Arrow Season Four: Restoration

"I always knew gambling could be dangerous but damn!"

Laurel and Thea visit Malcolm at Nanda Parbat to try and convince him to bring back Sara with the Lazarus Pit meanwhile in Star City Oliver and Diggle team up to take on Meta - Human Jeremy Tell AKA Double Down (JR Bourne) who is working for HIVE.

I love it when they bring Meta Humans on Arrow and this time Oliver actually got to fight one because it was Ray who fought Deathbolt. This episode was a really strong OTA (Original Team Arrow) episode which is good because I do miss when it was just the first three and it was thanks to Double Down who while being a straightforward villain was an awesome one. Double Down had such an cool power and his fight scenes showcasing it where so great like his first one with Oliver to a tie, his raid on Palmer Technologies and his final one with Oliver and Diggle; I really hope he appears in future episodes of Arrow or the Flash. It was also thanks to Double Down that Oliver and Diggle where finally able to mend their relationship which I am glad for because I want them to be civil with each other again like Diggle trusting Oliver with his two year mission or Oliver taking a playing card for Diggle. Plus I am glad we got to touch on Diggle's mission for vengeance against HIVE again since I expect to see quite a lot of it because to me this is supposed to be Diggle's season to really stand out and let the main storyline be about him. Felicity also had a strong subplot this episode, holding her own against Double Down though I admit a lot less gracefully lol. I like the team work between her and Curtis and I love we got to see the T - Spheres which makes me hopefully we will see Mr Terrific soon. Finally Damien really, and I mean really, stood out in this subplot and continues to impress me everything has the main villain. The way he used Double Down's own playing card to kill Fayad was so damn brutal and I agree with Double Down that Damien is terrifying and I do not want to get on the wrong side of him!

Really great line but Curtis here lol

As for everything else it is always good to see Malcolm again because he is just my favourite Arrow character and while I like Sara being back I didn't like the subplot overall. For starters I didn't like Laurel's attitude in this whole episode; when the Malcolm and Nyssa both agree not to bring Sara back then you should take that to heart! I also agree with Nyssa in that Laurel is doing this for the wrong reasons, it feels more selfish than anything else and I think it would have been better if Sara was brought back for better reasons than just Laurel wanting to. Thea also didn't fare too well because I have so far had mixed reactions about her condition and this episode didn't do a better job of making it better, she is kind of like a vampire now lol. As for Nyssa she just continues to annoy me in everything she does like destroying the Lazarus Pit, going on a rant about Sara, threatening to kill Malcolm; I just feel like she spoils everything in the end. I hope in the future Laurel or Malcolm kills her because I am just hating her now and I tell you this if Nyssa does kill Malcolm (like she threatens to) I will never forgive the show for that. Since Malcolm is a villain I know he could end up dead in a future season and I just think he defiantly deserves a better death than by Nyssa who has never had a good storyline and constantly whines all of the time. Finally the Flashbacks are decent and I want to know more of the Baron's plans but they are nothing to exciting so far, just have to give it more time.

You know in the LOT trailer Sara was naked coming out of the Pit, I feel cheated now

Overall the plot with Double Down was way better than the one in Nanda Parbat though I am glad Sara is back now.

SCORE 7/10

Highlights: Double Down
                   Strong Oliver, Diggle and Felicity storylines
                   Damien continues to be awesome
                   Return of Malcolm

Let - Downs: Laurel and Thea continue to be the weak links this season
                      Nyssa just spoils everything in the end   

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/      

Top 10 Arrow Season Three Episodes

And now before the new season here is top ten of Arrow Season Three. SPOILERS

10. The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak

Felicity may have been a real let down in the latter half of Season Three but I am glad that in the first half we got the origin episode for her that we needed. This episode gave us a great look into her past and it was interesting seeing how different she is now. I liked all of the Flashbacks and her mom was just so funny, the only gripe about it is that the villain (Felicity's old boy friend) wasn't that great of one and his plan was unimaginative. Also I am glad they introduced us to Brother Eye because in the comics it is a dangerous and sentient AI so maybe we'll see it again.

