Arrow S4E10 “Blood Debts”

After 6 long weeks, Arrow has finally returned and answered the question that most had the answer to: Who is not in the grave? **Answer after the break**.  It’s been a busy 6 weeks for me, so forgive me if I am a bit rusty. Overall, this was a solid episode for Arrow. I wouldn’t define it as its best, but the episode answered some questions, set us up for future story lines, and ignited a whole new debate as to who is in the grave. Let’s get to it:

I will be honest, the promotion department for Arrow must have a small budget. All hiatus long, viewers were treated to rare promos. And the promos we were fortunate to receive, revolved around the grave scene juxtaposed with Felicity in the hospital. It irks me when an audience’s intelligence level is insulted. The mere fact that they tried to associate Felicity’s attempted murder and the grave, was the giveaway that Felicity was not in the grave. Arrow producers and writers love the element of surprise, so would it really be a surprise if the promotions were actually gave it away? So just for giggles one last time, the episode opens with the same grave scene.  Stick a fork in me, I am done with this scene.

This episode established one fact: The show Arrow, Team Arrow, and Oliver Queen cannot function without Felicity Smoak. Felicity may have been featured in 3 scenes for a total of 5-7 minutes, but her lack of presence was felt in every single scene. The lair felt so cold, the comms so quiet, Felicity’s babies were neglected, and Oliver Queen lost all control and focus. For three seasons, Felicity has been the one to ground Oliver, boost his self esteem, the one he can utmost vulnerable with, the one to straighten his path when he veered off, and the one to light that path along the way.  Without Felicity, season 1 Oliver started rearing his ugly head. Arrow wastes no time revealing Felicity’s fate. She is alive and has undergone several surgeries to repair nerve damage to her spinal cord. These scenes are juxtaposed with Oliver raging all over town searching for Damian Darkh. Oliver is in some serious denial. He hasn’t seen Felicity, despite the multiple surgeries and is due for one final surgery. Instead of being at the hospital with Felicity and offering her support, he sends flowers via Diggle.

I may be in a minority, but I am not okay with Oliver not being by Felicity’s side. At our darkest moments, we need our loved ones the most, especially your significant other. It’s not a high expectation, but when that expectation is not met, it is the loneliest feeling no matter who else surrounds you. That being said, after pondering Oliver’s decision for a day and half, I can somewhat understand it. Executive Producer recently did an interview (read them because she is extremely insightful and knows her characters),  and stated:

“We’re really going to explore the question: Can people change? We’re excited to explore that prism through Oliver.”

 

I said something similar in my 4×08 review regarding Oliver’s lie by omission about his son. Some bad habits are hard to break because those reactions have become intrinsic and instinctive over time. Oliver’s first instinct when it comes to his loved ones is to fight back and do whatever it takes. We saw it with Thea during season 3 in his efforts to protect her from Ras-ul-Ghul. A series of bad decisions and emotionally closing himself off. Felicity is on a whole different level because Oliver’s life is intertwined with hers. Without Felicity to ground him he becomes unhinged, erratic, and dismissive. Oliver instinctually starts the man hunt for Damien Darkh at whatever cost. I believe he does know his place is with Felicity, but he keeps telling himself this decision is what Felicity would want. The other part of Oliver feels he has failed Felicity if he doesn’t avenge her, and he can’t face her yet.  As archaic as this concept is, it fits Oliver’s intrinsic psyche. He is a results driven guy, who is still navigating through his 1st real relationship ever. In Oliver’s mind, bringing Felicity’s attempted murderer is his way of showing support.

And Oliver goes to great lengths. He discovers Darkh’s men dead at the hands of Anarky, Lonnie Machin. He becomes obsessed and eventually hunts down Anarky. I am going to skip over the details because quite frankly it was a bunch of action scenes involving Team Arrow. I’ll have a small bullet point about that later. Oliver holds Machin hostage and has quite the plans to torture him for information about Darkh’s location, but is interrupted because the news about Felicity’s condition is not good. I’ll get to the hospital scenes in a moment, but Machin gets arrested by the police and Oliver (after receiving news of her paralysis) once again leaves without seeing her. He frees Machin from police custody counting on the tracker to lead him to Damien Darkh. I would rank this decision pretty high on worst ideas ever. Machin rids himself of the tracker and Oliver has lost his last lead to Darkh.

Oliver, after some strong suggestion from Team Arrow, finally goes to see Felicity. I am going to speak about the two hospital scenes because they were the most poignant, beautifully acted, and emotionally raw scenes of the series thus far.  This scene and particular moment is where I choked up:

Felicity has tried staying so positive, strong, and understanding for everyone around her. In fact her first concern is if Oliver went off the rails. But she has one moment where she exposes her fear of abandonment and vulnerability to Oliver. She is affected by Oliver not being at the hospital. She fears that Oliver doesn’t see her the same way anymore, that is why he hasn’t come around, and wants to end things.  And she is giving him an out by stating that they haven’t taken their vows and she would understand. Even the strongest of individuals have insecurities. It breaks my heart that Felicity had these fears while she lay alone in her hospital bed. This is the main reason I can’t completely justify Oliver’s absence.

