‘Arrow’ Episode 4.1 “Green Arrow” (7 out of 10) Starring Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, Paul Blackthorne. Guest Starring Neal McDonough. First aired October 7, 2015.
“Arrow” has always been a kind of sluggish show. It spends several episodes doing what “The Flash” does in one. When last season ended, with Oliver and Felicity driving off into the sunset, I assumed that they’d spend the first six episodes of this season working their way back to Starling City. Instead, we saw about ten minutes of their domestic bliss (jogging in a green hoodie, Felicity burning breakfast with Oliver growling what may be my favorite line in this entire series, “You have failed this omelet,” mimosas with boring neighbors), culminating in what was about to be a marriage proposal. But proposal interruptus. It happens to all of us, Ollie. Thea and Laurel need the Arrow to come back home.
you have failed this omelet
It seems that shortly after Ray Palmer blew himself to hell (but like really microscopic hell, I’m guessing), Starling City’s leadership changed the name of the city to “Star City,” which has been the traditional home of Green Arrow in the comic books. So Star City is once again under assault by a supervillain. Gang members called “ghosts” are terrorizing the good citizens and the leadership of the city; Star City has had three mayors killed in as many years, and now the city council has been assassinated. It turns out the ghosts are agents of H.I.V.E. (it was an acronym in the comics, here it may just be “Hive”), under the leadership of Damien Darhk. We were introduced to the name last year, a member of the League of Assassins and rival to Ra’s Al Ghul. It looks like Darhk has some kind of mystical powers, where he can suck the life force out of you with a touch of his hand–something that Team Arrow isn’t quite ready to handle.
All of that isn’t enough to get Oliver Queen back in the game. He likes being happy. He likes being domestic. He likes what he has with Felicity. After the events of the episode, especially seeing how close to the edge Thea is, he decides to come back. Of course. Turns out Cisco from “The Flash” has upgraded his suit again, going sleeveless, a little more armored, and a little greener. With Roy Harper taking the fall and faking his death last year as “the Arrow,” Ollie takes a new name for himself in a speech broadcast from his bunker — “I…Am…Green…Arrow.” So he finally gets the name he’s had coming for four years. He’s fighting alongside Black Canary and Speedy, he’s got a happy life with Felicity, and he’s repairing his relationship with Diggle (who also has a new costume for the first time — more tactical armor with a Magneto/Judge Dredd helmet — I’m liking it more than I’m not). Things are looking up for Ollie.
There are three things that were genuine surprises for me in this episode:
The flashbacks started out in Coast City (we even see a “Jordan” pilot’s jacket in a bar — Green Lantern team up yay?), but Ollie’s quickly kidnapped and dropped out of a plane…back on Lian Yu. The island he was stranded on for the first two seasons. I liked the Lian Yu flashbacks more than the Hong Kong ones of season three; but I still don’t like them. I think the whole format slows the episodes (and the series) down, and only rarely pay off in the present. We’ll see I guess.
One of the heroes of Star City is in league with Damien Darhk and H.I.V.E. I’m not sure why. It was only semi-explained. It seems very out of character for that hero, but again…we’ll see I guess.
The last surprise was in the “stinger” for the episode–the very last thing before the closing credits. Six Months Later”.. Oliver Queen and Barry Allen are standing by a fresh grave. “It’s my fault,” Ollie says. “She wanted…something…to fight…help…mission…” I don’t remember what Barry says back. In any case. Someone’s dead six months from now. That could all change, of course, but who is it? Thea? Felicity? Laurel? Right now my money’s on Lyla, Diggle’s wife. Because that would change the series the least. We’ll. See. I. Guess.
Next week’s episode introduces the Batman vigilante Anarky — I super hope he has a big hat.