In terms of second-to-last episodes of a season, tonight was solid. It certainly set up what I assume will be an explosive (pun intended) finale next week.

To get right into it, the episode starts off nicely by setting up this idea of total peace amongst the varying main characters of Arrow. We see Ollie cooking with William and Felicity. Rene enjoys a hockey game with his daughter. Curtis spends time with his boyfriend and Dinah is in her element—pressing one of Diaz’s goons in an alley.

All seems well and right in their worlds, until it isn’t…

Just as we’re getting a moment to reflect on these scenes of happiness, they’re already dead and buried as Diaz sends his men to kill Team Arrow. As the viewer, you see this coming a mile away—you’re sort of just waiting for it and that’s okay. It works. Funny, though, no matter how far Diaz’s power reaches, he can’t seem to find a group of professional goons to finish the job on Ollie and company.

Something I really liked in this episode was the race to download and decode the flash drive. The “what could be on it” angle totally drew me in. I know Felicity says that it contained a list of everyone connected to Diaz and whom he has control over. However, I’m not sure we know that as a fact. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was different info on there.

Obviously, whatever it is, Diaz wants it bad. His behavior would suggest that maybe it’s a breadcrumb trail of people that leads to him, but I feel like that’s too easy, and Arrow likes to throw some curveballs just when you think you have an idea of what’s going on. For example, even though they say the drive was destroyed in the fire, I’m don’t think that’s the last we’ll see of it… 

Speaking potential curveballs…could Anatoly end up being the lowkey hero that ultimately unravels Diaz? It’s certainly looking that way. The obvious hint was him leaking info to Ollie, but he goes one (very important) step further. He plants the seed of doubt in Diaz’s mind that maybe it was the Quadrant who actually leaked the info and then came in to “save” him as a way to exert their power over him. If you’re going to beat Diaz, a good way to attack him is to go after his ego. It clearly works, as evidenced by Diaz becoming unhinged and killing two Quadrant heads.

These actions might be subtly digging him into a hole that could ultimately be his grave. Like a lot of men of his same mindset, the desire for power over all will be his demise. It’s only a matter of time. Part of me thinks that he got too big and has too many irons in the fire and that will contribute to his end.

The biggest twist tonight came when Ollie goes to Agent Watson—the FBI agent who was investigating him earlier in the season. Personally, I don’t really care too much for this character. She always seems like a walking cliché to me—the classic by-the-book, no BS authoritative figure. I was shocked Ollie went to her, but now I know why—she’s clean. She’s not owned by Diaz or anyone else. But more importantly, she’ll do the right thing and take Diaz down, no matter what it takes. I’m assuming she’ll have to bring in a hefty crew to do that. It’s going to be something of a monumental task of unraveling Diaz’s web in order to get to him.

I thought the best part of tonight’s episode came right after Ollie admits to her that he’s the Green Arrow. If you remember, she asked him for two things. One was for Ollie to admit he was the Green Arrow and the second was not revealed to us tonight. What could it be?

Watson’s main drive has always been having Ollie admit he was Green Arrow and that was satisfied tonight. I’m really curious what the second thing is. I’m thinking it’s something along the lines of an agreement that she’ll help Ollie, but with the understanding that Ollie has to turn himself in? What do you think?

Next Thursday can’t come soon enough!

Cheers,
Matt
 

Matt Ross covers Arrow as a part of the #DCTV Couch Club. Catch new episodes of Arrow Thursdays at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. CST) on The CW.