Leading up tonight’s episode we needed something to get us back on track. This episode does a great job with pacing and advancing the story in many ways, we even loose a character. Arrow does it’s best when it concentrates on the dynamics of Oliver’s life versus being the Arrow and Seeing Red delivers. SPOILAGE AHEAD
The episode revolves around helping Roy, who had previously ran away to protect those around him only to be captured by Deathstroke to be farmed for his Mirakuru laced blood. After being rescued by his friends, Roy is kept in the Arrow cave in a coma as the team tries to help him. One minute he’s asleep and freaking Felicity out, the next he’s awake and on a rampage. There isn’t much left of Roy at this point, as we see throughout the episode.
But this episode is more of the Moira Queen story and what she, and the writers, can do to make her look like a “good” character before they kill her off at the end of the episode. Ironically this is all done in a scene similar to the scene where Ivo gives Oliver the choice to save one of the girls on the island. This time around Oliver has to choose between two of the most important people in his life, mother or sister. I don’t think I saw this one coming, and this is why I am really glad that I watch the show the night of. The whole Roy story is a good plot line but this is what we have been building towards, the key moment where Slade steps over the line and truly gives Oliver a reason to kill him, and for us to hate him. The episode does a great job of building up Moira Queen’s character the entire time and I think that is why this scene is so shocking! Moira is trying to fix things between the family and Thea, even going as far as ALMOST quitting her run for mayor. This episode’s flashback scenes are based 7 years prior to the current events and show how far Moira would go to protect her children, adding more lies to her repertoire. We learn that there is a little Oliver running around, maybe Central City, and that Moira paid the mother two million dollars to tell Oliver that she lost the baby. Like her or hate her, Moira Queen has spent her time protecting her children from the beginning, even after being involved with Malcolm Merlyn. Moira has worked hard to make amends for her destructive involvement in the Undertaking. I also like the fact that we learn that she knew about Oliver’s nightly activities, and that she had known for some time now. In the end, we were about to learn something NEW about Merlyn, but that conversation is cut short when Slade crashes into the Queen limo. When Oliver is giving the choice of whom to save, Moira actually sacrifices herself. She tells Slade to kill her, and in a poetic way he does, telling Oliver that he should have learned courage from his mother. Oliver is going to kill Slade.
Roy’s story is pretty simple. He gets loose, the Mirakuru is affecting his decisions and he beats up thugs, cops, Sin, and even snaps Oliver’s leg. Roy even convinces himself that Thea wants him to kill her! Crazy, like Slade always seeing Shado crazy. It is kind of comical to watch our hero limp around the entire episode. Sarah learns that she is a killer through and through, and leaves town. What a great point to do that! Crazy Slade is running around the city killing everyone and building an army and she decides to abandon her team and break up with Oliver. I don’t like the way this situation was handled and it actually really weakens Sarah’s character. I really hope she isn’t going back to the League of Assassins, but maybe she is going to get help. I mean how else is Team Arrow going to deal with Slade and his gang?! Oh and get ready for Ravager, because when you watch the promo for next week’s episode, because Summer Glau is all dressed up and ready to kick some butt!
“City of Blood”
[box_light]OLIVER CONSIDERS HIS OPTIONS AGAINST SLADE – After Slade threatens to take everything Oliver loves away, Oliver decides the fastest way to stop further bloodshed is to surrender to his enemy. Knowing that surrender will surely lead to Oliver’s death, Diggle and Felicity go to extreme measures to keep Oliver from confronting Slade. Meanwhile, Thea considers leaving town, and Laurel resumes her crusade against Sebastian Blood. Finally, Slade unleashes his assault on Starling City.[/box_light]
Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8pmEST on The CW! Only THREE more episodes left this season!
~CynicNerd
