S04.E03: Restoration

[cambridgeguy]

 

As soon as I saw the new Green Arrow costume last week, the first thing I said to Mr. EB was that I hated the short sleeves because that just leaves bare unprotected skin. Cut to this week: Oliver with a card embedded in his bare skin.

That card he took in the chest was also where a cleavage window would be for a lot of female fighters (Nyssa, for example).  Cover up, ladies!

 

Speaking of Nyssa, why on earth didn't Malcom execute her on the spot?  Destroying the pit has to be up there on the list of LOA crimes.

[tv echo]

Except for some truly eye roll-worthy moments in Nanda Parbat, I really enjoyed this episode.  Curtis makes a great addition to the cast - and I loved the OTA scenes. 

 

Yay! to Diggle confiding in Oliver and their reconciliation.  Yay! to Oliver stroking Felicity's back when she was looking into the microscope.  Double Yay!! to badass Felicity.

 

Felicity making up a bad lie when asking for Curtis' help was such a throwback to S1 when Oliver would come up with bad lies to get Felicity's help. (sigh)

 

So much for the budding friendship between Nyssa and Laurel.  No more french fries for you.

 

Here's hoping Nyssa escapes from lockup and kills Malcolm later in the season.

 

I"m not sure why, but they seem to be making Oliver a less capable fighter this season than he's appeared to be in previous seasons.

 

As to who is messing with Felicity's phone, I initially thought Felicity's mysterious father and got all excited.  Then I remembered Tiny Ray and my excitement immediately deflated. (blech)

 

So are all of the HIVE members genetically altered by DD, maybe so that he can kill them with a touch?

 

And we still don't know the name of that woman in Oliver's flashbacks! (tired of typing "flashback love interest")

Edited October 22, 2015 by tv echo

[nksarmi]

Ok so Thea has to deal with blood lust every few weeks?  Can't they just send her over to Flash once a month and let her kill a bad guy or two?  Barry's offed two metas so far this season and Cold killed his dad and was told he has "good" in him.  Seriously, she's going to fit in over there just fine.

[Sakura12]

Laurel telling Sara that their dad will be so happy she's back, while Sara's growling and trying to attack her. Sara's a trained killer who is now crazy from being brought back from the dead but I think Laurel is the one that needs some serious help. She's bringing delusion to a whole other level. These delusions started well before Sara and Oliver "died". 

Edited October 22, 2015 by Sakura12

[Chaser]

I think the reason I find the Daddy comment creepy is because she sounds like she is patting herself on the back. No thought to what it means for Sara or Thea or NYSSA. 

[kismet]

Wendy Mericle co-wrote this, right? Combine this, the premiere, and what she's been saying in interviews and I'm really becoming a believer in her! It's still early but I like her influence, so far, in co-running the show that it doesn't feel like such a clusterfuck. Man, these past 3 episodes have been so refreshing and really feels like I got most of the old show back. I'm even feeling such excitement in anticipating the next episodes instead of the dread that Guggie inspired! Don't let me down, Wendy!

 

Ah, Nyssa. Yas, girl, yaaasss! Katrina Law, who has, probably, the best hair game of all the ladies of Arrow, is a gift to this show. Dropping truth bombs left and right then destroying the Pit. I hope you get your revenge on Malcolm soon, girl.

 

There was just so much to love about this episode. Original (Gangsta) Team Arrow was the best! I have missed them so, so much. Now that Diggle told Oliver and Felicity about H.I.V.E., I hope the show continues to showcase even just little moments between the OTA, even when Thea and Laurel return. Felicity and Curtis continue to be a pair I like seeing interact. And badass Felicity is awesome as always. Thea's storyline is getting really interesting--I'm all for it. Willa was great acting out that internal struggle she's been feeling. And Malcolm continues being the absolute worst father ever. Double Down (Martouf!!!) was a fantastic villain of the week--one that I hope will return some day. Also Darhk is certainly building himself up to be the best, most menacing villain this show has ever had.

 

I figured Darhk wasn't the top dog of H.I.V.E. and that he might answer to other people, too. Really freakin' curious who his partners are and what exactly Phase 3: Genesis is. Why is taking over Star(ling) City so important to their plans that the partners are getting super anxious about the vigilante problem? Is it because it really is actually on a Hellmouth?

