Arrow "This Is Your Sword" Review

Wedding Bells are in the air as Al Sah Him is about the wed the woman of his dreams, his ex-girlfriend's ex-girlfriend! (SPOILERS!)

Episode Description: Oliver/Al Sah-him (Stephen Amell) finishes his training and is left with two final tasks to become the next Ra’s al Ghul. Ra’s (guest star Matt Nable) threatens Nyssa (guest star Katrina Law) and delivers some shocking news. Meanwhile, Malcolm (John Barrowman) makes a surprising offer to Team Arrow and Thea (Willa Holland) goes to see Roy (Colton Haynes).

High Points:

• Diggle and Canary should team up more often.
• Dinner with the Al Ghuls is not as fun as dinner with the Diggles.
• Oliver isn't as brainwashed as we thought. Having him have to team up with one of his worst enemies, Merlyn, to take down Ra's really shows how desperate Ollie is in this situation.
• Roy is a damn sexy mechanic!
• Shit always heats up when Roy and Thea are alone together. To quote Nick Fury these two bang "like Catholic Rabbits".
• Who is the better Dad: Ra's Al Ghul or Joe Jackson?
• Did you see the sign for Ferris Air Baggage? With so many references to Coast City and Ferris Air popping up on The Flash and Arrow, Hal Jordan is all, but confirmed to show up on the CW next fall.
• Enter Katana!
• Ray Palmer is the greatest human being to ever live. The massive spinoff Legends of Tomorrow is gonna be a kick ass show with him as the lead.
• Katana and Maseo's showdown would have been even cooler if the flashbacks actually made us give a shit about them.
• Always good to see some Roy and Thea pillow talk.
• Malcolm Merlyn is always playing his cards close to his chest. Whatever moves puts himself in the best position is the move he is going to make a 100% of the time. Allegiances and loyalty don't mean shit to this guy. Makes him such a slimly yet lovable character.
• Felicity's face when hearing of Oliver's impending nuptials was priceless.
• Attempted murder always makes a wedding ceremony more exciting.
• Solid cliffhanger.

Roy and Thea's theme song

Low Points:

• Felicity is so self righteous it's fucking sickening. She "always" has to be right. She always has to be the voice of reason. Season 3 has ruined her forever.
• Was not invested enough in Maseo and Katana's kid to give a shit that he died. (Sometimes I can be a real cruel prick.)
• The flashbacks just need to stop. I understand that Maseo + Ollie came across the virus a few years back. We got the information we needed. No need for more useless backstory.
• Shrieve sucks. Just another faceless Army drone for Ollie to beat down.
• Leaving Thea naked in your bed? I thought you were a gentleman, Roy Harper?

Season 3 Felicity's state of mind

Verdict: Oliver is in a tight spot. Ra's has pushed him to the edge. With his back against the wall there is only one man that Oliver can turn to. Everyone's favorite terrorist, Malcolm Merlyn! This was a nice twist by the Arrow writers. Oliver being forced to turn to his enemy for help shows how desperate he really is right now. What is that old saying: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." 

          Well, this revelation that Ollie was working with Merlyn the whole time leads the team back to Nana Parbat. In order to stop the Alpha Omega from being released upon Starling they must infiltrate Ra's crib. Serious question, how many raids on Nana Parbat have we seen this season? 4 maybe 5? I'm just tired of seeing of beating down LoA goons. These guys go down pretty damn easily. I guess what I am saying is that I want Ra's Al Ghul to pick up his sword and fight some fools. 22 episodes in this year and we have only seen Ra's battle 2 times. Don't want more of the Demon, I need it. Though seeing Katana suit up and murder her husband was a pretty sight amongst the other meaningless fighting. The emotional fallout from her killing Maseo didn't land that much, but the brawl sure was cool. So points to the stunt team on that sword battle.

            To keep appearances Ollie was then forced to capture his compadres. Ra's Al Ghul then poisoned those poor bastards with the Alpha Omega virus. Then Ollie gets married while his friends die in the next room over. This was such a massive dickhead move by Ra's. "This Is Your Sword" did a good job of showing us that the Demon's Head is not a good guy. He is a villain that needs to be taken down. (Unlike Shrieve, who is using the Nazi's excuse). All of this lead to a solid cliffhanger of not knowing if Team Arrow would survive the Alpha Omega.

