Arrow Season One: Burned

"I am The Fur-.....wait no"

The episode starts off during a huge fire and one fire fighter shoots accelerant at another one, causing that fire fighter to go up in flames. Meanwhile it has been six weeks since Walter's kidnapping and Diggle thinks that since there has been no updates he is most likely dead. He also wants Oliver to go back to the list but Oliver seems distracted and just wants to watch over his family, he then has a Flashback and he watches Yao Fei being dragged away. Later Quentin is the one who has to tell Laurel's friend Joanna that her brother died in the fire however Joanna later tells Laurel that she thinks her brother was murdered. Thea and Oliver are then seen watching TV and they notice that crime is on the rise thanks to the absence of The Hood.

Come on Oliver! This town needs a hero!

Laurel later brings Joanna's evidence to Quentin but he wants to leave the matter to the fire department after failing to analyse The Hood's phone, Laurel however takes it and asks The Hood for help. Oliver visits Laurel as The Hood but later tells Diggle to let the police handle it much to Diggle's annoyance. Later Tommy wants to raise a fundraiser for the fire department which impresses Oliver and Quentin confronts Laurel about the phone, meanwhile Moira is pressured in to becoming CEO of Queen's Consolidated but she doesn't think she is ready. Diggle then tells Oliver of a pickup truck linked to the fire deaths and Oliver follows it as The Hood to a fire but is too late to stop the killer murdering another fire fighter, during this he has a Flashback where he is chased by a commando. In the present the killer manages to escape but not before Oliver sees a fly tattoo and scars which he tells Laurel about, this angers Diggle who thinks Oliver is abandoning the case and thinks the Dark Archer has gotten to his head.

This fight would have been more epic if it was just a tad longer

Laurel speaks with Fire Chief Raines who tells her of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of many civilians and six fire fighters including Garfield Lynns who was a member of a fire fighter team that tattooed Fireflies onto their wrists. Laurel tells this to The Hood and we have another Flashback and Oliver has killed his purser and back in the present Diggle manages to snap Oliver out of his worries and come to the conclusion that Garfield is dead. At the fundraiser however Garfield arrives to kill Raines but The Hood arrives and offer to help him; though Garfield is thankful for this he kills himself in the end. Later The Hood is hailed as a hero on the news, Moira has accepted being CEO and Quentin bugs the phone Laurel uses to contact The Hood. In a Flashback Oliver has disguised himself as the commando and has found a key and map and the episode ends with Oliver telling Diggle it's time to return to the list.

Did a really good job on his burn make up

You know after the awesome events involving the Dark Archer last episode this felt like it kind of winded down a bit but I will first mention the good points in this episode. Firstly I really like how his run in with the Dark Archer last episode was still affecting Oliver; it was his first major loss and I'm glad they didn't just forget about it and how Oliver had to deal with basically his fear of another loss throughout this episode. This also proves again just how much Oliver needs Diggle (he mentioned this in episode four) because Diggle will always be the voice of reason to Oliver and provide support; he can't do this alone! I also liked the Flashback in this episode because it showed us Oliver's first kill; so far Oliver's just been focused on getting off the island but Yao Fei was right that the bird wasn't the only think he would have to kill.

Yep he isn't getting up from that

Now for what I really didn't like about this was that Firefly, like several other comic characters in this, bore little resemble to his comic counterpart and was really grounded as well. I don't know too much about Firefly but the version I am used to seeing is a pyromaniac equipped with a flamethrower and flying suit (Arkham Origins for example). I didn't like his tragic backstory and revenge plot they gave him; I know it was supposed to mirror Oliver's list but I just didn't buy it and it didn't seem the writers put much thought in to it. Plus we didn't get a real final showdown between Firefly and The Hood which was disappointing because I think it would have made for a great fight if Firefly was at least equipped with his flamethrower. My biggest criticism of this show is that it take a too realistic take on the comic book and characters, it tries to follow in the foot steps of Christopher Nolan's Batman too much. This of course is a strong point The Flash has over Arrow because it doesn't hold back with it's villains because they are Meta Humans and it truly feels like a comic book. However I do think Arrow is still better than The Flash right now for two reasons; The Flash has barely half a season aired so far and I know Arrow defiantly gets better and addressed these issues, especially the epic season two which felt more like a comic book.

"Knew this was going to be a bad idea"

Overall I didn't really like this episode too much because the events with Firefly felt like filler after last episode more than anything. Oliver's attitude and his Flashback was great though and I couldn't believe Quentin bugged the phone at the end, that is just really not going to end well. I know this review seemed short but I don't think too much stuff really happened in this.

SCORE: 5/10

Highlights: Oliver dealing with his defeat by the Dark Archer
                   Flashback

Let - Downs: Firefly was too grounded and I didn't much care for the events surrounding him which was the majority of the episode

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/

My Top Five Favourite Video Games of all Time

Thought I'd take a break with my Arrow reviews to do something different and write another top five. As I mentioned in my last Arrow review I am trying to catch up to season three but I will try harder now to fit in some film or game reviews etc. Thought I'd add that there will be only one game per franchise or else my list will be full of Final Fantasy games.

5. Devil May Cry 3 - Still holds up today as the best hack and slash game in my opinion and the best in the Devil May Cry series. The gameplay was just so awesome in this from being able to change your class to the combos you can pull off and not to mention the enemies where quite difficult and can change battle tactics to fight you. The story was also great because we got a cocky, young Dante who was just so funny and Vergil is one of my favourite game villains of all time.

