Amidst the endless stories surrounding the big-screen Batwoman of Steel: Justice movie, The CW's small-screen superhero adaptation continues to deliver excellent episode after excellent episode. Arrow is doing so well in fact that its star Stephen Amell is constantly being pulled into the Warner Bros and DC Entertainment rumor mill. The actor has been clear in the past that he would obviously kill for a chance to play Oliver Queen/Green Arrow alongside Henry Cavill's Clark Kent/Superman, Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne/Batman and Gal Gadot's Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in the cinematic DCU but doesn't take kindly to his words being twisted to suggest that he's sat down for such discussions with the studio. And we've all seen what he's capable of (I mean, the salmon ladder) so Starling City ‘dickweeds’ like Brother Blood and Deathstroke aren't they only ones that should watch their step.
5. The Bloods
Unlike "Blast Radius" with Schrapnel causing destruction in Starling City, "Blind Spot" didn't concern itself with a villain of the week and instead focused on the second season's mid-level boss Sebastian ‘Brother’ Blood. For our heroes, however, the 'man in the skull mask' is still very much the big bad and the episode opened with the potential mayor visiting his 'Aunt' Maya at St. Walker's Hospital. Last week we learned that Maya (based on or just named after Anna 'Mother Mayhem' Resik) was actually Sebastian's mother and he, like all Brother Bloods, killed his father. And now her too. The scene reminded me a lot of Scarecrow confronting Falcone in Batman Begins except the mobster made it out of that encounter alive. The same cannot be said for Maya. Or Cyrus Gold, who keeps getting mentioned because, well, he's likely to return. Maybe on a Monday?
4. Slade Is Deathstroke, Deathstroke Is Slade
As bad as Sebastian Blood seems to be (the dude killed his parents), he's nothing compared to former hero turned second season final boss Slade Wilson. Sorry for the videogame terminology in a the breakdown of a comic-book adaptation. After almost killing Ollie in the flashbacks, he's since runaway with all the mirakuru and disappeared on Lian Yu. Of course, we know that Oliver ends up 'killing’ Slade at some point in the past - well, he at least makes the mercenary sport that eye-patch, plus black-out that portion of his spiffy new, heavy-duty helmet (masks are for gods) - and that prompts Deathstroke to return for some vengeance. And for him, revenge is a dish best served as multiple dishes, meaning every single person that Oliver loves is in the villain's sights. Sight. All because of a (dead) girl.
3. All Aboard The Amazo
Okay. I know 'just a girl' doesn't do Shado justice. She's an amazing character, one that I hope also resurrects somehow (perhaps a miracle?), but I wanted to fit in the love triangle reference as a segue to those actually responsible for her death. Something tells me that Slade isn't going to handle the news that Ollie chose to save Sara's Canary instead of their island ally (and his secret crush) well and perhaps blame the 'kid' for the loss. I imagine that Dr. Ivo - who continues to prove himself quite unlikable ('bitch') - and the entire crew of the Amazo should also be weary of the mirakuru'd out mercenary. But who gets to who first? Will Ollie or Sara suffer some of Ivo's scientific torture or does Deathstroke continue to earn his name? Both?
2. Raging Red Arrow
Since we’re talking about mirakuru’d out characters, it’s only fitting to move from Slade to Roy with the latter also going through some trouble staying sane after getting dosed with the Japanese super-serum. Mr. Harper is experiencing what the show’s twitter called ‘Royd-Rage’ and this simmering anger is causing some separation from Speedy. Sorry, Thea. Fortunately, Ollie is keeping an eye on him and the burgeoning superhero also shares his secrets with Sin to keep from going over the edge. Though he does come quite close during the sting to nab the ‘Starling City Slasher,’ beating the wealthy lawyer within an inch of his life. The bad deed gets rewarded, however, because the Arrow finally takes Roy fully under his wing, signalling the proper origins of the Red Arrow. Hood up!
1. Laurel ‘Starling Cannery’ Lance
Oh, Laurel. Pills? Did we need the pill popping storyline for her character? That seems like the most obvious play for the addict's daughter but at least it led to some interesting developments for the Starling City A.D.A. Sorry, former A.D.A. That's one of those developments. Even though she's doping, Laurel is also the only one onto Sebastian Blood and that gets her working with the Arrow. The dynamic duo get away with the B&E but Officer/Brother Daley was somehow able to secure a warrant for her apartment and find the stolen meds so it's a cell (the first of two cages) for the future Black Canary. That's what I think at least, there's no turning back after her first taste of vigilantism. And murder. I wonder how her sister will feel about Laurel taking the tights? Especially since the older Lance also took Ollie. Oh, and the mention of D.A. Spencer leaves me wondering when if/when/how we'll see Manhunter?
Arrow returns with "Tremors" next Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. Created by Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti, the DC Comics inspired series stars Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Willa Holland, Colton Haynes, Manu Bennett, Paul Blackthorne and Susanna Thompson.
