tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post9018407255995798502..comments2024-03-14T02:13:34.702-04:00Comments on Just About Write: Arrow 4x13 "Sins of the Father" (Daddy Issues)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-88208325052877335732016-02-12T16:32:27.767-05:002016-02-12T16:32:27.767-05:00I was honestly more surprised by Diggle's talk...I was honestly more surprised by Diggle's talk of Oliver finally accepting his hate and using that to end Merlyn. It seemed to be a fairly cold and odd thing for him to say. Whereas Felicity's anger at yet another selfish father who is putting his own desires ahead of his daughter seemed more in keeping with her character. I don't know but that all worked for me.<br /><br />While this episode certainly felt fragmented I was mostly left with a feeling of total disgust toward Malcolm Merlyn. Again. He can claim he loves his daughter all he likes. His real motivations were shown the moment the Demon's ring melted (Bravo Nyssa!). Had his real concern been keeping the League out of the "dangerous" hands of Nyssa al-Ghul he should have been satisfied. His daughter is alive and Nyssa wasn't going to do something terrible with the power. But he was simply filled with hate, enough that whatever connection he felt for Oliver was destroyed and he would go as far as to use another innocent child to harm Oliver. All because Oliver took away the one thing Malcolm wanted more than anything - power. What a vile coward. We know Damian will abandon whatever honorable principles he claims about not harming children that lead him to get rid of Anarchy at the beginning of the season. People like Damian and Malcolm show their true colours when push comes to shove and sacrifice any so called honour and any number of innocents to get what they want. How dare Malcolm compare his willingness to watch Thea die with Oliver's theoretical willingness to let William be hurt to save others? <br /><br />As much as Merlyn is a compelling character (and it is always fun to watch Barrowman) I am sick of this letting Malcolm go no matter his horrible deeds. Why does he get a pass when he has shown himself capable of killing thousands if not more? The whole "no prison could hold him" is flimsy and the damage he does in this world needs to be stopped. He shows so little remorse and so little desire to do any different. I believe people can change but I think they have to want to pretty badly to even begin and Merlyn has shown no desire to do anything of the kind. He may be pretty bright but he is disgusting.Beccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-67183566263723085852016-02-12T16:16:22.816-05:002016-02-12T16:16:22.816-05:00I certainly think this episode suffered from somet...I certainly think this episode suffered from something that Arrow can easily fall into - putting a whole lot of plot into not enough time. I think the series is constantly on that edge. Sometimes it feels like they get it right and all the plot zooms along and the pace feels exciting. Sometimes it feels like overload and stuff zooms by without letting me really absorb or feel it. It's a tough balance.<br /><br />I however wasn't as surprised by Felicity's actions this episode. That story did feel a bit rushed so it was harder for me to follow her path while keeping track of the rest of the plot. (I can only imagine that her father's "employer" for the job that brought him into contact with the team was HIVE. Who else currently has it in for the city? If that was the case I wish that had been emphasized a little more. Did Felicity dig into that?) But I felt her actions were justified. Her father ripped her apart this week. We just weren't given time to feel it. This is a very basic pain to her ENTIRE life and it been a part of her for so long I think we can glaze over it. Maybe it's because one of my closest friends has dealt with parental abandonment but I thought the characterization was pretty accurate. The writers nailed it on the head when Oliver said "You don't have to be funny for me." Such a classic defense mechanism and while people like that can be so entertaining (my friend is the same) they often use it to cover up a whole lot of pain and rage. Think about what her father basically said to her - he left with no explanation when she was seven and she hasn't heard a thing from him since then. Then he tells her he gets in contact again because he was impressed with her skills. That boils down to "You were never important enough for me to say a word to you for over 15 years but now that you are showing some talent you are worth my time." He made her hope that he cared about her, even a little. Then he crushed that hope by trying to steal from her- basically telling her that the real reason for coming back was to get something out of it, not for her at all. Felicity said she 'knew she did the right thing' and she is correct. The team would have put anyone else who did something similar away without a second thought. What hurt her and made her feel remorse was seeing the shock of betrayal on her father's face. She knows that pain and because she is a good person she feels badly about inflicting it but Noah Cutler deserves very little from her. Unless and until he shows differently by his actions all he has ever done is betray her trust. I think we underestimate how deeply Felicity's trust issues run and how her fears of abandonment are so easily deflected with wit. She wasn't joking when she said she used to hate herself and believe (and probably still does in her darker moments) that she is basically unlovable.