4. Kingdom Hearts 2 - This game improved absolutely everything great about the first and included so much more content that it took me ages to finish everything when I first played it. The graphics where so amazing for the time (still look better than a lot of stuff now) and the environments where so big that there was plenty of room for fighting and massive bosses. I liked how Sora can change outfits in battle and wield two keyblades and there was so many different types of enemies. Plus the game felt that it took so long to finish as well because you get revisit every world but I didn't find that repetitive because there was different things to do each time and you got to fight the Nobodies instead of the Heartless. They story in this was so gripping as well since we got to go to all those Disney worlds which also included Final Fantasy characters and Organization XIII was just awesome! 

3. Resident Evil (Remake) - This game stands as the most perfect remake that ever existed in all forms of media and I'm including films and TV as well as well as the best survival horror game. They didn't just improve the graphics and gave us better voice actors instead they included a lot of extra content that was so welcomed; we got the Crimson Heads, Lisa Trevor, new puzzles etc. It also is one of the scariest games I have ever played as well (when I was younger) because of the music, atmosphere and shadows. I know some people complain about the controls and fixed camera angles of the old Resident Evils like this one but in my opinion they add a lot to the horror element that recent Resident Evils like 4, 5 and 6 lack.

2. Fahrenheit Indigo Prophecy - I loved this game after the first few minutes I played it because it was so different from any game I have played before and I play a lot of games. This game is mainly a story focused game but it is just so damn good that I could not put my controller down, I just had to keep playing. Its starts off as a murder mystery but it turns into something much more and I know some reviewers have complained about that but I loved all the twists and turns. It was also one of the first games where your decisions in conversations and gameplay affect the rest of the game; looking back I know they where not that big and it all leads to almost the same conclusion but it was still something new to me at the time and I still enjoyed it. Besides the gripping story we also have some really interesting characters that you invest a lot of yourself into and they all have some of the best voice acting I have heard. Lastly Lucas Kane is one of my favourite game protagonists of all time and this game is way better than David Cage's more recent ones like Heavy Rain.

1. Final Fantasy VII - This probably was an obvious one because I may have mentioned it before but nevertheless FFVII remains, and will always remain, my favourite game of all time and one of the best RPGs. I could talk for hours about the amazing combat system where you use Materia to grant yourself magic, the hundreds of enemies you face, the side quests that seem to take forever to finish or the story and characters that had me so addicted to this game that I would play it for hours and hours and hours at a time but I want to keep these explanations short. However what eclipses all of that is the sense of freedom and adventure you get when you play this game. This is helped by one of my most favourite moments in gaming; leaving Midgar for the first time. Who can deny that was an awesome moment; stepping out of the city, hearing the world map music for the first time, seeing the grasslands before me waiting to be explored - it was just something words can't express for me but I did know at that moment it was my favourite game. Interesting note this was also the very first game I bought for myself; got it when I was seven or eight and I haven't stopped playing it since, I admit I probably don't play it as much now because of all the next gen stuff but I always find the time to play it when I can.

Honourable Mentions: All other Final Fantasy games, Metal Gear Solid series, Silent Hill series, Tekken series, Mortal Kombat series, All other Devil May Cry and Resident Evil games, Dead or Alive series, Destiny, The Last of Us, Call of Duty series, Splinter Cell series, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and I that's all I can think of right now but I'm sure I have missed many.

There you have it my top five games, maybe I'll make some more top five or tens soon :)   

Arrow Season One: Year's End




Now that is a really awesome costume

Adam Hunt, who was recently taken down by Oliver, is on the phone but is interrupted by an unseen visitor. Hunt seems to know who this person is but his killed by three arrows to the chest before he can say much. While sparring in their hideout Diggle reminds Oliver that it is Christmas and that he should have a break, Oliver considers this after remembering how his family spent Christmas. In a Flashback Yao Fei has returned and has brought Fyers as a prisoner and says that they can use him to get off the island. In the present Oliver goes back to the manor and finds Malcolm Merlyn and Police Commissioner Brian Nudocerdo having dinner with Moira and Walter; Brian of course is against The Hood but Walter and Malcolm seem to show support. Walter is soon called away by Felicity who says that Dr. Doug Miller, the head of Applied Sciences at Queen Consolidated, is on the journal list while Brian is called away because the police have found out about Hunt's murder.

There's a new archer in town

Oliver listens in at the crime scene while Quentin tells Brian this was not The Hood; the arrows are black and since Hunt was already dealt with, he suspects a copycat. Oliver and Diggle try to work out who the copycat is and enlist the help of Quentin by slipping him a cell phone and speaking with a voice filter, however Quentin isn't interested in working with The Hood. While out with Thea, Oliver finds out that his family have been avoiding Christmas and their annual party for the last four years but Oliver wants to have one now. In a Flashback Fyers explains to Oliver that the island was a prison and when his men purged the island they only spared two; Yao Fei and Billy Wintergreen, the man in the mask. Oliver is still distrustful of him because he had Wintergreen torture him but Fyers argues that Yao Fei is guilty of slaughtering innocent people and needed to find him. In the present Malcolm voices concern that Walter is finding out too much (having already contacted Miller) and wants to call his "associate" to deal with but Moira says she will handle it.

"You calling to wish me Merry Christmas?"

Later a businessman is killed by the Dark Archer and while at the scene Brian want Quentin to accuse The Hood of the two recent murders however Quentin refuses believing this really isn't The Hood. When Brian takes Quentin off the case he phones The Hood and agrees to give him one of the black arrows used for the murder. Oliver gives the black arrow to Felicity and she works out where it came from meanwhile Tommy asks Laurel to Oliver's Christmas party. Oliver goes to the place where the black arrow was made but is almost caught in a bomb blast. Later at the Christmas party, except for talking with Laurel, things don't go so well; Walter confronts Moira about what she is involved in and says he won't stop and Oliver finds Thea about to get it on with her boyfriend and of course she tries to stupidly justify every stupid thing she does. He then has to leave the part when he finds out the Dark Archer has taken hostages in a warehouse and threatening to execute them.

