I liked this episode. Blood has been under the radar ever since Slade arrived in Starling City and just about everyone (Team Arrow, Quentin, etc.) ruled out the cloud of suspicion over him because the source was Laurel during her inebriated era. It was good to see that no one can deny Blood's involvement now -- and Laurel reinforced that the evidence is undeniable this time. Ollie's confrontation with Blood was good, if a bit rushed (but I guess that can't be helped with the finale around the corner).
It was awkward for Felicity to be slagging the person whose funeral had just happened, but it didn't bother me as much because her character doesn't have an internal filter so we know many of her thoughts/internal monologues actually come out in public. I don't think she intentionally means any offense, though she doesn't like Moira.
Ollie made some effort to repair the void with Thea he had a hand in creating. Thea lost a parent, her boyfriend in exile, lied to by Ollie (and, by extension, Team Arrow). Stepping away from the secrets-and-lies spotlight was likely the best avenue for her. And it was good to know that Laurel is there to support her.
I would have to agree with Isabel being "adorably evil" (like WWE Diva A.J. Lee ), both with her funeral appearance and her chat with Thea at the (now former) Verdant. She's a villain but how can anyone truly hate her. Hope she stays a delightfully mirakuru-crazy heel into S3.
Ollie lost a parent too and while S1 Ollie might have rushed headlong in a blind rage to a battle to the death with Deathstroke (a fight he had no hope of winning ... and re: show this outcome might make great action but ring hollow dramatically), Ollie in S2 had the sense to listen to cooler heads -- and in this case, it was Laurel who pulled him from the brink. Both characters advance in their development as a result. While Laurel's addiction story arc ran longer than I would have preferred, I'm overall happier with her development this season. I liked how she handled learning about Ollie's secret and her prodding Ollie this ep. to get the job done. She may not be "officially" part of Team Arrow (yet), but I think she is much further along in fulfilling her own destiny going into S3.
I didn't like it when Laurel chased after Team Arrow at the end (too soon and too risky for all), but in hindsight it also wasn't wise for Team Arrow to leave Google Maps (Felicity Maps?) open for all to see where they were going.
The downside was the island flashbacks, which were jarring at times. So Ollie and friends start up a submarine and fires torpedoes to free themselves, or something to that effect. It didn't contribute much to the ep's main Starling City story arc.
The stage is set and I do get the sense that the showrunners are still keeping their creative gunpowder dry and saving the biggest (and best) for the finale/Act III.
It was awkward for Felicity to be slagging the person whose funeral had just happened, but it didn't bother me as much because her character doesn't have an internal filter so we know many of her thoughts/internal monologues actually come out in public. I don't think she intentionally means any offense, though she doesn't like Moira.
Ollie made some effort to repair the void with Thea he had a hand in creating. Thea lost a parent, her boyfriend in exile, lied to by Ollie (and, by extension, Team Arrow). Stepping away from the secrets-and-lies spotlight was likely the best avenue for her. And it was good to know that Laurel is there to support her.
I would have to agree with Isabel being "adorably evil" (like WWE Diva A.J. Lee ), both with her funeral appearance and her chat with Thea at the (now former) Verdant. She's a villain but how can anyone truly hate her. Hope she stays a delightfully mirakuru-crazy heel into S3.
Ollie lost a parent too and while S1 Ollie might have rushed headlong in a blind rage to a battle to the death with Deathstroke (a fight he had no hope of winning ... and re: show this outcome might make great action but ring hollow dramatically), Ollie in S2 had the sense to listen to cooler heads -- and in this case, it was Laurel who pulled him from the brink. Both characters advance in their development as a result. While Laurel's addiction story arc ran longer than I would have preferred, I'm overall happier with her development this season. I liked how she handled learning about Ollie's secret and her prodding Ollie this ep. to get the job done. She may not be "officially" part of Team Arrow (yet), but I think she is much further along in fulfilling her own destiny going into S3.
I didn't like it when Laurel chased after Team Arrow at the end (too soon and too risky for all), but in hindsight it also wasn't wise for Team Arrow to leave Google Maps (Felicity Maps?) open for all to see where they were going.
The downside was the island flashbacks, which were jarring at times. So Ollie and friends start up a submarine and fires torpedoes to free themselves, or something to that effect. It didn't contribute much to the ep's main Starling City story arc.
The stage is set and I do get the sense that the showrunners are still keeping their creative gunpowder dry and saving the biggest (and best) for the finale/Act III.
Comment