The Flash Episode Guide: Season 8, Episode 1 - Armageddon, Part 1

 For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

When a powerful alien arrives on Earth with dire warnings of the future, Barry Allen and the rest of Team Flash will find themselves tested as never before and call upon the help of their friends to save the world from Armageddon.

Influences

The Armageddon 2001 storyline.

Performances

Tony Curran gives a solid performance as Despero.

It's always good to see Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer. 


Artistry

The CGI for this episode is fantastic, from the effects for Despero's alien form to the CGI for the action scenes.

Flash Facts

The Armageddon event is loosely based on the 1991 comic book mini-series Armageddon 2001. The storyline introduced a new hero called Waverider, who traveled back in time from the year 2001 to stop one of Earth's greatest heroes from becoming a mysterious tyrant called Monarch. 

The Arrowverse Armageddon event uses Despero in place of Waverider and The Flash in place of Hawk (of Hawk and Dove) who was revealed to be the future Monarch.

Caitlin says that Barry can run at 4000 MPH. This seems to be seriously low-balling his top speed given some of his feats on the show, but may represent his usual cruising speed.

This episode introduces a new version of the Royal Flush Gang, who were reportedly the first metahuman criminals to appear in Central City following the STAR Labs particle accelerator explosion in the new timeline of Earth-Prime. They are not affiliated with the family of bank robbers from A106 or the gang of motorcycle-riding thieves from 111.

In the comics, the Royal Flush Gang name has been used by various criminals who have fought the Justice League, first appearing in Justice League of America #43. Different incarnations of the team have been led by Amos Fortune, Hector Hammond and The Joker in various comics and cartoons. Some of the members have been metahumans or armed themselves with playing-card themed weapons. One incarnation was made up of multiple "packs" with 52 members per pack. Usually, however, the gang is limited to five members, who take on the aliases Ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace.

The new Arrowverse Royal Flush Gang is made up of four metahumans. Ten appears to have enhanced agility and is an acrobatic fighter. Jack has laser vision. Queen is a telepath with mild precognitive abilities who can predict what the people around her will do. King has superhuman strength.

The article about the Royal Flush Gang's first robbery from Barry's flashback was written by Mason Bridge - the reporter whose investigation into the Reverse Flash got him killed in 116.

Chester mentions that Magnus Labs has a Saturn simulator at their booth at CCTC. In the comics, Magnus Labs' founder, Dr. Will Magnus, was responsible for creating the superheroes the Metal Men.

A number of familiar names appear on the banner of sponsors for CCTC. These include Star Labs, Ivo Labs (creators of the Amazo robot from 509), Tannhauser Industries (the company run by Caitlin and Frost's mother), Opal Thermo Labs (presumably based in Opal City), and Stagg Industries (referenced in 102)

Despero first appeared in Justice League of America #1 in October 1960 and was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky. Born on the planet Kalanor, which he ruled as a tyrant, Despero fought the Justice League after rebels from his planet made contact with the heroes and begged for their help. Possessing a powerful intellect as well as psychic powers and an enhanced physiology, Despero became one of the Justice League's greatest enemies.

The Arrowverse version of Despero looks like his comic book counterpart, but he takes on the form of a human for some unknown reason. He also claims to be from Earth originally. He shows the enhanced strength, vitality and telepathic powers he had in the comics and is capable of creating complex illusions.

When Ray goes to change into his Atom suit, he rips open his button-up shirt. This is a visual tribute to Superman, whom Brandon Routh played in the movie Superman Returns and in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

When Ray shrinks himself and Barry to go through the car Despero throws at them, Barry feels nauseous and says now he knows how Diggle feels. This is in reference to a running gag that John Diggle always threw up whenever he was moved at superspeed during his encounters with Barry.


Technobabble

Chester says he's been a fan of Ray Palmer since reading his papers on quantum qubits. 

Kristen Kramer says that her mimic powers only activate in times of stress when her adrenaline spikes and the effects are only temporary.

Barry determines that the char marks on the guards' weapons at the Mercury Labs heist match the marks on a piece of metal found at the train collision. This proves that Jack from the Royal Flush Gang was involved in causing the train collision. The burns were consistent with a pinpoint laser strike.

A beryllium-based detonation would level everything in a 10 mile radius. 

Chester uses some kind of scanner to determine that Despero is incredibly powerful and possesses advanced technology.


Dialogue Triumphs

Despero: (voice-over) Look at them - praying for a miracle that isn't coming. Who knows, maybe it's my curse to leave one betrayal behind, only to find a greater one here amongst the stars? They could've stopped this, but none of them had the strength to do what must be done... but I do.

(Caitlin and the other patrons of CC Jitters are watching the news in rapt attention.)
Reporter: Ladies and gentlemen, authorities are now confirming that despite a massive explosion, caused by today's railway accident, no lives were lost during this horrific event. It appears our city has the Flash to thank once more.
(There is a subtle flash of light and rush of wind. Suddenly Barry is sitting across from Caitlin. Nobody else has noticed his sudden arrival.)
Caitlin: That was amazing. You got everyone to safety in what, 20 seconds? 

Barry: (smiling modestly) 12, actually. Try your coffee.
(Caitlin sips her coffee. It has the oat milk she requested before Barry left)
Caitlin: Wow, you have seriously leveled up.

Iris: (looking at all of Ray Palmer's luggage) I thought he could shrink things?

(The Flash hurriedly runs Jared Heywood out of the warehouse where the Royal Flush Gang is about to kill him and runs back in.)
The Flash: It's over, people. Haywood's back in Iron Heights. Who wants to go next?
Queen: Ah, usually, I know when to fold them.
(The Royal Flush Gang begin to surround The Flash.)
Queen: You know 50 million... it's a lot to leave on the virtual table.
King: And since my Queen is a psychic who knows everything you're going to do before you do it... go ahead, Flash. We call.
Queen: Four to one, I like these odds. Go ahead, Flash-y, pick a card, any card. 

Queen: (thinking to the others) Execute a full house maneuver, all of you, now. 

(King grabs Ten and throws her at The Flash, as Jack's eyes begin to glow red. The Flash begins to move as the camera shifts to his perspective and we see Ten hanging in midair.  The Flash turns her so she's now facing King and then runs over to Jack, turning his head so that he's looking at King and Ten. Time shifts back to normal as Ten tackles King and Jack's laser vision hits them both. The Flash is now standing behind Jack.)

The Flash: Hey, bud.
(The Flash one-punches Jack and runs for the Queen. When she blinks, she is wearing power-dampening handcuffs, as are the rest of the gang.)
Queen: What? This is impossible. I read your mind. I saw what you were planning, and then I trumped your hand by going all in. How did you...?

The Flash: You can read minds. I can think at super speed. 

Queen: Your thoughts... after I read them, you reshuffled the deck! 

The Flash: I guess the house doesn't always win.

(Ray explains why Chester acted so strange around him.)
Ray: Chester surprised me earlier with a pitch fest to mentor aspiring scientists in the intention of forming a startup with one of them.
Barry: That sounds great.
Ray: And it would've been before, but I... I've grown a lot the last few months.
Barry: So you don't miss any of this?
Ray: I'm still a scientist, Barry. (chuckles) But, you know, if I start another big tech company, next thing I know, I get lost in all this again. This is all so intoxicating, and I... I don't want to fall back into the trap.
Barry: I get that, but, I mean, I'm not the same that I was the first time I put on the cowl either. You know I'm faster, more confident, more at ease with myself.
Ray: Yeah, you've grown too.
Barry: Yeah but one of the ways that's happened is learning to take time out to help Team Flash grow, too. Yeah, I've learned just as much from them as they've learned from me. It's like being a CSI, every day I work with all my fellow officers in all departments.
Ray: I mean, I do miss scientific collaboration. Just like I told Chester, I'm not a Legend anymore, and, uh, I don't have the CCPD.
Barry: So what? You're Ray Palmer, legacy honoree. If you want something that doesn't exist, invent it. 

(Chester consults some exotic device as The Flash fights Despero.)
Chester: Oh, I'm picking up some seriously advanced tech readings.
Iris: You just had that thing in your back pocket? 

Chester: Oh, no. I just picked it up from right there.
(Chester gestures to a booth where several of the scanners are set up for attendees to try out.)

Despero: Prepare to die, Flash.
The Flash: Every life ends sooner or later.
Despero: Wise words from a dead man.
The Flash: Despero, I'm not gonna fight you again.
Despero: Really? I'm disappointed. Striking down a defenseless foe? Well, there's no pleasure in that.
The Flash: So you enjoy killing?
Despero: Twist my words at you own risk.
The Flash: You wanted to kill me. I'm not running anywhere.
Despero: Then neither am I. In another time, on another world, we could've fought side by side, you and I. There's great strength in you, Flash, but I've seen your future. The lives you take, the betrayals you revel in. You're the most dangerous kind of killer because you hide in the body of a hero.
The Flash: I'm not a killer. I'm not whatever you think I am. I can prove it if you let me show you the truth. Or you can take an innocent life just to prove you're right.
Despero: You're either very stupid or very brave. I can't decide which.
The Flash: Well, find out. Scan my mind. See for yourself, then decide.
(Despero scans Barry's mind. He looks stunned at what he sees.)
Despero: I see no deception in your mind. But I do see truth. And honor. Flash, you're asking me to risk allowing the future I've already witnessed to unfold. I'm sorry. But there's too many lives at stake. Don't you see? This is why I came back. This is the purpose I swore to uphold.
The Flash: What if you're wrong about me? I've spent my entire life protecting this world. All I'm asking for is a chance to prove I'd never turn my back on it.
Despero: Why should I believe you?
(The Flash removes his mask.)
Barry: Because my name's Barry Allen, and I've nothing to hide.
Despero: Your boldness impresses me, Flash... and it's earned you a stay of execution. You now have seven Earth days to prove that you won't become the monster I've already witnessed in the future. If you can't convince me in that time, or if I find any trace of a darker nature, I will end your existence.


Continuity

This episode is presumed to take place in late 2021, six months after the events of 718. This is based on Allegra's comments regarding the last six months being intense and Caitlin saying Frost spent all summer and fall being angry at Chillblaine.

