"The Dragon"
DIAZ SETS HIS SIGHTS ON THE QUADRANT — Looking to expand his empire, Diaz (guest star Kirk Acevedo) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) meet with The Quadrant, a coalition of mafia families who run national organized crime. Meanwhile, after Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) recent decision, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Curtis (Echo Kellum) double their efforts on building Helix Dynamics. Gordon Verheul directed the episode written by Spiro Skentzos & Elizabeth Kim (#619). Original airdate 4/19/2018.
Episode 19:
Church. Zandie Orphanage 32 years ago. Starling City. A teen is bullying a little boy. Threatens him with a lighter. The boy says he'll tell Sister Heller. Teen tells him to take a shot. I'm right here. He burns the boy's photo. No family will take you in. You're a loser.
Bludhaven. Present day. Dragon and Siren. She's tired of waiting. Breaks into a building. He says patience is one of the most important virtues a person can have. Want something remarkable, you have to think long term. He's been working on something for 5 years. What's 2 years? Small price to pay for entry into the Quadrant. They control crime all over the country. Car arrives. You're early. My father couldn't make it. Dragon says we have a lot to discuss.
Curtis gets to Felicity's. What's wrong? He says it's been a while since we've done any Helix Dynamics stuff. He says Rene's still in the hospital and only now ready to get out. She says sorry. She says the neural interface is still twitchy. He works on it.
Dragon tells them Star City is open for business. Man says assuming we're interested, how much? Dragon says free. He wants a seat at the table. Seems reasonable to me. Man says you make it seem like a potluck. But it's not. We're a family. Not welcoming to outsiders. Not before we know you can operate at our level. Dragon says I offered a whole city. The man says my father sent me. We're looking for a little extra. The FBI pinched one of our guys. We need to know where they're holding him. Dragon says not a problem. Asks for the bathroom.
He goes to the mirror. Punches it.
Arrow logo had a dragon behind it.
**Bludhaven is Dick Grayson's city as Nightwing - the role he graduated to after being Robin.
Dragon at the location now. Siren with him. She's impatient. He has to get a proof of life photo. She taunts him. You're giving in too much. He says it's just business. That guy is a stepping stone. Long term thinking, remember? She remembers. How's that working out for you. He takes photos. She says fetch, roll over, sit.....good boy. He says when I join the Quadrant, I'll have an empire. She grins.
Curtis and Felicity stabilized the program. We make a good team! He says speaking of.... She says don't say team. He pushes. She says Oliver fired me. Sort of. He had a run with Vertigo and went back to basics. No more team Arrow. John left about a week before. Curtis says now it's just Oliver....how are you doing? Fine. You're not fine.
Dragon shows the photo. Siren says your boy looked like a guest, not a prisoner. He says honey, easy, that's 30 year single malt. She says call me honey again and I might only break your legs. He likes her. Dragon wants to get to business. Man says my father will have to debrief the target. Fetch him? Dragon asks what's next...roll over? Play dead? You should've asked from the beginning. I don't like when people waste my time. Man says solve this problem and my dad will be eager to meet with you. Call when you have Bailor. What happened to your hand? I got angry with someone.
Siren cries through the door. Takes out agents. Dragon looks for Bailor. Shooting agents. He gets to Bailor. Dials for the car. Get on your feet. Move!
Bailor says I knew they'd send someone for me. I never snitched. Quadrant shoots both of them. Diaz wore a body armor vest. That packs a punch. Siren asks what would you do if they shot you in the head? He says I'd be dead. Getting shot wasn't part of the plan. Can't trust anyone these days.
Kid calls his father. Bailor dead. Diaz never saw it coming. Quadrant wants to make Star City theirs.
**Nice to see Diaz portrayed as the planner he's supposed to be by wearing the vest. Guy like him should wear it as part of his daily wardrobe.
**Still love Katie in the dark hair. I'm normally a long hair fan, but she could rock that wig cut as a real do. So hot. All of Siren's questioning of Diaz really shows she had a rough time on Earth 2. She's so jaded.
SUV stops outside a bar. Diaz and Siren. She says this plan has gotten complicated. Plans are like men, best to avoid the complicated ones. He says shucks, you think I'm not complicated. He was prepared for tonight. Opens the back. She says we should be heading back to Star City. He says you give up, I get up. She says I get up. But I'm not stupid, too. He says must be nice being pretty. Everything I wanted, I had to take. They enter the bar. He shoots to clear the crowd. Junior is not happy. Says it wasn't anything personal. She says bullets make it personal. Diaz asks did you ever have to fight for a meal? Not once. I had to fight for every scrap of food I ate as a kid. You don't know what it's like to be hungry, to want something so bad, you'd kill for it. Kid says he's killed. Diaz says not for survival. Kid's guys come in with guns. Diaz says they need to creep quieter. Kid says you're outnumbered. Diaz says you wouldn't think that if you knew what she can do.
Curtis and Felicity. She's working. Fridge has expired soda. Wow. She says Helix is the real work. Oliver can take care of himself. Curtis presses. She finally admits she's worried as hell. News shows footage of the Green Arrow in the Glades.
