S02.E19: The Man Under The Hood

[ElectricBoogaloo]

DEATHSTROKE HITS OLIVER AT HOME - Oliver, Canary, Diggle and Felicity return to the lair and find Slad waiting for them. An epic battle breaks out and one member of Team Arrow is sent to the hospital. Thea hits her breaking point, but just as Oliver is about to reach her, Slade intervenes and Oliver is faced with a choice – his battle with Slade or his family. Meanwhile, Laurel struggles with a new secret.

[BkWurm1]

I'm going to speculate that Oliver choses his battle with Slade over trying to reach Thea.  He'll tell himself he'd rather have Thea mad at him than at risk from Slade but then cue Thea being at risk because she is mad/doesn't trust Oliver. 

Or maybe the show will surprise me and Oliver will stop lying to Thea.

[shapeshifter]

Just in case anyone doesn't already know and wants to know, this week's episode is airing in Chicagoland at 11 p.m.

[Jediknight]

An act of domestic terrorism happens, and the cops really don't give a flip. Hell there wasn't even increased security at Queen Consolidated, or STAR Labs. You'd figure with it being an attack on Queen Consolidated, Isabel wouldn't be out of sight of any security. And with it happening nearby, at a lab, STAR Labs would increase security big time. Oh well life goes on.

Speaking of STAR Labs, I still can't get beyond how much the Panabaker sisters and Elizabeth Henstridge (Simmons from Agents of SHIELD) look alike. That being said it looks like we'll be seeing more of Danielle Panabaker this season, and she even mentioned Doctor Light.

Quentin has to know that Oliver is The Arrow. He's just playing dumb, and that speech to Laurel was him continuing to play dumb, as well as his true feelings. It doesn't matter that it's Oliver under the hood, what matters is what The Arrow stands for and accomplishes.

Sara's doctor, would face some consequences for volunteering all that information about Sara to Laurel. She didn't know, and the doctor told her everything. I don't think Sara would give permission, Laurel's not her guardian, and those weren't obtained in a crime, so unless I'm mistaken which is possible, the doctor can't just volunteer that information like that. Also the doctor has to know that she was lost at sea, so without medical care, she'd get scars. Nobody batted an eye at Oliver having scars, because he was on an island for 5 years.

I'm really looking forward to that final battle at the end of the season.

[quarks]

So, to sum up:

1. No one stays dead on this show. 

2. Slade is the sort of jerk who helps to take over a multimillion/billion company but is then too cheap to buy his new superpowered army new clothes. Good to know.

3. It's more important to conceal your secret shame about killing someone instead of, I dunno, trying to find a cure for your sister's boyfriend who could go mad at any moment and kill someone.

4. Even KNOWING the truth, Laurel still has so little of a role on this show that...taking this rant to the Laurel thread.

5. Isobel has amazing hair. I'm not sure we've discussed that enough, so let's mention it now because, really, she has amazing hair.

6. So to go along with the sister swapping they've added father/son sleeping with the same woman, although Indiana Jones did that too so yay!

7. Though I did love Isabel's comment that she became the CEO of a major firm while still under the age of 30 so she must be doing something right so yay Isabel!  You go girl!   Run Queen Consolidated like the zombie you are.

8. If Isabel really diluted the value of QC's stock how on earth did she convince anyone to let her take over the firm....you know what, I'm better off not asking this question. Moving on.

9. Felicity: "Barry's in a coma and already he's moving on." Hee. 

10. So, is that doctor going to get fired for revealing Sara's medical info to her sister without even asking for ID?  Or, better yet, will Sara kill him?

11. Speaking of Laurel and Sara, this is yet another episode where Oliver had more physical contact/longer solo scenes with women he is no longer sleeping with than with the woman he's supposedly with.  I realize the latest interviews have already told us where this is going, but, still. Hmm.

[Grammaeryn]

Ugh, this episode dragged and felt un-necessary.  First off,  what kind of security does the Arrow cave have?  They leave important hardware out in the open and do nothing after Slade breaks in.  They only needed one island flashback scene not several.  Ivo ,"You can cure mirakuru.  I'll give you the key if you kill me quick."  Oliver, "Blammo."  No shaky damsel holding a gun so you are forced to ponder about how far Sara has fallen.  Since we can't discern from acting, I loved all the visuals of Laurel Lance the Thinker.  Why did Slade bring a sword to the lab confrontation? He looked ridiculous gesturing with it.  John Barrowman can't return quick enough! I would love it if he just winds up offing Slade.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Grammaeryn

[KirkB]

There have to be at least two Arrow cave entrances, right? One through the Verdant, and the more secret one Oliver must use to get in and out while in the suit. Presumably Slade didn't walk through Verdant in full costume because even a bunch of drunk idiots would have noticed that, so how did he manage to find the other one? I can see him knowing Oliver enough to work out that's where he'd build it. And while we're on the subject, what kind of vigilantes don't have some sort of security system set up to tell them someone has entered their secret hideout?

Edited April 17, 2014 by KirkB

[BkWurm1]

Isobel has amazing hair. I'm not sure we've discussed that enough, so let's mention it now because, really, she has amazing hair.

 

It honestly is amazing.  There were times I kinda got a bit mesmerized by the sheen and heavy sway and no, I'm not kidding.  Does she just have amazing genetics (well, that's a given) or the best hair extentions ever?

That said, I think the episode was good over all.  Sure, there were some glaring plot holes like how the Queens are going broke if Thea doesn't sign a piece of paper or that Laurel could get her dad out of jail (it looked more like prison to me) with a weak threat and a little huffing.  How about getting him off by doing some lawyer like thing - maybe proving the charges were unfounded.  My expectations of those kind of things have gone way down.

  I was pleased just by a even balance to the script in regards to the cast of characters.  That's two episodes in a row.  I found the opening sequence both a little unnerving and very cute.  Felicity is a bomber.  It was her plan. 

[SleepDeprived]

Well, that's officially the start of the 2nd season finale run of Arrow. Not one of the show's best episodes, for sure. There were a bunch of good things (Team Arrow, Felicity, Diggle, the Flash's supporting characters, Thea). The rest were all right.