Barry and Caitlin meet for coffee to catch up on things.

Frost is on a two-week vacation and is still trying to get over Chillblaine, despite Caitlin insisting he's a bad guy who won't ever change.

Caitlin notes it has been seven years since Ronnie Raymond's death and she's ready to try dating again.

Caitlin takes oat milk with her coffee.

Barry is able to evacuate two trains in 12 seconds, 50 miles south of Keystone City, after getting a text alert while having coffee with Caitlin in Central City.

The Central City Citizen has officially become Central City Citizen Media and taken over an entire office building, which Sue Dearbon bought them. It is mentioned that they now have a full staff of three reporters (apart from Iris and Allegra), an IT intern and an office manager, which may explain a seeming plothole from S608 where CCC Media was identified as the #4 news outlet in the country by Andrea Rojas.

Iris interviews Kristen Kramer, who is still a Captain in the CCPD and is now an openly recognized metahuman.

Iris now runs a regular podcast called Citizentopia.

Sometime in the past six months, Kramer has disbanded the CCPD Metahuman Task Force, saying she felt it was unfairly targeting a marginalized group since most metahumans are not criminals.

Iris promotes Allegra to Supervising Editor of CCC Media. This puts her in charge of deciding what stories to cover, assigning jobs to the reporters and pre-editing the copy. Allegra protests that the new reporters are far more qualified for this work than she is, but Iris says Allegra knows the city and what the people need more.

One of the new reporters, Vanya, has 10 years of experience as a news reporter.

Another new reporter, Taylor, graduated summa cum laude from Barnard College.

The third new reporter, Aariz, was a war correspondent in Beirut. He is the same age as Iris.

Barry gets dinner from his and Iris' favorite pizza place in Milan.

Iris is still getting temporal sickness stabilization treatments from Deon.

Bart and Nora are apparently still coming back in time to visit them. However, Iris and Barry have both been so busy they haven't had time to think about actually conceiving the children they have in the future.

Ray Palmer is seen for the first time since L508.

Barry apparently gave Ray an open invitation to use their guest room anytime he needed a place to stay while in Central City.

Ray is in town for the Central City Tech Convention, where he's one of the guests of honor. Unfortunately, the hotel was overbooked, leaving him in need of a place to stay.

Barry and Iris are aware of Nora Darhk's work as a fairy godmother and ask about her. Ray says that she's busy and couldn't join him on this trip.

The Royal Flush Gang steal a microchip from Mercury Labs.

Ray says that he doesn't talk to Sara Lance or the other Legends of Tomorrow much anymore

Ray says he still met with Nate Heywood for drinks once a month, but that he hadn't heard from him in a while. This seems to be a reference to the events of Legends of Tomorrow Season 7, where the Legends became trapped in 1925 for a while.

Ray says leaving the Legends was hard, but he and Nora are closer than ever and he's been able to get back into pure scientific research, which he couldn't do as The Atom.

Chester is a Ray Palmer fanboy and was assigned to be his handler at CCTC, where he's a volunteer.

Iris plans to interview Ray at the convention at 4 PM that afternoon.

Barry never encountered the Royal Flush Gang before, as he was still in a coma at the time of their first heist in Central City. After that they moved on and hit casinos around the country. 

Barry notes that stealing a microchip doesn't fit the Royal Flush Gang's usual style as they rob casinos for cash and have never been noted tech thieves. 

Allegra wants to cover the Mercury Labs robbery, but the writers dismiss her orders since high-tech thefts where nobody dies aren't big news in Central City unless the Flash is involved.

The writers instead go off to work on investigating corruption in the mayor's office, a 1000 word article on the Central City Shark's new general manager and a follow-up piece on the train collision and the budget crisis that resulted from the train repairs.

Barry determines that the Royal Flush Gang caused the train derailment to cover the theft of a beryllium core power source.

Iron Heights lost power for three seconds, during which all the cell locks opened, leading to the release of 1000 inmates.

Barry is able to secure all the inmates he found outside of their cells and determines that the Royal Flush Gang was responsible for the attempted prison break.

Chester sets up a meet and greet for Ray and a dozen CCTC tech entrepreneurial hopefuls so they can try and sell him on their start-up ideas around 2:30 pm.

Ray tells Chester, tensely, that he doesn't want to start another tech business and hasn't worn his Atom suit in ages. He says he's happy focusing on his wife and his research.

Chester is crushed but says he understands. 

CCTC has been running for five years. It has a number of afterparties, one of which involves filk.

Allegra tracks down Iris at the convention and tells her she blew her first staff meeting.

Iris says she believes in Allegra and makes reference to when she gained greater control of her powers.

Barry figures out that one inmate escaped from Iron Heights - a computer hacker named Jared Haywood.

Chester says there are so many applications for the stolen chip its hard for him to begin to guess what the Royal Flush Gang is planning.

Chester says that he is dead to Ray after the fiasco with the event earlier and then immediately apologies to Cecile. This suggests that something is wrong with Joe West, who does not appear in this episode.

CCTC is paying their volunteers in cryptocurrency this year.

Barry asks Chester to see if any of the casinos in Star City take crypto currency. It turns out they all do and there's 50 million in their digital coffers.

Inspired, Barry asks Chester what it would take to rob a casino virtually. Chester says it would take a computer with a next-generation microchip, a massive power source and an expert in cyber espionage. 

Chester starts monitoring the casinos, waiting for the hack to start and traces it to the Royal Flush Gang's hideout.

The Flash easily takes out the Royal Flush gang, as his ability to think fast works faster than the Queen's telepathy.

Chester is still hosting his science podcast and does a livestream from the floor of CCTC.

Barry has never attended CCTC before.

Chester mentions that Magnus Labs has a Saturn simulator.

Ray meets up with Barry and Chester on the convention floor but Chester runs off before Ray can talk to him about what happened before.

Ray admits to Barry that he does miss scientific collaboration, but fears getting caught up in who he was and not who he is now. Barry suggests he might make something that suits his needs if it doesn't already exist.

Allegra lays down the law with the other reporters and makes it clear CCC media is about giving the people a voice - not just providing bare facts.

During his interview with Iris, Ray says he isn't sure what he's doing with his future but he hopes to figure it out in the next year.

After Ray's interview, Despero appears on the mainstage of CCTC and demands The Flash face him after telepathically forcing the audience to run away and clear the area.

Despero is able to survive in a vacuum and shrugs off Barry's attempt to rob him of breathable air.

Ray puts on his Atom costume to help Barry fight Despero.

Barry becomes nauseous after Ray shrinks him and comments that he now knows how Diggle feels.

Barry asks why Despero wants to kill him. Despero obligingly shows him visions of the future and how Barry is destined to become evil or mad and destroy the Earth.

Ray defeats Despero by shrinking down and activating his teleportation belt, but he has no idea where he sent him.

Caitlin says she gave Barry a full physical and he's physically and mentally healthy.

Cecile uses her powers to determine that the visions Barry saw are real, insofar as Despero really did see those events occur and believed The Flash was responsible. 

Knowing Despero is an alien, the team decide to call Alex Danvers to see if they can figure out what kind of alien he is and if his species has any special weaknesses. 

Allegra edits Iris' story about the battle with Despero and says she feels more confident in her new role.

Ray offers to stay in Central City until the Despero issue is addressed but Barry says they have it under control.

Ray tells Chester he plans to establish a non-profit organization to fund young scientists and asks if he can name it the Quincy P. Runk Foundation after Chester's father. Chester agrees.

Ray suggests that Barry should show Despero who he is and convince him there's no way he could become a villain.

Barry reveals his secret identity to Despero and offers to let him look through his memories and confirm he isn't planning to become a threat to the world.

Despero agrees to give Barry seven days to prove that he won't become the monster he saw in the future.


Location

Central City - 2031
The Calvert railway, on a section of train-track 50 miles south of Keystone City.
Iron Heights Prison


Untelevised Adventures

Despero speaks of the future of 2031 and how The Flash becomes a great menace that threatens the Earth.


The Bottom Line

A welcome return to form on every level. If this is a taste of what is to come, Armageddon may be the best crossover event the Arrowverse has seen and The Flash season 8 will be as good as its first.

Legends of Tomorrow: Season 1, Episode 13 - Leviathan

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.



Plot

Out of time and options, Rip Hunter plots a bold strike at the one place they know for certain Vandal Savage may be found - three days before the attack that killed Hunter's family and put Savage on the path to total world domination. Unfortunately, Savage is at the height of his power, but The Legends do have two advantages they might gain - an artifact from the night Kendra and Carter first died and the assistance of Vandal Savage's daughter!


Influences

Doctor Who (the theme of predestination versus free will), The Justice League animated series (Kendra arming herself with an Nth metal mace), Gail Simone's Secret Six (the character of Cassandra Savage seems loosely based on Simone's Scandal Savage character), Jurassic Park (Stein and Ray watching the liquid shake in a container as Leviathan approaches), various Godzilla movies and other movies inspired by them, particularly Pacific Rim (the Atom/Leviathan fight) and various WWII films set during The London Blitz (general tone, the setting of London under siege by fascist forces, Savage's forces wearing storm-trooper outfits and offering a Nazi-style salute).


Goofs

In the 1941 flashbacks, Carter makes reference to needing to train Kendra to fight with his weapons in case he isn't there to protect her. This neatly ignores that she was originally a warrior priestess and (until her most recent incarnation) was supposed to maintain the knowledge and memories of her past-lives, including her fighting skills.

Just what was Snart's plan for convincing Cassandra to turn on her father before they wound up with a ship full of unarmed refugees?


Performances

Arthur Darvill and Brandon Routh get a nice scene at the start which sets the tone for the theme of the episode and both their respective battles - Rip's belief that you can't fight Fate and Ray's belief that life is defined by choices. The heck of it is they're both right based on their respective lives but are both proven wrong by the events of the episode, with Rip finding a way to stop Savage and Ray's romance with Kendra seemingly imperiled by Savage's latest gambit involving the brainwashed Carter Hall.

