Darhk are thinking. He can fly into her ear and pretend to be her "master". The new guy on the ship asks, "Is that a joke plan or a real plan?"

"We are so screwed," Director Sharpe mutters. I don't hear you proposing anything.

"No, this could work," the captain assesses. "We have just to convince her that it's actually him." That doesn't sway the director a bit. Another man's voice blasts from the parlour. They find Mr. Rory watching The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The on-screen ruler's voice sounds uncannily like Mallus. "Gideon, who's that actor?"

Dr. Palmer adds, "And how can we get him without dealing with his agent?" I tell them that the actor in question, Mr. John Noble, can be seen on the film's set in 1999 New Zealand. The plan is to have the astrophysicist disguise himself as a crew member and hand deliver the "rewritten" script to him personally. As he recites the "rewrites" aloud, the former will record his voice. He will accompany Damian Darhk to his daughter and play the samples in her ear. The trick is for the miniature Legend to be undetected.

Soon enough, an enraged Miss Darhk/Mallus is trapped in the circle. Her father concedes to his shortcomings to her. Because of his obsessive thirst for world domination, he neglected her and subjected his aspirations onto her. He pleads with her to resist Mallus, but it's too late. Director Sharpe and Agent Hunter watch the consequent encounter from the parlour. "I didn't think it would work," she admits.

"I did. Sara knows what she's doing." He pours himself another glass. "I may have my flaws, but I do know how to pick the best people for the job."

The underlying tension brews as she reflects on her conversation with the captain. Deep down, the former knew the latter was right. "So, why did you pick me?"

"What? Come on! You have a brilliant mind, a calm demeanor, incredible strength, and, unlike the Legends, you follow the rules."

"It almost sounds like I was made for the job." He slowly perceives what she's implying. "I know I'm a clone, Rip, and that you tried to hide it. So why, out of all those clones in 2213, did you pick me?"

"Because... you're special."

"Then why erase my memories?"

"It was an easier option."

"Easier for whom? You?"

"Don't lose focus, Ava. You're imperative for this mission."

"Well, if I die, you can just fly back to 2213 and get another one." She detects a slight falter in his poker face, indicating something else. "I'm not even the first, am I? How many were there before me?"

"We both know how hard it is to find agents as talented as you and to find one equally replaceable is valuable."

She seethes at his mordant words. "How many?!"

He unwillingly answers, "You're the 12th." In contempt of knowing all about this, I can't help sympathizing with the forlorn director.

"The 12th? I wasn't even your second or third choice?"

"You don't understand. You are exceptional..."

"Don't, Rip. Just don't." She dashes out of there, shattered. Agent Hunter is frustrated with himself as well. It takes him a while to see how his actions can hurt others. Though he can be self-seeking and inconsiderate, he does care. That's why my allegiance to him persists.

Captain Lance finds a crestfallen Damien Darhk outside the lab. Mallus is still roaring and failing to break out. "Nora's gone," he laments. "It's just Mallus now. You must be enjoying this, seeing your nemesis with a broken heart."

"I didn't think you had a heart to break. Where was it the night you murdered my sister?"

He turns to her, entreating, "Look, what I did was unforgivable. But back then, I hadn't loved anyone enough to understand the pain I caused. Not that it's any comfort, but if I could take it all back, I would."

Mind you, she doesn't trust him. He does appear remorseful. "We all have regrets, but we can't undo the things that we've done."

He briefly glances down. "True, but even the worst of us can be made whole again. You, for example. League to Legend to killer to captain. That's not a bad makeover, is it?" Yes, Captain Lance is exemplary.

"It's not good enough."

"Why? Because you put on the Death totem and almost killed your entire team?"

"Yes."

"But you didn't, did you? You know why? The same reason I'm spilling my guts to a woman who's imagined my death 1,000 times over."

"More like 10,000," she murmurs.

