by Demi Moumas, Reporter
The second episode of Arrow starts with a FEMA truck getting robbed by China White and the triads. Only they interrupted by Roy Harper. Now Roy, my dear boy you must know you can’t win against those people. Realistically, he probably would have gotten shot and died before his car even flipped, but let’s face it he still could. In the end, the triad gets away and Roy gets arrested. I don’t know why he gets arrested…he could have told them he got into an accident while driving home or something like that. Boy can’t lie apparently. He needs to learn!
While under arrest Laurel start to inquire on why he has one of the vigilante’s arrows. I really think that Laurel needs to jump in a pool or something and cool down. Does this girl not remember what happened last season? After failing to convince Roy to stay away from the hood, he is released to Thea and Oliver. Laurel explains her reasoning for stopping the vigilante to Oliver. I’m pretty sure that his stoic face meant he was thinking about it…or wondering why she has this vindication against him. He then turns to his sister in order to talk to Roy. That doesn’t go well, it never does. Oliver does try though and it is a valiant effort. He does get information for his next Hood mission.
This episode’s flashbacks set around the face that Oliver killed someone in a rage on the island. Shado and Slade try to figure out why the men are here before Shado decides to help Oliver out of his funk. Even Slade comments on how his eyes are like that of seasoned soldiers. In a rare gesture of compassion, he suggests someone talk to him. This to me says something about Slade’s character. He a tough guy, but he does have his bouts of compassion and mercy. It is my impression that he feels like Oliver is a brother that he toughened up but did not want blood to spill on his hands. So Shado takes Oliver to go get cleaned up and talk through his ordeal.
Back in the present, Oliver and Diggle visit the hospital that’s shipments are being targeted for the thefts. On their way out after checking the hospital out, Oliver finally meets Sebastian Blood. Now he is an alderman from the Glades who is trying to help the victims of the quake. Honestly though, with a last name like Blood I would immediately think that he was evil. Even when Oliver comments that he is trying to atone for his mother’s acts, Blood turns it against him and even gets the crowd to heckle him. Seriously? If this man wanted to help the Glades, he would use Oliver. Not to say that is right, but if someone is trying to help and has the money to supply things for the people, I would have thought Blood would jump on that. He says the Glades are suffering so much, then forget your moral high ground and do it to help the people. Sounds familiar. The alderman did such a good job that one of the people breaks a window of the car as Diggle is driving away.
Felicity Smoak, our favorite IT girl is now Oliver’s girl Friday. I must say when she first started complaining about being his new secretary; I was ready to let them know I’m free. She is tasked with trying to find how the hijackers are getting a line on the medical supplies. See girl? You are not doing that many secretarial things, this should be cake for your M.I.T brain. It is only later in the day that she actually gets more things done in the Foundry then in the high rise. Who would have thought? She gives Oliver and Diggle the time of the next shipment and they quickly get ready.
When the Triad tries to get this shipment, the Arrow interrupts them. China White then introduces a new ally of her. Now if you know anything about the comics, or just looked it up on Wikipedia, you will know that this buff black guy with the claws is not Wolverine’s DC counterpart. This is Ben Turner, a.k.a the Bronze Tiger. Unfortunately Oliver isn’t rethinking his, no kill policy and when the cops come to break up the fight, he gets shot in the ankle. It is when he is getting mad that the cops go in his way back at the Foundry, does Felicity tear into him and tell him about Diggle and Carly breaking up. She also lectures him on being so self-centered and involved that he doesn’t see things around him. Hey Felicity, it’s not just an Oliver thing, I think it’s a rich thing. We figure out Diggle’s love life isn’t what it used to be because he is still obsessing over Deadshot. I feel bad for Diggle at this point. The man is Oliver’s sidekick and helps him with everything only to be left alone in the dark most of the time. While Oliver has his out with Diggle, upstairs Thea has it out with Roy. She gives him an ultimatum, her or his new gig as a vigilante wannabe. As symbolism of this she gives his the hosen (that Japanese arrowhead!) that Oliver gave her. If he wants to stay with her, he’ll start anew with her.
In Oliver Queen’s world, he invites Blood to his office in order to brainstorm on how to fix the Glades together. Despite Oliver trying to be civil, Blood takes a lot of stabs at him. Word stabs, not real ones. This scene shows both sides of the spectrum. The sides of Oliver’s want to repent to the people of the Glades and Blood’s determination to help them get out from under. Despite how money is essential to the recovery of the Glades, the alderman doesn’t want the charity from Oliver. So the billionaire suggests holding a function in which the elite can donate money to help the people of the destroyed section of the city. Wait…how is that any different than taking the money in check form from Oliver? Anyway, problem solved right?
Not when Oliver needs to stop another heist just as he arriving at the function. He must leave to play the vigilante again in order to help the people of the Glades. While he is doing that, Blood is crucifying him in front of the crowd at the party while Laurel tries to convince him otherwise. Blood, despite accept Oliver’s help seems to just want to make him look bad at every turn. Things are not just looking up for Mr. Queen with the alderman.
What’s worst is he keeps trying to get Laurel to forgive the vigilante part of himself. She blames him for what happened to Tommy. How can you blame him? A building fell on Tommy. No arrows, no weapons were involved. So after saving the medical supplies, he tries again to convince her that he is only trying to help the city. For thanks, she had a SWAT team bear down on him in her office. Well…the lovely night visit from the vigilante became a bust.
This episode I feel expands on the multiple character lines we have going. For example, the fact Roy wants to help the Arrow. Now instead of going out and fighting in his name, Oliver has recruited him to get him information in the Glades. A sweet twist because Oliver wants to keep Roy out of trouble for Thea’s sake. Laurel’s sweet vengeance against the vigilante is going to be a major factor for Oliver. He needs to either settle things with her as the Arrow or find a way to get her to stay away from him. Her misguide crusade is going to get him revealed or killed, whichever comes first. Thea’s responsibility in running the club and trying to juggle her life with her boyfriend comes into play. Though we only see a bit of her during the episodes, it gives Oliver’s persona a sense of realism. For example this episode, Oliver went with Thea to go get Roy from the cops. That’s something a brother would do.
As far as the flashbacks are concerned, we are learning what happened after they got rid of Fryers. They now have pirates of some kind invading the island looking for something within the corpses they found. Not only that, but the relationship between Shado and Oliver as well as the brotherly relationship between Oliver and Slade are being developed more. I find it interesting that Slade is showing interest in Shado, when the woman clearly is showing interest in Oliver. Tough luck my Aussie friend, you are not going to win this one.
All in all, I think it was good development episode in the series. It shows the struggles that everyone is having in the aftermath of the quake. It is also showing how people are taking advantage of what is going on in the Glades now. Though, I did find that Laurel’s attitude flip lacked some substance. I also find the fact that the Bronze Tiger was not introduce properly other than just appearing as China White’s friend kind of abrupt and disconnected.
Rating: 
ComicsOnline gives Arrow 2×02 – “Identity” 4 identity issues out of 5.
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