Nyssa on the Loose
Remember back at the start of the season when Nyssa “poisoned” the Lazarus Pit so no one would be able to use it again and Malcolm Merlyn threw her in the Nanda Parbat prison? She made her escape, with the help of some League of Assassins members who are sympathetic to her bid to reclaim her father’s title from Malcolm, the “Usurper”. Oh and friendly reminder? Nyssa kicks ass.
The Return of Roy
There’s a thief running around Star City that Team Arrow is doggedly chasing down. When Oliver finally gets his hands on him, he’s shocked to learn the thief is Roy Harper. Felicity figures out that he’s being controlled by someone so Oliver tranqs our favorite little Parkour Monkey and brings him back to the Lair. This is when Roy tells them that the Calculator found out who he was and has been blackmailing him, making him work for him or else he’ll expose him (and thus, Team Arrow).
While in town, Roy helps the team foil the Calculators evil ploy to cripple the city with a “web bomb” and finds a little time to canoodle with Thea. The scene with them is achingly sweet, if only because they have to say goodbye again despite being still very much in love.
Tatsu is a Treasure
Nyssa’s first stop after getting out of “jail” is to go to a remote sanctuary in Japan where someone familiar is standing guard over a special elixir known as the “Lotus”. Nyssa wants it and Tatsu isn’t about to let it go easy, seeing as how her job is to watch over it. This leads to a rather epic sword fight between the two badass women. They’re evenly matched so Nyssa calls upon Tatsu to listen to her, to hear why Nyssa wants to use it, so they can each save some time (and energy). Meanwhile, I’m geeking out hardcore over seeing Tatsu again. She was a fave last year.
Seeing Shado[s]
Guess who else is back? Shado! It’s like Arrow looked into my head and saw a list of beloved characters that I wanted to see back on my screen and made it so. Shado is a hallucination of a feverish flashback Oliver, there to instruct him on how to lessen his guilt and move through the darkness that is keeping him from returning to his family. Her calm advice helps Oliver to muster up the courage to admit to Taiana that he killed her brother when he comes out of the fever.
Thea in Peril
While chasing down the thief that they later discover is Roy, Thea passes out inexplicably. She seems to be sick until we learn the truth: this is the effects of the Lazarus Pit. She has done such a good job of suppressing her bloodlust that now that bloodlust is rebounding on her, causing her to suffer the effects of the injury that landed her in the Pit in the first place. Her condition deteriorates throughout the episode, leading Oliver to contemplate working with Darhk in order to help her. Ultimately, he decides against it, however Thea worsens and ends up in a coma in the hospital, not unlike how she was after Ra’s’ attack last season. The prognosis isn’t good but Nyssa arrives to offer Oliver the Lotus that she acquired from Tatsu. It will counter the effects of the Lazarus Pit and she’ll give it to him… but only if he kills Malcolm Merlyn.
Tech vs Tech: Overwatch and the Calculator Face Off!
The Calculator, it turns out, is a 100% tech based baddie, working from behind a powerful workstation that neatly mirrors Felicity’s own setup in the Arrow Lair. Felicity snarks about how lame she finds the “Calculator” code name to be. The virtual dueling match these two tech geniuses participate in is quick, devastating and filled with quippy banter.
Felicity emerges the victor, naturally, because she just really is that good. The Calculator is clearly impressed by her abilities. And she’s not the only one: Oliver clearly admires her skills, even if his hovering stresses her out on occasion.
Cavity Time: The Weekly Olicity Report
Speaking of which… How is Olicity doing this week? I’d say they’re just as together as they ever are. Watching them work together as a team within a team, hunting down the bad guys and helping the city is one of my favorite parts of this show.
The Olicity relationship is far and away one of Arrow’s strongest elements, one that brings back scores of fans each week to root for their favorite couple. The best part is, for now, this couple is very much together and working healthily through their issues. The love is obvious, clear and adult.
My favorite moment from the episode was Oliver attending Felicity’s presentation to the Palmer Technology board. I’m not sure which was cuter, her beaming smile when she nailed the presentation or Oliver’s proud expression as he cheered her on. In fact, when the man sitting next to him remarked “She’s something else,” Oliver was quick to supply, “You have no idea.” Wait… was that guy THE CALCULATOR?
Wait… did she say DAD?!
Yes, yes it was. That’s the bad guy they just got done dealing with. Except… why is he at Felicity’s board presentation (which she nailed, as I mentioned… this was the big “company saving” moment that had been hanging over her head all season long)? We get the answer when Felicity runs into him a short while later. Her eyes widen, her mouth pops open… “Dad?” Holy crap. It is her dad. So all that time she was dissing his code name and going toe to toe with him being the computer, that was her dad. That’s just… that’s super cool. Can’t wait to see what comes of all of that next week! Where has he been? And why is he a BAD GUY now?
