Arrow Recap and Review: Oliver Twist
The episode begins, we a chase between the Starling PD and a Guillermo Barrera a world class hitman that targets the high profile. After arriving in Starling City for no more than five minutes, Guillermo comes face to face with The Hood and he doesn’t last very long. The Hood takes Barrera’s phone and leaves just as the police arrive on scene. He takes the phone back to HQ, for Felicity to crack to find out who Guillermo was sent to kill.
Meanwhile, Oliver and Mckenna make their way to Laurel’s to celebrate Tommy’s birthday. The party starts off to a great start, but it is soon interrupted by Malcolm who wishes to give a gift to his son, but also to try to convince him to come to award’s ceremony in his honor. Tommy rejects the invitation along with his father, but during an lunch outing with Oliver, Tommy gains some perspective and rethinks his answer. The scene quickly changes to China White, meeting with a not-so-dead Lawton aka Deadshot discussing about the contract that has been place on Malcolm’s head. She entices Lawton to get back into the business, with a new and improved laser scope and he is more than thrilled to get back into the game.
As the show presses on, the day of the award’s ceremony arrives and Tommy surprises his father by attending the ceremony to show support while China White and her men are waiting for their moment to strike. After countless hours, Felicity is able to crack the phone and to both her and Diggle’s amazement Malcolm is revealed to be the intended target. They relay this information to Oliver who quickly dons his vigilante gear and makes a call to Quentin telling him to send reinforcements. Flashback to the island, Oliver is fixing up a radio to try call out for help. He is able to get it functioning only enough to overhear not make contact. Even though, Slade and Oliver are still able to overhear one of Fyres radio calls regarding his benefactor who may show up on the island. The two head out to see the “man behind the curtain,” but instead find Russian missile launchers that are prefect for decimation and war.
Back in present time, China White and her men set their plan into motion, but once Malcolm catches on his only priority his ensuring his son’s safety. He and Tommy decide to head up to the penthouse because of the panic room that is installed, but as they make their way up they encounter gun fire. The Hood shows up to provide cover for them to escape, but they still encounter opposition but Malcolm quickly takes charge disarming both men and even killing one to protect his son. Once they make it the penthouse, Malcolm almost reveals his secret as the Dark Archer, but Lawton fires and creates an explosion knocking out the Merylns.
When they come to Malcolm is shot multiple times, but is thankfully wearing a bullet proof vest. However, a lone bullet laced with poison still manages to get past the vest, thus poisioning Malcolm. The Hood shows up, telling Tommy that the only option is to a do a blood transfusion to ensure his father’s survival. Tommy wants insurance that this procedure will work and in order to gain his trust, Oliver reveals true his identity. Oliver flees before the cops show up, but not before he makes sure Malcom is okay. When the police finally arrives on scene they question why the vigilante seemed to have a special interest and Tommy replies he has no idea why, keeping his friend’s identity a secret.
As the episode ends, Malcolm is in the hospital recovering from the bullet wound. He and Tommy start to make some headway in rebuilding their relationship, with Malcolm explaining that he met someone who gave him purpose after his mother’s death showing him how to channel his anger, but before he can elaborate Moira appears wanting to talk. As for Tommy and Oliver, their friendship is on the rocks with Tommy learning the shocking truth about his best friend and also learning that Oliver was never going to tell about being the vigilante at all. And for Laurel, well as she is leaving her apartment to meet Tommy at the hospital, her mother shows up for the first time in years not only to apologize to her daughter, but to inform her of the news that her sister may be still alive.
Say, what?! This seems to be the common reaction for tonight’s episode. Whether it is Oliver revealing his identity to Tommy, to Lawton appearing to be alive and kicking to Laurel’s mother believing Sarah may be still alive, there is an endless pile of questions that seems to be never ending. With each new revelation there is a question never too far behind enticing viewers to return with the hopes of gaining answers and insights to what is truly going on.
The plot of tonight’s episode was a hearty one that was well-done and served its purpose to further plot and set the stage for future developments between Oliver and Tommy. As stated before, Oliver wears two masks, one as the Starling City’s golden boy and the other as a renegade vigilante who walks the fine line of trying to protect those he most cares about. In this instance, Oliver’s two worlds mesh leaving destruction in its wake, something that Oliver has fought so desperately to avoid. Oliver has no reason to hide behind his lies and half-truths anymore, leaving himself more vulnerable than ever before. We have seen through flashbacks, the physical trauma he has endured, but with this new development can we see Oliver experience heartache that he has never imagined before all at the hands of someone close to him or will he gain an ally he never thought was possible?
As for the acting, tonight everyone was spot on, but the episode belonged to Colin Donnell and John Barrowman stealing every scene with riveting performances. John was masterful switching from cold distant father to protector in a matters seconds, to Colin who gave a brilliant performance as the troubled son who is still trying to make his father proud as it is the only parent, family he has left. Let’s just hope this second chance Malcolm was given is not squandered for Tommy’s sake.
In all, this was an excellent episode that was solid from start to finish, that captivated me right from the very beginning. As stated before in previous articles, ‘Arrow’ is a show that separates itself from pack, truly creating its own unique universe with well-rounded characters that are easy to connect with and enticing plots that leave you wanting more.
Originally posted on Affairs Magazine