Oliver, the brooding, in denial,completely in love with Felicity Smoak, fool that he is, cuts her off because that has not crossed his mind once. I want to believe that it is this moment that he realizes Felicity needs his support and that not being at the hospital was a mistake. When he cuts her off and says “Felicity”, it was reminiscent of Episode 3×01 when Oliver cut Felicity off with her name when she asked him to “say you never love me”. Loving and spending the rest of Oliver’s life with Felicity Smoak is just as instinctual as his need to protect her.  Oliver places the engagement ring back on her finger because how dare the nurse in the ER take it off in the first place? This is the proof that Oliver, despite a setback, has changed. The old Oliver would have stayed and pushed Felicity away. This evolving Oliver knows he made a mistake and well spend his life apologizing and making it up for it.

The beautiful part is, they love and respect each other so much that even in the face of this life changing event, they are still communicating with one another. This is raw emotion, vulnerability, despair. They are about to hit a rough patch as a couple and individually, but this proves they will get through this for better or worse.

This episode also established one more important point: Felicity Smoak is the strongest team member of Arrow and a superhero in her own right. Strength is not defined by physicality or a mask because those only serve a limited purpose. True strength humbles those around them, inspires others to be better versions of themselves, and who stay positive in the face of adversity. That is Felicity Smoak, and she credits her partner Oliver Queen for inspiring her strength. I think a need a moment to cry again.

As much as Oliver Queen needs Felicity Smoak to be the best version of himself, so does Stephen Amell. Amell is a good actor and gives it all. But let’s be honest, Stephen Amell’s best work comes across from Emily Bett Rickards. The minute he walked into the hospital room for the first time and looks at Felicity for the first time, all the walls break down and the natural tears start. No one understands Oliver and Felicity’s relationship like Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards.  The subtle changes add a realistic dimension to their relationship that most TV couples spend hours rehearsing.

The real star of this episode though is Emily Bett Rickards. Before I start, props to the make up department for presenting her as an actual trauma patient and not a glamourized version of one. Her skin was pale, eyes sunken in, blue lips, yet Emily still radiated her natural beauty and charisma. Emily in one scene,single tear, and limited mobility emoted: fear, strength, vulnerability, respect, and love without being over dramatic. If I didn’t know any better, I would think Emily was actually sick while filming these scenes. Emily Bett Rickards versatility, natural charisma, and pure talent is going to take her far. I hope she has her Emmy reel ready and the entertainment industry takes notice.

The rest of the episode:

• I love John Diggle and he made my heart grow 3 sizes this episode. Andy may be his baby brother, but Felicity is his sister at heart and no one touches her. He beats the crap out of Andy to get information out of about Darkh’s whereabouts. With every punch, it is evident Diggle is letting out his own frustrations. With some real talk from his own rock, Lyla, John appeals to Andy’s emotions and bond as brothers to obtain the information. In the absence of Felicity, John steps up to remind Oliver who he has become and the person Felicity fell in love with. John also reminds Oliver that he will always have his back, and they are in this fight together.
• I know Laurel and Thea were in this episode. But all I heard was “what about me” and “my poor bloodlust”. Laurel continues to be a self absorbed hypocrite who had the audacity to tell Oliver he can’t keep Machin chained up. I literally clapped out loud when Oliver threw Sara’s resurrection back in her face.
• I am still confused about Thea and Machin, but it seems she is able to control bloodlust and convert that into lust for Oliver’s campaign manager ( I haven’t cared to learn his name).
• Anarky held Damien Darkh’s family hostage and Team Arrow saved them. We learn that Damien’s wife is even more demented than her husband and clearly is the one running the shots.
• Damien and Oliver’s confrontation was a bit anti climatic. Damien did his little flip the arrow back on Oliver trick ( you would think he would learn by now). By saving Damien’s family, Oliver is allowed several weeks reprieve from him. Meaning we get some filler episodes to deal with other storylines.
• Donna Smoak was pissed at Oliver and I wish she would have went off on him more. If I were Donna Smoak, I would have reamed him for a longer time.
• Felicity’s paralysis is permanent, but this is the Arrow world and she is the CEO of a tech company. Meaning, her paralysis will be temporary.
• Finally the last scene flash forwards 4 months back to the grave, and Oliver entering the limo with a distraught, emotional, and physically distant Felicity. So she is not dead, to the surprise of no one. And if you were surprised, I don’t know what to tell you.
• 
• We do know 2 things:
  • Felicity does not have her engagement ring on. Something big, like a secret son Oliver is lying about (speculation by the way) is going to break them apart. I am emotionally preparing myself for this. But I know they will find their way back because even at their lowest point, they are still connected to one another.
  • Whoever is in the grave is someone Felicity is close to because her inner Bratva wife comes out and orders Oliver to “Kill the son of bitch” And we all know that if it’s Felicity asking, he will do it.
  • 
• So who is in the grave?? My prayer circle is strong for Laurel, but after multiple debates the answer is still not clear. I’ll just wait to be surprised.

I didn’t think I would write this much, but I somehow did. Just as a disclaimer, none of the GIFs are mine. Also, I don’t consider myself a prolific writer, an expert in the entertainment industry, or a TV expert. I write because I love this show, find it cathartic, and it provides me a way to share my thoughts. If you survived and read this, feel free to leave your comments.