‘Arrow’ season 3, episode 15 review: Did Ra’s al Ghul kill Oliver Queen … again?

In many ways, “Nanda Parbat” is an episode of “Arrow” that functions as a midseason finale. It’s the last before a hiatus, and we heard many times over beforehand that this was one that the powers that be at the network were especially proud of.

After watching it, we certainly understand why! There was a heck of a lot going on in this hour, starting with Thea Queen running all over the place and telling the truth about killing Sara, but being under the influence of Malcolm. This led to Laurel trying to kill Malcolm, only to have the League of Assassins show up and whisk her away. This was a move orchestrated in part by Thea herself, who wanted to make sure that Malcolm went away and was property of the League. Therefore, it was no longer her problem.

So why would Oliver go? Basically, Sara and Thea were only a part of it. Instead, a part of it was revenge, and being haunted by what happened to him in “The Climb” with Ra’s knocking him off of the edge of a mountain.

The ending is what we’re still going to be processing for a while. Diggle joined Oliver to go to Nanda Parbat, and went through all of the trouble of finding Ra’s at the center of his home. He was captured, but what awaited him was a huge shocker: Ra’s wants Oliver to replace him, and not kill him. It’s exciting! We’re still not sure what to make of it, but we like the ambition very much. The same goes for Thea freeing Nyssa. As for what happened to Tatsu seemingly in the flashback, we saw that coming based on those cabin scenes earlier this season.

Also, Ray and Felicity slept with each other. Didn’t you see that coming? She’s firmly a member of Team Palmer now, mostly because of the fact that he is doing some of the things for her that Oliver is not … though he did also strap on that Atom armor before he really should have. (We’re still rooting for Olicity, though. Just saying.)

Overall, a heck of an episode; while it has not resolved every loose end, it’s still the best installment of the show we’ve seen in a long time. Grade: A-.

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