Arrow "Broken Arrow" Review!

The Arrow's world is crashing down as Roy is being sent to prison for his "crimes". Don't drop the soap, Roy! (SPOILERS!)

Episode Description: With Lance still targeting the Arrow, Felicity insists that Oliver keep a low profile; a metahuman who uses blasts of energy and plasma to kill people terrorizes the city, forcing Ray and Oliver to team up.

High Points:

• Ollie plans to break Roy out of Iron Heights. I believe Captain Cold and Heatwave may have some experience in that department.
• Every scene that Detective Lance was in tonight was fantastic. He is one of the greatest actors on this show and each outing he proves he has beach ball sized balls. 
• This week seems to be all about team ups in the Flarrowverse. Arrow+ Atom team up lived up to the hype with the virtual reality fight.
• Roy proved to all of us today that when you just might be the be the best looking guy in a prison, you better know how to fight. And fight he did ladies and gentlemen and it was awesome.
• Big Daddy Dig proves week in and week out that he is the voice of reason of Team Arrow. Brings 110% to the table every week. 
• Cisco's cameo was cool. Always good to see some flash people and his bromance with Ray keeps growing and growing.
• The fact that Deathbolt was not in Central City the night of the particle excellerator explosion leads us here at the informers that we could have had a spinoff easter egg.
• Roy's apparent death had me yelling and punching things around me. The inside guy, the knife, the poison it was all so cool and gave us quite the feels.
• I thought Felicity was a little better this week than she has been the whole season. Between her and Ray being in the field I thought she was just a smudge better.
• It was a cool take this week with Ollie being behind the scenes being that motivational voice to Ray which is a role he usually isn't found in. 
• The fight between Ras and Thea was pretty good well choreographed......but my god the ending will blow your mind (I will not spoil until later down in the review).

Ollie and Ray be like...

Low Points

• Thought the overall flow was slow this week.
• The Ollicity moments just need to stop. I get it its the CW they need these lovey dovey moments, but it's the Lana/Clark Kent shit that we hated in Smallville reincarnated.
• Flashback scenes continue to disappoint just as much as the Bruins disappointed all of Boston this season.
• Roy leaves to go wherever the wind takes him, and the reason it is a low point is because it makes me sad.
• The breaking Roy out of prison part never happened, was pretty excited for that.
• Deathbolt was lame as hell. Cyclops mixed with General Zod. Ya he was just a filler villain but man what a snore fest he was. 

That moment you realize that Roy broke out of prison the same way GOB did.

Verdict: So what was looking like would be another filler episode for Arrow, turned out to be quite entertaining and fun effort. At first I really didn't like Ray in the field, but then I was intrigued when Ollie took the reigns and pep talked Ray on what it means to be a hero. Although Ollie did most of the fighting, Ray proves that he has something to offer the city of Staring when the Arrow is a no show, or incapable of saving the city. Next, as I touched on in the Low Points, what is going on with these flashbacks? Each week they seem to get worse and worse. Nothing makes sense, I am honestly so lost of Ollie's background story because so many different things happen each week. If you guys watch Daredevil, you'll notice the flashbacks tie into the story. It used to happen on this show too, but for some reason not this season. It should be fixed. Ok now to the good stuff. Roy is leaving, and I have to say I thought it was coming. I was freakin out when he "died" only to realize it was all a plan to escape. With Roy leaving what happens to Team Arrow? Is Roy going to go off the rails again, become his own vigilante like the story line in Young Justice? It's just a thought and most likely a fantasy story line. Which leads us to the last 2 minutes of the episode where Thea is struck down by the sword of the Demon's Head. As soon as that happened all of us arrowheads/DC fans thought one thing, Lazurus Pits. Sure enough there is the preview for next week showing Thea wrapped in cloth dipped in the pits. All I could think of was a personal favorite movie of mine Batman: Under the Red Hood. Now Thea will most likely not become Red Hood because then this show should just be called Batman, but we hear Ras mention that being dipped in the pits, bringing people back to life changes them. I think that in the next few weeks to come we will be seeing a completely new side of Thea Queen. 

All in all I give tonight's episode a solid 7.5 out of 10!

Sorry Thea, but Jason Todd had it much worse.

Thanks for reading guys. what do you think is next for team Arrow. How will Ollie come back into Starling City as the vigilante? Will Roy ever come back from where ever he is headed? How will the rest of Thea's story play out in the last few weeks? Let us know leave us a comment or tween @Caped_Informers or at me @O_doyleRULES11.

Tune in next week for  "The Fallen".

