Top 10 Arrow Season One Episodes

Now I am onto Arrow Season One, enjoy! SPOILERS

10. The Huntress Returns



I may not really like Arrow's version of the Huntress (her story and actress where both wrong) however this episode was good because the fight scene between Huntress and Arrow was really cool and I give Helena props for the arrow catching, I mentioned in my review that was awesome for her to do. However the best part of the episode was Dinah and Quentin trying to find proof that Sara is still alive, you see before this I didn't much care for the Lance family because Quentin was acting like an ass and I wasn't too bothered about Laurel. This episode though made for some really emotional scenes for the Lance family and created a lot of sympathy for them that I enjoyed watching and it was sad when Dinah's theory was proven wrong.

9. Legacies



This episode marked the first time Oliver decided he would do more to help the city than just cross off names in his father's notebook and it was thanks to the Royal Flush Gang. They weren't too big in the comics but I really like how they where portrayed in live action. I also liked how the gang was a result of the actions of Oliver's father and that Oliver tired to first talk the head of the gang out of the criminal life.

8. Pilot



The very first Arrow episode just had to be in this list because it is the one that started the DC TV universe. This proved that TV shows based on comics can work and this first episode did a good job of establishing the world of Arrow. It had great action, fight scenes and character development but the reason this isn't a bit higher on my list is because I didn't like some characters like Thea, Laurel and Quentin.

7. Lone Gunman



I know China White was in the previous episode but Lone Gunman was the first one to introduce a DC villain that more people would actually know about. Deadshot is really awesome in the Arrow TV series and this was a great debut for him; he was a match for Oliver, he had his cool gadgets (like his wrist mounted guns) and we get fooled into thinking he is dead. Also this episode showed us how great Oliver's detective skills are and Diggle finds out he is the Hood in the end; I'm glad they didn't wait too long.

6. The Undertaking



This episode didn't have any Flashbacks on the island but made up for it with Flashbacks showing the origins of the Undertaking. You know what makes Malcolm a great villain is the fact that he believes what he is doing is right and for the greater good and this episode shows how convincing his argument is. We also get the reveal of how the Queen's Gambit went down and a great plot involving Oliver and Felicity working together to free Walter.

5. The Odyssey



This episode was the one where Felicity became a member of Team Arrow completing our beloved trio! But the real highlight was that it was mainly focused on the Flashbacks which of course was great because who didn't love the Flashbacks in Season One? We had some awesome scenes with Slade and Oliver sneaking into the airfield to find a way home and then an explosive action packed finale where we had Slade vs. Wintergreen, Deathstroke vs. Deathstroke.

4. Dead to Rights



An awesome return for Deadshot and team up with China White who hired him to assassinate Malcolm. All of the scenes involving their attack on Malcolm was great and it's funny how Oliver is protecting is greatest enemy and this is also the episode where Tommy learns of Oliver's secret. Plus I liked how Malcolm was almost forced to reveal his identity as the Dark Archer to Tommy. Thought I'd let you know now these last episodes are all going to have a focus on Malcolm because he is my favourite character and in my opinion the best archer in the Arrow TV Series.

3. Darkness on the Edge of Town



This episode made for a really entertaining heist style one where Team Arrow infiltrate Malcolm's company for information. We also get the an cool fight scene between Malcolm and Oliver (with Oliver being WTF over the arrow catching lol) with it ending in Malcolm's victory and learning Oliver's secret. We also get an intense Flashback with Fyers killing Yao Fei but what I didn't like about this episode was Oliver and Laurel going behind Tommy's back because I never liked the possibility of them two together in these early seasons and it was a bad move for Oliver to convince Tommy to make up with Laurel then take her for himself.

2. Year's End



This episode was the first one to introduce us to more archers in the present day and a great one as the Dark Archer who is revealed to be Malcolm. I liked that this was Oliver's first real loss to a villain because it does affect him for ages afterwards and it had a great twist of Walter being kidnapped because of his investigation. I liked the introduction of the Dark Archer and everything else in the episode that it overshadows Thea's stupid spoilt  - brat subplot that thankfully was a small part.

