Arrow, “Public Enemy” was written by the team of Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle and directed by Dwight Little, whose other credits include
Sleepy Hollow,
Bones, and
Nikita. The episode features the return of Charlotte Ross as Donna – Felicity’s (Emily Bett Rickards) mom. It also has a great fight sequence followed by a great chase sequence. But the most shocking part of the episode has to be either Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) finding out that Oliver (Stephen Amell) is the Arrow or Roy (Colton Haynes) pulling a Spartacus and declaring to everyone that he is the Arrow. Once again, the writers keep the action coming right up until the very last moment!
The action picks up right where we left off with the murder of the Mayor (Christina Cox). Felicity is saved by Ray (Brandon Routh) who takes an arrow for her. He ends up in hospital in critical condition with a blood clot threatening to either give him brain damage or kill him. Of course, Ray has a tech solution! He’s developed nano-tech that can be injected into him to fix the problem. Unfortunately, the Doctor (Richard Keats) says that Starling General has a policy against allowing experimental procedures.
Donna shows up because she “heard” about Ray and clearly wanted to be there to support Felicity. However, later in the episode, she tells Felicity that she doesn’t watch the news because it’s too upsetting – so she’s missed that Oliver is being hunted for being the Arrow. So, how exactly did she hear about Ray being in the hospital? We also get several mentions of Felicity’s father. Does Donna have another agenda? Are we about to meet Felicity’s ne’er do well father? Charlotte Ross is always a joy, so I really hope she doesn’t have some gold-digging scheme going. She certainly seems supportive of Felicity. I loved how she goes immediately to “At least you finally have a boyfriend!”
It’s Donna who convinces Felicity that sometimes you have to take a chance for the people you love. Felicity isn’t hesitating because she could go to jail but because she’s afraid the nano-tech could kill Ray. Donna creates a diversion so that Felicity can inject the nano-tech. Ray doesn’t expect any side effects but almost immediately has a seizure. He then has to concede that there might be some side effects. In the comics, the Atom can actually shrink in size at will, so I’m betting that we’re going to see other side effects from having the nano-tech injected. The Doctor is thrilled when Ray’s MRI shows the clot is completely gone, and clearly realizes that they’ve used the nano-tech but lets it go.
Ray and Felicity share a great moment with a classic Felicity line: “all I did was stick something in you.” She follows this up by wondering, “Do you think there will ever come a time when everything I say isn’t some weird double entendre?” Ray replies, “I hope not. It’s one of your more charming traits.” He loves her for the same reasons we do – and he tells her that he loves her, but she can’t bring herself to say it back. Routh is really good in this scene as you see his love for Felicity and then the hurt clearly on his face.
Felicity is waylaid by Donna, who immediately knows something’s up. At first she thinks it’s hospital sex – hilarious – but quickly gets to the heart of the matter. Felicity asks what’s wrong with her for not saying it back – Ray is practically perfect for her, super-smart, loves Dr Who, looks like a Disney Prince. Donna does know her daughter though and tells Felicity that she doesn’t love Ray because she’s already in love with Oliver and she’s going to have to make a choice.
Meanwhile, the mayor’s murder pushes Quentin into overdrive to get the Arrow. He reinstates the vigilante task force and issues a first degree murder warrant for the Arrow. This is exactly what Ra’s (Matt Nable) wants. We see both Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and Roy prove their loyalty to Oliver. Laurel could smooth things over with her father if she simply revealed who the Arrow is and she risks making the relationship even worse if (when) Quentin does find out who it is. Thea (Willa Holland) suggests that she and Roy could just leave, but Roy won’t abandon Oliver.
Oliver convinces Nyssa (Katrina Law) to tell them where to find Maseo (Karl Yune), but she won’t fight with them against him. We get a terrific fight scene on the roof and then a brilliant chase sequence after the police show up. Ra’s has put Oliver in a corner and is letting the police be the ones to put him in a cage.
