Arrow finally returned this week after a three week hiatus! We are a little late on this episode, but Violet provides a recap, while Josh offers his commentary (in blue font). Spoilers abound!
This was a powerfully emotional episode, as more than one relationship has changed by the end. Let’s get into it.
The episode opens to Oliver helping Digg out with his boxing training at the Arrow Cave. Meanwhile, across town, Deadshot is looking through the scope of his gun, and shoots a guy. Back at the Arrow Cave, Felicity is proud of herself for hacking a federal agency. They discover that Lyla, the woman Digg met with last episode who is part of the Argus group, is setting a trap for Lawton (Deadshot), and that he has taken the bait. Oliver has to get going though, because he has a lunch date with Laurel.
Interestingly enough, Oliver asks whether Diggle wants Deadshot in jail or dead. Digg responds with dead. This still shows that both Oliver and Digg are out more for revenge rather than justice. Still not quite a noble hero yet.
Flashback to the island, the trio is discussing how they’re going to attack. Shado suggest that Oliver will provide cover while she and Slade infiltrate.
Slade seems to think that this might not be a good idea, as he is still not confident in Oliver’s abilities. He also comments about their lack of firepower, which if it were me, is a legitimate concern.
Digg goes to visit Lyla for an update on Deadshot, and she is upset with him because she found out that Deadshot killed his brother, and does not want her group, Argus, to be used for his vengeance. She tells him to stay away from Lawton or she’ll have Digg arrested.
Seems Lyla isn’t as friendly towards Digg as he had hoped. I have a feeling this won’t deter Digg much though.
Oliver arrives at Laurel’s office, but apparently he didn’t get her voicemail that she’ll have to take a raincheck on lunch because she’s too busy. Oliver pretends he doesn’t care, bringing up the fact that he’s way behind on paperwork since Tommy left. Laurel’s clients, Mr. and Mrs. Moore, along with their son, arrive. Laurel introduces them to Oliver and explains that she is prepping them for a deposition in which they are testifying against Mr. Rasmus. “He stole our future. We want it back,” Mr. Moore says.
I can see why Tommy has been getting irritated with Oliver. Especially later when he founds about this broken lunch date. It seems really inappropriate for Oliver to be going on a lunch date with Laurel, considering their past and how Tommy is feeling right now.
Later that evening, someone knocks on Mr. Moore’s door, saying that he has deposition papers from Laurel. When Mr. Moore answers the door, the guy shoots and kills him. He makes his way through the house, making it look like a break in. He finds Mrs. Moore and shoots her too. The son is in the bedroom and has just seen the man shoot his mother, so he shuts the door and locks it. The man is amused, and quickly breaks down the door, only to find that the child has escaped through the window. The man, known as Mr. Blank, played by J. August Richards (better known as Charles Gunn on Angel), calls Mr. Rasmus to report on the situation, and Mr. Rasmus says that the child must die too since he’s seen the man’s face. Oliver is at home and sees the report of the murders on the news.
Gunn, why did you have to turn to the side of evil?! Just kidding. I really liked his character in “Angel” (one of my all time favorite shows). He does well at playing a cold blooded killer though. I think he could have chased that kid down however, if he really wanted to. I get a little annoyed when someone “gets away” but in actuality doesn’t have much more of a head start and is likely easily caught up to.
At the police station, Tommy is comforting Laurel, who is angry about what has happened. Laurel’s dad, Detective Lance shows up, and informs them that the child will be a temporary ward of the state until his grandparents can come get him. Laurel quickly steps in and says she’ll assign herself temporary guardianship so that he can stay with her. The Detective tells Tommy to look after the kid, to which Tommy replies that he stays at Laurel’s house most nights anyway – which the Detective of course was not aware of. Both the Detective’s and Tommy’s reaction to this awkward revelation is hilarious! Oliver shows up, and mentions to Tommy how he had just met the Moores earlier that day. When Tommy questions why Oliver would have met them, we discover that Tommy did not know Laurel was going to lunch with Oliver. Uh oh, sounds like trouble in paradise if Laurel is keeping things like that from Tommy!
The line between Tommy and Detective Lance was pretty funny. It seems like this episode had a few secrets that came out at the wrong time though, when you consider Laurel’s secret with Oliver too. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be a secret, and she just forgot to mention it, but I can still see why Tommy would be upset finding out the way he did.
In another flashback to the island, Shado is teaching Oliver how to shoot with the bow and arrow. Oliver shoots – and misses. The two exchange a romantic look, as her hand is on his chest. But just then, Slade shows up and interrupts them, essentially telling them to get back to work.