1. Sacrifice



I just had to but the finale here because this is one of my favourite finales in any TV series. What I liked about it was that even though Oliver won he also lost because of the death of Tommy (such a sad scene done so well) and the destruction of the Glades. The finale showdown between Oliver and Malcolm was brilliant and the scenes/effects showing the destruction was so damn convincing and just perfect.

Worst episode

Betrayal

This episode did have a good subplot with Diggle following Moira to find out if she is part of the Undertaking but that is it. What is a real let - down is the villain Vanch who was just generic and uninteresting, I don't need every villain of the week to be some kind of super or over the top villain but Vanch was just boring for a regular one. Plus it's not like the rescue attempt of Laurel was that unique because all Arrow and Quentin did was break into the villain's house and take out his guards, that's it.

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

 

 





http://screencapped.net/

Arrow Season Three: Draw Back Your Bow

The definition of crazy right here

The episode begins in a Flashback and Arrow saves Carrie during the attacks of the Mirakuru army, in the present Arrow and Quentin find the corpse of Isaac who was killed with red - spade shaped arrows. In a Flashback Maseo tells everyone he has to go on a mission for A.R.G.U.S while in the present Ray asks Felicity to go to dinner with him to help close a deal with a client meanwhile Oliver is angry that that Felicity is spending more time with Ray and that Queen Consolidated has been renamed Palmer Technologies. Arrow and Diggle then go to an address hidden in the red arrow and find a shrine dedicated to Arrow and realizes the red spade is actually a heart, he then gets a call from Cupid who is clearly infatuated with him but also taunts him with a tied up mob boss. Thea is looking for DJs at The Verdant but is hounded by an annoying one meanwhile at the Arrowcave Roy is still haunted by the cop he killed but luckily Felicity finds out the identity of Cupid who was a former SWAT officer. In a Flashback Maseo has been gone for too long so Oliver and Tatsu go out to find him, in the present Arrow and Arsenal go to the location of the mob boss at a flouriest however Cupid gets the drop on Arsenal but Arrow manages to save him and the mob boss.

"I've sure attracted a real nut job here"

Arrow then later tracks down Carrie's old psychiatrist and gets more information on her mental state while Diggle talks to Felicity about what is going on between her, Ray and Oliver however Felicity says Oliver has the problem since he gave up on her. In a Flashback Oliver and Tatsu track down some Triad but get no answers, in the present Cupid learns from a hacker that the Arrow operates at The Verdant before killing him. Oliver learns that Cupid is at The Verdant so he calls her and she demands he meets him at the place she picks elsewhere Felicity gives an impressive speech to the mine owners Ray is meeting with. Arrow manages to defeat Cupid despite being almost run over by a train and then he hands her over to the Suicide Squad in hopes she can do some good, in a Flashback Maseo turns up safe and sound. Ray then thanks Felicity for her help and kisses her but seems to hesitate and walks away while at the Arrowcave Roy and Oliver decide to visit Diggle and his family for dinner. The episode ends with Digger Harkness AKA Captain Boomerang killing a man in an alley.



"Should have know she would have had handcuffs on her"

Got another great adaptation of an Arrow villain and this time it is the love obsessed psycho Cupid! They really did quite the good job of making her out to be incredibly crazy such as her stalking Arrow in the last episode and this one to her insane shrine of Arrow in her apartment; maybe this girl watched 'Play Misty for Me' a little too many times lol. I really like her costume and her heart shaped arrows was a really nice touch (they had it in the intro sequence!). Her fight was Arrow was good to watch, I mean she really was insane the way she was going to kill herself with Arrow, however I didn't like that Arsenal was taken out so easily however he is still getting over killing a cop. I'm glad that she is still alive and is now apart of the Suicide Squad; I hope we get to see them soon and that besides Cupid they have new members, they don't have to all be past Arrow villain they should introduce new ones.