Arrow "The Offer" Review

Ra's Al Ghul offers up the position of the Demon's Head, while Ray Palmer offers up the promise of steak dinner in an all new Arrow. (SPOILERS!)

Episode Description: Still weighed down by his last meeting with Ra’s al Ghul, Oliver returns home to find a new villain and his crew have started terrorizing Starling City – Michael Amar AKA Murmur, a man whose mouth has been sewn shut. Meanwhile, Laurel and Nyssa bond over their issues with their fathers and Nyssa make Laurel an offer. Thea is forced to come to terms with her father after Oliver brings Malcolm to the loft to recover, and Lance shuts out both Laurel and the Arrow.

High Points

• Thea feels strong guilt for Sara's death. She has really been put through the ringer.
• Nyssa Al Ghul beats on Roy and Laurel in the Arrow Cave.
• Lazarus Pits exist and Ra's has been using them. (Why couldn't this have been revealed by reviving Ollie in one?).
• When Black Canary, Arrow, and Arsenal all team up, I get tingles in my bathing suit area.
• Officer Lance expressed his anger with the Arrow for not telling him about Sara's death and how Laurel has now become the Canary. Paul Blackthrone always does great with this kind of emotional material. Him and Joe West really need to meet up sometime and vent about these damn superhero kids of theirs.
• Ray Palmer is suave as hell. He makes me want to go on a steak dinner with him.
• Ollie got friend-zoned.
• Thea's mid drift is back and better than ever.
• Daddy Diggle always has to play the role of Oliver Queen's psychiatrist. Where would the Team be without him.
• Malcolm tries to be a supportive dad by telling Thea to kill him. #FatherOfTheYear
• Felicity gives one of her old school pump up speeches. #OldSchoolFelicity
• Cops are absolutely useless in the Flarrow universe and its hilarious. #FuckThePolice
• Nyssa saves the day!
• Awesome action set piece at the precinct Laurel, Arsensal, Arrow, and Nyssa kick some mute ass.
• Oliver Queen doesn't dance. "You know I don't dance".

• Ollie rediscovers why he is a hero.
• Laurel and Nyssa are gonna train together. Laurel has become a great character. Her, Nyssa, and Thea have really become #TeamDaddyIssues.
• Thea like anyone would seeks the comfort of Roy Harper. 
• Ra's is posing as the Arrow to try to hurt Oliver's reputation.

Decisions ... Decisions

Low Points

• Boring opening that had Ollie chat with Ra's about shit we already knew.
• Can someone explain how Ollie "defied death"? Was it really just because it was cold.
• What the hell is Ollie talking about when he said "All the guys we put away are back out"? You stopped plenty of people who are still locked up (ex. Slade, Boomerang, Brick).
• Ollie is actually considering Ra's offer just so we can fill up an episode.
• Murmur went out with a whimper. He was a villain who couldn't speak, so it was not surprising he wasn't overly compelling.

Live look at Murmur getting booked at the precinct.

Verdict: For a month, I have been ranting and raving about how Arrow continues to steal elements from Batman's universe. When Ra's Al Ghul offered Ollie the position as leader of the League of Assassins, I lost my shit. Shouting complaints to anyone who would listen. And then I began posting this picture anyplace that would listen to my tirades.

But as most fanboys do, I think I overreacted. The ending of "The Offer" just sent this story into a direction that I didn't see coming. Instead of Ollie rejecting Ra's offer and the League subsequently launching an attack on Starling, the writers threw us a curveball by having Ra's Al Ghul impersonate the Arrow. It was a cool twist that was reminiscent of a Batman/Ra's storyline. The Demon Head's late nights in the hood will definitely affect the Arrow's reputation in Starling and lead to a much more interesting clash between the League of Assassins and Team Arrow. 

          As for the rest of the crew this week, many of our favorite characters were left to deal with their daddy issues. Laurel is having trouble with Lance after she repeatedly lied to him. Thea wants to kill her dad, Malcolm. And Nyssa is pissed that her dad would choose an outsider over her to lead the League. Each character sought comfort in someone to talk about their issues which led to the awesome team up of Nyssa and Laurel. This will be huge for Laurel. She can finally receive some hardcore training and be ready to kick ass on the streets just like Sara did. Not to mention it will get Ollie to stop saying she needs more training.

         For the villain of the week, Murmur didn't factor in much. He couldn't speak so it's not like he would be able to say anything anyway. Unlike The Flash's Weather Wizard from last night, Murmur made zero impression. Just don't bring this weirdo back.

