Got yourself in a bit of a pickle there Oliie?
After experiencing a string of “WTF?” to just plain bad episodes (I’m speaking to you “The Return”), it was nice to see “The Offer.” No, Thea is still annoying me, but Oliver’s struggle is making a lot more sense now and once again, Laurel didn’t bug me. Plus we got an AMAZING speech from CAPTAIN Lance (you tell him Quentin what your rank is!). Any other hack would have just delivered a speech like that with a certain level of hokiness but not Paul Blackthorne. He exposed his hurt and betrayal with the equivalent of ripping his heart from his chest, demonstrating in all sorts of poignant detail how crushed to a pulp it was. He had to do that to show the Arrow the consequences of his actions, not to mention what happens when you betray a loyal ally. It was jarring and I just wanted to give Lance a hug. Oliver so had that coming.
The heart of the episode though was with Oliver and Ra’s Al Ghul . I have to say, after going through his pitch, a big part of me wanted Oliver to accept the job. I think he’d make a great Ra’s Al Ghul, especially if he implemented his “no kill” policy to the others. It can be a worldwide league of trained killers who don’t kill! He could have his morning workout of training with the best and brightest, and then relax in some healing waters when it’s all done, then have a nice meal of his choosing in the fancy dining cave. It’s the life of a King I tell ya!
Episodes that center on Oliver asking himself the tough questions like “Why do I do this?” and “Am I failing this city?” have been a mixed bag, but this one came at a necessary time. Oliver more than ever needs to take stock of his priorities in life, especially since the whole experience with being left for dead on a frozen mountain has shaken his psyche a little. That and Sara’s death, Thea’s situation with Malcolm, and basically protecting everyone he cares about that’s left by running a band of vigilantes dressed in sleek leather costumes running around at night. It’s time for soul searching, not to mention figuring out how the f*** you say no to Ra’s Al Ghul.
Since Ra’s in good faith released Malcolm and Digg, not to mention Thea too by dismissing all blood debts, of course Oliver was going to return the favor and release Nyssa. She did exactly what we thought she’d do, rush back to Nanda Parbat and give daddy dearest the riot act for releasing Oliver and that hideous murderer of her beloved Sara, Malcolm Merlyn. So when he told her exact why, aka the offer, who thought Nyssa would actually take that well? That girl has quite a temper, doesn’t she? Although I wouldn’t take the news that I’m not worthy enough to run the family business after training for it my whole life well either.
What I’m not exactly sure on is exactly how did Oliver reach the conclusion that he needs to remain the Arrow in Starling City? I was waiting for that grand epiphany that never really came. Felicity gave him zero incentive to continue now that she’s shacking up with Palmer and has a life. Diggle didn’t mention the wedding at all this week, so no bonding there. Roy became Thea’s backup plan when Malcolm drove her crazy, and I feel like he’s being setup for another big heartbreak, so that does Ollie no good either. He’s even not happy that Laurel’s fighting still sucks. So he catches one bad guy that is so twisted in the head he sewed his mouth shut (ewww!) and suddenly he has his new lease on life? So he could tell Lance he’s helping him whether he likes it or not? Nope, didn’t get it.
Of all the places Nyssa could go in the world with her new found freedom, she goes back to Starling City? The place of all those bad memories? The place where Sara died? And she does it so she can hit on, I mean form a new friendship with Laurel Lance?? That’s a woman on the rebound for sure. I’m not stunned at all that Nyssa offered to train Laurel and make her the nighttime vigilante of her dreams. I’m pretty sure I called it. But I find it unlikely that they would come together because Nyssa wants to prove to Daddy that she’s got another Lance to love and will turn her into a great warrior like she did with Sara. Who needs that dumb ole league? At least here she gets a little sun now and then.
I also wonder if Malcolm intentionally set all this up as a way to get all blood debts forgiven and get him in the clear with Ra’s. But setting up an elaborate scheme of having Thea kill Sara to provoke all this? Either he’s extraordinarily clever, or extremely lucky. I haven’t quite figured out yet. Please let him be clever, please? Plus if Oliver becomes Ra’s, you know Malcolm will fight by his side. This could be his redemption story! Or Thea will throw him out of her window to his death. It could go either way.
Oh and hello flashbacks, why is Shado back in them? That better be a twin sister or something or TPTB just totally invalidated all of season two (like they did with season one in “The Return”). And what happened to Maseo and Tatsu’s son? Enough dragging that story out!
I’ll give “The Offer” credit for one thing, I’m very interested in seeing what happens next. That is a vast improvement over the last few weeks, so bring it on! The previews show we get to see more of the A.T.O.M., so that should be a nice relief from the brooding of the hooded one.
Your turn. You think Oliver will actually become Ra’s Al Ghul, or will he find some kind of loophole? There’s always loopholes in the comic world, isn’t there?
