Arrow Season Three: Al Sah - Him

So what will this new team name be?

While Oliver goes through a rigorous transformation the League target Nyssa who is in Starling City training Laurel while in Flashbacks the ALPHA/OMEGA virus has been unleashed.

Now this was one damn good episode I must admit first! I tell you it is different seeing Oliver as the villain and it is really enjoyable seeing him fighting against Team Arrow. Now knowing Oliver it is possible that his programming is all an act and that he has this grand scheme up his sleeve but I have read some comments online and some believe that he isn't and will stay with the League into Season Four. This would of course be a really interesting move and one I hope they would do it because as I just said I am liking Darth Oliver so far (Felicity said that lol). However if this is the case my only gripe with Oliver's transformation is that they have really just skimmed over his programming with the League during the opening montage because I would have wanted to find out more about it. At least we got to find out a lot more about H.I.V.E and the confirmed villain for Season Four; Damien Darhk. Since he was only a minor character in the Teen Titans comics the show has already created a more different back story for him and I liked it, I am really looking forward for Season Four now! We also got some more backstory into Ra's predecessor and that Olvier will have to destroy Starling City however I did not like that the ALPHA/OMEGA virus is now a topic in the present. Those who have read my review when the virus first appeared know that I did not want it in the present because in my opinion it would be too similar to Mirakuru from Season Two but at the very least the virus is only going to be used for a few episodes.

"Guns are so uncivilised"

As for everything else I think the friendship between Laurel and Nyssa has been great; I really liked the scene when they where having fries and milkshakes. This does a good job of humanizing Nyssa, make her more relatable than the villainous assassin who "isn't normal", plus this gives her a story arc that doesn't involve Sara for once and finally gave her a new problem to deal with. Then of course there is the reveal that she is to marry Oliver and I seriously doubt she will go along with that, unless Oliver is acting and lets her in on his plan? As for Laurel this gives her some scenes with Nyssa (such as catching the robber) that didn't involve Team Arrow for once and we got to see the Canary Cry in action and it was really well done. Diggle also was strongly involved with the story because it was his wife that was kidnapped and we got to see him struggling with whether or not he believes Oliver is truly gone; seeing him lose a bit of control with Oliver and Nyssa was something different because he is usually the rock of the team (plus he was great in a swordfight!). Finally there is Thea and surprise we actually got to see her do something and see her in costume though since it was so plain I'm guessing it will be upgraded soon. Despite my annoyance of Thea most of the time I do want to see her in action fighting against Oliver and who knows it might be worth the wait. As for the Flashbacks I did really like them because we got some great action the scenes involving the spread of the virus through the city was really well done.

"So worth the photo with that fanboy"

Overall an awesome episode ands it seems the plot with the League finally knows where it's going because lately it has been all over the place and focusing more on Roy, Quentin, ATOM etc.       

Highlights: Oliver as a villain
                   Damien Darhk and H.I.V.E explained
                   Laurel and Nyssa's friendship and strong Diggle material

Let - Downs: Did not go in depth into Oliver's programming
                      ALPHA/OMEGA virus in the present

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 Fallen

Al Sah - Him lives

With Thea's life hanging in the balance Oliver now has no choice but to accept his role as the new Head of the Demon so he can gain access to the Lazarus Pit however the rest of Team Arrow are not going to stand by and do nothing.

It took several episodes but it looks like Ra's has finally got his way and Oliver is now a member of the League of Assassins and soon to be the new Head. Now I'm sure that Oliver and Team Arrow are going to find a way out of this but I admit I didn't expect Oliver to actually accept so it is going to be cool these next few episode seeing what he will do next. Now Oliver's reason to join the League where right ones because he wanted to save Thea and I really liked the whole ritual but her revival was so underwhelming! She only suffered a bit of memory loss and by the end of the episode she was back to normal (back to her bitchy self of insulting Malcolm), I thought Malcolm said it would change her soul? There was also that mysterious woman who performed the ritual; I don't think it is Talia but I have read some people's comments saying it is Ra's wife or Lady Shiva, however for all we know she is a one time character so we will have to wait and see. Speaking Ra's it is good to get some backstory on him, again confirm that he is hundreds of years old and him explaining the true meaning of assassin. What really bothered my however was Felicity because she is just constantly getting on my nerves now on Arrow, on The Flash she was alright. Firstly she broke up with Ray which was the only pairing that I liked, then she just wouldn't shut up about losing Oliver and then she drugged him. It is just annoying that she has to keep going on that she doesn't agree and expects everyone to side with her; she has been doing this ever since the three episode Brick Arc and has been a downer ever since. Finally the Flashbacks are getting more entertaining now with the biohazard threat and Maseo was really great as we saw him struggling with his old self and his new loyalties. At least we finally know the fate of his son but I think it was obvious he was dead but I wonder if there is more to the reason Ra's spared Maseo's life? Still at least we also go some great action scenes in the Flashbacks and Malcolm being epic with a sword in the present.