          "The Offer" did not have a final 10 minutes like last night's The Flash, but it did offer a twist of it's own. So by surprising me with their direction, Arrow gets a solid 7.5 out of 10. Who is excited for the return of the Suicide Squad next week?!

Thanks for reading! What do you guys think of Ra's pretending to be the Arrow? Have you ever been friend zoned? Would you get a steak with Ray Palmer? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in next week for "Suicidal Tendencies". 

Arrow "Canaries" Review

Black Canary fights regular Canary while Thea gets upset and bangs a DJ in an all new Arrow. (SPOILERS!)

Episode Description: Oliver (Stephen Amell) is thrown by the changes within Team Arrow. He’s used to calling the shots but sees that the team has evolved in his absence and tensions quickly escalate in the lair. Oliver is furious that Laurel (Katie Cassidy) has been going out as the Black Canary and tells her to stop risking her life, but when Vertigo (guest star Peter Stormare) hits the streets again, Laurel goes against Oliver’s wishes and tracks down Vertigo who hits her with a full dose of the drug.

High Points

• Laurel's arc is becoming one of the strongest parts of the show. Every week she is improving as a crime fighter both mentally and physically. 
• Thea finally learns Ollie's secret and doesn't get mad he lied, but instead thanks him.
• Thea also realizes Malcolm manipulation of her. (Except not that she murdered Sara.)
• Amanda Waller is doing Amanda Waller things in Hong Kong. The day Batman finally water boards her with gasoline will become a national holiday.
• Canary on Canary was awesome. Laurel's fears being tied to her sister's death and her addict past were perfect for further insight on her motivations as a vigilante. ("Stop trying to be like Sara and be yourself").
• Frustrations in the Arrow cave are beginning to boil over and like usual Daddy Diggle comes to the rescue.
• Gotta give props to Katie Cassidy. She looks strong. She put work in the gym and it has paid off.
• Post sex fights are the best fights.
• The Black Canary fucking beats down Vertigo.
• Captain Lance finally gets told the truth about his daughter's death. It was sad but he deserved to know.
• The League Of Assassins is down a DJ.
• Ollie was back in Starling City at some point during his five years away.

Does DJ Khaled work for the League of Assassins?

Low Points

• Vertigo's fear drug is used to good effect, but I just can't get over how much of a scarecrow clone he is.
• Why did they basically show us the Canary vs. Canary fight twice? Usually you add something more the second time around, but all we got was Ollie firing an arrow leading to the end of the fight. Just thought it was weird.
• Thea's melodrama got a little tiresome.
• Roy or DJ Douchebag? If you chose the DJ, then get the hell out of here. Bad choice Thea. 
• I liked the post sex fight, but wished Roy beat DJ Douchebag instead of Merlyn.
• Two episodes in a row without Ray Palmer. Where the hell is Ray?

Verdict: Laurel has come a long way from the start of Arrow. For much of the show she had been seen as extremely unlikable. So it's great to finally see her come into her own during the second half of season 3. Re-introducing Scarecrow-ripoff Vertigo into the mix tonight led to further insight into Laurel's character. She is afraid of not being as good as her sister. She is afraid that she is a former addict. This episode is all about her overcoming those fears so that she can become her own Canary. A Black Canary! Excited to see her become more and more integrated into Team Arrow. It is surprising though that Laurel's journey to vigilantism has been the most compelling storyline this season and personally I think it is because that once again the League of Assassins looked weak. All season we have seen the League's members get killed with ease and now tonight their pussy DJ took the HYDRA way out. Besides Ra's fight against Ollie, the League has not shown to be a capable antagonist. Flash has plenty of recurring villains and an overarching battle with the Reverse Flash that has kept it's audience extremely interested in. This season of Arrow doesn't seem to have that. Last year we had an epic season-long battle with Deathstroke, this season has one fight with Ra's. Step it up League of Assassins. All in all though the Canary on Canary fights were fun so "Canaries" gets a 7.5 out of 10.

You's a dead man DJ

Thanks for reading! Are you excited to return to the island? Does Count Vertigo suck? Let us know in the comments or on twitter @Caped_Informers. and @cstrand73. Be sure to check back regularly for more show/movie reviews and breaking news/stories regarding the comic book universe. Arrow returns same time next week with "The Return" as Ollie returns to the island and Deathstroke returns to the show! It's can't miss TV.

Arrow "Left Behind" Review

Arrow is back! Lets not waste time and get right into. (Spoilers!)