Awwww a nice family portrait

In a Flashback Fyers has led them into a trap and Wintergreen arrives to battle Yao Fei; Oliver manages to escape but Yao Fei is captured. In the present Oliver as The Hood has arrived at the warehouse, freed the hostages and does battle with the Dark Archer however just when things look even the Dark Archer gets the upper hand and shoots two arrows in to Oliver's back. He moves in to unmask Oliver but his stabbed in the leg with an arrow and flees, Oliver then radios Diggle for help. Oliver wakes up in a hospital where Thea says she is sorry elsewhere the Dark Archer removes his hood to reveal Malcolm Merlyn. Walter is later kidnapped and when Moira confronts Malcolm about this he says he will be freed after his plan is done though Moira argues that it will cost thousands of lives. The episode ends with Oliver believing he has failed the city this time and resolved to find whoever wrote the list of names.

So will we see the real Deathstroke soon?

Took a long time to go over this episode but there was a lot of points to cover with the most important one being that there is a new archer in town and that it is Malcolm Merlyn. I am really glad that it was him because in the comics he his a master archer and arch - nemesis of the Arrow who calls himself Merlyn. As I mentioned when Malcolm was revealed to be Tommy's father Merlyn could have been him or Tommy since they both have been Merlyn in the comics. I don't know if this means that Tommy may one day take over the role since right now he doesn't even seem to be any good at fighting. However I am happy as Malcolm as the Dark Archer for now because he was a badass; everything from is awesome black costume to his fight with Oliver on the roof, it was really cool seeing two archers fight each other. Since this basically confirms Malcolm is the main antagonist I hope for more showdowns between him and Oliver.

"Let's let the two archers fight it out"

Another great thing was the great Flashback that surely makes up for it's two episode absence and proves that the Flashbacks are one of the best things about this series. I really didn't believe Fyers would have been captured that easily and that's good because we had an epic battle between Wintergreen and Yao Fei. I am surprised that he wasn't the real Deathstroke (Deathstroke's real name is Slade Wilson) so I guess this means Wintergreen might be an apprentice of the real Deathstroke or his apprentice his Deathstroke? (seriously thought that at the time and it doesn't sound that bad of an idea). I guess Oliver is on his own now and I wonder how long he will last without Yao Fei or how long Yao Fei will last under torture. We also learned more about the island and it is interesting to know this really isn't just some random spit of land but has a lot of backstory.

Look behind you Walter!

As for the rest of the episode once again the subplot involving Walter was good but I don't like how he is now taken out of the story. It almost feels like the writers don't know what to do with him or his investigation with Felicity so they decided to get rid of him for now which is a shame. Quentin was really great in this one because he actually stood up for The Hood when Brian wanted to blame him for the murders, I guess Quentin is getting around to seeing that The Hood isn't all bad. Lastly Thea has been a let down again; I said it before but I'll say it again the writers are trying to make her out as some troubled, rebellious, rich party girl but do we really care? Why does she have to justify the stupid things she does at the end of the episode why can't they give her an interesting subplot like Walter.

"I should have expected this!"

Overall this is one of the best episode so far and that is thanks to Malcolm and the great Flashback we had. You might have noticed I am speeding up my Arrow reviews but that is because I do want to catch up to season three but don't worry; there won't be any drop in quality because every review of old episodes I write are done at least a week in advance before upload so I got lots stored. Of course currently airing series like Gotham and The Flash have to be written in a day.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: The Dark Archer and the fights with Oliver
                   The Flashback - Yao Fei vs. Wintergreen
                
Let - Downs: Thea
                      Walter now out of the story

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/ 

Arrow Season One: Vendetta



At least the costume for The Huntress is good and that's the only good thing I'll say about her

The episode begins with Helena leaving Oliver in bed to track down the Triad but is stopped by Oliver who followed her as The Hood. Helena agrees to go to dinner with him but is not swayed to change her ways, Diggle thinks this is a good things because he believes Helena cannot be saved. Oliver then visits Helena in the cemetery and tells her about Sara Lance which convinces her to listen to him, Oliver then brings her to his hideout which annoys Diggle. Meanwhile Laurel wants Tommy to ask Oliver for a job and Felicity tells Walter she has found more information but he doesn't want to hear it. Later Oliver equips Helena with a crossbow and costume and takes her stop a drug dealer who works for her father, Oliver says this proves she can seek justice with killing innocents. Walter then searches through Moira's things and finds a blank journal with the same symbol Felicity had found.

"I just love going through other people's things"

Oliver, Helena, Tommy and Laurel have dinner but Tommy storms out when Oliver makes fun of him wanting a job (Oliver does not know Tommy is cut off yet), Helena then leaves when she realizes Oliver may still love Laurel. Tommy however later apologies to Laurel and Oliver admits to Diggle that Helena may really be beyond saving and he is proven right when she kills the head of the Triad and frames her father. China White leads an attack on Frank's house but Oliver is there and manages to get him out however Frank is then shot in the leg by Helena. She and Oliver then fight however Frank shoots Helena from behind but is arrested sooner afterwards. Oliver treats Helena's wounds but an ungrateful Helena is furious at being cheated out of revenge against her father and tells Oliver not to follow her before leaving. The episode ends with Felicity, after being asked for help again by Walter, discovers the journal is written in invisible ink and Tommy apologizing to Oliver and asking for an actual job after turning down his money.