Thea better proves that she deserves this

Overall this was a good episode but it felt really, really short with the lack of any other subplots however who else thought that Oliver's League costume was really badass!! 

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: The Lazarus Pit ritual
                   Ra's backstory
                   Maseo and the Flashbacks

Let - Downs: The revived Thea was underwhelming
                       Felicity is getting on my nerves
                  
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: Broken Arrow

"I can't wait to form my own super team"

Oliver is forced to keep a low profile with Quentin and the SCPD still suspicious of him even after Roy takes the fall however this changes when Meta Human Jake Simmons AKA Deathbolt (Doug Jones) arrives in town and Oliver is forced to ask Ray for help.

A lot of crazy stuff went on in this episode and I guess I shall talk about the most important one and that is the departure of Roy. Those who have read my previous reviews know that I am a big fan of the Roy character and of his alter ego Arsenal however I felt (and many on the internet agree) that he has taken a back seat for most of this season despite it being the debut of him as Arsenal completely. The only other episode that when he shined was the Wildcat apprentice one where he thought he killed Sara so it was good that he got to play a larger role now. He had some great scenes like when he expressed his gratitude to Oliver, his conversation with Thea and his fights with the prisoners and it is a shame that after all that he now leaves the show. I am sure this isn't the last we see of him but he will probably be in the show now only one or two episodes per season and I am going to miss him because he was a very underused character this season after being developed so well in the previous two. The other main character in the Roy subplot was Quentin and I have to say he is really getting on my nerves now; it was good for one episode but this constant hate from him is damn annoying. It seems his character has gone full circle of hating Arrow, siding with him and now hating him again (and I liked him way better when he was for Arrow) and it is because of this that I think he may be killed off soon. A major character death has been teased and Roy was mostly used as a decoy for it and I think Quentin as a character has run it's course. As for Oliver I did like how frustrated he was with the situation but also learning that his friends can sort it all out by themselves and the Flashbacks where at least good for at least addressing that issue in the past.

As for everything else it was so awesome having a Meta Human on Arrow and we defiantly need more and Deathbolt was just great. Doug Jones has always been a good actor so great casting and I really liked Deathbolt's powers of absorption and releasing that energy in beams and fighting (probably a reference to Superman because of Brandon Roth). What also made this subplot great was that it gave Ray/ATOM the spotlight which is great because he is one of my favourite characters and his suit is so freaking epic! He had a really cool fight with Deathbolt and I liked how it was also a test for him to start being a hero and learning how to fight with his instincts and not just technology. I was disappointed that Arrow didn't fight along side him but that interface system was cool and the reveal that Deathbolt didn't get his powers from the particle accelerator (really funny moment with Cisco then lol) opens a lot of possibilities; was he born with his powers or is there another source? Finally there is the death of Thea by Ra's but I don't believe for a second that she is going to stay dead because since the Lazarus Pit exists I am positive that Oliver will have to accept being the new Head of the Demon to inherit the pit and revive Thea. While all this is some really great material it has reminded me how bad Thea has been throughout this entire show. They have used so much time to develop her character and even after her training she is still the annoy, whinny brat she has always been who does absolutely nothing but talk. It is a shame because they can't kill her off after spending so much effort on her character and that means the important Lazarus revive has to be wasted on her.

Overall a great episode because it's main focus was on Roy and ATOM but Quentin was a real annoyance. Sorry for lack of images but they where yet to be uploaded on Screencapped and I didn't want to wait so I used a image of ATOM from Suicidal Tendencies, luckily he was one of the main focuses of this episode.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Roy focused episode
                   ATOM vs. Deathbolt

Let - Downs: Quentin either needs to change or get killed off
                      Obvious that Thea is going to get revived

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: Nanda Parbat

So freaking awesome!!