Episode Description: As Diggle, Felicity and Roy start to fear the worst after Oliver's disappearance, Merlyn pays them a surprise visit; Ray experiments with part of his new suit; Laurel takes on the role of the Black Canary

High Points:

• Right out of the gate we get a tease of the green suit only to be revealed as Big Daddy Dig
• The team up between Roy and Dig is the type of stuff that could make even the manliest of men cream their pants.
• Vinne Jones who you may know formally as "The Jaggarnaut" played an excellent Daniel Brickwell aka "Brick"
• Brick challenging people promising them they will make it out alive if they win is probably one of the most bad ass things we've seen since Slade Wilson was in town.
• Ray Palmer as a character is amazing. Really excited to see his storyline play out.
• Thea continues to train and become more and more of a warrior.
• Thea's stomach refuses to be covered up in this show and I don't think anyone is complaining. 
• Learning the true fate of Oliver and why Maseo decided to saved him was a lot of fun to watch and it made me feel all the warm and fuzzy feelings you get when touching moments occur.
• We got the first taste of Laurel Lance's "Black Canary" and it did not disappoint.
• Katana and Maseo save our favorite Emerald Archer.

Low Points:

• Within the first 5 minutes of the episode, our good friend Detective Lance or Captain Lance as it is now not only loses his perp, but loses a cop on his force. Please for once can this show do something right for him? It's been three season this guy needs some luck.
• At times the episode seemed to be very slow and dry. Yes I know things have to be explained,  but I felt bored at some points.
• Bitch move by Felicity telling Ray what his fiance would have wanted him to do. Ray was right, it's not her place to say anything.
• Speaking of Felicity, Christian and I agreed that as hot as she is, they need to show less of her. She's a great character, but gets way too much air time. We don't want you to end up like Lana in Smallville. #SaveFelicity that is all!
• The episode needed more Dig and Roy team up scenes. In Oliver's absence they have really stepped up to the plate and taken over Team Arrow, but we want more.
• Malcom breaking the news to Team Arrow about Oliver's death and the reactions of the room was very crushing to see.
• Would have liked to have seen more scenes with Brick, but I guess that will come with time. 

Verdict: After a crushing blow (no pun intended) during the mid-season finale of Arrow, it was a tough one to predict how this next episode would play out. First off, it was great to see both Diggle and Roy step up and become the leaders of Team Arrow. Obviously everyone is worrying about Ollie, but they know that the city itself and protecting the city is what Oliver would have wanted. Dig has a great line in the episode that describes their partnership and what is left of Team Arrow perfectly "This is our work, this is what Oliver has set out to do. We have to do this" Leave it to Big Daddy Dig to pull on the heart strings. So now we move to Ollie's story. I must admit in my mind I knew he would be back but not the way they portrayed it in the show. A mysterious man, dressed in a black hood takes Oliver's body on a sled and drags him to a shed. Later to be revealed as Ollie's old friend and mentor Maseo. Then Katana is also revealed, but it seems that her and Maseo being together seemed unexpected for Ollie. Which leads me to believe that she will be found in the Hong Kong flashbacks, but perhaps the happy couple will not stay together. On a final note lets briefly talk about the first look at Laurel's Black Canary. I have no complaints. The suit looked great, she looks great, she's got the attitude, and plus the sonic canary was a great DC animated TV solute and I loved it.
All in all I give tonights episode a solid 7.5 out of 10!

PS.....HE'S BAAAHHHCKK!

What did you think of tonight's episode, and what do you think will happen with the remainder of the season? Feel free to comment and tweet us @Caped_Informers and let us know what you think! Stay tuned for next week's episode "Midnight City"

Arrow Midseason Recap/Review (Spoilers!)

Arrow Midseason Recap/Review

Our favorite Emerald Archer returns from his midseason break next week (and hopefully from the dead too), so I thought there was no better time than now to go over the first half of Arrow's third season. Let's get to it.

High Points (Ep. 1-9):