9. Draw Back Your Bow




Introduced us to another new villain and one of the craziest so far; Cupid. She did a good job of being really obsessed with Arrow (like her creepy shrine) and quite the match for him in a fight. Plus this is the episode where we catch a glimpse of Ray working on his super cool ATOM suit. Shame that Cupid had to join the Suicide Squad after this because my complaint about them on Arrow is that they go on plain and boring missions when they should go at least fight Meta Humans, its the reason why there are no Suicide Squad episode on my top ten lists.

8. The Calm




A real strong start to the new season and what I liked the most was how it started off with more hope for Starling than season two did. It also was the debut of Roy as Arsenal for real, Ray Palmer and a new Count Vertigo; while I liked the old one I really like this one too because of his new drug and the fact that he can hold his own in a fight with his darts. This also gave us a really big WTF moment where Sara was killed off and that influenced the whole rest of the season.

7. Guilty




Glad we got an episode that focused on a side character more than the main ones; Ted Grant AKA Wildcat. Grant was really great in this season and I liked the fact that there was a vigilante before Arrow in Starling so it is a shame his actor is busy with other stuff that he can't play a larger role. I just didn't like that Roy was revealed not to have killed Sara so quickly because I think it would have been more dramatic if it was him or anyone else than Malcolm in the end. Also BOXING GLOVE ARROW!

6. The Climb




This episode had one of the best fights in Arrow and that was Oliver vs. Ra's Al Ghul on top of a mountain, it was so epic and Oliver actually died (kind of) at the end; Matt Nable was a perfect choice for Ra's and did not disappoint. However what I didn't like was the reveal that Malcolm was the one who tricked Thea into killing Sara because I just think it would have been better if it was someone else and the fact that the reason Oliver had to fight was because Nyssa just keeps going on and on about Sara.

5. Broken Arrow

The first Meta Human villain on Arrow and I think it did so good that there should definitely be more in Season Four. Deathbolt was so awesome and I liked that this episode was also more of a focus on Ray in his ATOM suit because he is one of my favourite characters. I also liked the stuff Roy had to deal with in prison however like episode before this one Quentin continues to act like a complete prick e.g. when he was in the Verdant.

4. Midnight City




You know I really hope that Vinnie Jones returns as Brick in the future because he was so damn awesome in Arrow and the main reason the three episode arc without Oliver is one of my favourite moments in the Arrow series. Not only Brick but Laurel was also great as well and this episode turned her into a great character and Black Canary; her costume was cool and I liked how they showed she wasn't perfect yet as a vigilante, like how she lost against Brick. Great episode but I hate the way how Oliver came back, it should have been by the Lazarus Pit!

3. Canaries




This episode was a perfect one for Laurel in the aftermath of the Brick arc and she decides to continue as the Black Canary. I am also glad that Count Vertigo returned because he is a great villain and was a quite the match for Laurel with his drug which gave us an awesome Canary vs. Canary fight. The best Laurel focused episode on the Arrow series but let down slightly by Oliver who keeps saying she should quit (hate it when he does that to other vigilantes like Ray) and with the Thea subplot which I didn't care for.

2. Uprising




The great conclusion to the Brick arc with the return of Oliver and ending in a massive fight which also saw the return on Sin and Wildcat. The rest of the action in the Glades was epic as well but a real highlight of this episode was the Flashbacks showing the origins of Malcolm losing his wife and how it tied to Brick, made me wish there where more and more Flashbacks. However a bit of a let down was Felicity who ruined Oliver's homecoming which is why Left Behind isn't on this list because she ruined that quite a bit by storming out on the rest of Team Arrow, breaking down because Oliver is gone when I thought she was stronger than that.

1. The Brave and the Bold




I just had to put this episode in first place because of it's perfect portrayal of Captain Boomerang, my favourite member of the Suicide Squad in the comics. He was just so epic in this and a real threat to both Arrow and the Flash and like Brick I hope he is in future episodes. Plus Team Arrow and Team Flash working together made for some real comedic moments because of how different they operate. The best episode of the season because I enjoyed every second of and I actually liked this crossover episode better than the one on Flash before it.