          That was until I saw the preview for next week that aired immediately following the episode. It showed all of Team Arrow safe + sound and in Starling next week. I hope there is some sort of fallout from the Alpha Omega being released and that it is not concluded by some twist in which Oliver or Maseo replaced it with sleeping gas or some shit. Please have some consequences occur in that storyline, okay?

         Overall " This Is Your Sword" did not really light my fire and I'm giving it a  7.0 out of 10. Now onto next week, Ollie is technically married and I can't wait to see him fight it out with his new father in-law next week. Arrow has had two great finales and I hope "My Name is Oliver Queen" will be another triumph. 

Thanks for reading! Are you excited for Oliver's showdown with the Demon? Do you cry when a child dies on TV? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us @Caped_Informers or me @cstrand73. And make sure to tune in for our weekly Arrow, Flash, and Daredevil reviews. 

Jane Fonda would have made a great Ra's Al Ghul

Arrow "The Return" Review

Ollie goes back to his favorite vacation spot while in the past Ollie creepily stalks his family in this week's Arrow. (SPOILERS!)

Episode Description: Malcolm (John Barrowman) puts Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Thea (Willa Holland) in a dangerous situation that lands them on Lian Yu with Oliver’s former enemy, Deathstroke (guest star Manu Bennett). A flashback reveals when Oliver and Maseo (guest star Karl Yune) returned to Starling City to retrieve the Omega bio weapon, and despite being under strict orders from Amanda Waller (guest star Cynthia Addai-Robinson) not to reveal himself to anyone, Oliver looks in on his family, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and Tommy (guest star Colin Donnell).

High Points

• I wanna grab a beer with Young Detective Lance.
• I wanna grab a drink with school girl Thea.
• Cool reversal seeing Ollie on the island in Present day and seeing him in Starling City in the past.
• Slade Wilson is on the loose y'all. Thanks Malcolm, you always make everyone's lives suck.
• I wanna grab a drink with young Tommy Merlyn.
• I wanna grab a drink with young Felicity Smoak.
• Throwback FLO RIDA track!

• I wanna grab a drink with young John Diggle.
• I wanna grab several drinks with young Laurel.
• Tommy Merlyn's pick up game is fire. "Have you ever had sushi eaten off of you?"
• Killing a drug dealer is the fastest way to end a bitchin' party.
• Drunk detective Lance is an asshole and I love it.
• Maseo takes a shot at Ollie's season one look. "That look wouldn't work even if you smeared grease paint on your face."
• Ollie's booby traps still work! 
• Ollie finally tells Thea that she killed Sara. I feel like every week I'm writing that Ollie finally told somebody something. Dude has more secrets than Ted Bundy.
• The Queens vs. Slade was a pretty awesome fight.
• Ollie viscously punched out China White!
• Thea took the path of the hero by not killing Slade.
• Present day Det. Lance's anger is 100% justified. 
• Willa Holland did a great job tonight. Her character is completely different from how she was way back in Season 1. 

Slade be like...

Low Points

• China White's conflict worked well in getting Ollie back into Starling, but overall it was a slow and meaningless conflict.
• Hated how the episode was not dedicated to the Slade Wilson's breakout.
• The flashbacks did little to further the story. All they did was retell stuff that we already knew. (Thea did drugs, Lance was a drunk, Tommy was a perv, ect.)
• That Robert Queen video was unneeded and weirdly prompts Ollie to be a vigilante.
• Captain Boomerang was in the other cell on the island and we never got to see him.
• Slade Wilson took a season to take down last season. It took about 15 minutes to take him down this season.
• We hear about Ra's Al Ghul constantly, but yet have only seen him for about 10 minutes this entire season.
• WHERE THE HELL IS RAY PALMER? Three episodes in a row with no Ray.
• No present day Roy, Diggle, and Felicity also hurt this episode.

Did that Robert Queen video remind anyone of this?

