‘Arrow’ Episode 3.20 “The Fallen” (7 out of 10) Starring Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, Paul Blackthorne. Guest Starring Brandon Routh, Matt Nable. First aired April 22, 2015.
In the stinger at the end of last week’s “Arrow,” Thea got a sword through the chest. I guess the Queens have to do everything together. “Well, Oliver got stabbed and nearly died, I’ve gotta do it too…” All part of a ploy by the League of Assassins to get Oliver to become the next Ra’s Al Ghul, the only way to save Thea’s life is to get her to Nanda Parbat, where she’ll get dunked in the Lazarus Pit, to be revived, albeit it a pretty psychologically damaged way. And everyone’s going this time around. Oliver, Thea, Diggle, Malcolm, and even Felicity, who borrows Ray Palmer’s private jet in one last girlfriendy favor, even as they’re breaking up because she loves Ollie more than she loves him. It stings, it hurts, not just Ray, but me. I really liked the fun relationship that Ray and Felicity had. Knowing that Ray/Atom was going to be leaving Starling City for the Arrow/Flash spinoff series, I figured their relationship was doomed…but I liked them together. Wah.
Most of the episode takes place in Nanda Parbat, where the deal becomes clear — if Oliver agrees to become Al Sah-him (“The Arrow”) and Heir to the Demon, Ra’s will permit Thea to be revived. If he doesn’t…his sister dies.
Of course, Oliver agrees to the deal, and by the end of the episode he’s all geared up in a new hoodie (because hoodies) and begins his training as the leader of the League of Assassins.
In nerdy debate, we’ve talked about the course that this could take. What I assume will happen is that this story line will collapse/resolve in the final four episodes of this season, with Oliver reclaiming his status as the hero of Starling City. What part of me hopes happens is that he’ll spend much of season four as Al Sah-him, shaping the League of Assassins to be more like a larger “Team Arrow,” training them to be vigilante heroes, not killers. There are hints that this could happen, with Maseo showing loyalty to Oliver over Ra’s Al Ghul, and Ra’s himself showing mercy to Maseo afterward. Could Oliver turn this into a force for good?
Who’s the big bad for season four?
I’m also wondering who the Big Bad will be for Season Four. There hasn’t been much on the rumor front; by this point last year we already knew that Ra’s Al Ghul would be the main villain this season. We’ve seen Merlyn, Deathstroke, and Ra’s Al Ghul so far. Of these, Deathstroke was the clear favorite, but I don’t want to see him come back as a seasonlong villain. We’ve done that. Deathstroke was taken from the Titans rogues gallery, Ra’s from Batman…Green Arrow himself doesn’t have a big enough stable of villains to have someone strong enough to carry a season. I haven’t speculated much–more curiosity about who they’ll pull from the DC vaults to fight the Emerald Archer.
There are some strong character moments in this episode. They come mostly in the form of one-on-one conversations between people we haven’t seen together before. Diggle and Maseo, talking about their friendship with Oliver, their personal losses, and how that motivates them. Felicity and (improbably, but I loved it) Ra’s Al Ghul, talking about what Oliver would be giving up as Al Sah-him. Both conversations are quiet, without over the top dialogue or acting, and they worked for each of the four characters involved. Well done.
We also have the Hong Kong storyline, usually my least favorite part of each episode. I know it’s all supposed to give depth to Oliver’s character, but “The Flash” doesn’t use that gimmick, and I think it’s stronger and moves faster for it. This particular one moved at a faster pace, as Oliver, Maseo and Tatsu are trying to stop the Omega virus, but it’s released anyway in the final flashback of the episode. In Nanda Parbat, Maseo makes clear for for the first time that his son died; is this how it happened? I’m finally (a little) interested in what’s happening. Plus there was a pretty cool “Raiders of the Lost Ark”-inspired truck chase. And Tatsu got to use her katana! …I still have some hope we’ll see her as Katana eventually, whether on “Arrow” or the spin-off.
It was steamy, it was a little gross.
The highlight of this episode for the Oliver/Felicity “Olicity” shippers was that the happy couple finally declared their undying-ish love for each other, and got it on. In a candlelit suite at Nanda Parbat. It was steamy, it was a little bit gross. As such things are. Part of me is happy for them? I guess? And part just sees it prolonging more episodes with teary Felicity, who has gone from being one of my favorite characters to somewhat wearisome. Please, don’t make her the Lana Lang of “Arrow.” Strengthen her, give her her spirit back. She can be a lover and a fighter. No more tears, man. That was Laurel’s thing, and I got tired of it. Felicity should be better than that.
With only three episodes left in the season, it doesn’t look like this will end as strong as Season Two did, with an epic battle in the streets. And I’m okay with that. But knowing that the showrunners like to end big–what are they going to do? We don’t have a Deathstroke Army, we don’t have an Earthquake Generator. Could the League of Assassins be the Main Event? I guess we’ll find out. With no breaks between now and the season finale May 13, it’ll be here before we know it.