Worst episode

Corto Maltese

I don't like this episode because all the characters did was spend all of it trying to convince Thea to come home, failing, but then Thea decided to do come back all on her own. I didn't care much for Diggle's ARGUS mission either and there should have been way more Flashbacks with Malcolm training Thea. However Thea was a major disappointment because her leaving at the end of Season Two was this major thing but she comes back just too soon so there was no point to it. Plus while she did all this training she doesn't do anything with it all season, instead she goes back to managing a bar like she was last season.

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: My Name Is Oliver Queen

"I have saved this city.........three times now"

Ra's al Ghul enacts his master plan which puts everyone's lives in danger and Oliver must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice to stop him meanwhile the rest of Team Arrow springs into action.

Another finale, another season of Arrow finished and while this season has had it's ups and downs (especially in the later half) I was satisfied with what I watched. First off while it lacked the impact and intensity of the Mirakuru army I did enjoy the bio weapons attack on Starling and the rematch between Oliver and Ra's. I liked that all of Team Arrow was united to stop the four League members from spreading the virus but I didn't like that the virus was cured completely off screen by Ray's nanotech; it didn't feel like it was that big of a threat overall. However I did like the fight on the cargo plane and the final fight between Oliver and Ra's because I really like me some sword fighting, it's one of my favourite type of action sequence. I also liked that Oliver mimicked the words Ra's spoke to him on the mountain but I don't think that Ra's is going to be dead for long because the guy is famous for constantly coming back to life. I did like that Thea (she was good for once) got to show up in Arsenal costume for the ending but damn was that brief! I just hope she gets more crime fighting time than that next season. I also liked the team up between Nyssa and Oliver because I really prefer seeing them working together than against one another and when she defending Oliver against Diggle. As for Quentin I hated his relapse into drinking again but there is hope he can support Team Arrow again when he was against the sniper taking out Oliver (liked his funny "this is May" line lol). Then of course there was the reveal that Ra's was also after Damien Darke as well and the fact that he managed to fool even Ra's makes me really look forward to seeing him in Season Four; I liked the whole hotel scene and the moment with Damien's assistant because it was a well done tease for the new villain.

As for everything else Diggle of course shined the most with again struggling to accept Oliver back into the team but at least they came to an understanding at the end. It is a bit of a shame about Oliver's departure because it is almost like an end of an era for those two but hopefully Diggle will continue the good fight and get his own costume! Then there is Malcolm who is always one step ahead and came out on top as the new Ra's, was not expecting that. Obviously he and Nyssa are going to have some friction but with the reveal of Sara alive in Legends of Tomorrow (I've seen the trailer so no need to talk about Ray because I know he is alive too) maybe they will come to a truce. He will probably also go back to being a full villain but I doubt the League will have too much of a presence for a while so the show can focus on other stuff. Then there was Felicity and while she was alright I didn't like her being in the ATOM suit too much (because it was a quick attempt to involve her in the fight which meant we couldn't see Ray in action) and then she drove off with Oliver at the end. I never wanted these two together but I bet the OliverxFelicity fans are jumping with joy now, I guess I just got to accept it. Now I don't think Oliver is retiring for good (because he is the star obviously) but maybe like the Brick Arc he will be absent for a while which I don't mind because the Brick Arc proved that the secondary characters can hold there own so hopefully we will see more developments with Thea, Laurel and Diggle. Finally there is the Flashbacks and I just didn't like them because there was just little for Oliver, Maseo and Tatsu to do and was far less dramatic than the Slade vs. Oliver fight last season. However we got a great Easter Egg for Green Lantern with Oliver boarding a ship to Coast City so I hope we see Hal Jordon next season because he has been teased on Arrow/Flash for ages.

Overall not the best finale out of the three seasons but still a fun one to watch and makes me look forward to the possibilities of Season Four. Plus I liked how they managed to fit in the Flash for the finale, that was cool!

