In my relationship between Arrow I am often played the fool for expecting too much. Had my expectations not been tampered with at all I probably would have liked this episode, but it is a season finale and it felt like half an episode. At a certain point I can understand the desire to leave your audience wanting more, but not this much more. At some point the question must be asked, does this show have a scope that is wider than The Undertaking? The main character is a serial murderer and at this rate the entire mysterious group will be lying dead in half a season of the show.

Lets start with the high point in the episode, whenever Malcom Merlyn and Oliver Queen are fighting the scenes are simply brutal. In a show afraid to take major chances with nearly anything, the fight scenes are always simply spectacular. Glass breaks, props are used, and arrows are caught with bare freaking hands! Merlyn has a long game that may not be completely revealed until the end of the show, but peaking behind the curtain of this man has been truly fascinating since he first appeared. Malcom is one of those villains who viewers empathize with, but at the end of the day this man has made some choices that none of us can even fathom. Blowing up hundreds of people to “save the city” is not anything a rational person would take part in.

So while the show has struck gold with that particular villain, Walter also steals the show here. The character makes an astronomical choice here and decides to move on with the rest of his life. While many viewers may sympathize with Moira Queen, she has lied to nearly every single person that she loves. Oliver and Moira have some scenes this episode that truly changes the dynamic of their relationship on screen forever. Moira is put in a position where it will be difficult for her to lie much longer. Following this episode the character will likely be feverishly depressed, watching someone this unlikable sob on screen could make viewers vomit. Unfortunately it seems very likely that there will be at least a few scenes highlighting awful moments like these.

The love life of Oliver Queen develops more here because this is still a CW show. An episode like this truly proves how Laurel Lance is a despicable human being, that needs to start closing her freaking blinds! As usual the Island scenes faired far better in the episode. The Queen’s favorite son found himself in a horrible hostage situation, and then major twists and turns began to take place. The show once again refused to widen the scope and let their audience know who was behind some of these events on this Island. The revelation about the economy was also simply fascinating.

If this were not a finale to a lucklaster season, I would herald this as one of the few good episodes of Arrow. This show has an intense amount of growing to do in the next season. Hopefully the scope will widen and the Queen family will be learning some new tricks, this show still has nothing but potential.

3/5