Geez Slade, way to break up their romantic feelings! We can see that there is going to be some romance between Oliver and Shado. I am curious to see how this plays out as obviously their relationship is at least on hiatus due to Shado not being around at all.
At the Arrow Cave, Oliver, Digg, and Felicity are discussing Lyla’s plan to arrest Lawton. But Digg admits that he doesn’t want Lawton arrested, so Oliver agrees that they will go after him. Oliver tells Felicity to look into Rasmus’s corporate accounts to see what she can find, while he goes over to Laurel’s.
As brought up before, their hero club is more about vengeance than justice at times. It makes you think, maybe Detective Lance is right in a way. The police (ideally) would be impartial to how criminals break the law, while Arrow and Diggle are only picking targets they want to handle.
Roy shows up at the police station and talks to Detective Lance, who asks him if he wants to report something about the Hood. Roy says that he just wants to see the Hood brought to justice. After the Detective leaves, Roy swipes the police radio sitting on his desk.
Roy is definitely setting up for a sidekick role. We learned at Wonder-Con this is likely. I am very curious to see how this all plays out.
Tommy and Laurel arrive at Laurel’s apartment with the kid, who says he misses his parents. Tommy takes this opportunity to share a story with the kid about losing his own mom, and the story seems to comfort the kid. As Laurel listens to the story, she gets tears in her eyes, and tells Tommy that he constantly surprises her. This was a really touching scene and I liked how we got to see Tommy open up and expose his vulnerable side. Just then, Mr. Blank knocks on Laurel’s door, pretending to be a lieutenant that her father sent to check on her. She looks through the peephole and asks him to show his badge, which he does. But Laurel knows he’s lying because his badge number begins with a 0, while lieutenant badge numbers begin with a 1. He shoots through the door, as Laurel runs and Tommy shields the kid with his body behind the couch. Laurel grabs a shotgun and shoots at the man. He is about to shoot back at her, when Arrow bursts through the window and shoots an arrow at the man’s hand, knocking the gun loose. The man runs off, and Tommy and Oliver exchange a look. Such a heroic move on Tommy’s part to protect the kid like that, and Laurel fighting back with the shotgun was pretty awesome!
This was a pretty good action scene. The shotgun seemed way too big for Laurel, but it worked. That is until the gun jammed on the second shot. The suspense of the villain approaching the couch, and the camera angle from Tommy’s perspective looking under the couch at the villain’s feet was clever. You can bet that Tommy, while grateful that Oliver showed up, might be wondering why he is still hanging around Laurel’s house so much.
Detective Lance and several police officers arrive at the Laurel’s apartment. The Detective tells Laurel that he wants them all in protective custody. Tommy suggests that they stay with Oliver because the Queen estate has a lot of security (and of course because the Hood will protect them). When they arrive at Oliver’s house, they are given bodyguards hand selected by Digg. Digg reminds Oliver that he has to go to the “Lawton meeting,” and they leave, despite Tommy’s protests.
I am surprised Tommy was so willing to suggest Oliver’s house. I am surprised that he didn’t suggest his own house, now that he and his father are on better terms. I guess, as we can infer from Tommy’s anger towards Oliver, that Tommy has hoping for protection of the Vigilante, more so than Oliver’s security force.
Meanwhile, Thea and Roy are eating at the diner, when the police radio goes off, reporting something about the Vigilante. Roy rides his motorcycle to the location that was broadcasted, but it turns out it was just a set up by the Detective to get his radio back.
Oliver shows up at the Arrow Cave and talks to Felicity, who comments that it is ironic that they are sniping a sniper. Felicity has found a flight manifest showing Rasmus is heading to Shanghai that night, so that means he’s not after Laurel anymore. However, it also means that if he wants to get back at Rasmus, tonight is his last chance, so he has to choose between Deadshot and Rasmus.
Another instance where Oliver ditches Diggle for his own agenda, and doesn’t even warn Diggle about it. Communication Oliver! You have all this technology but won’t even pick up a phone?!
Lyla’s team is set up to take Lawton down (acting rather suspiciously, I might add), and Digg is lurking nearby.
On the other side of town, Rasmus is in his limo talking on the phone, when the car stops, and two arrows pin him to his seat.
At the Deadshot trap, a man with a hat enters the building, but they figure out it’s not him, and Lyla comments that maybe Lawton didn’t take the bait after all. Digg sees a red flashing light through an upper window, and it’s Deadshot, who shoots a few people, including Lyla. Digg runs up the stairs after him, and they fight, until Deadshot pulls two guns on him. Apparently he saw Digg coming a mile away, and thanks Digg for tipping him off. Deadshot reveals a tattoo on his upper chest with the name of Digg’s brother, and says that he has a spot for him right next to his brother. Then he hits Digg on the head and walks away. He could have easily killed him right then, I wonder why he didn’t?
