ARROW - SEASON 8.10

REVIEW:  ARROW - SEASON 8, EP. 10:  "Fadeout"


Well, guys---here it is.  The last review EVER of our Emerald Archer.  Though I have only been writing reviews for this blog the last couple of seasons, I have been on this journey with Oliver Queen since the beginning.  And I have to tell you---it's bittersweet.  We say goodbye to the hero that started it all...gave us the Arrowverse...and cemented a legacy of superhero storytelling for years to come.  We know Ollie has gone---sacrificed his life as The Spectre to restart the universe after battling the Anti-Monitor in Crisis.  We now turn one more time to Star City...to see what has happened in his wake, post-Crisis.  So....for one final time---let's tell Ollie's tale.

We have a flashback to 2014 when it was still Starling City.  We're flashing back to when Slade Wilson had captured Ollie and Thea, and made them watch as he murdered their mother Moira right in front of them...or so WE remember it playing out.  However, in THIS flashback, Ollie breaks free, and attacks Slade, defeating him.  We then see a VERY much alive Moira Queen...discussing her son's sacrifice, discussing how, on another Earth, she had died.  But she is mourning her son, as is many who are being interviewed about Ollie's sacrifice in Crisis.  Dinah Drake talks about the world Oliver left behind...a better one.  Rene Ramirez talks about how Ollie ushered in an age of heroes.  Then we go to documentary filmmaker Marcia Pedowitz, who is directing a flim based on Ollie called Emerald Archer, and she didn't think she had to recut a movie about vigilantism into a memorial for a man who gave his life to save the universe.  We finally see her interviewing John Diggle, about how Oliver at first felt he had to go on his mission alone, only to find out he didn't need to.  Marcia ends the interview, and John, still grieving from losing a man he considered his brother, sees Rene, and they take off and chat alone.  They talk about how Oliver fixed things in Star City, and that crime has practically been eliminated since the universe was rebooted.  

The team has a celebratory drink at The Bunker.  Because Star City seems to be in such good shape, seems like there's no need for them anymore in a vigilante capacity.  Laurel, however, seems intent on getting smashed...she's really not taking it as well as everyone else.  Rene says that Quentin Lance is choosing him to replace him as Mayor once he steps down.  Two things Ollie apparently fixed, if you count Moira.  Dinah says that she was offered the job of Chief of Police.  Diggle says that it's only been a month since Oliver died, but he still feels the mission isn't over.  Diggle flashes back to a memory from 2012, when he's talking to Ollie, and trying to convince him to let him join him in the field, and Ollie refuses, saying he isn't ready.  It was at a time when Ollie was hunting down people on his father's list..and one of them, John Byrne, was a brewing company owner, using his business as a front for human trafficking.  Oliver said back then that his mission is never over.  

We flashback to the beginning, where we see Robert Queen in the raft with the crew member and Oliver.  And the scene plays out where Robert shoots the crew member, tells Ollie to survive, and shoots himself.  We then see Mia wake up...it was her dream she was having.  It's 2040, and Sara shows up...because, well, she's a time traveller, and is there to take Mia to her father's funeral back in 2020.  

At the Bunker again, and Roy is giving out tattoos to everyone, and Dinah asks what it is, Roy says "The Mark of Four".  Chatting with Dinah, he says he's nervous about seeing Thea.  Dinah asks because he doesn't want to see her, but he replies that he does.  He left because he needed to get his head straight.  But now he doesn't want to be apart from her.  Rene asks Diggle if he managed to get ahold of Felicity, but there's radio silence.  He feels that she might not want to show up to the funeral.  Diggle again goes back to another memory, when he's training, and asking Oliver to let him help him in the field.  

