S03.E11: Midnight City

[Tara Ariano]

Arsenal and Diggle confront Laurel about trying to step into her sister's shoes and warn her to stop before she gets herself killed. Meanwhile, Brick kidnaps the city's aldermen and threatens to kill them unless the police evacuate the Glades; and Malcom tells Thea that Ra's al Ghul is after him and his family, and that they must leave town immediately.

[Delphi]

Writing as I watch for once. First thing first, I think going from the mountain, to Hong Kong to Starling is a bit jarring.

I simply THANK GOD that laurel wasn't doing fantastic right off the bat and that Roy had to save her. Colton in particular acted very well which I don't always think is his strong point. Plus balls of steel for posturing in front of Malcolm.

Oh my god, Laurel just fell on the car, sad, bad, utterly hilarious.

The Starling segments were a lot more gripping than anything else. It's not that I'm uninterested in flashbacks or Oliver but I think it could have waited, let's see how the team does without him.

Felicity, sweetie, I get your pain, I've been there, but please keep your head in the game, they need you, and find some common sense. It's not okay for Ray to commit suicide but Laurel should be cannon fodder? And please tell Quinton since Laurel obviously won't. Oh neverMind...do that instead. That's healthy. That will in no way give him a massive heart attack. Good job Team Arrow!!

Oh, my, Fucking god. If that's Caity's last 'appearance' I will hunt these producers down and to quote the lovely, and sorely missed, Moira, burn them to the ground.

As an aside, I would love to watch John Barrowman so much more if he were playing off of Susanna. They would have such banter and drama. And Moira could have added so much to this season.

The final fight was underwhelming, but Laurel getting the shit kicked out of her at first will never not be funny.

There needs more Diggle because what doesn't.

And damn Chase, why dude?

[apinknightmare]

I can't even comment about anything yet other to say I am fucking disgusted at what they did to Quentin, and angry that Felicity was in on it. The over the phone thing was bad enough, but then to fool him in person? It is beyond sad and gross. 

 

And I really do think that Sara's legit coming back now.

Edited January 29, 2015 by apinknightmare

[bluemapleleaf]

For all that is good and right in this world...TELL LANCE!

Gah!

Edited January 29, 2015 by bluemapleleaf

[Guest]

That was a mess and that stuff with Quentin was a fucking disgusting piece of shit. I'm fuming.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Guest

[Password]

Oh my word tell me what happened please??? I havent watched.

[statsgirl]

Felicity propping Ray and Laurel, Laurel fighting while Dig stays in the lair, stupid stuff with Oliver -- I don't know wh at that show is but I have no interest in watching it.

 

 

They've done the impossible, they've made me dislike Felicity.

[bettername2come]

How does Quentin not recognize his own daughters? They do not look the same!

 

Damn, Austin Butler. I didn't know you had it in you. I take back every complaint. You can stay.

 

Great work, Colton Haynes. Roy seems to be stepping up his game nicely, and I like that he was called Red Arrow. Has he been referred to as such before?

[El Seed]

I could watch an entire show of Maseo and Tatsu being a badass couple.

 

I'm sorry everyone is failing you left and right, Quentin. You deserve better. May I suggest hooking up with Mama Smoak?

 

Still don't care about Terribad Hair DJ. Someone shoot him, please.

[Orion]

I didn't watch, I have no intention of ever watching this episode but going by what twitter said happened at the end of this episode with her pretending to be Sara. I am sick and disgusted and angry to the point I want to throw something that this show is treating this character and this choice like it is heroic. Every fiber of being wants to scream out and rage at this story choice.

 

How dare they, how dare they use Felicity to try to justify this horrible lie. I am so disgusted with the writers of this show I don't know if there is a coming back for me.

[apinknightmare]

Oh my word tell me what happened please??? I havent watched.

 

Felicity told Lance she knew how to get in touch with Canary, and then worked up some voice thing so that Laurel could pretend to be her over the phone to get some information from Lance. Then at the end of the ep Laurel went to see Quentin in an alleyway using a modulator with Sara's voice on it so he'd think it was her.

Edited January 29, 2015 by apinknightmare

[ban1o]

So now the whole team is on the fuckery of tricking Lance into think Sara is alive. Nice.

 Besides that I liked the episode. 

[SonofaBiscuit]

Glad I didn't watch because my blood pressure would probably be sky-high right now, judging from reactions.  It's unfortunate that they think Felicity is untouchable, because whatever happened, it sounds like she's probably going to be getting a lot of hate for it.  Damn.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Laurel was so bad at fighting, it was laughable especially when she got punched and she just shook it off like she had been doing this for years.  And how does that blonde wig stay on during the fights ? Plus she needs better weapons.

 

Oliver doesn't have any major bruises or broken bones -- AFTER FALLING OFF A MOUNTAIN !!!

