Post — Aaron Ngo

Arrow season six is ramping up the tension! They gave us New Team Arrow, ARGUS Diggle, and Oliver trying to take down Diaz in their own ways. This is not a good episode. There were a lot of moments I went "why?" and "ugh"... a lot of it involves Ricardo Diaz being taken seriously.

I can't take him seriously. His centric episode proved how ineffective he is. My review on that episode is here. I enjoyed Oliver and Anatoli because they were a strong part of season five and season two.

Black Siren and Quentin Lance also had their moments. I'm excited for Sara Lance to get into that dynamic and to weigh her opinion on her sister's doppelgänger. I mean, if this one doesn't work out. Team Flash has a spare one somewhere.

But enough build up. Let's get into this.

Spoilers moving forward:

Green Arrow goes to Russia to pay a debt he owns the Bratva. In exchange, Oliver wants them to let Anatoli return. They accept his terms and give him a knife as proof for Anatoli. However, Anatoli has no interest in returning and stays with Diaz, knocking Oliver out with a taser.

Anatoli takes Oliver hostage and later to Diaz himself. Signs of their friendship dynamic still exist throughout their interactions. The way Anatoli belittles Oliver for trying to work alone and without a team was the best part... hopefully Oliver learns from that, but I doubt it.

Turns out Oliver knew Anatoli would turn him over to Diaz. He wanted to confront the man and get his chance at saving his city. After Diaz beats Oliver while chained, Anatoli proposes a fair fight because there is no honor in beating a defenseless man.

Ricardo Diaz agrees. Whoever loses must leave Star City. Oliver accepts the terms and they duke it out. Oliver should not have problems taking this thug down. Yes, I'm sure Diaz had training of his own, but Oliver has been trained by the most dangerous fighters out there (Yao Fei, Slade, Malcolm, Shado, Maseo, Anatoli, Ra's Al Ghul and Talia Al Ghul). He should not be having issues taking this guy down.

While Oliver does indeed get the upper hand though, Diaz cheats and whips out a weapon, stabbing Oliver. This shows Anatoli that he sided with the wrong man. But this is too late because Diaz decides to sentence Oliver to prison. He has his corrupt officers storm his place and arrest the former mayor for being the Green Arrow.

Meanwhile, Rene has returned after a long absence. I did not miss him. I'm simply tired of New Team Arrow and their smug attitudes about Oliver Queen. They get back into the action thinking they're the only ones who can stop Diaz. That's cute.

They go out to stop a drug deal involving Diaz's old crew the Scorpions but it turned out to be a weapons trade for The Quadrant. The Scorpions are double-crossed, and NTA are caught in the crossfire. Diggle and his ARGUS team arrive to save them.

Diggle makes amends with NTA and they decide to work together on this. Wow let's pause and talk about how NTA forgave him so easily. This is ludicrous how Diggle had to apologize to them... they were the ones in the wrong. It's like they keep forgetting Rene actually did betray the team and compromised Oliver's secret identity.

Rene is having a hard time adjusting back as Wild Dog. He's scared he'll leave his daughter alone if something happened to him. Diggle talks him through this fear and that it'll take time for him to readjust. He ultimately sits the next mission out to sort out his issues.

ARGUS and NTA, lead by Diggle, stop the next drug/weapon shipment working together. I thought this was going to blow up in their faces, but they managed to put a dent in Ricardo Diaz's plan.

Black Siren and Quentin Lance have stuff going on too. They were having a nice lunch until Diaz arrives and informs Quentin about having Laurel as a girlfriend. Diaz wants Quentin to sign a paper for some property. He refuses to play along and resents Laurel E2 for her betrayal.

Side note: Diaz keeps calling Laurel "baby" throughout the episode and it made me uncomfortable. It did not sit well with Laurel as well because she is terrified of him for setting that man on fire last week.

I don't get Laurel's fear of the man. It's almost like they put her in an abusive relationship with Diaz, but she is clearly stronger than him with her Canary Cry. I don't know how to make of this. She claims Diaz is the worst man she's worked for... worse than Adrian Chase? I'm not buying it, but it's bringing Quentin and her closer and I'm down for that.

The episode ends with everyone seeing Oliver arrested and his bail revoked. Felicity cameos to see her husband on TV and she comforts William.

We're getting closer to the finale, and I am too eager to see this season end. Better luck next season Arrow because you can't come back from this.

Back to Blog