Arrow Season 3 Recaps: Episodes 13-15

The latest half of season 3 of Arrow has been one whirlwind of awesome to the next. Oliver’s back from the dead, Laurel is officially Black Canary, and Ray Palmer is only a few steps away from perfecting his A.T.O.M. suit. Can it get any crazier? Sure!

In the fashion of how Sarah Munson recapped most of theAgent Carter episodes, I’m going to recap the latest three Arrow episodes to prepare for the show’s second return this season (it’s currently on a few weeks break and will return March 18th). As Sarah stated: I’ve only seen each episode once, so don’t call your local city vigilante to tell me “I’ve failed this fandom.” And I’ll be lightly recapping each—spotlighting the most important parts.

Episode 13: Canaries

Air date: 2.11.15, The CW

photo from Arrow's Official Facebook page

Oliver has just returned to Star(ling?) City and has learned about Laurel taking up the mantle of Black Canary. He’s not happy. Diggle and the other team members support Laurel since she was around to help the city during Oliver’s absence.

Malcolm Meryln tells Oliver he thinks the only way to truly defeat Ra’s Al Guld is for Thea to join them in training—that way they can work together to take down the ancient master. Oliver knows this must mean he has to tell Thea about his work as the Hood/Arrow (still don’t know what they call him now). Her initial reaction is wonderstruck. She’s amazed that her brother had been the one to help so many people out.

However, at the same time, Zytle—known as Vertigo and the man behind the hallucination-inducing drug—escapes from prison and begins to set up his work once again. Laurel as Black Canary decides to take him on—only to get affected by the drug. When the hallucinations start, she sees Sara in full Canary gear taunting her. She fails and is only saved when Arrow and Arsenal (Roy for anybody wondering) arrive. Zytle escapes.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

After Laurel is tended to and the drug wears off, she faces her fear by talking to Felicity. She fears she cannot live up to her sister’s legacy, but Felicity encourages her to find another reason for being Black Canary. Sara had more than one reason to wear a mask; Laurel should find a deeper reason for doing so as well. (Yay for Felicity! Yay for Woman Talk! Yay for strong female relationships in a TV show!)

Thea and her DJ, Chase, has an intimate moment (aka they sleep together. Come on, Thea!), but right after, Thea realizes he aims to drug her. She fights him off, but Chase is a better fighter than she anticipated. Roy—Arsenal—breaks down the door to come to her rescue, but it isn’t until Merlyn arrives that Chase is pinned down. But the two-timer takes poison and dies before they can question him. (well, that escalated quickly)

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Finally, Oliver and Laurel narrow down where Zytle has retreated to. They release hostages he has taken, but Laurel is infected with Vertigo once more. She fights against the hallucinations of her sister and wins by beating Zytle senselessly. After finding approval with Oliver, Laurel tells her father about Sara’s death.

In the flashbacks, more happens between Oliver, Maseo, and Amanda Waller. Oliver tries to contact his family, but his caught and questioned by ARGUS about Maseo’s location. After a lot of torture and threats against his sister, Oliver reveals the location, only to find Maseo lied in case. However, Maseo is caught and Waller sends Oliver and Maseo to hunt down China White… In Starling City. (duh-duh-DUN!)

Episode 14: The Return

Air date: 2.18.15, The CW

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

As part of their training, Malcolm Merlyn demands Oliver and Thea face one of Oliver’s biggest fears: the Island (Lian Yu). So the two head to the island, only to find out that a prisoner on the island (via ARGUS) has escaped. It’s none other than: Slade Wilson (You remember: the deep voiced, scruffy-looking, terrible man that has a death wish against Oliver and killed his mother as well as kidnapped Felicity. Aka Deathstroke. Yeah, that guy.)

Once Oliver learns of Slade’s escape, he immediately goes into protective mode over Thea. But they are captured by Slade and end up in Slade’s empty prison cell. After a lot of discussing and fiddling, they find a way to escape.

Eventually, Oliver reveals to Thea that she killed Sara—by Merlyn’s crafted plan. Slade returns and the three fight it out. Thea ends up with a gun pointed at Slade and debates about pulling the trigger. Slade taunts her and Oliver tries to convince her this is not the way to get justice for their mother’s death. The scene goes black and there’s a single gunshot.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

However, Thea does not kill Slade. She only shoots him to wound him so they can return him to the locked prison cell. Thinking they have completed their mission, Thea and Oliver return home.

Merlyn arrives to talk—and Thea confronts him about Sara’s death. She announces she will do what she must to fight Ra’s but she will never consider herself Merlyn’s daughter again.