Edited January 29, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[Guest]

I just…I refuse to believe that Felicity would willingly go along with lying to Quentin after she didn't want Oliver to lie to Thea about her parentage, only this time it's worse. I can't. The lack of consistency in characterizations is killing me and it's all to force a plot.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Guest

[benteen]

I'm not going to lie.  I enjoyed this episode.  I thought the hero aspects came together really well and was fun.  I like how Roy has had to step it up and Laurel's first attempt at a superhero team-up was an hilarious comedy of errors.  I enjoyed Oliver's Hong Kong flashbacks too and am glad he's still appearing during this storyline.  I liked Felicity as vigilante kingmaker this week.

 

My big problem is that everyone seems to have a serious problem telling the truth on this show.  No one informing Thea about her father.  I get Roy would be quickly dispatched by Malcolm (I enjoyed their confrontation a lot I have to say) but still, it's ridiculous.  What they're doing to Quentin though is even more ridiculous and I agree, disgusting.  How does Laurel think she's going to keep this secret now that she's riding around town as the Canary?  She and the rest of Team Arrow are just setting Quentin up for a massive heart attack when he learns the truth.  They're literally going to make the revelation of Sara's death that much worse for Quentin when the truth comes out.

[madhacker]

For me right after the alderman was killed I thought "Felicity, for God's sake....call Barry". I know he's busy with his own problems but Brick and his cronies wouldn't last 10 seconds against The Flash. Especially if he had Arsenal, Diggle and Felicity helping (notice I don't include Laurel)

 

Well I guess Chase is more than a pretty face.

737

Edited January 29, 2015 by madhacker

[Jediknight]

At least they showed that Laurel is way out of her league in this vigilante stuff.  A few sessions with Ted Grant does not make her good enough to do what Team Arrow does.

 

So DJ Douche is with the League and answering to Maseo?  Oh yeah, I'm still going with everything Maseo is doing when it comes to Oliver is under the orders of Ra's.  We've seen Ra's has no problem killing his own members, so he'd sacrifice some for this.  It makes Oliver think that they only ones he can trust are Maseo and Tatsu.

 

I know it won't happen, but with everything that's happening with the Glades, I'd love it if the League sent over maybe 20 people including Ra's and Nyssa, and took down Brick and his crew for the crime of getting in their way.

[Password]

Felicity did WHAT??????? OMG it must be Ray's influence. What possessed her to do that??? Seriously, someone please give me a detailed description of what was going through her head???????

[ban1o]

I'm not going to lie.  I enjoyed this episode.  I thought the hero aspects came together really well and was fun.  I like how Roy has had to step it up and Laurel's first attempt at a superhero team-up was an hilarious comedy of errors.  I enjoyed Oliver's Hong Kong flashbacks too and am glad he's still appearing during this storyline.  I liked Felicity as vigilante kingmaker this week.

 

My big problem is that everyone seems to have a serious problem telling the truth on this show.  No one informing Thea about her father.  I get Roy would be quickly dispatched by Malcolm (I enjoyed their confrontation a lot I have to say) but still, it's ridiculous.  What they're doing to Quentin though is even more ridiculous and I agree, disgusting.  How does Laurel think she's going to keep this secret now that she's riding around town as the Canary?  She and the rest of Team Arrow are just setting Quentin up for a massive heart attack when he learns the truth.  They're literally going to make the revelation of Sara's death that much worse for Quentin when the truth comes out.

yeah I enjoyed the episode too. I'm just annoyed by them all lying to Lance. It's ridiculous. 

[benteen]

 

724

for me right after the alderman was killed I thought "Felicity, for God's sake....call Barry". I know he's busy with his own problems but Brick and his cronies wouldn't last 10 seconds against The Flash. Especially if he had Arsenal, Diggle and Felicity helping.

 

Well I guess Chase is more than a pretty face.

 

 

That's the problem when you start adding powers into the mix.  I'm glad they have mind you but it's going to bring up this question constantly.

[Sunshine]

I wondered where they were going when I saw Caity Lotz's name listed in the credits.  Why did they think using her as a modulated voice was a good idea?!  Felicity evidently had recordings or something.

 

I will say with the exception of Bronze Tiger trying to outdrive the drone last year in the Suicide Squad ep this had to be the most comic booky episode I have ever seen.  If this is any indication of where they are going I am probably out.  The tone will probably be loved by a certain portion of the fandom (which is okay).  The grimness seems to have been replaced with absurdity to me.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Sunshine

[Autumn]

I think it was good that they acknowledged that Laurel is in no way ready but with Oliver gone people need to think that Canary is out there.  I don't know why they needed to deceive Lance with Sarah's voice.  That's just mean.

 

I am going to guess that something bad happened to Maseo's son as a result of his actions which is why he is punishing himself.

