MALCOLM MAKES HIS MOVE – Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) learn that Merlyn (John Barrowman) is going to try to break Darhk (guest star Neal McDonough) out of prison. Meanwhile, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) gets a surprising offer and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) has a heart-to-heart talk with Curtis (guest star Echo Kellum). Rob Hardy directed the episode written by Marc Guggenheim & Keto Shimizu (#AR418). Original airdate 4/6/2016.
Image credit: The CW
Commentary - Laurel/Black Canary have deserved better. Anyone remember when Laurel was the lead female character of the show? Misstep after misstep.... Hat's off to Katie Cassidy. She's been classy and patient through all the trolls online, frustration with being separated from the rest of the plot, and training to be the strongest she could to do her own stunt work. Always classy in interviews and on social media despite people giving her so much shit.
The Black Canary is one of DC's longest running female superheroes, with a story entwined with The Green Arrow's. To do this......why even call this a superhero/comic show anymore? This show was amazing when Greg Berlanti was involved on a more daily business. I wish he'd stayed as more than an overseer. A lot of people are done with Arrow after tonight and that's really sad. That takes really pissing most people off for them to completely abandon a show that used to be must-see TV.
I'm an editor and writer for a living, so don't even get me started on this whole producers' quote of "We didn't know who we were going to kill, just that we wanted a permanent death in a grave at the beginning of season 4." Um, what? Okay - when writing a book, there are two ways - plotting and seat-of-the-pants. Plotters work off a detailed outline and pretty much stick to it. Pantsers have an idea and an end goal and figure out the ways to get to the end as they go. TV dramas are written based on outlines! The whole point is to have known beats you're hitting through a season. Writers meet at the end of the previous season to start plotting the new one, so it's TOTALLY BOGUS that they wanted to do a death without figuring out who it would be at the same time of that decision. Unfocused writing for TV gets a TV show canceled because the audience sees that you're making it up as you go and have no clue what you're doing!
Will I - K.C. - enjoy the rest of season 4? I don't know. This show needs to seriously impress me and at least make this stupid death count for a hell of a lot. Laurel was part of Oliver's life since they were kids. THAT MEANS SOMETHING.
I've collected all the interviews I've seen post-airing at the forum.
Episode 18:
Diggle's apartment. Andy opens a safe and gets a gun and loads it. John turns the light on. What's going on? Andy says HIVE knows I'm alive, John. Malcolm reached out. 2 nights ago. Andy's freaked. Merlyn asked me to break Damian out of jail. What do I do???
Arrow Cave. Laurel and Thea and Oliver discussing Malcolm and Damian. The idol is in the Cave. Oliver says he's seen that Idol before on Lian Yu. Laurel says you really don't like sharing about that place, do you? LOL. Diggle says security upgrades are in place. Diggle wants to keep Andy where he is. Oliver says that's a lot of pressure. Diggle vouches for him. Rive Darhk wants Oliver's loser speech.
Oliver and Laurel attend her acceptance as mayor. 40% wrote in for Oliver instead. Historic. Rive thanks Oliver for coming. She is impressed with Laurel's handling of the trial. The DA is deputy mayor and I'd like you to succeed him as DA.
Lian Yu. Oliver and Taiana. He tells her you can't hesitate to kill up there, understand? She says this place is hell. It makes monsters of us all. She has an old photo of herself and her brother. He says a photo like that used to help him for a time, but that person wouldn't survive here. You won't, either, if you don't focus on the task at hand.
Diggle and Oliver staking out Andy's place for the meet.
Thea asks Laurel if she's taking the job. Don't know. Thea's stopped calling Malcolm Dad. He enters. With Assassins. Hand over the Idol and there won't be trouble. The girls fight with the assassins. Malcolm went for the Idol.
Diggle gets the signal. Oliver says get me in position. League assassins attacking the truck.
Malcolm gets to the box. Thea intercepts.
Green Arrow and Andy and Spartan save the shipment. Because it was easy.
Thea gets Malcolm at the throat, but hesitates, doesn't kill him, and he punches her.
Laurel takes out the assassins. Idol is gone. She helps Thea up.
Back to the bunker. Laurel says they're gone. Thea says Malcolm took the Idol. Laurel says he's vanished. Thea wants to hit the streets. Diggle will talk to Andy. Oliver says don't put him in a compromised position. Diggle says he already is. Laurel says talk to me. Oliver says Merlyn's men weren't even trying. What if Andy is playing us? Laurel says that's John's brother, though. Be sure before you make an accusation that you and John can't recover from. Her dad texts.
Island. Taiana screams. Rants to the men about Conklin and stuff. Gets weapons. She and Oliver taking out the guards. Freeing the captives.
Laurel and Quentin at a restaurant. Discussing the DA offer. He says no. You wouldn't be let out of their sight. I'm glad you're the Black Canary. You gotta know that this job means taking off that mask forever.
Thea sharpening a sword. Andy calls John. He's got eyes on Merlyn. Team shows up and they go after Merlyn. And get trapped. Separated. Andy takes an arrow for Oliver. Get to Iron Heights now. If Darhk gets that Idol, no prison can hold him.
Merlyn reaches Damian. Do you have it?? Merlyn reminds him of the terms. Sparing him and Thea from Genesis. Damian says attention to detail is essential. It's missing a piece. Find the stone, or Genesis is not what you have to fear.