But let's get to the important details:

 

5. Isobel has amazing hair. I'm not sure we've discussed that enough, so let's mention it now because, really, she has amazing hair.

It honestly is amazing.  There were times I kinda got a bit mesmerized by the sheen and heavy sway and no, I'm not kidding.  Does she just have amazing genetics (well, that's a given) or the best hair extentions ever?

 

Right? I couldn't keep my eyes away from Isabel because of her shiny, fairy-princess hair. Tell me your secret, Summer Glau!

 

Why did Slade bring a sword to the lab confrontation?

The sword is obviously Slade's Linus blanket. He gets super lonely and Shado's an evil ghost so he needs something tangible for comfort. It makes him feel all warm and rage-y inside.

 

Felicity is a bomber.  It was her plan.

I'd totally hire her if she put that in her resume. And, well, someone had to step up and come up with the plans for Team Arrow. In fact, the Team should just revoke Oliver's "leader" status and let Felicity and Diggle be co-captains. Oliver has the brawns, for sure, but the brains ain't all that.

[Happy Harpy]

 

I was pleased just by a even balance to the script in regards to the cast of characters.  That's two episodes in a row.  I found the opening sequence both a little unnerving and very cute.  Felicity is a bomber.  It was her plan.

Team Arrow makes the show better and I enjoyed their scenes immensely. I had high hopes for the episode when I saw the first scenes, then it deflated a bit. Without the very recent improvement with Diggle/Felicity and the cast integration, I think the retcon about the cure would have made me drop the show. What a stupid, stupid move. Maybe the stupidest move and with the most heavy, dangerous consequences, that Oliver made so far. The reasoning of "being ashamed" was so weak.

I love Anatoly more and more. I hope that he will be Oliver's next island teammate next year, I'd love to watch a friendship that doesn't turn sour develop there.

I wonder. Is Ivo being dead an indication that he isn't Felicity's father, or does the fact that Oliver killed him an indication that he is Felicity's father, for maximum angst and "shock" value? Sigh.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Happy Harpy

[Tara Ariano]

Here's Monty's post on the episode!

[KirkB]

I know Oliver has vowed not to kill anymore, and I get he was worried about Roy, but he actually had Slade down for a moment. Why the hell didn't he go over there and fill his head full of arrows and maybe shove a couple more of those explosives down his throat for good measure? Slade can take the whole team out by himself so why not take advantage of the one weak moment he's had so far?

[quarks]

Why the hell didn't he go over there and fill his head full of arrows and maybe shove a couple more of those explosives down his throat for good measure?

 

 Because then Team Arrow and Assorted Allies wouldn't be able to face him in the Season Finale!

[calliope1975]

Why the hell didn't he go over there and fill his head full of arrows and maybe shove a couple more of those explosives down his throat for good measure? Slade can take the whole team out by himself so why not take advantage of the one weak moment he's had so far?

 

That was my first thought, as well. It looked like Slade was actually knocked out for a minute or so. Oliver should have walked right over there and cut the bastard's head off. He's not Deadpool; it won't grow back. 

[pootlus]

I think this episode neatly summed up both why I like the show, and yet why it's so frustrating and why I'm considering not watching past the end of the season.

The latter can be summed up quite simply: Too.Much.Damned.Laurel.  I am sick, sick and tired of the waste of space character.  The more she appears in an episode, the more my enthusiasm wanes.

Unless they ship her off somewhere or substantially reduce her screentime, I suspect the finale may be my last episode.  I refuse to stick around while hating on a huge chunk of the show - I've got better things to do.

[Zalyn]

The best parts of the ep were Oliver's face when he found out that Isabel slept with his dad (epic karma?) and "Barry's in a coma and already he's moving on."

I always wonder how long the bad guy has to wait around when infiltrating the hero's lair.  What did Slade do to amuse himself?  Maybe he played on the Salmon Ladder?

It felt like this episode crammed a lot of answers in together: about Thea, where's Roy?, what is Laurel going to do?, does Quentin know?, how do we fight the mirakuru?, etc.  Definitely the clearing of the table for the finale run.

[arjumand]

And just like that, I hate Thea again.

And Laurel is . . . not so bad. At least she listened to what her dad was telling her, even when she realised that the masked woman in black whose nose and mouth looked exactly like her sister's was, in fact, her sister. I mean, for fuck's sake Laurel. She doesn't even wear a hood to shadow her face a bit. How could you NOT see it? Could it BE any more obvious (I'm going through a Friends marathon right now, and it''s made me want to open an account on some forum, call myself Janice and respond to crazy news with: Oh. My. God!)?

[Danny Franks]

Not really a return to form, to be honest. Far, far, far too much of Laurel looking ambiguously suspicious and thoughtful, and I just don't see how any of it was necessary. I don't care if Laurel knows who the Arrow is, or if she knows who the Canary is. It makes no difference to me or, as far as this episode went, to the show. She still feels utterly out of place and irrelevant, and scenes with her are more jarring than complementary to everything else that's going on in the show.

And Thea was just ridiculous, and reminiscent of the childish stubbornness she displayed in season 1, when she wanted to go to jail to punish her mother. Now she's content to see her family lose everything, to spite them for lying to her. Oh, grow up, kid. Hopefully seeing Roy act out the biggest, most dangerous toddler tantrum ever in the next episode will sort her out.

And Oliver continues to be completely useless at talking to her, with all that weak ass dialogue that wouldn't have convinced a child, let alone someone in the last vestiges of teenage rebellion. Oliver, in general, needs to be less rubbish at everything than he's been made to be in these last few episodes.

The Isabel stuff continues to just be the least creative way to go, in my view. She's an evil, villainous villain who is villainous because Oliver's bad dad wronged her. Seriously? That's just lame. And yet she's important enough for Slade that he'll juice her up with his blood to save her life. Okay, then. I love Summer Glau, but this character has been a complete disappointment.

I liked seeing that Felicity has some actual friends, although I assume from the dialogue that these two will be appearing in The Flash. So they're still not selling that show to me, because while the girl was cute, the guy was annoying. But Felicity should have scientifically minded friends, who she can go to with queries she can't resolve. Seems like the showrunners belatedly realised that 'science' is actually a very varied discipline, and that expertise in one area does not mean a person can just science their way through any problem that comes up.