When Malcolm is captured by the League of Assassins, Oliver considers saving him for Thea's sake. Meanwhile Felicity fears for Ray when he becomes more and more obsessed with finishing the ATOM suit.

What an awesome episode, this one aired in America just before a three week break (hope we don't have that over here) and left the audience with such an unexpected cliff hanger. First off I actually really liked Laurel, Thea and Nyssa for the way they dealt with Sara death in their own way. Laurel for example did let her emotions get the better of her and attacked Malcolm, sure that was a stupid thing to do but I think she knew that and I liked her bonding with Nyssa over Sara's laugh. Thea betrayed Malcolm to the League and told Laurel and Nyssa the truth but it was good seeing her admitting that she did feel guilty after having a great moment with Roy. Just thought I'd point out that it was cool how they went back to Roy killing the cop in season two and his guilt over it, until this episode I thought he just moved on. Finally there is Nyssa' whose feelings for Sara has probably now cost her being the Heir of the Demon and I am interested to know how this turns out however I do hope she finally moves on from Sara and hating Malcolm soon so they can add something else to her story. Malcolm was also great in this episode because of how he had to deal with everyone against him (except Oliver it seems), I liked how he never took Laurel seriously in their fight and it shows how dangerous Ra's actually is since Malcolm was afraid. There was a lot of awesome action sequences from all these characters as well; especially Diggle and Oliver's assault on the League, however I am a bit disappointed in that because the episode was a bit slow paced so we only got the last five minutes of the episode with it and after so much hype.

Just like the good old days of the beginning

Now as for Ra's offer to Oliver that was something I really didn't expect and even though I think Oliver will turn him down he will definitely be considering it next episode, he can't just turn it down straight away. You know I have read some people complaining that Arrow is being too much like Batman because of this Ra's story adaptation but since the writers have confirmed there will be no Batman in this I praise them for weaving it in the Arrow story so well and they do put their own original elements in it as well. Also I am positive now a Lazarus Pit exists because of I don't think that was just any pool Ra's was in at the beginning and how he said he met a magician all way back in the 1850!! You know I am really liking Matt Nable as Ra's al Ghul because the guy is just so imposing whenever he is on screen, you can really feel that this guy is the most dangerous man in the world. I just hope that from this point on we see a lot more of Ra's and that he takes a more active role in the story but since we are over the half way point in season three I'm sure we will.

"Your father is never going to care about Sara's death so............GET OVER IT!"

As for everything else Diggle defiantly deserves some praise because after not being that active the last few episodes he was right in the thick of it now. He had some really great talking moments with Oliver such as in the club or when they where captured and I am so glad he went with Oliver to save Malcolm. When that happened I just thought "Good old Dig; the constant rock of the group who will always have Oliver's back", luckily I hear there is a Suicide Squad episode soon and that always focuses on him more. Now we also get the big reveal of Ray as ATOM and that suit looked so freaking awesome!!!! I just really love that design and it was so epic when he flew; I know people may say that it is a knock off Ironman but we haven't seen what it can do yet and for all we know it could get his shrinking powers soon (seen him and Felicity in a Flash trailer so maybe then?). I liked the moments with Ray and Felcitiy as well because I have always enjoyed the chemistry between them (I prefer them two together than her and Oliver) and they brought in some much need humour. Finally while the Flashbacks where short and not too important they where not the big focus anyway and they where entertaining enough.

"Since there is no Batman you will have to do"

Overall this was an epic episode that was only brought down by it's slow pace and the Diggle and Oliver attack on the League didn't pay off as much as I wanted it to. Plus I do hope Thea's hatred of Malcolm doesn't last for too long because even though it will be understandable that she doesn't forgive him I just want her to work him again like before.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: ATOM!!!!!!!!!!!
                   Laurel, Thea and Nyssa subplots
                   Malcolm and Diggle played an important role
                   Ra's al Ghul continues to be awesome

Let - Downs: Slow pace
                      Oliver and Diggle attacking the League could have been longer

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 Two: Unthinkable

Super epic shot!!

