Join us each week as we review the latest episode of ARROW. Warning: the following review contains major spoilers for the newest episode of the show.
Episode 21: "Al Sah-him"
Synopsis: Oliver goes through a rigorous transformation. The League of Assassins sets their sites on Nyssa, who is back in Starling City training Laurel. When Nyssa realizes they are coming, she arms up to face them alone but Laurel asks Felicity and Diggle to help protect her new friend.
In Starling City: Oliver's training to take the place of R'as Al Ghul has begun and includes rigourous fighring and torturous conditions but, after only three weeks, Oliver readily calls himself Al Sah-him and murders a man despite thinking he was John Diggle. R'as then gives Oliver another mission: to kill Damien Dark. Dark was a fellow League member with R'as and the two clashed over who would lead the League. Dark has apparently had involvement in events going back to season one and it is up to Oliver to take him down.
Back at home, Laurel is still kicking ass as Canary while under the training of Nyssa Al Ghul. Laurel gets tutoring from Nyssa while in exchange the two begin a friendship. Laurel also reveals that Oliver has accepted the offer to become the next R'as and Nyssa is shocked and leaves immediately. Laurel demands to know what is bothering her: Oliver is heading to Starling to kill Nyssa.
The rest of the former Team Arrow mourn Oliver and are surprised to hear that he has been brainwashed and is coming for Nyssa. Nyssa prepares to face her destiny and the team argues about what they should do next. They prepare to face Oliver and hold out hope he has not turned. As Diggle and Laurel wait, Felicity informs Thea about Oliver's potential return. Thea asks to join the team to help but Felicity tries to keep her out. On the rooftop where Sara died, Oliver faces off against Nyssa. After dueling, Oliver has her at knifepoint when Laurel sets off her new Canary Call. Diggle holds Oliver at gunpoint and the brainwashed former Arrow jumps from the roof and disappears.
Thea calls Malcolm Merlyn and asks for help in saving Oliver. Malcolm cautions her against it but accepts her request. Diggle and Felicity return home to find the baby crying when Oliver calls. He has Lyla and promises no harm will come to her as long as they provide Nyssa. They meet and Nyssa agrees to turn herself over to the League to save Lyla. Lyla tries to talk some sense into Oliver but it comes to no avail. The two sides meet and exchange Lyla for Nyssa, but guns are pulled and a fight ensues. Diggle is injured and Oliver is prepared to deliver a death blow when an arrow shoots out of the sky and into his arm. It is Thea, dressed in an archer suit, and threatens Oliver. Oliver and the League leave with Nyssa and team Arrow regroups.
The team resigns themselves to the fact that Oliver is gone but promise to work on in his memory. Back at Nanda Parbat, R'as meets with Nyssa. He doesn't intend to kill her but instead needs something she possessed. In the blade of her knife, R'as finds what he was looking for. Nyssa tells her father she no longer fears him and R'as commands Oliver to kill her. As he prepares, R'as stops him and says he no longer needs to kill Nyssa but will instead marry Oliver and become Bride of the Demon. Back in Starling, Thea and Felicity discuss memories of Oliver and Felicity reveals that Roy is still alive.
The episode ends with R'as informing Oliver that his final act of ascension to his new role will be to wipe clean a city as an example of his power.He asks Oliver if he knew what Nyssa had hidden and he reveals it was Omega, the same pathogen from Hong Kong. R'as then tells him to take his place he must unleash it on Starling City, killing everyone in it.
Flashbacks: In Hong Kong, the release of Omega begins to kill those on the street as Oliver, Tatsu, and Maseo make their way back to Akio. Chaos engulfs the streets and the military begins handing out treatment for the illness.Oliver and friends step in and destroy the fake cure. They arrive back to the apartment and reunite with Akio and formulate a plan to escape. As they make their way through the city, Tatsu turns to see Akio is bleeding from his mouth, a symptom of Omega.
Review: After tonight,there are only two episodes left and holy crap if the show didn't just find some serious momentum. I wasn't sure if Oliver going to join the League was the best decision for the series, but damn if Oliver isn't a good villain. I have no doubt that he will not be releasing Omega on his hometown, but with how close he got to killing Diggle tonight, you can never be sure. Laurel is coming into her own as Canary and now Thea looks like she is finally ready to join Team Arrow herself, maybe using the classic DC Comics moniker of Speedy. This was a good hour and one that sets up some cool possibilities for the final episodes of the season.
Final Verdict:
Next on ARROW: "This Is Your Sword" airs May 6th: Oliver/Al Sah-him finishes his training and is left with two final tasks to become the next Ra’s al Ghul. Ra's threatens Nyssa and delivers some shocking news. Meanwhile, Malcolm makes a surprising offer to Team Arrow and Thea goes to see Roy.