This fight could have been a bit longer

This episode was better than the previous one, mainly because The Huntress actually had a cool looking costume and the fight scenes where good, but again I just can't stand her or her attitude towards Oliver. I really wish that she changed her ways when she teamed up with Oliver because she could have been a good character then but no they had to let her still go on her stupid vendetta and kill more people. I just felt like any hype that was felt when The Huntress was introduced just didn't live up to it; her character and backstory was just poor and Jessica De Gouw just was not convincing at all as the badass Huntress. Also once again it is a subplot that involves another pair of secondary characters, Felicity and Walter, that was far more interesting. I'm glad that Felicity is given more and more stuff to do in the series and I liked how she didn't back down from the investigation even though Walter said it could be dangerous. Things are also getting more interesting for them since they have found another journal and I wonder what Walter will do with the information he finds? However I guess I should be more worried with what Malcolm might do when he finds out Walter is still snooping around. Speaking of Malcolm it is a shame we don't see him again in this episode however I am still really liking Tommy's subplot about his financial situation.

"One of these days Oliver you'll fall and I'll be there with my camera"

Overall I am just finally glad that Huntress plot is finally over and I hope we don't see her for a very long time and if we do then they kill her off and introduce a new Huntress. Tommy had some good scenes but it is a shame Malcolm wasn't in this episode and as I said the fight scenes involving Oliver and The Huntress where really good. I know I haven't said much in this review but that is because like last episode not much happened in it because it was largely focused on The Huntress.

SCORE: 6/10

Highlights: The fighting at the mansion was really good
                    Walter and Felicity's investigation/ Tommy continued subplot

Let - Downs: Again The Huntress
                      Again the main plot wasn't as good as the subplots
                      No Malcolm when we just found out he is Tommy's father

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/

Arrow Season One: Muse of Fire



Didn't put much thought in to a costume

The episode begins with Oliver meeting his mother outside Queen Consolidated who is turning down a building contract offer from a man named Paul Copani. Shortly after this a helmeted person on a motorcycle shoots and kills Copani and speeds off, Oliver tries to give chase but is unable to catch the shooter. Quentin later concludes that Moira is not in any danger from the shooter since Copani had mob connections, elsewhere Tommy wants to start a proper relationship with Laurel. Later in his hideout Oliver discovers that Copani worked for a man named Frank Bertinelli who is head of a major construction company but also is part of Starling City Mafia, Oliver wants to investigate him. Somewhere unknown a dark haired women, who was driving the motorcycle, crosses off Copani's picture on a board full of them.

"No one gets away from me!"

Tommy then arrives at Queen Manor and tells Oliver he wants a relationship with Laurel, Oliver wishes the best for both of them. Thea takes her mother out and says she doesn't like Oliver's recent behaviour but Moira thinks they should be easier on Oliver because he spent 5 years on an island. Oliver then goes to Bertinelli manor to discuss business (while really investigating him) and meets his daughter Helena (Jessica De Gouw), Frank is busy however and asks Helena to take Oliver out to dinner. Frank then meets with the Chinese Triad enforcers Zhishan and China White to see if the Triad are responsible for several attacks on his people, they deny this but Frank does not believe them. Meanwhile Quentin has been listening in on this conversation and thinks that the Triad wasn't responsible for Copani's murder since it wasn't done by a pro.

"I knew me and my white hair would be back!"

At dinner Oliver and Helena are hitting it off and Oliver finds out that Helena had a late fiancé named Michael Staton but the dinner is cut short when Oliver gets a call from Diggle, another dinner has not ended well when Tommy finds out his credit card is declined while out with Laurel. Oliver goes to stop one of Frank's enforcers named Nick who is violently attacking a family for information on the recent murders but both Oliver and Helena, dressed in their disguises, arrive at the same time and fight Nick and this men. Nick escapes and Oliver and Helena fight but Oliver manages to get her helmet off and is surprised it's Helena, he lets her go. At the hideout Oliver wants to know the reason Helena is targeting her family but Diggle isn't interested because she is just a killer. Quentin later warns Oliver at Queen Manor to stay away from Helena because her family is dangerous.



I'm sure Oliver was going easy on her

Tommy later confronts his father about his being cut off and Malcolm, revealed as Tommy's father Malcolm Merlyn, says he is finally tired of his son's irresponsibility and laziness. At a cemetery Oliver and Helena are kidnapped by Nick shortly after Oliver meets Helena at Michael's grave. Nick has found out Helena is killing her father's men and her reason is because Michael was killed by Nick and her father for being an FBI informant. Oliver and Helena break free of their restraints and fight Nick and his men which ends with Helena snapping Nick's neck. Tommy then goes to see Laurel and admits he has no money and lost his apartment and car, Laurel says it will be alright. Walter has now come back to Starling City and Thea apologises to Oliver about her attitude earlier. The episode ends with Oliver visiting Helena's apartment, who has figured out he is The Hood based on his fighting style, and they kiss.

"Your wishing you made those restraints tighter, don't you b***h?"

SPOILERS FOR TWO COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS BELOW




We have two comic book character introductions this episode with the first being Helena Bertinelli who is The Huntress and if I am honest I was not very impressed by her. I am a big fan of The Huntress in the comics (one of my favourite appearances of her was the Hush storyline) and I do not think they have done her justice here. In the comics she is rash and violent to the point that even Batman rarely relies on her but I still considered her a hero; I hate in this that she is an unlikable anti - hero with one of the stupidest back stories ever. In the comics she does harbour a grudge against the mafia but that is because as a child she witnessed the slaughter of her mafia family at the hands of a rival, she then travels around the world while training with her bodyguard. I don't see how after the murder of her fiancé she could suddenly think "I'll ride on a bike, kill everyone all my father's men and then him", I am just not buying it; it is just like Diggle said she is just a plain murderer in this. Not to mention her methods are sloppy when she kills and there's no explanation to how she became so good a fighter. Lastly I just think the acting of Jessica De Gouw was just poor; her best moment was during the dinner with Oliver not when she is The Huntress because then she is melodramatic and too emotionless really.