• Roy is now a full-fledged sidekick.
• The theme of Identity: Can Ollie be both the Arrow and Oliver Queen.
• The shocking death of Sara Lance at the end of Ep. 1.
• Emotional fallout from Sara's death hit Team Arrow hard.
• Komodo from Jeff Lemire's Green Arrow run gets introduced.
• Motorcycle Jousting should be in the Olympics.
• Brandon Routh has added heart + humor to the cast with his fun portrayal of Ray Palmer and his interactions with Felicity are always hilarious.
• The angry hunt for Sara's Killer led to many different suspects.
• Awesome DC easter eggs spread through all nine episodes.
• Thea's transformation to a badass through her studies with Papa Merlyn.
• Ollie and Roy's relationship has grown from "He's just my sister's BF" to "Bros".
• Laurel has begun her path to become Black Canary.
• The gorgeous Nyssa Al Ghul came back and she was pissed about Sara's death.
• Ollie's inability to find Sara's killer puts him at odds with the League of Assassins.
• Enter the Demon's Head, Ra's Al Ghul.
• Felicity's Mom has got it going on (MILF TO THE MAX!).
• Flashbacks to Felicity's hacker past at MIT filled in some blanks about her backstory.
• Roy recalls that he killed a cop in last season's "Seeing Red".
• It's Cupid, stupid! But seriously she was a sexy and unique villainess.
• Ray Palmer has plans for his ATOM suit and now has dwarf star matter as well.
• THE ENTIRETY OF THE FLASH/ARROW CROSSOVER!
• Even though it's in The Flash's episode that incredible Flash vs. Arrow fight.
• Captain Boomerang is another worthy addition to the Flarrow rogues gallery.
• Ollie and Barry's seasoned vet to super-powered rookie relationship.
• Merlyn sets up Ollie to clear his blood debt with the League of Assassins.
• THEA KILLED SARA! (Under mind control, but still!)
• Ollie vs. Ra's in a trial by combat.
• The death of Oliver Queen!

My sediments exactly

Low Points (Ep. 1-9):

• New Vertigo was a Scarecrow ripoff.
• All of the Hong Kong flashbacks have been weak. Katana and Maseo have been extremely underdeveloped which led to the latter's reveal of being in the modern day League of Assassins be very underwhelming. Tommy popping up was the lone bright spot.
• Laurel in her anger over Sara's death makes several stupid decisions.
• Nothing good ever happens for Det. Lance. He is this show's punching bag.
• Being in Corto Maltese really detracted from attempting to find Sara's killer.
• First half has been a real slow burn especially with the League of Assassins.
• Felicity used to date a hacktivist pussy.
• Certain episodes in particular Ep. 3-6 did very little to move any main stories along. Also besides Merlyn, these eps had terrible bad guys involved. Brother Eye, Shaw (The Manhunter), and that dumbass attempting to frame Ted Grant all sucked as antagonists.
• Ollie was a huge hypocrite in regards to Ted Grant being dangerous because he was a former vigilante who killed people. Re-watch Season 1 Ollie. You filled a fucking graveyard.
• No Suicide Squad or Deathstroke.
• No one and I mean no one gives a shit about Thea's new DJ boyfriend. Unless the rumors about him working for Merlyn or Ra's are true, then I will give at least one shit.
• Not enough emphasis on Roy. 
• Dinah Lance is the biggest shithead to ever walk the fake universe of Arrow.

What I do on Wed. nights without Arrow

Best Episodes So Far:

1. "The Brave and The Bold": The Flash/Arrow crossover was a massive successful. Everyone knew going in that pairing Barry and Ollie together was going to be awesome and that fight between them did not disappoint. So "Brave and the Bold" had the job of continuing that level of epicness. It did so by giving Arrow one of it's best baddies this season in Captain Boomerang. Boomer was no joke and was on a war path to take down A.R.G.U.S. This led Arrow and Flash into action thereby delivering some of the coolest action sequences of this season.

2. "The Climb": The trend of TV in 2014 was to have a "trial by combat". On Game Of Thrones, the Mountain and the Viper had an epic showdown to determine the fate of Tyrion Lannister. It was a fun fight with a crazy unexpected outcome. So how was Arrow going to top that trial by combat? By having their own fun fight that has an even more unexpected outcome. Ollie got killed. It was a moment that Arrow fans never expected to see. In the end it just goes to show that you don't fuck with the Demon's Head. Overall this episode just showcased how scary powerful Ra's Al Ghul really is and how Oliver pails in comparison to his might. Obviously Oliver will have to come back somehow (Lazurus Pit is everyone's guess), so it will be interesting to see if the League still has a problem with Starling City's vigilante when he returns. 

Worst Episode So Far:

1. "Guilty": Oliver was acting like a major hypocrite. Wildcat's old partner was trying to frame him, yet we didn't care. The story felt like it could have been resolved in the first 10 minutes. Whatever negative tidbits you have to say about "Guilty" are probably 100% on the money. Just a filler hour of TV with a lameass bad guy. Only high point for it, was the boxing glove arrow.

Biggest Surprise: Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer has been an excellent addition to the Arrow roster. At first I thought he would be a throw away character that was trying to take over Oliver's company much like Summer Glau's Ravager was last year, but instead Ray added humor + heart + levity to a show that desperately needed some. His character has been coming along nicely and I for one am definitely looking forward to him suiting up as The Atom in the second half of season 3.

