REVIEW: ARROW - SEASON 8, EP. 5: "Prochnost"
I'm wondering if whether or not they should've redubbed this show "The World Spanning Adventures of Green Arrow" for this final season. It's certainly been quite an adventure thus far with our Emerald Archer as he races against time to guess the Monitor's plan, and try to stop the Crisis. Meanwhile, we see Lyla double dealing, Laurel with a moral dilemma, and then there's the Queen Kids...
We enter this episode with Oliver training Mia, and preparing her to take over when he is gone...and she's old enough. He's impressed with how much Nyssa had trained her. William interrupts Daddy/Daughter time by letting them know that they've found the location of the plutonium that they've been seeking. It's in a place in Russia called Bialya. There also looking for the plans for a weapon created by a General Barif that will help then with the Monitor as well. Ollie, Laurel, Mia, and William head into Russia, while Diggle is going to get some help to obtain the plutonium in Bialya.
Before they take off, however, we have a clandestine meeting between Laurel and Lyla. Laurel believes that Lyla was just blowing smoke when she gave the aria about moving forward, and getting on with her life, and being better. Lyla tells her what Oliver is doing, and needs to get the plans for this weapon before Oliver does.
Diggle makes his way into some auto shop in some undisclosed location looking for a "Jason". Turns out, "Jason" is actually Roy Harper--in hiding and off the grid, and William managed to find him. Diggle gives Roy an update on what's happening. Diggle tells him that he needs Roy's help. Roy's not interested, having still not gotten control of his bloodlust after emerging from the Lazarus Pit. Dig recounts that Roy bailed on Thea, and says that the upcoming Crisis is bigger than anything they've ever faced. Roy says he'll help Diggle, but it's a one time thing.
The team arrives in Russia, where they meet up with Oliver's old frienemy---Anatole. Anatole had been off the grid himself in Corto Maltese, but with Diaz's death, he's back home. Ollie informs him of what's going on and what he needs,and tells him where he can find the General---The Bloodsport. A fight club. William comments about Mia having familiarity with one, since that's how they met. Mia recounts that after she left her mother, she needed money, so she started fighting...a shock to Ollie. Ollie tells his kids to stay put, which does NOT go over well with either of them--especially Mia. As they prepare to go talk to the good General, Anatole comments to Laurel about a leopard never changing their spots. They arrive at the fight club, which is run by The Bratva. The General is not really enjoying his fight when Oliver strolls up to talk to him about the weapon. The General comments that he mothballed the project, but if Ollie wants it---he's gonna have to make it worth his while....which means fight. Ollie gets into the cage with his opponent, and begins to fight him. At one point, he gets knocked down, and looks up, only to see his kids there. Feeling he needs to protect them, he then easily defeats his opponent. Bratva are all around observing. Ollie talks with the General, and is about to get the plans, when the Bratva come in, having recognized Ollie, and zap him and Mia, capturing them, after killing the General. Anatole had gotten William and Laurel to safety.
Back at Anatole's, William is unable to track their location, and Laurel comments to him that Ollie had possibly implanted trackers into them, and William is able to find them.
John and Roy are at the location in Bialya where the plutonium is, and they talk as they're seeking their prize. John tells Roy that the only way to cure his bloodlust is to be with a team, with people who care. But Roy feels he really wasn't needed here, but will help nonetheless. But once this is done, he's gone, and will be someplace not even William can find him. John lets him know his future, about how he goes to Lian Yu to control his bloodlust, but somehow makes it back home, and helps the kids out.
The Bratva have Mia and Ollie, and they cut her loose, to see if she can ring a bell after taking on six guys in one minute. She manages to get through them, but time just runs out as she reaches for it. They are fairly impressed with her. Tied back up, Ollie manages to dislocate his thumbs, and escape, helping Mia as well. Just as they're ready to make their escape, Laurel blows the door open with her sonic cry, and rescues them.
After they get back to Anatole's, Ollie has it out with both his kids. Mia throws it back to him that while he took off, she never got to know her brother growing up, and he was dead. Ollie said he swore to Felicity that he would protect them...and not time, space, or age will prevent him from doing so. The argument ends badly, as he wants to ship the kids back to Star City.
In Bialya, Diggle and Roy manage to pull off their heist, but not before Roy puts a serious beatdown on one of the guards. Diggle pulls him back, and they make their escape with the plutonium.
Ollie and Anatole talk---and Anatole tells him how much Mia reminds him of Ollie himself. And while he admires Ollie for protecting them, they're not little kids...they're adults. And as much as Ollie wants to save them, he has to stop looking at them like children. He also calls out Ollie on wanting to shield both Mia and William from his checkered past---including being a part of the Bratva. Ollie does see the wisdom in his old friend's words.
Laurel and Mia chat, and Laurel really isn't in a "oh woe is me" speech. Mia relates her story about trying to protect the city in the future, but keeps failing. All she wants to do is live up to her father's legacy, and Laurel says that her father is very flawed...they ALL are. Laurel tells her to just live up to HER own expectations.
