tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post8519374696024226973..comments2024-03-24T03:19:39.745-04:00Comments on Just About Write: Arrow 3x14 "The Return" (Back to the Place Where Our Story Begins)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-82515655777920888832015-02-20T17:04:30.170-05:002015-02-20T17:04:30.170-05:00Anon: Wow thank you so much for your compliments! ...Anon: Wow thank you so much for your compliments! I'm so touched that you look forward to reading these reviews as much as I look forward to writing them. :)<br /><br />Robert's message to Oliver was great. I loved the redemption in the honest line about saying that he didn't do everything for his family -- that was a lie he told himself to justify his choices. It was definitely a necessary moment and I'm glad we got to see the beginnings of the list.<br /><br />Slade's observation about Thea was really spot-on and dare I say a bit sympathetic? Look, if SLADE WILSON calls out someone like Malcolm for being a pretty terrible person, you know it's true. And you're right: the combination of all of those things -- our experiences and the people in our lives and our choices -- make us who we are.<br /><br />Thanks again for your comment! :)Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-88586763377377041612015-02-20T12:16:11.561-05:002015-02-20T12:16:11.561-05:00The in-depth and well thought out character analys...The in-depth and well thought out character analysis and story line you do of each Arrow episode is very impressive. Every week, I look forward to reading your commentary, the others’ observations and I would only be repeating most of what you and the others have said. Well done and thank you.<br /><br />What impressed me the most about this episode was:<br /><br />• Robert’s whole message to Oliver:<br /><br />“…in my efforts to make it right, I IGNORED MY CONSCIENCE AND MADE ALLIANCES WITH TERRIBLE PEOPLE. There’s a book with a list of all their names…. And with these people, I ALWAYS TOLD MYSELF THAT EVERYTHING I DID, I DID FOR MY FAMILY. THAT’S A LIE. Because what good is a family without a soul?”<br /><br />• Slade’s comment and observation of Thea :<br /><br />“YOU’RE CLEARLY NOT THE KILLER YOUR BROTHER IS, THEA.<br />….<br />She’s lost, your sister…. You can see it in her eyes. She’s been touched by darkness. Was it Merlyn? INTERESTING MAN TO DO IT TO HIS OWN DAUGHTER.”<br /><br /> ….and of his comments to Oliver: <br /><br /> “So now you’ve lost your father, your mother and now your little sister. How’s the girl with the glasses? What’s her name? Felicity. HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN OLIVER QUEEN LOSE BEFORE THERE IS NO MORE OLIVER QUEEN? <br /><br /><br />Amazing how we are products of our environment, life experiences and choices we make. <br /><br /><br /> Sorry. Haven't really said anything more than what the others have said :( <br />and used my close captioning to quote what was said. Couldn't say it any better than that ;) <br />But am definitely looking forward to next week ☺<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-77350686610910817092015-02-20T11:19:54.799-05:002015-02-20T11:19:54.799-05:00Hi Jennifer Marie
You are very welcome:) I love t...Hi Jennifer Marie<br /><br />You are very welcome:) I love the Arrow fandom and reading your reviews so it's great to participate in a small way and share thoughts on episodes as I'm not as active as others with tumblr etc.<br /><br />I totally agree that the flashbacks felt integral to the story, and things seem to be linking together with what we've already seen in past episodes quite nicely.<br /><br />I don't think that's weird about Manu Bennett's voice, I find it quite sexy;)<br /><br />Sitara x<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-49743893142079540762015-02-20T10:23:07.745-05:002015-02-20T10:23:07.745-05:00Sitara! First off, thank you for being so faithful...Sitara! First off, thank you for being so faithful and commenting each week. I love hearing your thoughts. For an episode that was a lot of flashing back and forth, I felt like the flashbacks actually were a part of the story this episode rather than detracting and jumping around if that makes sense? They felt like an organic part of the episode.