Loved It? Hated It? What did you think of "The Dragon?"

[KSiteTV]

What did you think?

[katakombs]

That was pretty bad. Acevedo just isn't threatening enough for a Big Bad. Josh Seguarra could have done it but not Acevedo, his acting skills aren't up to being truly menacing no matter how many guys he shoots blows up or sets on fire. Also, he mumbles a lot. I couldn't understand most of what he was saying.

This is definitely the longest episode of Arrow I've ever sat through, and that includes a lot of bad stuff from previous seasons. I think the scenes with Diaz and Black Siren endlessly talking were supposed to be a film noir but they were just boring. No wonder Stephen Amell was pissed off that he was sidelined for this.

And on top of that, Felicity had to apologize to Curtis. Curtis, who is still talking trash about her husband, who fed her nanites to track her last season, who deliberately hurt Diggle to track him, and who told Felicity to go to hell when she went to the hospital when she went to ask how Rene is. All three of them, Rene, Curtis and Dinah are hypocrites and need to be off the Team permanently.

[President_Luthor]

This was a pretty good Dragon episode. It felt nothing like an Arrow episode at all, it was as if I had watched a different show. That was intentional, and it was a good thing after the civil war silliness, which both teams can own for their collective stupidity.

Dragon and Black Siren were in 80% of episode, as we got a much better understanding of what makes Diaz tick ... and E2 Laurel's gradual realization that Diaz's methods are becoming too extreme even for her. Dragon may not have the charisma as Chase, I agree (no one could, not even Slade ), but I felt he killed it in this episode. The action sequences from both of them were really good -- and well-lit -- which is not always the case on a show often set at night.

The weakest parts were the Felicity and Curtis scenes. I guess we're supposed to believe that, when it comes to Helix business, everything's cool and bad blood doesn't matter. Sorry, don't buy it, Helix kids, esp. from Curtis. In principle, I agree Felicity needs to be seen doing things other than be in the Arrowcave, but the way they executed this angle made no sense, with the point of this side plot just to show that, yes, Felicity worries about him, Oliver can go it alone and he promises to come back to Felicity. *snooze* Thank the gods that was just the minor B plot.

I'm glad Oliver's was used sparingly this ep., as it was long overdue we got into Dragon's head and Black Siren finally gets some substantial airtime.

[JDBentz]

My two cents:

1. It was nice to get a look at Diaz' motivations.
2. If Black Siren is redeemed, it will be a slow burn redemption (aka nuanced), meaning those who have a... simpler mindset will only see her as a villain and be blindsided if/when she joins the heroes.
3. Felicity already expressed her issues in the previous episode, and no one but Olicity fans care about the Helix storyline, which in and of itself is a waste of time since it didn't have anything connecting it to the main thrust. The show is still called Arrow.

This episode had me on the edge of my seat aside from the Helix Dynamics crap (and Felicity must be taking lessons from Oliver in how not to stand up for anyone with how she apologized to Curtis), so I will give it a seven.

[Backward Galaxy]

I liked Diaz in this episode. I didn't like that he kept going around with just Siren when he has an army at his disposal. There are no moral victories with guns. He should've been shot. Big bad dead.

[Freawaru]

I think this was a good episode about Diaz and BS. We finally understand what motivates Diaz (something that was lacking in Ras, Damien Darkh and Chase) and IMO, it was well executed, too. At least one bad guy who is not in this just because of Oliver. BS was interesting, too, she seems to have problems with Diaz's being controlled by his own fear - maybe a reason for her to shift her allegiance one day.

[TheSecretVampire]

I mean, it was great to see Diaz get all of that screentime to fully understand why he does what he does....but yeah, he should've been dead after that shooting....it was just "luck" he didn't get shot in the head. That said, I still don't buy him as a big threat to Oliver. I mean sure, Diaz has power, influence, skills and money, but once Oliver can find a way to break through all of those barriers, Diaz will be a sitting duck and defeated.

[Freawaru]

...it was just "luck" he didn't get shot in the head.

Sure, but this happens all the time in Arrowverse. And Laurel mentioned it.

That said, I still don't buy him as a big threat to Oliver. I mean sure, Diaz has power, influence, skills and money, but once Oliver can find a way to break through all of those barriers, Diaz will be a sitting duck and defeated.

I agree. I wait for - and hope I won't be disappointed - that there is some real big bad behind Diaz.

I think Diaz is a lot like the villains The Hood targeted in season one. Except for Malcom, who was behind it all.

My current preference for the big bad would still be Nyssa's father. He wanted Oliver as his heir due to a prophesy and Oliver tricked him. Sending Oliver reasons to kill again and become more like Ras himself so that the prophesy would be fulfilled could be a reasonable motive behind it all.