Wentworth Miller has an interesting role this week as Snart. He's put in the unusual role as a persuader instead of a heavy, trying to convince Cassandra Savage of her father's treachery. Story-wise it's an interesting parallel to have Snart being the one trying to persuade someone that they can change for the better given his own slow journey towards heroism. And Miller plays it with his usual perfect level of dry snark.


Artistry

The script for this episode has even wittier dialogue than usual and a lot of good lines for the whole cast.

The fight choreography is outstanding throughout, with Cassandra's battle with Sara and Kendra's fight with Savage being the high-lights.

There's a nice use of sepia tint on the Carter/Kendra flashbacks.

The entire sequence of Ray fighting Leviathan is also worth mentioning for how well it replicates the giant monster fights of the B-movies of yore, right down to the slow-motion action to indicate huge figures and the used of forced perspective photography to make Ray look bigger.

The final shot of the episode - Savage's reflection on the glass as he stares at Rip - is a chilling one.

Trivia Of Tomorrow

The title of the episode comes from the Old Testament of The Bible. Leviathan is the Hebrew word for twisted, presumably referring to a large sea serpent. It has come to mean any large monster, particularly an aquatic one.

The title of the episode refers to Savage's ultimate weapon - a 200 foot tall humanoid robot.

There are several Leviathans in DC Comics folklore, but none of them are a giant robot.

Leviathan was one of the code names used by Legion of Superheroes member Gim Allon, who had the power to change his size. He also used the code-names Colossal Boy and Micro Lad.

Leviathan was also the name of the League of Assassins splinter group founded by Talia Al Ghul when she turned upon her father, Ra's Al Ghul, in Grant Morrison's Batman comics.

The Levithan robot bares a slight resemblance to some versions of the Metal Men enemy Chemo.

In the comics, Chemo was the creation of scientist Ramsey Norton. Originally the plastic vessel into which Norton emptied his failed experiments, the vessel achieved a limited form of sentience, killed its creator and went on a rampage until it was stopped by The Metal Men. Since that time, Chemo was revived by various characters (including Lex Luthor and Brainiac) for use as a weapon against their enemies. Chemo possessed limited intelligence, super-strength, size-changing abilities and the power to emit toxic waste.

In the comics, Vandal Savage had a daughter named Scandal Savage. The product of an affair between Savage and an unnamed Brazilian woman, Scandal was raised by her mother for most of her youth before she was tracked down by her father and trained in the arts of combat and groomed to provide him with a male heir. Unfortunately for Savage's plan, Scandal was a lesbian and had no interest in being a brood mare for his legend. She rebelled and eventually fell in with the mercenary group known as The Secret Six.

Apart from rebelling against her father in the end and being an accomplished fighter, there seems little relation between Scandal Savage and Cassandra Savage - the daughter of Vandal Savage featured in this episode. Nothing is said in the episode about her sexual orientation and she does not appear to be of Brazilian ancestry.

While renown for his shrinking powers, it was not unheard of for Ray Palmer to use his technology to increase his size in the comics as he does in this episode. Immediately after the Zero Hour storyline, Ray Palmer gained the ability to change his size without utilizing his technology and proved able to grow as well as shrink using his new powers.

It's worth mentioning that the growing-and-shrinking shtick is more frequently associated with Ray Palmer's Marvel Comics counterpart, Dr. Hank Pym (a.k.a. the original Ant Man/Giant Man)

To create a weapon that can hurt Savage, Kendra covers Carter's mace with melted Nth metal. In the comics, a mace of Nth Metal was Hawkman's signature weapon. It was also the preferred weapon of Hawkgirl in the Justice League animated series.


Technobabble

The rebels have retinal scanner technology. They have no record of Rip existing but do have records for Jax, Stein and Ray from 150 years in their past.

Ray suggests analyzing soils samples to determine the nature of Savage's ultimate weapon. Stein does this and confirms that the weapon is not an explosion - the same conclusion Ray comes to after having Gideon hack a defunct spy satellite and looking at the destroyed rebel camp and realizing the impact craters look like very large footprints.

Ray's plan is based upon the theoretical possibility that siphoning power from the auxiliary time drive of The Waverider should provide Ray with enough power to reverse the polarity of the dwarf-star matrix of the ATOM suit, allowing him to grow to superhuman size instead of shrinking.

The energy blasts emitted by the ATOM suit are compressed light beams - not lasers.


Dialogue Triumphs

Rip: In order to capture him (Savage), I require the services of -
Rory:  - a killer, klepto and pyro?
Rip: Bingo!

Rip: What exactly do you think you were doing back there?
Snart: Distracting Savage's pals. Which worked, by the way.
Rip: Yes, well... I could have been killed!
Rory: Never said it worked perfectly.

Sara: How am I supposed to teach someone to fight with a piece of jewelry?
Rip: Good question.
Sara: It wasn't rhetorical!

Rip: I watched my family die countless time at the hands of Savage and his forces before I realized that...
Ray: ... Time wants to happen.
Rip: It's a funny feeling knowing the universe itself doesn't want you to save your family.

Rip: Do we have a plan for stealing this bracelet?
Rory: We're on it!
Sara: Please don't tell me the plan is to walk into Savage's citadel and steal it off her wrist?
Snart: All right. I won't tell you that.

(Kendra walks in on Carter practicing with his mace. She is dressed to the nines.)
Carter: Wow. What's, ah... the occasion?
Kendra: I'll give you one guess.
Carter: ...our anniversary?
(Kendra puts her hands on her hips and gives him The Look used by all wives to signal to their husbands that they have screwed up in the worst way possible.)
Carter: Look, I'm sorry, but in my defense there's quite a few of them to remember.
Kendra: We were only married in... eight lifetimes.
Carter: That's a lot! But I do remember your Victorian England incarnation being particularly tough to be pinned down.

Rip: (upon entering the cell-block where Snart and Rory have stashed Cassandra) And there I was thinking we could go a whole week without kidnapping anyone.

Cassandra: No one dared to stand up to Degaton except my father. He may not be a kind man but he is the only one capable of putting this world back together. So you can torture me if you like. My suffering is a small price to pay.
Snart: Who said anything about torture?

Rory: You sure you can do this? Bash Savage's skull with Carter's mace?
Kendra: You got a better plan?
Rory: It's not the weapon I'm worried about. Thousands of years of reincarnation and I'm guessing you've killed a grand total of nobody. Yet here you are entering into the Olympics of Murder.
Kendra:What's your point?
Rory: Are you sure you can look Savage in the eye and kill him?
Kendra: I'm sure.
Rory: Well you'd better be. Otherwise you're going to end up like the last guy to swing that thing.

(Rip finds Stein ushering refugees into the halls of The Waverider)
Rip: What the hell do you think you're doing?!
Stein: Saving a township by the looks of it.
Rip: Since when did my vessel become a life raft?!
Stein: Since I decided we can't leave these people here to be slaughtered! You recruited us to save the world. That includes everyone here!

Snart: I know what you're thinking "My dad may not be perfect, but deep down he's not a bad guy."
(Snart opens the door to Cassandra's cell)
Cassandra: What are you doing?
Snart: Showing you that when it comes to crap fathers, there is no "deep down".

(Snart shows Cassandra the unarmed civilians her father nearly killed trying to save her.)
Snart: Look. It took me a long time to accept my old man was a monster. I'm betting you're smarter than I am.
Cassandra: At last - something we agree on!

Ray: How are repairs coming? (pauses) Are repairs coming?
Rip: Not in thirty minutes, which is about as much time as we have. (chuckling darkly) We brought all those people on board and all we've bought them is a few extra minutes to live in fear.
Ray: Well, I guess the question is what do we do with those minutes?
Rip: (exasperated) The ship is... crippled! Everyone aboard is as dead as my...
Ray: ...family? Look, I know you think the universe wants them dead. But I don't. I don't believe in Fate. I believe in choices. And we can choose - we can choose to fight! Even if that fight may be futile! We can save your family, Rip! It's not impossible! All we have to do-
Rip: - is kill Vandal Savage. The chances of which appear to be fading.
(Kendra and Snart enter the room.)
Kendra: Not anymore. I figured out how to do it.
Snart: And my new Bestie and I can get us in.
Ray: And I think I've got a way to stop the giant robot that's coming to kill us.
(Rip rubs his face as if steeling himself and turns to face them.)
Rip: Now, you may not believe in Fate, Raymond, but I certainly do. But perhaps it was Fate that compelled me to bring you seven together, so we can change this future, once and for all!

Jax: You know, if this doesn't work - 
Ray: - I'll turn every cell in my body inside out?
Jax: ... I was going to say "die", but yeah.

Ray: (upon enlarging himself to 200 feet tall) It worked! I'm not dead!

(Cassandra says she has to help undo the damage her father caused.)
Rebel Leader: Why the change of heart?
Cassandra: (looking to Snart) Ask him.

(Rip shines a light in Martin Stein's eyes as he wakes up.)
Rip: Welcome back. Well, the team managed to capture Savage, battle his army and a giant robot and you managed to sleep through all of it.
Stein: The refugees?
Rip: They're safe. Every one of them is alive and well.
Stein: But for how long? Apparently Time Wants To Happen.
Rip: Well, I think you'll find that Time - for once - is on our side.

Rip: Well, you seem quite happy for a man behind bars.
Savage: And why shouldn't I be happy? It seems that once again you have failed to kill me.
Rip: A momentary set-back, I assure you.
Savage: Assure yourself. Providence has allowed me to place Chay-Ara in an impossible situation. A choice between her own soul-mate... Carter... and yours.
Rip: You know, a friend recently suggested to me that there is no such thing as Fate. Destiny is nothing more than the sum of our own choices.
Savage: I see. So you still think that there is hope then? For your family? Time will tell, Captain. Time will tell.


Continuity

As the episode opens, it is three days before Rip Hunter's wife and son died.

Cassandra Savage wears the bracelet that Chay-Ara wore when she died.

Rip's family lives in the Whitechapel district of London's East End.

Rip admits to Ray that he made repeated attempts to rescue his wife and son after failing to kill Savage in Ancient Egypt. It was the second place he went. They died every time he jumped back a day to try again. This is what caused Rip to conclude that Time Wants To Happen.