The episode begins with Roy being cured but the clock tower is surrounded by Mirakuru soldiers however Lyla shows up to blow it up as Team Arrow escapes meanwhile Thea has shot Malcolm but he was wearing a vest and is proud she had the conviction to shoot him (something Tommy didn't have) however Thea leaves when she gets a call from Roy. At SCPD Laurel sees Sara talking to someone and is knocked out but it is revealed at the Arrowcave to be Nyssa and other League members who have agreed to help as long as Sara re-joins the League, Oliver agrees too but only if they use the cure. Team Arrow and the League fight Deathstroke and Ravager at Queen Consolidated; Nyssa kills Ravager however Deathstroke escapes, in a Flashback Slade is about to kill Oliver but Knyazev fires a torpedo at the boat before he is able to. At SCPD Laurel is kidnapped by a solider and when Team Arrow arrives Quentin says while he respects Arrow's no killing, Slade needs to die meanwhile Thea and Roy meet up and agree to runaway together but Roy gets a call from Arrow for help and decides to do that first. Oliver then hides Felcitiy at the Queen Manor because he says he loves her and doesn't want Slade to hurt her, elsewhere Diggle and Lyla free the Suicide Squad at A.R.G.U.S headquarters so they can stop Waller.



"Our last stand"

The League, Black Canary, Roy (who, equipped with a mask and bow, is now Red Arrow) and Arrow confront the Mirkuru army and fight and cure many of them meanwhile however Thea has found spare arrows at Roy's place which upsets her. Arrow then gets a call from Deathstroke saying he has Felicity and Laurel and forces him to chose when he gets to the location however it is then revealed Oliver discovered the cameras and purposely lied to Felicity in front of them so he can slip her the cure which she now uses on Slade. Arrow and Deathstroke fight while Flashbacks also show them fighting on the sinking boat, Sara is dragged under water which makes Oliver believe she died again however Slade is trapped when debris falls on him. Slade then threatens to find Oliver's family and kill them which forces him to put an arrow through Slade's eye (seemingly killing him) while in the present Arrow ties up Deathstroke with a trick arrow and choses not to kill him, Waller stops the missiles (while revealing Lyla is pregnant with Diggle's child). Later when Sara says her goodbyes Quentin collapses and spits up blood and Roy finds Thea missing who has gone off with Malcolm. Slade is then imprisoned back on the island in an A.R.G.U.S cell where Oliver leaves him but thanks him for teaching him how to fight. The episode ends in a Flashback and Oliver finds himself in Hong Kong and greeted by Waller.

So awesome!

Now this is a way to end the season!!! This episode was really action heavy to say the least which is how a hero series finale should be like. This was a fitting conclusion to the Arrow vs. Deathstroke arc and they had one of the most epic showdowns I have ever seen. Firstly Oliver's plan to cure Slade of Mirakuru was so damn smart because I really didn't expect it however super strength or not Deathstroke still proved to be quite the match for Arrow as they had their epic clash on the roof. The stunts, the fighting, the swordplay and arrows; it was all just what I wanted it to be but what was the best part about the showdown was the use of Flashbacks mirroring the fight in the present. That was so creative, so well done and Oliver stabbing Slade in the eye, now that was brutal! I also liked the trash talk between them at the beginning because Oliver did make a good point; Slade was mad and perverting Shado's memory. I am really glad that Oliver imprisoned Slade at the end because that means he could return in a future season which is a must, this series need Manu Bennett just as much as any of the other characters.

"So we're partners again Diggle old pal"

Another great thing about this episode was the return of Nyssa and the League because it is always epic when the League show up and Nyssa is just a sexy badass. They had a awesome clash against the Mirakuru army (epic entrance for Team Arrow) and a fight against Ravager; Nyssa can be damn cold snapping her neck like that. Isabel may have been a worthless character in the beginning but these last few episode she really grew on me as Ravager and that was a brutal way for her character to go and kind of what she deserves. Roy was a stand out because I have been waiting for him to be become Red Arrow/Aresenal for ages now and he finally got his bow, mask and kicked some ass. I hope this means that he will be a permanent addition to Team Arrow now and it looks like it since Thea has left to go with Malcolm.