Diggle patches up Andy. Andy thinks he'd a dead man, and they'll come for you, too. John says there's a piece missing. Merlyn delivered an ugly paperweight. I hid it myself. Oliver tells John that this info needs to stay secret. Less people know the better. John asks why doesn't he have your trust? Laurel wants to go as ADA and have the prison searched. Oliver says do it. Oliver gives Thea directions. Tells Andy and John to go home. Oliver's going to run down a lead.
Island. Oliver and Taiana fighting for the prisoners. Get to the surface and go for the boats. Oliver spots C4. We'll trap Reiter.
Laurel visits Damian. Search every cell on this tier. Damian says if I'm the man your father claims, you'd be in a lot of trouble now. Comforting to know his heart is in the right place. A father that'd do anything to protect his daughter from the Darhk. HEH.
Oliver fights Andy. What are you looking for? Andy says surveillance. They could've hid bugs here. Oliver thinks Andy has been playing us the entire time. Andy says I'm on your side! I told John to give you another chance, but I was wrong! What does Darhk have planned? John comes home to see Oliver hurting Andy. He pulls a gun on Oliver. Let him go. Oliver does. Dig, you can't trust him. John says Get Out Now.
Bunker. John confronts Oliver. Oliver cites Andy's potential sins. You tell me to not have a blind spot for family. John cites all Oliver said. Oliver says I'm what those 5 years turned me in to. John says not all men are like you. Some of us change, grow, evolve. You're stuck in your self pity and self righteousness and that is why Felicity left you. My brother is my business and you have no right to judge him. Laurel and Thea stay. No idol at the prison.
The prison. Books handed to prisoners by the guy with the mouth sewn shut.
Laurel asks Oliver if he's okay. He tells her what happened with John. She says she's turning down the job. He says the team is falling apart. John....Thea....Felicity's gone. You've worked to become DA. She says that's a lifetime ago. He says Sara's not dead anymore. This city has enough heroes with masks on. This city needs Laurel Lance.
Damian's cell is open. Knives in all the books. And the idol in the cart. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. Prison riot. Damian's happy at all the chaos.
Team sees what's happening on prison security video. Laurel suits up one last time.
Quentin gets to Iron Heights. He's making a commotion to give a distraction for Team Arrow. Spartan came with Andy. He's here to prove he can be trusted. Team searches for Darhk. Prisoners attack. Short fight. Andy and John take out more. Merlyn vs. Thea.
Damian has his idol. He says kill the hostages. Spartan and Andy and the team come in and start fighting. Damian watches.
Malcolm vs. Thea. He wins because she no longer has the urge to kill. He leaves.
Andy held. Damian picks up a gun. He'll shoot in 3. John gives up. Green Arrow relaxes. Andy hands over the gem. Sorry, man. John asks was there ever a chance for you? Damian says he's been way beyond reach. Thea shoots Damian. He's bleeding from two arrows. Idol needs sacrifices. He has power again. Sorry about your buddies. Who wants to go for a walk outside? He knows Green Arrow is Oliver Queen. And Laurel and John and Thea. Merlyn says we need to go now. Damian says Ms. Lance, I made your dad a promise. Oliver fires at him. Damian says I want you to give your father a message, and stabs Laurel with Oliver's arrow. I'm a man of my word. Damian releases them. Oliver picks up Laurel. You're gonna be alright, alright? You're gonna be alright.
Oliver carries her into hospital. You have to help her. Please! Doc says Let her go so I can do my job. Leave! Go!
Island. Taiana asks Oliver if he still looks at the picture. He still has Laurel's photo. She was my home. I don't know what she'll think of the man I become. Taiana says if I don't make it, go to Russia and tell my family. If you don't make it, I'll find this Laurel. Deal? Deal.
Reiter has the idol juiced up again.
Quentin at the precinct. Who did Darhk hurt? The Black Canary. Real bad. He asks to be let out of here. Get Pike on the phone. I need out of here for an hour. Please.
Felicity and the others join Oliver at the hospital. Laurel's in surgery. Damian gone, with 50 or so inmates, and Andy. John says you warned me and I didn't listen. I won't be able to forgive myself. Laurel wheeled into a room. She's gonna be fine. She's a strong woman. She's been asking for you. They go in the recovery room. Laurel asks about Darhk. Felicity says don't worry about him. Laurel says I was going to give up the Black Canary, but I don't know how I could. This makes me feel alive inside. I love you guys so much. We love you. Thea says we should let you rest. They leave Oliver with her. He's not leaving. Laurel wants something from her left pouch. He brings it to her. Cries. You kept this? Yeah. It's a photo, THE photo. Reminder of simpler things for us. I'm glad you found Felicity. I hope you find the way back to her. I'm not the love of your life, but you'll always be the love of mine. Promise me something.
Hallway. Thea says Lance is on his way. Crash cart coming to the room. Seizing. Embolism. Paddles used on Laurel. Again. CPR. They work and work. Come on, Laurel. Time of death 11:59. Oliver walks out in disbelief. Quentin arrives. Staggers. Collapses. Fuck, it's hard to type when I'm crying like this.
April 27 - the funeral.
So yeah, I hate that Laurel brought up Felicity, though I guess it made sense in her speech. I wish we knew what the promise was.
No comments:
Post a Comment