They all reconvene, and Ollie lays out a plan to get the plans from the Bratva. He and Mia will fight in the cage, while Laurel and Anatole will steal the plans. They go back, and William poses as a rich man looking to front some money for his fighters---a six on two fight. Mia and Ollie enter the cage, as William situates himself into position, as does Laurel and Anatole. The fight begins, and Mia and Ollie start taking it to their opponents. Once the fight is on, Laurel finds her opening, and goes after the plans. During the fight, one of the Bratva hands a knife to one of the fighters in order to kill both Ollie and Mia, but the plan backfires, as Ollie and Mia prevent themselves from getting stabbed. Laurel manages to obtain the plans, but is caught by one of the Bratva, only for him to be shot by Anatole...who said he had her back. They take off, and William tells Mia and Ollie to wrap it up, which they do. But as they fight ends, and they emerge victorious, they have the Bratva, guns drawn, ready to fire. At this point, both Mia and Ollie throw down blinding gas pellets, enabling them to disappear and escape. No buyers for the weapon for the Bratva today.
We return one final time to Anatole's where Ollie and the team celebrate the victory. Ollie then has a moment alone with the kids, and compliments them on a job well done. He then says that he was wrong in keeping his past from them, and if there's anything they want to know, just ask. So, Mia asks about Lian Yu, and he begins.
As they set to leave, Ollie and Anatole share a bonding moment...no more blood feuds, no more hostilities...just friendship. Anatole also tells Laurel that he was wrong about her. That she can change. And with that...Team Arrow is off for Star City.
Back home, John thanks Roy for his help...even if it was for the one time. Roy, however, says that he'll stick around---seeing is how he's needed to fight this alien being. John welcomes him back home.
Once again, Lyla and Laurel have a clandestine meeting, with Lyla asking if Laurel got the plans for the weapon. Laurel says she did, but she's not going to betray Ollie. Lyla says she doesn't want her Earth back, and Laurel says that if her Earth returns to what it was, it's not worth it. Here, on this Earth, she's able to be the better person that everyone thinks she can be. She also comments to Lyla about lying to John and Ollie. Lyla says she did it for their protection, but just then, Ollie and John shows up---John visibly upset at Lyla's betrayal. Just as the three face Lyla, they are hit with tranquilizers, and knocked out.
Another fun episode, with a few things to unpack:
Was GREAT to see Anatole again. The show runners weren't kidding when they said that they were bringing back some old friends. Anatole and Ollie's relationship was always somewhat acrimonious, but there was mutual respect. This time around, it's two old comrades who have come to find peace with each other. There is mutual love and respect between the two men. And Anatole letting Ollie know that fatherhood suits him was nice. He was also that moral compass for Laurel---who was charged with betraying Ollie, but with one choice line from Anatole, changed the whole direction. It's nice to see THIS part of Ollie's life come full circle.
The Bratva...always dangerous, but can't have an appearance with Anatole without having the Bratva involved SOMEHOW.
The fight club aspect: This was a nice touch, because it allowed the viewers to go back to when William first met Mia...as she did the fight club thing. To see THAT aspect come full circle with Mia AND Ollie was really cool. Great fight scenes, too. It really showed how well father and daughter work as a team.
Laurel's moral compass has changed. She's still bitchy, but she's come around to being a hero. Her redemption is almost complete. The fact that she DIDN'T betray Ollie speaks volumes about her development. Her desire to continue becoming a better person...even defying Lyla and the Monitor, says a ton about the kind of Black Canary that her doppleganger was...and what she WILL be in the future.
Roy is back! It's been awhile since we have seen Arsenal, but man was it good to get Roy back in the fold. And kudos to John for being that caring brother type figure to show him a better way to deal with his bloodlust, and become whole again. Roy is needed desperately for the upcoming Crisis.
And finally---we're seeing just how up and down being a father is for Ollie. Despite his time with William as a teenager last year, and having Mia as an infant, this is definitely new territory for him. Having to see his kids as adults is offsetting for him. Even moreso when he learns of what his kids are up to in the future---especially Mia. And as much as he tries to BE a father to them, he has had a tendency to rub them the wrong way---especially Mia. She NEVER got to know her father, while William felt abandoned by him. Ollie DID explain his actions to his kids---and was adamant about what he was doing was BEST for the both of them. But he's also looking at his kids as JUST that---kids. Not adults. By the end of this episode, thanks to a little nudging from Anatole, he finally starts opening up to his kids about his past---something he DIDN'T want them to know. But he now has an opportunity to give his kids a clearer picture of the man behind the mask and hood...so that their perceptions of him later on won't be so jaded. In the case of Mia---she is looking at the kind of hero and man her father is---and wants to live up to that, but finds it difficult. It takes Laurel to tell her that her father shouldn't be put on a pedestal...he's screwed up...but he's kept going. Laurel tells her to be herself...the rest will work itself out.
And...for those of you that might've forgot---Lian Yu is Mandarin for "Purgatory"....and considering this whole season...not hard to understand why.
One last thing---Lyla got some SERIOUS 'splanin' to do to John...that's NOT going to be a fun conversation, I can tell you that.
Alrighty, kids--that does it for this edition. Subscribe, pass along the good word about me, and leave a comment or two!
Until next time---keep your sights on the bullseye!
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