Post — Aaron Ngo

Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.

As a result of my successful writing a novel progress, I have been way behind on my blog reviews, but I am catching up right now. In these episode reviews, I wanna touch upon the best moments because I think it’s important to discuss Diggle’s family drama, Roy’s return to present day, and Tommy’s unexpected return in depth before we watch the season 7 finale.

The episode “Spartan” focused heavily on John Diggle and his stepfather, paralleling the flashforward story kind-of effectively with Connor Hawke and his adoptive brother John Diggle Jr. (“JJ”). Honestly, the very fact Roy Stewart, Diggle’s stepfather, existed and Diggle told literally nobody was a nice change of pace. Felicity and her ignorance about weaponizing Archer… I couldn’t believe she didn’t see how this could be used for evil.

“Confessions” saw Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) return to the present day storyline finally. I thought his reappearance was way too late in the season. In my opinion, I would’ve positioned Roy Harper’s return earlier because it feels smashed too close in the season finale. The chemistry between Oliver and Roy continues to amaze me, and the twist about the bloodlust was somewhat predictable, but I like it. The whole detective vibe was a cool storytelling change-up, but now Team Arrow is heading toward their flashforward destiny.

“Living Proof” is my favorite episode in the entire season. Tommy returned and brought the hammer down on Oliver Queen. All the Tommy / Oliver scenes turned out to be inside his head for the entire episode, but I was disappointed / impressed at the same time. I did enjoy the irony seeing Oliver trapped by a pillar like Tommy was all those years ago. The acting and chemistry between the two characters / actors is insanely fresh. I was in awe the entire time, and I will forever hate-love Arrow for killing him off. Otherwise, the rest of the episode was lackluster. The characters were put in scenarios we knew they’d survive because the flashforwards are a thing.

Emiko Queen needed more screentime because this isn’t right. I love the character’s potential, but I think her motives became unclear and inconsistent (finding mother’s killer turned to destroying Oliver Queen’s legacy). She is the first female antagonist, Oliver’s half-sister, and the story bones to carry a powerful story about being an Asian character. If the writers had killed off Diaz after season six or added Emiko to the set-up Longbow Hunters (I theorized she was a member, and hated I was proven wrong!), the storylines would be much stronger. The Ninth Circle were too sloppily introduced, and Dante was killed too early.

Overall, the season seven finale has a lot to answer to make everything come full circle toward flash-forward: Felicity Smoak’s departure / pregnancy, Roy Harper’s exile to Lian Yu, John Diggle adopting Connor, Bronze Tiger’s son, Nyssa training Mia, Laurel Lance Earth-2 becoming Black Canary, Dinah creating the Canaries, Rene’s turn to politics because Archer destroys Star City to enrich the Glades, Oliver’s disappearance (I theorize he’s going back to prison because he can’t die until the crossover event), and the flash-forward cliffhanger involving everyone getting arrested.

I am looking forward to the final ten episodes (season eight).

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