We’re at the last episode before the season finale and things are heating up! Last night’s episode had some very OMG moments and proves that the show has finally found its stride. If you recall, last week, we finally found out Malcolm’s plans and how Moira got entangled in all this. Walter was finally found and Oliver made nice with Diggle and the team is back together again.
This week, Malcolm prepares for the Undertaking and makes a startling discovery…
With only days away from leveling the Glades, Malcolm is making sure that the Undertaking will go smoothly. He dons the Dark Archer persona and kills anyone in Unidac who could connect him to his ulterior plans. Meanwhile, Oliver is still floored with the fact that he thinks his mom is working with Malcolm and is responsible for his father’s death. He decides to get to the bottom of it all and plans on a mother-son chat with Moira.
But before he does, he has a visit from Laurel who still can’t get over the fact that Oliver told her he still loved her. Now she’s struggling with her feelings for him, but Oliver tries to dissuade her (knowing he can’t be with her while he’s still the vigilante) and tells her that he hasn’t changed and is the same bad boy she originally thought he was. Before she can bring up any objections, Oliver tells her he needs to get home for Walter’s homecoming.
Oliver tries to broach the subject of Malcolm with Moira but the newscast of the murders at Unidac has Moira in a tithy and she rushes out of the room upset. Later that night, Oliver questions his mother about who might have kidnapped Walter. He tries to give her an out and offers his help, but Moira tells him to stop asking questions. Just then, the lights go out and darts are aimed at the mother and son who both collapse. Before Moira is unconscious, she sees the shadow of an Archer.
The two awaken in a dark room tied to a chair confronted by someone who looks like the Hood. Moira begs for Oliver’s life and the “Hood” asks her what the Undertaking is. When she refuses to answer, we see Oliver slightly nod at the Hood and realize that it is Diggle impersonating him. Oliver gave him the signal to rough him up and rough him up he does. I’m sure it felt kinda good to really hit Oliver after these months of having to be a bit subservient to him. Diggle hits him hard enough that Oliver and the chair that he’s tied to tips over. Yes, a little giggle emerged as I imaged that it was not all play acting on Digg’s part.
Moira breaks and tells him what the Undertaking was and how Malcolm plans on using a device to level the Glades. She finally confesses everything and the “Hood” lets them free before leaving.
Oliver heads to the lair and has Felicity pull up everything she knows about Unidac. They conclude that the Dark Archer works for Merlyn and sets out to confront the man but first Felicity tries to hack into Merlyn Global for some information where Merlyn is keeping the device but with no success. Since she’s unable to get to the data without tapping into the Merlyn Global mainframe, Oliver plans on getting Felicity there.
After the ordeal, Moira returns home to find Merlyn visiting Walter. Still shaken, she walks him out and lets it known that she doesn’t appreciate that he was visiting her husband under false pretenses telling him that if Walter had known anything about the Undertaking, she would be a widow by now. Walter, however, has had enough and gives Moira divorce papers letting us know he probably served her his death papers as there is now no reason for Malcolm to allow him to live.
Quentin is focusing on the copycat Archer and finds that phone calls were made to Merlyn Global and asked the company to send someone to help with his investigation. Unfortunately, they sent in Tommy who wasn’t much help. Lauren comes to visit her dad and was taken aback to see her former lover. After he leaves, Quentin asks Lauren why they broke up and she confesses it’s because of Oliver. Instead of his usual condemnation of the man, Quentin concedes that he has noticed that Oliver is different since his return but will deny ever saying that if anyone asks.
While Felicity is hacking the mainframe, Oliver decides to have words with Tommy. The former best friend is none too happy seeing his former boss and Oliver basically calls Tommy out for being a coward and not going after the woman he loves. Tommy, on the other hand, refuses to be the consolation prize for Laurel’s heart. Before he leaves, Oliver asks him what his job was at Merlyn Global and Tommy retorts, “I work closely with my father.” Yeah, that went over well with the Green Archer.
After a close and amusing call of almost being made, Felicity finally gets the information needed. I take that back. She did get made but not by anyone in Merlyn Global but by a computer expert at the police station that Quentin asked to help with the case.
While the team is disseminating the data at the lair, Oliver has an epiphany. Stop the Undertaking from occurring and he has fulfilled his promise to his father and can finally hang up the hood for good. The revelation compels him to visit Laurel where he practically confesses his love for her with the knowledge that he could actually be able to be with her with no secrets.
As they get it on, Tommy is walking by Laurel’s apartment and sees the two hot and heavy for each other through a window. Note to self, gotta stay away from windows when a hot guy with abs comes for a booty call. This is not good as you can practically see the darkness overcome Tommy – and if you follow the comics, you know where this is all leading to.
Speaking of storylines following the comics, Roy’s reason for his obsession to find the vigilante is finally revealed as he tells Thea that he lost someone close to him and wants the Hood to teach him everything he knows so it doesn’t happen again. Wonder what version we’ll be seeing of Roy next season, Speedy, Arsenal or Red Arrow?
Anyway, after a night of some sweet lovin’, Oliver gets a call from Diggle who tells him where the Unidac device is being kept. He leaves Laurel and while Diggle looks for the device (which he realizes is gone by the time he gets to the warehouse), Oliver visits Malcolm as the Hood. Malcolm proves to be a worthy adversary against the vigilante as he is able to catch an arrow aimed to his chest with his bare hand. The two fight showing off some impressive martial art skills, but it’s Malcolm who has the upper hand as he renders Oliver unconscious.
Malcolm, determined to find out who this pest of a man is who plans to ruin the Undertaking, removes the hood and sees that he just beat up… Oliver Queen!
Next week’s finale will definitely be one to watch. While I don’t expect to see the all the storylines tied up, it will be interesting to see how the episode will leave us.
So what did you all think of ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town?’ Sound off in the comments below with your thoughts and insights from the episode.
