Arrow (3×02) Review - “Sara”

Emotions are once again running high on Arrow, as the third season’s momentum carried on from the tragedy of last week’s premiere.

Last week’s season three premiere of Arrow revealed to fans that the members of Team Arrow have reached a much happier place than a few months ago in season two when Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett) AKA notorious DC villain Deathstroke wreaked havoc across Starling City. Then again, the end of the premiere hit us with a devastating loss, that of our dear Canary, Sara Lance (Caity Lotz). With such a major death occurring immediately in this young season, I can’t help but wonder just how dark the tone of Arrow will actually become (possibly even more dark than hinted by the cast). Though the episode is titled “Sara” and the only thing Caity Lotz does is lay dead, this episode was surrounded with pain amongst Team Arrow as they try to track down Sara’s killer. So let’s discuss how this devastating loss impacts not just Team Arrow, but the viewers who came to love Black Canary.

Through the darkness, one must always stand as a beacon of light.

Last weeks ending carried over to episode two’s opening scene with Laurel (Katie Cassidy) in utter shock and a big strain in her heart, as the camera shifts and hovers above the lifeless body of Sara, laying there cold and still in the underground lab, to the disbelief of Oliver (Stephen Amell), Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Roy (Colton Haynes). This instantly sets the tone for the episode, with Roy comforting Felicity as she can only cry, still looking for a way to help the situation, offering to take her to the hospital knowing very well there’s nothing that can be done. This is one of those specific qualities in Felicity that keeps fans so intrigued for a character who is rarely involved in the physical action of the show, her wanting to always be able to help regardless of the situation and the way it impacts her. Though she may not know a bunch of martial arts, she’s become a huge support system for Oliver and it’s safe to say he wouldn’t be where he is without the skills of our beloved Felicity. This is our first big loss since we lost Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson) to the hands of Slade Wilson in season two, and Tommy (Colin Donnell) during the undertaking in season one. Laurel, with blood all over hands doesn’t know how to react. She’s cried for hours and acquires a thirst for vengeance, even reaching into Oliver’s lab drawers for a pistol willing to find the killer herself. She hasn’t found it in herself to explain what’s happened to her father, Captain Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne), and although Laurel believes she’s doing what’s best, this could cause a very negative ripple effect throughout the season should her father find out. This is also ironic, in the fact that Quentin didn’t tell Laurel about Sara when she first returned to Starling after years away, thought to be dead. Laurel’s character arc has been a definitive weak point in the show, but Katie Cassidy looks to be stepping up to the challenge big time this year. The music composed by Blake Neely in the opening scene adds an extra emotional touch when Oliver comforts Laurel, with the slow sadness and a hint of despair becoming more evident thanks to the engaging sound of the composition.

“Ollie it’s not fair, we just got her back it’s not fair!” ~ Laurel

Diggle (David Ramsey) also took this loss to heart. He’s been a busy man with his newborn daughter (whom he’s vowed to name Sara), but feels a deep sense of obligation to Team Arrow that can’t be ignored. He approaches Oliver at the location of the incident, giving his condolences. We can physically see the raw emotion Diggle feels, with his eyes somewhat watering up and turning a faint red. He feels Oliver’s pain as if he’d known Sara just as long. This strengthens the friendship between the two. Every time they have a big emotional moment it really puts the viewers in a soft spot, experiencing the development of what is truly a brotherhood. Oliver and Diggle would die for one another they both know it, though Ollie’s stubbornness would try to keep everyone away as much as possible, and this is what gives the show that passion outside of love, or maybe a different kind of love. The love one has for his brother, and the bond that’s been created, is one that can never be broken.

Diggle: “Oliver you don’t have to do this right now man.”

Oliver: “I’m fine.”

Diggle: “I’m here for you just the same. Listen, Sara was my friend too, and if you think you’re going after the person who did this alone, you couldn’t possibly be more wrong.”

Stephen Amell’s performance this week was on point, as Ollie’s reaction to Sara’s death carried a harrowing vibe that was emphasized by his gloomy facial expressions and very cold tone of voice. His appearance doesn’t show it, but Oliver still truly feels he needs to place all the weight on his shoulders and that includes keeping everyone at a safe distance. This also creates a mini development for the arc of Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Oliver.

Oliver: “I just need your A game right now Felicity.”

Felicity: “I don’t have it! My friend, our friend, was shot with arrows and fell off a rooftop. Her body is upstairs right above us in a freezer because we don’t know what to do with it, with her, so I’m sorry Oliver, if I have feelings, but maybe if you did too… *After a shocked look from Oliver* “I’m sorry, that was mean, but this is Sara we’re talking about. Your Sara. How can you stand there being so cold and rational?”

Oliver: “Because I don’t have the luxury of falling to pieces. Everyone is looking to me to handle things, to make the right decisions. Everyone is looking to me to lead. If I grieve, nobody else gets to.”

This can be a problem in the future if Ollie continues to acquire the minimal help possible from the likes of Diggle and Roy. Speaking of Roy Harper, otherwise known as Arsenal (common comic book names are Speedy, Red Arrow), I’m glad to see him as a dedicated cliché sidekick rather than a street punk who was so “50/50” in his determination to do good in season two. Here, we see him get right into the action with Ollie as they take on a new dark archer known as Komodo (Matt Ward) the one they’re hoping is Sara’s killer. After an awesome hand to hand (or hand to bow, one might say) combat sequence between Ollie and Komodo in the office party of Ray Palmer (2006 Superman Returns star Brandon Routh) he discovers that Komodo isn’t Sara’s murderer, and is just another killer who “takes pride” in his work. The addition of Matt Ward as Komodo allowed for the tension to break off and some great action scenes to take place, especially the head to head motorcycle-arrow battle. Since Komodo wasn’t really put away or disposed of, I’d like to see a lot more of him coming up, and it wouldn’t definitely be a great way to introduce him to fans with more detail, because he was also newly introduced in the New 52 Green Arrow comic book series last year. Arrow’s writers (Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns) have proven multiple times that they can create a great universe/background for the more unknown characters of this universe, so I would expect nothing less with Komodo.