Biggest Disappointment: Until I watched "The Climb", Ra's Al Ghul, or his lack there of, was going to be the biggest disappointment of the first half of season 3. Now that honor instead goes to the Hong Kong flashbacks. Early on in the show, flashbacks were one of Arrow's greatest strengths. They helped inform the story at hand while simultaneously giving the audience an interesting backstory on what happened to Oliver in those 5 years that he was away. The revelation at the end of last season that Ollie was not on the island the entire time he was away made me excited for what the show would going to do with it's new Hong Kong setting. To be frank, they haven't really done shit with it. Tatsu/Katana and Maseo have very little development other than that they love their son. When flashbacks were with Slade, Shado, and Sara, the audience learned a lot about who thee characters were and bonded to them. That's what made Slade's transformation that much cooler, you cared about him. Nobody cares about Maseo or Tatsu yet. Maybe the second half of the season will showcase who these characters are a little bit more.

Best Fight So Far: 

1. Ra's vs. Oliver: The Demon's head easily destroys Ollie in perhaps the coolest way possible.

Honorable Mention: This fight happened on The Flash, but it was so badass that it should still count here. #Flarrow

Verdict: Arrow's first half gets a 7.0 out of 10. Now some people may feel that score is a little low, so let me explain. Arrow reached awesome heights last year and I'm going to hold them to that standard. Off that bar that they set, this season has been good, not great. Of course there were plenty of highlights, but I expect the second half of the season to be on par with Season 2. Oliver's death sets up a ton of possibilities for the season's second half so there is no reason not to expect greatness from this next set of episodes.

Most Excited For (Ep. 10-23):

• Mob boss Brick is coming to Starling! Played by Vinnie Jones who famously said "I'm the Juggernaut, BITCH!"
• Roy and Diggle stepping up in Oliver's absence.
• Appearances by Suicide Squad and Deathstroke.
• More League of Assassins.
• Another Flash appearance?

Okay, that's all I for ya. Stay tuned for Arrow return on Jan. 21st and make sure to follow us on @Caped_Informers or follow me @cstrand73 for all your comic book related news. Thanks for reading!

If you want individual reviews for each of the first nine Arrow episodes click the links below:

The Calm

Sara

Corto Maltese

The Magician

The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak

Guilty

Draw Back Your Bow

The Brave and The Bold

The Climb

Arrow "The Climb" Review

The League of Assassins gives the Arrow an ultimatum to track down Sara's killer or to have 50 people of Starling be killed in an all new Arrow. (SPOILERS!)

Episode Description: Nyssa (guest star Katrina Law) returns to Starling City and tells Oliver (Stephen Amell) that her father, Ra’s al Ghul (guest star Matt Nable) has given Oliver 48 hours to find Sara’s killer or the League of Assassins will start killing the citizens of Starling City. Laurel (Katie Cassidy) is stunned when her father (Paul Blackthorne) delivers a very special Christmas gift – her mother, Dinah (guest star Alex Kingston). Meanwhile, Ray (Brandon Routh) tries to make amends with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Oliver sets a meeting with Ra’s al Ghul.

High Points

• The Holiday theme from Flash continued onto Arrow
• The League of Assassins gives Ollie 48 hrs to find Sara's Killer 
• Katana and China White throw down back in Hong Kong
• Ollie discovers Thea has been taught to kill by Merlyn
• Merlyn strong arms Ollie into cleaning up his blood debt with the League
• Sara's Killer is revealed: THEA!!!! (What will her DJ boyfriend think?!!)
• Ray Palmer's tells us his backstory to Felicity (Raylicity is the new hotness)
• Bring on the ATOM!
• OMAC tease! 
• Ollie claims he killed Sara and demands a trail by combat
• Ra's Al Ghul hasn't been challenged to a trial by combat in 67 years. (Lazarus Pit??)
• Ollie vs. Ra's (Another amazing fight by Arrow's stunt team)
• Shirtless Sword-fighting is the best sword-fighting.
• The ending. He is called the Demon's Head for a reason.

There's always gonna be another mountain Ollie!

Ollie was like..

Low Points

• Dinah Lance returns to Starling to prove once again that Laurel isn't the worst character on Arrow, it's her asswipe of a mother.
• Fight scene with Thea looked a bit odd
• Maseo's revealing as a member of the League was a surprise, but I can't help feeling it  could have been built up a bit more.
• When is Roy gonna be allowed to have a plot line that lasts longer than one episode? (Or do absolutely anything for that matter?)