"Yeeesh"

As for everything else while it was interesting Thea choosing to go with Malcolm, because this may really change her character, Malcolm himself was so underused again. He is one of my favourite characters, he was the only one to kill a Mirakuru solider without the cure, but he didn't play a large role in anything else. I also didn't like that it left on such anti - climatic moments such as Oliver being in Hong King and not really knowing how he got there, Sara going off with the League and most of all Quentin coughing up blood. Now that came completely out of nowhere and I wished it wasn't left so open ended mainly because this is the finale, I didn't want them to leave the results of that all the way until next season. Speaking of Sara she was way better in the episode than she than the last two but it is a shame that she is off with the League now because I would rather she remain a main character. Lastly I was great seeing Deadshot and the Suicide Squad again but they could have done more and Waller just continues to be an annoyance for me in the things she does and the way she acts. I mean she could have sent in the Suicide Squad to help Team Arrow (that would have been epic) but instead they are wasted because of her stupid missile plan.

"Miss me boys?"

Overall this was an awesome episode and season two overall has improved on a lot of things from season one and has been truly epic.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Arrow vs. Deathstroke/Flashbacks
                   Return of Nyssa and the League
                   Roy as Red Arrow
                   So much action

Let - Downs: Malcolm again was underused
                      The Suicide Squad was underused and Waller was just stupid
                      The fate of Quentin left unknown

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 Two: Heir to the Demon

The second daughter to the Demon

The episode begins with Nyssa al Ghul (Katrina Law) taking out airport security because her credentials issued an A.R.G.U.S alert meanwhile at Queen Consolidated Moira is preparing to run for Mayor and Felicity tells Walter that Tempest (the old organization connected with The Undertaking and Moira) is making withdrawals from the bank. Oliver sees Laurel at the hospital, Quentin and Dinah are also there and Laurel tells Quentin that she saw Sara, later Oliver finds Sara at the Arrowcave and wants her to stay for her family but Sara says the League are still after her. In a Flashback six years ago Sara is visiting her family after get time off from college but texts Oliver, in the present Sara and Quentin meet up briefly but when Sara leaves Nyssa shows up wanting her to return to the League and even though she still refuses the two kiss, Arrow watches from a distance. Nyssa and Sara meet up again later because Sara wishes for Ra's al Ghul to release her from the League but Nyssa says that may be impossible. Diggle later finds out Laurel was actually poisoned and Dinah is kidnapped at the hospital by Nyssa and Arrow and Black Canary fail to stop her, they both then tell Quentin about this.

"Ever thought of getting a car? You can equip it with lots of gadgets!"

In a Flashback Quentin and Laurel have just found out the Queen's Gambit has sunk and Moira shows up later to tell them Sara was on the boat, in the present Team Arrow runs into a dead end tracking the poison but Nyssa calls and says she wants Sara in exchange for Dinah. Oliver notices something off with Felicity who replies that she has found out something about Thea which shocks Oliver at Moira's campaign event but he keeps it to himself, later he finds out Sara has taken more of the poison with her to confront Nyssa. Quentin and Sara confront Nyssa and Sara poisons herself however Arrow shows up and saves her after a brief fight with Nyssa, this compels Nyssa to release her from the League. Later Oliver tells Moira that the two of them are now done, having been told by Felicity that Thea is Malcolm's daughter meanwhile Quentin and Dinah are overjoyed Sara is back however Laurel (incorrectly/unfairly) blames Sara for every bad thing in their family and demands her to leave. The episode ends with Slade telling Sebastian that he will deal with Moira and Sara and Oliver kissing passionately.

Really thought Sara was dead for good at this moment

Looks like the League is back and we have the arrival of a major character from it, it might not be Ra's al Ghul but one of his daughters. At first I thought it would be Talia because she is the most well known of his daughters however having Nyssa instead is better because Talia is more associated with Batman. Nyssa really made a strong debut; kicking a lot of ass and being a awesome archer and having a great costume to match. She is willing to do whatever it took to get Sara back, poisoning her sister and kidnapping her mother, and I kind of wish we got a bit more history on their relationship. This would have made for better Flashbacks than what we got this episode because it just felt unnecessary because it was basically no new information. However despite that I always like seeing the League and we had a great show down between Nyssa and Arrow.

"Your not the only one who can do this"

It was also again good seeing Walter and that Felicity was involved again in an effort to find out the truth of Moira's lies. She had a great confrontation with Moira and I don't really blame her for telling Oliver the truth about Thea and that was just one more lie that Oliver just could not take. I wonder if he will see or treat Thea any different now that he now she is Malcolm's daughter but he is done with Moira now in any case. We also got to see Moira starting to run for Mayor now and like I said last review I am interested to see more because it is something new for her character and she finally gets to do something that is good for the city.