My favourite Suicide Squad member!

As for everything else the Flashbacks where a lot better and Tatsu wasn't so annoying and actually used her katana. However I am still not enjoying it as much as the island since the ending with Maseo still alive was so underwhelming, he just appeared at the end safe and sound and said he just couldn't phone home for hours. I also liked the cute moments with Ray and Felicity and a pairing between them probably works more than any of the others we have seen so far, even Oliver and Felicity in my opinion (I mean you did hear how much he spent on that dress and necklace for her!). Lastly who the hell was that annoying DJ character? I mean honestly what a stuck up p***k! I don't know what purpose he was supposed to serve but I hope he doesn't appear on the series again. While we are on the subject of annoying characters, I know it was only one scene, but Cupid's old psychiatrist was damn annoying! Where does she get off talk to Arrow like that?

Sorry OliverxFelicity fans I'm more for RayxFelicity

Overall get episode and the ending scene with Captain Boomerang, one of my favourite villains and Suicide Squad members, was just awesome!     

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Cupid
                   Flashbacks got a bit better
                   Ray and Felicity

Let - Downs: Flashback ending was underwhelming
                      DJ and psychiatrist

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 Three: The Magician

Dark Archer is always awesome!

The episode begins with Oliver telling Nyssa that Sara is dead who leaves so he then meets Thea for dinner who says she will be buying back The Verdant, later Nyssa goes to Sara's grave and tells Laurel (who was there first) that she is unworthy of the Sara's jacket that was given to her. Oliver then confronts Nyssa about Sara's mission at a League hideout and she says Sara was in Starling to confirm if Malcolm was still alive, Oliver then confirms this with the rest of Team Arrow with photos Sara took. They then find a note Sara written and find out that she asked Quentin for help so when Laurel asks him about it he says Sara asked for help in finding a man named Jansen at a Buddhist monastery however when Nyssa, Red Arrow and Arrow go investigate they find that Malcolm is Jansen but he gets away but Arrow manages to wound. Oliver says he put a tracker on Malcolm however Laurel is angry that he didn't kill him when he had the chance and in a Flashback Oliver is ordered to kill someone for A.R.G.U.S.. Nyssa sees how Laurel is and Laurel asks her to kill Malcolm if Oliver can't bring himself to do it, Arrow then gets a call from Malcolm (after the tacker failed) to meet up in a public place and when they do Malcolm swears on Thea's life he wasn't Sara's killer.

"Maybe we shouldn't have brought Nyssa along"

Oliver then tells Thea Malcolm is alive and she lies by being surprised and when he returns to the Arrowcave Oliver says he believes Malcolm and Nyssa angrily storms out and kidnaps Thea. Arrow then goes to the location and rescues Thea and the Dark Archer arrives soon after and a three way fight ensures that ends in Nyssa being pinned to a wall. Malcolm then says to Oliver to kill him or not to which Oliver doesn't and says to Nyssa that Malcolm is under his protection in Starling, Nyssa responds by saying he has made an enemy of the League before leaving. In a Flashback it is revealed Waller was backing Fyers and when Oliver confronts her about this she said it was to kill China White. Felicity then returns from Central City and Thea is shown to be in contact with Malcolm. The episode ends with Nyssa returning to Nanda Parbat to inform her father, Ra's al Ghul (Matt Nable) what has happened, Ra's responds by saying Malcolm will be dealt with and so will Oliver for making war with the League.

Ra's al Ghul!!

