Perhaps the most frustrating thing about Arrow is that is has all the potential in the world only to, usually, waste it. So much so that Arrow has become a watch-later show as I’m always expecting some sort of disappointment.
But then sometimes, there are episodes like “Star City Slayer” that remind me that this show used to be good; that this show can be good; that this show should be good. From putting the core of the show as the central focus to having a legitimate villain that is actually scary (nothing like Diaz) to beautifully weaving the present and flash-forwards into something compelling with an amazing yet expected bombshell.
It would figure that Arrow would deliver one of the best episodes of this season prior to a three-week hiatus. Because while in recent memory I haven’t looked forward to Arrow, now I actually need to see what happens next. Figures.
Let’s break down one of the better episodes of Arrow this season!
Oh, Baby! Olicity’s Baby!
So I don’t think there’s anyone in the Olicity fandom that didn’t call the whole “Mia is Olicity’s daughter” thing. And while it took forever for this show to reveal it — they saved it for one of their better episodes this season — it was so incredibly satisfying to hear confirmation. Mia is so Oliver and Felicity’s daughter. She’s got the brute strength and toughness from her dad and the wit and smarts from her mom. And it’s such a kick-ass combination.
While I haven’t been a fan of wanting a baby to be a part of this show, I feel like I could come around to it. It certainly helps that it’s Olicity’s baby, and it’s just so damn beautiful. But I’d need to see how this show handles that. Because this show isn’t known to handle story-lines well. Can we trust them with a baby story-line? That remains to be seen.
But something else I would appreciate in the next episode is getting a scene where Felicity tells Oliver that she’s pregnant. Don’t deprive us of that moment and just have everyone “know” that Felicity is pregnant. We deserve these family moments. But I won’t get my hopes up.
Felicity’s Still Alive (In The Future.) Duh!
I just wanted to talk about how Mia confirmed that Felicity is still alive in the flash-forwards, and I just want to say: DUH. WHAT WERE YOU EXPECTING?
Anyone that ever thought these writers would kill off Felicity are just moronic. Felicity has and will always be a fan favorite that’s pretty much untouchable at this point. Not to mention our girl is too smart to be killed by one of Rene’s goonies. I bet Felicity used death as a way to escape. Hopefully she’s chilling with Oliver, who’s also so not dead, in Ivy Town. Actually more believable is that Oliver and Felicity are together (hopefully with Diggle) and plotting how to take these bombs down.
Stanley, The Villain We Deserved.
Stanley, Oliver’s psychotic Slabside “friend” was more terrifying in less than 10 minutes than Ricardo Diaz has ever been. HE WAS THE VILLAIN WE DESERVED. HE WAS THE VILLAIN THAT ACTUALLY WAS TERRIFYING. HE WAS A VILLAIN THAT WAS BELIEVABLY A THREAT. What a damn shame we only got him for this episode. But it was a reminder that this show is capable of creating compelling villains and casting correctly.
Stanley’s obsession with Oliver in Slabside was something that you could just feel was setting up for something more. No one thought anything of Stanley, but those are often the most dangerous of criminals. And his return was glorious. Especially when he went after NTA. I’m just saying, that was satisfying. He was basically us until he went to Oliver and Felicity’s.
The psychotic, sociopathic nature of this character was something that left me on the edge of my seat. I was hooked. And while I knew that none of these characters were in any real danger, for a moment I could think that they were. Because he was that terrifying. And damn, I’ve missed that in a villain. God, I want it back.
Goodbye, Curtis.
I’ve wished and wished and wished for so long for Arrow to get rid of the Newbies, and finally the plan is in motion. I love Echo Kellum. He’s a sweet guy who’s incredibly talented and has a bright future, I just was not a fan of how this show treated his character. The infuriating thing is that Curtis’ introduction in season 4 was so exciting and full of promise. Until this show started to forcing him on us because they couldn’t come up with a story-line just for him. They had to force him on Felicity’s story-line. They had to make his character into a complete asshole with last season’s OTA vs. NTA story-line.
But Curtis’ exit was a good one. They didn’t kill him (thank God), but they also sent him off in a way that gives him some redemption for all the crap he’s done. He signed over his half of Helix to Felicity so that now she gets to run her own company. As it should’ve been from the beginning. Let’s just hope we actually get to see this play out. The door is open for Curtis to return at times, and you know what, I’m not mad about that.
The Next Generation of OTA
“This started with the three of us.”
What an iconic line by Oliver Queen back in season 2 that cemented the significance of OTA and Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle to this show and this mission. They are the gold standard of all superhero teams. And I cannot tell you how much I yearn for moments like seasons 1 and 2 when it was just the three of them.
But guess what, looks like Arrow is setting up for the next generation of OTA. Not only do we have Oliver and Felicity’s children in William and Mia, we also have Diggle’s son, Connor Hawke. And I’ll be damned if they don’t look like the next reincarnation of one of the best superhero teams. I wasn’t a big fan of an idea of a spinoff with the flashforward peeps, but I would so watch a show where Mia, William, and Connor are Team Arrow. I’d watch the hell out of it.
This started with Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle. But perhaps it will continue with Mia, William, and Connor.
I Better Get My Happy Ending At The End Of This.
While the flashforwards instantly became more intriguing with the confirmation of the revelation that Mia is Oliver and Felicity’s daughter, there’s still something about the flashforwards that doesn’t sit right with me. If this is the world that awaits them, what’s the point of watching now? We already know what’s going to happen. We know that the heroes won’t win in the end. We know that darkness is coming. Unless this is a future that can be changed. I don’t know how — maybe the crossover next year, some help from Barry. I don’t know, and I don’t care. I just need this future fixed.
If there is one character in the Arrowverse that deserves a happy ending after everything, it’s Oliver Queen. Hell, he earned that after the first two seasons. So, of course, this future glimpse shows us that, presumably, Oliver doesn’t get the happy ending he deserves. Oliver deserves to retire as a hero and live a happy life with his wife Felicity and their daughter, Mia, and son, William. Oliver and Felicity both deserve that. And I swear to God if these writers don’t find a way to give them a happy ending at the end of all of this…
Arrow airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW.
