Arrow Arrow Season 2 Episode 23: "Unthinkable" Rate and Review Thread

[Rorschach2012]

As much as I liked the finale, there were a few things that felt rushed, or just felt weird in general.

Like Roy being able to fight against all these Mirakuru soldiers, even though we haven't seen him do any actual combat training, and he wasn't exactly the most patient student.

Everything with Laurel. Keep calling me a hater, there is no denying that they pretty much rushed her storyline and had all scenarios be completely pro-Laurel, in the final 3 Episodes, to finally put her on the path to become the Canary.

Sara leaving with the League, and how everyone smiles stupidly as if she's leaving for a field trip with her class. It just felt so upbeat and happy. Hello, your sister/daughter, is leaving with a bunch of assassins to resume killing people around the globe. Everyone, stop smiling like idiots.

yes! completely agreed with all of this. Especially that last scene you mentioned. That was noticeably weird and jarring. it took me outta the ep a bit. other than that, it was perfect.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

Great finale.

Arrow vs Slade in past/present was such an awesome scene, especially the 'eye' part. I called that it would be about 'to kill or not'. Slade is the ultimate test of this. Also, I loved the scene of Slade being put back on the island (though who's gonna feed him..?)

Loved the Suicide Squad and LoA coming back into it for a sec.

Some of the Roy/Thea drama was actually not bad this episode. Roy getting the mask and shooting arrows was awesome too. I really don't care that he doesn't have a ton of training or whatever. I geeked out. Since Thea kept talking about how "Thea Queen" is dead, perhaps she'll go by a new name, Mia Dearden.

Definitely called Ollie getting off the island for season 3 in the flashbacks. I also thought however, that he (and Team Arrow) would be stranded on the island in the present, which I thought could have made for an interesting season 3.

 

[DrCosmic]

I was also wondering who was going to feed Slade, and also wondered how Roy got so good all of a sudden with a bow and arrow.

There was a lot to love here, and it wrapped up so much so well. I found the Olicity shipping bone throwing to be particularly incredible, not for what it was, but for the way it was done, to really give those fans and indeed Felicity herself that moment without actually giving anything... at all. That was extremely self-aware of the show, imho.

John Barrowman is the man, I really just can't have any complaints when the guy shows up.

 

[Destructus86]

Am I the only one who really doesn't want Lance to die?

 

[KillerMcQueen]

Am I the only one who really doesn't want Lance to die?

You are not alone.

 

[Mister J]

This finale looks incredible, I just hope Felicity is the one Slade takes, Sara doesn't die, Thea doesn't go with Malcolm and we get an epic fight between Arrow and Deathstroke.

3 out of 4 ain't bad.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

Am I the only one who really doesn't want Lance to die?

Nope. Love the guy and the way his character's progressed throughout the series.

 

[regnak]

Am I the only one who really doesn't want Lance to die?

Not at all, Quentin for commissioner!

 

[Human Torch]

I'm pretty sure his "illness" is just to keep him sidelined for the first part of next season,so that Laurel can start training as the BC.They've already established that the two are close,and Quinton disapproves the idea ("don't get any ideas").So it's just a plot device for her to get up to speed on the vigilante road without Quinton finding out.

 

[Golgo-13]

I have to rematch the ep, but i got the indication that Slade didn't know where he was; in other words he didn't know he was back on the island at the end….

 

[Karelia]

I hope Detective Lance doesn't die. I agree, I love the way his character has progressed throughout the series so far. Never thought I'd say that... I really disliked him pretty much throughout the first season.

 

[p4poetic]

Lance can't die without at least knowing Oliver is/was the Arrow. That's been such a reoccurring theme since season 1, it wouldn't be fair.

 

[Mask&Cape]

Another awesome episode - fantastic end to a fantastic season.

 

[Mask&Cape]

I have to rematch the ep, but i got the indication that Slade didn't know where he was; in other words he didn't know he was back on the island at the end….

Oliver did tell him he was in Purgatory - which is the name of the Island in English. So between that and the cave walls in his cell I think he has (or will) figure it out.

Detective Lance will return - they just wanted to give us a cliffhanger for the Lance family.

I have a question about Isabel Rochev and the Mirakuru.

I know the Mirakuru soldiers aren't indestructible - just very difficult to defeat - but how was Nyssa able to to break Rochev's neck?

Was it HOW she did it or just the fact that she able to get close enough since Rochev couldn't fight back?

Could Arrow have done the same to Deathstroke but it was just Slade's fighting skill made it impossible?

 

[Boy Scout]

I'm pretty sure Isabel was cured before Nyssa snapped her neck.

 

[Mask&Cape]

I'm pretty sure Isabel was cured before Nyssa snapped her neck.

I never actually thought of that :P

Thanks - that makes more sense.

I'll check out the scene tomorrow to be sure.

I loved the tunnel battle.

I wonder what the next disaster for Starling City is going to be

 

[Jick]

This must have been one of the best season finale I've seen in years. This was just so exciting and thrilling to watch that I find it hard to imagine the next one topping it. I hope they can pull it off but I have the best expectations for this.

 

[TheHighlander]

Mirakuru gives you super strength, doesn't give you super fighting skills.... Most street thugs can't fight and a decent guy with some training can best them out. That didn't seem far fetched. That is why small people invented martial arts, so they could outgun a bigger opponent.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

I'm sure this has been brought up, but wasn't it weird that Slade grabs Laurel instead of Sara...?