She's usually the bright point of any episode, and that continued to be the case here. A few lines to alleviate the crushing gloom and Laurel-induced stupor of the episode.

[KirkB]

Oliver not being good dealing with Thea doesn't bother me because, let's face it, until five years ago he was a spoiled brat whose main goal in life was getting laid. Now he feels he has a purpose and a mission which is taking most of his attention, and it's hard for him to turn away from that and help somebody work through things he's never bothered to overcome in himself. He still tends to act out that way, only now his rebellion involves shooting things with arrows.

I'm hoping knowing who the Arrow and the Canary are will give Laurel something to do, because at the moment I'm not sure what the characters purpose is on the show. Right now I don't mind if a whole episode goes by without seeing her and that shouldn't be for an important character.

[TwistedandBored]

Aside from few scenes the episode was boring. 

[BkWurm1]

I don't think the direness of the Queen family fortune was really impressed upon Thea.  It was all, oh yeah we know you are hurt and mad and falling apart but hey what's really important is this random bit of paper you should sign.  Oliver could have at least broken out a please and we really need this. 

[mase]

I am beyond ready for Laurel to be gone, but I liked that Oliver got to have that moment with her.

Isabel's motivation is weaker than weak. Summer Glau is bound to be cooler with the Mirakuru.It really doesn't make sense that she wants to destroy everything ank kill people just because Oliver's dad chose his family. Weak.

Still loving Felicity and Diggle. Thea's just being Thea. Bratty bratty Thea. Hopefully something will happen with Roy next week to bring her back to her more mature than the rest of the cast self.

[BkWurm1]

At first I thought Thea was overreacting but then when we got to know what was in her head I forgave her for everything.  That line about finally thinking she was going to be ok only for everything she thought was good in her life (her relationship with Roy, trust with Oliver) to fall away and for her to know that she comes from two Mass Murderers.  I can understand why she feels so lost and hopeless.  This would have been the time for Oliver to step up and show Thea she isn't alone but no he walks away and turns his back. 

I still don't see Thea turning to her father but I can see her unable to get away from him with Oliver assuming she's just choosing to be off on her own. 

[AudienceofOne]

Aside from few scenes the episode was boring.

 

I completely agree and, when it wasn't being boring, it was being about Isabella's ridiculous motivation. She had an affair with his father and now thinks she deserves the company? WTF?

[shapeshifter]

3. It's more important to conceal your secret shame about killing someone instead of, I dunno, trying to find a cure for your sister's boyfriend who could go mad at any moment and kill someone.

Color me confused on this point. I just assumed there was some comic book knowledge I was lacking that will be revealed later, because what does mercy killing Evil Ivo have to do with the cure? Edited April 19, 2014 by shapeshifter

[KirkB]

I didn't think it was boring but I found my suspension of disbelief stretched a little further than I'm usually comfortable with. Instead of a smart, manipulative woman who tricked Oliver into signing over his company (not that tricking Oliver is any great feat) Isabel comes off as sort of a bitter, jealous ex of Oliver AND his dad. I also can't quite figure out what kind of vigilantes have such poor security in their secret lair that a gaudily masked villain can find his way in and sit around waiting to surprise them when they get back. And while I'm not usually a fan of killing helpless, unconscious people I think I would have made an exception in that brief moment Oliver had Slade down. I totally understand where Thea is coming from and don't really have a problem with most of her reactions, but I find myself pretty apathetic when it comes to Roy and particularly Laurel.

Edited April 19, 2014 by KirkB

[Danny Franks]

I didn't think it was boring but I found my suspension of disbelief stretched a little further than I'm usually comfortable with. Instead of a smart, manipulative woman who tricked Oliver into signing over his company (not that tricking Oliver is any great feat) Isabel comes off as sort of a bitter, jealous ex of Oliver AND his dad.

This is really one of my main bugbears about the Isabel character. Instead of being the strong, independent, resourceful woman she was first presented as, she was the bitter harpy who wanted revenge on the men who had wronged her. And worse, she needed another man, Slade, to help her do it. This is what I've been saying about the character, they just kept choosing the least interesting option, every time. 

Isabel as a genuine corporate threat, one not interested in the private lives of the Queens or the villainous shenanigans of Slade or Blood, could actually have been really interesting. But it would have taken more effort to write than, 'your dad broke my heart, and so now you have to pay'.

3. It's more important to conceal your secret shame about killing someone instead of, I dunno, trying to find a cure for your sister's boyfriend who could go mad at any moment and kill someone.

 

I guess this is the price logic must pay if you're constantly retrofitting to jam new ideas you've come up with into existing narrative strands. Oliver being ashamed that he could have cured Slade but didn't simply doesn't wash as a reason for never mentioning that they could cure Roy. It makes no sense to me whatsoever, and while this might be my own personal slant on it, I felt like Stephen Amell was almost cringing when he delivered that line, because he knew it was pathetic.

'Hey, there's actually a cure.'

'What? Why didn't you ever mention this when we dealt with the first guy who had this stuff in him? Or the second? Or the third? When you were acting as though Mirakuru is a death sentence to both those injected with it and those who face them? And when one of those guys so important to your sister?'

'Because reasons.'

[quarks]

Color me confused on this point. I just assumed there was some comic book knowledge I was lacking that will be revealed later, because what does mercy killing Evil Ivo have to do with the cure?

 

The reference in the show wasn't about mercy-killing Ivo. Oliver said that he hadn't told Team Arrow about a potential cure for Mirakuru because he had had the chance to give that to Slade and had chosen to kill Slade instead which is why Slade's current presence in the city is all Oliver's fault, and he didn't want to tell them team because he didn't want them to know that Slade's presence in the city is all Oliver's fault.

The problem is that this makes no sense within the show.  Here's the timeline:

1. December: Roy gets a shot of Mirakuru. At this point, Oliver has no idea that Slade is alive and well in Starling City.  Oliver tells Diggle and Felicity that they will have to keep an eye on Roy.

2. January: Oliver starts training Roy and tells Roy there is no cure. Oliver still has no idea that Slade is alive and well in Starling City.