<br /><br />Man, I cannot stress how much I loved Thea in this episode and how much of my own sister I saw in her. We have the exact same birth order! I'm the oldest, middle brother, younger sister who's a bit of a spitfire and a go-getter and is very much the opposite of me. Glad we can relate on that front, so I was able to connect a lot with Thea in this episode. I loved that we got to see the Queen siblings bond because that's something that's been sorely lacking this season and last. They're a lot more alike than they realize and Oliver can't keep seeing her as a child if he ever wants to have a truly functional, adult relationship with her. I'm, too, glad that she pressed him in order to get him to tell her what really happened to Sara. And Thea's reaction to that? Stellar stuff by Willa Holland.<br /><br />Man, I love Slade. I also just love Manu's voice. Is that weird?<br /><br />I agree with you 100% about the island flashbacks. I usually gloss over those and the Hong Kong ones but I loved seeing how perfectly they tied into the theme of the episode, overall.<br /><br />I wasn't expecting Dig or Felicity to make appearances but I loved the little bit that they were there. Also, UGH MALCOLM MERLYN IS THE ACTUAL WORST. I can't wait to see what happens to him.<br /><br />Thank you again for your faithful and thoughtful comments! :)Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-56134558174801809222015-02-20T09:15:36.212-05:002015-02-20T09:15:36.212-05:00First of all, thanks for the comment Elizabeth! I ...First of all, thanks for the comment Elizabeth! I really do love Slade as a villain. He's so unhinged. Malcolm doesn't scare me as much only because of John Barrowman, I think. And Ra's I don't really see as scary, per se. But Slade is probably the most terrifying villain the show has had.<br /><br />I THINK OLIVER NEEDS TO OWN THAT GUIDE AND READ IT 100 TIMES. It's perfect. Thank you for reading and commenting as always! :)Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-70116994335983340182015-02-20T06:58:30.258-05:002015-02-20T06:58:30.258-05:00This was such a great episode and everything that ...This was such a great episode and everything that I had hoped it would be and I agree with Becca that it flowed much better and that there is definitely a momentum building. The sibling relationship is one that I find incredibly interesting and it was explored absolutely fantastically in The Return.<br /><br />I'm also the oldest of 3 (brother is middle child, and then it's my little sister) and my sister is a very strong minded individual that doesn't take crap from anyone, and she has a strength of character that I saw in Willa Holland's portrayal of Thea. <br /><br />As one of the youngest characters on Arrow, Thea has been through just as much adversity and to see how she has grown and dealt with it all was incredible. I enjoyed just listening to Oliver and Thea really talk in a way that few have managed to with Oliver and she did not let him get away with keeping the truth from her and really pushed him to reveal the secret he was so desperate to protect her from. <br />Her reactions after realising it was her hand that had taken Sara's life and her absolute killer of a speech to Merlyn were true highlights as Willa knocked it out of the park.<br /><br />It was also great to see Slade Wilson again, he is such a fab villain, he knows just how to push Oliver's buttons and it was wonderful to see Oliver and Thea kick his ass! Go Team Queen! <br /><br />Normally the island flashbacks are not my favourite scenes in Arrow but it's a different story when it's Starling City flashbacks as seeing Oliver observe from a distance the ones he loves were some beautiful moments (despite the hideous cap/wig ensemble). In particular the scene with Oliver watching the video of his father which showed what lead him to the beginning of his journey in saving the city.<br /><br />I would not have minded if there was no Diggle and Felicity in this episode but it was still lovely to finally see Andy Diggle - Yay! And of course the little QC Felicity scene which was very cute and Felicity-esque although I did not take anything romantic from it but it tied in nicely with their first official meet in 1x03.<br /><br />Malcolm Merlyn is one twisted son-of-a-b*tch and now that Oliver and Thea have no secrets between and are a force to be reckoned with, I will be extremely happy to see them take him down several pegs. <br /><br />Also love the bromance between Oliver and Maseo:)<br /><br />Overall a wonderful week for Arrow, and I'm excited (when am I not excited for new Arrow episodes?) for 3x15! Bring It On!