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 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/