ARROW - SEASON 8.2

REVIEW:  ARROW - SEASON 8, EP.2:  "Welcome To Hong Kong"


Welcome back to another edition of our Emerald Archer.  Last week, we saw Ollie and Dig chasing after an antimatter weapon, and managed to nab Black Siren as Earth 2 was wiped from the face of existence.  This week, The Monitor has another mission for Ollie, as he continues his globetrotting adventures around the world to compelte yet another task for the mysterious being that is plaguing the Arrowverse.  



Ollie is dreaming as we start things off, having a conversation with the Monitor, who's admonishing him for interfering in the affairs of Earth 2, and grabbing Black Siren as her Earth perished.  He is not to change any events leading up to the CRISIS. He is also charged with another mission:  find a man named Dr. Wong, who has managed to create a weapon that they will need for the upcoming CRISIS. When he awakes, we discover that he's in familiar territory yet again:  Hong Kong.  It's here that he meets up with Dig and Laurel as they try to make their way out of the building Ollie woke up in.  As they're chased down by a street gang, but manage to escape into streets of Hong Kong.

Laurel isn't real big on what's happening right now, having lost everything she knew and loved on Earth 2.  She wants to get back, but she can't, because there's no more breach to get her there.  She's pissed at Ollie, and decides she's going to get home one way or another, and to hell with him and his mission for the Monitor.  She has contacts of her own that will get her home.

While Ollie and Dig begin the search for Wong, we've jumped ahead to New Team Arrow, as they argue about the botched mission.  Vasquez is safe, but Connor's brother JJ made off with the code to his safe.  In it, was a valuable hard drive.  They procure that and William begins to decipher it, as Mia leads the team to a meeting with Connor, for which she gives him the riot act that if things go south again, she's killing JJ, no matter what.  Connor reluctantly agrees.

Ollie and Dig come upon an ARGUS hideout, and manages to get past with using Lyla's codename "Harbinger" (better hold onto that one, kids, it'll be important later).  There, they begin to get information about the location of Dr. Wong.  Once they managed to locate him, they're off.  Meanwhile, Ollie's feeling guilty about Earth 2, and Diggle has to pull his head out of his backside to focus on the mission.  Sadly, they run into the same gang they bumped into earlier...which turns out to be his old foe China White's gang, who's ALSO looking for Dr. Wong.  As they fight off her gang, they're met by and old ally:  Tatsu Yamashiro - Katana!  Turns out, she's just as aware of the Monitor as is Ollie.  And when Ollie informs her of what he's after, she's none too pleased about it, but when Ollie tells her WHY--she's on board.  

We check back in with Laurel, who's found an old "friend" to help her get back home to Earth 2.  She ends up bumping into Lyla, who offers a helping hand.  Laurel is forceful once they find the man to help her repair the extrapolator to get her home.  He fixes it, but it does her no good when she uses it.  There's no breach to take her back home....He tells her that there IS no more Earth 2.  Laurel is broken.  We see Lyla try to console her later on, to help her get through this, and let her know that she's come so far, and that there's a reason to keep going...for her loved one's sake...and for the people HERE who need her.  To not let others suffer the fate as her Earth did.  

After trying to get Dr, Wong, we see that Ollie can't seem to get past China White, as she hands him his ass (what is it with him?  Can take own Damien Dhark and Ra's al Ghul...but gets the crap beat outta him by CHINA WHITE?!) .  Now, they have to regroup and find China White and her gang, and get the weapon before she does.  They mange to find out that Dr. Wong was making this weapon for the Chinese Government.  Ollie breaks into the fortifed facility to obtain the weapon:  Another creation of the Alpha/Omega Virus.  He takes it, and brings it back.  But he still needs Dr. Wong as well.  He then makes a deal with China White---the Virus for the good Doctor.  He agrees, much to Tatsu's displeasure.  He tells her there's no other way, and she says there is ALWAYS another way.  She tells him that he needs to be direct with The Monitor---find out his game.  

We jump ahead a few years, where we see Mia, Connor, and Zoe take in a meeting with JJ...but it yields nothing.  In fact, JJ is about two steps ahead of the team, as the real reason he took the meeting, was to provide distraction, while they headed to the Bunker, and obtained whatever info William procured from the hard drive.  Mia threatens JJ, but he's dismissive of her, as he takes off...leaving the team to get back there quickly to save her brother.

Ollie, Tatsu, and Dig all prepare for the meet with China White.  They exchage is about to go down, though China White knows Spartan and Katana are in the area.  A fight breaks out, and as Diggle and Ollie handle China White's crew, Katana is hot on her heels.  They do battle, and Katana bests her.  But China White has a detonator that will set off bombs attatched to Dr. Wong.  As she gets distracted enough, China White stabs her, but she doesn't get to set it off because Laurel and Lyla come to the rescue, and save the day.  We later see Laurel decide to stick around with Dig and Ollie, as they continue their journey to fulfill the Monitor's demands before the impending CRISIS.  Lyla...as has been building up for the last few seasons, meets with The Monitor to let him know that Dr. Wong is in ARGUS custody, and he wishes to talk to him.  Just to drop an ever obvious Easter Egg on you all:  Lyla Michaels is the woman known as Harbinger from the CRISIS comic.  She will play a VERY huge role in this crossover coming up.  But the mysterious person she'd been having clandestine meetings with, and secret conversations John wasn't allowed to hear?  Guess who was on the other end....uh huh.

Ollie sees Tatsu one more time, and apologizes to her about not looking at alternatives.  And he knows she's right---that he NEEDS answers to what the hell the Monitor wants from him.  She says there's only so many places you can go to find answers---so, that's why he says he's going to Nanda Parbat.  

Once again, another quality episode, that--as Stephen Amell had addressed to the fans of the show---is their way of saying "thank you" for being there these last 8 years.  It's the show runner's gift to the audience....one last go around with Ollie and the many people that have crossed his path the last 7 years.  This week, we got to see an old friend in Tatsu Yamashiro.  I have always loved Katana as a character, and enjoyed the short appearances she's had on this show.  I KNOW we will see her again when CRISIS begins, but it's still a treat to get at least one more trip down memory lane with her.

The long awaited reveal of the Lyla Michaels/Monitor connection is finally revealed, and it's about damn time.  I've known of this for awhile, but for those in the new to the show, and NOT familiar with her character or the CRISIS mini series---the reveal happens at a good time, and helps draw her into her more prominent role once this crossover happens.  She is a HUGE key in this story going forward, and more will be revealed as we get closer to the end of this series' run.  I will say this---she managed to get through to Laurel, who is still traumatized at losing her entire world.  That will in no doubt continue to weigh heavily on her as we inch closer to the end of the series, and her eventual rise in the spinoff show.

Speaking of spinoffs---Future Team Arrow isn't very smart or good at what they're doing in protecting the city.  While they DID save Vasquez last week, they still fall two steps behind JJ and his Deathstroke crew.  Connor tries to play the parent card, but it never works---JJ's all about destroying the city, ruling with an iron fist, and killing anyone getting in his way.  He drew that line in the sand a looong time ago, and Connor tried to appeal to his good side...which there ISN'T any.  Mia is still too hot headed, and not thinking like a leader clearly enough.  She's still learning the role, as is Connor AND Zoe.  These kids need to grow up fast if they've ANY hope of saving the city and upholding the legacies of their parents.  Growing pains and continued failures seem to be on the horizon for this ragtag group until they learn to act cohesively and not impulsively.  

What will we see next week, as Ollie and crew head to Nanda Parbat?  We look forward to finding out!  So, thanks for checking out the blog, and please subscribe and leave a comment!  Sorry this week's edition is late---was a busy and VERY stressful week.  But...back with a new edition next week.

Until then...keep your sights on the bullseye!