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Oliver vs. Ra's/Oliver and Nyssa team up
                   Team Arrow stopping the virus
                   Malcolm as the new Ra's
                   The possibilities for Season Four/Damien Darke

Let - Downs: The bio attack wasn't as threatening as the Mirakuru army
                       Flashbacks didn't do much
                       OliverxFelicity
                       ATOM didn't join in on the fight

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: This Is Your Sword

"Going to be hard wearing green again after all this awesome black"

Oliver now finishes his training to become the next Ra's Al Ghul meanwhile Malcolm makes an offer to Team Arrow and Thea goes to see Roy.

I knew it, I knew that Oliver wasn't turned to the dark side and had his own plan to bring down the League though I did kind of see it coming. It is really cool that Oliver (working with Malcolm!) came up with this big secretive plan, so secretive that they couldn't tell Team Arrow however I wish they didn't reveal it so early. The reason for this is because all of the drama and tension that was built up last episode with Oliver being a villain is gone now because we know it was fake so soon. In my opinion it might have been better to leave the reveal until the end of this episode or the beginning of the finale where it is revealed Oliver managed to cure Team Arrow without their knowledge, obviously they are not going to be killed off just like that. However at the very least Diggle did not just forgive and forget Oliver and is still holding a lot of anger towards him for the events of last episode and I am glad he is. Diggle again had some great material to work with; feeling betrayed by his best friend by the way he punched that criminal or ignored Oliver's explanation, it is going to take some time to rebuild their trust and I will say again Diggle needs a costume! (He could have used one during the chase). Before I move on I want to mention the action sequence in the desert with Team Arrow because that was freaking awesome and probably the biggest fight they have done all season. It was just so cool with Malcolm kicking ass, Laurel showing off her improved skills, Katana slashing away and Felicity having that funny moment with her tablet though it was the only time I liked her this episode. Then of course there was ATOM having an aerial dog fight with that plane and the effects in Arrow just keep getting better and better.

As for everything else I am glad we got to see Katana in full costume and action now however I just feel kind of let down because she has barely been given any character development, we have mostly just seen her as a mother in the Flashbacks. Still the final fight between her and Maseo was done so well; the sword fight was epic and Maseo's death was really sad and I liked how Katana sung to him which mirrored the death of their son. Shame to see Maseo go but I feel that his death was handled perfectly and that his story is complete. As for the Flashbacks they where good but it is a shame we don't get to see General Shrieve as much as we should be he does seem like a good villain with the way he captured Oliver, Maseo and Tatsu. Then there was Thea's visit to Roy and that was alright; mostly just there as a break from the main plot but it gave those two a proper goodbye and Roy has now passed the torch to Thea. As for Nyssa it was kind of funny how she tired to kill Oliver but I kind of think she will be let in on Team Arrow's plan and fight her father with them in the finale. Finally as I mentioned above I didn't like Felicity that much in this which is something I have said lots of times before but I shall explain it now. CW hasn't done a good job with it's women characters in the Arrow/Flash universe; Thea is a whiny brat who gets so much time invested in her yet does not do anything, Laurel was made unlikable with her drinking and drugs (though I admit they have made her way better that I actually really like her now), Iris is supposed to be this reporter but doesn't feel like one, Caitlin just feels like she's just there sometimes for the sake of it and now Felicity is plain annoying. I know they probably wanted to give her character something more to work with than just the light hearted computer expert but this pairing with Oliver has been such a downer for her and she feels that her opinion has to matter for everything.

Overall a great set up for the finale with one of the best action sequences I have seen so far.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Team Arrow vs. the League
                   Diggle dealing with his anger towards Oliver
                   Maseo vs. Katana

Let - Downs: Oliver revealed to not be evil was too soon
                      Flashbacks remind me that General Shrieve could have been more of a major character


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





http://screencapped.net/       

Arrow Season 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: Public Enemy

Run Team Arrow RUN!

When Ray is injured during an attack on the Mayor's office Felicity's mom Donna visits Starling City again. Meanwhile Team Arrow tries to find Maeso however things take a turn for the worse when Quentin is kidnapped by Ra's al Ghul.