3. March: Oliver sees Slade, and realizes that he has to kill Slade.

However, if Oliver knows that there's a cure, and knows that killing Slade last time didn't work, why is he now talking about killing Slade, especially since he's jumping on Sara about killing Helena? That was already incredibly hypocritical as it was, and this time it's worse.  Killing Slade didn't work last time, so you're trying this again? Not killing Helena resulted in her returning to the city and killing people, so you're trying this again? 

Plus, this doesn't explain why Oliver didn't say anything in the first place. He couldn't have argued that his failure to really kill Slade instead of trying to cure Slade caused the issues in Starling City when they first discovered Mirakuru was in Starling City, because at that point, Oliver had no idea Slade was even alive.

So I see this as a clumsy retcon that makes Oliver look worse, and completely wasted Sara's backstory of actually working with Ivo and learning something about Mirakuru.

[BkWurm1]

I don't recall Oliver previously saying there was no cure. Did he actually say it or was it just implied by his actions?

[quarks]

Hmm. I checked the Arrow wikia and apparently I'm slightly off - the wikia says that Oliver said that everyone who has been injected with mirakuru is dead, not "there is no cure and everyone is dead." I took that to mean that there is no cure.  Of course Oliver was also under the impression that Malcolm and Slade were dead so Oliver's probably not the best medical source on this.

[JenMD]

I wonder. Is Ivo being dead an indication that he isn't Felicity's father, or does the fact that Oliver killed him an indication that he is Felicity's father, for maximum angst and "shock" value? Sigh.

For me, it's very much the former.  Ivo dead with no mention or hint of a daughter pretty much buried that theory in my mind.  Putting the massive contrivance aside, I just don't see Oliver killing Felicity's daddy (were he Ivo) as compelling or long term angst considering Oliver killed a dying man, at the dying man's request to lessen his pain, and the only reason Oliver did it was to spare Sara having to do it.  Basically, he was going to die anyway.  Considering what a bad guy Ivo was and how much pain and suffering his mirakuru quest resulted in (both before and after his death) there just doesn't seem to be a lot of story there, certainly nothing warranting the producers' claims of having the idea for Felicity's background in the 1st season and then it being too big to be told this season.  At this point, I don't like to put anything past these producers, but I just don't see Ivo making any sense.  To me, his death was all about Oliver and Sara, as well as the cure, not foreshadowing anything to do with Felicity.

[BkWurm1]

As to the question of Ivo and his cure for Mirakuru.  I guess the question comes back to how he knew about the super drug in the first place.  Was his quest based merely on rumors and legends or had his maybe come into contact with the real stuff?  Something pretty impressive had to have happened to him given the extremes he was very willing to go not to mention whoever financially backed his trip as well.  (Do we even know who that is?)   Perhaps Ivo even somehow was a part of creating a cure only to find out later what he was curing?  There has to be more to the story. 

I agree that Ivo is no longer likely to be Felicity's father.  Ivo's story seems closed.  That said, there could still be a connection between Ivo and Felicity. 

[Francesca007]

Its not a good sign when I'm FF'd most of the show. Too much Laurel. Too much bratty Thea. No more island crap.

[formerlyfreedom]

This is re-airing tonight!

[JayKay]

I have a new appreciation for the Central City scenes now that I plan to give The Flash a chance. It was cool to unexpectedly see Panabaker on Arrow, too.

Edited August 20, 2014 by JayKay

[Actionmage]

First off,  what kind of security does the Arrow cave have?

When even Laurel frakkin' Lance can trail you from your secret lair, you are not watching your security monitors well or enough. Granted, it wasn't a bad guess for Laurel, but the way Laurel has been shown had me mentally throw a penalty flag on the play.

 

We also had Little Miss Blackmail rear her head again. That it got Quentin out of the less-than-secure prison makes me less picky, but Laurel needs to run into someone who isn't afraid to push back on the blackmailing.

 

Hi, HIPPA-free Hospital! Hope Sara and/or Nyssa doesn't find out you blabbed to Laurel, Doc.

 

The utter nothing that Roy had descended  to in the season whammed me again on re-watch.  Oliver needs to focus on Roy, as far as mentees go because Ollie sucks at it currently. It could be more nice ties to Dig, who wasn't exactly a mentor, but who was instrumental to helping Oliver get to where he is now. There is supposedly a doctor's credo that is 'See one. Do one. Teach one.' IIRC, it's about procedures, but it works with anyone, really, imo. 

 

I may have missed it, but did Thea say where she was going? Roy was MIA. The mansion was right on out. That leaves a hotel or Verdant/ her office at the club. Of course, she might've been staying with a girlfriend, but we haven't seen any since her drug storyline.

 

I was disappointed that the Arrow Cave fight wasn't better lit; I am sure there were technical reasons, but I wanted to see it better. Also, when Sara is grabbed by the neck? That looked genuinely painful, as well as genuinely badass.

[statsgirl]

I think my favourite part of this episode is Oliver realizing that his father had an affair with Isabel, that he slept with her too, which means.... oh my god!

 

My second favourite part is Oliver telling Felicity that it's her plan, and Felicity replying that she never thought he'd actually do it.

 

I also like BSC! Isabel, The Scorned Soulmate.   Since Robert was so quick to leave her and get her internship terminated and never speak to her again, methinks he wasn't on the 'soulmate' train.,

 

Quentin respecting the Arrow enough that "the least I can do is a little bit of time for him" in prison.

 

The part I hate most – Laurel finding out that Sara has extensive scar tissue over her body and never asking her about the scars again.  And even though she finds the motorcycle accident suspicious and she knows Oliver is the Arrow and he works with a blonde woman and she followed them to Star Labs, she still doesn't say anything to Sara.

 

I feel sorry for Thea but she's still a drama queen.  "For the first time in my crazy messed-up life, I was starting to feel okay."   I know things suck now but they were pretty good for the first 12 years of your life.  And way to dismiss Robert, who loved you and took care of you all your life with him as just another liar.

 

Kate Spencer!  I'm going to miss you! But you're no match in deviousness to Laurel.  Too bad they're still trying to push Laurel as a good character.

 

There goes Laurel hugging Oliver again.  Wait .... why is Oliver hugging her back?  Does he have feelings for her?  I thought that was over.  And he's sleeping with Sara. 