A true warm welcome, Ray Palmer!

When Brandon Routh was originally cast as Ray Palmer (or his superhero alias, The Atom) it didn’t wow me nor did it leave me unsatisfied. What most people were definitely thinking about was that horrendous Superman Returns flick of 2006, in which Routh was the actor portraying Clarke Kent. Based on the world Arrow’s writers have created, I personally think Routh’s experience in film is a bonus to help bridge some of the younger actors taking that next step in their careers. Plus, HE’S THE ATOM! Arrow’s executive producer Marc Guggenheim stated that we very well may not see Ray don the Atom costume in Arrow because of it’s more grounded universe, but that may easily change if he appears in The Flash. That would be a whole bunch of geeky greatness to witness, and only time can tell. In his first two appearances on Arrow, Ray clearly has a thing for Felicity (then again, who wouldn’t!?). She possesses a quirky yet loveable sense of humor, superior intelligence, and an undying loyalty to her loved ones, something Ray can immediately sense.

Ray: “You know, most girls would be flattered that I spent $1.2 billion just to hire them, even if I do have a fairly genius plan for rebranding the stores.”

Felicity: “In case you haven’t noticed, I am not most girls and I don’t need this. Or you. Or any of this.”

Routh has done a solid job portraying Ray with limited screen time and quick one liners that lighten up the mood, really engage the viewers and give them a craving for more, and we’re bound to get a lot more in the future from the new owner of Queen Consolidated.

You’re just full of secrets, aren’t you Mr. Queen?

A big part of Arrow’s success episode to episode is the addition of routine flashbacks, tuning us into Oliver’s activities while he was away from not just home, but the island as well. His log in attempt for his email drew his childhood friend Tommy to Hong Kong only to be in the sights of Ollie’s sniper rifle, which was set up by Amanda Waller (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) of A.R.G.U.S., a federal US agency in charge of tracking down superhumans. It was announced Donnell would re appear as Tommy, but I wasn’t under any impression that he would return under such grave circumstances in a flashback, though it was a unique twist which could alter our views of the future for this series. Did Tommy eventually find out that Oliver was alive? Only time will tell. Ollie and Maseo found an alternate solution to their problem which enabled a brief and scary reunion between the two, though Tommy didn’t identify him. Oliver’s acts in these scenes show us just how far he’s already come from his days as an arrogant playboy. The flashbacks have always been a great support system for the story, but I think we may just be touching on the beginning of the intensity in these flashbacks and they open up a wide road of discovery and long kept secrets. I cannot wait for all of these secrets to unravel and reveal what else made Oliver become the man he is today.

Now I have to go get Thea, It’s about time she came home. ~ Oliver

At this point, it seems Team Arrow is destined to deal with both internal and external darkness, but it makes for very entertaining television. Season three’s second episode “Sara” delved into the emotional wreck of her death, which resulted in more character-shaping moments for some of the main protagonists. The themes surrounding Thea may have been a little weak and under used, but this is only a minor problem to be taken care of soon by more fruitful appearances. We were also introduced to a new character, Komodo, who has the potential to do greater things as the season progresses. Overall, this was a great continuation of momentum for Arrow’s second episode to carry the story forward.

Final Verdict

Arrow’s third season has kicked off with a bang and continues to flow at a consistent pace. With all the emotions and progress of character arcs, EP Marc Guggenheim has done an outstanding job creating action scenes to compliment these factors and tie in to the overall development of the story.

Specifically, the writers for this episode, Jake Coburn and Keto Shimizu, went all in for the dialogue to help create a common understanding between the characters and the fans. We can all relate to some situations in Arrow, regardless of the ways in which we handle them. Dealing with loss, tragedy, emotional upheaval amongst our family and friends, and having to stand straight for our professional lives through the grief is something many can relate to. The script was very universal, in that the writers engaged the viewers with characters from different walks, opinions and experiences of life to come together under such grave circumstances

Composer Blake Neely does such an amazing job week by week that it’s difficult to pin point specific spots in the story where the music brings us in, because it’s just that good! Whether the pace of the music is slower or more quick, it’s always placed at the right moments with the perfect tone to help the viewers emotionally connect to the scenes they’re watching. Most scenes in “Sara” had us feeling almost as emotional as the characters themselves. A very good sense of emotions related to Sara through the music is displayed in the scene where Felicity and Roy are cleaning up her body, discussing who she was as a person, a great friend, full of love and strength. The musics scene stealer though, is definitely at the end of the episode as the camera slowly shifts from one character to another, revealing the cold, temperate emotions flowing within their bodies, both spirit and mind. This makes us really feel involved and share their pain.

This week was a whirlwind of emotions, grief and sorrow for Team Arrow. Sara’s death has caused a chain reaction throughout the main group and the killer in question, Komodo, was removed of all suspicion. It’s obvious that “he” (for spoilers sake) is in Starling City, or somewhat around it, and is the real culprit behind this cruel act, and it’s only a matter of time before the big bad shows up to inflict more than what may very well be just the beginning of the team’s long path of suffering. With our heroes, namely Ollie, not even considering the League of Assassins as potential suspects, this opens the doors for a lot more mystery and twists than ever before, can we fast forward to next week already!?

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS & CONCERNS…

• We definitely need to see more of Ray Palmer
• Did Tommy really know more than he let on?
• I can’t wait to see Thea’s training put to the test
• Hopefully we get to see more of Komodo in the future
• “Is spam a verb now?”