Arrow: Season 3, Episode 19: Broken Arrow
This was a good episode. It showed that Team Arrow is willing to make the hard decisions when it comes to making sure their mission always the priority. It is very unique in the sense that this was the first episode that Oliver didn’t suit up in. The other first was, the team facing a metahuman villain. I mean there were the mirakuru soldiers before, but they don’t really count. This guy had radioactive lasers shooting from his face, a pretty good adaptation of Deathbolt.
I’ve always liked Doug Jones, he’s usually completely obscured by costume or make-up. He was the Pale Man in “Pan’s Labyrinth,” the Silver Surfer (body only) in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” and Abe Sapien in both “Hellboy” films. As someone who has worked primarily with only his body, he was a great villain. He brought a very menacing presence to the role that almost makes me wish he had been saved for someone bigger.
What’s interesting was the cooperation between Oliver and Ray. Oliver couldn’t suit up, but he was able to provide guidance. It was almost like watching an episode of “Batman Beyond.” The last fight could’ve been more than a fistfight though, we get those all the time from Oliver, so it was kind of disappointing to get more of the same from the Atom. Ray Palmer is doing pretty well now, two team ups in just as many nights. If the CW keeps this up, they’ll definitely be working with a winning formula. Characters like Ray, Felicity and Barry even out the grim and grumpy attitudes of everyone else on the show, so we need them around.
Roy’s arc was also kind of disappointing. It was awesome to see how the prisoners acted toward the man they thought was the Arrow. Roy fighting off multiple assailants with his hands cuffed was definitely the highlight of the episode. It didn’t end as well as I would’ve hoped though. I think the show could’ve stretched the prison sentence out a little bit instead of ending it in a single episode. Did a weekend in prison really absolve Roy of his guilt? He’s been whining about killing that officer for the entire season and that’s it, he’s happy now.
The other disappointing part was seeing that he’s possible leaving the show. I think I may have preferred him dying for real instead of what he pulled. At least that way would have further pushed the permanency of consequences. I do get why they didn’t kill him. You want to keep your characters around, especially the ones you like writing. But why have an episode that highlights him so well only to get rid of him? We haven’t seen Roy take center stage for a while, but I’m sure he’ll be back at some point. I hope so anyway.
I loved Oliver’s torment in this one. He didn’t want his friend to take the fall for his actions and it looked physically painful for him to refrain from being the Arrow. Kudos to Stephen Amell for pulling off that level of emotion. I was definitely buying it! The amount of relief on his face was priceless when he learned Roy was still alive. His team is fully worthy of his trust and faith. This entire season has demonstrated that he can rely on them. He’s finally getting it, which we saw from his confrontation with Diggle. Who is pretty much his Jiminy Crickett, only much bigger and more bad a**. They plotted behind his back in a “Young Justice” like scheme to get Roy out of his predicament safely.
One problem is that the flashbacks are starting to feel a little like filler. They were very valuable in the first two seasons, but they aren’t as interesting as before. I think the show committed to that format and now they have to keep it afloat until they get to a better part of the five-year time lapse. I think something awesome will happen in the next few episodes though. This show has a pretty good track record of not letting me down so I still trust it.
Rā’s is not happy with Oliver overcoming his latest plan. Telling Captain Lance Oliver’s secret was a brilliant move at a time when the grieving man needed purpose. Luckily for Oliver, his team took care of him. In this opposite direction though, the Demon’s Head has brought his wrath to Thea. I’m sure his plan is to make Oliver agree in exchange for his sister’s live via the Lazarus Pit (which they didn’t mention by name), but I would really like to see where this goes. Oliver joining the League of Assassins or Thea staying dead… Either way it sounds unexpected and risky. Just the way I like things to be.
Jonathan Thomas Jones is a speculative fiction author and founder of geekhavenreviews.com. He has been passionate about all things geek for his entire life. See more about him at jonathanthomasjones.com and follow him on twitter @jtgloryjones.