 

This is almost like Season One when Arrow was hunted by the SCPD but the notable difference was Quentin is now almost completely blinded by hatred. Now I say almost because he kind of isn't in the wrong about what he is doing because that speech at the end with Oliver in the police van (standout performance by Blackthorne, he did a great job of being completely overcome by anger this episode) did make a lot of sense in that despite Arrow doing good at the end of the day it is Quentin's job to arrest him and how he actually hates himself for not doing so and even becoming his accomplice. I didn't actually expect him to meet with Ra's al Ghul at all but it was nice that these two characters got a chance to but it was a shame Ra's never used this as an opportunity to reveal more of Sara's time in the League; it is still really vague how she got there and what she did. As for Oliver it really seems hopeless for him now; Slade made him feel that why but who to thought it would be the police this season, just shows you how much Oliver needed them on his side. I guess it's kind of understandable that he turned himself in, in the end because he had no other options but it seems Roy has got his back which is good because he has been on the side lines too much this season. Now I'm not sure how Oliver and Roy are going to get out of this but I really hope it doesn't end in Roy's death (because a character death has been teased for the next episode) since I really like him as Arsenal and he still needs his robotic arm. As for Quentin I like to think he may come to regret his actions, maybe if Roy does die that will trigger it, but I don't know how he is going to redeem himself to Team Arrow and Laurel. Finally this storyline gave us some kickass fight scenes between Team Arrow and the League and some great police chases.

"I forgot how good it felt to chase masks"

As for everything else I enjoyed seeing Felicity's mom again because she brings a breath of light hearted fresh air and again raises questions about who Felicity's dad was with her comments. However while Ray's nanotechnology was interesting I didn't like that he was put on the sidelines this episode when we saw him in action in the last one; I just felt he could have played a larger role and all in all this small subplot felt out of place compared to everything else that went on. Also I'll say again I'm not bothered about the relationships in the show (it sometimes focuses too much on them) however I can't believe they have opened to possibility of Felicity being with Oliver again because I just do not like that. I think her conflicted feelings for Oliver has just been such a downer for her character (when she has been so cheery in the previous seasons) and I just want it to end already. As for the Flashbacks I did like them because it was a nice way to bring Shado and her father in it again even if it was just for closure for Shado's twin.

How is Roy going to get out of this one?

Overall it is a desperate time now for Team Arrow and I don't know how they are going to make things right which is why I can't wait for the next episode.

 

SCORE: 8/10

 

Highlights: A Quentin focused episode

                   All seems hopeless for Team Arrow

                   Great action and chase scenes

 

Let - Downs: Ray's subplot felt out of place

   Felicity still can't decide who she wants to be with which I'm sure will just waste future screentime

 

  

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: Suicidal Tendencies

"Let Team Arrow and Team ATOM join forces"

Diggle and Lyla finally get married however their celebration is cut short when Deadshot shows up with a new mission from Waller so they both re - join the Suicide Squad and meet it's newest member: Cupid. Meanwhile Arrow finds out about Ray's ATOM suit so the two have a heated stand off with Felicity in the middle of it.

We finally get to see ATOM in action and it was freaking awesome! I say this first; I wish the fight between Arrow and ATOM lasted longer but I was satisfied with what I got. That suit is just so cool besides from looking great it has an arc blast, energy beam and a really useful HUD display which was a good and believable way for Ray to learn the Arrow's identity. I really like the character arc that Ray went through this episode because we just need more of Ray since he is such a great character. He is similar to Oliver with his sense of justice and strong desire to help people but he is still new so it was good to see him learn his first lesson after his fight with Arrow. He also had some good moments with Felicity which I like because even though Arrow spends more time addressing relationships than I would like, FelicityxRay is a way better pairing than what they have done so far. The episode also ended on a cliff hanger and with Ray present and now his supporting Arrow I am looking forward to a team up from the two because those who read my previous reviews know I like a good team up between heroes or between villains. Plus all in all the special effects where perfect; I thought The Flash has been better but that is because they have Meta Humans but Arrow proves to be just as good with it's ATOM suit.