 

I'm going to bet that the missing genetic markers and scrambled DNA (and, maybe, last week's jigsaw puzzle fingerprints of Anarky) are all connected to the hybrid drugs in the flashbacks. And those drugs combined with whatever mystic powers Darhk has been summoning is how he is controlling his Ghost army and making them do what he wants at all costs or choose death by cyanide. I mean, 'cause what else is the flashback useful for, at this point? It's been consistently used to introduce books, serums, viruses, and, now, drugs that point to how the big bad will take over Star(ling) City at the end of the season, anyway.

 

Also, it could've been how dark the show is shot or my tv but the H.I.V.E. dude that let Diggle go had a dark complexion. There was a little bit of skin peeking out from around his goggles and the eye hole in his face mask. It probably is Andy. But why was Andy so important that H.I.V.E. needed to assassinate him then bring him back to life as a Ghost?

 

ETA: Oh, hey, SARA! Welcome back to the DCTVverse! I've missed you. It's so nice to see you again, even if you probably stink so bad after being dead a year in the ground and all. I'm excited about you. How you were brought back, though, is something I don't ever want to talk about. Nothing nice to say about that at all.

Excellent post. Ditto on Nyssa, OG TA, Thea & Sara! Feel better about WM too, so far its been a good 3 eps. My biggest fear was Dig, but they seem to be getting that on track now and I'm happy for that. MG would have dragged it out until the spring.

 

The fact that DD is not the head of HIVE, makes me wonder if PapaSmoak is somehow going to be connected & possibly a high ranking member of HIVE. Also like @TvEcho, I initially thought the phone was having problems r/t DD or PapaSmoak, but by the end I remembered that RP is supposed to come back. But after this ep, I couldn't be bummed by that.

 

I do wonder if the drugs and the scrambled genetic markers are somehow linked. It might all be connected, which would at least give a reason to the FB, because I really didn't think they were needed this episode. But if they're connected that makes sense. I also wonder if the Cyanide tooth has something that influences the Ghosts. The ghost that got caught and killed by the card, seemed really surprised that DD would kill him. From what DD described it seems like part of the job description is death for failure. Getting caught is a failure, so if I was a Ghost I would be counting down & not surprised when I am killed. But perhaps with the tooth removed, some of the Ghosts conscious thought returns and he begins to think more on his own. And realizes its crazy to die for the arbitrary reasons DD dictates. Perhaps it was an acting choice of the day player, but it did make me wonder if the tooth has more than just cyanide in it.

 

I also noticed that about the man that didn't shoot Dig. They both had darker skin tone in the little parts of skin that were exposed or visible. It was what made me think of Andy in addition to the hesitation.

Edited October 22, 2015 by kismet

[Primetimer]

While half of Team Arrow is in Nanda Parbat, the boys reach an understanding in Star City.

Read the story

[Velocity23]

Alan Sepinwall
‏@sepinwall

Like Felicity Smoak, I was glad to have the original Team Arrow in action last night.

https://twitter.com/sepinwall/status/657196543863300096

[apinknightmare]

I think the reason I find the Daddy comment creepy is because she sounds like she is patting herself on the back. No thought to what it means for Sara or Thea or NYSSA.

Yeah, it wasn't a good thing to say at all.

[KirkB]

I thought it was worse than that. She sounded like one of those creepy little daughters of serial killers or mad scientists in movies, who end up killing someone and sewing their head onto someone else's body.

[tangerine95]

Laurel was so creepy in this episode and judging by the promos and stills for the next one she gets even creepier.I just don't believe they watched those scenes and didn't notice how Laurel is coming across unless thats what they were going for.

[Delphi]

Okay back for more detailed thoughts.

I loved everything OTA. I didn't find it annoying the way Felicity kept mentioning it. I lol'd at it. And as a side note, I didn't really consider them a team until Felicity got on board. Even if she was already considered am honorary member.

I loved everything at Palmer Tech. Curtis is funny. I like funny. I'm an easy get like that. I also assumed that Oliver had the back up lair built sometime in season two. Or that it was formerly a panic room for Robert or some such.

Diggle and Oliver working through their problems because Queen Smoake told them to. Yaaasss. I'm here for that.

I'm also her for Thea. Slay girl, slay! Not literally but...well. Do you girl. I love that she's basically the only character that continues to call Malcolm out on his shit.

