Finally, after five months of waiting (more like torture) Arrow is back! The season three premiere delivered so much story development and action that we’re having a hard time putting our thoughts into words. But here we go...
The season starts with Team Arrow on a mission to stop an illegal shipment of RPG’s from leaving Starling City. We’re shown the usual team badassery, that includes Felicity directing behind the computer, Diggle high-speed driving, the Arrow running and flinging around with his new high-tech bow, but most importantly (and probably the whole purpose of the scene) we see Roy fully suited up in his awesome red hood and mask, showing off his new and impressive bow and arrow skills (seriously Oliver, you need an upgrade). They easily chase and take out the chump driving the truck, and we’re pleased to once again hear the Arrow’s famous one-liner “You have failed this city!”
Back at the Arrow Cave (insert Harley Quinn joke) a news reports shows that since the Arrow’s contribution to the city as a vigilante, crime rates have plummeted in the last five months. The team celebrates, “If we keep this up there’ll be only two types of criminals in Starling City - the ones we put away and the ones that are running scared!”. Apparently things are finally looking up for them! At least when it comes to criminals… So much in fact that Detective Lance gets promoted to Captain, and during a press conference, disbands the anti-vigilante taskforce. We learn that Oliver is broke now that he lost Queen Consolidated, and in effect is hoping to win it back at a board meeting where he’ll make his plea to be reinstated as CEO. Roy has earned the trust of everybody on the team and now patrols on his own, Diggle’s ex-wife/girlfriend, Lila, is 9 months pregnant and almost due, and Oliver realizes that he deserves to be happy and should ask Felicity out.
Through flashbacks of Oliver’s time in Hong Kong, we see that he’s forced to stay, in communicated, and with his own life on the line, to serve A.R.G.U.S.’ Amanda Waller. Not a lot is explained, but we do get a cameo of Katana, who is married to one of Waller's employees, Maseo Yamashiro. After multiple escape attempts, Oliver is put in the care of the Yamashiro's and is told that he cannot escape because if he does, Waller will hurt the family.
This episode’s villain is Count Vertigo, a new criminal who took ahold and modified the vertigo drug formula. This new formula shows you hallucinations of your greatest fear, while also creating an addiction to it. This new count has it out for the Arrow, and wastes no time in attempting to kill him. Unfortunately, he does so by shooting an rpg in the restaurant where Oliver was on his first date with Felicity. This all happened split seconds after Oliver has professing his love to her, and telling her that he was wrong about not being able to be with someone he could really care about because of what he does (RIP Olicity S03E01 - S03E01). Oliver realizes its not safe to pursue Felicity because he loses his focus and puts her and others in danger. The Arrow suits up, and along with Captain Lance, goes after Vertigo. During the confrontation the Arrow gets shot with the vertigo serum and realizes his biggest fear is himself - Oliver Queen, and Captain Lance has another heart attack. The team (including Sara - Black Canary!) regroups, tracks and locates Vertigo and takes him down before he could do anymore harm!
There is also a new (and pretty) face in Starling City, and that is Dr.Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh; yeah, the guy who played Superman in 2005) who has his sights set on two things: Queen Consolidated and Felicity Smoak. After hacking into the company’s computers (Felicity unknowingly helped), he presented his vision for the future of the company and Starling City, and even proposes the name be changed to Star City (the actual name of the city in the comics). Regarding Felicity, Palmer is attempting to persuade her so she can come work for him, but Felicity is loyal to Oliver and turns him down. The Flash himself Barry Allen appears for like, five seconds, when he calls and asks Oliver for help, tying in the timeline of both shows.
The final scene is pretty gut-wrenching and surprising, and nobody was expecting it. After Sara helps Oliver with Vertigo (and his love life) she goes to visit Laurel. They agree to keep her visit a secret and have a quick conversation. When Laurel leaves, Sara is startled by an off-screen voice, and when she asks what they are doing in Starling City, she get’s shot with three arrows to the gut, causing her to fall over the edge of the building and right into the alley Laurel was walking in. The episode ends with Laurel crying over Sara’s body.