In the flashback, Oliver returns—undercover—to Starling City with Maseo. They track down China White, who is selling half of the Alpha/Omega drug to the highest bidder. In the meantime, Oliver checks in on his family and friends—especially Thea. She’s buying drugs and attending adult parties. Tommy Merlyn (Oliver’s best friend who died at the end of season one) and Laurel make appearances in the flashback—much to Oliver’s pain. After Thea buys more drugs, Oliver follows the drug dealer and demands he stop contacting her. The drug dealer realizes he’s Oliver Queen—who is supposed to be dead—and Oliver kills him. Maseo finds Oliver and they complete their mission with China White.

At the end of the flashback, Oliver finds a video from his father that explains the list of names in the book he gave him and encourages Oliver to save his city.

Episode 15: Nanda Parbat

Air date: 2.25.15, The CW

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Nyssa (Ra’s Al Guld’s daughter) learns that Oliver is alive and demands Ra’s do something about it; instead, he simply tells her Oliver is not Sara’s killer. But Nyssa still demands payment in death for Oliver’s combat against Ra’s.

Thea confesses to Laurel that she murdered Sara. Laurel insists Thea had no control over the situation and conveniently doesn’t blame her. Instead, the two make plans to hand Malcom Merlyn over to Ra’s and Nyssa. When Oliver finds out, he is furious (again) at both of them. They need Merlyn to defeat Ra’s. In addition, he is convinced Thea will live to regret sending her father to his death—guilt she will never overcome (and he would know since he still feels overwhelming guilt about his own parents’ deaths).

Oliver chases after Nyssa and Merlyn—only to be distracted by Nyssa. Merlyn is taken away from the League of Assassins but Oliver defeats Nyssa and takes her hostage. He learns of Merlyn’s location—Nanda Parbat—from Nyssa and is determined to rescue Merlyn from Ra’s clutches. Diggle joins him on this quest.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Meanwhile, Felicity visits the MIA Ray Palmer (yeah, I was starting to wonder why he didn’t appear in previous episodes. Looks like it wasn’t just a random mistake). He’s been hiding out in his lab trying to perfect his A.T.O.M. suit. She hacks his computer database and changes his password in order to have leverage to get him to eat a proper meal, take a shower (and shave), and get adequate sleep. He agrees.

Oliver and Diggle arrive at Nanda Parbat and find Merlyn held over a death trap. He tries to warn them of this being a setup but Oliver and Diggle are captured before they can get out. While in chains, Oliver comes clean to Diggle that he wanted to release Merlyn not only for Thea’s sake but his own. He didn’t like that Ra’s beat him.

Photo from the CW'S Arrow photo gallery albums

Back in Starling City, Thea is remorseful over the thought of her killing Sara. Roy tries to comfort her by telling her about the police officer he killed while under the influence of Mirakuru. Thea then visits the caged Nyssa in the Arrow cave (bunker? Hideout?) and reveals to her that she was Sara’s killer. She proceeds to unlock Nyssa’s prison cell and hand her a sword, telling her to get revenge on Sara’s killer.

After Ray Palmer showers, naps, and eats a hearty meal, he and Felicity end up in bed together (come, ON! Whyyy?) But since he did what she asked, Felicity has given him the password. And Ray slips out of bed while Felicity sleeps and finishes his work on the A.T.O.M suit. He goes for a test flight.

(via tumblr)

Ra’s confronts Oliver and Diggle and Oliver pleads for Diggle’s life. But Ra’s doesn’t want to kill Oliver; he wants Oliver to take over as leader of the League of Assassins. He want Oliver to be the next “Ra’s Al Guld.”

End episode.

Whaaat?

My reaction precisely. If anything about this season is true, it’s that one plot twist after another has been thrown at me. I was freaking out when Sara was killed, when Ray Palmer arrived, when Oliver teamed up with Barry Allen, and when Oliver was stabbed and kicked off a cliff. I was screaming with joy when Laurel became Black Canary, when Oliver came back to life, and when Oliver finally revealed the truth to Thea. And now this? Leader of the League of Assassins?

What will Oliver choose (and does he really have a choice)?

Arrow returns March 18^th. Until then, we can only eagerly await for Oliver’s response and the rest of Season 3 of Arrow.

Also there’s a possibility the CW might be starting a spinoff superhero TV show to crossover with both Arrow and the Flash. It’ll take side heroes and villains—such as Ray Palmer, Sara Lance, Firestorm, and Captain Cold—and create all new story lines with them. They’ve also hinted at introducing new heroes that have never been seen on (live-action?) TV before! Check out more here.

-Jaime