*Contains spoilers from the Season 3 premiere and some from "Sara"*
The season 3 premiere of Arrow ended on a real shocker: Sara's death. Her demise seemingly came out of nowhere and hit us like a ton of bricks. Why'd it happen to her -- you know, aside from putting Laurel on the path to becoming Black Canary -- and who did it? Didn't she deserve better? No matter how you feel, odds are this twist pulled a strong reaction from you, and now Arrow has the difficult task of making her death mean something. Sara was a key part of the show, so something like this can't be rushed through. Luckily, this episode -- which is appropriately titled "Sara" -- is one of the most emotional chapters yet.
I'll be blunt: when Arrow started, some of the acting was pretty stiff and it was tough taking the more dramatic scenes seriously. If something like this happened back then, a follow-up episode would have liked felt awkward and even cheesy at times. However, the series has improved significantly since then and this episode allows several of the actors to really tug at our heartstrings. You simply have to give credit where it's due and I'll confess that at least two moments had me holding back some tears. Right with the opening, we're hit with a wave of emotion and it's tough not to be impacted by it. But what struck me the most was Emily Bett Rickards' performance. Watching her attempt to be strong and hold back tears as the charismatic Brandon Routh bothers her is absolutely heartbreaking. And then when she finally lets it all out? Man, I looked at my fiance and jokingly pulled the cliche "I have something in my eye" line. You know, because I'm so macho like that. This episode also gave Stephen Amell a chance to show how much he's grown as an actor. The revelation with Roy was pulled off perfectly, as was his scene about being the leader. Meanwhile, Laurel's livid and understandably so. What happened to Sara wasn't fair and she does deserve better. It's almost like Katie Cassidy's the voice of some fans in this one and she pulls it off well.
Simon Lacroix, a.k.a. Komodo, finally makes his debut! While the character isn't nearly as significant as he was in the comics (or so it seems, so far), the character generated a few very cool scenes. First and foremost, his opening kill is a radical shot; I love how it followed the arrow through each layer of glass before the projectile stuck its target. The motorcycle scene wasn't for me (see below), but the stunt it concluded with was fantastic. And while he didn't have that much going for him in terms of character, the final fight helped me forget about that for a few minutes. The hand-to-hand sequence was fast-paced and exciting. It kept me impressed and the reflex feat which ends the encounter was a real jaw-dropper. I totally didn't see that coming and it was so very cool. Look, I know I already used the word "cool" in this paragraph, but it really is the best way to describe it.
As for easter eggs, a few caught my attention. Komodo's location is on the corner of 3rd and Lemire. If you're a fan of the Green Arrow comic, you know Jeff Lemire's the recent writer who did great things with the character. No Andrea Sorrentino nod though?! Bummer. Another was Felicity saying she always viewed Sara as an invincible amazonian warrior, a line which is more than likely a nod to Wonder Woman. It was a little odd to drop a reference like that during such an emotional scene, but it still accurately conveys how Felicity felt about Sara. Then there's the one bit that's oozing with foreshadowing: Laurel holding Sara's jacket. We all know she's going to become Black Canary at some point, right?
On paper or on the set, Oliver and Simon's motorcycle scene was probably a badass thing to witness. However, that intensity didn't really transfer to the TV screen. It felt odd having them essentially play chicken twice and there was no sense of danger or even a good shot of when they went right past one another. If anything, it made me wonder what kind of tactic Oliver had in mind, but seems like the scene was just there because having him barely dodge arrows while on a bike looks kind of neat. But hey, at least the way that sequence ended with Komodo was pretty stellar. As for Komodo himself, it is disappointing -- as a fan of Lemire/Sorrentino's comic -- that the character didn't have much depth. There was potential with his origin, but it seems like he's just another mercenary floating around in this world and I imagine there's no major plans for the character in the near future. But who knows? Maybe they'll prove me wrong and he'll come back in a big way. Perhaps a new member Suicide Squad?
There's a lot of potential with the Hong Kong story, but this one kind of seemed like it was just an excuse to bring actor Colin Donnell back. For me, it didn't enhance the current time's plot and it didn't do much to expand the one back then, either. Minor gripes: Laurel's line about the bullets being removed from the gun felt unnecessary and like it was there just to explain the obvious twist to some people who didn't immediately get it. Having her stare at Ollie with a look of hatred and surprise could have been so much more powerful. And Laurel not telling her father is frustrating to you as well, right? After the first moment of hesitation, I was sure she'd deliver the news and it would top off this emotional episode with Paul Blackthorne getting a chance to make us cry. But then came the reminder about his health. Oh well, I guess they'll save his compelling scene for later.
"Sara" feels like a proper follow-up to last week's shocking development. It's every bit as emotional as it needs to be and several of the actors give a powerful performance. Even though it offers a ton of insight into how these characters are grieving, it still finds time to incorporate some fun stunts, expands the mystery just a bit, and leaves us on an effective note. I'm sure no one was surprised when the mask came off in the end, but that really didn't make it any less exciting, did it?
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