-Isabel-
This episode went beyond my expectations, and created a perfect base for, possibly, the best season of Arrow so far... The hype is real! Personally, I basically enjoyed it all, and have little to no complains. I really liked how Roy was finally fitting into the team, and covering his own responsibilities - actually helping. And even though I ship Olicity, I’m glad and understand that they can’t be together. I guess I appreciate that the writers finally addressed the amorous tension between them... even if it was just to clarify that it’s not going to happen any time soon, or maybe not at all. I especially don’t mind because of the introduction of Ray Palmer, a possible distraction for Felicity… that attractive man… I’d say the only complaint I have was the villain, Vertigo, and just the fact that that damn drug keeps coming back. It’s been done, and it was slightly boring… but honestly the whole thing was overshadowed by everything else that was going on.
I am so excited for this season, it has so many confirmed villains and cameos, and a very promising story arc that’s dark and gritty. Sara’s death has proven that anyone can die, no matter how awesome they potentially are. I honestly wasn’t bothered by Sara’s death (although slowly it’s sinking in that she was pretty cool), except the fact that it means Laurel is probably going to be Black Canary, and Laurel… well, let’s just say I don’t like her very much at all. I’m really interested to know who killed Sara and why, and the repercussions of her death (which will be partly addressed on next week’s episode!) I’m guilty of snooping through some forums, and it’s rumored that the primary suspects are Ra’s Al Ghul and Komodo. I honestly don’t think Ra’s Al Ghul’s first appearance would be this unsatisfying in terms of reveal and wow factor since he’s a big bad villain. I think his appearance will be more associated with his daughter and the repercussions of Sara’s death, and looking for revenge or something of the sort.
They have so much material to cover this season - Sara’s past with the league of assassins, her death and killer, Oliver’s time in Hong Kong, Thea’s disappearance, Laurel’s potential vigilante role, intertwining Flash into the mix... I don’t even know how they’re going to pull it off, but I’m so excited to find out. I also find it curious that they’re slowly making the series a lot more like the comics...
I give this episode a 9!
-Talia-
This has been the longest recap we have written so far, but so much happened in the episode that we felt like no detail should be left out. I am honestly still in shock because that ending scrambled my brain, so I will try to be as coherent as possible.
First of all, the episode in general was amazing. I loved that Team Arrow is working as a very functional team and that their work is paying off in the betterment of Starling City. I remember thinking that last season’s reveal that Diggle was going to be a dad was too much and I had omitted it from my brain during the summer, but I feel like now it makes sense and it’s adorable. That being said, I’m terrified that Diggle’s role in Team Arrow will be diminished, because Diggle is resident team badass and he is the only one who manages to keep Ollie in line. As for the baddie of the week, when I heard that they were dealing with vertigo yet again, I literally rolled my eyes, but I do love being proved wrong, because the new effects of Count Vertigo’s formula brought a very interesting element to the table. Speaking of Count Vertigo, although I slightly enjoyed his predecessor, this guy was much better at the job. He was fun to watch, and his motivations and actions helped give the episode a good plot.
I adored Ray Palmer, and jealous a Ollie is always fun to watch. I like the fact that in there is a breath of fresh air in the flashbacks, because after two seasons stuck in the Lian Yu, the show was in danger of getting repetitive. I'm curious about Oliver's history with Amanda Waller and I know we're going to be getting a lot of insight on her. Back in the present, I do think that Roy’s character needed more screen time, but I guess that if they had, the episode would’ve been too crowded.
Now to the part that I’ve been dreading since I started typing, but I guess I have to talk about Sara’s death. Not even in my wildest dreams did I think that they would kill Sara off. I don’t even know how to feel, I mean, Sara was such an amazing character (and much more than a love interest) who added depth to the show. It’s thanks to her that the League of Assassins is even in the picture. I really can’t come up with anything to talk about Sara right now, it’s too soon.
Anyway, the premiere was fantastic, and it foreshadows a very promising and successful season. I'm looking forward to Ra's Al Ghul (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and the rest of the new characters.
Talia’s score: 9.5!
Geek Femme’s Overall Score: 9.3
Check out the trailer for next week’s episode below!
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