TV Retrospective: Arrow Season 2 episodes 7-9 review

Welcome back, it's only been a week since the last one (don't get used to it) but we're back to look at Arrow once again

State vs Queen

It’s time for that trial we keep hearing about, the one where Moira is on trial for her life, against a jury who really shouldn’t be the jury, and probably a judge that shouldn’t be a judge either.

Yeah, that scene with Moira’s confession, that’s a reshoot, some of the voice tones are off over the original version. Oh and Count Vertigo is somehow OK, after being catatonic the last time we saw him, how does that even happen? (I assume it's only been a few months, he might've woken up but it would take a lot longer for him to fully recover)

Oh, so it was Vertigo who unleashed the Dollmaker… That makes literally no sense, but he’s crazy, so it probably makes sense that way.

Wait, there are press in the court room? That’s every variety of bad idea

So, a drug has infected people, including our assistant District Attorney; that probably won’t look good on his record. The only thing to relieve the pain is Vertigo. That is actually a very, very good plan.

Laurel has been named prosecutor; that is the very definition of conflict of interest. Roy teaches Thea that the best way to let out anger is with violence, he’s such a great boyfriend. I jest, the scene’s actually quite touching, but seriously, he couldn’t find something for Thea to hit, other than him?

Laurel tries to convince Moira not to testify, as she has the evidence needed to put her away. The Arrow completes a rescue, doing some damage but leaving the Count in tact, as he taunts about the Arrow’s new no-killing rule.

So, whilst Robert Queen was off doing someone else, Moira played the same game, with Malcolm Merlyn. And Laurel manages to keep the upper hand, Oliver has no qualms with her doing what she had to do. Laurel is taken aback by what had just happened.

Count’s using the flu-vaccination truck to disperse the initial dose, which instantly addicts you, Felicity investigates, but is caught, because she’s the damsel in distress, except when she isn’t. And oh no, another villain knows his damned secret. To be honest, if people were smart enough they’d notice he leaves clues everywhere. So Oliver has to abandon the trial, right as the jury may have a verdict. Awkward timing.

Ah, so Count Vertigo has a backer, and won’t we be surprised when we find out who he is, but Oliver kills the Count, so the backer will be disappointed. Oh, it’s Sebastian Blood, is he actually gonna do anything?

And so the verdict is in and Moira is… Cleared of all charges? How did that happen? Oh, right, Merlyn’s still alive, and Thea is his daughter now… oh boy

Oh, and on the Island Oliver escaped with Sara in tow, the hosen houses co-ordinates to a Japanese sub

This is honestly is a very good episode

Rating 9/10

The Scientist

It’s back door pilot time! (Part 1)

Erm, that’s a big warehouse to have only 2 guards.

Moira returns to the company, but only for about 5 minutes, as it might do damage to the rep of the company. Only then is Oliver alerted to a break-in at his own flipping company!

And ladies and gentlemen let me introduce Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, who arrives about 5 minutes after Oliver Queen, and claims to be late, despite coming all the way from Central City. Apparently he’s part of the CSI team at Central City, and was sent down owing to a similar case. 1 guy managed to break into a very secure (you know, aside from the lack of actual security) facility and steal and industrial centrifuge.

Surprise, surprise he and Felicity have chemistry. Oliver might know what’s going on, but he’s hoping very much that’s wrong.

At home, it’s party time, Oliver’s setting up a party to welcome her mother back the QC, and it goes about as well as to be expected

Barry’s curious about the Arrow, to as much as I’d almost call him obsessive, yeah, he talks way too much on this subject. Of course there’s a reason. His mother was murdered by the Reverse Flash (spoilers, but if you read the comics, you knew that anyway)

Sin calls, saying a friend of hers is missing, and asking Roy to find her, Thea wants to follow in tow. The friend was a donator of blood, but it seems like there’s more going on. He’s found, dead, with the Cops claiming he OD’d, but that’s impossible as he couldn’t have been donating blood if he were on drugs. Roy takes a photo to show to the Arrow, but there’s no further involvement for Roy, as the Arrow shoots him through the leg, that’s gotta hurt.

Malcolm wants Thea to know the truth, but Moira doesn’t and she goes to dangerous lengths to ensure that, calling the League of Assassins.