Nyssa. I love you so much. You should have Thea tell her dad not to kill you. And the emotion Katrina Law expressed during the resurrection was so good.

Okay, so...Laurel. Oh, Laurel. I'm not the majority of the board. I have always been okay with Laurel. I don't like her costume, I wish she was still brunette, I wish they would write her better. But I can't have those things, so I get over it. Sara had to be resurrected because MG is an idiot. They could have wrote it better, but honestly I don't care. You have Nyssa and Laurel make that exchange about grief and there. I can fully believe that there was plenty of off screen conversations about how grief stricken Laurel is. With the cluster fuck that was season three, I'm not surprised they didn't get around to showing it. After all, they didn't have time to show anyone else's grief but Felicity's. She saw her sister murdered. That stays with you for a long time. I've had plenty of loved ones pass far before their time and it's something that haunts you, so I can bullshit my way through the scenes.

And I said it last night, Katie has really been hitting the gym in full force it looks like, good for her, I haven't been in a month.

I actually think the LoA scenes should have been longer. Not that OTA isn't important but Sara being brought back to life is a huge deal, and a huge storyline. It deserves more time than what it got.

[AyChihuahua]

If they're trying to sell that Laurel cares for Thea, it would've been nice to see Laurel start forward to protect Thea when Sara lunges for her. But Laurel stands where she is - behind Thea - until Sara's been restrained.

Laurel hadn't come out of sleep mode yet.

 

I think KC's using Botox.  Her face just doesn't really move.  Lots of actresses do it, doesn't make her a bad person, but does affect her ability to emote onscreen.

 

And yeah, Laurel never brought up helping Thea.  At all.

[nksarmi]

Well since I'm basically all on the "Thea is fun like this and I don't care how Sara is back, this is gonna be a fun story" train - I haven't said much about Laurel.  But I kind of think what they are having KC do IS on purpose and here's why....

 

Back in season one, I liked Laurel.  Even without realizing Dinah Laurel Lance equals Black Canary (I knew of BC and liked her, but just didn't put two and two together on the civilian name) - I kind of liked her.  I loved her with Tommy so she hit a little low spot for me when she and Oliver slept together and Tommy had to witness that, but I was prepared to get over it.  And then came season two and holy crap Laurel looked BAD.  She got thin and angry looking and they gave her that awful drinking / drug addict plot and she and Sara so did NOT gel the way they should have and yikes - it was like the writers wanted me to hate her.  And then by the end of the season she came around and I was like "ok, they sunk her on purpose - I don't know why, but it was deliberate and now they plan on saving her so I can deal with this."

 

So then we get season three which honestly was just a hot mess on so many fronts, I can't even be all that pissed over Laurel's story anymore.  It wasn't even the worse story they did last season.  There were moments when I liked her and moments when I didn't, but I don't ever feel like the actress wasn't doing what she was supposed to be doing.

 

Ok so now, Laurel is acting a wee bit nuts and deeply delusional and honestly, given her drug induced hallucinations of Sara last year, I think maybe they are purposefully writing her on the edge of a psychotic break.  I'm not saying they are going to have her go nuts and end up in that grave in six months, but maybe KC is acting Laurel the way she is supposed to. 

 

Since I hated the sister swapping since day one and despite hating Laurel's season two story - I actually despised Oliver and Sara being openly together at that Lance family dinner - I am perhaps the only fan who thinks these two sisters both have a lot to be sorry for and maybe it's all of those deeply unresolved issues (the love and the hate) that is driving Laurel right now.  I kind of look forward to the whole story to be honest, but I understand that I might be in the minority or yea one of five lol.

[AyChihuahua]

Double Down is one of my favorite VsotW.  He was menacing, not dumb, charismatic, kind of smarmy in a good way.  I was looking forward to JR Bourne and he really delivered.

[Password]

I really liked the mixture of going from OG Team Arrow to Nanda Parbat the first time I watched the episode. The second, not so much. The difference in tone of magic vs meta human was a little jarring.

But further proof as to how much OTA don't need Speedy and BC. Just go.

[Guest]

I think the reason I find the Daddy comment creepy is because she sounds like she is patting herself on the back. No thought to what it means for Sara or Thea or NYSSA. 