We finally get the appearance of Ra's al Ghul one of DC's and Batman's iconic villains of all time! Really liked the ending scene because firstly Matt Nable was a great choice for the part, his accent really sounds great for Ra's and he really looked the part in his robes. Also he was seen getting out of a pool and I wonder if that was the Lazarus Pit? I hope it was because I really want it to exist in Arrow. As for Nyssa though I do like her and she is a great fighter I didn't like her much in this episode with her constant conflict with Oliver and her obsession with Sara (from season two til now) is just getting annoying to watch now. As for Laurel she has been a great character so far (she is even hitting the gym now) but she was annoying in this one too with her constant interfering with Oliver such as asking Nyssa behind Team Arrow's back to kill Malcolm, I mean she isn't Black Canary yet so I don't know why she thinks she is so important to the workings of Team Arrow. What was good about the Flashbacks was Oliver now resigning himself to be Waller's killer and the fact Waller hired Fyers to kill China White all along, I want to know more about that.

Doesn't anyone recognize Malcolm?

Malcolm was great as ever in this and I really liked the talk he had with Oliver in the crowded plaza; it was just the way these two arch enemies confronted each other that made for a real intense scene. Of course a highlight of this episode was the great action such as at the Buddhist monastery but the three way fight between Arrow, Dark Archer and Nyssa was just so awesome and I wished it was longer. However something I just had to mention was Roy doing that silly back flip when confronted by Nyssa, surely they could have thought of a better way for him to lose than that? Lastly I liked the dynamic between Thea and Oliver because they did promise now more secrets but they keep the biggest secrets from each other; I wonder why Oliver still won't tell her and I wonder what Thea's plans with Malcolm are?

"Been off the island for a while now, maybe I should get a haircut"

Overall this was good episode that could have had a lot more fights between Arrow, Dark Archer and Nyssa.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: The three way fight
                   Malcolm still steals every scene he is in
                   Ra's al Ghul

Let - Downs: Flashbacks
                      Couldn't stand Laurel or Nyssa
                      Roy's backflip
                        

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 Three: Sara

Such a badass!!!!

The episode begins with Team Arrow discovering Sara is dead and Laurel wanting to help track down her killer however Oliver refuses to let her, in a Flashback Oliver is ordered to kill Tommy who has arrived in Hong Kong because of his attempted email last episode. Arrow investigates the murder scene and then gets information from Quentin that another archer is in town while in the Arrowcave Roy and Felicity deals with Sara's death and Roy tells her about the night Thea left. Ray has successfully became CEO of Queen Consolidated and offers Felicity a job meanwhile after going over possible archer suspects (Oliver actually knows ten in the world) Arrow goes to a crime scene and saves one of the victims, Diggle then confirms the archer is Simon Lacroix AKA Komodo (Matt Ward). Arrow and Komodo fight with their bows and on bikes but Komodo gets the upper hand and escapes. Laurel then attempts to find out more by harshly questioning Kelso (the man Arrow saved) and learns that it all involved the construction of a new pipeline however Kelso is soon killed by Komodo, In a Flashback Oliver and Maseo kidnap Tommy.

"No one trashes my bike!"

Later Laurel struggles of telling Quentin what happened when she meets him and Roy tells Oliver about the reason Thea left Starling. Ray then holds a charity event at Queen Consolidated where Komodo attacks because his next target is there however Arrow and Red Arrow arrive to fight him and pin him to the wall. Laurel then arrives to shot Komodo however he says he was at Bludhaven at the time of the murder which Oliver then later confirms. Laurel then decides not to tell Quentin the truth (believing the news would kill him) and she and Team Arrow bury Sara secretly. Laurel thinks it is unfair no one will ever know what Sara did and that her killer is still free however Diggle tells her he will name his daughter Sara and Oliver says they will keep looking. In a Flashback Oliver poses as the kidnapper and convinces Tommy he is still dead by saying he hacked Oliver's emails to get money but Tommy is then saved by Maseo who poses as a cop. Oliver then says he wants Thea back in the wake of losing Sara and Felicity accepts the job for Ray. The episode ends in the country of Corto Maltese where it is revealed Thea is training to fight by Malcolm.

