There was a moment in this week’s ARROW, the briefest of moments, a flash of about half a second, where I thought they had killed off the main character so Felicity could take over the show. Stupid I know, but not really considering how the show has been building to this episode.
A month ago, show-runner Marc Guggenheim and star of the show Stephen Amell tweeted out this image...
— Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) February 24, 2016
He would go on later that day to tweet out that it was, “Not a dream sequence. Not a hallucination. Not an alternate reality. Not a flash forward to a potential future.” Making sure we knew it was a scene from a forthcoming episode. If I have my time zones right too, he tweeted this image out just before the last episode before the spring break, meaning the show-runner and star of ARROW spoiled two major plot developments:
I say undermine rather than straight up spoil because we all kind of knew they weren’t getting back together so easily, that whilst the scene might not be a dream, it wasn’t all it seemed. But the point remains, the people behind the show care less about storytelling and character development than appeasing the loudest sub-set of fans, letting them know that they’re going to get their fix of Olicity. ARROW is no longer a show about a vigilante. It is a telenovela.
Cupid is back, played by Amy Gumenick, possibly the last of the Suicide Squad characters to be dealt with ahead of the film. After losing her last love (read: obsession), fellow Squad-mate Deadshot last season (last seen on an exploding rooftop) she has returned to Star City to prove 'Love is dead' by publicly killing celebrity couples on their wedding day. I could see where this was going a mile away.
Dealing with their breakup as only Felicity can, she constantly made cutting remarks about Oliver and their relationship to everyone in earshot at all times. Oliver just kept his mouth shut. I have never appreciated Stephen Amell’s stoic performance so much. But agreeing to stage a fake Olicity secret wedding to lure Cupid out, lead to the couple being forced to face the fact that whilst they still love each other, their relationship is toxic and really (REALLY) needed to come to an end. At one aforementioned point, Oliver took one of Cupid’s arrows to the chest, only for it to be revealed that he was wearing Kevlar. But in that moment, Felicity took charge, stood tall and began to talk Cupid down. This is what makes me angry with this show. We could have it all. Felicity could be a well-rounded character alongside everyone else in weekly tales of action, adventure and intrigue. But instead, the titular character gets side-lined so often they may have to change the name of the show and the Olicity shippers seem to be okay with that.
In this week’s other storylines, Baron Reiter was trying to invoke some kind of blood magic with an idol found in underground caves in the flashback sequences. To what end and exactly what kind of power this gives him is not made clear, but Oliver and Taiana stole the idol and made a run for it, trapping themselves deeper in the caves. Ambushing some of Reiter’s men, they armed themselves ready for a conflict over the idol, which seemingly can’t be destroyed by normal means.
Back in the present, a powerless Damien Darhk, whose totem was destroyed thanks to Vixen’s powers, is remanded in custody after being captured last episode, something I’ve been waiting to see. How do you try and convict a super criminal? Not easily it would seem. He has a different identity set up for himself as Kenneth Bender from the fictional nation of Markovia and despite walking right into a party last year ahead of a group of armed gunmen, there are no witnesses or real evidence that he’s responsible for the reign of terror Star City has suffered. It’s up to Captain Lance to fall upon his sword, incriminating himself by way of dishing the dirt on Darhk and HIVE’s activities. Laurel tried to keep her father out of proceedings, but Lance seems sanguine with the situation, even stating that if it meant sharing a cell next to Darhk, it would be worth it. Amongst a slew of dirty TV cops with skeletons in their closets, it was cathartic to see Lance stand up for what was right and seeing Laurel take pride in her father that man who taught her to use the law to do what was right. On the stand however, Lance brought up a very salient point. Testifying against Darhk may well put his life in jeopardy. As Felicity handed back her ring to Oliver, again, this time leaving Team Arrow for good (we’ll see), the final shot showed Darhk in his cell, having smuggled a ring into prison with him.
A new magical totem? A reminder that his wife and by extension HIVE are still out there? Looks like we can’t count the man from Markovia out just yet. And we’re only a month away from finding out who’s in the grave.
