After being recruited by Alena, Felicity and Team Arrow ran headfirst into a major new threat facing Star City in Arrow 6×04.

Oliver (Stephen Amell) continued to ease into his new role as a regular guy ‒ father, boyfriend, and mayor of Star City ‒ in Arrow this week. Despite his best efforts to stay away from his former role as a vigilante, he soon found himself wrapped up in that life at several points in “Reversal.” After Black Siren (Katie Cassidy) made her presence in Star City known once again by killing seemingly random people, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) was approached by Alena (Kacey Rohl), hacktivist and former member of Helix. Alena claimed that Cayden James (Michael Emerson), the former leader of Helix, had a plan to kill hundreds of millions of people around the world. Felicity and Alena then set out to obtain black market technology in an attempt to stop him. In order to try to protect Felicity, Oliver showed up to save her and Alena, which angered Felicity.

While trying to stop him from killing millions of people, Felicity and Alena ran into Cayden James himself and discovered that Black Siren had been working with him all along. During that encounter, Alena was shot and seriously wounded. James and Black Siren then broke into the International Domain Name Directory (IDND) in what was believed to be an attempt to destroy the Internet. After Diggle (David Ramsey) and the rest of Team Arrow stopped James and Black Siren from accomplishing that goal, it was revealed that Cayden’s real goal was to take down the firewall protecting the IDND. He used Felicity to help achieve that goal while also putting her digital fingerprints all over the cyber attack.

RELATED | Arrow Roundtable 6×03 “Next of Kin”

“Reversal” also had Oliver and Felicity officially start dating again. Throughout the episode, their time together was continually interrupted, which gave Oliver a different perspective on how he always used to run off in the middle of things as the Green Arrow. Oliver also acted in Felicity’s usual role as support back in the Bunker. Eventually, when the two of them finally thought they could spend some time together, Oliver received a phone call from Slade asking for his help with his son.

From the introduction of a new villain to Oliver heading off to help Slade Wilson with his son, Arrow gave us a lot to talk about this week. So let’s see what our roundtable had to say about “Reversal!”

Amina (@emilysdeepika) - Teenage girl obsessed with TV shows and the king and queen of DCTV aka Olicity

Dani (@ENSM31) - Accounter, Brazilian, crazy about Arrow, not into comics tho.

Adri (@lust_muffin) - Avid TV series watcher, Arrow fan from the beginning

Penny (@SAEBRfan) - Proud mother of 4, Jane of all trades, who loves reading, sports, TV and Arrow

Sars (@smoakoverwatch) - Writer, political science student, iced coffee enthusiast.

1. We were finally introduced to Cayden James, portrayed by Michael Emerson, in this episode. What do you think of the character so far? Do you think he’ll be an effective villain?

Amina (@emilysdeepika): I knew that I was going to love to hate this villain right off the bat. He’s scary and brilliant and the acting is amazing from Michael Emerson. I definitely think he’ll be an effective villain and a huge thorn in the side for Felicity as well as the rest of the team.

Dani (@ENSM31): Too early to tell. Michael is a great actor and I can see him capable of doing an amazing job. He brings to Cayden James an unnerving calm that fits perfectly to a criminal who uses his mind as his biggest asset.

Adri (@lust_muffin): I love Michael Emerson so I’m super excited. We’ve been hearing about Cayden James for 6 months now, so it feels incredible to finally have him on the show. I like the character so far. He’s so polite in such a creepy way, if that even makes sense. I think it’s a little early to say if he’s going to be an effective villain but we know he’s really smart, so I bet he’s going to make our characters sweat, especially Felicity since she’s the one involved in this storyline directly. I’m still in awe that they got Michael Emerson to play Felicity’s nemesis! Talk about a Queen!

Penny (@SAEBRfan): I love Michael Emerson! I’m a huge fan, having seen him on Lost and Person of Interest. He’s an excellent actor and he did not disappoint. Cayden James is creepy, scary and a genius. I was worried since Joshua Segarra did such a fantastic job last season but I’m really looking forward to seeing what Michael Emerson brings to this season.