And we're supposed to believe he's in love with Felicity?  Tomcat.

[JayKay]

I was disappointed that the Arrow Cave fight wasn't better lit; I am sure there were technical reasons, but I wanted to see it better. Also, when Sara is grabbed by the neck? That looked genuinely painful, as well as genuinely badass.

Completely agree. I was watching some movie, I can't even remember what it was, not too long ago and it had the hero come rushing at the villain like Sara did and I was disappointed that it didn't end with a badass throat grab. The Arrow stunt team deserves major credit for out-doing a feature film on fight choreography. I loved every minute of that Arrowcave fight scene, but yeah, if only it were better lit. I don't feel like this show has to hide the cast/stunt doubles in shadow as often as most other productions, so it's a bit of a let down that they chose to shoot in the dim here.

 

And also SA's aggression during the pipe-fight was great acting physically and emotionally. He was not fooling around and went in hard knowing that it was a battle for his (and his friends') life. Possibly my favorite of Oliver's fights.

I also like BSC! Isabel, The Scorned Soulmate. Since Robert was so quick to leave her and get her internship terminated and never speak to her again, methinks he wasn't on the 'soulmate' train.

Watching it again makes me realize how scummy Robert truly was all over again, too. He cheated with a ton with of young, ambitious but impressionable women and the dude came a hairsbreadth from walking out on his family. It is really messed up that he was about run away with her but decided at the last minute, nah, and also you're fired and I never want to see or hear from you again. Captain Indecisive of the D-Bag Platoon.

[BkWurm1]

There goes Laurel hugging Oliver again.  Wait .... why is Oliver hugging her back?  Does he have feelings for her?  I thought that was over.  And he's sleeping with Sara.

 

 

Hug the one you're with?

[dtissagirl]

Is it wrong that I'm bitter that the only person still around who knows Isabel used to screw Robert is Oliver himself? Because I feel like I kinda needed at least Diggle to know about it, so he could mock Oliver to his face. *g*

[tv echo]

I guess in the Arrow-verse, both doctors and lawyers have zero to little ethical obligations.  Again, Felicity had the best lines - the one about not getting the eyeholes in her face mask to line up, whether she can put bomber on her resume, and the one about Barry being in a coma and still moving on.  

[icandigit]

 

Hi, HIPPA-free Hospital!

lol

 

 

And also SA's aggression during the pipe-fight was great acting physically and emotionally. He was not fooling around and went in hard knowing that it was a battle for his (and his friends') life. Possibly my favorite of Oliver's fights.

One of my favorites too. And your could tell the hurting Slade put on him.

[statsgirl]

Watching it again makes me realize how scummy Robert truly was all over again, too. He cheated with a ton with of young, ambitious but impressionable women and the dude came a hairsbreadth from walking out on his family. It is really messed up that he was about run away with her but decided at the last minute, nah, and also you're fired and I never want to see or hear from you again. Captain Indecisive of the D-Bag Platoon.

I suspect he cheated with more women than just the interns at QC.  Bored wives of the men on The List would be easy to access because they would be in the same social circle.  Firing Isabel isn't indecision but avoiding an uncomfortable situation just because he can, something he passed on to pre-island Oliver who took Sara on the boat trip because he didn't want to tell Laurel he wasn't ready to live together..

 

I think the speech says more about how crazy Isabel was even back in the day with Robert.  If he drops her like that just because Thea had a riding accident, he was never going to be her soulmate and stay with her permanently. You don't give up all that status and money (because Moira would have taken him to the cleaners) and respect of his peers to be permanently with someone like Isabel sneaking away like that. More likely he would have given an excuse to everyone for his absence (like Walter's trip to look at the QC holdings in Austalia), had a vacation with her, and then left her at whatever expensive hotel they were at to return to his real life.

[BkWurm1]

Thoughts as I rewatch. 

 

Now Slade in the Arrowcave - that is a fight worth watching.  Still get chills when Sara comes flying down at him and he just grabs her by the neck mid flight.  And of course lots of love the dual leap from the stairs for Oliver and Felicity.  Good stuff. 

 

I enjoyed Caitlin and Cisco's guest appearance a lot more now that I  actually know and like the characters.  Also, something I only noticed this time around, when Felicity first enters the QC Applied Science building she pauses and mentions this was where she first met Barry.  Aww!

 

Still one of the funniest sequences, Felicity the mad bomber. 

 

Also of note, she hacked into Harrison Wells' personal files.  Pity she didn't hack a bit deeper, lol. 

 

Ah!  The machine Slade stole from Star Labs explains how Slade was suddenly able to create an army without all the pesky deaths.  Missed that detail before.  Still not sure why Oliver never brought up the cure the moment he discovered Roy was pumped up with it.  (Ok, we know why, they hadn't decided it yet, but what would the in show reason be?)

 

I am pissed at Quentin's boss tossed him in jail.  He had to know how Cops get treated in prison. 

 

Laurel threatening to quit her job and defend her father and also sue the DA's office being a threat the DA immediately caves to and changes her mind and aggress to release Quentin and drop all charges and reinstate him at work - that last one that Laurel didn't even demand - makes no sense. 

 

Eh, I should know better than to care.  It's Laurel, of course it doesn't make sense. 

 

Laurel's conversation with the Arrow on the roof where she goes on and on about having had this connection the whole time and how he'd always been there for her and her family but for some reason she never asked why - sooooo creepy!!  SOOOO creepy!  Also nice case of amnesia there.  Was that the same bond that made her swear to put him away?  And the same bond that let her know he was nothing but a murderer? 

 

At the end of the episode she comes and gives Oliver a very nice hug and says it's because he's important to her.  The thing is, in the context of the episode, that hug happened because she sat with her father and listened to him empathize and worry over all the pain and suffering the Arrow must shoulder.  Not only did Laurel only not turn in Oliver because her dad didn't want it, her empathy for him wasn't something she figured out, but no, it was something she was told. 

 

Laurel on the roof mentioned it never occurred to her to ask why the hood had always been there for her.  Probably because she really isn't an empathetic person, not without being led to the answers by someone else.  I do think she cares, but she seems so wrapped up in herself that it doesn't naturally occur to her that she should think about other people's motives and problems. 