Why couldn't we just have a nice reunion

As for everything else I did like the drama between the Lance family and that they where all together but it was ruined at the end by Laurel. This might sound cheesy but I wouldn't have mind at the end that the Lance family, including Laurel, embraced each other now that their family is whole again but it did go that way. I just hated Laurel's sudden hostility towards Sara and blaming her for every bad thing that has happened because every bad thing is really her fault and of course she was drinking at the end again. I have read some reviews saying that her anger was justified this time but I don't see it that way and it just makes me continue to hate her. Plus I while I said the Flashbacks where not needed it was nice seeing the Lance Family as they where six years ago but again except for Laurel because she was just like in the present she was a bitch in the Flashbacks. Lastly I don't like that Sara and Oliver got together at the end because even though I am not a fan of any of the couplings, Oliver/Felicity is better than any of the ones we have had so far.

"Get over here and give your speech Oliver!"

Overall this was a great episode but the ending, Laurel and Flashbacks where at let down.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlight: Strong debut for Nyssa
                  Moira and Oliver conflict
                  The Lance family (except for Laurel)

Let - Downs: Laurel ruined the ending like she ruins everything now
                      Flashbacks


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 Two: League of Assassins

"The League is here b***hes!"

The episode begins with a Flashback of Oliver and Sara on the Queen's Gambit sinking while in the present Sara is staying with Oliver. Moira is then given a plea agreement for life in prison and Laurel is one of the lawyers against her because of her boss, much to Oliver's shock. In a Flashback Sara is a drift but stops the Amazo in the distance, in the present Oliver and Sara are attacked by a League of Assassins member, Al - Owal, but manage to hold him off. Oliver then takes Sara to the Arrowcave where she explains that she has left the League, in a Flashback Sara is put in a cage by the Amazo pirates. Arrow and Black Canary track the League members down to an old factory and fight them to a stalemate however Al - Owal threatens Sara's family, in a Flashback Sara meets someone named Dr Anthony Ivo.

"These guys are weird"

Felicity then vaguely warns Quentin of the League however he does not take her seriously which forces Sara to reveal that she is alive to him. In a Flashback Ivo asks Sara for help in his experiments and in the present Oliver makes sure Laurel is safe but sees a dagger in her wall but he removes it discreetly. Quentin and Sara's happy reunion is cut short at the clock tower by the arrival of Al - Owal and two others however they fight them off, along with Arrow who arrives, and Sara kills Al - Owal. Realizing her family will be in danger Sara decides to leave Starling City much to Quentin's dismay and Moira decides to fight the death penalty with the support of Oliver and Thea. The episode ends with Oliver admitting to Diggle he wasn't always on the island and we get the same Flashback as last episode where Oliver is thrown at Sara's feet.

Awwwwwww

What an awesome episode because we finally have the League of Assassins involving themselves more in the series. I know that this is only the fifth episode in but it has so far proved to be better than season one because of the inclusion of better villains like Bronze Tiger, Brother Blood and The Dollmaker and now the League of Assassins. We had some awesome fight scenes from them, I mean who doesn't like seeing ninjas fighting each, and their outfits are awesome because I already liked the Dark Archer costume. Sara had the spotlight once again and again I am glad because she is definitely one of the best characters now on Arrow and even if she left I doubt she will be gone for long. Her Flashbacks where also interesting as well though it is a shame they skipped the year she spent with Ivo before seeing Oliver again, even a small montage will do.

"Only losers use the front door!"

Quentin was great in this episode as well, in fact he has been great this season, and I really liked that emotional goodbye he had with Sara at the end. Also despite not being a ninja he still kicked some ass against those League members and it seems he is going to have to live with a big secret for a while now as well. However once again the real weak point of this episode was Laurel because I am really just not liking her, she may have stayed off the drink and drugs this episode but I hated her damn attitude with Oliver and Quentin. However it seems the writers want to make us hate her even more by being against Moira in her trial, even if it was because of her boss she still shouldn't be against her friend's mom and she doesn't even seem bothered.

"You better not catch this!"