The Argus agents could have been a little bit more “in character”. They all seemed too obvious to not be undercover. Easy shots for a trained sniper.
Later, Oliver returns to the Arrow Cave as Felicity is treating Digg’s head wound. Digg is upset with Oliver for not showing up, and tells him that thanks to his new priorities, four agents are dead. Digg tells Oliver he needed him there, but Oliver defends himself, saying that he was trying to protect the kid. Digg counters, saying that this was never about the kid, this is about Laurel. “You chose her. It’s always her, and everybody else be damned.”
You would think Diggle is right here. The Queen mansion seems pretty fortified. We will learn that the mistake of one guard can change that quickly for an experienced assassin.
Another flashback. Oliver is still shooting the bow and arrow, and still missing. Shado tells him he’s thinking too much. She then takes the bow and shows off, shooting down two tree branches. She tells Oliver give into his senses, and don’t think. He kisses her, but then suddenly stops, saying that he can’t because there’s someone else back home (obviously referring to Laurel).
While Oliver is resisting now, I am pretty sure that he won’t be soon enough.
At the Queen residence, Laurel is looking at an old picture of her and Oliver. Oliver’s mother comes and sits next to her, telling her that she always liked who Oliver was when he was around Laurel. Oliver returns and tells them that Rasmus has been arrested and confessed to everything. When Tommy asks why, Oliver tells him because the Vigilante was involved. Now that the threat is gone, they can leave, but Oliver’s mom says it’s okay for them to stay, since there’s plenty of room. You can tell that Tommy would prefer to leave, but he says it’s Laurel’s call, and she decides that they’ll stay.
Mr. Blank comes to talk to Rasmus in the interrogation room at the police station, pretending to be his lawyer. He tries to tell Mr. Blank to leave the boy alone, but Mr. Blank says no, because he’s seen his face. He pretends like he is handing Rasmus a pen to sign papers with, but instead stabs it into his wrist, which he tells Rasmus will cause an embolism and kill him in 15 seconds. Then he walks out of the police station like nothing happened. Just as he is leaving, Thea shows up at the police station looking for Roy, who is being detained. The Detective takes both of them to see the dead body of a person that the Hood killed. Apparently the Hood has already killed 26 people. The Detective comments that maybe the dead guy deserved it but that’s not how justice works. The Hood doesn’t have to answer to anyone, and that is a very dangerous power. Roy protests, saying, “He saved my life,” but the Detective replies, “How do you know he won’t just as easily take it?” Then he tells them to “Get outta here” in a very film noir type of cop voice.
I found this scene a little funny. For those that have seen “Angel” through its 5th season, Gunn becomes a lawyer, so it felt like a “throwback” almost. I doubt it was intentional, but it amused me. One thing I don’t really like though, is those seemingly fake “pressure points” media invents, that says pressing a certain part of the body will cause the person to die, or become incapacitated easily. I would have rather had a non-traceable poison used. I enjoyed Detective Lance’s scare tactic, but if anyone was a teenager or knows one, this isn’t going to deter Roy one bit.
Laurel has just tucked the kid into bed, and she and Oliver are talking outside the bedroom door. Laurel tells him that she’s noticed that he has changed, and that it’s nice to see. They embrace. Meanwhile, Tommy is spying on them around the corner.
A delivery guy shows up at the door with some papers for Laurel. Before the bodyguard has a chance to get too suspicious, the delivery guy is shot from behind, and Mr. Blank steps in and shoots the bodyguard. He has rigged it so that the power goes out just then. Oliver blames it on a faulty breaker, and goes to check it out after he breaks off the doorknob, locking Laurel, Tommy, and the kid in the bedroom.
How did Mr. Blank sneak up with the delivery dude? Why is the delivery so late? It looked almost dark outside. The fight scene was good here though, although I thought Oliver would have a few more bodyguards to send into the fodder.
Mr. Blank shoots another bodyguard, and asks him where the kid is. The bodyguard doesn’t answer, so he shoots him again, killing him. Laurel and Tommy hear the gun shots, and Laurel is worried about the fact that Oliver is still out there. We then see a pretty cool fight scene between Oliver and Mr. Blank. Oliver is kind of parkouring, jumping around and over things as he’s fighting. Mr. Blank asks Oliver what happened to him on that island, and Oliver replies, “You’re about to find out” and they fight some more, until Oliver grabs a poker stick and stabs it through Mr. Blank, killing him.
They did have a good fight scene, I enjoy when Oliver is forced to improvise when he is caught with “hood” down. Their fight scene was very entertaining to watch.