Barry is a really bad liar, Oliver expects something is wrong with him. But Barry does find traces of sugar, allowing the arrow to give chase to our would-be killer. Cyrus Gold, AKA Solomon Grundy from the comics, of course this guy has the intelligence as well as the strength and kicks the Arrow’s ass.

Oh dear… Since I’m with him every night, really Felcity? So Barry is really an assistant, and there’s no similar case in Central City. He lied about who he really was, but as Felicity pointed out, they do that every day. Barry’s caught out by director Singh, and needs to get back to CC, but he’s already isolated the sedative in Cryus’ blood, and it’s go time.

On the Island, Slade is slowly dying. The Miracle cure could save him, but Ivo and his men are nearby. Slade finally admits he loves Shado…. This can only end one way.

Oliver confronts Cyrus once again, and is beaten, injected with god knows what, the only way to protect his identity is to trust someone, and as Barry’s missed his train and won’t be able to leave till morning, he’s now in on the secret.

This episode is good, it’s not perfect, but few episodes of Arrow are, especially in the first half where they seem to be spending all their time setting things off whilst providing very little payoff.

Rating 9/10

The 3 Ghosts

It's back-door pilot time! (part 2)

Your lack of Christmas spirit will be dealt with. Tonight, you shall be visited by 3 Ghosts, the Ghost of Christmas past, the other Ghost of Christmas past, and… the other, other ghost of Christmas past.

So, injecting rat poison into his blood is what saves Oliver’s life, you know there are other varieties of rat poison than warfarin. Oliver’s not happy that she revealed his identity without his say-so, and frankly it’s a stupid argument. Her other option was something that would guarantee his identity went public.

Thanks to sciency stuff, they can find out Cyrus’ identity, oops, was that supposed to be a surprise? Anyway, Roy’s been shot with an arrow (from last week) Oliver removes it, whilst giving even more hints as to who he is, Roy should not be recovering from that any time soon, but of course he’s going to be on his feet by the end of the episode.

Ghost of Christmas Past #1 is Shado, warning about something coming (how does a hallucination know anything) anyway Ivo captures everyone, and makes Oliver choose whether Shado or Sara dies. But when he won’t he points his gun at Sara, of course Oliver goes to defend her and he shoots Shado. Give me strength! By the way, this is not a choice, this is a reaction to an event. Oliver did not choose to save Sara, he reacted when Ivo put his gun to her first.

Oh, and for reasons of it being the mid-season finale, it’s Christmas suddenly.

Barry’s still an obsessive fanboy, suggesting a compressible micro-fabric mask.

Thea brings her concerns to Laurel, who is keeping a fairly clear head these days, just wait till it all comes crashing down, again! She isn’t much help, but she directs Roy’s attention to the Langford institute, and he decides to break in, you know, with his damaged leg. He gets captured obviously, and injected with Mirakuru

Diggle does some recon and ends up fighting Cyrus Gold, lucky he had Oliver as backup, but then he does the stupidest thing possible and calls the police in on it. Look, the whole point of superheroes is to deal with things the cops can’t handle, and there is no way the cops can handle this. And they can’t. Lance is in the hospital, the others weren’t so lucky, aside from our undercover cop.

Also, Officer Lance has to reveal his partnership with the Arrow to his boss… We know where this is heading.

Ghost of Christmas Past #2 is Slade Wilson, who for a hallucination seems to be able to do things that a hallucination can’t really do, like cause physical damage and catch an arrow, and bend it. Oliver thinks Slade is very much dead (come on, this is Deathstroke)

After the shortest trip to Big Belly Burger ever, Felicity and Barry return, only to find out what happened to Lance. Lance managed to find a locker key, which they trace back to the glades. Wher Oliver meets Ghost of Christmas past #3 – Tommy Merlyn, who tells him to get over his guilt, basically, and the fight ends, with Cyrus gold very very dead. And Roy is saved… Sort of

So, this is a great mid-season finale, if a little crowded. The stakes are high and things are about to get much worse, as it’s revealed that Sebastian Blood, who’s now campaigning for mayor, is working for Deathstroke, wearing his signature eye-patch. Oh and he’s alive on the Island too, and none-too happy about Shado being dead.

Also, the particle accelerator comes online, but something goes wrong and we get our Flash origin story! And Oliver has a mask now

Rating 9/10

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Images used in this review are from Arrow and belong to their respective owners. All images in this review are subject to fair use.