‘Arrow’ Episode 3.19 “Broken Arrow” (8 out of 10) Starring Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, Colton Haynes. Guest Starring Brandon Routh, Douglas Jones. First aired April 15, 2015.
For weeks now, the producers of “Arrow” have been teasing this arc of episodes, saying “this will change everything!” Stephen Amell said something like “it will be an entirely new show after this.” After watching last night’s episode “Broken Arrow,” I’m seeing that what they’re saying could well be true.
With that in mind, this is a more spoiler-filled recap than usual for me. Because there’s stuff that will need to be discussed.
The previous episode ended with Oliver Queen in handcuffs and the Starling City PD’s paddywagon. Is that what those things are called? Am I like 120 years old? Um. Police van used to transport prisoners. Anyway. As they were taking him Downtown, like cops do, BOOM Arrow jumped onto the roof. Arrow? But Ollie’s in the van–who? It was Roy Harper, dressed as the Arrow.
Roy Harper confesses that he’s really the Arrow. Captain Lance knows he’s not, partially because he’s sure Oliver Queen is, and partially because he already knows Roy’s Arsenal. So he knows. But thanks to legal wrangling via his own daughter Laurel Lance, Captain Lance has to let Oliver go. But he doesn’t let it go. He warrants his way into the Arrowcave, he threatens all of Oliver’s remaining friends and family–and it takes his own superior threatening him to make him back down.
Meanwhile, Roy’s in the big house getting his ass kicked, and kicking some ass of his own. Seems that convicts don’t like superheroes (or their sidekicks) all that much. He gets beat up, he eventually gets stabbed…and dies. With everything else that Oliver Queen has lost, losing Roy was the last straw. He’s sure he needs to give up superheroing. He feels guilt that he can’t overcome.
Meanwhile, oh yeah, there’s an actual metahuman in Starling City. No longer confined to Central City, this dude Deathbolt is in town, and he can shoot lasers out of his eyes and kill people. Since the Arrow is supposedly in prison (and later, dead) Ray Palmer steps up in his improved A.T.O.M. suit, and offers to help. There are some good moments between Oliver and Ray here, and some complicated moments between Felicty and Oliver and Ray that are still unresolved by the end of the episode. Knowing that Ray Palmer/Atom is spinning off into the new…spinoff…I’m wondering if the romantic entanglements are part of what sets him off on hiw own path…I guess we’ll see. As with other recent episodes, the Villain of the Week isn’t as important as the other things going on. I like Doug Jones, he’s a freak, I’m hoping we see him again.
Plot twist: Roy isn’t actually dead, but it was a way to get the Arrow absolved of crimes through his “death,” and Felicity and Roy and Diggle were all in on it. They send Roy on his way out of town, maybe we’ll see him again as a Special Guest Star, but he’s not going to be a part of Team Arrow anymore. Which…comic book-wise is kind of fitting. The sidekicks grow up and leave the nest. Usually it takes more than a season to do that. But the cave was getting crowded.
…if the “Arrow” just died in prison, what does that mean for Ollie? He can’t take up the hood again…not the same hood, at least. The end of the episode brings us back to Ra’s Al Ghul, who launces a final attack on Oliver Queen. Earlier this year he stabbed Oliver through the chest–now he does the same to Thea. Will this lead them all to Nanda Parbat? Will we finally see a legit Lazarus Pit in action? Is this the bait that leads Oliver to become the next Ra’s Al Ghul? Find out next week! …or…probably, dragged out over the final five episodes of the season! We’ll be watching.