Arrow Recap: Speedy Traps
This week’s episode of The CW‘s Arrow managed to take what was a wobbly “twist” — Roy aka Arsenal declared himself to be the Arrow, and turned himself in! — and find in the aftermath some meaty material that both resolved the cliffhanger, exited a major character and lit a fire under the Ra’s storyline.
After Roy was taken into custody, Laurel swung into lawyer mode and got Ollie sprung, seeing as her dad had a confessor in cuffs and zero evidence against Oliver. But Oliver found no peace in that swap, and endeavored to get Roy out of jail, before the Arrow’s many interpreted enemies did him in.
Oliver, alas, faced a battle on two fronts, seeing as his limitations in “saving the city” as the Arrow inhibited his want to take on a metahuman, eventually dubbed Deathbolt, who was wreaking havoc. Felicity suggested that Ray could step in and fill the void — and as Palmer himself noted, a man of science is perhaps better able to best this wielder of weaponized plasma.
Or not. Because the Atom then got his tin ass kicked — as an anxious Felicity ran the comms. So yeah, that plan merited a revisiting.
Oliver meanwhile continued to run hot, determined to bust Roy out of jail and, well, just do more. An intense Diggle warned his colleague to “throttle it back” before he loses everything, but to no avail. Felicity then chased down Oliver and suggested there was more going on with him that just the Roy sitch, that he was struggling with the reality that, more than ever — and perhaps forever — the Arrow is no more, given the Ra’s of it all. He needs to delegate, even if it means leaving Felicity to plant some device at the city power grid herself, only to get captured by the “security guard” whose mug shot she just looked at a few scenes ago…?
For Round 2, and with Felicity now in Deathbolt’s cross hairs, Ray uses a new gizmo he built into the Atom suit that allows Oliver to “fight” for him, Real Steel-style. And though Ray nearly loses, again, a Mickey Goldmill-esque pep talk from Oliver helps him get off the ropes and deliver a KO.
Meanwhile in prison, after Roy had already fantastically rebuffed a group assault, a guard later stabbed him, leaving him for dead. Shortly thereafter, Lance delivers to Thea and Oliver the news, that Harper is now playing a harp. (I’m here all week, kids!) Oliver is barely able to reel from the bombshell when Diggle and Felicity reveal to him a very much alive Roy, his death faked with some help from a friend of Lyla’s (the guard) and somethingoranother that slowed his heart rate. Being “dead” and all, Roy bids the team adieu, asks them to say bye to Thea for him, and leaves town to “start a new life.”
A dead/undead boyfriend, however, is perhaps the least of Thea’s problems, seeing as Ra’s has darkened her patio doorstep. She makes a futile attempt to roundhouse kick the League leader into oblivion, but Ra’s commanded the upper hand, and ran through her with his blade, suggesting that “sufficient motivation” should get Oliver to succeed him, as “asked.”
Elsewhere:
* In once-again-meandering flashbacks, Oliver and Maseo learned of General Shrieve’s intent to use the Alpha/Omega in Hong Kong. After (wayyyyy easily) infiltrating Shrieve’s base, Oliver found the plan, and he, Maseo and Tatsu plotted to thwart it.
* Hearing Felicity basically tell Oliver that she loved him visibly broke Ray’s heart.
* Upon locking up Deathbolt in the S.T.A.R. Labs Pipeline, Ray’s inquiry into how the metahumans get fed and poop is interrupted by Cisco’s realization that their latest capture wasn’t in Central City at the time of the dark matter explosion — so how did he become empowered??
What did you think of “Broken Arrow”?
THAT WAS ONE AWESOME EPISODE…Jokes, tears, epic prison fighting scene…Roy had some daredevil stunts going on. Can’t wait for next week.
Yeah, that fight was nifty and Netflix Presents Marvel’s Daredevil-like. Added to recap!
I thought that was clearly Sara. Aren’t the necklines of their costumes different. Maybe I’m wrong. I thought Sara will be brought back to log as the White Canary and spin off into the new show. Just take a little dip in the pit and everything is hunky dory.