The team is assembled at the Bunker, with Roy trying to apologize to Thea for leaving, but she feels the timing is bad.  Dinah returns to the Bunker, only to see Mia there, checking on the computer, saying that Sara had dropped her off so she could be there for the funeral.  Sara also told Mia to be mindful as to not to reaveal too much about the future.  But she does tell Dinah about what happened recently, being that she remembered being drugged, and William being kidnapped.  She felt helpless to stop it.  Dinah reminds her that the hero business has a lot of setbacks, but Ollie would no doubt be proud of her that she's carrying on the legacy.  She fears that she's just not able to protect her family. An alert goes off, and a news report shows that William has been abducted. Felicity finally shows up, and Mia keeps to the background for now, as Felicity gets hugs, then gets right to work in trying to find WIlliam, knowing that his grandparents put a chip in him.  Diggle says that this is the reason the mission isn't over---they need to do this for Oliver...so suit up.

On the trail of William, Red Arrow and Speedy are teamed up, but haven't found him.  Their next stop is Kord Industries.  But before that, Roy wants to talk to Thea...and she understands why he left, but he says that he hated leaving, and doesn't want to be without her.  He proposes to her.  Rene and Ragman are also on the trail.  They catch up on old times, and he knew that Ollie and Rene went through a rough patch.  Ragman understood that---when Rene asks why, Ragman tells him it's because out of everyone, he's the one most like Ollie.  Spartan and Lyla are also on the search, but come up empty as everyone else has.  Lyla is upset, because she desperately wants to find him for Oliver's sake.  Diggle assures her that they will.  Mia, however, is out solo as the Green Arrow, and she happens to come across the man who kidnapped William.  She has him dead to rights, and asks who he is.  He responds by saying that she SHOULD know...she's wearing HIS hood.  

Mia has another memory, and it's of her dad fighting through a legion of soldiers through a factory in order to find the objective of his mission:   John Byrne.  We end the memory, with Byrne saying that Oliver Queen ruined his life because he got sent to prison at Iron Heights, and is planning to throw William over the side of the building in revenge.  Mia says she'll take him down where he stands.  He lets go of William, and says that he lost 8 years of his life, he has nothing left to lose, so go ahead and kill him.  Mia hesitates, then puts her bow down, puts her arrow back, and walks up to him.  She says she's not going to kill him, but he's going to back to jail.  

Returning to the Bunker, we see Mia bonding with her brother, showing him her bow and how it works, while Sara and Felicity look on.  Felicity can't believe that's her daughter.  Sara encourages her to say hello, but Felicity isn't sure she wants to do that.  She still has the younger Mia waiting at home with her, and she doesn't want to rush the memories she will have with her daughter.  Dinah pulls Mia aside to show her the news story on tv, and it shows footage of Mia saving William.  The newscaster saying that Oliver Queen has inspired a new generation of heroes.  We see Diggle yet again, having yet another flashback to training in the original Bunker, with Oliver giving him pointers.  Oliver says that with work, he'll take him out into the field one day.  They talk about Byrne's capture, and Ollie saying that people can be redeemed...even trusted.  

We shift to the Queen Estate, where Thea is taking a look at all the pictures with Ollie.  Roy comes in, comments how Moira has warmed up to him, and he talks to Thea about their future.  He's okay if she turns him down, but he says that she changed his life.  She says that the next time he freaks out, talk to her about it, and no taking off.  He agrees.  With that, Thea does accept Roy's marriage proposal.  

Laurel shows up at the SCPD, and Quentin just happens to be there.  He says he was looking for Dinah, but she wasn't there.  She wants to talk to him.  He asks what's wrong, and she says that while Ollie corrected some things in restarting the universe anew, with Quentin alive, Moira alive, Tommy...but not HIS Laurel.  She wonderes if it's because of her that his Laurel didn't return.  She feels bad about that.  He looks at her, and says there's nothing about her that needs to be fixed, and he hugs her...she is grateful. 

