There’s a conspiracy in the Time Bureau in the midseason premiere of Legends of Tomorrow

The wackiest and wildest show in the Arrowverse is back, and it’s heading to the sweaty, masked days of the lucha libre in Mexico to track a demigod wolfman. You know, just another day on the Waverider.

Spoilers ahead for “Lucia de Apuestas,” the midseason premiere of The CW’s Legends of Tomorrow, which aired Monday, April 1, 2019.

This one took a deep dive into some ethical questions that tore apart the adorably great relationship between Sara and Ava, telling a story with some real emotional heft. But first, let’s hit the high points.

In case you need a refresher, we last left the Legends with the captured wolfman on the loose and Mona caught in the middle. It’s been a couple months, but the story doesn’t skip a beat, dropping right back in the fallout of wolfman’s escape. Turns out Nate’s dad Hank is leading a faction within the Time Bureau that is secretly experimenting on these captured magical creatures — and they’ve erased security footage and framed Mona for wolfman’s escape.

The Legends, of course, get wrapped up in the middle of the mission to recover wolfman, and are the only folks crazy enough to actually believe Mona’s wild story of a conspiracy with the Men in Black. Zari hacks the Bureau and realizes Hank had altered the footage, and goes undercover with Nate to figure out exactly what’s going on.

The rest of the team heads to Mexico City in the 1960s, where Mona had sent wolfman to hide before being captured by the Legends. Turns out his presence changes lucha libre history, with wolfman becoming a legendary mystery fighter by the name of El Lobo. His presence causes some major anomalies in Mexican culture, though, with El Lobo becoming a great mystery that sidelines other famous fighters and inspires movies and television shows for decades to come.

Wolfman’s story comes to a tragic end when a Man in Black tracks him down and kills him, just as Mona is preparing to return him to his home in ancient Hawaii. Turns out that scratch she suffered during his initial escape also gave her wolf powers, and she transforms and tears that Man in Black limb from limb. So Mona is officially a magical creature all her own now.

As for the ethical quandary, the question over exactly what to do with these fugitives comes to a head when Sara tries to explain to Ava her team went rogue to try and stop Hank from experimenting on these creatures. Ava’s response? She doesn’t care. That ethical ickiness is a small price to pay, for her, to keep the Bureau running. Ava also, rightly, points out the Legends were initially sending these creatures straight to hell when their mission began. But, after getting to know the magical fugitive Charlie, they realized not all of these creatures are inherently evil. Ava clearly does not have that perspective.

It's a story about the fear of the other, and how we deal with that fear. For Sara and the Legends, they opened themselves up to see the humanity of these magical fugitives, and they're now working (sometimes) to find them a safe home. Ava views them as a threat and something otherworldly, something not worthy of consideration.

Breakups can sometimes feel manufactured in shows like these, but this one really struck a nerve. Ava is upset that Sara didn’t back her play, while Sara is appalled that Ava has no qualms about experimenting on these creatures so long as it keeps the lights on. This isn’t a made-up fight to cause drama. It’s a real question of a person’s mettle, and what they’ll allow in pursuit of a perceived greater good. It also puts the Legends at odds with the goals of the Bureau, which always makes for some fun stories.

Assorted musings

Nate is understandably perturbed about his father’s role in the Bureau’s shadiness, but looks ready and willing to lie to his father to get closer to this conspiracy. Nate’s gig at the Time Bureau will allow him to be a double agent moving forward, so that could make for some interesting family dinners.

Did anyone else notice a bit of a romantic spark between Nate and Zari? With Nate finally moving forward from his breakup with Amaya, could love be in the air for a few Legends? It’s been a hot minute since there was some relationship drama (outside of Sara and Ava, of course).

Mind-wiped Gary wondering where his nipple has gone was solid gold.

Next week: The Legends head to 1970s, and they’re in a camper for some reason? Oh, and Mona is making a break for it on a bicycle for some reason?