[Chaser]

When it comes to the Lances, selective memory is always in play.

[bijoux]

Laurel aside, I remember this as the episode when S2 noticeably picked up again. It was just rolling from the very first scene. The bombing and the leap over the rail, Slade's breach of the Foundry is my favorite ever. Usually my reaction is Jesus, guys, your security is shameful. This however was too awful for me to care. The whole fight sequence was wonderful.

[bijoux]

You know, there's another great moment in this episode and that's Oliver just popping a bullet into Ivo's head while he was mid monologue. Awesome. I credit Anatoly and his no bullshit attitude for this.

I don't remember, but do we find out where Thea goes while she's all in a snit because 'everybody lies, waaaah'?

[BkWurm1]

I decided that she took her packed bag and moved into the offices at Verdant but no, they don't say where she goes.  It's a bit funny that she refuses to sign the papers protecting their assets but then is surprised and upset in the future when she loses Verdant.  Oops! 

Edited January 5, 2016 by BkWurm1

[kismet]

Thea not signing the papers was perhaps the most annoying & unnecessary thing ever. I know the show wanted OQ broke the next season... But was it really necessary? They could have have the board just boot his ass out of the company to have

RP

take over. And then everything could remain the same. TQ didn't run to

MM

for his money, she ran to him for his power and ability to make her less vulnerable.

 

I hate when real life issues like money make it harder for me to accept in story plot lines. TV is supposed to be an imaginary world, so I can mentally wave people having apartments they can't afford or jobs they are not qualified for. But when the show goes out of its way to make something show canon like bankrupting 2 of the characters for no good reason, I get a little offended. I prefer when OQ is a billionaire because it makes it perfectly ok for him to be able to buy whatever he needs for missions. So besides a few jokes here and there, the Queens losing their money was a big problem for me to watch the show without wondering how are they getting all of this money. And even with

FS

currently funding all of it, there has to be a better running joke they can find. Give TQ & OQ back their money, I don't even care how they find in-story to return the Queen/Dearden Assets & funds.

 

Spoilers are for current episodes already aired up to s4 winter finale, no new spoilers.

[tv echo]

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Oliver Queen’s voiceover intro:
Oliver (voiceover): "My name is Oliver Queen. After five years on a hellish island, I have come home with only one goal-- to save my city. But to do so, I can't be the killer I once was. To honor my friend's memory, I must be someone else. I must be something else."

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Felicity becomes a masked bomber:
Felicity (struggling to wear black wool face ski mask): “I don't think my eye holes line up properly. Is anyone else having this problem?” 
Sara: “Don't be nervous.”
Felicity: “I'm a lot nervous. This is a big move, even for us. And we've cornered the market on big moves.”
Oliver: “Slade didn't give us any choice.”
Felicity: “Yeah, as far as plans go, this is not a good one.”
Oliver: “Felicity. This was your plan.” 
Felicity: “I didn't think you'd actually say yes.”
(Oliver gives her a look.)
Diggle: “We're here.”
*  *  *
Felicity: “Security cameras are down. You all remember the skeleton key? Courtesy of William Tockman, aka the Clock King. It can open any lock. Including this one… This is where we met Barry.”
Diggle: “These… are plug n' play. Fasten them to what we talked about. Let the C4 do the rest. 
Sara: “Been a while since I've blown anything up.” 
Oliver: “Quick and clean.”
Felicity: “I'm a bomber. I can't believe I'm a bomber. I wonder if I can list that on my resume under special skills.”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Felicity reacts to Isabel Rochev’s news conference:
Isabel (on TV): “Cowards. Who else would needlessly destroy cutting edge, scientific and medical technology whose sole purpose is to make Starling City a healthier and safer place? As CEO of Queen Consolidated, I have a message to the terrorist who committed this unspeakable act. You will be caught, and punished.”
Felicity: “For the record, I hated her before we found out she was a super villain.”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) - Laurel talks to her father in the police interrogation room after he's arrested:
Quentin: "Look, you need to drop this, okay? I'm fine. Really."
Laurel: "How is any of this fine?"
Quentin: "Look, you need to concentrate on you. Now listen, are you going to your meetings?"
Laurel: "Yes. It's where I talk about how my father's facing prison."
Quentin: "Laurel. This will all blow over, okay? Please."
Laurel: "No. It won't, Dad. You were caught aiding and abetting the Vigilante. Working with him last year cost you your detective shield. Now, it can cost you 18 months in prison. They want his name. Do you know who the Arrow is?"
Quentin: "I don't. I swear."
Laurel: "Okay, well, what about the woman in black? (Quentin looks up as Sara enters the room) The one the Arrow works with? Do you know who she is?"
Quentin: "No."
Laurel: "Well, you must have some idea. Honey, I can't tell you what I don't know."
Guard: "Time's up."
Quentin: "You girls, you take care of each other." (Taken out of the room by the guard)
Laurel: "Do you really think he doesn't know who the Arrow is?"
Sara: "It's not like Dad to lie.”
Laurel: "Sometimes it's people closest to us who lie to us best."