This moment was done so well

A great follow up to the ending of last episode and quite the emotional one as well but that is expected with the death of a major character. Everyone had their own way of dealing it and it was all acted really well from the characters like Oliver, Felicity and Laurel in particular. I liked the argument that Felicity and Oliver had over his lack of emotion and then Oliver's realization that he "doesn't want to die down here". The scene in the cemetery was so well done with Laurel tearing up again and saying how the heroic things Sara has done will never be known. She also had a great moment with her father when deciding whether or not to tell him what happened (though I think her decision to tell him will be bad in the long run), however I hated it when she pulled the trigger on Komodo despite the gun being empty because it annoyed me how easily she did it and how she ignored Oliver that Komodo is not the one. Speaking of Komodo he was an badass new villain and such an awesome archer! That bike fight he had with Arrow was epic because the stunt work was just great; I like that we have another new archer and I hope he appears in more episodes and we learn more about him.

Always great to see Tommy

As for everything else Ray continues to be the strongest addition to season three so far and he is such a damn nice guy! You can't help but like the scenes he is in and he has a lot of light hearted humour that compliments Felicity's humour in the scenes they are in. As for the Flashbacks they where a lot better this time because we got a chance to see good old Tommy again and the plan of kidnapped him was so smart that I really enjoyed watching it. It showed how much Oliver has come from being just a playboy in his old life and it showed how much Tommy really cared for his best friend; going all the way to Hong Kong just on a little tip. Lastly I didn't like the reveal of Thea at the end because even though it is good to see Malcolm I didn't like that Thea is that good of a fighter in that short of time, it was just too fast. Even if I did like it I think it is way too soon for her to be in the season again, I think it might have been more effective if they left her out for a while; let to audience get used to her being gone then surprise us with her return. It was just like the return of Sara last episode; if you are just bringing them back straight away then what was the point of them leaving at the end of last season?

"I will save this city!"

Overall a great episode with an awesome knew villain and a great send off for Sara.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Komodo and the awesome fight scenes with Arrow
                   Ray Palmer continues to be great
                   Tommy and the Flashbacks
                   A great emotional episode

Let - Downs: Thea being that good of a fighter and bringing her back too soon.

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: Scarifice

The epic final showdown

The episode begins with Oliver tied up by Malcolm who explains of his plan to destroy the Glades with an earthquake machine from Unidac, we then have a Flashback and Oliver, Slade and Shado have broken free of their bonds. Diggle then rescues Oliver because of a tracker in his boot and when Felicity is brought in for questioning by Quentin (having not covered her recent hacks properly) Oliver calls him as The Hood and tells him of The Undertaking; Quentin lets Felicity go and she does but not before telling him The Hood is a hero. Tommy then confronts Oliver but Oliver tells him of his father's plan but he doesn't believe him, in a Flashback Oliver, Slade and Shado have destroyed the missile launcher. Quentin then goes to his boss with what he knows but is suspended because of his contact with The Hood and Oliver confronts his mother and tells her she must finally take responsibility for the things she has done. Tommy then asks his father about Oliver's accusations but Malcolm simply confirms it; showing him the Dark Archer costume and a voice recording of his wife murdered in the Glades, believing that the Glades and everyone in it must die. Moira holds a press conference and tells everyone of The Undertaking but is arrested soon after meanwhile Tommy threatens to shoot Malcolm but can't bring himself to do it.

You might have left it a little too late Moira

Though upset with his mother's arrest Oliver decides he must stop Malcolm and Diggle and Felicity want to help as well, Oliver then calls Quentin as The Hood to get even more help. While Roy witnesses the riots in the Glades, Diggle and The Hood go to stop Malcolm but find him already gone and Tommy apologies to Oliver, we then have a Flashback and Oliver has killed Fyers. The Hood and Diggle catch up to Malcolm (now the Dark Archer) but Diggle is injured forcing The Hood to face the Dark Archer alone. Felicity and Quentin (who apologies to Laurel over the phone if he should die tonight and to stay away from the Glades) find the earthquake device and disarm it meanwhile Thea has gone to the Glades to rescue Roy and the two help out as much people as they can. The Hood then beats the Dark Archer by stabbing him through the chest with an arrow but before the Dark Archer dies he tells him of a second earthquake machine which activates and begins to destroy the eastern part of the Glades. Laurel is trapped at her office but Tommy arrives in time to save her but is crushed by rubble, The Hood also gets there. Tommy tells Oliver that he is indeed a hero and asks if his father is still alive, Oliver lies and then mourns when Tommy dies.

