Arrow - The Magician - Review

Arrow, “The Magician,” was written by the team of Wendy Mericle and Marc Guggenheim and directed by John Behring. The episode really sets the stage for the new big bad – Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable) while establishing some new dynamics now that Thea (Willa Holland) is back in town.

We pick up right where we left off with Nyssa (Katrina Law) nocking an arrow at Oliver (Stephen Amell) and demanding to know where Sara is. She’s instinctively realized something is wrong and immediately realizes from Oliver’s fact that Sara is dead – clearly, something anticipated when you are an assassin. From the outset, Nyssa is single-mindedly positive that Malcom (John Barrowman) is to blame. Malcom points the finger at her father and Ghul’s cold assertion at the end that Sara had never been one of them seems to support his lack of attachment to her. Is Nyssa holding on to her conviction that it was Malcolm because she doesn’t want to believe it was her own father? If it is her father, she has sworn an oath to kill Sara’s killer and then she would have to kill her own father…

Nyssa does change her mind about Laurel (Katie Cassidy) as the episode progresses. At their initial meeting in the cemetery, Laurel refuses Nyssa’s condolences, insisting that Nyssa is the reason Sara is dead. Laurel blames Nyssa for “awakening the darkness” in her sister, but Nyssa insists the darkness was already there. All she did was protect and love Sara. Laurel’s bitterness causes Nyssa to lash out and tell Laurel she’s not fit to wear Sara’s jacket – a jacket that had been a present from Nyssa. However, by the end of the episode, Nyssa has watched Laurel and seen the anger she too feels over Sara’s death. Laurel has acknowledged Nyssa’s loss. When she comes to say goodbye to Laurel, she tells her that she is still committed to making good on her promise. She also supports Laurel’s training. She says “the strongest metal is forged in the hottest fire.” Laurel takes offence, but it’s a compliment. Nyssa is saying that Laurel’s anger will make her strong and will support her through her training to make her physically as well as mentally strong.

We see Oliver really stick to his promise not to kill. I was surprised to see Diggle (David Ramsey) support Nyssa’s commitment to kill Malcolm. It will be interesting going forward to see how Oliver fairs with having Malcolm under his protection. Will Ra’s al Ghul move on Starling City? And if he does really go to war with Oliver will Malcolm stand with Oliver? Is Malcom enough of a Magician to switch from bad guy to good guy?

The flashbacks show Oliver actually assassinating a target for Amanda Waller (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). It will be interesting to see if his disobediences get Maseo (Karl Yune) in trouble. Great writing to have this assassination play right back to the first season and the plane Fryers was attempting to shoot down. Not to mention that Waller’s target was China White (Kelly Hu)! Now, of course, I need to dig out my season one DVDs and re-watch their “first” meeting. Did Oliver let on he knew her? The flashbacks also emphasize why Oliver might want to be cautious about jumping to conclusions.

Oliver tells Thea that he’s trying his best to honor his promise to be honest with her, so he tells her that Malcolm is still alive. Really, this honesty promise is almost ridiculous! If he’s going to be honest, he’s got to tell her about his secret identity. However, Thea is being equally deceptive. I loved that they met for dinner out when neither of them is supposed to have any money. Where is Oliver getting money from anyway? For her own part, Thea has a mysterious backer who wants to reopen Verdant. Hmmmmm…. Could this be Malcolm? Of course it is.

I did love the scene in the coffee shop when Oliver tells Thea about Malcolm being the one to save her at the train station. Holland and Amell are both excellent in this scene. Thea is clearly thrown off by the news – but why? Is she worried about Malcolm or is she thrown because Oliver told her the truth, especially after Malcolm has emphasized Oliver’s lying? Oliver clearly realizes that something is off with Thea – something that he keeps noticing. I loved how defiant Thea was when she was kidnapped! It’s nice to see that even though she was kidnapped she didn’t just dissolve into a puddle of helplessness.

The actual kidnapping scene was excellent. Nice parkour move by what certainly appeared to be Colton Haynes – Roy – over the truck to defend Thea from Nyssa. Of course, she removes him as a threat by darting him. I loved that Thea then jumped in front of him to defend him, but she’s prevented from really trying out her new moves because Roy isn’t completely out and would see. Thea has been charmed by Roy’s helping out without trying “to get into her pants.” By the end of the episode, she offers him a position as Assistant Manager of the club. Likely a good thing as he’ll be able to continue to keep her out of the basement. Seriously, how is having someone else own that building helping to keep the lair secret???

I loved the final scene in which Oliver comes to check on Thea and then Roy. Then she gets a call from Malcolm. She thanks him for saving her and keeping her safe! She did see the Arrow was the one to cut her down, right? However, it’s hilarious when she tells Malcolm that Oliver is completely in the dark and without a clue. Malcolm smiles at the irony.

Barrowman is always a delight to watch. I particularly liked the final fight sequence when he bellows at Nyssa, “I did not kill your beloved!” The fight sequence between Malcolm. Oliver and Nyssa is excellent – though I’d prefer a few less cuts. There is also a beautiful shot at the monastery at the beginning of the episode. As the team fans out to pull the net closed around who they think is Zen Zhi Jansen, the shot pulls out to focus on a spider in the middle of its web. There’s also a nice crane shot when Malcolm and Oliver meet in public that shows the busy square where they are meeting from above, making it seem very much like a chess board.

Oliver is clearly now suspicious of Thea, so I’m eager to see that unfold. I wonder if we will see China White in the flashbacks coming up, and if so, will Oliver interact with her? Is Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) becoming suspicious of Sara’s absence? How long will Oliver and Thea be able to keep their secrets from one another? What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

About the Author - Lisa Macklem

I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.