Hello, everyone! This is lilfresh back with another Arrow review. Let's get to it!
THE RECAP:
I can't tell you how happy I was with this episode. After two substandard weeks in a row (in my humble opinion), we finally got the thing we've been waiting all season for: Slade rustlin' some serious jimmies.
Now I haven't exactly been a big fan of Slade's motivation for his whole big revenge scheme (which I may discuss in a future editorial), but honestly, Manu Bennett sells it so well that I'm starting to forget about it. In fact, he sells it so well I'm actually starting to root for him. Admit it. You were totally hoping he was going to kill Laurel at the end, too.
So the episode starts with Slade picking up Thea in his car, comforting her about Roy, and then totally flipping out at her when she realizes that some random back alley in the middle of the city isn't exactly the Queen mansion. Bennett turns his rage on and off so well it's just bone-chilling.
Later, at the debate (which was way too overproduced to be for a mayoral election. Just saying...), Slade hacks into the main screen to inform everyone that he's holding Thea for ransom. Side note: does everyone in the Arrow universe know how to hack into everything? Must get pretty annoying to live in Starling City, what with your internet being interrupted every 5 seconds because yet another serial killer wants everyone to know he/she's on the loose. Anyway, back to the show...
Oliver is understandably distressed at the thought of his sister being captured by Slade, so much so that he can't deal with all the company business Isabel Rochev is throwing at him. Oh yeah, Isabel's back, by the way. About time. He signs temporary control of the company over to her, which sure, that sounds like a great idea...
Team Arrow finds Slade just chillin' in his chair like a boss and shoots him with a sedative so the police can arrest him. But, of course, Slade is too awesome to get beaten like that. He had an alibi and was released almost immediately, leading to Oliver begging him to let Thea go and Mr. Lance getting in trouble for working with the vigilante.
Then from there, everything goes down. Slade tells Thea who her real father is, Isabel takes full control of Queen Consolidated, and Deathstroke gives the greatest waving gesture to a group of prisoners that has ever been captured on film. Like seriously, if he did that to me, I would follow him. No questions asked.
And at the very end, Slade just whispers to Laurel that Oliver is Green Arrow and then leaves. Doesn't even wait for a reaction. Just walks away. What a stud.
Not a lot happened on the island this week, but everything that did was still good. Man, Sara is dark!
THE GOOD:
+ Slade.
+ Slade.
+ Is it just me, or does anyone else really like their Russian friend on the island? Sure, he's kind of a stereotype, but still, he's pretty hilarious.
+ Ollie taking care of business with Slade's henchmen.
+ Diggle got to do something related to Team Arrow! I mean, it was just driving...but at least it's something!
+ Slade.
THE BAD:
- Deathstroke's sword throw kill looked a little off.
- So Laurel just believes Slade like that? It's kind of a normal TV thing, so I guess I'll let it off with a warning. Don't let it happen again, writers.
THE UGLY:
- Yeah I got nothing.
RANDOM MUSINGS:
- It will be interesting to see how Officer Lance gets out of that one.
- At first I thought Roy was being a baby when he threw his fit in the Arrow cave, but thinking about it more, I kinda see his side of it. He took it too far, sure, but it's not as bad as I thought.
- I didn't even notice that Shado was hanging out with Slade at Queen Consolidated in the end until I rewound. Nice touch.
- Can't wait for the inevitable final throwdown between Slade and Oliver.
Overall, I award this episode a
9.5 out of
10!
What did you think of the episode? Discuss in the comments below! As always, I'm lilfresh, and this is now my favorite article on CBM.com!