<br /><br />Sitara xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-65965192694365037082015-02-20T06:53:28.619-05:002015-02-20T06:53:28.619-05:00Sorry, that was me, Anon. E./ElizabethSorry, that was me, Anon. E./ElizabethAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-55327366348932657382015-02-20T06:50:11.125-05:002015-02-20T06:50:11.125-05:00Slade is so fearsome. I always feel frightened wh...Slade is so fearsome. I always feel frightened when he's on the screen. Anything could happen with him. I guess Malcolm or R'as should scare me more, but they don't.<br /><br />Oliver explaining to The why she should lie -- hilarious. It just sounds so stupid when he says it, yet clearly he believes those things... Hopefully this will be an opening for Honest Roy, who comes down hard when Oliver messes with Thea.<br /><br />I feel like Oliver needs to read the "How To Be A Hero for Dummies" guide...<br /><br />Step 1: Don't kill people.<br />Step 2: Don't screw around.<br />Step 3: Don't lie.<br /><br />What's next? Not worshipping false idols?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-25621130579919869582015-02-19T13:28:16.484-05:002015-02-19T13:28:16.484-05:00I really and truly loved Thea this episode. I'...I really and truly loved Thea this episode. I'm never the most emotionally connected to her as a character but seeing her backstory while Oliver was presumed dead was really illuminating. Willa knocked that reveal scene and her final scene out of the park. I could totally see her going dark. I kind of wanted that for Laurel. I waffle between wanting someone on the series to go the supervillain arc and wanting them to all just become heroes.<br /><br />I did really think it interesting that Oliver's desire to come back was to clean up the mess he left in his "death." It was really telling, actually. And a good example of the burden that Oliver feels is placed on him to fulfill his father's last wishes to become a better man.<br /><br /><i>Love Slade, best big bad we love to love, ever. Like, I'd be okay if my sister brought him home to dinner, married him and had his evil babies. I just love him.</i><br /><br />I LITERALLY snorted laughing as soon as I read that so thank you for that statement and THANK YOU for reading and commenting, April! :)Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-3106259675855595332015-02-19T12:56:41.629-05:002015-02-19T12:56:41.629-05:00I loved Thea (Willa) this episode and I am rooting...I loved Thea (Willa) this episode and I am rooting more for her "evil broken darkness consumed her" turn because the way Willa acted last night, you know it will be glorious and her redemption story could be its own series. I need this to happen.<br /><br />I thought Felicity was cute, as usual but didn't feel it was retcon in any way so I agree with you there.<br /><br />The most interesting line to me was when Oliver told Maseo he wanted to come back, not because he missed his family, but to clean up the mess he made (paraphrasing here). That speaks to me so much about the hero that was always in him, stuck as it were, under the Queen facade. <br /><br />Love Slade, best big bad we love to love, ever. Like, I'd be okay if my sister brought him home to dinner, married him and had his evil babies. I just love him.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09162155205546023800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-35861478629929973022015-02-19T09:52:03.532-05:002015-02-19T09:52:03.532-05:00IT WAS REALLY CREEPY TO WATCH HIM KILL LIKE THAT. ...IT WAS REALLY CREEPY TO WATCH HIM KILL LIKE THAT. I suppose it's harder though because he was back in Starling. Like... that image of Oliver doesn't seem to fit with the person who came back to Starling (even though Oliver was dark and tormented, I think Hong Kong did a number on him and he had to get through a lot of pain before he really came home.)<br /><br />Thanks for pointing out that the photo of Oliver was horrible because I was laughing at it. It looks so hilariously creepy, but I'm happy that the little Olicity scene that was in there didn't retcon anything and actually made me appreciate their initial meeting more.<br /><br />TOO ON THE NOSE WITH THE GREASE PAINT THING, Y'ALL.<br /><br />Slaaaaaaaaaaaaaade. When he brought up Shado though, I jokingly yelled at my TV: "IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS, DUDE. FIVE YEARS. YOU'VE BEEN TELLING THE SAME STORY FOR FIVE YEARS." But I do love that Slade was Oliver's mentor and they have a really good and complex dynamic. That prison scene was actually really nice at the end. One, because Slade actually genuinely seemed concerned that Merlyn had dipped Thea into darkness. If Slade is able to notice darkness, you know something is off. Second, I love that he brought up Felicity to make Oliver stop dead in his tracks. That's the trigger button and he knows it.