Arrow Review: "Suicidal Tendencies"

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In the latest episode of Arrow we get to see the repercussions of Oliver’s rejection of Ra’s al Ghul’s “offer” to become head of the League and the return (kind of) of the Suicide Squad. As expected, Ra’s doesn’t take rejection well and he shows this by forcing one of his predictions to come true, which calls in to question if it was a prediction or merely a foreshadowing. I’m going with foreshadowing. We also get to see Diggle get married and learn a little more about Deadshot’s past, something not everyone will be happy about.
I promise to try to keep my reviews as spoiler free as possible, but there are times when you can’t talk about an episode without spoiling something because so much is tied together and woven so tightly that you can’t talk about A without including B. This is going to be one of those times. At the end of last week’s episode we saw Ra’s dressed as Arrow and killing people, leaving one alive to ‘tell everyone what [they] saw’. This week that continues but this time the rest of the League is getting in on the action. As a result the police have declared Arrow a murderer and there is a news article posted that all the Scooby Gang get notifications about during Diggle and Lyla’s reception.
Later Ray Palmer and the police hold a press conference in which Ray has decided to dedicate his resources to catching Arrow and bringing him to justice. As we the audience know, those resources might include the super suit he has been working on. Team Arrow begins searching for ways to locate the Fake Arrow and learns of a drug shipment that seems to fit the recent attacks MO.
Oliver arrives alone, trying to keep Roy from getting involved with the League. During this encounter, Oliver learns that Maseo thinks Oliver should accept the offer to become the new Ra’s (something I agree with as well) and that this is only the beginning if Oliver continues to reject al Ghul. After the League leaves Ray shows up in his newly complete A.T.O.M. suit and, through the use of Felicity’s facial mapping software identifies Oliver as Arrow.
He tries to inform the police but Laurel blocks him and he realizes that she is the new Canary. He also figures out that Felicity has been working with Team Arrow. So basically the entire team’s cover is blown. While he hasn’t yet stated he knows who Arsenal is figuring it out at this point is trivial.
The other story line running this this episode is the one of Diggle and Lyla coming to terms with their marriage and life choices. As much as I hate messy and drawn out relationship stuff in my superhero shows,re this one is very well done. They get drafted back into the Suicide Squad with Lawton and Cupid. Either the rest are dead or not needed for this mission. It’s never made clear. During the mission both Lyla and Diggle figure out that doing this, risking their lives for things isn’t right for them anymore now that they have a kid. Nothing surprising there, but what is surprising is who motivated them when they both give up hop after learning the entire building they are in is wired to blow: Lawton.
We learn about how Lawton becomes Deadshot, and what it cost him. And in the twist of twists he decides that he doesn’t want Diggle and Lyla to pay the same price. It’s another one of those things that come out of left field but at least this has justification.
So now we wait for next week when, after the League kills someone major (this I’m not spoiling) right in front of Captain Lance he’s declared a public enemy and hunted by the police. And when I say hunted, I mean every cop in the city is looking and gunning for him as the Captain issues a ‘shot to kill’ order. I’m not only looking forward to that episode but also the one after because I can’t wait to see how it all works out. If it even does.

Last Updated on January 12, 2019.

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