 

Did she actually say "Daddy"? Because IMO that word alone makes anything creepy when uttered by a grown woman. Otherwise I agree. It was a weird thing to say, like she was totally lost in her own world.

[Morrigan2575]

Just because it can't be said enough.  I'm really really happy that Nyssa wasn't killed off last night.

[dtissagirl]

I liked the pacing in this episode a lot -- most scenes had time to breathe and everything! -- but the flashbacks feel extra* superfluous when they're already dividing A plot and B plot in two separate locations.

 

*Disclaimer: imo flashbacks are never relevant to anything ever, because backstory from years ago cannot influence character development in present time [now repeat it a hundred billion times, Hollywood!], but since the premise is embedded into Arrow, at least make them not yawny? Because this is very very yawny so far.

[Guest]

I watched the scene again and the guy who didn't shoot Diggle is very likely Andy. You can see part of his face/skin around the mask he was wearing and the camera lingered on it for a beat longer than necessary. ANDY'S ALIVE! DUN DUN DUN.

[paigow]

I watched the scene again and the guy who didn't shoot Diggle is very likely Andy. You can see part of his face/skin around the mask he was wearing and the camera lingered on it for a beat longer than necessary. ANDY'S ALIVE! DUN DUN DUN.

If true, then which of the following is also true?

Deadshot lied to Diggle: Out of vanity / incompetence

                                       As a co-conspirator, helping Andy disappear 

[benteen]

Laurel has a psycotic break would explain a lot.  I don't know how Quentin's heart won't explode when he hears this news.  Or have a complete psycotic break of his own (given that he's working with DD, that might have already happened).

[Morrigan2575]

If true, then which of the following is also true?

Deadshot lied to Diggle: Out of vanity / incompetence

                                       As a co-conspirator, helping Andy disappear 

Or DD brings his dead enemies back to life as "ghosts" which explains the line about their genetic markers being missing.  Just, no clones.  Please

[bethy]

Did she actually say "Daddy"? Because IMO that word alone makes anything creepy when uttered by a grown woman. Otherwise I agree. It was a weird thing to say, like she was totally lost in her own world.

As a Texan, I resemble that remark. :) In the U.S., at least, it depends on what part of the country you're from. It's fairly common in the south. But I'm pretty sure Star City ain't in my neck of the woods.

Edited October 22, 2015 by bethy

[arjumand]

I watched the scene again and the guy who didn't shoot Diggle is very likely Andy. You can see part of his face/skin around the mask he was wearing and the camera lingered on it for a beat longer than necessary. ANDY'S ALIVE! DUN DUN DUN.

Oh lord. I mean, fine, but even in season 1 or two when we found out that Sara was still alive I kinda rolled my eyes a little, and it's starting to remind me of one of my favourite scenes from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - can't find a clip so I'll just quote:

Harry: Yeah, boo, hiss, I know. Look, I hate it too. In movies where the studio gets all paranoid about a downer ending so the guy shows up, he's magically alive on crutches, I hate that. I mean shit, why not bring them all back.

[Everyone who has been killed starts meandering into the hospital room, including Abraham Lincoln; a nurse shoos them all out again]

 

 

See, every time something like that happens, I just visualise that great sight gag, where all the people who died in the movie, and the dog, are back.

 

But whatever - Sara ended up being a great character, so maybe Andy'll be the same (IF THAT IS HIS REAL NAME!).

 

Re. the rest of the episode - loved it. Loved all the OTA stuff.

 

The Laurel storyline - eh. The less said about it the better. They went for that way to bring back Sara for REASONS, and I guess we all have to live with it.

 

The return of Ray? Fuck off, douchebag. And yes, he is totally a stalker and a creep. Hey, he should try to communicate in porcupine farts, that way Felicity would know it's him.

 

I'm glad yelling!Felicity worked, and they've stopped the Great Sulk-Off of 2015. Now, if only Oliver could start to consider SLEEVES again. Believe in the power of SLEEVES, Oliver. They will protect you.

 

Almost forgot the flashbacks - don't mind them. Still not as dull as Hong Kong, and starting to believe that the dullness was caused by Oliver moving in with Maseo and fam. If he'd been on his own, surviving every which way, I'd have been interested - the last flashbacks of season 3, which were practically an apocalyptic storyline, were miles better than the rest.