<br /><br />We talk a lot about the parent-child relationships on this show but Felicity's is unique. Thea has a villain for a dad however she was really raised by Robert Queen. He was not her biological father but he stayed by her his whole life. He may not have been a good man all the time (see cheating on his wife and helping Malcolm) but he never abandoned his kids and gave his life to save Oliver. R'as was a pretty terrible person and he certainly treated Nyssa horribly (near the end at least, they seemed closer earlier in the story) but he was always a presence in her life. Malcolm Merlyn is awful but he shows some kind of desire to be in Thea's life (Tommy has a good case for basic abandonment though after his mom died). Felicity got nothing, no explanation, no contact, just emptiness from the time she was seven and that has defined her in many ways. And then her father returns and makes it horribly worse by his selfishness again. Beccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-66555883451624291242016-02-11T03:54:22.244-05:002016-02-11T03:54:22.244-05:00Sins of the Father is what I named Season 1 of Arr...Sins of the Father is what I named Season 1 of Arrow because it was so fitting and Season 2 was Sins of the Son because of the Deathstroke Arc. As for this episode this is like a mix bag kind of like Season 3 but more good then bad. <br /><br />The Calculator stuff was odd. I mean this guy in the comics helped lead the Secret Soceity of Super Villians with Luthor. It feels like he got taken out like a chump. On the other hand though I think Felicity was in the right she turned over her crimminal father to the police that's perfectly natural. She gave him a chance he failed put him away before he hurts anymore people.<br /><br />I think Felicity is changing to be a bit more darker a bit more season 1 oliver. Damien Dhark attacking her and her dad coming back were catalysts. Something in her mind and maybe due to Season 3 even in Dig's mind is looking back at Season 1 Oliver and saying "maybe he was right" <br /><br />I am not entirely sure I am speculating and it could be bad writing or a subtle change of characters. Maybe the hallucinations of past Felicity were not just a one off thing but a harbinger of things to come.<br /><br />Also what you said about Laurel in this episode and if I`m right about some characters going dark. It may lead me to supporting a theory of mine for Season 5. As for Malcolm justice finally got its due although now this only pushes for the son being in the grave. Which will lead to the flash foward. Donavan Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17451184544030827641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-22299402692403825102016-02-10T23:15:09.430-05:002016-02-10T23:15:09.430-05:00I agree. With Malcolm nothing about Felicity or Di...I agree. With Malcolm nothing about Felicity or Diggle's feelings are sudden. This episode was weirdly devoid of urgency in its pace (probably because they were cramming too much in again) but Thea was dying. By sun up was it? So there was an urgency that wasn't felt. And Malcolm had the choice and chose to keep his power. He made that choice. <br /><br />I'm glad that Oliver found a third option, but I don't think the option of killing Merlyn instead of just pissing him off really fucking good, is OOC for Felicity or Digg, even with what she's said about Darhk. It's two different situations. 3 years of chances and so many personal losses at Malcolm's hands...mileage varies, tho. buggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274844165494643686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-922140806687029492016-02-10T23:08:16.625-05:002016-02-10T23:08:16.625-05:00Thanks, anon! I amend then: it's not that LL d...Thanks, anon! I amend then: it's not that LL didn't ever vocalize her want for Malcolm dead. I know she's all for that. But I guess I expected HER to be the most vocal. Felicity, the bringer of light and "another way" and Dig, our moral compass just... gave up and into killing him very easily without offering to help Oliver (poor, insistent Oiver) on finding that third option.<br /><br />I mean, good on Oliver for finding another way, but why was he the ONLY one in this episode? It seemed OOC for our OTA. :(Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-90095053658488533912016-02-10T23:05:40.683-05:002016-02-10T23:05:40.683-05:00Oh, I understand that Thea's life was in the b...Oh, I understand that Thea's life was in the balance. And apologies if I've interpreted the scene as Laurel being aboard "no-kill-Malcolm." She definitely wants him dead just like everyone else. But it struck me that Dig and Felicity were super vocal about it when a few episodes ago, they were all about finding a new way of living -- living in the light and doing things the right way.<br /><br /><i>It's makes sense because why should Thea die while evil MM lives you know? And it was good for Oliver's development that he found another way and did it kind without help.</i><br /><br />Agree 110%. But doesn't it strike you as odd that Oliver had to stand alone in this decision while everyone else -- the people who last season abhorred the fact that Oliver was all about doing whatever it takes -- didn't offer to help him find another way, at least? Felicity's storyline with her dad was FAR too rushed in this episode and needed time to percolate to be believable. Like I said, she went from zero to sixty FAST. And her story shouldn't have been shoehorned into the Malcolm drama.<br /><br />So what I really think is wrong is that Laurel had to be the one who showed the least amount of insistence on killing Malcolm while Dig and Felicity's viewpoints were emphasized later on. It seems off to me, no?Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-49225955489254842622016-02-10T23:04:14.518-05:002016-02-10T23:04:14.518-05:00Yeah the first scene in the lair, she and Diggle w...Yeah the first scene in the lair, she and Diggle were both trying to convince him to just kill MM, her more so than Diggle really, Diggle wasn't as on board until later. I guess she got more on board with Oliver's diplomacy plan later but originally she saw killing MM as the only choice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-85617834540566628772016-02-10T22:58:18.386-05:002016-02-10T22:58:18.386-05:00I think you are forgetting Thea's life was han...I think you are forgetting Thea's life was hanging in the balance with this thing. Otherwise none of them probably would've been on the kill MM boat. And they were all on that boat, I agree with that anon, LL told him to do it too. Right out of the gate she was like he made Thea kill Sara, just do it to save Thea, remember the first scene in the lair? Wanting to save Thea was clouding all their judgements except for once Oliver's. And then it got worse with the war in the city. It just felt like a hopeless situation where getting rid of a monster might be the only option. And Felicity was distracted by her father stuff so she wasn't in the best place for making decisions. But they all went there to just kill MM because he's awful. It's makes sense because why should Thea die while evil MM lives you know? And it was good for Oliver's development that he found another way and did it kind without help. You are interpreting this episode in a very weird way I feel like. I'm saying they were right to want to kill MM even though he deserves it but I just don't get the way you are seeing things here.arrow3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-7062073648238982632016-02-10T22:51:12.915-05:002016-02-10T22:51:12.915-05:00I think that they shouldn't have tried to shov...I think that they shouldn't have tried to shove a first meeting, "can't trust him," resolution story with Felicity's dad into one episode. Let alone shoehorning that story into an already waaaaaaaay too crowded episode to begin with. In the end, both stories suffered.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-80062813566504130442016-02-10T22:50:13.538-05:002016-02-10T22:50:13.538-05:00God bless.God bless.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-22883205820615496162016-02-10T22:49:51.778-05:002016-02-10T22:49:51.778-05:00I agree that Felicity has always hated Malcolm, bu...I agree that Felicity has always hated Malcolm, but two episodes ago, she talked about defeating Darhk not out of vengeance or retribution, but because they're heroes. So... idk. It feels weird that she's suddenly aboard the "let's murder another villain" train?<br /><br />Again: not that Malcolm is innocence, but I don't think it was in-character for Felicity to use a "people never change" excuse to justify killing Malcolm.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-13682977435077998882016-02-10T22:44:58.354-05:002016-02-10T22:44:58.354-05:00Was she? I think I was blinded by rage throughout ...Was she? I think I was blinded by rage throughout the rest of the episode that I forgot. ;) I definitely think it's within her character to want that, which is why it surprised me that Felicity and Dig were very vocally on board.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696902354009598893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-25085181096315946662016-02-10T22:42:30.416-05:002016-02-10T22:42:30.416-05:00I'm confused why you think LL didn't want ...I'm confused why you think LL didn't want Oliver to kill MM because she did. LL definitely wanted him to kill MM too. She was actually the first one on board. Oliver was the only one against it really. LL went along with Oliver's plan like everyone else did but she definitely told him to kill MM for Thea too at least at first. She kind of changed her mind but in the beginning she was all for it. So yeah good review but you got a key fact wrong. <br /><br />Also they did rush some with Felicity's father's storyline but I don't think it was all that weird she acted like she did. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-63342262453395741312016-02-10T22:36:40.694-05:002016-02-10T22:36:40.694-05:00This was the worst episode of Arrow this season. I...This was the worst episode of Arrow this season. I hated it. Even the Olicity scenes were tainted. The arrow writers could have taken this story line to better place but they decided to go the "boy, comic book" route. The Felicity dad storyline was a cop-out. I will never get that hour back. It was terrible.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15648425275841350751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-28074863378252027732016-02-10T22:28:57.024-05:002016-02-10T22:28:57.024-05:00I am not opposed to burning the episode in the fir...I am not opposed to burning the episode in the fires of hell. We'll see if my opinion improves on a second viewing. Marilynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09594968868404862791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-77851977593495365072016-02-10T22:22:37.427-05:002016-02-10T22:22:37.427-05:00I am not surprised that Felicity wants Oliver to k...I am not surprised that Felicity wants Oliver to kill Malcolm... she has always hated him (more than anyone else). We got to see Oliver think for himself which to me is a good thing even with Diggle and Felicity telling him the opposite. I wonder if they were both trying to make Oliver think for himself and came with this scheme. I mean if it does not work... the world has rid itself of Malcolm but if it does, Oliver has done some evolving. I am also not unhappy with the way Felicity went from wanting a father to getting him arrested... I think the rosy tinted glasses had worn off and she realised her father for what he is... a criminal. Their mission has always been justice so I am ok with Felicity arresting her father... he was going to kill 8,000 people and Felicity has always wanted to help save the city. Sorry this is so long <3LThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16771977759946012723noreply@blogger.com