Arrow Season 4: 12 Questions We're Asking After 'Legends Of Yesterday'

8. Can Vandal Savage Be A More Formidable Villain In Legends Of Tomorrow?

Creating a strong villain for a two episode arc is a tricky thing. He needs to feel powerful enough to warrant more than one episode dedicated to stopping him, but he can€™t be so important that he is able to continually evade the heroes. Last year, Arrow did a commendable job of this with Brick, the fearsome gangster who tried to take over when Oliver was recovering. Brick was formidable under the right conditions, but ultimately caved when Oliver returned. The problem with Vandal Savage was that he was supposed to be all-powerful, and was then summarily defeated. We€™re talking about an incredibly skilled immortal who, the night before, had acquired a magical staff and drove the heroes away. Then, almost immediately, they turned around and, despite a poor first effort, manage to stop him fairly easily. Sure, Barry had the benefit of getting a second chance, but this is still an immortal with a magic weapon who€™s meant to anchor an entire other show€™s conflict. If this group of heroes can so easily defeat Savage, why should he be feared in Legends Of Tomorrow? By allowing him to be defeated here, his threat has become a lot less impressive when he returns.