Verdict: "The Return" was very much the proper title for tonight's show. Present Day Oliver returned to the island. Long-Haired Ollie returned to Starling City. But why I found the title so fitting was because this episode felt like a return to Season 1. And that's not a compliment. This episode felt like it was from the first half of Arrow's inaugural season, when the villains and flashbacks were lame. In fact most of what we saw in tonight's flashbacks were things we already knew about (Thea did drugs, Lance was a drunk, Tommy was a perf, Laurel wanted to bang Tommy, ect.) . The only new piece of information we got was that Ollie was back in Starling briefly. So my question is why did these flashbacks take up the majority of the hour? They did nothing, but put Ollie right back on a plane to Hong Kong. As for the villains, can someone tell the writers to stop using China White. Her scheme was easily stopped and she didn't even put up a fight. She has never been a compelling antagonist and never will be. 
          Now for what disappointed me the most this week. "The Return" also marked the return of fan favorite bad guy Slade Wilson (played by the incredible Manu Bennett). Executive Producer Marc Guggenheim had promised that this episode would give closure to Slade and Ollie's arc from Season 2. Now while Slade never breaks his promises, Guggenheim clearly breaks his. Slade was seen tonight for total of 5 minutes in which he got his ass handed to him by the Queens. I would be completely okay with that if he had some sort of closure with Ollie, or maybe he revealed something unknown, but he didn't. Just got his ass beat and casually threatened Felicity. The whole scenario of an escaped Slade just felt like a wasted opportunity. So when Deathstroke does eventually come back to Starling, I hope he gets treated better than he did tonight. Deathstroke deserved better.
          On a positive note at least Ollie finally told Thea that she killed Sara. Thus officially ending her relationship with Malcolm Merlyn. She is finally starting to make smart decisions  Thea may have started out as a whiny druggy, but has since turned into a hardened badass. Every episode she inches closer and closer to becoming another one of Green Arrow's sidekicks. Seeing her don a costume will be a delight (mostly because it will probably show her always visible mid-drift). And while we are in the business of talking about donning costumes, next week's promo seems to show that Ray Palmer will finally suit up as the Atom. So there is definitely stuff to look forward to this season even though I spent most of this review bitching. I just think Arrow needs to be more like the The Flash by setting up more intruguing possibilities for their future, instead of just breaking down the past that the audience already knows about. So at the end of the day I have to give "The Return" a 6.5 out of 10. Don't worry though Arrow-heads, things are always darkest just before the dawn. With Atom suiting up and Ra's Al Ghul reemerging, I predict a return to form for Arrow next week.

We love you, Manu!

Thanks for reading! Was I too harsh? Are you excited to see the Atom? 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 "Nanda Parbat" as Ra's Al Ghul returns to the show! It's can't miss TV.

Update!: Robbie Amell posted this pic of him and his cousin Steve on Instagram. Looks like Firestorm is coming over to Arrow!

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 "Corto Maltese" Review/Thoughts

Oliver, Roy, and Diggle go on "vacation" in this week's Arrow. (MILD SPOILERS!)

Synopsis: Oliver decides it's time for Thea to come back to Starling City, so he packs for Corto Maltese, where Felicity has traced Thea's whereabouts. Lyla asks Diggle to go with Oliver because one of her field operatives, Mark Shaw, has gone dark in Corto Maltese and she'd like him to look into it. Feeling responsible for Thea's departure, Roy joins Oliver and Diggle on their journey.

High Points

• DC references galore! - Ted Grant (Wildcat), Corto Maltese, Mark Shaw (Manhunter), Thea using Mia as an alias, and even a Lazarus pit reference
• Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional (Wise words of Papa Merlyn)
• Brandon Routh's charm lightens up the show
• Everybody Loves Felicity (or rather needs her help)
• Thea Training flashbacks
• Black Canary Begins! (Wildcat trains the Canary)
• Emotional scene between Ollie and Thea
• Hotel-made arrows
• Thea beats Papa and heads home
• Ollie and Roy broin' out
• Nyssa!

