Arrow

 

I don’t know if it is just me, but I actually really enjoyed ‘Arrow’ last night, right until the ending when characters that were once pretty smart and reasonable starting making some pretty ridiculous choices. But other than that, I enjoyed the action, the pacing, the story, everything flowed pretty well for me, and that was even while balancing my disappointment that yet again they were sidestepping the reveal of Oliver as the Green Arrow to Star City pretty easily, something that I still say would be a fun storyline. One thing I did notice that I am not sure about whether I like or not, the opening title had all of the logos of Team Arrow (I think) all flash by before landing on the standard arrowhead logo of the show, similar to how ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ does their opening title, and I don’t know if I like the idea of ‘Arrow’ stealing from one of its spin-off shows like that.

Tonight’s episode basically revolved around Oliver’s attempt to “prove” he is not the Green Arrow, not only to Star City but also to the FBI agent who has come to town to investigate due to the lack of ability by the Star City police to look into this particular issue in the past (a comment made while pointedly looking at Quentin Lance). All the while, Oliver also has to juggle William, who worries that Oliver will not be coming home one night due to some villain killing him (a likely scenario, all things considered), even after Oliver makes a horrible promise of saying he will always come home. While the Quiver Crew works to figure out who leaked the photo of Oliver in costume to the press (or prove it to be a fake…)

Oliver has new problems as Anatoly has come to town looking for money, in the exact sum that the mayor’s office just received as insurance money to rebuild the wrecked police building. He takes some Markovian businessmen that Oliver had been meeting with hostage and demands a ransom, poisoning the business head to prove he means business. Luckily, Oliver and company figure out what the poison is and get an antidote ready, which Oliver manages to deliver to the man after Felicity and Curtis track down Anatoly’s hiding place (wouldn’t you know it, another abandoned warehouse). Sadly for the man, Anatoly is not in the mood for Oliver’s heroics, and shoots the hostage anyway, threatening Oliver by saying he has men in William’s school, but claiming he is still honorable and would not go that far, while still wondering what would happen if others found out Oliver’s secret and were not as honorable.

Oliver later meets with the FBI agent for his interrogation and is saved when she is informed that the news is reporting the photo of Oliver in costume was a fake, with his head photoshopped into place. She lets him go for the moment but says she is still looking into him. Oliver heads home to talk with William, and owns up to the fact that he cannot promise to always make it home after going out as the Green Arrow, but instead has a new plan which should make William happy, and keep them safe.

 

Meanwhile, Dinah continues to ride Diggle about his injury, and eventually he confesses that he took shrapnel to his arm on Lian Yu, which caused degenerative nerve damage, hence his shakes and inability to shoot properly anymore, all facts that Dinah demands he tells Oliver, because the team should know that he has been compromised, especially since they keep taking him out in the field. Dinah is especially upset because she knows Diggle’s injury caused Rene’s injury the previous week, and she herself was almost strangled while fighting Anatoly’s men because Diggle was unable to take a shot at her attacker. Diggle finally relents and says he will talk to Oliver.

Felicity and Curtis, while doing their Hacker thing for Team Arrow, have a fun discussion about the fact that Diggle doesn’t work and must rely entirely on Lyla and ARGUS money to support him (a question many fans also have), while also going into Felicity’s finances and the fact that Curtis took up a side job to pay the bills, which bothers Felicity greatly. She eventually reveals she wants to start a tech company with Curtis as her partner, which he agrees to considering all the cool stuff they have invented over the years, which she is stoked about because she already filed all the paperwork.

In the episode’s close, Oliver is seen standing in front of the glass case holding his Green Arrow suit, where he is soon joined by Diggle. Diggle claims him putting on the suit and going out alongside Oliver Queen won’t be enough to satisfy the FBI woman, but Oliver wants to go farther than that. He says he cannot justify going out when William needs him at home, cannot take the risk of making William an orphan, but knows that Star City still needs the Green Arrow. So he asks Diggle to become the Green Arrow instead, which, of course, is a big deal. And very stupidly, Diggle agrees to do it for Oliver, and shakes his hand, closing the episode.

BOW-STRING THEORIES:

  • Anyone else have the thought that Diggle is a father too, and Oliver is putting him in the same situation by sending him out as the Green Arrow? Rene is also in that boat if you stop and think about it. I guess the only difference is the fact that Oliver is in the spotlight as Mayor, and he is William’s only living parent, whereas Diggle and Rene’s kids still have a mom?
  • No Thea, surprise surprise. That’s 1 of the 9 episodes she is skipping this season.
  • So who sent the media that doctored the photo of Oliver as The Green Arrow? This season’s new big bad? Black Siren? Deathstroke? William? I am intrigued.
  • Not sure Anatoly can really make the “honorable” claim after shooting an innocent man through the heart. I thought at the very least he would have claimed the man was a terrorist or a smuggler or something to justify his actions.
  • Let’s give Dinah more screen time, she is like the new Diggle, well, how he was in the first few seasons – smart, calm, skilled, and the voice of reason when everyone else is making stupid decisions (like saying “yes” to becoming the Green Arrow which requires massive precision with a bow when one cannot shoot a gun anymore)

Definitely feels like the show is finding a good groove so far this season, though I’m worried some of these ludicrous character decisions could start to bog it all down soon (why would Diggle EVER agree to this Green Arrow business? He cannot possibly think he can pull it off!). I like that they are playing the long game with the big bad and letting the show build up before getting to the main plot, and I hope they manage to keep balancing all the characters the way they are now and do not start introducing a bunch more like last season. I like the current cast, and want to see more of their stories. See you back here next week!