Arrow S03E02 – Review

Sara may not have been with the show from the beginning, but over the second season she became the most prominent figure of the Lances, an active player in both Ollie’s present and past lives. Her last-second death in the third season premiere delivered the desired shock, but respect demands that not be the end of it. The worst mistake the show could have made after such an event would be to start this episode with the funeral. Fortunately, Arrow has proven its integrity in these matters.

Much of the change in the second season was driven by the death of Tommy Merlyn: Ollie’s shift from vengeance to heroism and Dinah’s downward spiral, the effects of both rippling through all the other show’s characters. These changes were a direct response to the circumstances of his death—selflessly saving Dinah in the midst of his father’s ruin—and it looks like Sara’s passing will inspire a similar, albeit smaller period of self-reflection.

For now, let’s set aside the inevitable evolution of Dinah into Black Canary, which Sara fulfilled in protean form. It’s too easy to cynically view Sara’s death as imposed solely to clear the way for her sister to take her place, which Dinah begins to do by wedging herself into Team Arrow’s fieldwork. Dinah has already gone through one cycle of self-destruction and has no plans for another (“I know that a bar is the last place I should be.”); rising above vengeance is the only course left.

More interesting is how Team Arrow proper takes the passing of one of their own. For both Diggle and Felicity, it seems to reinforce their recent awareness of the danger this venture poses. Diggle, true to character, doesn’t waver much, but Felicity’s led to renege on her fierce promise never to work for Ray Palmer,* deciding that she wants more out of life than to be the female Chuck.** It’s unclear how this alters her commitment to Ollie, but the distance between them just widened that much more.

Ollie’s no less committed to his mission post-Sara, only more discouraged by its gloomy nature: “One of these days, it’s going to be me. This life I’ve chosen, it only ends one way.” But that’s old news. The real change brought about his ex-flame’s murder is a reminder to enjoy his loved ones while he can, a sentiment Roy shares, as both turn their attention to Thea, the biggest loose thread from season two. Now that Diggle and Felicity are slowly backing off from Arrow activities, Ollie will rely on Roy more than ever, which may be a reason why he reacts so neutrally to Roy’s confession about his part in Thea’s disappearance (another is that he and Roy are guilty of the same deception that drove her away).

Their improved teamwork is on full display as they take on Simon LaCroix (a.k.a. Komodo), the primary antagonist of Jeff Lemire’s Green Arrow run. The television LaCroix turns out to be an even flatter character than his comic book counterpart, an archer-for-hire out to stop an unfavorable business deal by assassination and [Spoiler alert!] not Sara’s murderer. That’s a mystery to be solved another day, perhaps when Team Arrow encounter the resurrected Malcolm Merlyn, perhaps when they run into another major figure from the League of Assassins.***

-Minhquan Nguyen