After being dead that long, whatever came back wouldn’t be Sara. They could go that way, but I doubt that it is what the fans have been wanting.
Pet Sematary!
You’re right, it may be Sara (or a stand-in), judging not by the (ahem) neckline but the exposed forearms of her costume.
Minus the Shaw Brothers Studio punch sound effects that Daredevil used in every fight scene. They kept me laughing, that’s for sure. Worst fighting sound effects I have ever heard.
This was the best of this season. Absolutely loved it.
Best episode of the season! And next week Lazarus Pit…probably. Maybe that’s how Black Canary is alive for the spin off?!?
That promo did make a point to show a Canary (albeit Laurel’s), as Malcolm spoke of the Pit…. That must be what compels Oliver to take the gig — access to the “waters.”
I paused that scene of the Canary, that is not Laurel, the profile is Sarah!!!
This episode was the tipping point. I’ve been enjoying this show less and less over the year, and I finally deleted it from my TiVo queue.
Flash seems like it wants to start ratcheting up the angst lately, too. If it doesn’t cut the “lie to Iris” crap pretty soon, I might drop it, too.
This is supposed to be fun.
I’d be fine with cutting out Iris all together. Her character does nothing for the show. Make Frost his love interest.
I don’t want Iris gone. I like her as Barry’s ***sister***, and I want her to be happy with Eddie. I like the actress, too. I just wish they’d let her be more competent.
Yep. Iris has gone back to being Flash’s Laurel Lance.
Le yawn.
So is Thea dead? I refuse to believe that Roy is alive and well yet Thea isn’t too many dead women on this dang show.
More like too many Queens. I was sure Thea was safe seeing as his father and mother are already dead. No way they kill Thea. Let’s just hope whatever they do next week brings her back…in whatever form it is.
If she isn’t dead, then hasn’t she survived Ra’s’ blade? And wouldn’t that mean she too can be the next Ra’s al Ghul?
Oliver survived the blade on his own. Using the Lazarus Pit wouldn’t be the same thing.
I’m sure Oliver takes the gig as Ra’s just to gain access to the lazarus pit to bring thea back.. my guess anyways.
They really should dump the flashbacks.. I couldn’t really care less about this seasons flashback storyline… get him back on the island and resolve that so we can move forward with the main plot.
It’s just going nowhere, at least in regards to any story being told right now or imminently. If it’s to lay a foundation for Season 4… that was an iffy call.
There was a time when the flashbacks had some of the best material. Now, the pacing is piss poor. They are just treading water each week, when they could hold off and have more substantial episodes.
Yeah, the flashbacks aren’t really going anywhere this season and I barely payed attention to them this season. The episode where they went back to Starling was great, but other than that I don’t care too much. I want to see him in Russia with Anatoli and the Bratva, I miss the island a little, too, but the present day story is what it’s all about.
It’s a shame because I like Maseo and Tatsu but the flashbacks feel like we’re moving away from the real action in present day. I never felt like that during season 1 and 2. I always loved Slade flashbacks, for the most part.
A fun episode that we had to pause several times in order to catch our breath. Loved Colton in this episode, so sad to see Roy go but I wish Colton the best with his career. Ray was less annoying in this episode and served more of the overall story. I’m glad he is in on the Arrow secret now. As always Team Arrow is the highlight of the show. I love how Oliver’s emotional development in the present reflects the flashbacks and his “team” in both past and present helps his character to grow or learn in some way. The Felicity/Oliver scenes were great as always. Oliver’s deadpan reactions bring great humour to the character in contrast to More bubbly personalities. This was my favourite episode in a while. Can’t wait for next week. Bring on the Olicity sexy times.
Junkies. I posted my comments in the other article! Okay, copying to the appropriate page:
I find it hard to connect with this entire storyline. It all feels so forced and hollow. It has just been pushed too far and it seems like more of a gimmick than true progression.
