‘Arrow’ season 3, episode 18 review: Roy Harper’s redemption
This is turning out to be a heck of a week for DC Comics adaptations on The CW. One night after “The Flash” airs what may very well be a top five episode of the season for them, “Arrow” comes and does the same thing with “Public Enemy.” While you could say that there were elements of this that were a tad reminiscent of season 1 at times, this was a thrilling, powerful showcase into what makes a hero, and what someone will be willing to do to protect others.
We have to start with the biggest shocker of all, and this is following Oliver Queen’s decision to turn himself in to Captain Lance and the Starling City PD. Thanks to Ra’s al Ghul kidnapping him, Quentin finally knows the truth about who the Arrow really is. This was handled in many ways brilliantly, given that it allowed us a real chance to see him turn back the clock, and realize now just how much many of Oliver’s myriad of actions make sense from start to finish. He was on the island with Sara, he was trained there, and he came back to make the city better. Every piece to the puzzle was in front of him, and maybe he was relying too heavy on an exoneration as the truth.
Then, right when Lance thought the nightmare for him was over and the man he wanted behind bars was on his way, Roy Harper shows up, dressed in the green costume, and proclaims that he is the one they are looking for. This is going to be a tough sell for our beloved red-hooded man. Lance already knows that Roy is Arsenal (even if he doesn’t know the name), but is there any other substantial proof of it. Can Oliver really use this in order to get away? The implication for Roy is that this is redemption, and a chance for him to do something that he never did back when he killed the cop while on mirakuru: Face justice. He gave himself so Oliver can roam free, and that is a powerful sacrifice.
Performance-wise, Colton Haynes has to be thrilled with what is some of his best material of the entire series to date. As of late, most of Roy’s big moments have come with him just hanging around Thea at the bar, her home, his home, and so on. Thea’s probably not too pleased about it, though she makes a living not being pleased with Roy at this point.
Also, this was a great episode for the most part for Felicity, given that she started to understand further that she cares about Ray, who was badly injured in the early attack and admitted to the hospital. However, she doesn’t love him, and her mother was present for a soundboard on this. We’re not entirely sure what Mama Smoak was saying about her “making a choice” between the two, though, given that Oliver has to choose her back and he’s busy dragging his feet … for now. Given that everyone knows that he is the Arro, is there really that much of a point in hiding his feelings for her? She’ll be a target regardless, given that she works with him. There are real chances now for Olicity, and there are fewer reasons for fear.
Beyond the relationship part of the Felicity storyline, we may actually have the foundation of Ray’s powers this week, given that he was injected with nanotechnology that saved his life, but may have some convoluted aftereffects. Time will tell on that one, and we may end up actually seeing them manifest more in “All-Star Team-Up” over on “The Flash” a week from Tuesday.
What we know is that in between Paul Blackthorne’s killer performance tonight, all of the revelations in Starling City, and even the pretty-solid stuff with Shado’s sister in Hong Kong (difficult as it may be to see where it is going), this was an excellent episode through and through. If we are going off the air for two weeks, we’re happy that we are leaving with this. Grade: A-.
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