Big epic reveal!!

Now Malcolm Merlyn is a comic character that has been done right and looks to be an intriguing villain this season. I won't say now who he will be (wait till future episodes) but lets just say it could have been him or Tommy however Malcolm has already been seen as being involved in a conspiracy with Moira and seems to have impressive fencing skills. I have already liked Malcolm since he has been introduced (knew he was Malcolm Merlyn then but didn't say) because the guy just seems like he is going to be a great villain and I hope he is revealed to be the main antagonist.

Yay Walter's back!

As for the rest of the episode because I have said already that I hate the version of The Huntress and the storyline involving her it was something I really didn't care for. If I am honest I found the subplot involving Tommy and his no money predicament more enjoyable to watch and that didn't include any fighting. I just really liked how the playboy Tommy now has absolutely nothing and I think this will really develop his character into more than just Oliver's friend. From this we can also see that the relationship between him and his father isn't on the best of terms and hopefully we'll find out more about it.

"So this is how the poor live.......I'm not going to make it"

Overall I am glad that we have the first two - parter in Arrow but I hate that they had to ruin The Huntress and the short re - appearance of China White didn't really do anything. The only things I liked about this episode was the scenes involving Tommy and his father and Walter coming back to Starling. Also they didn't have any Flashbacks in this which was quite the change but I kind of wished they did have some since they provide some of the best moments.

SCORE: 4/10

Highlights: Tommy's character development
                   Malcolm and the moment he had with Tommy

Let - Downs: The Huntress and the casting for her
                      Didn't really care for the anything else in this episode      

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/

Arrow Season One: Legacies



"Our first live action appearance"

The episode begins with a robbery at the Starling Trust Bank by three armed robbers wearing masks with a King, Jack and Ace on them (the Royal Flush Gang). During the robbery Ace shoots one of the hostages which angers King because it was an off duty cop, they then send all of the hostages outside wearing similar masks of their own before escaping through a tunnel. After sparring Oliver and Diggle check on the next name on the list, Scott Morgan, however Diggle suggest Oliver goes after the Royal Flush Gang. Diggle thinks Oliver should save the city beyond his father's list and be a hero but Oliver believes he isn't one. We then have a Flashback and Oliver is weakening with no food and drink and see a hallucination of his father Robert.

Those are some really cool mask designs

Meanwhile Laurel's legal firm where she works has lost it's major donor which makes it a bad time for Tommy to ask her out but gets advice from Thea when he visits Queen manor. Diggle then calls Oliver to tell him Moira is at the hospital however it turns out to be a trick since Diggle wanted to show him the cop who was shot and is now in a coma. This convinces Oliver to stop the Royal Flush Gang and after viewing footage at the bank concludes that Ace is the violent one and steals evidence from the police station where he slapped a hostage with his ring. The next day Tommy has funded Laurel's firm with money from his family's company; Merlyn Global Group. While this frustrates Laurel because she knows the real reason he is doing this she agrees to it.

"Now that no one is looking its back to Warcraft"

Oliver later discovers the possible identities of the Royal Flush Gang but remembers he has to be at dinner with his family, however during the dinner Diggle gets word that another bank is being robbed and has to leave. Oliver arrives to stop the gang from taking any money but they get away and almost has a close encounter with the police. Oliver then contacts Felicity to do a background check on the Reston Family, who are the Royal Flush Gang, and finds out that Derek Reston was employed in a factory by Queen's Consolidated but lost it when Robert Queen moved all the work to China and was even cheated out of a severance package. Oliver is disgusted by this and even has a Flashback where he contemplates suicide in front of the hallucination of Robert. Elsewhere Tommy admits he wants to get closer to Laurel because he is tired of his meaningless relationships with women.

See this might have been a good time to bring Diggle

Later Oliver finds Derek in a bar and tries to make amends by offering him a job however Derek refuses because he is still angry at Robert. Oliver manages to put a tracker into his bag and unfortunately has to leave a fundraiser his family is hosting when another bank is being robbed. Oliver arrives at the bank to stop the gang but Derek is killed when saving his son from being shot by a guard. Meanwhile at the fundraiser Tommy is angry that Laurel is dancing with someone else but didn't realise that the person is only a client and even has to deal with a drunken Thea. Oliver broods over the death of Derek but Diggles says it wasn't his fault and then we get another Flashback where Oliver as gotten over suicide and has discovered the list of names in his father's book. The episode ends with Oliver realizing he can do more for the city than cross off names and reconnects with his mother after disappointing her earlier.



Poor Oliver I almost feel bad about eating popcorn while writing this...lol

This was a good episode however since the last episode was just awesome with Deathstoke and his fight with Yao Fei that I kind of felt that this one winded down a bit. I especially found this true in the Flashback because it really wasn't too exciting since it was just Oliver alone in a cave. Since they are Flashbacks we the audience already know Oliver is not going to die in any of them, even if he gets seriously hurt. So what I am trying to say is that I found him contemplating suicide to be unnecessary because it isn't going to create tension but I guess its more of emotional than anything else. Plus I didn't like the appearance of Robert Queen as a hallucination because when they do this in films or TV, having a loved one come back as an hallucination to help them get over something, I just find it a quick and cheap way for the character to resolve their issues.