At least Felicity only cried a couple of times this week.
Also, can they please kill off Captain Lance? I used to like him, but they have completely ruined that character. If he doesn’t at least lose his badge, I will be upset. But at this point, he probably needs to go.
I agree with you about Lance. He’s gone overboard. When the Chief of Ds is sending a friend in to tell you to dial it back, you’re a train very close to derailing.
Lance has nothing but vengeance for Oliver, also seen by the chief of detectives. This is gone too far. Thank you, Laurel.
Strongest episode in a while. Loved it. You gotta admit, Ray provides a few good chuckles with his antics. Also, Oliver’s inquiry towards Felicity — “Is there any chance you two are related?” — had me busting up laughing.
…except Caitlin made a near-identical joke 24 hours prior on “The Flash of Central City.”
“God, there are two of them.” True. I missed that.
I agree Stamanah. That was the funniest line of the episode and it was made funnier because it was delivered by Oliver.
Loved the episode. Really felt good to have Oliver on the receiving end of the “plan without being told there was a plan”. I thought the fight scene between Thea and Ra’s was good. Willow was bad ass. Flashbacks are starting to become “reinforce the main message of the show” rather than character development. Need to let others help you now and in the past in Hong Kong. Unneccesarily redundant.
They seem to illustrate that Oliver is incapable of learning.
LOVED seeing the core trio Team Arrow working together again! I’ve really missed that dynamic this season. So glad that Roy isn’t dead and I thought all the actors did a great job with the goodbye scene.
I’m not sure why Digg and Felicity couldn’t tell Oliver and Thea about their plan to save Roy, though. And, why couldn’t Thea be there in person to say goodbye to Roy? She knows the truth about everything now so why would they keep this from her? Eh, I guess plot needs won out once again and she needed to be home for R’as to brutally kill her.
Let’s see: Shado, Moira, Sara (x 3!) and now Thea. Super tired of female characters meeting horrible deaths on this show and it doesn’t matter if the death doesn’t ‘stick’, it still happened. Can they just LP all the characters they’ve killed off? I’d be okay with that.
Im a little confused. I read somewhere that the pit can only bring back 1 person. so how could sara and thea use it? I think it would be a dumb move for anyone to be able to use the pit because then why wouldnt they throw tommy and moira in there too…..
Thea is not actually dead. She’s near death but she’s not dead. So I’m guessing that Sara could be the 1 person they bring back and the pit is just used to heal Thea.
When used to heal, the Pit can be okay. When used to resurrect the dead, I don’t think it usually goes very well.
One of the better episodes this season. Ray wasn’t as unbearable as usual. Ray when he’s with Felicity on the other hand is just so false. Felicity’s clingy-ness made no sense when we all know she loves Oliver. Who is she trying to convince? It’s tedious now. Just end it already.
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Basically Oliver’s reactions to Ray were my reactions.
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I already guessed the twist but it was an emotional goodbye for Roy. Hope he comes back as a guest star sometimes. I was actually liking him a lot more this season. Considering I hated him back in season 1, that’s a huge improvement.
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Again, knew Thea would be targeted. Saving his sister is the only way Oliver will ever join the league – they foreshadowed that in episode 9. Interested to see how she fairs in the lazarus pit though. It turns some people crazy.
idk abt u bt i had one rebound ( im not proud of those days,i was a mess) to whom i was very clingy ( later my friends told me) without realising…
ray is no fool, saw his face when he was standing beside the car
That was a good episode, and that’s something I haven’t said about this show since the cross-over.
Roy was a hero; Oliver was teaching Ray how to be a hero (coming soon to a franchise near you — the Oliver Queen Superhero Training Academy) and I liked just about every character on the show except for Ra’s, who is still ridiculous.
Poor Thea, poor Quentin, who couldn’t save Sara or Roy.
Go, Laurel. You’re a good lawyer, they need you as that.
I loved the trick, and I’m glad it was with Lyla’s resources.