Diggle is lost in thought at the Bunker as Dinah and Rene show up.  Diggle realizes the mission is actually over.  That it's all said and done.  Sara said that in Ollie's final sacrifice, he became something else---and Diggle would like to think that he'll always be there with him.  But things change, and they need to move on.  He says that Lyla got a promotion, and they're moving to Metropolis.  They congratulate him, and Dinah makes her announcement that with Star City safe. she needs to spread her Canary wings and fly---she turned down the Chief of Police offer, and is leaving Star City as well, since she feels there's someplace out there that needs a hero.  Rene is bummed that they're leaving just as he's about to be sworn in as Mayor, but they know he's got this.  They know it's time to go, and they know they're going to miss this place, as they kill the lights and shut it down.  Team Arrow is over, and the Bunker is closed.  They all leave in the elevator.  

We finally get to the memorial service for Oliver.  They gather at the park, where Quentin gives a speech about how his and Ollie's history, the good and bad.  But Quentin says that Ollie proved him wrong.  That he was a an honorable man, a hero.  And proof that anyone can change.  With that, the candlelight vigil unveils the statue of Green Arrow. 

We move to the actual funeral of Oliver Queen.  We see Moira and Thea talking, about why was it that of everything Ollie fixed in restarting the universe, he didn't brink back their father.  Moira says that Ollie could only fix the things that didn't change him.  We then see Emiko show up, and give her condolences.  Finally the two sisters meet, and Moira says that Emiko is welcome home anytime, to which she is grateful.   Tommy chats with Laurel, and the bit of awkwardness there is that his Laurel is gone, and they were married before she was killed, and she says he probably feels weird with her being there.  He says a little...but there's something nice about it.

Talia and Anyssa made the funeral as well to pay their respects.  They bicker a little about Anyssa's marriage to Ollie, which she said they annuled it, saying it was their father's idea she get hitched to begin with.  Sara comes up, and Anyssa introduces her to Talia.  Sara and Talia shake hands, and Anyssa refers to her as her "beloved".  Mia finally musters up the courage to actually talk to her mother.  Felicity says that Oliver would be so proud of her, and Mia says that he had trained and taught her how to be a hero.  And they finally have that Mother/Daughter moment.  Barry Allen shows up, and hugs Felicity, saying he was there at the end, and wishes he could've done more.  Felicity says she knows Barry did all he can.  Kara Danvers also shows up, and says she'd have the words, but she feels words are meaningless at this point.  We also see Anatole there to pay respects to his Bratva Brother.  Felicity decides that it should be Diggle that gives a speech for Oliver.  Diggle goes into a very heartfelt speech about how Oliver was a brother to him, and he to Oliver.  That Oliver inspired everyone around him, and that he gave his all for those he love most.  We then run through a montage whereas we see Diggle, Lyla, and the kids ready to leave for Metropolis, Mia in the park, looking at her Dad's statue, before opening a portal to the Waverider to head home to 2040, Diggle ready to take off, when he sees some kind of comet falling out of the sky and smashing into the ground, knocking him back against the van.  We see Dinah on her bike, taking off to parts unknown, driving past what is renamed Oliver Queen Highway.  Rene is looking upon preparations for his introduction as the new Mayor of Star City.  We then go back to Diggle...who goes to the hole left by whatever crashed, and he sees a container, and opens it, revealing a green glow.  

We then go back to Oliver's grave, where it's now dark, and we see the Monitor with Felicity in 2040, as she's ready to reunite with Oliver again.  She's been waiting 20 years.  So, through the portal she goes.  She is suddently in an office in Queen Consolidated.  Looking around at pictures, and she sees her red pen.  Ollie shows up, and asks if she likes it.  She runs up and kisses and hugs him.  Remembering everything.  He calls back to when he first met her, but she reminds him that they first met in the IT department 7 floors down.  Ollie asks if she's sure about that.  We have one final flashback...when Oliver was younger, in disguise, and he's watching Felicity fawn over a picture of him in his mother's office.  She says she'd like to hear that story.  Oliver says she will have plenty of time to hear it.  We pan back out of the office to the city itself....and the show ends.

The End.


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They certainly saved the best for last...didn't they?  This final episode gave us just enough bittersweet feels, and sends us out on a high note.  I enjoyed this final installment, and it puts a nice bow on 8 seasons of our Emerald Archer.