I know I keep saying this about ATOM but I'm saying it again; freaking awesome!!

The other story arc focused on the Suicide Squad and it is great to see them again because it has been too long and we get the debut of Cupid. I liked Cupid when she first appeared in the show and I still like her now because she does play crazy really good and she had some funny scenes with Deadshot. Deadshot of course was another highlight with Flashbacks focusing on him and we learned more about his past (which I am thankful for because it gave us a break from the Hong Kong flashbacks). My only gripe with them is that I wished there could have been longer because I honestly thought we would have gotten another Flashback of Deadshot killing Diggle's brother and maybe Diggle could have been there too. Another thing that annoyed me was the apparent death of Deadshot however I am not going to mark it down for this because I don't think he is dead but it is still possible which would suck because of his history with Diggle and the fact that he is a major comic villain. As for the rest of this arc despite the action being good I found the whole senator mission to be predictable and underwhelming and I just wish they would introduce more members of the Suicide Squad; they don't have to be introduced before on Arrow just introduce on the mission! Finally Diggle had some nice scenes such as his wedding and great material to work with like near the near the end when he contemplated leaving Team Arrow (glad he was talked out of it!).

The Suicide Squad together again

Overall a good episode and a needed break from all of the League stuff that has been the main focus lately but the Suicide Squad mission could have been more unique, maybe facing a Meta Human?

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Arrow vs. ATOM
                   Return of the Suicide Squad
                   strong character arcs for Ray, Deadshot and Diggle

Let - Downs: Needed more backstory for Deadshot
                      Suicide Squad mission was underwhelming

         

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 Offer

Bet he isn't one for long speeches........

While Oliver has to deal with the aftermath of his meeting with Ra's al Ghul a new villain terrorizes Starling City; Michael Amar AKA Murmur (Adrian Glynn McMorran). Meanwhile Laurel and Nyssa bond, Thea comes to terms with Malcolm and Quentin shuts out both Laurel and Arrow.

We have the aftermath of Ra's offer to Oliver of becoming the next Head of the Demon and even though I expected Oliver to turn it down it was great watching him struggle with the decision. It was great that the first part of the episode focused more on the background of the League, though more screen time could have been given to it, and the confirmation of the Lazarus Pit. Finally glad that we got to see it in live action and the effect of it healing Ra's wound was cool. The strongest factor of this episode to me was Oliver struggling with his decision to accept the offer because he really was considering it after going over what changes he has made in Starling. Ra's did make it tempting because he made it seem that Oliver has barely accomplished anything and Oliver was beginning to believe it. However in the end, and with the help of Felicity, he chose to reject it and we have already seen the consequences of it when Ra's posed as the Arrow in a murder; I'm guessing Quentin and the police are going to turn against the Arrow now. The other main two characters in Oliver's arc, Thea and Nyssa, where a real let down however and I just found them completely annoying. I know Thea is dealing with murdering Sara but she is just all complaints lately and I hate that the first thing she says in every scene is how she wants to kill Malcolm; I just wanted her to shut the hell up about it already, she has been all bark and no bite this whole season. Plus she has gone back to her stupid habit of hating someone for a season; one it was Moira/Oliver, two it was just Moira and now Malcolm. As for Nyssa she is a good character but can they just give her something else to work with than just Sara, Sara, freaking Sara all the time and it was annoying seeing her going against Ra's because of her.

..........but he is one for complete slaughter!

As for everything else I really enjoyed the Murmur, McMorran gave a really creepy portrayal and we got some cool shootouts/fighting, but I just wish they gave him more screen time since he was only in it for two major scenes. I also must admit that besides the action scenes with the Murmur the rest of the episode wasn't that exciting so again shame we couldn't have more focus on him. Quentin was also great once again and he is doing a could job of showing his turmoil at Sara's death and a justifiable cold shoulder to Laurel and Arrow (Laurel of course deserves it more because of her stupid plan). Seems he will be an enemy of Arrow once again and even though it was sometimes annoying in season one that was mainly because I just hate how he treated Oliver and everyone else but this time it is a lot more personal and now Laurel is a vigilante. Finally the Flashbacks where not really that important, like they always are this season, but I'm not sure what to make of Shado again. I hope there is no stupid reason they have manage to bring her back after being shot in the head and I would actually prefer it to be her twin sister.