London is the last free city in the world at this point in 2166. Tokyo fell the week before.

Carter had a habit of giving Kendra weapons as an anniversary present. In all their incarnations, they only married eight times.

Rip jokes about thinking they could go a week without kidnapping someone. The team did kidnap someone in the last three episodes before this one - Per Degaton in 110, Jeb Stillwater in 111 and their past selves in 112.

Reference is made to the events following 110 and how Per Degaton laid waste to the world until Vandal Savage killed him - first when Cassandra recalls the history she was taught then later when Snart shows her the footage of her father ordering the release of The Armageddon Virus.

Kendra melts the bracelet (with Rory's help) and uses it to coat Carter's mace.

At some point, Carter was reborn in the future and Savage found him before he recovered his memories of who he was. Savage was somehow able to brainwash Carter into forgetting those memories and he claims only he can restore them.

The episode ends with Cassandra Savage joining the resistance and Vandal Savage captured and held on The Waverider.


Location

London - 2166
Iowa City - 1941


Untelevised Adventures

Rip makes reference to repeated attempts to rescue his family, only for them to die at the hands of Savage's forces every single time.


The Fridge Factor

Once again, the only conversation between the show's two female leads regards a romantic relationship - this time Carter and Kendra rather than Ray and Kendra.

Kendra continues to be solely defined by her relationships to Carter and Ray. No mention is made of her wanting revenge on Savage for killing her or her children over the years - it's all about saving Carter.


The Bottom Line

A vast improvement on last week's episode.  Kendra continues to be the most problematic aspect of the show by her very nature. Apart from that, everything is damn near flawless for what it is. The whole ensemble gel together and everybody gets at least one moment to shine. The twist ending, for once, was an honest surprise and I'm anxious to see how things go bad next week. Because we know - even ignoring that there's three episodes left this season - that there's no way they're taking Savage without a fight.

Arrow Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 6 - Lost Souls

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.




Plot

The revelation that Ray Palmer is still alive (and now in the clutches of Damien Darhk) sends Felicity into a frenzy of guilt and stress, that will drive a wedge between herself and Oliver. A surprise visit from her mom doesn't help matters. Thankfully, the rest of Team Arrow - now bolstered by the return of The Canary - is ready to save Ray on their own. At least, until the side-effects of The Lazarus Pit endanger the mission...


Influences

The Atom comics of Gil Kane (The Atom shrinking and having to cope with unexpected troubles at that size) and Green Arrow: Year One (The Lian Yu sequences).


Goofs

Ray looks remarkably clean-cut for someone who hasn't been able to shave or get a haircut in six months.

Why do they send the whole of Team Arrow out for a burglary where a smaller group would be much more effective?  At the very least, why didn't someone act as a physical look-out?

The attitude toward our heroes killing is all over the place in this episode. Oliver seems to shoot down one guard, though it is possible he used a tranquilizer arrow. And Laurel gets shocked when Sara snaps the neck of one of Darhk's men... yet nobody seemed worried about giving the ex-assassin who is apparently having magical blood-lust issues a loaded gun. Or indeed using guns at all. Granting that Digg has probably shooting to wound all this time, it still seems foolish to trust Sara to have that kind of control.

The flashback sequences really need to stop depending on cliff-hangers where Oliver's life is in danger. We KNOW he survives, okay?  We know he's going to survive the drowning attempt. And it just seems like padding to pretend he's in danger.


Performances

The chemistry between Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards contiues to be the best aspect of the show.

Second only to that, however, is David Ramsey and Stephen Amell playing off of each other as they share a bottle of whiskey.

Caity Lotz is criminally wasted in this episode. You'd think there'd be a bigger deal made about Sara Lance coming back from the dead and some examination of that fact. But no - we're lucky to have her get two fight scenes and one bit where she tells about how Thea explained the Lazarus Pit inducing blood-lust at some point off-camera.  That's a scene I would much rather have seen - if only to see how weird things were between Thea and Sara - than another Felicity sniping at Ollie scene.


Trivia

The quantum manifold needed to restore Ray Palmer to normal size is made by Kord Industries. In the comics, Kord Industries is the business of Ted Kord a.k.a. The Blue Beetle.

Felicity refers to John Diggle by the code name Spartan when Curtis is with her. There is a DC Comics hero called Spartan, who was a member of the team Wild C.A.Ts. However, the character bares no apparent relation to Diggle, being a robot programmed with the personality of an alien warrior. Most likely it's a reference to the general design of Diggle's helmet/mask resembling that of a Spartan warrior.

Ray makes reference to fighting roaches the size of cocker spaniels while he was shrunk. The Atom fighting giant (from his perspective) insects was a frequent thing in the classic The Atom comics.

When told about HIVE, Ray compares them to SPECTRE - a similar evil organization from the James Bond novels.


Technobabble

Felicity creates a back-trace algorithm to find the point of origin of Ray's broadcasts.

Ray jerry-rigged his suit to broadcast a short-range message burst.

It is confirmed that Ray perfected miniaturization by finding a way to shrink the space between atoms shrink. Curtis says this feat is comparable to getting cold fusion to work or discovering the Ultimate Theory of Everything.

The one part Palmer Technologies doesn't have to build the device to enlarge Ray Palmer is a quantum manifold.

The Kord Industries building's interior is protected by pressure-sensitive flooring.

Felicity's program to control the traffic cameras around Star City takes a minute to upload.

The Latin Building was at one time totted as the most secure building on the west coast, with every access point requiring a retinal scan and voice print to enter.

The box holding Ray requires an asymmetric cipher to open. His best guess is that five years and an NSA grade computer might be able to open it.

Curtis says the quantum field won't be able to penetrate that polymer making up the cube containing Ray when Felicity asks why they don't just use the enlarging ray and Ray's increased size to break it. They're eventually able to bypass this complication when Ray siphons the energy powering the security cameras inside the cube into his suit, which shorts the containment field.

Apart from a noticeable iron deficiency, Ray did not suffer any adverse physical effects because of his shrinking.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Upon meeting Ollie for the first time, Curtis holds up his hand to focus on Ollie's jawline.)
Ollie: Curtis? Whatcha doing?
Curtis: The Green Arrow showed up right about the time that you came back into town.
(Curtis suddenly scoffs and shakes his head)
Curtis: Nah. It's not you though. Jaw's not right.
Ollie: That's what I keep telling people.

(After getting off the phone with her mother)
Quentin: How'd that go?
Sara: Easier than the last time Mom found out that I wasn't dead.
Quentin: Are you okay, honey?
Sara: Yeah. Fine. It was just something mom said about how I got lost when I was walking home from school once, and - and how I promised that I'd always come back. But I can't remember...

Ollie: Is there anything that I can do to help?
Felicity: Well, have you magically learned how to code in the last 72 hours?
Ollie: No.
Felicity: That was a rhetorical question.
Ollie: I know.
Felicity: I will, however, accept your undying support and back-rub.
Ollie: You can have both as soon as you -
Felicity: Shower.
Ollie: And take a nap.

Ollie: I thought it would be a good thing!
Felicity: A good thing? What on Earth made you agree to this?
Ollie: Well, you know your mom really doesn't take no for an answer...
Felicity: You've faced down Mirakuru soldiers and the League of Assassins. Are you honestly telling me that you couldn't say no to my mom?
Ollie: She said she missed you and then she texted me one of those emojis with the single tear...
Felicity: YOU HAVE BEEN TEXTING WITH MY MOTHER?! How long has THAT been going on?
John: You guys think we can find a better time to fight about this?
Felicity: John? I thought only Oliver's line was open.
John: Nope. Mine is open.
Laurel and Thea (in unison) And mine.
Sara: I don't remember there being so much chatter on these missions.
Laurel: Are you ok?
Sara: Yeah. I need a little normal. And for me, this is the kind of thing that passes.

(As Darhk threatens Felicity)
Ray: Don't you touch her!
Darhk: Don't make empty threats. It's so... small.

Felicity: Ray was sending distress signals for weeks after the accident. I wasn't here to receive them because I was too busy traveling the world with you. I took the voice's word for it that no body could be recovered because I was so swept up in being with you. I'm sorry. It was my choice to uproot my entire life, leave my home and my job - which it turns out I'm very good at. I lost myself in you. And I was never that girl. That girl who just loses herself in a guy. That is not who I am.

Oliver: It it just makes me wonder... why did she choose me?
John: Oliver. I've heard you say a lot of crazy things over the years, but that has to take the prize.
Oliver: You know what I mean. (gesturing to a computer) It takes me ten minutes to log into this thing. Felicity does it in two seconds. And Ray probably invented it.
John: Yeah, you're probably right. Except, Felicity didn't choose Ray. She chose you. Sure, she has a lot in common with Ray. But sometimes what looks good on paper isn't what works in real life.
Oliver; What if something happens to him?  We don't get him back?
John: Felicity Smoak is one of the smartest, most badass women on the planet. She comes through this, she'll get Ray back.
Oliver: You seem pretty sure.
John: I married a woman just like that. Twice, Oliver!  Twice!

Felicity: I didn't exactly grow up with the best example of a normal, healthy relationship,
Ollie: Line forms behind me.


Continuity

The episode opens with an extended sequence of the scene from 323 where Ray blows up his lab. This time, however, we see him shrink and fall among the wreckage.

The message Felicity decoded in the last episode was made on the day she received it. This episode takes place six days later.

Ollie refers to what Constantine said in 405 about the chamber inside the ruins having a barrier that prevented the impure of heart from passing.

Baron Reiter was interested in the ruins Constantine was looking for because of writings describing a greater treasure in a heart of water - a cove surrounded by mountains.

We see a black canary as a decoration in Laurel's apartment.

Ray modified his suit with the same nanites Felicity injected into him in 318.

Palmer Technologies main business competitor is Kord Industries.

Another note is made that Felicity dyes her hair blonde.

Sara has the same blood-lust that infects a non-dead person healed by The Lazarus Pit.

Ollie makes a great Chicken Cordon Bleu.

John prefers Tennessee whiskey to vodka.