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Oliver protects Felicity when Slade attacks Team Arrow in the Arrowcave:
Oliver (descending staircase into Arrowcave behind Felicity): “I know Slade. He is not going to stop till –“ 
Slade/Deathstroke: “Welcome home.” (Points gun and shoots at them)
(Oliver grabs Felicity and flips over the staircase to the floor below. Sara attacks Slade, but he grabs her by the neck and holds her up and then throws her across the room.)
Slade/Deathstroke: “Hello, Sara.”
(Diggle comes at Slade, shooting)
Oliver: “No, Diggle!”
Slade/Deathstroke: “You’re wasting your bullets.” (Knocks Diggle into glass case)
(Oliver runs at Slade and attacks him, using steel rods as weapons, but Slade beats him down.)
Slade/Deathstroke: “Don't forget who taught you how to fight, kid.”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) - Laurel sees Sara's scars:
Laurel (to nurse): "Excuse me, I'm looking for my sister, Sara Lance. (To doctor) Excuse me, I'm Laurel Lance. Is my sister okay?"
Doctor: "Oh, she'll be fine. Just a hairline fracture of her wrist. We set it. She's got some nasty bruises. Looks worse than it is."
Laurel: "Thank you."
Doctor: "Nothing compared to her previous injuries."
Laurel: "Previous injuries?"
Doctor: "Yes. Your sister has extensive scar tissue over her entire body. The last person I saw with that much damage was a veteran injured in Iraq. Has your sister served in the military?"
Laurel: "No. No, she hasn't." 
(Laurel enters Sara's hospital room. Sara is dressing with her back to the door.)
Laurel: "Sara."
Sara: "Hey."
Laurel: "What happened to you?"
Sara: "Oh, I'm fine. Ollie and I just had a little motorcycle mishap. It was nothing. I already got my discharge papers."
Laurel: "But your back - those scars, where did you get them?"
Oliver (entering): "You okay?"
Sara: "I will be. You?"
Oliver: "Yeah. Hi."
Laurel: "Hi. So, tell me what happened?"
Oliver: "Motorcycle accident. It was stupid."
Sara: "We were making a left turn. His car ran a red light."
Laurel: "Did you file a police report?"
Oliver: "We didn't see the point. We're both fine. That's what counts, right?"
Laurel: "Right. I should really go. I have a deposition in an hour."
Sara: "Okay. Thanks for, uh, checking up on me."
Laurel: "Always."
(Laurel exits into the hallway and suddenly we see her remembering shots of Slade telling her Oliver is the Arrow, the mysterious blonde woman in black leather, and Sara's scarred back.)

219 (The Man Under the Hood) - DELETED SCENE: Felicity and Sara have a bonding moment after Slade's attack on the Arrowcave:
Sara: "You okay?"
Felicity: "I love it down here. I know it's cold and dark and itchy and dank and steam pours out of those grates all day and night. But... (Sighs) It's the first place in the world where I finally felt like it was home. He took that."
(Sara takes Felicity's hand.)

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Team Arrow discusses Slade’s motives for infiltrating the Arrowcave:
Oliver: “What do we have?” 
Felicity: “What Slade took.” 
Oliver: “Took?”
Felicity: “He wasn't here to kill us. He was here because we had something that he wanted. The skeleton key.” 
Sara: “I did a full sweep. It's the only thing that's missing.” 
Oliver: “He needs a new way to mass produce the serum now that we've dusted Applied Sciences.” 
Diggle: “With the skeleton key, he can get into anywhere and take anything he wants.”
Oliver: “We know what he wants. We just need to find it first. Where is the most cutting edge technology housed in Starling City?”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Felicity makes a crack about comatose Barry moving on:
Felicity: “Cisco, Caitlin! Are you guys okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?”
Caitlin: “You said ‘he’ twice. Do you know who attacked us? That lunatic with the mask and the sword?”
Felicity: “Uh, no. I – no, I don't know. I – I said ‘he’ twice because on the radio, I heard that the person who attacked you had man parts, which would make him a ‘he’.”
Diggle: “I'm John Diggle, I work security for Queen Consolidated. Do you have any idea what the masked man may have taken? An industrial centrifuge, by any chance?”
Caitlin: “No. It's a secret.”
Felicity: “What kind of secret?”
Caitlin: “The kind I have to keep.”
Felicity: “Well, does Cisco have to keep it, too?”
Caitlin: “Yes. He does.”
Felicity: “Okay. We're just so happy that you guys are okay. How's Barry doing?”
Caitlin: “He's the same.”
Felicity (to Diggle): “Barry's condition deteriorated. They moved him to S.T.A.R. Labs. They've been looking after him. That's how I met Cisco and Caitlin.”
Diggle: “Right.”
Felicity: “Well, I'll come visit again, as soon as I can.”
Cisco: “That would be cool. Don't worry, Barry gets lots of visitors. Iris is there a lot.”
Felicity: “Iris?” 
Cisco: “She's, um, his ‘something’.”
Felicity: “Oh. Sure. Good. (Walks away with Diggle) That's just swell. Barry's in a coma, and he's already moved on.”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Felicity finds the biotransfuser prototype that Slade plans to use:
Felicity: “I hacked into Harrison Wells' personal files. He's the director of S.T.A.R. Labs, which basically makes me unstoppable. And look what I found. It's a prototype for one of their new bio-tech projects. The patent is still pending, which is probably why they didn't want to tell us what it was.”
Oliver: “So what is it?”
Felicity: “It's a biotransfuser. It can deliver blood from one single patient into multiple patients, at once.”
Diggle: “Why would Slade need a blood transfusion?”
Oliver: “He doesn't. The prisoners that he freed from Iron Heights last week to create his own personal army do.”
Felicity: “With a few tweaks, Slade can retro-fit it for the Mirakuru, bypassing what we know to be a less than desirable ratio of success to, you know, death. Instead of it metabolizing in the person, it happens in the machine.”
Diggle: “That's going to require a whole lot of blood. Even a man with Slade's stamina can't handle that kind of drain.” 
Oliver: “Good.” 
Sara: “What do you mean?” 
Oliver: “We let him use it. He'll be weak, vulnerable, and that will be my opportunity to kill him. How do we find this thing?” 
Felicity: “A machine like this pulls an exorbitant amount of power from the grid. When it turns on, I'll know when and where. Right now, we just wait.”
Oliver: “I'm tired of waiting.”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Isabel tells Oliver that she was his father’s soulmate:
Oliver: "Where's Slade? I just wanted to give you the chance to do the right thing."
Isabel: "I'm under 30, and I'm the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I'd say I've already done the right thing."
Oliver: "And do you even know who Slade Wilson is? Or why he's doing this?"
Isabel: "I don't care. I got what I earned."
Oliver: "What you earned? You think that sleeping with my father entitles you to my family's company?"
Isabel: "You have no idea what you're talking about."
Oliver: "Wow, he fooled around with a lot of girls. I don't see any of them ordering hostile takeovers."
Isabel: "Fooled around?"
Oliver: "Yeah."
Isabel: "Is that what your mother told you? Of course she would write me off as a meaningless affair. Slade Wilson put me through hell. His training nearly killed me. Would I put myself through all that just because I was a jilted lover?"
Oliver: "Honestly, I don't know what you are!"
Isabel: "I was your father's soulmate. He was going to leave your mother, leave the company, leave you. Our bags were packed."
Oliver: "Really?"
Isabel: "Your sister had to go and break her arm doing something ridiculous, no doubt.”
Oliver: “She fell off her horse.”
Isabel: “We were at the airport when he got the call. I begged him not to go. I reminded him that Thea wasn't even his."
Oliver: "Are you saying that my father knew?"
Isabel: "Of course he knew. He was a fool, not an idiot. And like a fool, he loved her anyway. He promised me that we would leave the next day. But instead, my internship was terminated and he never spoke to me again."
Oliver: "Oh, so that's what this is really about. He chose us over you."
Isabel: "Please escort Mr. Queen off the premises."
Oliver (to building security guards): "Don't touch me."
Isabel: "He's no longer welcome in this building. My building."