[morakot]

Poor Quentin -- your younger daughter drowned... No, she's alive! Nope, she's an assassin. No, she died... No, she's alive! (but insane...)

 

So, how did these two tiny women transport that enormous crate/coffin? Are there regularly scheduled flights? Would a commercial airline be concerned if they show up with a raving new passenger in chains?

 

Still underwhelmed by the raggedy, inefficient opium fields in FBland. An efficient drug operation would keep the flowers more tightly packed and would benefit from the higher height of the flowers (even coca bushes are more efficiently planted). The biggest work on opium farms is the harvesting of sap from the poppy heads which is time intensive -- and can be done by young children. The military have too many slaves doing not very much in the fields - so they have time to wander away, steal finished product, flirt with guards, etc.

[Guest]

As a Texan, I resemble that remark. :) In the U.S., at least, it depends on what part of the country you're from. It's common in the south. But I'm pretty sure Star City ain't in my neck of the woods.

 

Oh, I'm sorry! I meant no offense. It's just my own personal thing. 

 

 

Oh lord. I mean, fine, but even in season 1 or two when we found out that Sara was still alive I kinda rolled my eyes a little, and it's starting to remind me of one of my favourite scenes from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - can't find a clip so I'll just quote:

 

I didn't really want Andy to be alive either but it was always possible on this show. No one stays dead. LOL. And also it opens up a whole dilemma for Diggle who was just searching for why his brother was killed and then to find out he's alive and working with a dangerous organization? That's gonna be a big thing for him to deal with. So I do kind of like the story potential it opens up for Diggle's character. Of course this is all dependent on whether that person was Andy but it's likely.

Edited October 22, 2015 by Guest

[bethy]

Oh, I'm sorry! I meant no offense. It's just my own personal thing. 

No offense taken, I promise!

It does remind my though... I love the evil FB soldier with his pronounced drawl and tobacco chewin'! I bet he calls his father "Daddy," too.

Edited October 22, 2015 by bethy

[Guest]

I know some here disagree but I actually thought the NP scenes were the perfect length within the episode. I was glad it was the B story. I don't know what else they needed to add to those scenes to make them any longer. Sara needed to be put in the pit and that's it. I think the real focus should be on the aftermath and it looks like it will considering it plays out over 2 episodes. So IMO, the set up to that was just right.

[SonofaBiscuit]

Hey, he should try to communicate in porcupine farts, that way Felicity would know it's him.

 

 

Hilarious!  And ughh, I had totally forgotten about that itty bitty creeper, but of course it's him.  Fingers crossed that he's only showing up for an episode max.

 

I don't know how Quentin's heart won't explode when he hears this news.

 

 

Did the writers forget that Quentin spent half a season last year in the dark about his daughter's death because his fragile heart couldn't handle the news that she was gone?  Did Quentin's heart magically repair itself?  I mean, I don't want to go through that ridiculousness again, but it seems a bit out there that we're supposed to believe that he won't drop dead of a heart attack next week when he's 

pointing a gun at Sara, ready to pull the trigger.

[Chaser]

I don't know if she actually said 'Daddy' v 'Dad', but that was just the impression I got with her giddy-school-girl skip.

[dtissagirl]

If Andy is alive and working for DD, does that cancel out DD maybe being Felicity's father? I mean, that would be giving Diggle and Felicity way too similar storylines, tied up in the exact same characters/evil org, wouldn't it? Surprise evil brother OR surprise evil father, Arrow. Please.

Edited October 22, 2015 by dtissagirl

[arjumand]

If Andy is alive and working for DD, does that cancel out DD maybe being Felicity's father? I mean, that would be giving Diggle and Felicity way too similar storylines, tied up in the exact same characters/evil org, wouldn't it? Surprise evil brother OR surprise evil father, Arrow. Please.

 

I hope you're right, because I've hated the whole "and he's Felicity's dad!" from when it was first rumoured. Even worse when someone posited "and he's a tech genius, and that's where she gets it from!"

 

NO. She's a character in her own right, dammit.

[Guest]

If Andy is alive and working for DD, does that cancel out DD maybe being Felicity's father? I mean, that would be giving Diggle and Felicity way too similar storylines, tied up in the exact same characters/evil org, wouldn't it? Surprise evil brother OR surprise evil father, Arrow. Please.