<br /><br />I think Oliver DID hesitate in the fight with Ra's? Maybe? I seem to remember the moment right before Ra's goes for a throat punch that Oliver had the upper hand and paused for too long. But maybe I'm imagining that. I can't exactly recall.<br /><br />Thank you as always for your comments, Becca! They're so intelligent and insightful. :)Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-38434850481987605802015-02-19T09:47:03.405-05:002015-02-19T09:47:03.405-05:00Good Lord, I LOVE Barrowman so can we just appreci...Good Lord, I LOVE Barrowman so can we just appreciate how he is absolutely nothing like Malcolm Merlyn? I'm constantly in awe of how he can be such a bubbly, energetic guy in real life and be like, this soulless monster on TV. Anyway, YES. Thank you for pointing out the guard thing, too. Like, Malcolm believing other people are disposable for the greater good is kind of horrifying, really. And YES AGAIN to dehumanizing Thea. Ugh, I'm so interested to see what happens to Malcolm as the season progresses.<br /><br />That Quentin and Laurel scene was so painful, especially because it must be so difficult for him to watch the daughter who was exactly like him turn around and betray his trust. Paul Blackthorne shone in that graveyard scene, truly, and I was so happy to see Quentin hand the bottle to Laurel and then Laurel pour it onto the ground. Progress for both Lances on one front, not so much on their relationship.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-11436145209224503312015-02-19T09:44:15.085-05:002015-02-19T09:44:15.085-05:00I loved seeing how strong Thea was this episode an...I loved seeing how strong Thea was this episode and Willa Holland did an outstanding job in her portrayal of Thea as both vulnerable but also brave (that scene you mentioned is SO true because she knows what has to be done and Oliver does it as gently as he can -- and then hugs her after which was so sweet -- but he still does it. Because he will do whatever it takes to save his sister, even if it means hurting her briefly in the process.)<br /><br />The Queen teamwork was so great because it's such a contrast to the flashbacks where he keeps her at (necessary) arms' length and still treats her like a child. This episode was progress for Oliver, though I do agree: HAVE WE LEARNED NOTHING ABOUT KEEPING SECRETS FROM PEOPLE? Apparently Laurel will find out this year though because KC (I think it was her) said that Laurel's reaction to finding out Thea did it will be surprising.<br /><br />Malcolm and Thea have a lot of similarities, as do Malcolm, Thea, and Oliver together (perfect point about the physical vs. emotional pain). So it's interesting to watch how their journeys will diverge -- what happens when they face intense emotional pain will reveal who they really are. I think it'll reveal that Oliver is a lot more human than he believes, that Thea is a lot stronger than she knows, and that Malcolm is a lot darker than he could ever imagine.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-74963960535525624192015-02-19T09:40:13.797-05:002015-02-19T09:40:13.797-05:00Becca, you know how much I adore your comments so ...Becca, you know how much I adore your comments so I'm thrilled every week to hear your insight into the episodes. I think it's something about being a first-born, you know? We all GET each other. I love that you totally understand the idea of being the oldest and seeing them as adults. I get that, too, because that's how I see my brother (who just moved to North Carolina) and my sister (who is in college). The baby sister is the hardest to accept, really, in terms of growing up for me since it's so easy to remember what she was like when she's little. I think this episode was a definite necessity for me after "Canaries," where I didn't sympathize with Oliver at all. "The Return" allowed me to do that through his bond with Thea.<br /><br />And also, YES thank goodness we got so much Queen family bonding this episode. I really hope that part of Oliver's journey this year is allowing himself -- however difficult -- to see Thea as an adult and not like a child.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-41924149438451023092015-02-19T05:35:40.276-05:002015-02-19T05:35:40.276-05:00A few little things:
