Arrow 512 The Bratva Review

Many good, positive things happened in this episode and some not so good.  Let's begin:

Diggle:  Diggle's darkness began last season when he killed his brother.  The guilt of that led Diggle to a dark place where he questions his values.  Diggle beats a man to get he information he wants a bout the nuke that Walker wants to fire.  Oliver had seen the man first, but refrained from beating him. He wanted to give the man time to think,but Diggle cannot wait.  As Diggle is doing this, Rory questions Felicity on what she has done, when Oliver comes in to talk.  Rory told Felicity that when his father had given him the rags he said to "respect and guard the power and don't abuse it, clearly he thinks Felicity is abusing the power she has with the computer.  Oliver interrupts then and Rory says,"I think she's crossed the line."  Oliver gives Felicity a look of concern but runs to Diggle because of what's happened. Diggle has beaten the informant, and Felcity defends it by saying that you have to fight fire with fire. Oliver broods over the two people he cares so much for. He can't seem to protect the ones he loves.

  Oliver:  Oliver struggles to keep the darkness down.  He wants to be light, yet he sees his two friends heading down a path he's already gone down, and it hurts him.  It causes him to relive that darkness all over again. Oliver tells Felicity and Diggle that he wants to keep them from the darkness.  He knows what the darkness does and he wants to protect them from it. Sometimes, no matter how much you want to protect the ones you love, you just have to let them go, and then they find their way.  It hurts to do that.  Oliver is feeling that hurt.  Diggle faces the same situation that he faced with Andy. He wants to pull the trigger.  Walker deserves to be shot for all he's done to hurt Diggle and his family, yet this time, he stops and doesn't dot it.  Oliver lit the way for him, and he find the light inside not do it. One of the best lines from the night was when Diggle tells Oliver, "Me and Felicity, we're not better than you.  You, me, and Felicity we make each other better.  We are brothers."  They are family.

Felicity and Olicity:  Felicity's darkness is difficult to watch.  For her this hacking is like an addiction, much the same as alcohol is to Lance.  It's a numbing way to forget the pain.  Felicity want to do now what Oliver did in season 1, cross names off the list.  Her list is the corrupt government, or what she sees as corrupt.  How will Oliver reach her?  He knows  she's in trouble. He knows she's doing something she shouldn't and it could cost them both, but can he stop her?

  This Olicity moment was so sweet.  Felicity in danger because of the nuke, and Oliver rushes to be with her, and she rushes into his arms.  The have such feelings for each other.  Oliver's light will have to shine very brightly because Felicity has truly turned to the darkness to try and get Prometheus. I think its clear that he loves her, but I don't think he understands that she loves him.  I am not sure even if she knows the depth of her love for him. Felicity helped turn Oliver's darkness to light, and now he must turn her darkness into the light.  He has to light her way.

Rory:  Rory used his power to save everyone, but in so doing he lost that power.  He will leave, but I wonder if he will come back somehow.  He had a goodness about him, and he cares about these people now, and I think he cares for Felicity and will truly want to help her.  Will he find a way? Perhaps he will tell Oliver all he knows about what Felicity has done.

Rene and Lance.  I have always liked Rene, and his backstory is going to be very interesting.  We found out a little last night.  I look forward to the bond that perhaps Lance and Rene will build.  Rene needs friends and family. I think we shall discover that a lot of hurt has happened to him,  He will be good for the team, and the team will be good for him. Rene is the one new character that I have liked.

The Bad:          The bad can be summed up in two words: Susan Williams.  We had the sweet moment of Felicity in Oliver's arms and then they ruined it with the bedroom scene with Susan.  In the beginning they took time to emphasize that Oliver and Susan had not slept together, and then bam, they put them together.  It made me sick.  She is only using him for a story?  Like she couldn't have gotten some of this information the old fashioned way?  So does she want to prove that Oliver is the Green Arrow?  Or does she want something more.  She is connected in some way with Bratva, I am almost certain of it.  She knew what that Bratva tattoo meant. Could she be working with Kovar?  Kovar's daughter, perhaps?  Somehow this will all link back to Prometheus.  It's a puzzle to be sure.

What did you think of the episode?

I may add more to this later, but I have had a migraine and I still have two classes left to teach, so sorry if this didn't meet with your expectations. :)