Violet recaps Season 2 Episode 2 of Arrow, titled Identity, where someone is preventing FEMA shipments of medication from reaching Glades Memorial Hospital — but not if the Vigilante has anything to say about it! Following the recap, both Violet and Josh share their thoughts on the episode.
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Arrow, Season 2 Episode 2: Identity Recap Overview
Need a quick Arrow episode recap of Season 2 Episode 2 titled Identity? Here is a summary of events for the episode. Each event is linked to the more detailed Arrow episode recap for Identity if you need more information!
- Roy tries to be a vigilante, and gets arrested, but Laurel lets him go. Oliver learns that someone has been hijacking medicine meant for Glades Memorial Hospital
- Oliver visits Glades Memorial Hospital, Felicity settles into her new job. Oliver and Shado grow closer in an island flashback
- Felicity finds out about a FEMA shipment. The Vigilante heads out to intercept the hijackers, fights China White and Bronze Tiger, but the police interrupt
- We find out Digg and Carly broke up. Thea gives Roy an ultimatum.
- Oliver meets with Alderman Blood and decides to host a benefit. The Hood visits Laurel, but doesn’t get a warm reception.
- Oliver misses his benefit to stop China White from hijacking another FEMA shipment. With Digg‘s help, he tases Bronze Tiger and captures China White for the police
- The Vigilante enlists Roy‘s help, then falls into Laurel‘s trap
Arrow Episode Recap: Identity, the Details
Roy Tries to be a Vigilante
The episode starts out by giving us some eye candy of Oliver working out. Meanwhile, two motorcycles are flanking a FEMA truck, but Roy is following them, and is able to caused one of the motorcycles to crash. He then plays chicken with the other motorcyclist, who shoots at Roy, making him crash his car. China White steps out in front of the FEMA truck and throws knives at the driver and passenger, killing them. The motorcyclist drives up and gets in the truck, while China White takes the motorcycle. The police show up and take an injured Roy into custody, letting the bad guys get away. Thea gets a call at the club to come pick him up at the police station.
We see Laurel questioning Roy, trying to find out who the Hood is, and criticizing Roy for emulating him. Roy defends his actions as trying to do what’s right. Oliver accompanies Thea to the police station to pick Roy up. Laurel says they’re not pressing charges. Oliver has a private talk with Roy to try to scare him off following in the Vigilante’s footsteps. During their chat, Roy informs Oliver that the medicine FEMA has been sending to Glades Memorial Hospital is being hijacked, and if they don’t get the supplies they need, they’ll be forced to close.
Flashback to the island, right after Oliver killed the guy who was attacking Shado. Oliver sits by himself in shock, and Shado tries to snap him out of his despair.
Oliver Visits the Hospital
Oliver and Digg visit Glades Memorial and see the poor condition it’s in. On their way out, Alderman Sebastian Blood, who is surrounded by a crowd of protesters and is being interviewed by a TV reporter, harasses Oliver for what his family did to the Glades. Oliver assures him he will do everything in his power to atone for what happened. They quickly drive away as the mob descends on them, breaking a car window.
When Oliver and Digg arrive at the office, Felicity is upset that she will be working as Oliver’s secretary. Digg points out it could be worse, as his secret identity is that he is Oliver’s black driver. Oliver asks Felicity to find out how the hijackers are finding out about the medicine shipments. He also asks her to make dinner reservations for him, Digg, and Carly. Felicity asks Digg, “You still haven’t told him?” to which Digg replies, “He has enough on his plate.” Meanwhile, Oliver watches a news report about his appearance at Glades Memorial.
In another island flashback, Shado helps Oliver wash the blood from his hands, and tries to reassure him, as he believes that the island is turning him into something terrible. They kiss, and then they both undress.
The Hood vs. China White and Bronze Tiger
Down in the Arrow Cave, Felicity finds out about a FEMA shipment about to head out to Glades Memorial. As the FEMA guys are finishing loading up, the motorcycle gang drives up and starts shooting. However, the Hood shows up just then and shoots arrows at the two motorcyclists, then tells the driver to make his delivery. However, China White throws a knife and kills the driver. The Hood prepares to fight China White, but her partner, Bronze Tiger, who has Wolverine-like claws, jumps in, and is able to deflect all the arrows Oliver shoots at him. He notices that the Hood isn’t firing any kill shots. China White gets in the FEMA truck and drives away, while she leaves her partner to fight Oliver. The police show up, along with Laurel, and Oliver runs off as they open fire. He is able to escape with the use of a smoke grenade, but not without getting shot in the ankle first.
Trouble in Paradise
Back at the Arrow Cave, Oliver doctors up his own wound. Digg brings up the fact that Laurel is involved in bringing the Hood down, which makes Oliver angry. But Felicity calls him off, and reveals that Oliver is not the only one having trouble with his love life. Digg and Carly broke up, and Oliver has been too wrapped up in himself to notice.
At the club, Thea tells Roy she’s not going to try to change him. She gives him two items: a check for two weeks severance pay, and a rock that Oliver gave her called a hosen, which symbolizes reconnecting. She tells him if he wants to reconnect, keep the hosen and tear up the check. But Roy says he doesn’t do too well with ultimatums, and Thea replies that she doesn’t do too well with people she loves getting hurt, then she walks off.