Soon, the police show up, and Oliver tells the Detective that Mr. Robbins, one of the dead bodyguards, was the one who stabbed Mr. Blank. Then Tommy and Oliver speak privately in a very emotional scene between bros. Tommy says to Oliver, “You still love her, don’t you?” An emotionally distraught Oliver replies that it doesn’t matter how he feels, and that she can never know his secret. However, Tommy says that he doesn’t know how to be with Laurel knowing that if she knew who Oliver really was, she would choose Oliver.
I am curious how long Oliver can continue being involved in dangerous incidents and not arouse more suspicion. I also think that forensically, the police could prove the story Oliver gave wrong. We need Dexter on the case!
Later, the kid’s grandparents show up at Laurel’s apartment to take the kid home with them. After they leave, Laurel tells Tommy she needs to talk to him. But when she turns around, she sees that Tommy’s standing there with his bags packed and ready to go. Time for the next huge emotional scene in this episode. He tells her that he’s not ready for the kind of commitment she wants. Laurel is very confused. She thought that after what they just went through together, it would have brought them closer together. Through tears, she tells him how she knows he’s changed and this is not him, this is not something he would do. Tommy, on the verge of tears himself, replies, “I guess I haven’t changed as much as we all thought” and walks out the door.
While I understand Tommy’s feelings, I think he is overreacting here. Laurel and Oliver haven’t cheated in any way, and by pushing Laurel away, Tommy is practically giving up on their relationship. I am also not convinced as Tommy is that Laurel would be head over heels for Oliver if she knew he was the vigilante.
Roy and Thea are alone together, and Thea asks him why finding the Hood is so important. Roy says that he owes the Hood everything, and that he can’t go back to nothing. This is his chance to be. “It feels like my life is connected to his,” Roy says. Thea tells Roy she’ll help him find the Hood, since it’s so important to him.
Further foreshadowing of Roy becoming a sidekick. I kind of hope this happens soon.
Digg is waiting for Oliver at the Arrow Cave. Oliver says he wants them to get back on the same page, but Digg scornfully replies that they’re not even in the same book. Digg tells Oliver, “We’re done,” and leaves. Felicity comes in just then and asks Oliver where Digg’s going, but Oliver doesn’t answer.
I can see why Diggle is irritated. Oliver is putting people’s lives in danger that don’t need to be. I hope that Diggle will return soon though, as I think he is a character with great potential for a good story that hasn’t quite been given enough chance to.
The final scene is a flashback to the island. The trio is in their hideout, when Yao Fei comes in. Shado is overjoyed to see her father alive, and runs toward him, giving him a hug. But he does not respond. Slade asks him how he escaped, and he says that he didn’t. It turns out he has led the soldiers to them, and he tells them, “Your time on this island is at an end.” So Yao Fei is a bad guy after all? I thought the only reason he was helping out the soldiers was because they were holding his daughter captive. Now that she is free, why is he still helping them?
Is this more trickery by Yao Fei to really help Oliver and company? It would be very odd for him to turn on Slade, Oliver, and Shado. He has so much back and forth I am having a hard time understanding his character and appreciating it.
My thoughts on the episode: This was a pretty good episode. A lot of action and a lot of stuff going on in general. Very sad about the two breakups (Tommy & Laurel and Oliver & Digg). Tommy’s decision to break up with Laurel seemed to come out of nowhere. It seemed like they were getting closer, considering all they just went through together, and the way that Laurel reacted to Tommy’s interactions with the kid. But it also begs the question, what exactly was Laurel going to talk to Tommy about before she turned around to see him with his bags packed? Was she going to say something about Oliver? I guess we’ll never know. I also wonder what Tommy has been doing while he’s been working for his father. This episode does not reveal anything about that at all. I’m thinking that he’s starting to feel guilty about the bad things he is doing for his father, while Oliver is out doing good things, and that he knows Laurel would not want to be with him if she found out what he was doing. But, the breakup was inevitable, as it’s been obvious from the beginning that they’re going to try to keep pushing Oliver and Laurel together. Oh, and it was pretty lame of Oliver to bail on Digg after he said he would help him. What’s going to happen between them now? Looking forward to next week to see how the story progresses!
This was a good episode. Being a CW series as a whole, I was skeptical of the show, as their programming typically doesn’t interest me anymore. On Arrow though, we are having good character development, as well as being able look at typical moral issues often brought up in the comic/supehero genre. I really enjoy debating with myself why Oliver should be allowed to wear a hood and save people, and why he gets to choose who he saves or hurts. Overall, this episode seem to speak to that a lot, and I hope the show continues to do so! Until next week, we sneak closer and closer to the finale!