Rule #1 when sword fighting Ra's Al Ghul: Always bring Batman

Verdict: Arrow's midseason finale had a lot to live up to. The last two midseason episodes had been exceptional ( S1: Malcolm Merlyn revealed as the Dark Archer after an epic fight/ S2: Slade Wilson revealed as season's big villain) and yesterday's The Flash was tremendous, so this hour had some big shoes to fill. Now the overall storyline for this season has moved at a slug's pace, dodging the main mystery at hand "Who killed Sara Lance?".  Finally Sara's killer has been unmasked. It was Thea Merlyn (under Malcolm's manipulation), who dusted our favorite Canary! Perhaps this revelation wasn't was not quite as exciting as The Flash's final minutes last night (HOLY SHIT WAS THAT AWESOME!) yet it did put Ollie in quite a predicament. Try to convince the League that Merlyn coerced Thea into the murder and risk the League killing her or take the rap himself to try to wipeout Thea's blood debt. In the end Ollie chose to protect his sister and was forced to confront Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Assassins on his own. Then Ollie fell to godliness of the Demon's Head. Now our hero's fate is up in the air. Overall "The Climb" gets a 8.5 out of 10 for Oliver's great emotional arc and a killer final battle.

The only reaction to Ollie falling

The most likely scenario has to be Ollie goes for a bath in a Lazarus Pit, right? Arrow can't really be dead forever, right? RIGHT?!!

Thanks for reading! Did you suspect Thea? Will Oliver bath in a Lazarus Pit? Sound off in the comments with what you think. And make sure to follow the site for all your comic book related news or follow us on Twitter @Caped_Informers

Time to suit up Ray, it's your show now!

Arrow "The Brave and The Bold" Review

Team Flash heads over to Starling City to help Team Arrow take on a former Suicide Squad member in the second part of the epic Flash/Arrow crossover. (Spoilers!)

Hight Points:

• Nick Tarabay's Captain Boomerang is a savage (One of the tougher villains)
• Excellent action as always
• Backstory for Boomerang includes Suicide Squad
• Barry and Ollie have different philosophies on how to be a superhero
• Supporting characters (Cisco, Felicity, Diggle, Caitlin, and Roy) add humor
• "Bart Allen? Weren't you hit by a bus?" (O Captain Lance, you ball buster)
• Oliver and his team witness how Barry's powers make everything easier
• The Captain outmaneuvers Barry and Ollie (That isn't an easy task)
• Flashbacks tied in nicely to tell us why Ollie operates the way he operates
• Ollie learns from Barry, while Barry's squad learns from Team Arrow
• Arrow uses his skill set, while Flash uses his to defeat Boomerang
• Nice to hear that Deathstroke has a cellmate (expect that it is fucking Ashur)
• Leaving the door open for a future team up
• Practice Fight!!!!

The only reaction to seeing Barry and Ollie suited up together

Low Points:

• Can't let this episode go by without mentioning Thea's new DJ boy toy
• Boomerang puns are a little much
• I don't know if you know, but Diggle and Lyla are not married (I wrote that comment before the ending, now don't I look like a jackass)
• Hey Ollie you think Starling City is bad? Ever heard of Gotham?

Verdict: Like Ryan said yesterday "Everybody loves a good crossover". Part one of our two favorite TV heroes' worlds colliding did not disappoint. We got to see Ollie and Barry face off. The action was better than I imagined. Watching it happen was pure bliss. Like eating the perfect slice of pizza or coming home to an empty house where you can jerk off in peace. That being said I was wondering what the showrunners could do to top that? The answer, get a better villain so we could see Arrow and Flash in action together. Digger Harkness aka Captain Boomerang was tough foe who was both physically gifted and crafty. The mission to stop him showcased Arrow and Flash's different superhero philosophies. Which led to a rift between the boys in tights. In the end though they pulled it together where we saw an exciting conclusion that actually showed us Ollie and Barry stopping the bad guy together. Overall this crossover gave us the fans everything we wanted. Action, adventure, and a little romance (Diggle you dog :) ) These two shows have such different tones, but when they came together it was magic. Can't wait to see the next time the boys meet up. Overall I'm giving "The Brave and The Bold" a 9.0 out of 10. Just a real fun hour of television.