Oliver Plans to Host a Benefit, The Hood visits Laurel
The next day, Oliver invites Alderman Blood to his office. Oliver tries to write him a check, but he says that won’t help. Oliver comes up with the idea of hosting a benefit, to which he will invite his “elitist” friends, then he and the Alderman can make them see what needs to be done. Blood agrees that will make a difference.
Flashback to the island. Slade warns Oliver not to fall too hard for Shado, because she’s a distraction that will end up getting him killed.
Laurel is working late alone at the office, and the Hood stops by to visit her. She reveals that she saw him running away the night of the earthquake, and blames him for not saving Tommy because he was too busy fighting a meaningless duel with Malcolm Merlyn. She is upset because when people he told her he would protect needed his help, he wasn’t there. She accuses him of wearing the Hood because he is a coward, and that she will see him unmasked and prosecuted. She tells him never to talk to her again, and he leaves.
The Vigilante and Diggle Save the Day
Laurel shows up at Oliver’s benefit, but Oliver doesn’t, because Felicity gets word of another FEMA shipment. Alderman Blood takes it upon himself to announce Oliver’s absence and chalks it up to him not caring about the city. Meanwhile, Oliver heads out and finds the FEMA heist in progress. Felicity distracts the police with an old surveillance video of the Vigilante. They show up at the location and realize the building on the video was destroyed during the earthquake.
Digg arrives at the FEMA heist to help Oliver out. As Oliver fights off China White and Bronze Tiger, Digg fights off one of China White’s goons, then gets in the FEMA truck and drives toward them, causing them to run in different directions. China White runs up to the truck and fights Digg through the driver’s side window, making him crash, while Oliver gets attacked by Bronze Tiger. Oliver shoots him with an arrow which electrocutes him. Digg gets out of the truck and starts to fight China White, but Oliver drives up on his motorcycle and shoots an arrow toward her, which ties up her wrists and secures her to a post. She comments that he’s changed, or else he would have killed her by now, and that he’ll always be a criminal to the police, he’ll never be a hero. He replies, “As long as this city is safe, it doesn’t matter.”
Later, Oliver and Digg are watching a news report about the arrest of China White, which gives credit to the police, but adds that some sources say the Vigilante was involved. Oliver apologizes to Digg about not being there for him when he and Carly broke up. The news continues with a report of Alderman Blood bashing Oliver.
Flashback to the island. The trio finds a cave with skeletons of Japanese imperial soldiers that have been there since World War II. One of the men was wearing the hosen around his neck that Thea gave to Roy.
The Vigilante Asks for Roy’s Help, But He Might Need More Help Than He Thought
Back to the present. The Vigilante finds Roy walking down an alley. Roy proposes to help the Vigilante save the city, that he can fight. But Oliver has something else in mind: he wants Roy to be his eyes and ears in the Glades. Oliver gives Roy a broken piece of a red arrow, and tells him to leave it in the alley wall, that’s how he will know to contact Roy. Roy brings the hosen to Thea and tells him he’s done fighting and trying to be a hero.
The Hood pays Laurel another visit, but it’s a trap. The cops come in and surround him. And the show leaves us with that cliffhanger.
Violet’s Thoughts on Arrow, Season 2 Episode 2: Identity
This was a fun episode! Lots of action, and we even got to see Oliver use a couple of trick arrows: one that was a taser, and the other which doubled as handcuffs. I have a feeling there will be more trick arrows up the Hood’s sleeve, especially now that Oliver has decided he will no longer kill. Speaking of “the Hood,” I thought that at the end of last episode when Oliver said he wanted a name other than “the Hood” or “the Vigilante,” and then looked at his green arrow, it was implied that he would change his name to Green Arrow! Maybe he will, eventually, but now I’m wondering just how long it will be before that happens.
Not only was there a lot of action, but emotions were running high as well. I felt really bad for Oliver this episode. No matter what he does, no matter how hard he works to keep the city safe, he doesn’t get the credit or the thanks he deserves as the Vigilante. And now, having missed his benefit to save the city once again, his identity as Oliver Queen is further tarnished.
I am really enjoying Arrow so far this season, and I am curious to see how quickly Roy gets involved in the fighting side of the Vigilante business, since we know from the comics that he eventually ends up there. But for now, I just want to see how Oliver gets out of this trap Laurel set for him!
Josh’s Thoughts: Arrow, Season 2 Episode 2: Identity
I guess my biggest thought this episode was, “When did Wolverine turn evil and join the show?” I guess it is a bit unfair to say he is Wolverine rip off, as the only similarities were the claws and martial arts, but it still isn’t hard to see the correlation!
What I really liked about this episode was the problems Oliver had to deal with as both the Hood and Oliver. We see that life for Oliver is going to be tough no matter which identity he embraces, as both seem out to get him.
I am still waiting on Roy to fully break out! It is cool to see that he is getting a small gig with the Hood, but I have a feeling this will not be enough to satisfy Roy. I have a feeling he will eventually want in on the action. We know from the comics he gets a bigger role. Hopefully that comes to fruition here.
What is sad about this episode is all of the work Oliver is putting into helping Starling City, yet everyone is turning on him, especially this newcomer, Alderman Blood. He seems bent on bringing down Oliver. I am curious to see his back-story, as I have a feeling he is not as clean as he is pretending to be.
All in all, I enjoyed this episode. We are getting a lot of the usual “tropes” of comic book stories, which I have to say is a good thing. Hopefully this season continues to be a good one!
Scenes from Arrow, Season 2 Episode 3: Broken Dolls
Here are scenes from the next Arrow episode, titled Broken Dolls:
