ARROW - Season 7.15

ARROW – SEASON 7, EP. 15:  “Training Day”

Team Arrow has a lot of adjusting to do, as they attempt to work with the Star City Police Department, only to find out that it’s going to be A LOT harder than what they expected.  Meanwhile, Dinah gets some life-changing news.

We open tonight’s episode, with Team Arrow is going through “basic training” for the Star City Police Department, as the Saregeant goes through the orientation.  Dinah gives them the run through, and is happy they get to work together again.  Rene asks if that means Black Canary is back, and Dinah says she got a clean bill of health, but they can make the adjustments.  The Mayor comes in just to remind that they work for the SCPD now, and they have to follow the letter of the law, and this agreement is only on  a provisional basis.  Back at the Queen household, Felicity and Ollie discuss having to toe the line about their job, but Ollie feels it’s best for their children and the city.  Felicity reluctantly agrees.

We skip ahead to the future, where William and Mia are on the hunt for a mini cassette player where they can listen to Felicity’s message.  They’re at some underground “shopping mart” looking for it.  The people there look at Mia and William differently, and Mia says it’s because he reeks of money, and she’s undefeated.  This is a criminal lair, and they’re a lot like her---so she says not to do anything and stay put, while she asks around.  William then looks around and finds what they’re looking for, and he ends up haggling with the guy.

Back in the present, we see three men standing with three guys on their knees.  One gets shot, and the main guy hits a clock.  The guy ends up dying with this yellow liquid dripping out.  They decide to try another victim.

At the SCPD, the team gets wind of what happened at the warehouse the night before.  They find out that it’s the Black Op Gang, and they’re experimenting with a new bullet.  Dinah tells them that they have to play it by the book.

Jumping ahead in time, we see Mia come back, and scold her brother for wandering off.  William says he found the cassette player, and goes to reach for it, but doesn’t have it.  Mia tells him he got played by the guy he bought it off of.  Mia confronts the guy, but he threatens her with the SCPD should she make a move.

Laurel is headed to her office when she gets a call about Diaz.  She heads to Slabside where she’s meeting with Bronze Tiger, who informs her that Diaz is dead, and he knows how it happened, considering the prison is trying to cover it up.  She wants to know, but the problem is, he wants her to live up to Ollie’s deal.  She says she’s got a lot of red tape she has to haggle through.  He says that if she brings his son to see him, he’ll talk.

The team eventually finds out where the Black Op Gang is having their next shipment meet, and they end up having to play by the book for this operation.  None of their weapons, none of their suits.  So, they head out to try and stop the shipment, but things go awry, and a gunfight breaks out.  Dinah tries to stop the suppliers, but she finds out she can’t use her Canary powers.  One of the gang tosses a grenade to grant their escape, and the operation falls apart, the bad guys get away.

Things go south at the precinct, as the Sarge and Ollie argue about how the operation went down, and he blames Ollie and his rogue ways, but Ollie tells him that the way they do things is wrong.  The Sarge feels they botched the operation. They find out that the Midas Corporation that was behind the making of the bullets.  Ollie and Felicity decide to pay James Midas a visit…THEIR way.  Meanwhile, Rene and Dinah talk while searching through the files on Midas…but it’s slow going.  Rene feels that they could’ve already gotten this guy, but the problem is, they can’t operate that way.  Dinah reminds him of that, and reminds him that she put her neck on the line for THEM…and it’s HER job if it gets screwed up.

Ollie and Felicity pay a visit to Midas, and he fesses up to what he did.  However, he’s released because the confession doesn’t stick.  The Mayor than chastises them, and then dresses down Dinah.  She makes Dinah decide whether or not she’s the Canary or the Captain.  She says the Captain.  Later on, Rene talks to Dinah, and he finds out that she can’t use her Canary Cry anymore, so she can’t be the Black Canary again.  Rene tells her that Zoey wears her Canary pin every day, because she’s an inspiration to her, and Dinah will do what it takes to get justice.  Dinah is reminded by Rene that the Black Canary is more than just her powers.

Ollie and Felicity are back at the Lair, getting ready to go back into business their way when Diggle shows up.  Diggle says that they need to give this arrangement a chance, and not give up on it quite so quickly, otherwise, it’s the same situation over and over.  Ollie and Felicity tell Diggle that Felicity is pregnant.  Diggle again reminds them that there has to be a better way. 

Laurel shows up at the prison with Tiger’s son, Connor (HINT, HINT!!).  He then lets Laurel know that the night Diaz died, that the new Green Arrow was there…she killed him.

We flash forward where William and Mia talk about how to get the cassette, and that she should’ve been able to lay the vendor out.  William says that while the cops are in there, they can’t do it.  But he then gets an idea.  She gets him a piece of tech where he taps it into his phone, and uses it to lure the police away from the market, chasing the Canary.  They then meet up with the vendor again, and Mia punches him, while William grabs the cassette player.