 

I hope so seeing as I really don't want DD to be her father. 

[Primal Slayer]

Laurel was so creepy in this episode and judging by the promos and stills for the next one she gets even creepier.I just don't believe they watched those scenes and didn't notice how Laurel is coming across unless thats what they were going for.

I can only hope they mean to since Laurel seems like she has shut down and is in crazy land.

But I'm over this storyline if they don't want to write it properly.

[Guest]

Ooooh. I just read a theory that suggests the Ghosts are really just that - people who are technically already dead but kept alive by DD magic or whatever. Might explain why the tooth only had half the genetic markers.

 

That would be pretty cool but at the same time, are the writers clever enough for that kind of plot/idea now? LOL.

[apinknightmare]

It would be cool, but how would an Andy (IF it's him) under some voodoo juju keep himself from killing Diggle? THAT'S SOME WEAK SAUCE MIND CONTROL, DAMIEN.

[Velocity23]

The ghosts reminded me for one hot second to Stargate SG1 and the soldiers of Anubis.

[nksarmi]

Well just like the guy not shooting Diggle has to mean something - I'm sure the missing DNA must mean something as well.  So the idea that the "ghosts" are really ghosts/clones makes a lot of sense.  It also explains the willingness to commit suicide rather than be interrogated AND DD's speed of killing them off. They are 100% expendable because he can "just go make more."  I'm positive that's why he is over emphasizing that his "magic isn't a parlor trick."  So when they reveal how his army is made, we will buy into it.  I also suspect that this means Diggle is going to "lose" his brother again this season.  Poor Diggle.

 

ETA: And just let me say that I'm kind of glad that I am able to believe that these little clues/moments actually have some meaning again and work into a bigger cohesive story - unlike last season where I was just throwing my hands up going WTF? on a regular basis ready to believe they weren't going to make any of this shit make any kind of sense ever - and they didn't.  Somebody seems to have fixed something in the writer room - it might not be perfect, but it's a TON better than last year.

Edited October 22, 2015 by nksarmi

[Starfish35]

I think the guy is going to be Andy. I'm not sure how I feel about that - I wasn't in favor of the idea of Andy being alive still. (Good thing Diggle and Carly aren't still together - awkward!). But it wasn't just that. There was a deliberate shot in Diggle's journal on something about Andy's autopsy. Which made me think something is up with that. So yeah. He's alive.

But I have to thank the posters here for letting me know there were two different guys - otherwise I too would have thought the guy that didn't shoot Diggle was the guy that lost the tooth. I need to rewatch that, because that was really confusing.

[statsgirl]

Fayad tells DD "your partners in HIVE..."  So Darhk is not the head of the organization?

 

And "Genesis" is the big project?

 

Diggle has a whole notebook of information on HIVE he's been keeping from Oliver. Nice work, Digg.

 

" You set your men up to be slaughtered? "

"There is nothing I would not do to help my daughter."  No wonder Barrowman loves playing this role.

 

Felicity's lie to Curtis about the playing card is as bad as any lie Oliver told her when he was trying to get her to dig up information before she joined the team.

 

When Double Down catches Curtis and Felicity in the temporary lair before Felicity has a chance to arm herself, she grabs the gun out of Curtis' hands and tells him "Stay here. Do not move." and goes to fight DDown.  Team Arrow, always protecting the innocent before saving themselves.

 

Sara's skin was so  shiny when she came out of the Pit -- there must be some nice oils in there. It explains why the old Ra's was soaking in it so much.

 

The episode was written by Wendy Mericle and Speed Weed.  What kind of a name is Speed Weed?  (I can't be the first to ask.)

 

Some people are speculating that it was a tiny Ray Palmer who helped take down Double Down and Felicity actually didn't shoot him at all. LMAO. That would be hilarious. 

I would be furious, but I expect it now from the people who said that it's ridiculous that Felicity left Ray to save the city in order to save Oliver and that she could fly a suit she co-built.

 

And now Laurel brought her back traumatically and violently with Sara unable to accept her fate. 

That's true, and to my surprise I found myself feeling sorry for Laurel when she realized just how for in over her head she was.  On the other hand, just as with the files at CNRI, they did tell her not to do it.