-How creepy was it to see Ol...A few little things:<br /><br />-How creepy was it to see Oliver kill that drug dealer? The music and method of killing connected it so clearly to the pilot. And he killed to protect his sister but also because “No one can know my secret.” I thought it was great to show that connection and how Ollie is becoming the man in the pilot episode.<br />- Little scene of Diggle/Andy was wonderful. It brought back that plot point subtly and made me wonder who Andy was protecting when he got killed. It totally hooked me on Andy's story again and I can't wait to see the whole HIVE thing pursued again.<br />- I liked that we saw Felicity a bit but like you I wouldn't go so far as to make it a super romantic thing (partly because I don't believe in love at first sight, not really). I think it showed Oliver's humanity as you mentioned and it also showed that he has always found her disarming and funny. I like that it gives the scene with them in 1x03 even more depth. (Although that picture of him is smarmy, not cute. But I guess that is just me ;)<br />- The hoodie jokes were a little too spot on for me too.<br />- Maseo's speech to him about not risking the lives of countless strangers because you want to be with your family seemed a bit odd and hypocritical of him at first considering what he had down to get Tatsu back. However, the more I thought about it the more I wondered if his line about the family being disappointed in that choice was the result of Tatsu lecturing him after her rescue when she found out how much he risked. But I'm just filling that in for myself so the line makes sense to me.<br />-Loved the lines from Maseo and Slade about Oliver losing his soul and losing Oliver Queen. Nice theme stuff for the year. And I always like seeing Slade. His hatred is so centred on Oliver Queen and I like that he has an enemy that has nothing to do with the Arrow.<br />- I like the moment where Thea woke up Oliver and he came awake so quickly and alert. Such good character tidbit.<br />-Two questions though, why on earth do they need to debrief Ollie back in China? That should seem fishy to anyone with sense. And Oliver told Malcolm that he hesitated during his fight with Ra's? I wonder what that moment was and if it was choreographed in.<br /><br />It was a very strong episode for me. It flowed a lot better too IMO. I can feel momentum building and I love that. Thanks for your review. It always gives me a lot to think about and then writing comments make me think again too. Cheers! Beccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-45152582781941848402015-02-19T05:34:43.746-05:002015-02-19T05:34:43.746-05:00And speaking of Malcolm, this episode really convi...And speaking of Malcolm, this episode really convinced me that his soul is pretty far gone, in spite of his efforts during Canaries. Not only did he not only not show any remorse about killing Sara or drugging his child he casually mentioned needing new guards on Lian Yu. That guard is dead because of Malcolm. That was a person with a life and a family and I'm convinced that Malcolm only saw him as an object to be dealt with. SO WORRYING. That is creepy because it says to me that Malcolm really doesn't see people as people. From the Glades to that nameless ARGUS guard, he justifies horrible things by dehumanizing those who don't matter to him. And he dehumanized his own kid and that is horrifying and he doesn't seem to notice. Can't wait to see where his story goes.<br /><br />All of the Quentin and Laurel stuff was woven together so beautifully. (Yup, great parallel for Oliver as you mentioned.) That final scene at the graveside was incredibly painful. I loved how Quentin said that he can survive the loss of his child (again) but he doesn't know how to deal with Laurel's betrayal of their relationship. He spoke with such pain and such deep self-awareness. He spoke like someone who has come through addiction and gotten quite a bit of clarity. And I was glad that Laurel took that bottle and poured it out. This whole thing with her father is going to be painful but she's not running into the bottle and neither is Quentin and this gives me hope for them. I loved how the flashbacks made me worried about Quentin coping in the present and then the last scene showed me how strong he has become.Beccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-46269344084692290162015-02-19T05:33:47.883-05:002015-02-19T05:33:47.883-05:00This was was epitomized for me when they were in t...This was was epitomized for me when they were in the prison together. Oliver had an idea (after Thea objected to being treated like a tiny, fragile object- right on girl!) and then when he knew how to make her