"Love, Sara! 'Cause without it, people like us, we're left alone with the darkness. That's not good for anyone, is it?" Something in his explanation strikes a nerve in her, so she walks past him wordlessly.

Mr. West has returned from Zambesi and informed the Legends, Director Sharpe, and Agent Hunter that Miss Jiwe is "dead set on saving her village". Dr. Heywood is simply "in love" and "whipped". Miss Tomaz can't find any loopholes in her simulator. The genocide has too many ripple effects. The situation is absolutely lose-lose. "And we're all doomed," Agent Hunter moans.

The captain suddenly has an idea. "What if we're not? We have the six totems, the only thing Mallus is afraid of. But you can't fight what you see. What if the only way to kill Mallus is to let him out?"

Director Sharpe challenges, "Are you really suggesting that we allow Mallus to escape because you have a collection of magical stones?"

"Look, we have two choices: we either fight Amaya or Mallus. And I know it sounds crazy to let a time demon out, but it's a hell of a lot easier to stomach than turning on a friend."

The speedster boldly recalls, "Okay, yes, but didn't the original totem bearers try and face Mallus... and blow it?"

"Constantine said the only reason they couldn't kill Mallus was because the Death totem betrayed them. And that's not gonna happen this time."

"How can you be so sure," Agent Hunter implores. "I needn't remind you what happened the last time you tried to wield it."

"She won't have to wield it." Damien Darhk strolls in as he continues, "I will. The Death totem was attracted to Captain Lance because of a unique quality we both share. We were both brought back from the dead. Plus, I have a personal stake in wanting to send Mallus straight to Hell. He took my little girl."

"True as it may be, there is no chance that Captain Lance would trust you with such a dangerous weapon." And yet, she freely tosses the Death totem to him. Director Sharpe vocally disapproves of the entire idea. Understandably, he is a wanted man by the Time Bureau. She informs Agent Hunter that they are leaving. He chooses to stay with the Legends, recollecting their first conversation on board. She stringently considers it his resignation from the Bureau. It's for the best that he lingers here.

As she exits the bridge, Captain Lance pursues her into the corridor. "This plan can work, and you know that. You just got to trust your gut."

The chief bureaucrat stops and glances back at her. "My gut? You mean the one that was manufactured with factory settings? The same one used by and killed 11 other AVAs?"

The captain inches closer to her. "Please just trust me."

"You don't understand. This plan goes against every rule in every book, and the rules are all I have right now."

The former looks at her unbelievingly. "You have me." She cups her neck with her hands and kisses her before detracting.

It takes the conflicted director a while to open her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Admitting something that can save us both." Gazing into her eyes, Captain Lance conveys her feelings. How does a trio of small words bear such immense significance?

However, Director Sharpe is too overwrought to reciprocate. "There is no 'me' to love." She portals back to the Bureau, leaving the hurt captain behind. She musters the strength to resume planning for the mission.

The strategy is finalized by the next day. Dr. Heywood and Miss Jiwe are brought up to speed prior to returning to the Waverider. She's less enthused about working with Damien Darhk. He accepts the Earth totem, while Dr. Palmer has Water after unnecessarily debating about him wielding a totem at all. Meanwhile, a sullen Damien Darhk is mewling over a picture of his daughter in the cargo bay. He looks right up and starts talking to her as if she's there with him. "You ready?"

He turns back to see Captain Lance behind him. He comprehends that "Miss Darhk" was not there. "Yeah, let's go before it's too late." They transport their prisoner to a vacant hut in the village. However, Mallus hasn't transformed for some reason. Ex-Agent Hunter checks the historical records and finds that the village is still being destroyed. He then reads an appalling article. "The warlords don't destroy the village. The village was destroyed by an angry gorilla." He spots an empty jar on the table in the parlour. The same one that contained a certain killer gorilla!