Overall this was a great episode for the League of Assassins and I want to see more of them but I also want to see more of Diggle who hasn't had a large role lately.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Arrow and Black Canary still kick ass together!
                   Quentin was great in this episode
                   League of Assassins

Let - Downs: Laurel once again

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 Two: Broken Dolls

"I did slice off skin but the mess went everywhere"

The episode begins with Arrow being saved by Black Canary from the police, this angers Oliver at the Arrowcave who doesn't like the thought of another vigilante in Starling City. Meanwhile Quentin arrives on the scene of a murdered young woman killed by the serial killer Barton Mathis AKA The Dollmaker who must have escaped during the earthquake however Quentin is warned to stay off the case (being the one who arrested The Dollmaker last time). Another victim is kidnapped so Quentin then asks Arrow for help and while he sets Felicity to find a connection between the victims he asks Roy to find out more about Black Canary. Arrow questions The Dollmaker's old lawyer which leads him and Quentin to an old address of The Dollmaker but find it empty however Quentin does get a call from The Dollmaker who taunts Quentin while killing his victim. Arrow and Quentin team up again to steal evidence and find out the victims all have the same skin cream as a connection, in a Flashback Slade and Oliver finds the pirate's boat and see it firing at their base where Shado is.

Since this was such a great team up I kind of wish Quentin became a part of Team Arrow

Felicity volunteers to lure The Dollmaker with Arrow and Quentin tailing her however he gets away and Quentin is arrested for interfering. Later during a trial the district attorney wishes for Moira to receive the death penalty for her actions, in a Flashback Oliver is knocked out by explosions when he and Slade arrive to help Shado. Roy finds a girl named Sin (Bex Taylor-Klaus) while finding Black Canary; he is knocked out and brought before her but told not keep looking for her, meanwhile Quentin and Laurel are kidnapped by The Dollmaker. Arrow arrives to save Quentin and Laurel and The Dollmaker is killed by Black Canary, Laurel then admits to only hating Arrow because she blames herself for Tommy and Quentin later thanks Arrow. The episode ends with Black Canary killing an agent of Ra's Al Ghul when she refuses to go back to the League of Assassins and in a Flashback Oliver wakes up on the boat Amazo.

The Super Special Epic Entrance Pose!

Now this was the kind of team up I wanted to see between Quentin and Arrow, I enjoyed this team up unlike the one in season one. They worked really well together, along with Felicity who I always enjoy seeing taking a break from a computer screen, and Quentin is realizing now that Arrow is necessary for Starling City. The had some great moments; from raiding The Dollmaker's hideout to tailing Felicity, it was really suspenseful. Speaking of The Dollmaker he was a great villain because he was pretty damn dark like the way he kills his victims and displays them and he was creepy in the way he acts and talks. Sure he wasn't a fighter like Bronze Tiger in the previous episode but is was a match for Arrow and Quentin in his own way, it is just a damn shame that he had to be killed off.

"Sentence; Death. Next one please"

We also got some more great scenes with Black Canary and it was worth watching this episode for the mention of Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Assassins alone. This is because Ra's Al Ghul is one of the most iconic DC villains and if he appears in Arrow than that would be awesome, plus again having the League of Assassins is another right move for Arrow in terms of being more like a comic book adaptation. Black Canary obviously must have been part of the League and also must have an interest in Arrow if she saved him. Hopefully we will see more of her soon because I am really liking her so far. Also did anyone notice the League member was dressed similar to Malcolm's Dark Archer costume? Malcolm did mention to Tommy he meet with people who changed his life while away and after seeing this I was certain it was the League, it would also explain his level of fighting skill.

League of Assassins!!!

As for the rest of the episode I enjoyed seeing Roy trying to find Black Canary but I didn't expect it to be finished in one episode. Laurel was okay in this, this time because I am just really glad the writers have abandoned her Anti - Arrow campaign (of course the worst is yet to come). Moira also found herself in quite the predicament and I wonder how they are going to get out of that one and lastly while it looks like the Flashbacks are going to get better with Oliver kidnapped they have still started off rather weak this season.

What a really elaborate way to pose a victim 

Overall this was a step up from the previous two episodes for it's much darker and sinister tone thanks to The Dollmaker.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: The Dollmaker
                   Quentin and Arrow team up
                   Black Canary and the League of Assassins

Let - Downs: Flashbacks still aren't that strong

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/