Arrow 1×13 – Betrayal

I’m glad to say that Arrow topped last week’s excellent hour with an even better episode that really got the ball moving on a number of levels. Looks like the show I’ve been waiting for all along is just about ready to bust out the gate.

Although I so wanted a follow-up on Felicity Smoke and her hopeful initiation into Ollie’s gang, this hour had a ton of awesome developments. First off, how cool was it to see David Anders again in a villainous role? Much like on Alias, he felt like a perfect fit here. I love that someone finally estimated the number of arrows carried by our vigilante and used that information to capture him. Thankfully the writers didn’t off the bad guy like they’ve been doing all season long as he’s bound to make countless return appearances in the future (I’m hoping for next week).

Stephen Amell really proved himself this week as Ollie’s world came crashing down and he struggled to come to terms with Moira’s shady dealings. I love that he refused to even accept the possibility which culminated with Arrow crashing into the Queen building and capturing Moira. It really was a magnificent scene to bookend the episode with and probably the show’s most exciting cliffhanger yet.

This was Laurel’s hour, and Katie Cassidy really stepped up her game as well. I love how adept in combat Laurel was during the apartment attack. I guess she’s going to become The Black Canary sooner than we thought which is definitely a promising arc to go with. The show would greatly benefit from supplying Ollie with a straight-up team and I think bringing Laurel and Felicity on board could do wonders for the show.

The flashbacks were also compelling this week as we got our first taste of Oliver’s real fight training. Yao Fe’s ally (who lives on a decimated plain) was an intriguing presence and I want to learn more about him. However his backstory with the mask confused me a bit; there are two Deathstrokes now? Let’s hope this won’t get needlessly convoluted.

Bits & Arrows

– Moira sure threw that notebook into the fire fast.

– I kind of felt like Ollie was enjoying Tommy nagging about Laurel’s obsession with the hood. Amell played all the layers well throughout this exchange.

– Laurel arguing with her dad was a standout acting scene by Katie Cassidy. A highlight for her character this year.

– Stephen Amell’s reaction to the voice recording was a brilliant and emotional moment.

– Awesome sequence with Oliver infiltrating Cyrus’ mansion.

– I still have a huge problem with people (especially Laurel) not recognizing Oliver in the hood. All those convenient shadows are just too much. Surely you can find another way writers.

– Oh no; the “you failed this city” line is back. Nevertheless, it kind of worked here. Let’s just hope this was its final appearance.

Starling Quips

Moira: The only way to keep this family safe is for everyone in it to stop asking questions.

Conclusion
Action-packed and brimming with momentum, this was an outstanding hour of Arrow.

 Nad Rating
A