It’s almost funny when Quentin tells his men to hold their fire as Laurel, Oliver and Roy escape from the rooftop. He manages to corner Laurel – who is saved by Nyssa – and he’s willing to put her in jail overnight to teach her a lesson, but he’s clearly not willing to let her get shot or killed. Diggle (David Ramsey) picks Oliver up and they get away. Roy’s escape only serves to ramp up the guilt he feels because he’s forced to wound some police officers in order to get away.
In the flashbacks, we find out that the woman Oliver runs into in the market isn’t Shado but her twin sister May (Celina Jade). She agrees to take Oliver – who says his name is Tommy – and Akio (Brandon Nomura) back to her apartment to hide. She lets Oliver take a shower and sees that he has the same tattoo that Shado had and figures out that he had to know her. When did he get that tattoo??? We know he has it now, but I really want that story! A quick shout for the cinematography. I love how the flashbacks re in sepia to help them have a different feel from the present storyline even while the themes weave between the them.
Waller’s men attack, and it’s only Maseo and Tatsu (Rila Fukushima) showing up that saves Oliver. He then does tell May the truth about Shado and Yao Fey. May is devastated but relieved to know the truth finally. She tells Oliver “You have no idea how powerful the truth can be.” And that’s the lesson that Oliver takes forward into the present.
Once Quentin knows the truth from Ra’s about Oliver, he’s able to twist it through his grief to make Oliver solely responsible for Sara’s death. If she’d never gotten on the boat with Oliver she’d never have entered the League of Assassins and would still be alive.
Roy is clearly being consumed with guilt, and Thea tries to tell him that he needs to forgive himself. I liked that she emphasizes that he wasn’t himself last year when he killed the cop. It’s a good indication that she should be able to forgive herself by the same logic for Sara’s death. I am a little disappointed that we haven’t seen any indication that Thea is going to join the team – we just see her wringing her hands waiting for the team to get back. Holland has been doing a great job with the fight/sparring scenes, so I’m still hoping we’ll see her don a costume before the end of the season – though it will no doubt make both Roy and Oliver crazy!
Oliver apologizes to Roy just as the cops raid Verdant. Diggle later points out that the lair is no longer secure! I wonder where they will relocate to? Oliver eventually ends up at Diggle’s to re-group. He’s closely followed by the rest of the team. Oliver is not happy that Quentin is using Oliver’s city as a weapon against him. Oliver decides to use the power of the truth and turns himself in. Once again, he’s followed by the whole team – who have now shown themselves to Quentin.
Oliver is determined that this is the only way to save lives, including the team’s. He’s arranged full immunity for them. He tells them, “You’ve all followed me this far. I need you to follow me just a little farther… until it’s over.” It seems like it is over. Quentin confronts Oliver in the transport van. Asking him if it was all worth it and laying all of the deaths squarely at Oliver’s feet. Both Amell and Blackthorne are excellent in this scene as Quentin harshly tells Oliver it would have been better for everyone if he’d died on the Island. He tells Oliver, “You’ve made us criminals, liars, and victims. You’re not a hero, you’re a villain.”
It seems that all is lost until the convoy is attacked by the Arrow. Of course, it’s Roy, pulling his Spartacus move. It’s possible that he could simply cause reasonable doubt, but he’s also turned up in the costume in front of a bunch of witnesses – Oliver showed up as himself and Quentin doesn’t have any evidence that Oliver is the Arrow. Roy is ready to lay down his life for Oliver, but more importantly, he feels he deserves to be punished for his past deeds. He’s unlikely to fight for himself. Will Quentin take anything away from how loyal Oliver’s team is? I doubt he can see past his own pain, however. This could also get pretty awkward for Laurel is she’s assigned to prosecute the case!
What did you think of the episode? Were you happy to see Donna again? Do you think she has an agenda? Do you think Ray will get “powers” from his treatment? Do you think Oliver will be able to get Roy out without having to further compromise himself? What do you think Ra’s will do next? 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.