Darhk's base of operations - at least the one where he held Ray Palmer - is The Latin Building.

Curtis Holt is an experienced base jumper.

We once again see Damien Darhk using telekenesis - both to catch Oliver's arrows and to strangle him with some handy chains.

Felicity hates snakes and spiders but not as much as she hates cockroaches.

Ray elects not to reveal that he isn't dead for the moment.

Sara leaves Star City at the end of the episode to visit her mom in Central City and wander around for a bit.

Quentin Lance and Donna Smoak just happen to meet at a bar.

Thea asks Ollie's campaign manager, Alex Davis, out for a drink.

Darhk's people were able to get a sample of the dwarf star alloy that powers Ray's ATOM suit and turn it into a power source. He tells them to test on the box we first saw in 405, which unfolds into board or map of some kind.


Untelevised Adventures

Ray makes reference to fighting giant roaches while he was shrunk.


The Bottom Line

Honestly, it wouild be rather dull if it weren't for the chemistry between Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards. The drama between Ollie and Felicity feels a little forced but we get enough distractions from it (Ollie talking about his romance troubles with John, Felicity talking with her mom) that it is manageable. Less forgivable, however is that very little is done with Sara's return apart from confirming that she has the same issues as Thea and sending her away until Legends of Tomorrow is ready to deal with her. This is a shame given how much drama between Thea and Sara is just waiting to be tapped and goes completely ignored. But hey - Quentin and Donna are hooking up!  Yay?

Arrow Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 19 - Broken Arrow

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.




Plot

Roy Harper's sacrifice has bought Oliver Queen his freedom... for now. But Quentin Lance is still determined to see Oliver Queen behind bars. Looks like a good time for The Arrow to lay low. But that's impossible with a new metahuman villain threatening Starling City. Reluctantly, Oliver will have to turn to Ray Palmer and his ATOM Suit for help. But can the inexperienced hero save the city in The Arrow's place?

Five years ago, Oliver Queen discovers that it is The US Army - Not ARGUS - that has been hunting him and The Yamashiro family. And that unless he moves quickly, the Alpha/Omega bioweapon may be unleashed on Hong Kong!


Influences

The Fall of Green Arrow and The Rise of Arsenal by J.T. Krul.


Goofs

How did Oliver wind up at the police station before Roy and Quentin?


Performances

Colton Haynes gets a wonderful send-off episode, if this really is good bye for Roy Harper. Frankly, I'm Scooby-Dubious, even if the news says Haynes is out for good. But if this is his final bow, it's a hell of an episode to go out on.  Between a great fight scene, a great death scene, some wonderful scenes playing off Ollie, Thea and Quentin and riding off into the night... there's a lot of great Roy moments in this episode and Haynes plays them all perfectly.


Artistry

The shot of Ray high-fiving Oliver, with his twitching ATOM gauntlet in the foreground.

The fight scene between a handcuffed Roy Harper and several inmates is very well executed.


Trivia

In the comics, Deathbolt was a wanted murderer named Jake Simmons, who acquired electricity-control powers after the biplane he was flying was struck by lightning.

This origin is similar to how both of the Mardon brothers acquired weather-control powers in the DCTVU.

The DCTVU version of Deathbolt has similar powers, though he seems to generate plasma rather than electricity. Also, this Jake Simmons is a serial bank robber rather than a convicted killer.  He most frequently manifests his powers through his eyes with a red blast of focused energy reminiscent of Superman's heat vision.  He proves capable of absorbing the electrical power of Ray Palmer's compressed light beams and thanks Ray for "topping him off".

Quentin Lance is described as "going Ahab" after Oliver Queen. This is a reference to the vengeful captain from the novel Moby Dick.

Felicity quotes The Wizard of Oz when saying farewell to Roy - "I'll miss you most of all, Scarecrow."

Cisco mentions that Deathbolt was in prison in Opal City on the night of the particle accelerator explosion.  Opal City is the home of the superhero Starman in the DC Comics universe.  Perhaps not coincdentally, one of Deathbolt's last appearances in the comics was attempting to kill the first Starman, Ted Knight, during the DC One Million event.


Technobabble

Ray says that the injection Felicity gave him injected 6.2 billion nanobots into his epithalamus.

Ray develops a neural network for The ATOM suit, allowing him to move the suit just by thinking. This is later used by Oliver to turn Ray into a puppet he can fight through.

Ray used enhanced resonance scans to take "photos" of Deathbolt's crime scene.  These, interlaced with the news footage of the robbery, allows them to get a clear picture of Deathbolt and determine his identity.

During the first fight with Deathbolt, The ATOM suit recorded over 10 terabytes of data, which were transmitted in real-time to a geosynchronous satellite.

Ray creates a transponder that can be uploaded to a power source and used to track Deathbolt.

Roy fakes his death with the help of an ARGUS agent trained in cutting a person in just the right way to make them bleed a lot without cutting anything lethal. The knife was laced with a beta blocker that slows the heartbeat to a crawl, creating the illusion of death.


Dialogue Triumphs

Roy: Oliver, ever since I found out that I killed that cop, I've been trying to make it right as Arsenal. Maybe what I need to do is make it right as The Arrow.
Ollie: No, Roy...
Roy: I killed a police officer. Mirakuru or not I should be punished for that. I should be in prison.
Ollie: That won't bring the officer back. This city still needs you!
Roy: It needs you more. For the first time since I remembered what I did... I'm okay.

Roy: When we got back together... hell, even before that... I... I made a promise to myself that I'd never lie to you again.
Thea: Okay.
Roy: That's why I didn't want to see you. I didn't want to break that promise.
Thea: Why would you?  Roy?
Roy: Thea, please... just... know that I'm gonna be fine.
Thea: Is that a lie?
(Roy just snorts and hangs up the phone)

Ray: How many abandoned warehouses do you think there are in this city? No, no - I'm genuinely curious!
Ollie: Stay focused, Ray.
Felicity: (nervously) Maybe Simmons isn't in there?
Ollie: Do you get this anxious when I'm out in the field?
Felicity: I honestly can't think of an answer to that question that doesn't get me in trouble.
(Ollie glances to Diggle, who shakes his head)
Ray: Still nothing. Not a visual sighting or any other reading at all from The ATOM. And when I say ATOM, I mean the suit. Not myself in the third person.
Ollie: (To Felicity) There's a decent chance that you and Palmer are related.
(Felicity glares daggers at Ollie)

(After fighting off several prisoners with his hands cuffed together and being challenged to show how good he is without his arrows)
Roy: Just remember - that was without arrows.

Diggle: You have to throttle this back, Oliver! You have to! Before you lose everything.
Ollie: I've already lost everything. I'm not going to lose Roy.

Quentin: Look, I know you've got to be doing this because you think you owe Queen something, but you don't.  You don't deserve to be here!
Roy: Patrol Officer Gabe Vincent. Left behind a wife and a nine year old boy.
Quentin: I know.
Roy: I killed him!  I stabbed him in the chest with an arrow. So don't think for a second that I don't deserve to be here.
Quentin: No.  You don't think for a second what you're doing here makes up for any of what you did out there.

Oliver: You did all this without asking?
Roy: How many times have you saved one of us without asking?  This time we had to save you.

Felicity: (To Oliver) I just think sometimes you're so focused on the people you love, you forget to see that there are people who love you.


Continuity

Roy refers to the events of 212 and how he found out Ollie's secret identity.

Roy Harper has previous convictions on charges of breaking-and-entering, petty theft and grand larceny.

Felicity makes reference to the events of F118 to explain why they can't call The Flash for help.

Ollie refers to what Maseo told him in 301 about a man not being able to live by two names.

Quentin refers to the events of 120 and how he once showed Roy Harper the body of a man killed by The Arrow to scare him away from trying to find him.

By the episode's end, the public thinks Roy Harper was The Arrow and that The Arrow died in Iron Heights prison.  Roy Harper hits the road to start a new life, with an untraceable satellite phone Felicity gave him and a red sport car.

When Ray drops Deathbolt off at STAR Labs, Cisco makes an amazing discovery.  Namely, that Deathbolt - despite having a last known address in Central City - was in prison in Opal City on December 11th, 2013.  This means that some people outside of Central City have metahuman powers.

Ra's Al Ghul kills Thea Queen in her apartment,.


The Fridge Factor

Laurel shows up just long enough to spring Ollie from jail and then disappears for the rest of the episode.

Felicity briefly handles The Idiot Ball, not thinking something is odd about the masked man (Deathbolt) at the power plant.  At least she's redeemed by tricking him to get away later.

Thea is killed, purely to push the plot forward and give Ollie more to angst about.


The Bottom Line

Like All-Star Team-Up, the actual team-up aspect of this episode falls flat. Not through any fault of the actors, mind you.  Doug Jones is menacing enough as Deathbolt but he has too little to work with. And the interplay with Felicity and Ray works even better with Oliver rolling his eyes and biting his lip in the background.

What really sells this episode is everything involving Roy Harper and it's seemingly a shame that the writers just now seem to have turned Roy into an amazing character only to push him off-stage.  Of course, TNT is working on that Titans series...

The last 10 minutes of the episode are some of the most powerful we've seen yet. And it ends with a cliffhanger that left me screaming.  Next week can't come soon enough!

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 18 - All-Star Team Up

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.




Plot

Barry's new partnership with Eddie Thawne and Joe West as The Flash is making fighting crime more efficient. Unfortunately, hiding Barry's secret is taking a toll on Eddie and Iris's relationship. And Barry is having trouble hiding his mistrust of Dr. Wells and his friends at STAR Labs.

It's the worst time for a visit so naturally Felicity Smoak comes to town, with Ray Palmer in tow, to seek STAR Labs advice on how to improve The ATOM suit. But Barry may be thankful for the back-up, as a mysterious menace threatens the scientific community of Central City with a deadly bee weapon.

Bees. My God.


Influences

The comics of Gardner Fox, particular his work on The Flash, The Atom and All-Star Comics.


Goofs

Apart from the connection to The Atom, there's no good reason to call this week's villain The Bug Eyed Bandit.  Queen Bee would make much more sense given that she only uses robot bees. Plus she didn't actually rob anyone.

