Arrow returns this week, so it’s the perfect time to take a look back at where we left off with the fall finale “What We Leave Behind.” The episode was written by the team of Wendy Mericle and Beth Schwartz and was directed by Antonio Negret. While this was episode 101, it felt more like the love letter to the show that fans, including me, were expecting from the 100th episode. I loved all the flashbacks to season one, especially that epic escalator fight! Best thing? The final shot of Katie Cassidy – is that Laurel? Our Laurel?
Evelyn (Madison McLaughlin) continues her treachery of trading information on the entire team for the opportunity of watching Prometheus kill Oliver (Stephen Amell). Of course, they may still have a bit of a difference of opinion here – or be working at counter-purposes as Prometheus doesn’t just want Oliver to die, he wants him to suffer. What Evelyn doesn’t realize, of course, is that her treachery is one of those ways of making Oliver suffer.
Thea (Willa Holland) throws Oliver a killer X-mas party – it’s in her Queen-DNA after all! The party turns out to be full of awkward moments and introductions, however. Thea isn’t happy to see Susan (Carly Pope) show up as Oliver’s date.
Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) introduces Billy (Tyler Ritter) to Curtis (Echo Kellum) and Paul (Chenier Hundal), which turns super awkward when Felicity doesn’t know anything about the “start up” she’s supposedly been working on with Curtis. Here’s a hint Curtis – if you are going to create a cover story for your vigilante activities make sure you tell the other person involved. Paul, of course, was already suspicious that Curtis’ late nights were an affair.
Meanwhile, Diggle (David Ramsey) is having a Christmas party with Rory (Joe Dinicol), Rene (Rick Gonzalez) and Evelyn. Evelyn even brings them all presents – giant stockings. Lyla is theoretically making dinner but doesn’t appear in the episode.
Oliver makes the expected speech – and of course
Die Hard is a Christmas movie! We get a nice mention of
It’s a Wonderful Life – and a throwback to the 100th episode. And again with the awkward moment as both Felicity and Susan says “great speech” in unison. More awkwardness follows as Felicity introduces Billy to Oliver.
When Paul rushes out of the party in a jealous fit, Prometheus takes the opportunity to attack him and then engage Curtis who’s followed Paul out. Curtis ends up in hospital and finally has to come clean to Paul – who isn’t happy. Leading inevitably to him leaving Curtis by the end of the episode.
When Felicity and Oliver show up, Curtis points out that Prometheus knew he was Mr Terrific, and they realize he must also know who Oliver is. Their “secret” identities really are becoming a bit of a joke as Billy has also figured out that Curtis is Mr Terrific. Billy insists that Felicity stay with him for protection – but he later refuses not to do his job when Felicity wants to protect him.
I loved the flashbacks to the first season in this episode. Not only was it fun to see how far Felicity, Diggle, and Oliver have come, it was also fun to rewatch that great escalator fight. I also loved how they blended past and present, utilizing different lighting.
The trace the drug in Curtis’ system back to an old case, and it looks like Prometheus is the son of Justin Claybourne (Garwin Sanford) – the man Oliver killed for infecting people with TB and then gouging them on supplying the cure. When his plant comes back online the team goes to investigate. Felicity bemoans that even after five years, Oliver never listens when she tells him it’s not safe. There’s a nice little parallel with Rene once again ignoring his own orders – he insists that it’s ok because Oliver knows he won’t follow the orders anyway!
Prometheus seems to magically stop and split the arrow that Oliver shoots at him, and then we’re treated to what
Arrow does best – a great fight scene. Loved Oliver watching as Prometheus does a slo motion flip over him. A signature move that Oliver eventually recognizes as one taught to him by a woman in Russia – someone we haven’t met yet in that flashback storyline, no doubt.
Rene manages to shoot to save Oliver, but Evelyn shoots to disarm Rene, exposing herself as the traitor. This sends everyone scurrying to protect their loved ones. Lyla is sent to a safe house and Thea is to stay at the lair. At this point they think that Prometheus is Justin, but ashes they find at the Plant turn out to be Justin’s.
Billy goes to the Plant and finds a baby picture which he manages to text to Felicity before being captured by Prometheus. How horrible is it that the last communication he has with her is of a baby? Naturally, Prometheus sets up Billy by disguising him, duct-taping his mouth shut and a weapon in his hand so that Oliver shoots and kills Billy thinking he’s killing Prometheus. I have to say it’s yet another instance in which the show had a recurring guest star with terrific potential and they utterly squandered him. I was hoping to see a lot more from Ritter.
It’s interesting that the only appearance that Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra) makes in the episode is to tell Oliver about Billy’s abduction and that the public will be ok with a shoot to kill order in this case. The baby picture turns out to be Claybourne’s illegitimate son who would be around 30. He’s had four years since his father’s death to learn all of Oliver’s moves.
Thea suits back up because Felicity called for all hands on deck. She tells Oliver that their parents would be proud of him. There are two sides to every legacy: the good and the bad. She points out that he has a bad habit of always focusing on the bad!
Did everyone love the flashback to season one Felicity and Oliver? And Oliver telling Felicity that he does believe in magic?
Did anyone else hear echoes of someone else’s speeches in Claybourne’s talk of making the city great again with money? Anybody else see the parallel of self-interest? Oliver certainly wasn’t buying it. Prometheus doesn’t want to hear why Oliver killed his father – he wants to know if his father was just another name on Oliver’s list. He tells Oliver that his plan is so much more than simple revenge. He also tells Oliver that he’s studied him and it would be very easy to turn all of Oliver’s friends and family against him.
Oliver has to tell Felicity that he killed Billy, and this was one of the best scenes from Amell and Rickards all season. Felicity assures Oliver that the blame lies completely with Prometheus – she doesn’t blame him. Once again, Oliver tries to push everyone away from himself – falling back on that old chestnut that he’s just bad news and they should all just get away from him. As always, Diggle is the voice of reason – or at least we are finally back to normal and Diggle IS the voice of reason again – and he tells Oliver that they aren’t going anywhere because they’re all right where they want to be.
However, the final scenes somewhat contradict this. Curtis goes home only to have Paul leave him. Curtis and Felicity are alone and crying over broken hearts. Diggle gets a call from Lyla to come to the safe house right away only to walk into a trap and be recaptured. Oliver goes to Susan, and she tells him not to shut people out.
The episode saves the best for last, however, as Oliver returns to the lair to find Laurel there! Or is this Laurel? Is it the Laurel from this timeline or earth or is it even someone who just looks like Laurel? The writers/creators have shared that she isn’t an hallucination at any rate!
What did you think of the episode? Are you happy to see Laurel back? Do you think this is Laurel? Had she simply gone into hiding? I always thought her death seemed a little suspicious – like a set up for her to go underground/disappear… Thoughts? Should Oliver give up on Evelyn? Should she be treated as an enemy now? Were you sorry to see Billy die? Do you want Susan to meet the same fate to clear the way for an Olicity reunion? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