"In the end Oliver, I'm the hero"

What a finale, they sure held nothing back in this episode!! This was a great way to end the season because what is more like a comic book than the main villain wanting to destroy the city? There is a lot of stuff to go over but first I want to talk about the death of Tommy. I admit that it is now a damn shame that Tommy is the one to die but they handled his death so well; he died a hero while saving Laurel from a collapsing building and he finds it in him to forgive his best friend. The acting during that scene was just excellent as well especially when Oliver cries for his friend because you can just tell that even though he stopped Malcolm and saved part of the Glades, he realized that he lost at the end. Goodbye Tommy I think the series has lost one of it's best developed and likeable characters in my opinion.

"Forget getting out of here, lets all riot!!"

Next who was a real standout was Malcolm and like I said the guy is the biggest badass in the series. The final fight he had with Oliver was just so great and an awesome way to end the season. What I really liked about him in this episode was the explanation he gave on why he wants to destroy the Glades  and it kind of makes you sympathise with his character. He is not doing it because he is pure evil or a maniac he truly believes that what he is doing is the right thing; ridding Starling City of it's most poor and crime riddled area. The fight he had with Oliver and Diggle was great, from the arrow catching to Oliver stabbing himself with an arrow to beat him. In the end I guess we will have to see if Malcolm and even Tommy are really dead because in the world of comics no one stays dead.

Kick his ass Oliver!

As for the rest of the episode also got some great Flashbacks which really picked up on the excitement from last episode and showed Oliver getting his first kill with a bow. It was really intense seeing the group fight to stop the missile launcher and we got some great action and explosions. The destruction of the Glades was also done really well; I think the effects they used to show it collapsing was great in those shots where it showed it from above and the destruction on the ground during the rioting was awesome as well. Two other characters that where good where Moira for finally doing the right thing and speaking out about The Undertaking and Quentin teaming up with Felicity and having that heart to heart with Laurel over the phone.

"Its time for us to save this city"

As for the negatives (and this is really nit picking) is that again I didn't like the Roy and Thea moments because even though we got to see the cool riots them getting back together was just kind of predictable. Also I didn't like the role Laurel played in this because as I said earlier on in these reviews I don't like her character because she is just there for the sake of it most of the time. All she has done is just create conflict between Tommy and Oliver and sometimes even make the situation worse like how she ignored Quentin to be in the Glades. Honestly how damn stubborn can you be to stay in your office when you know an earthquake machine was going to destroy everything?

Great shot!

Overall this was a great finale; it was so action packed with some also fight scenes along with the cool destruction of the Glades.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: The Hood vs. The Dark Archer
                   The death of Tommy was handled really well
                   The destruction of the Glades
                   Flashbacks

Let - Downs: Roy and Thea subplot
                      Laurel was just in the way

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: Darkness on the Edge of Town

Yep your screwed Oliver

The episode begins with the Dark Archer killing all the scientists at Unidac Industries to keep them silent about the device they brought into the city. At the Arrowcave Oliver wants Diggle to be The Hood and kidnap him and Moira so they can find out about The Undertaking. In a Flashback Yao Fei betrayed the others because Fyers would have killed them otherwise; he wants to cripple the Chinese economy by blowing up an aircraft with a missile launcher but he wants Yao Fei to take responsibly. In the present Quentin investigates Unidac Industries but so does Roy and Thea, later Oliver and Moira are kidnapped by Diggle who is The Hood. Moira confesses (when Diggle beats up Oliver) that she is working with Malcolm to destroy the Glades using an earthquake device developed by Unidac Industries so Team Arrow then decide to infiltrate Merlyn Global Group Headquarters to possibly find out what and where it is.