Ray Palmer builds a multi-million dollar power armor suit... and doesn't make it water proof?


Performances

The chemistry between Emily Bett Rickards and Brandon Routh as Felicity and Ray is amazing. What a shame we Arrow-Heads already know the relationship has gone south.

Grant Gustin is cursed to be a straight-man 90% of the time on this show. Yet he gets to showcase his comedic and dramatic skills quite well in this episode. The former comes as he plays the fifth wheel at the dinner date and the later comes in his speech to Iris where he tries to defend Eddie Thawne's odd behavior.


Artistry

The shot of the bees emerging from the second victim's mouth is truly horrific.

There's a parallel made in this episode between Barry and Ollie, with Barry telling Iris that he just wants her to be happy with Eddie. This is the exact same thing Oliver told Felicity when he found out she was dating Ray, on Arrow.


Flash Facts

The title for this episode comes from All-Star Comics - a 1940's series which was the first comic to team-up the most popular heroes of All-American Publications, which was one of the two companies that joined to form DC Comics.

The first superhero team - The Justice Society of America - first appeared in All-Star Comics #3.

The original Flash and Atom - Jay Garrick and Al Pratt- were among the eight founding members of The Justice Society.

In the episode's opening scene, Barry makes a reference to catching someone committing indecent exposure in Powell Park. This could be a reference to Desmond Powell - a character from the 1990s The Flash TV show, who was the vigilante Nightshade.  Nightshade, in turn, was based on The Sandman - another JSA founder and another Gardner Fox creation.

Indecent exposure is also known as 'flashing'.  So The Flash caught a flasher in this episode.

We see another reference to Hudson University - a college in DC Comics that is nominally located in upstate New York.  Perhaps they have a campus in Central City.

Cisco paraphrases a line from Raiders of the Lost Ark - "Bees. Why did it have to be bees?".  The original line referred to Indiana Jones' fear of snakes.

Cisco and Caitlin make reference to the opening of the 1953 Adventures of Superman show, quoting the introduction to the show "Look, up in the sky - it's a bird!  It's a plane!" This is also a reference to the fact that Brandon Routh, who plays Ray Palmer, also played Clark Kent/Superman in the 2006 movie Superman Returns.

In the comics, the original Bug-Eyed Bandit was an inventor named Bertram Larvan, who invented a robot insect that could be used to eliminate real insects. Unable to secure the financial backing needed to mass produce his robots, he resolved to steal the money he needed with his prototype... then just kept on stealing, as he built more and more robotic insects and arachnids.  He would go on to be a frequent nemesis of The Atom, until he accidentally dosed himself with amnesia gas and forgot all about his evil plans.

The DCTVU version of The Bug Eyed Bandit is similar, except that she is a woman named Brie Larvan. Also, she seems to be less interested in money and more interested in revenge on the people responsible for her losing her job.

Ray Palmer quotes the opening of the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man - "We have the technology."

Ray makes another reference to the solution to his problems with his suit to be "going smaller".  In the comics, Ray Palmer's super-power is shrinking.

Felicity makes a reference to not charging Barry five cents for her advice.  This is a reference to the old Peanuts comic-strip, where Lucy offered advice for five cents.


Technobabble

Anaphylkaxis is the medical term for a severe allergic reaction.

Apitoxin is the technical term for honey bee venom.

When a honey bee stings a target, their stingers are torn from their abdomen. This kills the honey bee.

A honey bee can only deposit .1 milligrams of apitoxin when it stings a target. Dr. Linsay Kang, the first murder victim, had enough apitoxin in her system to kill a herd of elephants.

Bees communicate by releasing pheromones.

Angry bees will wait for a target to surface for air, should they submerge themselves under water.

The ATOM Suit has solid oxide fuel cells in the belt. According to Ray, this was the only way to hide the hardware.

Cisco theorizes the problem may be the operating temperature and that the suit is overheating. He suggests that a ceramic compound might insulate the fuel cells and improve the overall operating efficiency.

Barry's suit has a built in defibrillator capable of generating a shock of 400 joules.

Brie Larvan's robot bees each have a 360 degree vision system, with multiple micro-cameras capable of recording from various angles at the same time.

The mechanical bees were originally developed for agricultural uses.  Brie Larvan weaponized them for military uses.

The bees are controlled wirelessly.  Felicity is able to track them and later hack their signal to shut them down.


Dialogue Triumphs

(looking at the half-full back-seat of his and Eddie's patrol car as they chase a car)
Joe: We're going to run out of room though.
The Flash: I'll take care of it.
(The Flash exits the car at super-speed and grabs Joe West from the passenger's side of the car)
Eddie: (not noticing Joe is gone as he drives) What do you think he meant by that?
(In the blink of an eye, The Flash deposits Joe in the driver's seat of the fleeing car. A second later, the driver is in handcuffs next to Eddie in the police car)
Eddie: Oh!  That's what he meant.
(Cut to the crook's car, where the crook in the passenger's seat is looking behind them, not noticing Joe is now driving the car.)
Crook: I think we lost them.
Joe: Uhhh... no, you didn't. And by the way, you're under arrest.

Dr. Wells: Your ATOM suit is quite the technological achievement, Mr. Palmer.  I'm impressed.
Caitlin: And he is never impressed.
Ray: Well, thank you, but I can't quite seem to keep it up.
Felicity: (quickly cutting in) He means the suit!
Ray: Yeah. I mean the suit.
Felicity: Yeah. I can attest that everything else works just fine! There's nothing we need to fix in that area.
Ray: No, no, no...the sex is great!
Caitlin: God, there's two of them.

(Regarding Iris being kept ignorant of Barry's secret identity)
Joe: Keeping her in the dark keeps her safe.
Eddie: I don't agree.
Joe: Well, I'm her father.
Eddie: And I'm her boyfriend. When does my vote outweigh yours?
Joe: When you become her husband.

(Upon finding out Felicity knows Barry's secret identity)
Eddie: So everyone BUT Iris?
Barry: Feels that way.

Dr. McGee: To what do I owe this visit? Did you finally find my tachyon prototype, or are you here to blackmail me for another one?
Dr. Wells: Do you have another one?

Barry: Iris? Remember when we were kids and Joe would come home from work with that blank expression on his face?
Iris: Yeah. The "Earth To Joe" look. How could I forget?
Barry: I never understood that look until I started working for the CCPD. Showing up at crime scenes and seeing someone murdered? It can be... ugly work. I'm lucky. I get to hide behind the science of it and just stay in my lab, but Eddie... he's out there. Every day. In the darkness. I just think that maybe if he doesn't want to talk to you about his work, it's probably because he wants to keep you in the light.

Caitlin: You're so lucky. Ray's so nice and smart and hot.
Felicity: Yeah, it's kind of like I'm dating Barry but in Oliver's body.
(Felicity turns beet red)
Felicity: A sentence you will never repeat to anyone!


Dialogue Disasters

Every damned bee pun that Brie Larvan makes.


Continuity

Cisco has a fear of bees.

Cisco begins having visions of his death in the alternate timeline in 115.

Dr. Tina McGee is seen for the first time since 109. She refers to the Mercury Labs Tachyon Device, which The Reverse Flash stole in that same episode.

Felicity makes reference to Oliver Queen bringing her a bullet-riddled laptop (A103) and hacking some company's website (A111) before she knew he was The Arrow and coming up with the worst excuses for why he needed her to do these things.

Barry uses his speed powers to generate controlled electrical blasts for the first time, creating a shock that restarts Cisco's heart.

Dr. Tina McGee says that she and Harrison Wells were close friends 15 years earlier but that after Tess Morgan's death it was like he became another person.

Iris dumps Eddie.

Barry tells Cisco and Caitlin his suspicions about Harrison Wells being The Reverse Flash.

Cisco tells Caitlin, Barry and Joe about his visions of Harrison Wells being the Reverse-Flash and killing him.


The Boomerang Factor

There's no reason Barry shouldn't have been able to outrun the bee robots.


The Bottom Line

Mostly dreadful. The show is now openly mocking how contrived it is that Iris is the only person who doesn't know Barry Allen's secret identity at this point and Barry is nerfed so that The Atom can be useful and Felicity can have a nemesis. Never mind that she already had one in The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak.  And yet, the cast manage to make most of this work through sheer charisma, with the exception of Emily Kinney, who portrays the villain of the week with a cheesiness that makes Uma Thurman's performance as Poison Ivy look restrained.

Arrow Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 18 - Public Enemy

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.




Plot

The League of Assassins have framed The Arrow for the murder of Mayor Castle and Quentin Lance is out for blood!  As Ray Palmer (who was also wounded in the attack) languishes in critical condition and Felicity debates defying a doctor's orders to use untested technology to save his life, a revived SCPD Anti-Vigilante Squad hits the streets with one goal - bring in Team Arrow, dead or alive! But this is only Ra's Al Ghul's first attack on Oliver Queen. And by the time he is done things will never be the same!


Influences

The Black Arrow Saga by Mike Grell and The Fall of Green Arrow by J.T. Krul (both stories in which Oliver Queen becomes an outlaw and his secret identity is revealed to the world), The Over The Edge episode of Batman: The Animated Series (both stories deal with a grief-stricken police officer turning on his vigilante comrades after said vigilantes cause the death of the police officer's daughter) and every Robin Hood legend where Robin sacrifices himself to save his friends.


Goofs

I can see why - in spite of everything -  Lance might not arrest Laurel for what she's done as Black Canary.  But why doesn't he go after Roy or Felicity?  He knows both of them work for The Arrow. And granting that Roy's house in The Glades might not be in his name, Lance knows where Felicity works and could probably find out where she lives. Hell, Felicity doesn't make any effort to stay hidden, staying at the hospital with Ray Palmer, even though we're told that warrants have been issued for all of The Arrow's known associates.

Even by the standards of comic books, Shado having an identical twin sister whom Ollie just happens to run into in his time of need is a hell of a coincidence.