Just look at the flowers, Roy

Low Points

• Double cross was a bit obvious
• The Shaw storyline in general was predictable
• The hunt for Sara's killer takes a backseat

Verdict: Arrow took a break from hunting for Sara's killer so that Ollie and the gang could take a trip to Corto Maltese in an attempt to convince his adrift sister to come home. It sure was amazing to see how much Thea has transformed since last season's finale when she left with Papa Merlyn. She is officially a badass and now with her returning to Starling her story is the most interesting it has ever been. Elsewhere there was an ARGUS mission assigned to Diggle while in Corto. And while I love Diggle, this Manhunter storyline was predictable part. Although I do love when Roy, Ollie, and Diggle all team up together. Meanwhile back in Starling, Laurel had one of her best character arcs. Katie Cassidy and Laurel have received the bulk of criticism aimed at the show over the first two seasons, but her arc is finally in the place where fans want it to be. She has the fire for crime fighting now and with the addition of Ted Grant, I suspect the Black Canary will be stalking the streets again soon. Go Laurel! Lastly Brandon Routh continues to bring charm and lightness to every episode he is in. Felicity and his Ray Palmer have great interplay. Overall I give this episode a 8.0 out of 10. May have not been a very Ollie focused episode, but former underachieving supporting characters like Thea and Laurel are starting to shine. Also how could I forget to mention that Ra's Al Ghul is coming to Starling next week. Caption Cold on The Flash on Tuesday. The Demon's Head on Arrow on Wednesday. #DCHeaven.

Thanks for reading. What did you think of Thea's transformation? What did you think of Arrow's third episode? Sound off in the comments. Make sure to check out our reviews every week and follow our live action tweeting of every episode @Caped_Informers and @cstrand73. 

Who's the Best Daddy?: Tyrese has become a surrogate dad to Judith on The Walking Dead, while Daddy Diggle has recently been blessed with a little bundle of joy of his own named Sara. Even Flash has two father figures in Henry Allen (though he is in prison) and Joe West. My question to you is "Who is the best Daddy on comics TV?" Personally I'm not sure who the best daddy is except that it ain't Rick Grimes. Tell us what you think in the comments.

Arrow "Sara" Review/Thoughts

Team Arrow deals with the emotional fallout after the *SPOILER* death of Sara Lance/Black Canary during this week's Arrow. SPOILERS!!

GTs with Team Abs

High Points

• Huge emotional fallout for all of Team Arrow
• The hunt for Sara's killer is on
• Ollie's can't grieve so the others can
• Introduction of Komodo from Jeff Lemire's Green Arrow run
• Motorcycle Jousting with Komodo
• Brandon Routh adds fun dynamic as Ray Palmer
• Great final showdown with Komodo
• Flashbacks deal with a classic Amanda Waller scenario
• Burying Sara
• Daddy Diggle naming his daughter Sara
• Badass Thea Merlyn!!
• Continued theme of Identity

Low Points

• Laurel's breakdown and revenge attempt
• Nothing good ever happens for Det. Lance
• Would have liked to see more of the Tommy flashback

Verdict: This episode was appropriately titled "Sara" because the majority of it dealt with the emotional fallout of Team Arrow from the death their good friend. Sara really craved herself a big role in the Arrowverse in her season on the show and her death affected everyone in different ways. Felicity cried a lot. Diggle honored her by naming his baby girl Sara. Roy thought of Thea. Laurel went apeshit (as usual) and made dumb decisions. But for Ollie his identity came into question again. Can he be regular guy Oliver Queen and the Arrow? He can't be a human and mourn his friend (and former lover) because as he says the Arrow is the person they all look to to be strong and always on task. It's the question of the season and once again comes is woven into the story here seamlessly. The villain of the episode Komodo was a lot different from his comic counterpart but is still alive so he could definitely make more appearances coming up. Meanwhile in the flashbacks we got a classic situation of Amanda Waller being a huge bitch (she makes the tough decisions). It was a good way to segue into what sorts of activities Ollie will be up to while in Hong Kong. Lastly we get a cool glance at a badass Thea and Papa Merlyn. Excited to see where those two fit in this season. Overall I give this episode an 8.5 out of 10. It may have not been the most action packed episode, but it showed us how much Sara meant to this cast of characters. The hunt for Sara's killer will definitely continue to be a huge storyline for this season. Could big bad Ra's Al Ghul be behind it? We shall see.

Thanks for reading. Who do you think killed Sara? What did you think of Arrow's second episode? Sound off in the comments. Make sure to check out our reviews every week and follow our live action tweeting of every episode @Caped_Informers and @cstrand73. 

Arrow Jukebox Pick of the Week: This song goes out to our dearly departed Sara. Miss ya love...