A Legend plan never goes right the first time. I don't have to witness the fight to interpret how the Legends are handling Malice, formerly known as Mallus. Captain Lance radios in a need for evacuation, but they can't escape unscathed. "If my read of the situation is correct, what you need is a miracle," ex-Agent Hunter voices. "I might be able to buy you some time." He charges straight to the engine room and grabs the toolbox. He shears off the time drive prior to dislodging it. "The time drive is highly unstable," I advise him. "Removing it—"

"May very be the only thing that can keep Mallus at bay."

"I believe I know what you're planning. It's extremely reckless with a low likelihood of success."

"Well, then," he brazenly replies, "it seems like I've finally learned to think like a Legend." He places the drive into a cargo box.

"The odds of survival are 0.0—"

"I know." The acute melancholy in his voice silences me. "I will miss you, Gideon. Truly."

Understanding that his decision is irrevocable, I wistfully resign myself. "No more than I'll miss you, Rip." He exits the engine room with the box in tow. The Legends mount the Waverider, unaware that he already left. Dr. Heywood carries Miss Jiwe to the medbay. I brief them about the missing time drive and Rip's maneuver.

"Get me a visual on him," Captain Lance requests. A hologram of Rip hovers over the console. She says to him, "You didn't tell us you're buying us time with your life."

"Listen carefully, this gambit will not kill Malice. I'm only delaying long enough for you to escape."

"There has to be another way."

"No, there isn't." He maintains he knows what he's risking. The only bright spot for him is that he will be reunited with his wife Miranda and son Jonas. In his final words, Rip tells the Legends he is proud of them and hopes that they will live up to the name. "Goodbye."

The captain reluctantly bids, "Goodbye, Captain." Miss Tomaz and Mr. West had installed the replacement time drive; I time jumped them out of Zambesi before the resulting explosion claimed Rip's life. While his sacrifice is a selfless act, it has me disconsolate. Rip Hunter was more than a captain or director to me. He was my first kiss and ideal partner. I was attached to him despite his frequent absences. Now, I must exist without him on a permanent basis.

The Legends mournfully regroup on the bridge. Mr. Rory silently offers Mr. West a drink, only for the abstained Dr. Palmer to accept a glass instead. Dr. Heywood believes they're the ones to blame for Rip's demise since they let Mallus out. Mr. Rory ponders aloud whose idea it is to fight the demon with "magic necklaces", calling it stupid. Miss Jiwe reinforces that they themselves, not the totems, failed. Miss Tomaz warrants rethinking the Legends' motto. "Okay, so what's the plan, Captain," the historian asks.

She reclines in her chair with her hand on another bottle of brown liquor. "All I know is Rip gave his life, so that we can take the totems somewhere that Mallus can't find them." She jolts upright, placing the bottle down. "So that's what we're gonna do."

"And where is that," the hacktivist queries.

"The Old West."

"Salvation, North Dakota," the astrophysicist specifies. "It's a temporal blind spot."

"Wait a sec, we just unleashed an ancient time demon who's about to lay waste to all of history," Miss Jiwe implores, "and our plan is to hide?"

"Yes, it is," the captain affirms. "Gideon, plot a course." I go straight to work as she departs the parlour to confront Damien Darhk. Following his release of the Gorilla Grodd, the Legends has re-imprisoned him. And rightly so.

"Well, I hope you're here to make good on your promise and kill me, which would work out for both of us," he claims, "be a real win-win."

"Mercy killing's not my style." She stops in front of him. "Even if it was, you don't deserve my mercy. You deserve to live out the rest of your days knowing that you destroyed your own daughter." Dr. Palmer enters the lab, trying to be inconspicuous. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, it's my lab."

Captain Lance has a hunch that he's up to something. Fortunately for him, she doesn't exactly know what it is. "Don't do anything stupid." I notify her of our arrival in the Wild West. "Thank you, Gideon. Have everyone meet me in the fabrication room." She leaves after reiterating her caveat to the astrophysicist.

"Is she right," Damien Darhk asks. "Are you really planning something stupid?"