At the very least this family has something they like to do together

As for the Royal Flush Gang I like that they got an appearance in live action for once but even though they are comic book villains they felt like a one off gimmick. Despite that however I really like how they are portrayed here because you just feel a lot of sympathy for them, especially for the father Derek and that him and his family turning to the life of crime is another ill deed done by the Queen family that Oliver must try to right. I also like their masks as well and their bank robbing scenes where done really well, especially the opening even if that trick was already in V for Vendetta. I also liked that Oliver has finally realized he can do more than cross off names from the list because of the Royal Flush Gang so maybe the episodes now won't feel so episodic of him just going after a corrupt business man every episode.

"You going to get it now Oliver"

As for everything else I like that character build up of Tommy and Laurel and how they may start an actual relationship because it gives their characters something more to do. Tommy is really starting to grow on me too because I think his character is definitely being developed more and mature for example I liked that story about how on a date with a woman he realized he already slept with her two years ago. Again I am getting kind of sick of Thea and her drunkenness around other characters because it is getting old and annoying fast. First she insults Oliver episode 1, then she makes it awkward between Oliver and Tommy and now she tries to hit on Tommy. I get what they are doing; she is a rich girl who struggled with her father and brother's death while dealing with the pressure of the family name and social life, but do I honestly care about it? No I do not.

Get used to this because early season one drink and drugs is all her character does

Overall the Flashbacks where disappointing and Thea was annoying but I did like the Royal Flush Gang and the scenes with Tommy and Laurel, I think they had some great interactions with each other.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Royal Flush Gang and their robberies
                   Tommy and Laurel

Let - Downs: Flashbacks
                      Thea

 

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/       

The Flash Season One: The Man in the Yellow Suit (SPOILERS!)

"You will never hold me"

The episode begins with Barry chasing The Man in the Yellow Suit AKA Reverse Flash but then it jumps back a day earlier and Barry and Iris are exchanging early Christmas presents. Barry then later gives gifts to those at S.T.A.R labs and Eddies asks Iris to move in with him which she accepts. Caitlin then later runs into Ronnie but he gets away when he surrounds himself with fire meanwhile Mercury Labs (S.T.A.R. labs rival) is attacked by Reverse Flash who kills two guards. Barry and West investigate and Barry is stunned to learn Reverse Flash is back again but angry when West admits he knew Reverse Flash has been back for a while. Caitlin then asks Cisco for help in finding Ronnie and Barry and Wells asks Dr Tina McGee to use her taceion device to lure Reverse Flash (something they think he was looking for since Wells believes it would increase his power). Later Barry lies to Iris about having feelings for her but then sees Reverse Flash and chases after him to a stadium. Barry is no match for Reverse Flash who mentions having fought many times before leaving. Wells comes up with a plan to catch Reverse Flash in a force field while West and Barry get the taceion device from McGee however Barry is told to sit this one out because of the state he is in.

"Try to keep up Barry"

Caitlin and Cisco find Ronnie but he says he isn't Ronnie but Firestorm before escaping again meanwhile Barry visits his father and apologises for not catching Reverse Flash however Henry says that Barry should finally stop living in the past and move on. Barry then tells Iris he loves her and at S.T.A.R labs the team have caught Reverse Flash in a force field, Eddie is also there since he demanded to be a part of it because of his Task Force. However Reverse Flash escapes, beats up Wells (while implying that he knows him), kills all the cops apart from Eddie but is stopped from killing West when Barry arrives as The Flash. The Flash is again no match for Reverse Flash but is saved by Firestorm; Reverse Flash decides to flee for now (having stolen the taceion device) and Firestorm tells Caitlin never to find him again before flying away. West then tells Eddie about the existence of Meta Humans, Wells swears to Caitlin that they will find Ronnie and West asks Barry to move back into his house after tearfully telling Barry how much he changed his and Iris's life. The episode ends with everyone at West's house for Christmas and Wells entering his secret room, uses a Flash Ring to opens a compartment that reveals the Reverse Flash costume before attaching the taceion device to it.

You have got some good timing Firestorm!

MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW AS I WILL GIVE MY THOUGHTS ON THE IDENTITY OF REVERSE FLASH AND TALK ABOUT THE COMICS







Now this is a way to end a mid season with some great action, character development and a big reveal/mystery at the end. First I will talk about the most important thing in the episode; Reverse Flash and the reveal that it is possibly being Wells. I did not expect that at the end because it has been confirmed that he is an original character earlier but that could be a lie. Here is my thoughts on Wells; I believe he is the Hunter Zolomon Reverse Flash (because there are multiple ones and Hunter Zolomon is in a wheelchair) who sent himself back in time to change something big that happened in the future and helping Barry is part of it. I do not think he was the one who fought Barry in this episode but is working with him and him being beaten up was for show, I mean with how easily the Reverse Flash kills people why just beat up Wells? I do think however he was the one who killed Barry's mother or was apart of it to set Barry on the path to becoming The Flash (because from what we have seen so far Barry becoming The Flash is part of his plan) and the other person in the lightning trying to stop it was a future Barry who failed. Now as for my thoughts on who the Reverse Flash in this episode was (SPOILERS FROM THE COMICS INCOMING):

A future Eddie or son/grandson was the Reverse Flash because in the comics a man named Eobard Thawne becomes one of the Reverse Flashes (who actually called himself Professor Zoom) and is working with Wells. I think this is backed up by the fact Reverse Flash stared at Eddie before leaving him (he didn't want to kill himself or his progenitor) and the fact that Wells had the taceion device at the ends means he gave it to him. Another reason I think Eddie will become Reverse Flash is that I don't think he is going to stop the Task Force, he may obsess over The Flash to catch him and maybe finds out it is Barry and Iris leaves him for Barry may give him more reason. There you have it those are my theories however this is pure speculation at this point and I could be wrong about all of it.

What is your game Wells?

