We just returned home from a screening of this week’s episode of Arrow, titled “The Man Under The Hood” – an episode that can easily be referred to as “Team Arrow vs. Deathstroke.” The episode – which airs on The CW this Wednesday, April 16 – sees Slade Wilson on a rampage that hits the team where they live.
“The Man Under The Hood” is written by many of Arrow’s biggest names – Geoff Johns and Greg Berlanti devised the story and the teleplay came to us from Andrew Kreisberg & Keto Shimizu. You might recognize some of those names as also being behind the Flash pilot, which is convenient when you consider the guest stars. So what are a few teases we can offer you? Here goes:
Guest stars from The Flash pilot! Since Barry Allen is in a coma, it would make sense that that character can’t come back. But two characters from the Flash pilot – which is hoping for a spot on The CW’s Fall schedule – do show up, in the form of Carlos Valdes’ Cisco Ramon and Danielle Panabaker’s Caitlin Snow. I already like them a lot, and while unfortunately this is all we will see of them on Arrow this year, they both had a strong introduction and other characters from the Flash pilot (including Harrison Wells and Iris West) are referenced. Listen closely and you might even catch a light reference to a major Justice League villain.
Deathstroke, the Terminator. Can anyone stop this guy? It feels like no matter what Team Arrow throws at Slade Wilson, it doesn’t work. It’d be a nice time to have Roy around, wouldn’t it?
Laurel knows. At the end of the previous episode, “Deathstroke,” Slade Wilson told Laurel Lance the true identity of the Arrow, and her reaction might be surprising. Across town, in Iron Heights, her father, Quentin, gets punished for what he does or does not know. The addition of this knowledge adds new and welcome layers to the Laurel character.
Speaking of new information… When we all found out Thea was Malcolm’s daughter, didn’t we all remember the time Thea had a thing for Tommy, who we now know was her half brother? Unlike some past TV productions who’d prefer we forget about such connections (Dallas never did bring up the Lucy/Ray thing after he was revealed as Jock’s son)… team Arrow addresses it through Thea’s words. This approach to continuity always serves the show well and is an indication of how the show respects its audience.
We learn more about Isabel Rochev. If anyone has questions about what is up with Summer Glau’s Isabel Rochev, some of those questions are answered this week. You’ll have to see if they stick to Isabel’s background in the comics or not, but we can tell you one thing that’s for sure: She is not Rose Wilson, as some have speculated.
Arrow “The Man Under The Hood” airs Wednesday, April 16 on The CW. Take a look at some preview images!
