BEST. EPISODE. EVER.

In one of the most relentless and physically intense episodes of Arrow ever, Oliver Queen finally conquers Ricardo Diaz and gets free of Slabside prison. Flash forwards and life outside of prison were wisely held for the week, instead dedicating the episode to what felt more like a short action movie that was all climax. Oh, and then there was that Olicity reunion.


In one of the most brutal and rewarding fights Arrow has ever seen, Oliver beats a bunch of guys senseless with a soda can inside of a pillowcase. His partner uses one half of a pair of scissors (a scissor?) to slice and dice people, and eventually lights one of his former gang members on fire. They even string Brick up and strangle him, something he somehow survives so he can be stabbed and killed by Stanley, the deadly twerp sociopath.

Speaking of Stanley, this episode had the perfect dose of the creepy little weirdo. Early on Ollie tells Stan that they’re not friends, and he knows that he framed Turner, setting up Oliver’s promise to make things right with Turner that enables Oliver to save the guards, take down Diaz, and make it out alive. Stan drugs Oliver, and in the hands of other writers, this little melodrama would have bogged down the rest of the episode. Luckily this episode, written by Jill Blankenship & Rebecca Bellotto, kept things moving in a fashion that suits Oliver’s steely new GSD attitude. Once Oliver realizes Stanley murdered a bunch of people and can’t be talked into untying him, he makes quick work out of him, not even breaking a sweat (or his wrists) to escape.

One thing I’m going to miss about the Slabside arc is watching Oliver as such a physical fighter. Without the use of his bow and other gadgets, Oliver has had to rely on martial arts, his surroundings, and his smarts. The Green Arrow doesn’t cut anybody’s ephemeral artery or make his own IEDs, ya know? Early on in the episode we were treated to one long shot (or one disguised to look like it) of Oliver taking out guards with just his own two hands - or feet, as the case may be. It’s no surprise that producer and former stunt coordinator James Bamford directed this episode, which had so many fights I almost lost track. When you’ve got a lead with this level of physical prowess and a director with a background in stunts, you can do an episode that is 80% fighting without any of it feeling stale. And while this episode didn't get into it as much, this season has made a point of using fight choreography as an extension of characterization.

I enjoyed Michael Jai White’s performance for Ben Turner’s proper introduction. While the man who will be known as Bronze Tiger has been around all season, this was the first time he really distinguished himself from the rest of Brick’s band of toughs. The transition from gang member to hero/comrade-in-arms felt largely natural, and served to highlight how much Oliver has changed, too. Turner showed off serious skills himself, roundhouse kicking everyone in sight and throwing a guard over his shoulder like he was nothing. I’m looking forward to hearing more about his connection to Lyla and seeing how he gets along with the rest of the group.