For the other big thing in this episode was getting to see more of Ronnie as Firestorm and it was really cool that he could fly and attacked Reverse Flash! Those who have read the comics know that he is dealing with the other personality that is fused with himself and it is a shame they didn't touch that subject but hopefully it won't be too long before we see him again. One thing though, and I am not marking it down for this, is that this subplot while great felt forced into the episode; it could not have been in and I doubt it would have made much of a difference overall. I just think they should have waited until they can have Ronnie be the focus of an entire episode not just as a subplot.

"And after I gave you a warning"

As for the rest of the episode it was all just awesome like the fight scenes between The Flash and Reverse Flash, those where just epic. Especially the stadium one and you see them running side by side or toward each other, I tell you that was film worthy fight scene. One thing I didn't expect was how emotional the entire episode was and how great the character did in it; Caitlin tearing up with Cisco, Barry talking to with is dad and then to West and telling Iris he loves her. It was all done really well and as for Barry confessing to Iris that is going to make things awkward in the future. Lastly I think it was great how they included a Flash Ring and for those who don't know The Flash uses it in the comics to activate his costume at anytime but it is also used by other speed users, it might be future technology that Wells brought with him.

Merry Christmas to all!

Overall this was just a perfect episode and my most favourite in season one so far.

SCORE: 10/10

Highlights: Reverse Flash!
                   Truly epic fight scenes
                   Firestorm
                   Just about everything about the episode

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/       

 

Gotham Season One: Lovecraft

"Your in my world now Bruce"

The episode begins with assassin Larissa Diaz AKA Copperhead (Lesley-Ann Brandt) infiltrating the Wayne Manor to kill Selina but Alfred holds them at bay long enough for her and Bruce to run. Gordon and Bullock are called in on this and Alfred says he will help meanwhile Cobblepot is called before Falcone because of the recent robbery of his money (last episode), he swears it was Fish not Maroni but Falcone says he wants evidence. Gordon confronts Dent saying that his plan has put Bruce and Selina in danger but Dent is still adamant that Lovecraft is behind everything, Bullock and Alfred then ask a street kid about where Selina would go. In the streets of Gotham Selina wants to leave Bruce however decides not to after he impresses her by jumping across a building and takes her to a hangout of the street kids.

You go Alfred!

Bullock and Alfred then ask Fish for help, with Alfred being the one to persuade her and Selina introduces Bruce to Ivy Pepper (Clare Foley). Gordon then pays a visit to Lovecraft who swears Copperhead is after him as well and has nothing to do with the Wayne murders however Copperhead then shows up, chokes out Gordon and then kills Lovecraft with his gun. Selina and Bruce are then captured by a street dealer who wants to turn them over to Copperhead however Bullock, Alfred and Gordon soon arrive so Copperhead flees and Selina is able to escape. Later the Mayor is furious about the Lovecraft murder, so he blames Gordon for it (saying to the press he drove Lovecraft to suicide) and transfers Gordon to Arkham Asylum as a security guard. The episode ends with Selina visiting Bruce and thanking him with a kiss (because he refused to tell Copperhead anything) and Gordon arriving at Arkham.

Cheer up Gordon, it might be rather nice inside

Took me a while to get round to this but that was because I was busy with my Arrow and Flash reviews but this was the mid season finale so I had time. Anyway this was a good follow up to the Harvey Dent episode and introduced another DC villain; Copperhead, however this one was based on the female Copperhead from Arkham: Origins game because the two from the comics are both men. I didn't like Copperhead in the game because she was practically a nobody when I wanted all the contract killers to be more well known however I liked this version of her. Maybe because its a re telling of Batman's villains featuring their younger versions so they can build up her character a bit more here. I like all of the scenes she was in and used her contortionist skills to choke out her victims like the snake she was named for. So well done with this character, like Zasaz it was a strong introduction for her.

"Why does it have to be kids?"

I was also glad that this episode largely focused on Bruce and Selina in the streets of Gotham because like I have said before these two a great together. It was assuming seeing Bruce unsure of himself in the streets and it is Selina who has to watch out for him. However a real standout in this episode was Alfred and that is because he kicked all kinds of ass! The guy managed to hold off three assassins (also the only one to fend off Copperhead) and persuade Fish to help while bribing and beating up others for information. We also got a touching scene between him and Bruce when they where finally reunited and highlights the bond that they have between them.

"So we just eat with dead body?"

As for the rest of the episode I actually think Fish was okay in this one for once, maybe that is because she was helpful to Alfred and didn't act like a b***h she usually is. I am also interested to see what is going to happen to Gordon's storyline now since he is at Arkham, I have read some people complain about this but I like it. He is obviously not going to be there forever and while he is there we might meet other characters like Hugo Strange or Scarecrow. However what I didn't like was how Dent was portrayed in this because it wasn't the mistake with Lovecraft that annoyed me because he is still young it is the fact he agreed with the corrupt Mayor. Maybe he has a plan but I just didn't like that he back off because of the Mayor's threat so easily.

"If only you had a cape to glide across when you jump" 

Overall I this was a good episode and Gotham has been a strong series so far so I can't wait for it to come back.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Copperhead was a great villain
                   Alfred was a scene stealer
                   Selina and Bruce

Let - Downs: Dent seems a bit out of character

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/  

                           

Arrow Season One: Damaged



"I'm going to make your life a living hell boy"

The episode starts off with the hooded man teaching Oliver how to use a bow and arrow and of course it isn't easy. Oliver is then sent to retrieve the rabbit the hooded man shot but is soon captured in a wooden cage by several commandos wearing all black. Back in the present Oliver is brought to the police station and is interrogated by Quentin who believes he is The Hood after seeing the footage of him. Walter and Moira arrive shortly in to the interrogation demanding that Oliver needs a lawyer however Oliver wants Laurel to defend him. At the bail hearing Oliver is put under house arrest while wearing a GPS tracking device, he thanks Laurel for what she has done but Laurel says she knows he cannot be The Hood.