Performances

Paul Blackthorne has a difficult task in this episode.  On the one hand, he is the Javert to Oliver Queen's Valjean, and we are meant to see him as the villain who is letting his personal feelings get in the way of his judgement. On the other hand, his conflicted emotions regarding every situation in his life right now are completely justified and he isn't totally wrong when he asks if people might not have been better off if Oliver Queen had died on Lian Yu seven years earlier.

Charlotte Ross returns as Felicity's mom and while her main role here is to lighten up what could be some otherwise dark moments, she also proves capable of offering some surprisingly wise words regarding the one thing Felicity has never been particularly smart about - her emotions.

Colton Haynes doesn't get much to do as Roy Harper in this episode. But he makes every moment count as we see just how much Roy has gained in his rebuilt relationship with Thea, how much he has lost in his guilt over what his heroism has cost others and how far he is willing to go to save his mentor.


Artistry

The extended action sequence taking up the second sixth of the show - with Team Arrow trying to escape the entire SCPD - ranks among the show's best.


Trivia

In the comics, Ray Palmer is frequently called in as a nanotech specialist to assist with difficult surgeries.  Of course in the comics he usually assists by shrinking to go inside the patient rather than by using nanites.

This is not the first time Oliver Queen had his secret identity revealed to the world after being framed for a crime he didn't commit. In Mike Grell's The Black Arrow Saga, Oliver Queen is framed for espionage and high treason by covert elements of the U.S. Government and his secret identity is revealed as he is forced to go on the run to clear his name.

In more recent times, in the post-Infinite Crisis DCU, Oliver's secret identity was revealed to the world in The Fall of Green Arrow.  In this miniseries, Oliver killed the super-villain Prometheus and went on trial for murder.  Oliver was honestly guilty of the crime, committed as revenge on the man responsible for killing his adopted granddaughter Lian Harper, but was acquitted on all charges despite the efforts of a corrupt police commissioner whom had long-standing grudges against both Oliver Queen and Green Arrow.

This episode bears some resemblance to an episode of Batman: The Animated Series called Over The Edge. In that episode, an enraged Commissioner Gordon pursues a vendetta against Batman, after his daughter Barbara Gordon (aka Batgirl) is killed in action and he learns her secret identity. The action of the episode is later revealed to have been a Scarecrow-gas fueled nightmare that Batgirl had after nearly being killed.

Oliver's sacrifice at the end mirrors several Robin Hood legends, where Robin Hood surrenders himself to his enemies in order to buy the freedom of his friends.


Technobabble

Ray Palmer is diagnosed with a thrombus - i.e. a blood clot. If left untreated it could cause an ischemic stroke. But due to his injuries, a craniotomy could do more harm than good. Harm, in this case, meaning permanent brain damage.

Ray developed a series of nano-tech robots that could be injected into his bloodstream, travel to the clot and shrink it.


Dialogue Triumphs

Laurel: You don't understand what's happening here and I need you to trust me.
Quentin: I used to.

(As The Arrow drops Maseo and aims an arrow at his face, Ra's Al Ghul steps out of the shadows)
Ra's: (slow clap) Clearly I chose well, selecting you as my heir.
(The Arrow raises his bow to aim at Ra's Al Ghul)
Ra's: Killing me will only win you the mantle you reject.
Arrow: It will stop you!
Ra's: I have legions who live only to see my will done. No, boy. You have but two choices. You either ascend to the calling of Ra's Al Ghul.  Or you will spend the rest of your days in a cage.
Arrow: You're not going to take me prisoner!
Ra's: No. I'm not.
(Ra's steps into the shadows as a group of police helicopters focus their spotlights on the rooftop)

Arrow: Hello Captain.
Quentin: I got three men in the hospital because of you.
Arrow:  I understand that you feel betrayed. But you can't be so angry as to think that I'm just running around taking aim at innocent people.
Quentin: I don't think anything! I know!  I know this madness has to end! And if you don't want any more people getting hurt, you turn yourself in.

Ra's: I apologize for the coarse treatment. I didn't think I'd get you to speak to me of your own accord.
Quentin: (scoffing) You're him.
Ra's: Ra's Al Ghul.  It's an honor to meet you. Sara spoke with such love about her father.
Quentin: Don't say my daughter's name! If she'd never met you, she'd still be alive now!
Ra's: If Sara had not met my daughter, she would have starved to death on the shores of Lian Yu.
Quentin: She was never on Lian Yu.
Ra's: You suffer a false perception. One of many, I'm afraid.
Quentin: Listen, what do you want?
Ra's: To help the city as your daughter did. You hunt for the man they call The Arrow.
Quentin: Yeah. What, you're gonna help me find him?
Ra's: You'll be able to find him easily... once I tell you his name.
Quentin: Now why would I believe just any name that you throw at me?
Ra's: Well... because with this revelation everything will become clear. And you will realize the man you've been looking for has been right in front of you the entire time. The same man who lied, telling you he wasn't with Sara on Lian Yu. Oliver Queen is the Arrow.

Laurel: So what? Now Oliver's to blame for Sara's death?
Quentin: Oliver? The Arrow? Either way, it's the same guy.
(Quentin sighs as he catches Laurel in yet another lie and sits down)
Quentin: On some level I think I always knew. When I thought he was doing good, it didn't matter to me. You know, when that boat went down and we thought Sara was dead? I blamed Queen. And it's funny how things come full circle, right?

(Thea and Roy are watching the news)
Thea: I can't believe this is happening.
Roy: The line forms behind me.
(They continue to watch in silence for a moment)
Thea: I'm sure those cops that were chasing you are fine.
Roy: I shot them with arrows, Thea. When it was happening, there was a part of me that... felt relieved.
Thea: Relieved?
Roy: That I'd finally be going to jail. And that I would get what I deserve.
Thea; Roy, listen to me. The only thing you deserve is to be happy.

Felicity: I'm just glad that you're alright.
Ray: Thanks to you.
Felicity: Oh, I think your nano-tech deserves some of the credit. All I did was stick something in you. (pause) Do you think there will ever come a time when everything I say isn't some weird double entendre?
Ray: I hope not. It's one of your more charming traits.

Mei: You have no idea how powerful The Truth can be.

Quentin: Lian Yu.
Oliver: What about it?
Quentin: This, ah.. Ra's character. He told me that Sara made it to the island with you. You didn't feel like sharing that with me? Huh? I mean, I am only her father. Well, I was. (Pause) When did you decide that you knew what was best for my family?
Oliver: I love your family-
(Quentin punches Oliver in the face)
Quentin: (angrily) You have a right to remain silent!  Take it.
Oliver: ... just ask me what you want to know.
Quentin: (scoffs) What do I want to know?  Well, was it worth it? All that pain and misery you brought back from that island? Merlyn. Slade Wilson. Wouldn't it be better if you just died there?
Oliver: The reason I came back was to try and save the people of this city.
Quentin: I hate to break it to you, but saving people isn't your specialty. Tommy. Hinton. Your mother. My daughter. And now you're set on killing Laurel too.
Oliver: (shaking his head) I didn't want her to be involved in this. I didn't want anyone to be involved in this.
Quentin: But you involved me. You spent a year making me look like a fool. You spent a year making me your accomplice. You have any idea what you've done, huh? What you've done to all of us? To the people that you claim to care so much about? You've made us criminals. You've made us liars and victims! You, Mr. Queen, are not a hero. You're a villain! But you know that, don't you?


Dialogue Disasters

Mei: Why are the police shooting?!
Ollie: Because they're not the police!


Continuity

We see the assassination of Mayor Castle from 317 again as the episode opens, but this time we see Ray pushing Felicity to safety and taking the arrow that was meant for her in the chest.

Captain Lance reinstates the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, which he closed down back in 301.

Roy and Thea are officially a couple again.

Thea suggests that she and Roy runaway somewhere together - like they originally planned in 223.

Ray is treated for his injuries by Dr. Lockhart, who was previously seen in several other episodes including 301, 220, 219, 211, 204 and 117.

Donna Smoak appears for the first time since 305.

Roy refers to his feelings of guilt regarding killing a cop while on Mirakuru in 220.

Ra's Al Ghul reveals Oliver's identity to Captain Lance.  Lance, in turn, exposes Oliver's secret identity to the world.

Lance makes reference to every vigilante who was inspired by The Arrow, including The Huntress, "the freak in Central City" (The Flash) and "a new guy flying around the city" (The Atom).

Roy Palmer and Felicity Smoak are both fans of Doctor Who. Ray is said to know the plot of every episode across 34 seasons.

Reference is made to how Oliver threw the SCPD off his trail back in 105.

Roy refers to when Diggle last dressed up in The Arrow costume to impersonate Ollie, which first happened in 105 and happened more recently in 310.

Felicity realizes she does not truly love Ray Palmer and still loves Oliver.

Oliver turns himself in, in exchange for a promise of immunity from prosecution for Diggle, Roy and Felicity.

The episode ends with Roy, in Oliver's costume, attacking the police convoy transporting Oliver and turning himself in, claiming he is the real Arrow.

In the flashbacks, Oliver runs into Shado's twin sister Mei while fleeing Waller's men on the streets of Hong Kong.

Oliver uses the name Tommy as an alias, in honor of his friend Tommy Merlyn.

When asked about the last time he saw Shadow, Oliver has a flashback to her death in 209.

Oliver does not give Mei the full details of how her sister and father died, but he does confirm their deaths.


The Bottom Line

A thrilling episode which leaves you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Arrow Episode Guide: Season 3, Episode 17 - Suicidal Tendencies

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.



Plot

It's John and Lyla's wedding day, but their honeymoon is doomed to be a short one. A US Senator has been taken hostage in a Kasnian hospital and Amanda Waller wants to send in The Suicide Squad. Naturally spending more time in the company of Floyd Lawton is the last thing John wants during what was meant to be a romantic weekend but at least he can enjoy watching Lawton squirm as Cupid decides that Deadshot is her new boyfriend.

Back in Starling City, Ray Palmer has turned his considerable fortunes and talents toward tracking down The Arrow following the allegations that Starling City's vigilante is killing once again. Can Oliver evade The Atom or persuade him he truly is being framed?  And where will Felicity's loyalties fall if push comes to shove?