Wasn't it only like a few episodes ago that he was in a relationship with Sara, and she broke it off for personal reasons (suggesting that he would still be with her if he could?).

It would be fine if the episode drew attention to it, with Slade claiming he knows Ollie better than he knows himself or whatever, but it doesn't. Ollie doesn't give it a second thought either, and so it feels dramatically random. (Or am I forgetting a scene?)

Very strange. Taking Sara would have felt a lot more powerful considering she's the one he chose over Shado, and the three have this long history. Slade could have made Ollie choose between Sara and Felicity, and in a twist, the one Ollie chooses to live (Sara) is the one Slade kills (which would provide the final ultimate test of Ollie restraining the killer inside him when he goes up against Slade).

Having to choose between Sara and Laurel also could have been interesting considering Ollie's inability to choose between the two 5 years ago is what started everything.

Laurel being taken by Nyssa/LOA (Ollie's punishment for letting Sara die) would also make more sense to me, where she could receive the same treatment her sister did, which would set up the LOA as the big bads of season 3. Eh, I guess this is just wishful thinking. I'm sure they'll give us something interesting with Nyssa/Sara/Laurel down the line.

 

[Boy Scout]

Huh...didn't think about that. Good point.

 

[Herolee10]

Man, the more that I think about it...the more I groan about how much they messed up with Sara is in this episode.

I'm not one of the fans that hates Laurel and desperately wants Sara to become BC over her...but I feel like they (the producers) pretty much ruined her arc from the entire season with this one episode.

Going back to the league is the LAST thing..hell it shouldn't even have been a thing, that Sara should have done in this episode.

If anything, Sara could have just left the city in hopes to start rectifying the mistakes that she made while being an assassin after being inspired to become a heroine in her own right and take up the name of "Canary" for the time being.

The League could have just been there because they knew on how big of a threat Slade and his army was if they were left unchecked. It was established by Moira in her discussion with Malcom that even though the LOA are extremists, they still have some moral code.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

I'm sure this has been brought up, but wasn't it weird that Slade grabs Laurel instead of Sara...?

Wasn't it only like a few episodes ago that he was in a relationship with Sara, and she broke it off for personal reasons (suggesting that he would still be with her if he could?).

It would be fine if the episode drew attention to it, with Slade claiming he knows Ollie better than he knows himself or whatever, but it doesn't. Ollie doesn't give it a second thought either, and so it feels dramatically random. (Or am I forgetting a scene?)

Very strange. Taking Sara would have felt a lot more powerful considering she's the one he chose over Shado, and the three have this long history. Slade could have made Ollie choose between Sara and Felicity, and in a twist, the one Ollie chooses to live (Sara) is the one Slade kills (which would provide the final ultimate test of Ollie restraining the killer inside him when he goes up against Slade).

Having to choose between Sara and Laurel also could have been interesting considering Ollie's inability to choose between the two 5 years ago is what started everything.

Laurel being taken by Nyssa/LOA (Ollie's punishment for letting Sara die) would also make more sense to me, where she could receive the same treatment her sister did, which would set up the LOA as the big bads of season 3. Eh, I guess this is just wishful thinking. I'm sure they'll give us something interesting with Nyssa/Sara/Laurel down the line.

Ha, this makes much more sense than what was presented on screen, especially the Laurel part.

 

[Nathan]

The finale is actually somewhat disappointing, when you read all the great ideas on here. Like the 3 way fight people hoped would happen. With Blood revolting against Slade, and bringing in Solomon Grundy, who he would have hid after the Arrow presumably killed him.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Slade wasn't privy to the conversation where Ollie and Sara split, so when she left town he had no idea of why so he took it at face value. I think as people who watch the show we don't require Slade to actively say "I took Felicity and Laurel because I know you care about them more than Sarah" not to mention that it would a lot harder to try and bully her into the scenario as she would likely fight to the death before becoming a captive. As a chess move trying to take someone who is Ollie's equal wouldn't be smart as it offers little leverage.

Man, the more that I think about it...the more I groan about how much they messed up with Sara is in this episode.

I'm not one of the fans that hates Laurel and desperately wants Sara to become BC over her...but I feel like they (the producers) pretty much ruined her arc from the entire season with this one episode.

Going back to the league is the LAST thing..hell it shouldn't even have been a thing, that Sara should have done in this episode.

If anything, Sara could have just left the city in hopes to start rectifying the mistakes that she made while being an assassin after being inspired to become a heroine in her own right and take up the name of "Canary" for the time being.

The League could have just been there because they knew on how big of a threat Slade and his army was if they were left unchecked. It was established by Moira in her discussion with Malcom that even though the LOA are extremists, they still have some moral code.

Having had time to reflect on the finale this remains my biggest issue, a couple of the nitpicks I've let go and even though I don't like the Malcolm/Thea storyline I hope she will at least be using him as a means to an end as opposed to being a brainwashed dupe.

I actually had no issue with Sarah sacrificing herself back to the LOA in order to get their help to save Starling, my problem was with how chipper she was over the whole the thing, the way Laurel and Quentin saw her off at the dock you'd think she as going on a summer cruise with friends, not heading back to a life as an assassin, something she had spent the entire season trying to distance herself from.

 

[Hunter Rider]

The finale is actually somewhat disappointing, when you read all the great ideas on here. Like the 3 way fight people hoped would happen. With Blood revolting against Slade, and bringing in Solomon Grundy, who he would have hid after the Arrow presumably killed him.

I'm glad they didn't use Grundy, I'd much rather see them slowly tease him next season before he makes a full return in monstrous form.