I wish they had let Ray into Team Arrow sooner because in scenes with Oliver, Ray is hilarious (and so are Stephen Amell and Brandon Routh).
Ray and Felicity to be done three episodes ago because that was cringeworthy.
” somethingoranother that slowed his heart rate.”
I think Diggle said it was beta blockers. It’s a medicine given to heart patients, and sometimes performers to deal with anxiety.
Ugh lance! Can’t just let things go. You got Roy “killed.” Seriously the worst.
Oh my goodness, this was one awesome, kick ass episode! So saddened that they killed Thea off… I literally started crying when they killed Roy & cried even more when he showed up alive moments later in their lair. Magnificently done! #arrowkicksass
Are the flashbacks really a way of introducing the Lazarus pits? Could that be related to the Alpha Omega chemical warfare but? I actually thought that was going to be revealed in an am earlier season three episode, related to Oliver coming back from the dead. But I could see it fitting in next week too.
I am sad what they’ve done to Captain Lance though. He has every right to be angry because Laurel lying to him was disgusting but he’s twisted everything now and has forgotten all the good the Arrow has done. I understand he’s grieving but it’s too much and I hate that they’ve twisted him into this just to make certain things happen. I really liked Quentin but now he just annoys me.
I hated that he didn’t even seem to care that he got Roy killed. He never hated Roy, but he just used the moment to take another low shot at Oliver. It was despicable.
He didn’t get Roy killed at all. I didn’t like the scene and all but it made sense, he even went to Roy to get him to tell the truth, kept saying it to Oliver.
Lance worked with their team. He was very enthusiastic and public with his support. Now he is throwing a tantrum about decisions that his daughters made and that tantrum got Roy killed (as far as Lance knows).
This wasn’t him enforcing the law. This was him stomping his feet.
He saw the mayor get attacked! He saw it was the Arrow! And Roy chose to take Oliver’s position. Not Lance’s fault he did.
He was very upset that Roy died. Earlier he had gone to Roy to try to save him from jail.
But Lance is very angry at The Arrow. He’s projecting all his anger and loss at him. It could make for a good redemption arc.
Is COLTON HAYNES officially leaving the arrow forever? Does anyone know?
Yes, he’s leaving as series regular. He’ll probably show up a couple more times but he’s not a permanent cast member anymore.
Good episode for a change. Still struggling with Ray. Not sure how he’s going to be a hero on his own show. He’s pretty useless so far. Wish they’d stop with the Raylicity stuff already. The thing is Olicity scenes are actually really good and emotional but then they ruin them with Raylicity. I don’t understand what they’re doing. So Olicity isn’t the problem, it’s stringing along Raylicity. I don’t think I’m over their awkwardness in the Flash episode though. Yuck. I still don’t understand why Malcolm is still around. He’s the worst! Die already. It’s all his fault anyway. Oh, and this episode had the perfect amount of Laurel doing what she does best – being a lawyer.
I am kinda shocked at the end but at the same time I’m not even worried about Thea. Other than then she’s obviously gonna be healed from the pit in the next one and going nuts as first, as I recall the news was she’s gonna be suiting up and wearing the mask eventually becoming Speedy as a new sidekick for Oliver. So we can all start breathing again cause we have nothing to worry about. Although I am totally upset that Roy is leaving.
What exactly did Ra’s mean when he said: “Protect me from your punishment.. on the day your servants are resurrected” when he stabbed Thea??
it’s something your say before you go to sleep in islam. O’Allah protect me from your punishment on the day your servants are resurrected
Yes, Ra’s said it for Thea because she was going to die.
“There’s a decent chance that you and Palmer are related.” Coupled with the look…..best line of the night. I’m a little surprised Oliver didn’t hug Roy….at least once before he left. Was I the only one expecting to see Malcolm pop up to help Thea fight with Ra’s? And again…..the Ra’s story is boring to me. You should not have to force someone to take over your worldwide network of assassins…….the new leader should want to lead……this whole plot is just absurd to me.
