BY VLADA GELMAN
The Huntress may have wreaked havoc on Wednesday night’s Arrow, putting Laurel in danger, but it was Thea who found herself in harm’s way at the end of the hour.
Crushed over her sudden break-up with Roy, a lonely Thea accepted a ride from Oliver’s archenemy Slade, who is determined to take down all of the crimefighter’s loved ones.
Needless to say, next week’s outing — which is on par with a finale! — packs quite a dangerous punch, executive producer Marc Guggenheim reveals below.
The EP also weighs in on Roy’s nickname, Oliver and Slade’s big showdown, The Huntress’ future and more.
DANGER ZONE | After running into Slade, Thea is in a lot of danger, previews Guggenheim. “And the sword of Damocles that’s being held over her in [next week's episode] is a double-edged sword – it’s both physical and emotional – and I can guarantee that by the end of [Episode] 18, one of those edges is going to cut her.” The EP also adds that Thea will learn “something pretty massive” in the next hour that “will cause a tectonic shift in her relationship with Oliver.”
BROKEN HEARTS, BIG CLIFFHANGERS | Young lovebirds Thea and Roy had to go kaput “to upset the apple cart,” explains the EP. “She is the only thing that keeps him in check. She keeps him grounded. It was also, if we were going to place Thea in jeopardy, we wanted Roy to feel some sense of complicity in that. Episode 18 is a very big episode. We sort of wrote it as a mid-midseason finale. In fact, when we turned in Episode 18 to the studio, the studio was like, ‘You do know you’ve got to do five more episodes, right?’ Episode 18 really could play as a season finale, just in terms of the number of things that happen and the number of cliffhangers that we’re left with. And one of those things is Roy dealing with his own sense of responsibility” in what’s happened to Thea.
LEARN YOUR NICKNAMES | Oliver calling the newest member of Team Arrow “Speedy” was the writers’ way of “inching Roy towards an Arsenal place,” which is the moniker his character takes on in the D.C. Comics. “Eventually, when the time is right, the nickname that will stick will be Arsenal. But again, the time has to be right,” adds Guggenheim.
THE FIGHT TO END ALL FIGHTS | Lest you think Oliver and Slade’s big confrontation won’t take place until the season finale, Guggenheim teases that the foes will face-off in “a series of showdowns,” with a particularly shocking one happening as soon as next Wednesday’s episode. “The way that it unfolds is very unexpected,” hints the EP, who promises to save the best for last. “This whole season has, basically, been about Oliver versus Slade, with a lot of other elements orbiting it. So I don’t think it will be a surprise to say that the conclusion of their story won’t happen until the final episode of the season.”
BEHIND BARS, BUT NOT FOR LONG? | Viewers likely haven’t seen the end of Oliver’s crazy ex-girlfriend. “We definitely have an idea for a Season 3 episode with The Huntress,” shares Guggenheim. Though he’s keeping mum on details, he does reveal that the writers went into the episode with the intention of killing Frank so that “we could start a new chapter for [Helena].” As for Ollie, bringing back his ex “gave us a chance to articulate how far Oliver has come in his evolution.”
OPEN YOUR EYES | How can Quentin Lance – who used to be a detective! – still not recognize that the hooded figure his daughter is hanging out with is Oliver? “I will say, Episode 19 pretty definitively answers that question, as far as Lance is concerned,” promises Guggenheim. “And the answer to that will surprise you.”
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