Written by Nick Whitney, ARROW Beat Writer -- Click here to read Nick's posts
Related Posts:
The CW Renews ARROW, THE FLASH and LEGENDS OF TOMORROW For New Seasons
ARROW Season 4 Episode 15: Vixen, A Woman With a Particular Set of Skills
- That Felicity would walk again (and so soon) and,
- Undermining the development of Felicity walking out on Oliver.
I say undermine rather than straight up spoil because we all kind of knew they weren’t getting back together so easily, that whilst the scene might not be a dream, it wasn’t all it seemed. But the point remains, the people behind the show care less about storytelling and character development than appeasing the loudest sub-set of fans, letting them know that they’re going to get their fix of Olicity. ARROW is no longer a show about a vigilante. It is a telenovela.
Cupid is back, played by Amy Gumenick, possibly the last of the Suicide Squad characters to be dealt with ahead of the film. After losing her last love (read: obsession), fellow Squad-mate Deadshot last season (last seen on an exploding rooftop) she has returned to Star City to prove 'Love is dead' by publicly killing celebrity couples on their wedding day. I could see where this was going a mile away.
Dealing with their breakup as only Felicity can, she constantly made cutting remarks about Oliver and their relationship to everyone in earshot at all times. Oliver just kept his mouth shut. I have never appreciated Stephen Amell’s stoic performance so much. But agreeing to stage a fake Olicity secret wedding to lure Cupid out, lead to the couple being forced to face the fact that whilst they still love each other, their relationship is toxic and really (REALLY) needed to come to an end. At one aforementioned point, Oliver took one of Cupid’s arrows to the chest, only for it to be revealed that he was wearing Kevlar. But in that moment, Felicity took charge, stood tall and began to talk Cupid down. This is what makes me angry with this show. We could have it all. Felicity could be a well-rounded character alongside everyone else in weekly tales of action, adventure and intrigue. But instead, the titular character gets side-lined so often they may have to change the name of the show and the Olicity shippers seem to be okay with that.
In this week’s other storylines, Baron Reiter was trying to invoke some kind of blood magic with an idol found in underground caves in the flashback sequences. To what end and exactly what kind of power this gives him is not made clear, but Oliver and Taiana stole the idol and made a run for it, trapping themselves deeper in the caves. Ambushing some of Reiter’s men, they armed themselves ready for a conflict over the idol, which seemingly can’t be destroyed by normal means.
Back in the present, a powerless Damien Darhk, whose totem was destroyed thanks to Vixen’s powers, is remanded in custody after being captured last episode, something I’ve been waiting to see. How do you try and convict a super criminal? Not easily it would seem. He has a different identity set up for himself as Kenneth Bender from the fictional nation of Markovia and despite walking right into a party last year ahead of a group of armed gunmen, there are no witnesses or real evidence that he’s responsible for the reign of terror Star City has suffered. It’s up to Captain Lance to fall upon his sword, incriminating himself by way of dishing the dirt on Darhk and HIVE’s activities. Laurel tried to keep her father out of proceedings, but Lance seems sanguine with the situation, even stating that if it meant sharing a cell next to Darhk, it would be worth it. Amongst a slew of dirty TV cops with skeletons in their closets, it was cathartic to see Lance stand up for what was right and seeing Laurel take pride in her father that man who taught her to use the law to do what was right. On the stand however, Lance brought up a very salient point. Testifying against Darhk may well put his life in jeopardy. As Felicity handed back her ring to Oliver, again, this time leaving Team Arrow for good (we’ll see), the final shot showed Darhk in his cell, having smuggled a ring into prison with him.
A new magical totem? A reminder that his wife and by extension HIVE are still out there? Looks like we can’t count the man from Markovia out just yet. And we’re only a month away from finding out who’s in the grave.
Written by Nick Whitney, ARROW Beat Writer -- Click here to read Nick's posts
Related Posts:
The CW Renews ARROW, THE FLASH and LEGENDS OF TOMORROW For New Seasons
ARROW Season 4 Episode 15: Vixen, A Woman With a Particular Set of Skills