Yeah where was Malcolm? As we learned in the episode where Thea slept with the dj from the club, he’s always lurking around lol.
Ditto; any other time Malcolm just shows up at the loft when he wants to talk, but this time he and Oliver had a secret meeting in an alley. Plus, Malcolm’s scene was so short that the hairdresser didn’t even bother to style his hair as usual. John Barrowman showed up with his own real-life style. It’s almost like the scene was longer, but it was cut…I wouldn’t be surprised, so much was crammed into this episode.
Agree he has a daughter that wants to take over, if not Nyssa there will be someone in the league worthy of ruling
I also think Ra’s is quite boring and deserves a better story, and actually a longer story! Everything with Ra’s is forced, no reason of making him the enemy at the start when Malcolm was the real worst guy, he killed Sarah afterall, then Oliver goes back because he can’t digest anybody can beat him and to save Thea’s ”soul”? Seriously! Ra’s should be way more than this, he should have a better and bigger and more logical storyline, not a boring one like this! :(
I love this show, but Ra’s forcing Oliver to become Heir by every means possible is the stupidest thing they’ve ever come up with.
Why would he hand over his life’s work to someone who doesn’t want it and will most likely tear it apart? Prophecy? You don’t live that long if you govern your life by prophecy.
It truly is moronic, and for me, show-ruining. Plus more fricking angst to come. Good lord the angst, blech.
I remember i used to get really stoked for this show, but the second half of this season is just getting really aggravating. All the CW scripted drama is annoying as hell, detective Lance is pissing me off with his vendetta, and the flashbacks are getting aimless it seems. The season 2 flashbacks were actually crucial to the main plot. What I’m hoping tat whatever they’re doing is going to pay off. Okay so yea this episode wasn’t too bad. So maybe just maybe (This is a thought of mine) Roys leaving Starling is a set-up to have him featured more prominently in the spin off they’re working on, or even more far fetched maybe have him join the Titans? I know that Titans is going to be on TNT rather than CW, but I’ve read a few rumors that Titans is going to possibly be set in the Arrow/Flash DCverse.i really like Roy’s character and I’d really like to see the role reach it’s full potential. Here’s to hoping this show doesn’t lose my interest.
Also please excuse my typos. I’m still learning to use my new Keyboard :-)
Ray is delightful…he offered some much needed humor and Oliver’s reactions to Ray were priceless. I have never laughed this much watching Arrow. It was a great episode.
I really like Ray too and think Brandon Routh has been a breath of fresh air to an otherwise relentlessly dark show(The Flash, for me, is just so much better than Arrow right now); I’m kinda surprised that so many people seem to dislike the character. Right now, I prefer Felicity with him over Oliver.
Regarding Lance, they’re systematically ruining that character for me. Paul Blackthorne is a fantastic actor–not to mention sexy as hell–but Lance needs to get back to the character he once was.
I agree 100% with both of you. I LOVE Ray! He is a breath of fresh air. Everytime he comes on my screen I get a huge smile on my face. He’s so funny (I laughed so hard) and he and Felicity are wonderful together. Their relationship shines so bright in this dark world. I wanted to cry for him last night when he saw Felicity with Oliver, it’s just so sad. I also can’t stand Quentin, He’s reversed back to Season 1 obsessed jerk and is on my last nerve. He needs to stop this witch hunt now.
Thank you for that. I love Ray’s character. He plays innocence and eagerness in each scene. When given his own show, he’ll hold his own. Loved when Cisco commented on last night’s Flash “Is it a bird? A plane?” Nope, it’s Ray! He gives the Arrow a much needed infusion of humor, as does Felicity.
Wow Roy, way to not take your girlfriend with you when you leave town (as she’d desired before) and get the result of her getting stabbed. Nice move, slick.
I kid, obviously they probably would have followed them if they’d left together and the same thing would have happened, but wanted to comment on that because that was my instinct before logic took over.