"Remember there is no need to go overboard.......why are you looking at me like that Diggle?"

The infiltration is successful with Oliver visiting Tommy and Felicity and Diggle sneaking in however Oliver does run into Malcolm and then Thea and Roy who he tries to dissuaded going after The Hood. Thea then later breaks up with Roy because of his obsession with finding The Hood and Walter divorces Moira because he knows she must have had something to do with his kidnapping. After talking with Oliver earlier Tommy visits Laurel but sees her getting intimate with Oliver and we then have a Flashback and Fyers has shot and killed Yao Fei after confessing on camera that he blew up the aircraft. Diggle goes in search of the Unidac device but finds only an empty container; Malcolm having moved the device beforehand after learning of Team Arrow's hack of his company's systems. The episode ends with The Hood attempting to kill Malcolm however he effortlessly catches the arrow and knocks The Hood out after a fight.

Too bad Malcolm wasn't in is Dark Archer costume during this fight

Almost to the end now and this episode was great in setting up the events of the finale. First off I think one of the best scenes in this episode was when Diggle, as The Hood, kidnaps Oliver and Moira. I mean that was just such a smart plan, we got some great distress out of Moira and we got to see Diggle as The Hood again (he deserves a costume!). Someone else who had some great scenes was Tommy once again because even when he doesn't say anything it is really emotional e.g. when he saw Oliver and Laurel through the window. He might not have had to say a word but you can tell that he is really hurt by Oliver and Laurel who have betrayed him from his point of view. Tommy has been really betrayed by his friends lately and I wonder if he will side with his father or forgive his best friend?

"Where the hell is the make up crew?"

As for the villains this episode Fyers has proven himself to be an evil sob since he killed off a major character. I didn't expect Yao Fei to die nor did I expect a major character to be killed until the final episode so the writers did I good job of surprising me. It is a shame Yao Fei has to go but I guess he will give resolve to Oliver to stop Fyers not just to find a way off the island. Now to the other villain Malcolm and he continues to be one hell of a badass! My other favourite scene was when he just effortlessly caught that arrow and then defeated The Hood and even before that when he massacred the Unidac scientists. So far Malcolm has proven himself to be the most dangerous person in the series so far since Oliver as failed to stop him twice.

"Arrows solve everything"

As for the rest of the episode I really enjoyed Team Arrow's infiltration of Merlyn Global Group Headquarters; it felt like a real sneaking mission with those gadgets and some comedic moments from Felicity with the help of Diggle. As for what I didn't like Roy and Thea's subplot seems to have gotten no where and them just splitting up at the end felt kind of lacklustre. Lastly I really didn't like the moment between Oliver and Laurel because I am just not a big fan of this pairing since I am not too much of a fan of Laurel anyway (in this season and the second) and it just annoys me when Oliver obsesses over her e.g. when he abandoned Diggle to help her.

Never leave the Arrowcave without your trusty crossbow

Overall this was a great setup for the finale.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Malcolm continues to be a badass
                   Diggle as The Hood once again
                   The infiltration of Merlyn Global Group by Team Arrow

Let - Downs: After several episodes the Roy/Thea subplot has gotten no where
                    

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: Salvation

Was The Saviour decorating that train?

The episode begins with Oliver going after a slum lord named John Nickel but he is caught by someone else who Oliver thinks could be another vigilante, in a Flashback Oliver and Slade go over the arrangements for the deal with Fyers. At Roy's place Thea is angry that he has to hold on to a gun for someone while Quentin helps Dinah with her investigation but Laurel doesn't really believe Sara is alive. Later a live video on a website sees Nickel killed by someone and after Diggle uses one of his contacts finds out he was killed by a vigilante and former Glades resident called The Saviour who then shows a DA as his next victim. Moira later meets with Frank who suggests they should just run and Laurel investigates the photo Dinah has after giving advice to Thea. Oliver later tries to track down The Saviour's after Felicity finds a signal but soon loses it; Oliver tries to reassure her but she blames herself after the DA is killed. In a Flashback Oliver and Slade meet with Fyers who changes the deal and says he will kill Yao Fei's daughter if the circuit board isn't returned.

