Arrow 511 Second Chances Review

 Last night Arrow gave us the new Black Canary aka, Tina Boland, whom we find out at the end is really Dinah Drake.  Of course we know that Laurel's first name was Dinah, so this is Arrow's new Black Canary.  She got her Canary Cry in Central City at the time of the  particle accelerator explosion.  She knows how to fight, because she had been CCPD  Clearly, Juliana Harkavy can act.  Her performance was both believable and authentic.  She holds her own with Oliver.

As I have stated before, I know zero about comic books or comic book icons, so I had to do a little research as to why the showrunners found it necessary to give us a Black Canary, when there seems to be plenty on board who can help Oliver fight crime. Apparently the original Black Canary in the 1947 comics was named Dinah Drake, so this is a wink at history.  I guess the Green Arrow has always had a Black Canary, and since Arrow is taken from the Green Arrow, then it would seem likely they would need a Black Canary.  I was probably just being redundant for those of you who are fans of the comic, I'm sorry, but some of my readers are not, so the explanation.  :)  I do like this actress over Katie Cassidy.  That's nothing against Katie Cassidy, she has owned the role of the Black Siren, she just never jelled with me in the role of Laurel Lance.  Juliana Harkavy owns the Black Canary role.  I won't hide the fight that I am a huge Olicity fan, so part of me worries a little that they will try to romantically connect Oliver and Dinah.  My husband while watching said, "If she had been the orignal Laurel Lance, would we have had Felicilty?"   I glared at him for thinking such thoughts.What say you?

          Russia and Talia:  Wow, now we learned how Oliver became the Arrow, and who gave him his hood. Where you surprised to learn that it was Talia who taught Yao Fei?  I love how everything connects on Arrow. So Talia, sent him back to the Lian Yu so he could be found and begin the work of fulfilling his father's mission of cleaning up Star City. Talia becomes Oliver's final teacher.  So while watching, I wondered does Prometheus have some connection to Talia?  But if so, then why?  Remember when Oliver said he had seen that style of fighting before?  I am sure it's connected to Talia, but I've been wrong before.  Just thinking, here, folks.

Felicity and Diggle:    Felcity found a way to help John Diggle, but it meant going on the dark web as her old nemesis, Ghost Fox Goddess, from her "hacktivist"  Helix helped her get what she needed to free John, but the cost is high. She has to be a part of Helix.  Thus begins Felicity's journey into the darkness.  John is going to feel a measure of guilt in Felicity's downward path to the darkness of her own island.  I had no clue what Helix was, so I had to search it out, and apparently in the comic books Helix was supervillain group that included some pretty bizarre characters.  Will she use this group to track Prometheus?  How far down this path will she be willing to go.  She?appeared very giddy almost to be back in, at first, but at the end, in the last scene with her, she didn't appear to be that way.  What has she gotten involved in, and what price will she pay?

Olicity:  There was only one Olicity moment that stuck out a me, and that was Felicity touching Oliver's hand, ever so slightly.  It remanded me of seasons one and two, when Oliver would light touch her hand. Did anyone notice if his eyes stayed on that touch? I didn't think so, but I wasn't feeling well last night, and when to bed right away, so I didn't get to back and look.  If one you saw it, could you post below, please?

Second Chances:  Arrow's titles are always meant for multiple layers, not just what you think.  Yes, Dinah Drake is given a second chance to be something better.  Oliver thinks that he gets a second chance with the Black Canary, but each other character has a second chance as well. Some of the second chances are not necessarily good.  Felicity gets a second chance to be a hacktivist, but that's won't turn out for good.  Perhaps it will give her as second chance with Oliver?  Rene mentions that working for the Arrow has given them all second chances.  Don't you enjoy the way the writers weave all of this together?

Final Thoughts:  I had thought Rene would somehow have a connection to Tina Boland, aka Dinah Drake.  I thought when he put his mask on quickly that he was trying to hide from her, but am pretty sure now that idea was wrong.  Did anyone else think there would be a connection?

To be honest, this was not my favorite episode.  I had hoped to see Oliver and Felicity drawing closer, but I didn't see it.  If  you, Reader, saw that then please let me know in the comments section.

I guess the team will be headed to Russia, and the extended promo, Felicity is in a mob bar. That should be a funny scene.