Well...we have seen thusfar what the Crisis fallout has done for Batwoman, Supergirl, and the Legends.  We've yet to know how post Crisis has effected The Flash yet, but we will shortly.  But it appears that, in restarting the universe, Oliver Queen managed to correct a few wrongs in the world.  The resurrection of Moira Queen, Quentin Lance, Tommy Merlyn to name a few.  These were people who truly had enough of an effect on his life, but wern't exaclty motivations for him as Green Arrow.  As Moira pointed out to Thea when she wondered why he didn't resurrect their father, it's because Robert Queen WAS the catalyst for Oliver to become Green Arrow...GAVE Oliver purpose for when he returned.  Moira, Tommy, and Quentin were "casualties of war" in a way.  While they effected Oliver greatly, they weren't the very people the DROVE him to be Green Arrow.  The interesting thing to note is the fact that the Laurel Lance of the former Earth 1 didn't get resurrected either.  This Laurel wondered about that.  I think Quentin tried to point out that this Laurel had perhaps been more of a help and ally to Oliver in her own way, and--perhaps--that since there was no Earth 2 anymore (little to they know), that THIS Laurel deserved a chance.  

It was pretty cool to see so many show up for guest appearances for Oliver's funeral.  Anatole,  Talia and Anyssa, Sara obviously, but was also nice to see Barry and Kara make their appearances as well.  It was cool they kept it fairly close knit to those REALLY close to Ollie.  Don't me wrong---but the rest of the Super Friends, Team Legends, and Team Flash weren't as close to Ollie as Barry and Kara, who had formed a tight bond with him (though, it WOULD'VE been nice to have AT LEAST seen Iris).  That being said, it was a nice way to give tribute to the 8 years worth of characters that have appeared on the show.  

We now know that Team Arrow scattered into the wind.  Rene is the only one staying behind as he is going to be the Mayor.  Not sure where Laurel will be, Dinah's riding the wind, and Mia...well, we know what she's up to.  What I thought was interesting was that Mia told Dinah about what happened to William in the future, and that it happened just recently.  So, she still hasn't found him as yet.  I feel that plotline will get picked back up when Green Arrow & The Canaries begins somewhere down the road.  And we got to see Roy with his new mechanical arm---and he and Thea are tying the knot.  Very cool.

Then there's Diggle.  This episode focused A LOT on him....with flashbacks with Oliver, and wondering when he'd be ready to join Ollie on the mission...feeling that mission wasn't over.  But the finality of Team Arrow's mission being over was something he couldn't reconcile with until after William was rescued.  With Lyla taking a job in Metropolis, they're off to new adventures.  And those adventures for Dig are going to start asap, because he just got "the call"  That comet FOUND HIM, because our suspicions for the last few seasons have NOW been confirmed.  That was a Green Lantern ring.  And, if it's true there's a series lit for the Green Lantern Corps on HBO Max...it had BETER DAMN WELL have Diggle.  But...I'm ALSO hoping that while Diggle, Lyla, and the family are heading to Metropolis...we get to see them still pop up and interact with Superman, Lois, Flash, and everyone else in the League.  Especially if John becomes Green Lantern.  Just wish we had gotten MORE, but they were only going to give us so much I guess.

Your easter egg of the show..one last one...was the man who abducted William:  John Byrne.  He is named after famed writer/artist John Byrne, who has worked on many chracters of both Marvel AND DC including the X-Men, Spider-Man, Avengers, Captain America, Fantastic Four, JLA, and was responsible for the 1986 reboot of Superman with his famous mini-series The Man of Steel.


Okay, guys.  That's it.  The final bow has been taken, and this is my last blog for Green Arrow.  BUT...lemme know what YOU guys thought of the series finale?  Continue to leave comments below.  The Arrowverse lives on with the other shows I still blog about, and we'll be back there.  So, make sure you still subscribe to the blog, and pass along the good word.

That's it, everyone.  Our arrows have found the bullseye.