"At least I can make this mug shot look good"

Oliver is then fitted for his GPS tracking device and says to Tommy that they should hold a prison - themed party at his manor. Meanwhile Quentin is angry at Laurel for siding with Oliver but Laurel insists that he is innocent and that he shouldn't be blamed for Sara's death or for Quentin getting divorced shortly after. Diggle wonders how Oliver will get out of this but Oliver says this was all part of his plan; to get caught on camera since he needs all suspicion of him being The Hood gone. He then tells Diggle to follow a German arms dealer in Starling City named Leo Mueller with his tracking equipment. Later Walter is talking with head of security for Queen's Consolidated and wants him to move the remains of the Queen's Gambit.

Finding it fun working for the Arrow yet Diggle?

Oliver later refuses to accept the insanity plea but agrees to take a polygraph test however Laurel does not believe that is the best option. In a Flashback Oliver is brought before a man named Edward Fyers (Sebastian Dunn) who is the leader of the commandos that are on the island. He wants to know where Yao Fei (the hooded man) is and Oliver says he doesn't know, Fyers isn't convinced by this and brings in a man wearing a black and yellow mask (Jeffrey Robinson). In the present Thea is worried about the situation but Oliver says there is nothing to worry about meanwhile Moria meets with Malcolm who says the charges are false but Malcolm believes that Oliver is hiding something.

I probably would have told them everything.........what? It's freaking Deathstroke!

During the polygraph test Oliver manages to lie through it successfully but thinks back to when he was cut by the man in the mask. He vaguely mentions that he was tortured to Quentin and Laurel and admits that he killed Sara by bringing her on the Queen's Gambit before ending the test. That night Oliver throws his party, Quentin is there as well, and tells Diggle he needs him to be The Hood so stop Mueller while he has the perfect alibi, Diggle agrees to do it. Laurel comes to the party and apologises to Oliver and they even kiss but she soon leaves. In a Flashback Yao Fei has arrived to save Oliver and fights the man in the mask but leaves shortly with Oliver.

 

He really knows how to throw a party

In the present Diggle has successfully stopped Mueller's arms deal as The Hood and Walter finds out that the head of security was killed and accuses Moira of lying to him. Later at the party a waiter pulls a gun on Oliver but Quentin manages to kill the waiter, Moira snaps at Quentin for endangering her son since he is accusing him to be The Hood (even though she suspects the killer was sent by Malcolm). Quentin frees Oliver of the GPS and drops all charges because of the waiter killer and the fact that Diggle posed as The Hood to stop an arms deal, giving Oliver an alibi. Moira later tells Malcolm to never harm her family again and even finds out that he killed the head of security because Walter is finding out too much.

 

"Let Oliver stay on house arrest; I can do this myself"

In a Flashback Yao Fei takes Oliver back to the cave but leaves soon after giving him a pouch. Laurel confronts Oliver that he managed to lie on polygraph test but Oliver manages to still divert suspicion from himself. Walter is then seen leaving the manor, saying he is taking a long business trip and doesn't know how long he will be gone. The episode ends with Diggle asking Oliver if he knows how his plan will affect his friends and family, Oliver says that it hurts worse than anything before tracking down and stopping Mueller.

 

The answer's never in a bottom of a bottle Quentin

This was probably the best episode of Arrow so far; for me it had the best fight scenes, flashback and present day moments out of the five episodes. Firstly there was Oliver's predicament on convincing everyone that he isn't The Hood and it was a great plan in the end, he is lucky that he has Diggle on his side now. Speaking of Diggle he kicked some major ass in this episode, I am liking his character more and more and this one proved that he can defiantly help out Oliver on the streets. Not only did he look awesome as The Hood but he had a great fight scene with those arms dealers, one of the best parts of the episode. I really hope Diggle continues to help out more with the fighting, maybe even get his own costume or even fill in from time to time for Oliver.

 

This fight was pretty damn epic!

Now as we are on the subject of great fights the one between Yao Fei and Deathstroke was truly epic, the name Deathstroke might not have been mentioned but I recognize that mask even if it is a bit different. My favourite shot in this episode was when Deathstroke caught the arrow, it had a comic - book feel to it and the fight the came after as well. See just like with Deadshot this is the type of villain I want to see in Arrow; possessing skills that make them seem superhuman with a great costume to match. The rest of the Flashback was great as well, with the inclusion of this military force led by Fyers giving Oliver another obstacle on the island. Of course I want to know exactly why they are here and why they are interested in Yao Fei and great that we also got to see how Oliver got one of his very first scars.

 

Staring contest!

The rest of the episode was great as well such as Malcolm sending a killer after Oliver, I think this proves that he is going to be at least one of the main antagonists in the present and again makes you wonder what he and Moira are involved in? Like always Quentin has a great story arc in the episode, despite how angry he is at Oliver and how much he wanted to convict him he did save his life at the end and its actually good seeing Laurel on Oliver's side for once. Also as I mentioned above I did like watching all of Oliver's plan to prove his innocent from the polygraph to throwing that party.  

 

"You can't take it off because it's taped to your leg hair, which really hurts"

Overall as I mentioned above this is the best episode of Arrow so far with great past and present day story with the inclusion of such an iconic DC villain. I don't think there was anything bad in this episode because I immensely enjoyed it however I admit maybe Deathstroke could have had a few speaking lines but maybe they want to make he seem more menacing or mysterious right now. 

 

SCORE: 10/10

 

Highlights: Deathstroke/Flashbacks

                   Diggle as The Hood

                   The whole present - day storyline

 

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/