That is a really cool coat that Oliver is wearing

In the present Laurel finds out it isn't Sara in the photo which upsets Dinah because he blames herself for Sara death, having known beforehand she was going with Oliver. Thea then visits Roy and stops him from committing a crime however he is soon kidnapped by The Saviour and a video of him is shown on the website. Felicity then figures out that the ambient nose in the video is from an old subway and in a Flashback a huge fight breaks out where Oliver, Slade and Yao Fei's daughter escape but Yao Fei himself is injured and left behind. While Roy says no one would care if he dies The Hood breaks into the subway and kills The Saviour after failing to negotiate with him, Roy is then reunited with Thea. Dinah then leaves town and Oliver attempts to cheer Laurel up because he doesn't want to be alone anymore, in a Flashback Fyers has played them since he has already took the circuit board. Moira then meets with Frank who says she is sorry because she has told Malcolm everything and Frank is then killed by the Dark Archer. Oliver then tries to cheer up Felicity who finds out the journal and everything Moira and the Dark Archer are working on is connected to the Glades.

"It's good to be back"

We got something a bit different this episode, besides The Hood facing off against a villain or corrupt businessman he faces off with a rouge vigilante which is a vigilante that kills and uses sinister methods. I liked The Saviour because he represents the negative effects of The Hood is having on the city because The Saviour did say he was inspired by The Hood. This is something the sometimes troubles heroes like Batman because if he never became a vigilante would villains like The Joker, Riddler or Two Face even exist? Still The Saviour was a villain in the end because he only used his wife's death and helping the Glades to make himself feel better because his victims did only commit minor crimes that normal vigilantes would leave to the police. I also liked The Saviours methods and putting his kills on the internet because it was really different from what he have seen before and he provided quite the challenge for Felicity too.

"Two guns, twice the amount of killing"

I did like the majority of what else happened in the episode such as the progression of Thea and Roy's relationship because like I said before it gives Thea a better storyline and out of all the other romantic subplots, so far it is the only one I could stand to watch. I like how these two are complete opposites as well such as when Thea got angry with the gun because I bet she never really set foot in the Glades before, most likely just doesn't understand how things works for those who live there like Roy. I also liked the appearance of the of the Dark Archer again as well and killing off Frank because it really puts Moira in a predicament. She did is doing all these bad things to protect her family but she is crossing over the line more and more; It sabotaged Robert's boat, got Walter kidnapped and now she framed Frank and got him killed, when is it going to stop for her?

"You've cracked the code Felicity!"

The Flashbacks where great again and we got some great action between Fyers's men and Oliver and Slade. Too bad Yao Fei didn't make it but I guess most of their efforts now will be to rescue him and stop whatever Fyers is going to do with the missile launcher. As for what I didn't like it would have to go to the Quentin and Dinah subplot, don't get me wrong I actually enjoyed it and it did get pretty emotional at the end when Dinah admitted she knew about Sara (strong moment from the Lance Family). However I have said it before and I will say it again; this subplot does feel forced in to the episode, it was like if it was not there it wouldn't really have mattered overall. Maybe it would have been better if once whole episode was focused on this subplot rather than splitting it up over three episodes, now that would have worked in my opinion!

"I was so sceptical at first but now I've made this whole work station"

Overall this was a great episode that we needed after that horrible Huntress one and since Felicity figured out more of that journal maybe Oliver will be investigating The Undertaking more and may even suspect Malcolm soon.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: The Saviour was a great villain
                   Moira continues to tread a dark path with Malcolm
                   The interaction with Thea and Roy

Let - Downs: The Quentin and Dinah subplot was good but felt out of place                

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: 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/