Rene and Dinah show up, and Dinah apologizes for being hard on them.  They then figure out---through legal channels, that Midas is at his warehouse, looking to dump the chemicals before the cops can nail him.  The team suits up and stops the chemicals from being dumped.  A fight ensues, but they end up taking the bad guys down, and Dinah herself, takes down Midas.  The cops show up along with Ollie to put him under arrest.

Back at the lair, the team celebrates the win, and Dinah confesses that she no longer has her Cry.  But Ollie and them reassure her that she is still the Canary no matter what.  She also says she forced the Mayor’s hand, and that she’s creating a vigilante task force.  The team can operate their own way, while still being able to work within the confines of the law.  Ollie, Dinah, and Rene go off for a drink, and Diggle gives Felicity something for the baby.  He also says that the tech she’s creating is something special.  It gives Felicity much to ponder, since he said ARGUS and everyone else wouldn’t mind having it.

Emiko pays Laurel a visit, and Laurel lets her know that she’s aware that she killed Diaz, and that Ollie isn’t going to be thrilled about it when they find out.  Emiko says who are they more likely to believe---her, or Black Siren…which causes Laurel to pause.

Ollie and Felicity have a private moment, and they talk about baby names.  Felicity says if it’s a boy, she wants his name to be Lucas.  But Ollie says if it’s girl…he wants Mia.  Felicity says it’s short for Moira, which is nice. 

Flashing ahead to the future, William and Mia finally play the tape, and Felicity tells them that they’re glad they found each other, and that she’s sorry that they kept them apart for so long, but they felt it was best to protect them.  She then gives them some coordinates, inform the team, and tells them to get out of Star City, and do NOT come looking for her.  Of course, they agree NOT to listen to their mother, and off they go.  They arrive at The Glades, which is walled up, and Mia says they’re going over the wall.

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This was a VERY good episode---and gave us A LOT more clarity on certain things going on on Oliver Queen's world.  

First of all...the team is finding it hard to adapt to toeing the line of the law, when they're used to administering justice, and taking down the bad guys on their terms.  To have to follow police procedure and the letter of the law is not real suited for them, and it forced them to be creative this episode, which, much to the delight of us fans, they managed to do.  Plus...hell...too see Dinah back in her Black Canary garb---Canary Cry or not---the woman can still kick some serious ass.  She was one of the big focal points of this episode.  Her having to be the face of two worlds---to walk that fine line between cop and vigilante.  To know her Canary Cry no longer works (thanks to Stanley), is heartbreaking, and thinking that defined her as a superhero.  Props to Rene for helping to pick her back up and dust her off.  Tonight's work by Team Arrow also went a long way to show the Mayor that if you use the talents of these people, you'll get the results.

Felicity's talk with Diggle was interesting...and HUGE foreshadowing.  Commenting on her company's work with Curtis as far as their technology goes, saying that ARGUS or ANYONE would love to have it---PLUS having her update the SCPD's system---is serious groundwork being laid for what's to become of Felicity later on, as we have gotten the spectrum of it in the future thanks to the team with William and Mia.

Speaking of William and Mia...it's nice to see the siblings work together to find their mother.  He's the brains, she's the braun...and they have a nice chemistry together.  Good siblings are like that.  Getting the coordinates to The Glades, and informing the team...still not sure totally of Felicity's endgame, but if it's what we've been told earlier...the destruction of Star City isn't far behind.

Had a so-so bad guy of the week...James Midas.  A corrupt and criminal businessman looking to profit off the bodies of the citizens of Star City.  It served as a good storyline to help Team Arrow find a way to defeat him by abiding by the letter of the law.  A smug businessman who got his comeuppance...not exactly thrillling by action standards, but it didn't have to be.  

The real interesting side story was Laurel finding out who killed Diaz (yes, it's confirmed---the man is a crispy critter), and what do you know...it's Emiko.  Apparently, at the behest of Dante, and him needing to tie up a loose end.  Of course, Laurel calls Emiko out on the carpet for flambaying the man, and says that won't sit well with Ollie.  But, gotta hand it to Emiko---throwing equal shade at Laurel for being Black Siren, and seeing WHO would be believed moreso---her or Emiko.  Laurel WOULD have a tough time trying to convince Team Arrow that Emiko killed Diaz (though I feel Felicity would believe her...just won't lose sleep over it), considering her checkered past with the team.  But she HAS made strides as of late, and deserves the benefit of the doubt.  But Emiko IS Ollie's sister...and I'm sure she'd bet on the "blood is thicker than water" theory.  

Show of hands, kids---who here knew that Connor Hawke was Bronze Tiger's son?

Well, that's it for this week.  Drop a comment, subscribe, and pay it forward!  

Until next week...keep your sights on the bullseye.