Well. That happened. This week’s Arrow threatens to turn the show in a whole new direction. I can’t even begin to guess where they take things next.
Getting to the episode itself, after watching it, I (and trusty Flarrow sidekick Christelle) went back to see a Facebook post Stephen Amell put up earlier in the week to describe the episode. With this template, let’s break down the episode using the Captain’s own words.
Read the full recap here: NOC Recaps Arrow: The Frustration of Justice | thenerdsofcolor.
Check out this week’s Arrow review! It’s long but I just have so many feelings about Oliver and Thea!
What was immediately fascinating about this episode is how the flashbacks were in Starling City and the present time was on Lian Yu, a cool contrast from seasons 1-2 where it was the reverse. Especially while in the direct middle of the five-year journey. I also noticed that the present and past were a bit more even this episode, as opposed to majority present, minimal past. The focus of both sides of this episode is Oliver’s relationship with his sister. I am so glad that Oliver told Thea the truth once again. As she said, now they truly have no secrets from each other (well, Oliver always has a few up his sleeve).
I wrote a piece defending the writing of Arrow’s Felicity Smoak this season, because I think her storyline this season has been oversimplified by viewers who think that all of her actions have had to do with Oliver’s waffling over their relationship.
Badass Digest recently wrote a piece explaining how Arrow has “failed” Felicity Smoak in its third season. It brings up a lot of great points about the ways in which her character has changed, but I think it unfairly places the blame on the Oliver/Felicity relationship, when I think things are a bit more complicated than that. Sara’s death, pieces of Felicity’s (of the admittedly little) backstory that we know, and the overall darkness of the season all help push Felicity to a darker place this season. And I think that’s okay for the show overall.
Check out my Arrow recap over on the Nerds of Color. I talk about each of last night’s vigilantes as well as the problematic and stereotypical representation of Latinos in Starling City. Ted’s cool, but maybe next time we see people from his community they aren’t talking in all “esses?”
I want to go about recap this a little differently this week. We encountered a lot of vigilantes in tonight’s episode, so I’ll talk about them and their story this episode one by one.But before I get there, BOXING GLOVE ARROW! Wow, they pulled it off! I feel like Ted Grant’s character was added into the show just to justify Oliver being around boxing gloves… I think they figured out how to incorporate that move in a great way that the fans really, really enjoyed and didn’t look overly stupid or forced. Kudos to the writers and production staff for that one!
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Now, we can’t go through this episode without talking about the… erm, racial aspects of the episode.
Omg. Can we get more stereotypical. Geez. Ese, vato, and now Paco dead in #Wildcat gym. Set up?? #DemBows#Arrow