"I can get used to this green hood"

Overall this episode was great showing Oliver's dilemma to the offer but it would have been a lot better if we got more background on Ra's and the League and more focus on the Murmur. As I mentioned above when it wasn't about Ra's or the Murmur the rest of the episode was a bit of a drag and not that exciting.

SCORE: 5/10

Highlights: Oliver's decision at Ra's offer
                   The Murmur
                   Quentin still dealing with being lied to

Let - Downs: Nyssa
                      Thea
                      Not enough focus on the League and Murmur

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 Three: Canaries

Damn she got her ass kicked

Oliver is now back however he is thrown with the changes to Team Arrow is his absence which creates conflict in the group. He even tells Laurel to stop being Black Canary however she ignores him when Vertigo returns but unfortunately gets affected by his drug. Meanwhile Chase surprises Thea and in Flashbacks Oliver and Maseo try to escape from A.R.G.U.S

Things certainly aren't the same for Oliver in his return to Starling with the main change being Laurel is determined to carry on the mantle of Black Canary. This was mainly a Laurel focused episode and a really good one at that with the involvement of Vertigo and how she confronted Sara who was an awesome character so I'm glad they brought her back in some form. I liked the fights she had with Sara and I think her taunting of Laurel was stuff the audience where already thinking off; that she was just a copy of Sara. I liked that Laurel has now faced her demons and that with the help of Felicity she has realized that she has to be her own version of Black Canary and not a copy of Sara. Quentin was also a huge factor for Laurel this episode and I thought it was about time he learned the truth and it was a damn powerful scene when he broke down with Laurel, makes me wonder what he will do now. Vertigo was also a part of Laurel's development and even though I really like this one, because he does seem a lot darker than Count Vertigo, I wished he had more scenes since he was only a means to an end for Laurel.

"Don't judge me harshly by the beating, drugs, killings and torture. I'm actually a nice guy"

As for the rest of the episode I liked that Thea handled the confession of Oliver well and that she didn't turn into a whiny brat (like she would in season 1 and 2) but that only lasted for a few minutes until she turned on Malcolm. I get why she is a bit angry but after everything she has been through with him I hated how quickly she turned against him, I just hated her damn attitude in this episode. Another thing I didn't like in her subplot was the lacklustre way the Chase character ended; he put up a decent fight but after he has kind of been hyped up for a while he is just out of it now, it feels like they have wasted a lot of time with his character. As for Team Arrow I liked the way they stood up to Oliver and arguing that they can do things on their own now because it isn't just about Oliver anymore. Roy I think has really grown as a vigilante because he was the one leading the arguments against Oliver and makes me think how he could get episodes just dedicated to him sometime. Finally the Flashbacks are a let down again (like all the Hong Kong ones mostly have been) and that is mainly because of Waller. I really like her character in the comics (old and new 52 Suicide Squad) but she just really damn bugs me in this, everything from her actress, appearance and personality and I think they haven't done her comic book version justice. They only thing good about the Flashbacks was that I like the friendship between Oliver and Maseo and them being in Starling City now should be interesting.

Do you sleep with all your victims Chase?

Overall I would have liked this episode better if it completely focused on Laurel and Vertigo instead of wasting are time with a whiny Thea. I just hope her character improves after some training on the island because so far she hasn't done anything and keeps losing in fights anyway.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Laurel vs. Vertigo and her hallucinations
                   Team Arrow standing up to Oliver
                   Quentin and Thea's reactions to the confessions

Let - Downs: Thea
                      Chase was a wasted character
                      Flashbacks and Waller

EXTRA

Now I have kept up with the news of Arrow and I have heard that Thea will soon get her own costume (saw a picture of her getting fitted for a mask) and there are rumours that to make room for her a member of Team Arrow has to die and Arsenal might be the one. I hope this really doesn't happen because Arsenal is one of my favourite comic characters and I really like Roy on the show. If they have to get rid of him though I hope it is only temporary and as I have said before he loses his arm and maybe everyone will think he is dead but instead he is kidnapped, gets his robotic arm from either A.R.G.U.S or H.I.V.E and is forced to be an agent of H.I.V.E or a member of the Suicide Squad. Let me know what you think of that.

