The Offer Recap
After a hugely epic return by The Flash, Arrow proved to be a slight letdown in comparison (Can Arrow have their own tsunami soon??). For the most part though, a solid episode, but Arrow is still missing what season 2 allowed in on occasion: a bit of fun. Instead, we had another episode of identity brooding and several dilemmas to mull over. Despite all the brooding, it was an episode focused on characterization and that isn’t exactly a bad thing.
Ra’s Al Ghul’s Offer
The show begins moments before the last episode ended, starting with Ra’s Al Ghul’s “offer” to Oliver to take his place. He introduces the Lazarus Pit (the effects are starting to wear off) and entices Oliver with the chance to help save the entire world with his League of Assassins, not only in Starling City. For a moment, I worried Oliver’s ego might fall for this one…
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To show good faith, Ra’s lets Oliver leave with Diggle and Malcolm, all debts now free. Oliver believes this truly is an offer, but as Malcolm warns: Ra’s only orders. Not to mention, there’s a prophecy that a man who lives by Ra’s Al Ghul’s sword becomes Ra’s Al Ghul. I would actually love a story devoted to this prophecy. You know, make it all mythology based or something and connect it to the magic of the Lazarus Pit, but I think that’s my imagination just running overtime…
Aside from the offer, Ra’s also put doubts into Oliver’s mind, telling him that eventually the police would turn against him and he would end up alone without the woman he loves. This sets up Oliver’s dilemma: To become Ra’s Al Ghul or not to become Ra’s Al Ghul.
Villain of the Week
In one of the least interesting villain of the week stories ever on the show (I don’t even remember very many details), Oliver and the team attempt to take down a group of diamond thieves led by a man named Murmur (his lips are sewed together).
Attempting to seek help from Captain Lance, Oliver as Arrow makes a visit but Lance is no longer going to help the vigilante that kept his daughter’s death a secret. And really, who could blame the man? Still, this seems to “prove” Ra’s Al Ghul’s “prophecy.”
By the end of the episode, the thieves attack the police force (for revenge I think), but Oliver and Nyssa both arrive to save the day (though they weren’t working together). But don’t expect a thank you from Lance anytime soon for saving his life…
Oliver and Felicity
Speaking of thanks, Oliver and Felicity have more than one heart to heart in “The Offer.” Oliver is quite upset at seeing Felicity and Ray together, so he begins to truly ponder accepting this offer. What has he accomplished after all? Aside from the police force, he realizes he’s also losing the woman he loves (of course this was his choice). Felicity then offers Oliver advice: he needs to decide what he is fighting for just like they did when they thought he was dead.
Oliver takes this advice to heart when he goes out to fight Murmur’s gang at the police force (with Diggle’s advice in his head as well). Once he takes them down, his purpose becomes clear: he doesn’t need thanks because it is about saving people, not getting recognition. He thanks Felicity for helping him see what he should do, the two sharing another very sweet moment. Felicity is happy as long as Oliver is in her life. This makes me think that Ray and Felicity won’t last very long, not if Oliver fights for her that is.
Oliver then tells Maseo he’s not taking the deal. Unfortunately, Maseo reminds Oliver that Ra’s already decided so there is in fact no choice…
After Oliver’s “choice,” Ra’s Al Ghul comes to Starling City as the Arrow in disguise and viciously kills a couple of criminals. He then tells the ones he spared to spread the word. One thing is clear: to get Oliver to take his offer, he’s going to turn his life into hell.
Fathers and Daughters
Besides all the Ra’s Al Ghul offer drama, there were a lot of Daddy/Daughter issues in “The Offer.” What’s sad is that the healthiest relationship was between Laurel and Captain Lance. She begs for him to forgive her and just get the yelling over with. But he doesn’t think he can ever forgive her for lying to him the way she did. He still saves her life when given the chance though. He loves his daughter, but can he ever trust her again? I hope so.
Then there is Nyssa. She’s always believed herself the heir to her father’s throne. In this episode, she finds out that not only has her place been given away to Oliver Queen, but that her blood debt against Malcolm Merlyn was taken away from her as well. She can’t have vengeance for Sara’s death, the woman she loved. When she confronts Ra’s Al Ghul about her feelings, he tells her she can leave.
With more similarities than they initially realized, Laurel and Nyssa bond over Sara and father issues. Laurel needs training still, so Nyssa decides to train her. She has nowhere else to go after all.
Thea’s Dilemma and a Standout Romantic Moment
In the final father/daughter issue of the night, last we saw Thea she asked Nyssa to kill her and take her revenge. Telling Nyssa the whole truth, Nyssa doesn’t see killing Thea as fulfilling her revenge. She only wants Malcolm dead. But the fact that Thea wants to die really says something about the number Malcolm did on her.
Speaking of Malcolm, after Oliver return, Thea discovers her plan to get rid of Malcolm failed. Not only that, but he needs time to heal in her home. She even contemplates murdering him, but she can’t go through with it, telling Oliver that she couldn’t bear what their mother would think of her if she became a murderer (which is slightly funny, considering Moira was a murderer herself). Malcolm of course listens to this entire conversation.
Looking for who she once was, Thea goes to see Roy. She tells him she doesn’t know who she is anymore, asking, “Can I just stay here with you?”
He says yes, and the two hug. The tender moment then opens the door for a kiss.
The Return of Shado
There wasn’t really a lot to this week’s flashback. Oliver spends most of the time trying to keep Akio, Maseo’s son, safe. They go to the botanical gardens where they thought they might find his parents. Seeing agents, Oliver takes off, but runs into a very much alive Shado in the process.
Favorite Quote
Nyssa: During the fighting, your technique was competent.
Laurel: Why do I have the feeling that’s your idea of a compliment?
Thoughts and Questions
After Ra’s Al Ghul’s impersonation of the Arrow, how bad do you think things will become for Oliver and the gang? What and who will he go after next?
How can Shado still be alive? She seemed pretty dead. And why not mention this to Slade when he spent the entirety of last season trying to get vengeance for Oliver’s choice to save Sara? Does Shado have to die again? If this was Jane the Virgin or some kind of soap, I’d venture to guess Shado had a twin…
What did you think of “The Offer?” Enjoy the nice Oliver and Felicity scenes? Roy and Thea’s kiss? Sound off in the comments…
Stay tuned for my next Arrow Recap.
Photo Credits: CW
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