 

[Password]

So I didn't watch this episode and now am frightened of ep 12. Felicity made an ACTUAL lying device? But why?????? How did Laurel manipulate this

[SonofaBiscuit]

I'm really kind of irritated how now it's Team Arrow lying to Quentin when this has been Laurel's lie for 10 episodes.  Why do the writers have to make Felicity and Diggle look bad too? At this point, I fear they'll do whatever it takes to make Laurel happen, even if this includes absolutely destroying other characters.

Edited January 29, 2015 by SonofaBiscuit

[pigs-in-space]

You know, minus the poor Quentin parts (no words needed there, seriously), I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.  The first half dragged majorly for me, and halfway through I looked at the time and was surprised we still had a half hour to go - and not in the good "wow, there's so much going on and this episode is so awesome!" way.  

 

I can't believe the dingbat mayor is seriously going to remove the police from the Glades.  Call in the freaking National Guard, lady.  Can you imagine Moira as mayor letting that happen?

 

Enjoyed the borrowing the helicopter.  If Ray hasn't figured out by now that Felicity is working with Team Arrow, he's not as smart as he thinks he is.

 

Even though Thea's still in the dark about everything, I'm glad she at least stood up for herself with her dad, even if it seemed to play right into his hand (although that could just be his smarmy resting face).

 

On a completely shallow note, Colton Haynes has been looking really good lately.

 

ETA: Oh, and I almost forgot!  I hope Oliver's attempt to get Maseo to go back to Starling with him means he'll rethink his whole I-can-only-be-the-Arrow thing.  I was seeing major parallels there.

Edited January 29, 2015 by pigs-in-space

[wonderwall]

See, I would've been fine if Felicity didn't say anything to Laurel about lying to Quentin, but the fact that she essentially enabled Laurel to lie to Quentin bugged the shit out of me because that's not what Felicity would do. Felicity is the type of person who values the truth. And it just makes me wonder if the writers only did this to justify Laurel's actions. 

[statsgirl]

Diggle stayed behind to work the comms while Laurel went into the field. Yeah, cuz that makes sense.

 

I just…I refuse to believe that Felicity would willingly go along with lying to Quentin after she didn't want Oliver to lie to Thea about her parentage, only this time it's worse. I can't. The lack of consistency in characterizations is killing me and it's all to force a plot.

I hated how they're willing to destroy Felicity to make Laurel and Ray happen.  If I'm going to have Buckle Canary and Atom man, I need something I want to watch for. There was nothing, nothing in this episode.  Mostly it put me into a rage.

[Lantern7]

I take it that I'm not the only person who roots for the bad guys when Laurel "leathers up." And way to string your father along. What was Plan A, digging up Sara and Weekend at Bernie's-ing her corpse to fool Quentin? Ugh. And yes, Team Arrow should know better than to enable her. Sure, they saved two aldermen, but another wound up getting killed. I can't wait for Oliver to come back and deliver boots to dumb asses.

 

Seriously, though, who would work in the Starling City government? I would've bailed from a six-figure deal after the Undertaking, not to mention the Mirakuru marauders and whenever Brick wants to polish his knob. Anyplace else would be better than Starling. Well, maybe not Bludhaven, but you get my point.

 

Did not see Chase being in league with the League. I am officially intrigued. Can't wait for him to go on a "Date From Hell" with Thea, where they try to be subtle with their martial arts mastery without alerting each other.

[pivot]

This show has gone so far off the rails that it is laughable and Katie Cassidy's acting has actually deteriorated since the beginning of the season. But, the EPs seem determined to blow up the entire show so KC can be the star so that is all that matters.

[Password]

So how exactly did it play out?

[jay741982]

Felicity propping Ray and Laurel, Laurel fighting while Dig stays in the lair, stupid stuff with Oliver -- I don't know wh at that show is but I have no interest in watching it.

 

 

They've done the impossible, they've made me dislike Felicity.

Well that's disheartening I still love Felicity I'm not turning on her cause of Writing

[Hook75]

I was cheering for Brick to shoot her, no such luck!

 

Oy.

 

At this point, I fear they'll do whatever it takes to make Laurel happen, even if this includes absolutely destroying other characters.

 

 

 

Yep, everyone is on Laurel's prop duty. Kill me now, Ra!

Edited January 29, 2015 by Hook75

[statsgirl]

So how exactly did it play out?

Laurel stumbled a bit at the beginning but she was AWESOME.  Diggle stayed behind to work the comms so she could go out with Roy and that's when they failed.

 

Felicity propped Ray, flirted with him when he said he was fighting to save her, helped Laurel lie to Lance and convinced her to get back to being BC when she had given up.

 

I started to enjoy Oliver with Maseo and Tatsu but then they went back to Starling City and I was hating it again.