Ollie whenever Barry had an idea

Ryan WAS Wrong! (Not even surprised): You know Ryan does great work on this site. I love reading his The Flash reviews every week. But when someone is wrong, they are wrong. And I'm sorry to say that Ryan was incorrect. As much as I love Scooby and  The Gang, their crossover with the Harlem Globetrotters is not the greatest crossover of all time. Instead the greatest crossover has a trifecta of shows converging into one masterful episode of epicness. That show you may ask was That's So The Suite Life Of Hannah Montana. Raven, Miley, London Tipton, Zack, Cody, and Maddie Fitzpatrick all haning out in The Tipton Hotel!! You can't beat that no matter how hard you try. Personally I want a reunion episode with this crew. Imagine this. Miley twerking on Marion Moseby, Zack sending Maddie dick pics, and Raven picking up chicks at the Tipton's hotel bar. Thinking about that reunion episode is what keeps me alive.

The truth hurts Ryan

Arrow "Draw Back Your Bow" Review

Raylicity gets hot and heavy as Ollie gets himself a new "girlfriend" in an all new Arrow. (SPOILERS!)

Synopsis: Oliver must stop an Arrow-obsessed serial killer, Carrie Cutter, who is convinced that The Arrow is her one true love and will stop at nothing to get his attention. Unfortunately, her way of getting his attention is to kill people. Meanwhile, Ray asks Felicity to be his date for a work dinner with important clients. Thea auditions new DJs for Verdant and meets Chase, a brash DJ with whom she immediately clashes.

High Points

• Flashback to Slade's Invasion (Hello Cupid!)
• Brandon Routh is a beefcake (Maybe he should suit down rather than suit up)
• Palmer Technologies is now in business
• Sherwood Florist!! Outsiders!! (Comic references)
• Roy is really affected by his recent revelation
• Papa Diggle is the best friend a man could ask for
• Amy Gumenick (Supernatural) is scary yet sexy as Cupid (Hello Lover!)
• Cupid motivations and delusions are explained
• Felicity is the prettiest girl at the prom and the boardroom
• Cupid is heading for the Suicide Squad (Her and Harley would be a fun combo)
• #Raylicity
• 4 Love stories in one episode (That is high even for CW standards)
• ATOM EXO-SUIT!!!
• Enter Captain Boomerang

I thought Yellow Eyes killed you?

Low Points

• Sorry, but no one gives a shit about Thea's DJ auditions (Expect when "Turn Down For What" was playing)
• Ray has been good to Felicity, but her sudden all in attraction towards him felt forced (Could it be because he was shirtless or that 10 million dollar necklace around her neck?)
• Besides Katana's, the action was kinda weak

Verdict: Usually the romantic elements of Arrow are the weakest part of the show, but bringing in a villain like Cupid added a fun spark to that dull mix. Cupid (co-created by Arrow/Flash show runner Andrew Kreisberg) pursued the Arrow by murdering people as Ray Palmer pursued Felicity by throwing bling her way. It led to an interesting parallel and to us seeing an Ollie that we have never seen before, a jealous one. (Now you know how Slade felt, pal). Everyone's emotional story lines paid off in this one which led to "Draw Back Your Bow" not being too action heavy. Although what this episode was heavy in was setting up future heroes and baddies. Cupid is sure to make another appearance (perhaps with the Suicide Squad) and Captain Boomerang showed his ugly mug at the end. But the moments that were by far the most exciting were with Katana and Ray Palmer. In a flashback, Katana got to show off some of her badassery. Surely her role is to expand as well as her relationship with Ollie (it is definitely evolving past not doing his laundry). Now with Ray Palmer we had yet to find out if he would ever suit up as his superhero alter-ego The Atom, but this week we finally got our first big tease of his exo-suit. Maybe now we will see The Atom, Arrow, Flash, and Firestorm all suit up alongside each other by season's end. Overall "Draw Back Your Bow" gets an 8.5 out of 10. Fun episode. Cupid was a sexy and fleshed out baddie, not just some villain of the week.

Thanks for reading! What did you think of this week's episode? What did you think of Cupid? Sound off in the comments section or on our twitter @Caped_Informers. Check back regularly for weekly updates on your favorite comic book shows. In two weeks Arrow returns with the second part of it's crossover with The Flash titled "Brave and the Bold". See ya then!

Let them fight!

Felicity Smoak's Dating Record: Felicity Smoak sure has come far from dating a MIT hacktivist pussy. I think it's safe to say at this point that she is a superhero fucker. She can have any hero she wants. First Ollie, then Barry, and now Ray. Jesus, if Dick Grayson ever shows his face in Starling, there is no doubt in my mind that Felicity would get him to show her his Boy Wonder in about five minutes after he got off the train from Gotham. She is the most wanted woman in the DC universe. Props to the Bitch with Wi-Fi!