Code of Lying: Arrow Season 4, Episode 14 Review
Remember last week when Oliver proposed to Felicity for the nth time and asked why were they waiting to get married? "Thea is better, Andy is better, things are quiet on the Darhk front... I feel like this could be our window."
That describes this episode perfectly: an occasionally nonsensical filler episode between the bad and the really bad. Initially calm but ominous, deteriorating into the inevitable Arrow-worthy nightmare.
Did you really think this wedding was going to go off without a hitch? You must be a new viewer.
(But Curtis Holt/Mr. "You're terrific!" Terrific raised the wedding gift bar to an impossible level by giving Felicity the technology that will allow her to walk down the aisle at her wedding, just in time for the season finale.)
Although this is TV and we know #Olicity will be together in the end because without Felicity there is no Green Arrow, let's be honest, ladies: if on the eve of your wedding your fiancé was forced by this season's villain to tell you he had a secret love child he'd been visiting behind your back, and your future sister-in-law was in on it, raise your hand if next week you'd drop him like a hot rock.
I would. (Meantime, Mama Smoak's Pink Balloon Glitter-Fest Engagement Party does not disappoint. Neither does Charlotte Ross' wardrobe.)
If only Oliver had told Felicity immediately that he just found out he'd fathered a child years ago, the person Felicity would've been mad at is Moira. She would've been sympathetic to William's mother's wish to keep the boy under the radar (and would have Overwatched the heck out of that).
When Samantha said she didn't want William to get sucked into Oliver Queen's world, she probably thought the worst that could happen was that her son would become a punch line in Star City mayoral politics, and that paparazzi would ambush her in the driveway asking for comment.
Worst case, taking photos of William at school with a telephoto lens.
If only.
Since we already knew episode 15 was titled "Taken," William's kidnapping was no surprise. That he was introduced to Damian Darhk's daughter as a "house guest" is beyond creepy.
What - actually, who - was a surprise? Mayoral candidate Mrs. Darhk (Ruvé Adams). Could she turn out to be the Big Bad of season 4, rather than Damian? However, I was looking forward to seeing the actual debate between her and Oliver Queen, which would've been more fun to watch than all the American presidential debates so far, combined.
Damian promised Ruvé a new beginning, but they need a better HIVE Demolition Team to make that happen unless they want to drag out Project Genesis into season 5. The fight scenes were better than last week, but not up to the bar I expected in a James Bamford-directed episode.
Although the Death By Drywall was kinda slick. A sledgehammer and a staple gun in the right hands can cause a lot of grief.
A major question this episode raises:
Why did Malcolm Merlyn tell Damian Darhk that Oliver Queen had a son William but NOT that Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow? That information would've been far more valuable. Is Malcolm running a long con, as he and Oliver did against Ra's Al-Ghul and the League of Assassins?
If you also watch Gotham, you're thinking the same thing as I am: did Oliver/Merlyn just pull a Penguin/Butch Gilzean on the competition?
This episode is a callback to when Oliver confronted Quentin about working for Damian Darhk and was filled with hurt, disappointment, and righteous indignation. They've traded places this time, with Quentin honest with Donna Smoak about HIVE and Oliver dishonest with Felicity about William.
Being the over-achiever that he is, Oliver Queen is going to disappoint absolutely everyone.
Coming up, episode 15 "Taken"
