Post — Aaron Ngo

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

I believe we all had our concerns when this spin-off was announced. On paper, a show centered around Oliver Queen’s daughter seems like an amazing idea. However, with Arrow ending and its issues of repetition being put to rest, I was worried that this Mia Smoak spin-off would end up making those same mistakes except with a genderflop twist on the whole thing.

Thankfully, I was wrong. This episode did a lot to prove itself as a spin-off while also being an essential follow-up to the Crisis ramifications that affected the Arrowverse.

Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and Dinah (Juliana Harkavy)’s onscreen chemistry is utilized and re-characterized based on how they are brought to the Year 2040. While I grew curious on Dinah’s role, the writers decide to make that a Crisis consequence by wiping Dinah’s existence from the timeline and dropping her in 2040 for mysterious reasons. Laurel is connected with Sara from Legends, and traveled to 2040 in order to change its dark 2041 Fate. I liked how they tied Crisis to the plot because… that’s effective and makes viewing this episode important even if one didn’t know this was a backdoor pilot.

Oh Yeah. 2040 is a crime-free city since Oliver died to rebirth the multiverse. Mia Queen (Katherine McNamara) is a socialite, and grew up with William during childhood. She is also good friends with an alive Zoe Ramirez and different Connor Hawke. Mia and JJ are cute, in love, and engaged in this timeline. The show was careful not to mention Felicity, which I’m fine with because they’ll confirm Felicity’s ending in the series finale.

Anyway, the basic plot is Laurel travels to 2040 to find Dinah and get her help in saving Bianca Bertinelli. If not, Star City is doomed to a dark future in 2041 despite it currently being crime-free. They will need Mia’s help too because she is connected to Bianca via socialite life.

Let’s talk about Mia’s new socialite life post-Crisis. She has everything she could ever want except one thing. A sure way to live up to Oliver Queen’s legacy. When Mia had Crisis memories returned to her, there was a scene where she confessed how the life before wasn’t enough because she gave up on trying to honor her father. Now, being Green Arrow is her way of fulfilling that emptiness she felt throughout her cozy life.

Also the fashion and soundtrack were stellar in this episode. Hopefully once the show gets green lit, they keep this consistent. Mia, Laurel, and Dinah looked amazing in all their outfits this episode. The three of them are going to save the city for the better. It makes me happy knowing Oliver Queen’s legacy will carry on through this show.

Aside from the three women, I’m not sure who will have significant roles on this show. Definitely JJ and Connor Hawke if they go the love triangle route with Mia. I hope Zoe and William are part of the main cast when this show airs, but William getting taken puts the whole thing in question. I guess we shall see. I will not overthink it.

Overall, the backdoor pilot set-up a lot of mysteries without being too overwhelmed. They layered in the plot so well that it doesn’t seem urgent that they get answers. JJ’s Deathstroke memories have been restored to him, this mysterious “she”, and Helena Bertinelli’s disappearance in addition to William’s kidnapping are a good foundation.

I’m excited to keep watching Green Arrow and the Canaries.

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