219 (The Man Under the Hood) - Laurel almost tells Oliver that she knows his secret now:
Oliver (using his disguised Arrow voice): "I heard about your father being arrested. If I could help him, I would."
Laurel: "That's not what this is about. Funny, isn't it? A year ago, he thought you were a murderer. And me, I was - I was drawn to you. I couldn't explain why, but - but a part of me felt connected to you. You were always there. For me. For my family. And for some reason, I never asked why.”
Oliver: “Are you asking now?”
Laurel: “I don't have to. Because I already know the answer.”
Laurel (answering her phone): “Hello?”
Sara (on phone): “It's Dad.”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Laurel visits her father who’s been injured while imprisoned at Iron Heights:
Kate: "Laurel, I am so sorry. We had your father under protective custody."
Laure: "There's no such as thing as protective custody in Iron Heights."
(Sara is sitting by their father's bedside, when Laurel visits.)
Laurel: “Dad!”
Quentin: "Hey. It's all right, sweetheart, it's all right. Hey, whoa, don't touch the ribs! The ribs."
Laurel: "I'm getting tired of visiting my family members in a hospital. What happened?"
Quentin: "Oh, it's just some old collar paid me a visit. I guess I'm not the most popular guy in prison."
Laurel: "Sara, do you mind giving Dad and I a second alone, please?"
Sara: "Yeah, of course. I'll be right outside." (Leaves)
Quentin: "Don't go far, sweetie."
Laurel: "Dad -"
Quentin: "What is it, honey?"
Laurel: "I have to tell you something."
Quentin: "What is it?"
Laurel: "I know who the Arrow is."
Quentin: "What? Don't say another word. Don't say anything."
Laurel: "Okay."
Quentin: "Listen to me, there was a time when I would have sold out my badge to find out his name. You know that. But then I realize I didn't care who he was. In fact, I didn't even want to know who he was."
Laurel: "Why not?"
Quentin: "'Cause I knew if I knew who he really was, then he'd become a person, right? Maybe he's got a family. Friends. People that care about him. Someone with a life. That he couldn't be what I needed him to be. What this city needs him to be. It's the Arrow that matters. The man under the hood isn't important. ... Can you imagine what it's like to be him? What he has to live with, day in and day out, what that's got to be like? Hey. The least I can do is sit here and do a little bit of time for him."
*  *  *
Kate: "How's your father?"
Laurel: "He'll be better once you drop all charges and sign his release papers."
Kate: "He is facing -"
Laurel: "Yes. But he is not going to stay here another day... unless you want me to resign and embark on an exciting new career as a criminal defense attorney whose sole ambition will be to sue the District Attorney's office for wrongful arrest and reckless endangerment."
Kate: "Your father will be released on his own recognizance within the hour."
Laurel: "And reinstated. Tomorrow."
Kate: "A word of advice - be mindful of the battles you choose, because it will not always be this easy."

219 (The Man Under the Hood) - DELETED SCENE: Sara visits her father in Iron Heights:
(Laurel peeks through the window in the closed door to watch Sara and their father for a moment.)
Sara: "They're gonna let you out."
Quentin: "Huh, I was just starting to fit in."
Sara: "What did Laurel want? Is she okay?"
Quentin: "Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was nothing. She's fine."

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Felicity interrupts Oliver’s meeting with Thea when the biotransfuser goes online:
Oliver (on phone): “I can't talk right now, Felicity.” 
Felicity (on phone): “I know. But the grid at Collins and Main just spiked, drawing a hell of a lot of power. Which means someone either plugged in the world's largest hair dryer, or the biotransfuser just went online. The power cycle on this machine is very specific. You have 30 minutes, 40 tops. I know this is selfish, Oliver, and don't hate me for saying this, but don't go. If you don't get Thea to sign those documents, your family loses all of its assets.”
Oliver: “If I don't stop Slade right now, a lot of people will lose a lot more.”

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Oliver proposes that they make a Mirakuru cure:
(An unconscious Roy lies in the Arrowcave.)
Sara: "He's lost a lot of blood. I don't know what the biotransfuser did to him. But his pulse is really weak; He's barely breathing. And he needs a real doctor."
Oliver: "We can't take him to a hospital - they run tests. We need to keep what's in him from getting out."
Felicity: "What do we do now?"
Diggle: "The only thing we can do - we wait."
Sara: "Well, while we're waiting, we still have a Slade problem. He's got 20 guys just like him, and we have no way to stop him."
Oliver: "Yes, we do."
Felicity: "Is that what I think it is?" 
Oliver: "Mirakuru."
Felicity: "You weren't thinking about taking it, were you?" 
Oliver: "No. We're going to use it to make a cure."
Felicity: "Oliver, we don't even know if it's possible to reverse the effects."
Oliver: "Yes, we do. Ivo did it."
Diggle: "Why didn't you ever tell us that, Oliver?"
Oliver: "Because I'm ashamed."
Diggle: "Of what?" 
Oliver: "Five years ago, I had the chance to use the cure on Slade. I chose to kill him. Everything that's happening right now is my fault."

219 (The Man Under the Hood) – Laurel seeks out Oliver to hug him:
(Oliver is sitting on the steps in Verdant.)
Laurel: "Oliver."
(He stands up. She looks at him for a long moment and then moves in to hug him.)
Oliver: "What's this for?"
Laurel: "Because you're important to me."

Edited February 14, 2020 by tv echo