You're toying with him. Siren says what's a little fun between business partners. Kid is tied to a chair. Diaz says your daddy buy you this place? A shiny toy to distract you. I never got anything from my family. I grew up in an orphanage. Nuns and everything. Rolls up his sleeves to show burn scars. There was this older boy. Jesse thought he was better than me and I believed him. I was afraid of him. I'd cry every night. For years, he treated me like a worm. Like I was worthless. He treated me like I was his damn servant. He hits the kid. I'm nobody's servant now. Kid says my father will never give you what you want. Diaz is interested in the past. Siren asks why'd you try to kill him, Eric? Because I could. He cuts the kid. Kid confesses. Siren says they're selfish jerks. Eric says we never brought your proposal to the Quadrant. Diaz beats on him over and over. Grabs the knife again. She asks if he's satisfied. No. Diaz says if you want to live, tell me when the Quadrant is meeting. Kid says tonight.
Siren and Diaz in a car. She says we've moved on to crazy. He says it's manning up. She hates that phrase. Let's talk it through. He says you're better than 10 men. Trust me. She appreciates that, but you might be overestimating your powers of persuasion. He says trust me. She says I would if you'd tell me why you want in this club. He says it's about respect. She says while you disrespect yourself. He says Jessie still haunts him. She says now you're a king. Forget about him. He can't. All I had was my fear. So I named that fear the dragon. I've lived with the dragon for so long. All I had. Being part of the Quadrant is a type of power where I'll never be nothing again. She says you remind me of the guy that brought me to this Earth. He had so much hate. It controlled him. Diaz says I control the dragon. It does not control me. They arrive. Are you coming or not? She gets out of the SUV. Glad you decided to come. She says someone has to make sure you don't get killed. That's why he's glad. He lets the kid run into the hotel. And he's boobytrapped with a bomb. He and everyone in that room blows up. Diaz says think they saw that coming? LOL.
**So glad they finally gave Kirk Acevedo something to do! And he and Katie have good scene chemistry. The conversations are well written. Thank you, Spiro and Elizabeth.
**And OMG this show is so much better this week and that is hideously sad. I could watch a show with Dragon and Siren week after week. "Arrow", you have failed this network. We can only hope the change in showrunners next season improves things.
They prepare to enter. Siren is sent in first to scream. Diaz kills the rest. Beats on a man in a way she doesn't like watching. Hmm. They continue to another room. The boardroom. I went through a lot of trouble to get to this meeting. Didn't have to be that way, though. Father says you killed my son. C4 killed your son. He's not going to kill Diaz. He'll send him far away to a hospital that keeps men alive while other men carve pieces from them. Diaz says you could try. But it'll cost you billions. Annually. Father says take him. Woman says talk. Your life depends on it. Diaz says it wasn't supposed to be this was. Cartier son was supposed to arrange a bloodless meeting. Cartier senior didn't agree with that plan. Diaz came with a business proposal. Star City is controlled, a machine with efficiency. I control it all. It can be yours in exchange for a seat at this table. She doesn't see an empty chair. Cartier won't sit with Diaz. Diaz says he pushed me to it. Man has his limitations. Cartier calls him a street thug. Nothing. A loser. Diaz kills him. Lookie here. That's an empty seat. The woman says we're successful because we're deliberate and precise. Civilized. This is not. But you intrigue us, Mr. Diaz. We'd like to hear more. He sits. Let's get started.
**Interesting that the direction has Black Siren look concerned or turned off by Diaz's brutality. Is she softening, or is this a glitch of "Arrow" not keeping someone in character again? Redeeming her this season would be so cliche.
Diaz wears a ring. She asks him what's wrong? You're still on edge. He says a ring and a seat don't change anything. It's not over yet. One last thing I have to take care of. She looks worried.
Diaz drove to a house. Goes to the door. Knocks. Light comes on. Man opens it. Can I help you?
Felicity goes home, looks for Oliver. Turns on the TV. Explosion consumed a city block. No survivors. He enters the room. Are you okay? She hugs him. I saw the explosion on the news. He says I'm fine. She's not. Worrying about you out here is completely different than the bunker. I'm helpless out here. He says you're not helpless anywhere. I promised that guy in there I'd always come back. She says coming back won't always be your decision. He concedes. But he made the promise anyway. He makes the same promise to her. She kisses and hugs him.
Rooftop. Siren on her phone. I've been waiting an hour. Diaz brought the man. Who's this? The last thing I have to take care of. The man begs. I've got kids. I'll give anything. Diaz says you're lucky to have two dimes to rub together on e good day. How do you know me? Diaz says I've known you my whole life. Meet Jesse Federico. Jesse, meet Laurel. She says people aren't supposed to know Laurel is working with a crime lord. Diaz loves the sound of that. He pushes until Jesse finally remembers. Diaz thought he made a bigger impression. On your knees. She asks what are you doing? He's getting his payback. She thinks this is more than payback. Diaz puts lighter fluid all over Jesse. Shows him the photo. I took this from the fire. Stuck my hand right in. Had blisters. Raw cracked skin! For weeks! He opens a lighter. Jesse, you still like fire? Siren says Ricardo. Diaz says I promised myself, when the time was right, I'd get my payback. When I wasn't a loser. He lights Jesse on fire. Tosses the old photo in. She's not pleased.
Next ep - Oliver captured. Diaz vs Oliver fight. Diaz makes an offer: I put you on the ground, you leave Star City. You put me on the ground, I do the same.
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