arm longer she immediately understood. He knew it would cause her great pain but it would get them out of their cage. (And if that is not an interesting metaphor I don't know what is, sometimes great pain is the only way to real freedom) She didn't make a fuss about it cause she is pretty tough now. They got it done and then he hugged her and I hope he was super impressed and proud of her. That is what it can be like to work with each other, look out for each other. And I loved watching them fight Slade together! <br /><br />Interestingly, when they got back to Starling he councils Thea to keep secrets from Laurel just as things were kept from her, because it would be too painful to tell the truth. I think that will end up being very unwise (AGAIN! C'mon learn this lesson people. You know Quentin and eventually Laurel are going to find out.) But I thought it was very telling that Oliver also said they had to keep the secret because it would complicate working with Merlyn. It made me wonder if Oliver keeps secrets not only to “protect” people but also because the truth can be messy and complicated and he doesn't like that. It gets in the way of the misson. (Like when he told Thea that talking about Sara would mess with their focus and she corrects him. Secrets are NOT helping her focus. Oliver is very fixated on focus, partly the reason he broke things off with Felicity I would argue, and he cuts out things that compromise it. But he's still messed up inside and needs to listen to Thea. Burying things doesn't solve them as you pointed out about fears at the beginning of your review.) He likes to have a clear objective and he naturally eliminates complications, including his own feelings. Something to work on I think if he's going to have healthy relationships with the people in his life. <br /><br />Amazing that you mentioned Thea's similarity to Malcolm in wanting to make sure she could never get hurt again. Interestingly, Thea and Malcolm AND Oliver seem to be able to handle a great deal of physical pain without much trouble but emotional pain really freaks them out. None of them handle it very well and all tend to shut it down pretty hard in order to escape it. But that tactic will never really work.Beccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-52852744182630466272015-02-19T05:32:54.531-05:002015-02-19T05:32:54.531-05:00Fascinating review as always. This episode was so...Fascinating review as always. This episode was so topsy-turvy (flashbacks and all our beloved characters were in Starling City and present day was on the island) and I liked it. It made me really want to go back and re-watch the pilot knowing what information/experience this added to pastOliver. I liked how centered it was on family relationships; so many lines connect back to that. We got to see more Thea/Oliver interaction than we've seen in the rest of the season put together. We got to see a bit of Diggle/Andy interaction (loved that!). We got to see Laurel and her father in both the present and the past. We got a little of the Malcolm/Thea twisted stuff. And both Maseo and Slade talk about family relationships as well.<br /><br />So it was interesting to hear you mention your siblings in connection with all of that. Funny, I thought of my siblings too. (Not hard considering how much we got to see Oliver and Thea interact.) I will be 37 this year and I have three younger siblings, aged 34, 31 and 28. I certainly remember how they all were as little children. Being the oldest, there has never been a part of their life where I was not around somewhere in the background. However, as we've all gotten older, moved away, gotten careers and marriages, become parents, I have found that those sibling relationships have only gotten richer. I love seeing them become adults and create their own lives and families. I live really far away from all of them which is hard but there is nothing sweeter than hearing them talk about their goals and challenges or seeing them take care of their children. I love that they are all adults that I not only love but respect and love to be around. So it was interesting to hear you reflect on your sister in light of Oliver and Thea's relationship because the same scenes made me think that Oliver is missing out if he doesn't respect Thea's ability to create and control her own life. I enjoyed watching them be able to really talk and I think Oliver would be surprised at how much deeper their bond could grow if he were able to see her as the adult she is becoming, darkness and all. Beccanoreply@blogger.com