Sars (@smoakoverwatch): I really liked Emerson as Cayden James. He has the air of a cool, calm villain that seems to have a larger plan up his sleeve. He seemed to take a special interest in Felicity, so hopefully we’ll get to see those two face off more.

2. Alena suggested that Felicity and Curtis should change the focus of their startup to something more revolutionary and less mundane. What do you think of the idea of Helix as a company name and their potential focus of furthering the development of the technology in Felicity’s spine?

Amina: I love the name Helix because they’re rebranding what used to be a campaign for something more sinister and using it to do real good in the world and the full circle is nice to see. I think it’s amazing that they’re focusing on developing tech for disabled people because it just goes to show that they can put their resources and talents to good use and make a difference in the world that personally holds so much meaning.

Dani: Honestly? I didn’t like the name. It’s very odd to name your company using the same name of a criminal organization. Especially if it’s one that brought you so much headache. Alena was right when she said that Felicity was literally sitting on what her company should focus on. If that little chip changed her life, why wouldn’t do that for others? Felicity should have thought about that without Alena’s help. Come on, girl! But anyway, her company has now its base.

Adri: Helix Dynamics… It has a certain ring to it. It’s no Smoak Technologies, but it could have been worse so I’m okay with the name. Who’s to say it won’t change in the future anyway, right? I love so much that they’re going to work on the technology that allows Felicity to walk because that chip literally changed and changes her life every single day. And that’s what Felicity always wanted. To change the world, to help people. It’s something that is so fundamental to her character that I really couldn’t see it going any other way. I’m so happy with this direction.

Penny: I’ll be honest, I’m not to thrilled with the name and I hope they change it. My thought all along has been that Felicity and Curtis would work together to develop technology that would help others, like Felicity, and expand from there. It’s so like Felicity to want to help others. Can’t wait to see what they come up with.

Sars: I’m very much on Alena’s side for the focus of Felicity’s startup. I think that furthering technology like the one in Felicity’s spine would be a great idea to help the world, and help Felicity in being a hero during the day and night. The company could also develop some kind of technology to help with Diggle’s nerve damage so that he doesn’t have to rely on questionable injections anymore.

3. Oliver and Felicity’s roles were reversed in this episode with Felicity working in the field and Oliver being left behind as support. Is that something you’d like to see more of? And when is Felicity getting her own mask?!

Amina: First off, Felicity doesn’t need a mask because the beauty of her was that she’s always been a hero without one. I loved the role reversal in this episode between Oliver and Felicity. It was very important for their relationship to step into each other’s shoes and learn to support each other no matter what circumstance is thrown their way. I’d definitely like to see more of that. Anything that has Felicity going out into the field more is amazing.

Dani: Those scenes were really fun to watch and something new after six years of the show. It was refreshing to see them switching roles. But her thing is behind a computer, his behind a bow. Although I like to see her in the field, I like her more when she is in Oliver’s ears, using her brain, not a mask.

Adri: Felicity Smoak does not need a mask to be a hero. We’ve been saying this for years. But girl, if you’re in the field, use a balaclava or something because your codename is not hiding your face. And yes, give me all the Olicity role reversals because they were precious from beginning to end this week and I’m not talking only about Oliver being the tech support but about everything. Oliver being the one staying behind while his girlfriend goes save the day, being the one giving the pep talks, being supportive when she needed him the most… They were perfect and I can’t stop smiling.

Penny: I thought it was a great experience for both of them, and something they both definitely needed to do to understand each other’s roles, and it put Oliver in a more supportive role. Oliver on the comms had me laughing but he adjusted. I hope we do see more on occasion. I don’t think Felicity needs a suit per se, just something to conceal her identity during those times in the field. I’m happy either way. She’s a badass.

Sars: I loved seeing Oliver and Felicity’s roles get reversed in this episode, but I draw the line at Felicity getting a mask. What makes her position on the team and the show so special and unique is that she saves the day without needing to always go on the field and physically fight. She has her skills and works with them, and is a superhero without needing to fit into the expected mold of a hero. That said, I did love seeing her take centre stage in this episode and Oliver being supportive of her.