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: Uprising

It would have been interesting if Malcolm took over Team Arrow

With Brick becoming more powerful than ever Malcolm offers his services to Team Arrow and while Diggle, Arsenal and Black Canary consider the proposal Felicity is strongly against it. It is revealed Malcolm has more of a personal vendetta with Brick than anyone thought as Flashbacks reveal how he became the person he is today.

What an end to an awesome three part mini arc in the Arrow TV show; I have said it before and I will say it again I have immensely enjoyed these three episodes and if I did a top moments in Arrow this will be in it. This is probably my favourite of the three episodes because finally my favourite character in the show has the spotlight; Malcolm Merlyn who I have been complaining about lately is too much on the side lines. Finally he got an episode focused on him and I have to say that the writers seem to be trying to redeem his character a bit (such as sparing Brick), I don't think he will ever be a good guy but he is has never been entirely evil in my opinion. It is just as Roy and Thea said, in his own twisted way he protects people and just wants to save the city. Plus we got to see him again as the Dark Archer which is also awesome because his costume is the best and he is the best archer in the show in my opinion. What was also a nice addition was that the Flashbacks where about his past and we definitely needed this and it was good seeing his transformation from a good man to The Magician. I only wish there was more than what we got like him training more with the League because the scene with young Nyssa was just cool but I wanted to know more!

"I'm back!!!"

As for everything else it is good that Oliver is back now and though I think is entrance could have been more grand his speech to the citizens of the Glades was epic. Speaking of the Glades the showdown with Brick at the end was done really well and I enjoyed the massive brawl in the streets, also we got to see two characters again we haven't seen in a while; Sin and Ted Grant. Firstly I have always liked Sin's character and I'm glad to see her again I just wish that she didn't just pop up out of no where and they gave more explanation to where she has been. As for Ted I wanted him to be Wildcat again and he did not disappoint and it was awesome when he fought Brick; he really kicked his ass more than anyone else and I don't even mind he lost because I'm just going to chalk that up to the fact he has been retired for ages and Brick has almost superhuman strength anyway. Another character that was great this episode was Quentin, it was just so funny that he knew Roy straight away as Arsenal and how his joke about how Team Arrow choses names. Seems like he is going to realize Sara isn't the Black Canary soon because of Sin and since next episode is titled Canaries I'm guessing it's in that episode.

WILDCAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for Team Arrow they have been great during these three episodes; Roy has really matured in the absence of Oliver, I think Laurel becoming the Black Canary has been handled really well and Diggle is always just great. However the real let down has been Felicity because I think she just become a weak and whiny character lately. She completely ruined Oliver's homecoming and I don't get why, Oliver is basically using Malcolm to train him it is not like he is making him a member of the team. I just really miss the light hearted Felicity before who is super smart but can also cheer up the team and raise their confidence in any situation with her wit and one liners. I just hope they change her back to how she was before because right now I don't look forward to the scenes she is in since she is just a downer. Before I finish I know this episode was similar to the Dark Knight Rises but that doesn't bother me since the people behind the show have said before that Christopher Nolan's Batman has been inspiration for them and it isn't like their completely copying them.

Magic tricks work on everyone; kids or even assassins

Overall great finale to the three part episodes and I am glad that Brick is still alive to appear in future episodes. We got some great action and I actually liked the Flashbacks we got this time and I am looking forward to Oliver being in Star City once again.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Epic three part arc
                   Wildcat and Sin
                   A Malcolm focused episode and Flashbacks
                   Great showdown with Brick at the end

Let - Downs: Felicity has been a constant negative in these last three episodes
                      Wanted to see Malcolm's training in the League

 

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/