[SonofaBiscuit]

Nah, I don't think that there's going to be some surprise! reveal that Laurel has become unhinged or anything like that.  Sure, the stroking of the coffin was a bit strange, but I just figured that was an acting choice made by KC.  Personally, if I was trying to analyze why in the world they chose to have Laurel bring Sara back, I'd go with Occam's Razor: Laurel needed a storyline.  That's probably the extent of the EPs thinking on that one.  Hey, Sara needs to come back to life, and we need to find SOMETHING for Laurel to do for the next four months...hmmm...I think I've got it!  As for why they're going about this in such a terrible manner?  Yeah, I've got nothing.   

Edited October 22, 2015 by SonofaBiscuit

[Guest]

I agree Laurel needed a storyline but they could have given her a different one with this. They should have had Malcolm or anyone else bring Sara back and then make it Laurel's mission to save her sister. As it stands she just comes across as selfish and delusional which is not good at all.

 

Not sure what they were going for there but they always seem to make the laziest choice where Laurel's concerned. Need to make Laurel BC because comics? Kill Sara. Need to get Sara back? Have Laurel do it. It's just plain lazy and uncreative.

[wonderwall]

I mean if this is all they could come up with in order to give LL a storyline, can you imagine how irrelevant she's going to be in hte second half of the season?

 

I mean, unless they bring up LLs lawyering, there's honestly nothing there.

 

It continues to astonish me why she's still on the show considering she's one of the most useless aspects of it. 

[apinknightmare]

Know what would be a great storyline for Laurel? Her being conflicted about being a lawyer and a vigilante. Complete with some high-stakes storyline where some criminal saw her and recognized her and is blackmailing her or...something. It's like they completely avoid the storylines that actually make sense for her.

[SonofaBiscuit]

They're in a tough spot because IMO, they don't seem to want Laurel working too closely with Oliver, but they also don't want her eating up too much airtime with an independent storyline.  They haven't figured out how to balance the two, I guess.   

[wonderwall]

Maybe they're afraid that Laurel's conflict re: her being a lawyer would be too stale and boring and would be easily overshadowed by everything else going on? 

[Chaser]

I think the problem is they haven't found a place where she clicks. The closest one is with PB, but that only takes you so far.

 

I thought that they may be able to build on the relationship with Thea, but after this episode I want Laurel as far away from her as possible. No one can convince me she cares at all about Thea's wellbeing.

[blixie]

Laurel and Malcolm suck, but I must say Katie Cassidy has never looked better on this show, her hair is great, and she looks so SOLID and healthy! I even mostly liked her performance even though I though the writing is as shitty as it ever was for her. Oh honey, find something else, ask for an out...

 

 

Luckily Nyssa was in that B plot saving it, with her new mood lighting for the now defunct hot tub. 

 

Everything to do with NP that wasn't Nyssa and my amazing Sara/CL was just so dumb so so so dumb.

 

Otherwise I loved the A plot, they let Dig get over IT already, YES! Fist Pump!  Felicity leaving them alone to think about what they had done was great, and I'm really enjoying Echo Kellum as Curtis, that's how you fit in a new ancillary character show. It's ironic that your named Felicity....hee.

 

I think I'm the only one growing tired of Damien and his Bond Villian speeches and parlor tricks? Especially when he's obviously more capable than any of his minions in getting it done. That's more of the DUMB this show is so fond of, and it feels like an obvious stall.

 

Olicity is still the magic, and as a lonely Ray Palmer fan I'm excited that the phone thing might be him. Aww Dork Ray about to Dork.

[KirkB]

Yeah, I get where you're coming from with Damien. I've had a similar issue with villains like him in the past on shows. They're usually fun to watch bur if they are really as strong or powerful as they seem to be, why do they always surround themselves with incompetent minions who screw up time and again and force them to eventually get involved themselves when it would be so much easier and faster for them to do it in the first place?

 

As for this episode, I was wondering something about Double Down. I understand that he got his powers from the particle accelerator explosion, but how do you suppose he figured out he had that power to begin with? I mean, Barry ran, that's the kind of thing I can see someone doing accidentally, but did this guy suddenly realize he could peel off his tattoos and throw them? Was he picking at one and it came off?

 

I'm glad to have Sara back. And personally I find I can deal with Laurel's involvement by thanking Malcolm instead, since at least HE did it for someone else.