4. Now that Black Siren has made another appearance, do you find her continued involvement in the story this season effective? Where do you see her character arc headed now that we know it was Cayden who saved her?

Amina: I’m honestly not sure what her purpose is or if I even really care seeing as the writers have merely established her as a hardcore villain who enjoys killing and that’s all she’ll remain in my eyes as well as a plot device to further Cayden’s agenda.

Dani: It still doesn’t make sense to me why Cayden James would align with her. He went after her on the island, he wanted her on his team. The only thing that could connect her to the plot in the future is based, so far, on emotional connections with the Team Arrow.

Adri: I’m going to say what I said in this same roundtable after the season premiere. She’s not needed. And it became even more apparent in this episode because like I said after 601 aired, what is the difference in this storyline from the one she had on Flash working for Zoom or last season working for Chase? And in this episode we see that it’s exactly what is happening. She’s working for Cayden James. So once again, she is someone’s minion. I’m tired already.

Penny: Bad Laurel. Evil Laurel. I mean how many times does it have to be said? (That may be the point). Can we just stick with Black Siren? The only way she’s effective is as a reminder to the team, and that may be a part of Cayden’s overall plan. He could have any bad guy doing what she does except for the emotional connection to the team that she brings. She’s a piece of the puzzle for him, in my opinion.

Sars: I have to admit, I’m not a fan of Black Siren. I found her role in the episode to be mostly forgettable, as she was simply acting as the muscle for Cayden James’ larger plan with a few one liners thrown in here and there. I think her character arc will be much like what we’ve already seen, working with Cayden in his broader plan and being the one who gets her hands dirty for him.

5. We know very little about Cayden as a character and we know even less about his overall objective. Based on what we currently know about Cayden and his former involvement with Helix, what do you think he’s trying to achieve?

Amina: I can’t say for sure but given his tech genius and the sheer fear in Alena’s eyes when encountering him, I don’t think it’s something to underestimate.

Dani: We just saw a tiny piece of his puzzle. He needed access. He got it and that was it. Again, too early to tell.

Adri: That’s hard to answer because we know nothing about him. We know he created Helix, that he’s super smart, that Argus was afraid of his potential so they made him a “person of interest” (see what I did there?) and locked him up, but aside from that? Nothing. From what we know, he could pull a Damien Darhk and try to destroy the world. He could try to destroy Argus for what they did to him. He could just be crazy. Not knowing is exciting. What I can tell is that he’s going to get Felicity in deep trouble. Her digital fingerprints all over the processor? That wasn’t random.

Penny: World domination? Spilling secrets? There’s definitely a plan concentrating on taking down Oliver and the team, maybe even ARGUS. I’m definitely interested in the “why?” aspect. What did they do and how did it affect him? Very interesting.

Sars: Cayden’s plan seems to be very carefully set out. He seemed completely unbothered that Felicity managed to stop him because he wanted her digital fingerprints to be on the system. It’s possible that when she becomes a CEO and a larger public figure in her own right, Cayden will want to implicate her so that he can carry out his larger plan without worrying about the authorities. Either way, he seems like a brilliant villain and I’m excited to see what he has in store.

6. Diggle’s second on-screen outing as the Green Arrow went a lot smoother than his first one. Mysterious and presumably dangerous injections aside, how do you think he’s fitting into his new role?

Amina: Diggle has always been a natural-born leader and has had a good head on his shoulders so it isn’t surprising to me that he’s found his own this week. I just hope that this continues but knowing what we know and what we saw last week, I’m afraid that won’t be the case.

Dani: I still see him as Diggle dressing in the Green Arrow’s suit, do you know what I mean? But he is leading the team well. He knows how to be operative and kick some asses.

