Season 8 Episode 5 “Upon learning the key to opposing The Monitor, Oliver and team return to Russia on a mission to gather the necessary materials; Diggle reunites with a figure from his past.”
What I Liked
1. The training montage with Oliver, and Mia was a decent start. Especially learning about the different types of arrows Oliver has used over the seasons.
2. Roy’s back this week. Even ready to suit back up as Arsenal! He’s still one of my favourite characters of the entire series.
3. Next return is followed by Anatoly. Of course he’s involved the moment Russia is mentioned, I’m not complaining though!
4. A solid 1 v 1 scene with Oliver and a big hairy guy. Nothing much more, but the short fight was great.
5. Mia being put through a small version of the Bratva test that Oliver went through all those seasons ago was solid. The test was only brief but the way Mia handled herself deserves a mention.
6. Looks like Roy is going to stick around. I’m happy with that. Hopefully he manages to stay for the rest of the season. With the series coming to an end, it would be great for Colton to finish off. He was an absolute asset during the first 3 seasons.
7. I was worried we would get the evil Laurel back again. However, instead of betraying Oliver, she turns against Lyla and brings John, and Oliver to the rooftop. Of course it wasn’t going to be that easy. They’re all hit with tranquillisers before the episode ends.
What I Disliked
1. Oliver’s protective attitude at times is an absolute nightmare. First with Thea in episode 3. He’s doing it again this episode with William, and Mia, even though he wanted to bring them along on his little trip to Russia. It’s just predictable at this point. You know as the episode draws to a close he’s going to accept that he needs them anyway. It’s just a waste of time.
2. John explaining to Roy his bloodlust is cured by being part of a team was a bit poor. I was hoping for a better way that is deserving to Roy’s character if I’m being honest.
Favourite Moment
An episode that was just packed with action, however the favourite has to go to the 2 v 6 in the cage. Oliver, and Mia go hand in hand to fight 6 men, and manage to pull out the win. It was a solid scene. The choreography was immense.
Standout Character
Surprisingly, I have had a lot of hate to J’onn during Supergirl and he just got my standout. What shocks me more than anything is to give this prestigious weekly award to Mia. She was solid this week. We saw her actually making an effort with Oliver, and her fighting was outstanding.
Verdict
Arrow continues to set a very high standard for the CW shows. This week was no different. It was action packed all the way through, and our two returns this week created an impact. A solid episode!
Rating 9.5/10