[apinknightmare]

So how exactly did it play out?

 

 

Laurel went out and tried to take on Brick with Roy and wound up making a few mistakes that led to a hostage getting killed. She was appropriately horrified by it, and decided that she wasn't going to suit up again. Felicity came in (newly renewed in her mission after Ray told her his motivating factor in making a suit was to protect HER, jesus - beer me strength), so Felicity went and talked Laurel back into suiting up. 

 

Shit rained down (I honestly can't remember), and because Quentin had already seen the Canary on news footage, Felicity worked up some tech so that Laurel could call Quentin and sound like Laurel to get some case information so they could take down Brick. Felicity goes and borrows Ray's helicopter, Roy, Digg and Laurel helicopter in and fight. After the fight, Laurel goes and meets Lance in an alley (she's standing on a fire escape and backlit, so he can't see her face), and pretends to be Sara, using the voice modulator so he thinks that she's Sara.

[SonofaBiscuit]

From that tiny clip I posted earlier in the spoiler thread, Laurel's voice modulator sounded awful (definitely not awesome like MG claimed).  Do you all think that we're in for some scathing reviews tomorrow?

[Morrigan2575]

did I hear right? Laurel went toe to toe with Brick and did better then Diggle did last week?

Also, Roy/Dig shot Brick with Arrows and he Pulls a Black Night (Tis but a scratch) but Laurel manages to clock him good?

[bluemapleleaf]

It doesn't make sense to me, that after showing Felicity going out of her way to tell Oliver the truth about Thea's father, consequences to her relationship with Oliver be damned, that she would go along with the lie to Lance. She would more then go along with it I guess, she would deliberately deceive.

It doesn't make any sense not to tell him.

[Password]

That's so messed up. What? Oh man Laurel got someone killed? Raylicity ALREADY?

Thank goodness I only watched the dream sequence...then was promptly horrified by the blood.

[jay741982]

It did piss me off that RAY basically got Felicity back in the Field. Writers you will not get to like Ray and Laurel by trying to make others look bad Fuck you MG and whoever wrote that

[KenyaJ]

What was that fuckery? Every character's going to be sacrificed so Ray and Laurel can become "heroes," and I'm not here for it. 

[Guest]

This episode just solidified the theory that they had to ship Oliver off just to make Laurel and Ray happen and that is just such poor writing I don't even know where to begin. 

[quarks]

Now, now, let's give credit where credit is due. I know we all like to criticize the show, but did any of us predict, way back in the first season, that one day China White would arguably end up being more ethical than Felicity and Laurel on an episode of Arrow even while doing something evil?  I didn't.

[benteen]

As much as I like John Barrownman, it was a mistake to bring back the Malcolm Meryln character.  It's done nothing for the show and Thea's inexplicable attachment to him really hurts the integrity of the character.  What Malcolm mentioned the Ra was mad at him for "the Undertaking that killed my son", the fact that this didn't remind Thea of the monster her "father" is is damning.  Barrowman always turns in a good performance but his storylines aren't engaging and add nothing to the show.

 

Totally agree about the Mayor.  The fact that she met with Brick was ridiculous and at the very least should have taken him out with snipers.  And yeah, Diggle should have been in the field instead of Laurel.

[apinknightmare]

That's so messed up. What? Oh man Laurel got someone killed? Raylicity ALREADY?

Thank goodness I only watched the dream sequence...then was promptly horrified by the blood.

 

Well, not directly. But yeah, Raylicity, like, really early on in the ep.

[jay741982]

It doesn't make sense to me, that after showing Felicity going out of her way to tell Oliver the truth about Thea's father, consequences to her relationship with Oliver be damned, that she would go along with the lie to Lance. She would more then go along with it I guess, she would deliberately deceive.

It doesn't make any sense not to tell him.

It does when the showrunner is a huge Laurel fan and is willing to bring characters down to Prop her. Ugh the Raylicity pissed me off Edited January 29, 2015 by jay741982

[benteen]

Well, not directly. But yeah, Raylicity, like, really early on in the ep.

 

Oliver hasn't been gone a week and the writers are propping up Raylicity...it really does show how they don't have a clue.

[Password]

Hang on, LAUREL NO EXPERIENCE LANCE was in the field, and Diggle covered for HER? What happened to Diggle fighting on last week?

I'm so confused people seriously.

[Chaser]

Wow. Skipping this episode. Good idea. The propping of Laurel and Ray sounds painful. It looks like its working though. I heard L trended and some were saying they really liked the scene with her and Felicity. This show may be on my youtube list for awhile.

[calliope1975]

Okay, I need to know if the (spoilering cuz I don't know if it happened in this ep)

happy Olicity kiss

occurred. Or is it for next week? Otherwise, based on what everyone's saying, I'm better off skipping this one.