Adri: I’m loving Diggle as the Green Arrow. I miss Oliver, yes. He’s the Green Arrow and although that mantle can be passed on to someone else, we know he’s going to come back sooner or later. But I’m so happy that Diggle is getting to shine, to have the spotlight so to speak after all these years. He’s been there since the beginning, he knows how to get the job done and he knows how to lead a team. I’m enjoying his storyline a lot this year. Those injections are going to come back to bite him in the ass, though.

Penny: I think he’s doing a great job. He’s no Oliver but he’s the next best thing and he’s making Green Arrow his own, bringing his own knowledge and experience to it. Delta formation, anyone? I’m enjoying it but I’ll be ready to see Oliver come back soon.

Sars: Diggle’s role definitely seemed smaller this week to last, but he was still prominent as the new leader of the team. One scene that stood out as particularly poignant to me was when Felicity came back from the hospital, visibly upset that Alena was injured and Diggle talked her down and advised her to go home. You can see he’s falling into the role nicely, but I can only imagine it’ll fall apart when the injections become more of an issue.

7. Is Oliver going off to help Slade while he’s being investigated by the FBI a good idea? What kind of long-term consequences do you think helping Slade will produce?

Amina: Yeah, I don’t see that ending well. Why Oliver promised to help the man who killed his mother is beyond me in the first place but he’s playing with fire here by risking exposure.

Dani: I think the FBI won’t even notice. I think it won’t happen in Star City. I am very excited to see Slade again. I love his interactions with Oliver, and almost everything that happens to them after these encounters is life changing. So I expect consequences in their old-new friendship and in their lives.

Adri: That is a terrible idea. As Felicity said, the FBI has Oliver under surveillance 24/7. It will be hard for them to miss that the Mayor is suddenly gone (Slade was going to Calgary when we last saw him so I assume they’re going out of the city). But Oliver is a man of his word and he made a deal with Slade so if he needs Oliver to help find his son, Oliver will help him. Although Oliver doesn’t owe him anything. Slade helped him, he gave Slade the information about Joe. They are even already in my book.

Penny: Probably not, but it’s Oliver. He made Slade a promise and he’s going to keep it regardless. Long term consequences depend on Slade and what they do to find and help his son. Is Slade truly changed? What will they have to do? Too many unanswered questions, and I don’t trust Slade, so he still gets the stink eye from me.

Sars: Truth be told, I don’t trust Slade all too much. He may have come to an understanding with Oliver, but this is the guy who killed his mother. I think helping him might backfire in some way, be it in Slade’s own actions, or if Agent Watson’s careful investigation makes her look into Wilson and Oliver’s new alliance.

Final Verdict: Despite the continued questionable use of Black Siren, Arrow still kept our attention with the introduction of a powerful new villain and by reversing the roles of multiple characters

After over a season of set up, Arrow finally introduced Cayden James, the leader of the hacktivist group known as Helix, and he’s more dangerous threat than we could have imagined. While it’s unclear what his overall objectives are, he appears to be setting up Felicity to take the fall for parts of it. As we’ve come to expect from Michael Emerson, he did an amazing job portraying Cayden’s quiet, menacing, and downright creepy persona.

Diggle’s role as the Green Arrow took more of a backseat this week as Felicity and Alena were the main driving forces in the episode. Even though he wasn’t as central to the episode, we enjoyed seeing him more comfortable in his new leadership role than he was when he made his first on-screen debut. Oliver and Felicity reversing their roles as Oliver acted as support while Felicity was in the field was also a fun temporary shakeup.

Our roundtablers were rather mixed on the continued use of Black Siren as a villain. Katie Cassidy has continued to do well with the material she’s been given but the character on her own has been a predictable and not particularly interesting villain so far. Learning that Cayden James saved her life on Lian Yu for some unknown reason gives us some hope that there will eventually be more to her role this season.

We might have reservations about the show continuing to use Black Siren as a recurring villain, but “Reversal” still introduced enough new story elements and characters to keep us interested in where the show is going next. Who is Cayden James and what does he want? Why did he save Black Siren? What will come of Oliver helping Slade? These are all important questions that we suspect will be impacting the show for many weeks to come.

ARROW returns next THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9th at 9/7c on THE CW.