"Maybe." Dr. Palmer, don't. "Probably. Most likely, but it could fix this whole thing and get Nora back."

Captain Lance is out with Mr. West, Miss Tomaz, Mr. Rory, and Miss Jiwe. She calls in to have the Waverider on lockdown. The demon formerly known as Mallus has somehow found them. Dr. Palmer is escorting our fugitive into the jumpship. Dr. Heywood catches them, saying that I have re-rerouted the time drive. He waits for his friend's explanation and gets his nose broken. He bangs on the door, demanding it to be opened. Dr. Palmer sets the coordinates to the precise moment before Miss Darhk's transformation. He knows perfectly well the Legends aren't allowed to revisit any moment in time where they actively participated. Damien Darhk is bemused by the lack of trust. Says the person who can't be wholly trusted.

Dr. Heywood goes to see Miss Jiwe in the library. She has gone on another vision quest. He opts to join her, but she insists on going solo. She intends to consult with her earliest ancestors on how to use the totems properly. Miss Jiwe also declares her decision to save her family a factor in fracturing time. He reminds her that they made that choice together, so he's definitely going with her. He gulps the Lyoga root tea, repeating his last mistake. 45 minutes later, Miss Jiwe retrieves the answer and joyfully rushes to the bridge.

Miss Tomaz is working in her quarters. She charges me for pausing her heavy metal music. I notify her that she has a visitor: Jonah Hex. He removes his hat and walks in, claiming Captain Lance sent him to assist her. The former surmises that it was her way of dismissing him. The scarred sheriff wonders about her computer. She explains that she created a computer program as a temporal beacon. Captain Lance wants them to find new totem bearers; however, Miss Tomaz points out that they don't have many allies. Sheriff Hex attests that, while the Legends are an "unorthodox lot", they have "a knack of making friends". As the two admit not taking a shine to most folks, I can see they have chemistry. He's certain that someone will respond to her "smoke signal". Miss Tomaz accepts the bet with a handshake. He successively recommends her to call him Jonah. She sends the message after he leaves and before Dr. Heywood calls a "Code 1-1-3". Translation: "it's off to the bridge for you and me". Dr. Palmer has sung his own song numerous times, it has stuck.

Miss Jiwe and a high Dr. Heywood enlighten them how they have misused the totems. As it turns out, they are made to be used together, not individually. Their combined forces create a "perfect being of light". The captain still believes they're the wrong people. Miss Jiwe disagrees, recollecting how each of them ended up with them. Captain Lance, though still unconvinced, agrees to give things a try. For your information, the new wielders for the Water and Death totems are Mr. West and her since Dr. Palmer has gone off with Damien Darhk.

What do you know? Dr. Palmer returns with an unconscious Miss Darhk in tow. He carries her to the medbay and injects the antidote for the nanite gun to wake her up. She gasps and panickily cries out for her father. The Eagle Scout explicates that Damien Darhk sacrificed himself by trading places with her. Outraged then disheartened, she grieves for her father as Dr. Palmer comforts her. They eventually disembark for Salvation, North Dakota.

Malice/Mallus is defeated by a gigantic Beebo. I would love to see that in action. Miss Jiwe has returned to 1942 Zambesi. Miss Darhk is in custody of the Time Bureau. Mr. Rory wants to recommence his short-lived break in 2018 Aruba. Much to his chagrin, the rest of the Legends accompany him. They all deserve a vacation after being the "chainsaw" Rip had anticipated. Prior to leaving, Captain Lance gets a private call from Director Sharpe, who's leading the charge of mending the remnant anachronisms. She questions the latter's plans upon returning from Aruba. She doesn't have any; perhaps they can meet up once everything's in order. The director shyly confesses, "Back at the saloon, when you asked what I think... I feel the same way about you."

A/N: This fanfic will be broken into five phases. The Season 3 bits, as you can see, is Phase One. Onto Phase Two, better known as Season 4.