Influences

The film American Sniper (Floyd Lawton's background before becoming an assassin), The John Ostrander run on Suicide Squad (a plot involving a corrupt senator named Joseph Cray), the New 52 Suicide Squad (Deadshot unwittingly attracting a mentally unstable female teammate and his uncharacteristic heroic sacrifice) and the Mike Grell run on Green Arrow (law enforcement turning on Oliver Queen after he is framed for a crime he didn't commit).


Goofs
So did Ollie just forget about the tasered-into-unconsciousness Arsenal following his fight with The Atom as he spun around and walked off dramatically?


Performances

Michael Rowe is given a wonderful episode to go out on as Deadshot. The background for this variant of Floyd Lawton is unique to the Arrow universe and it is to Rowe's credit that - despite everything we've seen Lawton do before this episode - he successfully turns Lawton into a likeable anti-hero, if not a tragic hero.

David Ramsey always excels when he is given a chance to take the spotlight for an episode. This episode is no exception.

Brandon Routh does something nearly impossible in this episode - play a heroic character who we have to see as a villain. Ray Palmer's heart is in the right place and he and Oliver Queen have a lot more in common than he thinks.  Ironically, it is the traits he shares with Ollie - a desire for justice and a stubborn certainty in his own righteousness - that set them at odds with one another.


Artistry

The script for this episode balances two complex plots with equal ease, both of them centering around the season's continuing theme of identity and the conflict between differing aspects of the self - chiefly the desire to do risk one's life doing good versus the desire to settle down with loved ones.

The fight scene between Oliver and multiple dopplegangers is well shot.

The effects work for the scenes with The ATOM suit are brilliant.


Trivia

A friend of Lyla's named Rick was meant to officiate the wedding, but we are told he was sent overseas to the South Sudan. This could be a reference to Col. Rick Flagg Jr. - the leader of Task Force X - who led two different versions of The Suicide Squad in the comics.

Thea Queen is seen at the wedding, but doesn't have any spoken dialogue in this episode.

Senator Joseph Cray was a villain the the John Ostrander run on Suicide Squad. A corrupt senator who used the squad for his own ends, he threatened to reveal the team's existence to the world. He was killed by Deadshot who, having been given orders to stop Col. Rick Flagg from killing the Senator, satisfied the orders by killing Senator Cray himself.

Interestingly enough, given that the other major plot of this issue involves The Atom, Senator Joseph Cray's son Adam Cray briefly took on the identity of The Atom in the comics.  This new Atom was recruited by Ray Palmer as a replacement and joined The Suicide Squad while Ray Palmer secretly took on another identity in order to infiltrate a gang of size-changing criminals called The Micro Squad.

The country where Senator Cray is taken hostage is called Kaznnia with a z in the hearing-impaired subtitles for the episode but the caption on the establishing shot spells it Kasnia with an s.

Both spellings have been used in materials on-line relating to the fictional nation, which was originally created for the DC Comics Television Animated Universe and the nation featured in several episodes of Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited and Batman Beyond. It is a Balkan nation, which was nearly conquered by Vandal Savage in the modern day.

In an interview, Deadshot actor Michael Rowe confirmed that the Deadshot/Cupid flirtation was a nod to the similar relationship between Harley Quinn and Deadshot in the New 52 Suicide Squad.

The background given for Floyd Lawton in this episode is unique to The Arrow universe. No version of Floyd Lawton in the comics is an ex-soldier. Here, Floyd is an sniper who came home with a severe case of PTSD, turned to drinking heavily and became violent. This led to him being arrested, his wife getting a restraining order against him and Lawton being recruited as an assassin for a group called HIVE.

Floyd Lawton's ex-wife in the comics is named Susan Lawton. His wife on the show is credited on IMDB as Susie Lawton.

In the comics, Susie Lawton was not the mother of Floyd's daughter Zoe.  Zoe was Floyd's daughter by a woman named Michelle, who was introduced in the 2005 Deadshot miniseries.

There are a few references to Brandon Routh's portrayal of Superman in Superman Returns. When he offers his evidence that Oliver Queen is The Arrow to Laurel Lance, she scoffs at his "x-ray vision". And when Oliver and Ray meet in Ray's office, Oliver addresses him as "Super Suit."

The Atom confronts Arrow and Arsenal at the Meltzer Power Plant. This is named in honor of writer Brad Meltzer, who wrote the Green Arrow storyline The Archer's Quest.

The episode ends with a message directing viewers to The Wounded Warrior Project.


Technobabble

Ray Palmer is able to confirm Oliver Queen is The Arrow from a distance using Felicity's face identification software and a high spectrum portable radiograph (a.k.a. x-ray machine).


Dialogue Triumphs

Lyla: You really want to do this?
John: Hell yes!  Do you?
Lyla: Even more than the first time.
John: Good. Because I'm not letting you get away from me this time.
Lyla: I'm holding you to that.
John: Good.  I love you, Lyla.
Lyla: I love you too.

There's no dialogue as such, but there is an amusing moment when Felicity, John and Roy all have their phones go off when a news article about The Arrow starting to kill again goes on-line in the middle of the reception.

Lawton: Love is a bullet in the brain and if you believe any different you're as crazy as she (Cupid) is.

Ray: Oliver Queen is the Arrow.
Felicity: (trying to sound confused and failing) Whaaaat?
Ray: I have a 140 IQ and three PhD's. It's pretty hard to insult my intelligence but I think you just did.

Felicity: Oliver's not a killer.
Ray: This isn't the first time he's been judge, jury and executioner.
Felicity: He hasn't killed anyone in two years.
Ray: That really is not your best argument.

Felicity: (tearful) He knows. God, he knows. Last year, Ray's fiancee was killed by Mirakuru men. And now he wants to protect the city. So he built a suit out of military grade technology. And he wants to put you in jail. So he used my software to track you down and he scanned you with his X-Rays. And now he knows that you're The Arrow. And he's going to tell the cops.
Ollie: Palmer knows I'm The Arrow?
(Felicity nods)
Ollie: And he has his own mission to protect the city?
(Felicity nods) 
Ollie: When were you going to tell me this?!
Felicity: I have been getting a lot of that today. Look, it's not important. Here's what is - he's going to tell the police who you are!
Roy: Ray built a super-suit? That's kind of awesome.
(Ollie glares at him)
Roy: And reckless!

Cupid: Baby, does it hurt bad?  You were SO brave!
Lawton: Okay. I take it back. I think I DO want to die.

Ray: Huh. Arrow.
Ollie: Super Suit.
Ray: I prefer The Atom.

HIVE Drone: People like you don't get to have a love, children, families. These are just distractions to people like you. For people like you, love is a bullet in the brain.

Felicity: How did it go with Ray?
Ollie: Not well. Your new boyfriend is stubborn. Once he's made his mind up, that's the end of it.
Felicity: Sound like anybody we know?
Ollie: Not only is he untrained, he's unstable.
Felicity: Unstable?!
Ollie: Yeah! Yes! Yes, he's unstable, Felicity. Because he's flying around, in a weapon, looking for a man that has already killed eight people. He's going to be next.
Felicity: (muttered) You'd like that, wouldn't you?
Ollie: Excuse me?
Felicity: You never wanted me to be with him.
Ollie: That's not true.
Felicity: Yes it is.  All that talk about wanting me to be happy was just talk.
Ollie: No, I meant what I said. Right up to the point where I found out he is just like me.  You deserve better.
Felicity: What I deserve is to be with someone who isn't afraid of being happy. Ray told me wanted a true partner. In his work. And his mission. And in his life. Ray wants to be a hero AND a human being!
Ollie: Yes, because he hasn't realized yet that he can't be. I told you that I couldn't be with you and save this city.  Neither can Ray.  He's just too new at this to know that.

The Arrow: The man you think I am... he'd kill you here and now. I told you to back off! And you didn't listen!
The Atom:  So kill me. Go ahead. Show Felicity the kind of man you really are.
(The Arrow lowers his bow)
The Arrow: I have nothing to prove to her.  But you do.
(He offers The Atom a hand up. He takes it.)
The Arrow: She chose you. So trust her.

Senator Cray: The Suicide Squad? Well, you are true to your name if you think that the three of you think you can just shoot your way in here.... wait... there were four of you!
(The mercenary behind Cray screams and falls down dead as Deadshot begins sniping from a distance)

Cupid: Floyd, what about you, baby? How are you getting out?
Lawton: I'm not.
John: Lawton, what are you talking about? That wasn't part of the plan! You said you could find your way down!
Lawton: Yeah, I lied. Someone needs to cover your escape. Me up here is what gets you out down there alive.
John: Why?!
Lawton: You and your new wife. You just get back to your baby girl, alright John?


Continuity

Ollie comments that it had been five months since he saw Ray Palmer and now they've seen each other twice in as many weeks.  This is a reference to their first meeting in 301 and their meeting last week in 316.

Ray Palmer is a registered minister.  He says it is a long story why.

Laurel's arm is in a cast, per her training with Nyssa Al Ghul.

Felicity caught the bouquet at the wedding.

Ray Palmer has a 140 I.Q. and three doctorates.

The arrows The League of Assassins uses are perfect replicas of the ones Oliver uses.

Laurel refers to the events of 105 and how Oliver was accused of being The Arrow but cleared of all charges.

Ray deduces that Laurel is The Black Canary based on her relationships with Oliver and Ted Grant.

It is confirmed that Floyd Lawton's first target working for HIVE was Andrew Diggle.

In the aftermath of the mission, Senator Cray buys the silence of the hostages and Floyd Lawton is identified as the leader of the terrorists who took Cray hostage.

Lyla resigns her position with ARGUS. John is ready to quit Team Arrow but Lyla seems to talk him out of it.

Ollie and John toast Floyd Lawton with Ollie's vodka.  The last time they made this toast was in 311.

In the end of the episode, the mayor is shot dead. The episode ends as we hear another arrow being fired as we see Maseo - in an Arrow suit - lining up a shot on Felicity.


Location

The Republic of Kasnia.


The Bottom Line

A solid send-off for The Suicide Squad and a wonderful confrontation between The Arrow and The Atom. And on a show that has become famous for its epic cliffhangers, this one may be one of the best.