1.23 Sacrifice We pick up right where last week left off, with a now shirtless (of course) Oliver being questioned by Malcolm. This is where the idea of sacrifice is first raised, with Malcolm asserting that the reason he can beat Oliver time and time again is that he knows what he’s willing to give up in the fight. Everyone in this episode sacrifices something for someone else, and every single character, with the exception of maybe Laurel, gets some sort of heroic moment. That’s what makes this finale so strong – this is a superhero show and, for the first time, we got plenty of ‘big darn hero’ antics. Team Arrow are obviously ready to assist Oliver in whatever way they possibly can, with Diggle going along to confront Malcolm and Felicity concentrating on defusing the device, but the supporting cast also step up. The most obvious one, and another of the unexpected decisions for the show, was Quentin’s role in helping the cause. Instead of putting Felicity in direct danger, Oliver decides that he’d rather his girlfriend’s father camped out next to the bomb, and Quentin even gives up his job to assist them in saving the city. Could this be a sign of things to come? Might we see him have a whole different dynamic with the vigilante next year? It’s too bad that Laurel, the catalyst for three of the characters’ actions, proved herself both useless and stupid at various points in the episode. When your father calls you to say a tearful goodbye, you respect his wishes and get the hell out of dodge. And when a building is collapsing around you, drop the files and run out the door as fast as you can. Sadly, it’s this second example of stupidity that leads to Tommy’s heartbreaking end, as saving her means that he himself is trapped. Oliver rushes in just in time to tell him one last lie – that he let his father live – and this love triangle ends with the bromance taking centre stage. So where does this leave us? Oliver and Laurel’s romance may be put on pause now that the third point of their love triangle is out of the equation, Moira’s arrest may lead to Oliver taking a more active role in the family business, Quentin’s job hunt might lead him to choose The Hood as an ally, Thea learning her mother’s secrets may push her to assist Roy in his own vigilante kick, and Diggle still has Deadshot to deal with in season two. The destruction of the Glades also means that Oliver and co. are going to have a new, slightly nobler, mission – one that could potentially involve everyone. Read Caroline’s review of the previous episode, Darkness on the Edge of Town, here. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
