Arrow Arrow Season 3, Episode 4 "The Magician" General Discussion

[Ultra Nolanite]

His Arabic name sells it for me. Is that the first time it was revealed?

Yeah first I ever heard of it. Asa-her or something like that. My Arabic is a little rusty, the non-existent kind of rusty.

But it suits him, the Magician.

 

[fire117]

Yeah I didn't find it funny or silly at all.

Neither did I.

 

[Mikelus]

I'm pretty sure she's not supposed to be lol.

You misunderstood, I was referring to the actress and the way the character is written, even Smallville did a better job with their Waller.

 

[DarKush]

I thought this episode was just okay, but overall I'm disappointed with this season. It was good seeing Nyssa again. Though I don't know why she also has to be an archer. I liked her when she pulled out the swords. That fits her better IMO.

I thought Roy's flip was unnecessary and I'm a little surprised that Thea was taken so easily by Nyssa. She stepped to Nyssa like she was going to put up a fight. Don't get me wrong, I expected Nyssa to win, but it would've been neat to see Thea showing off some moves and surprising her. I enjoyed the three-way fight though.

I wasn't impressed with Ra's. And the show ended sort of abrupt. I didn't feel the import of his words. The line wasn't delivered strongly enough or perhaps wasn't written well enough.

I wish they would get past this mystery of who killed Sara. They don't have a lot of suspects so it isn't that interesting. I don't think it's Ra's, Malcolm, or Thea.

The flashback didn't do anything for me, though it was cool seeing a mention of China White again. I think she's been underused so far on the show.

 

[Loki882]

It looked like she deliberately let Nyssa take her (maybe to keep her training with Merlyn secret, or to protect Roy, or any number of reasons).

I'm really feeling the Sara mystery (and I say that as someone who loved that character). It's not compelling enough to make up for the piss-poor way that she was killed up (not letting that one go writers) and I don't think that they've really sold me on the idea that it even needed to be a mystery at all. Thus far, I'm still thinking that showing the killer would have been better, the "mystery" isn't terribly compelling. The stuff with Thea, Merlyn, and the LOA is much more interesting.

 

[Sterling Archer]

Seems kind of obvious to me that Ra's ordered the death of Sara. I will be happy if they surprise me but I think that's where they are going to go.

Also does anyone else feel like they made Roy Arsenal because that's what everyone wanted to see and now they realise they don't have anything for him to do?

 

[haephestus]

I am calling it now

Nyssa will during the season finale or at the end of it. Make an offer 2 Laurel & Laurel will accept it 2 be trained by the League like Sarah was & Laurel will come back a well trained fighter next season. They bonded for a reason during this episode if you ask me

Somewhat agreed. I think Nyssa will leave the League of Assassins and occasionally help out Team Arrow, while also training Laurel. Or maybe Nyssa will offer to hook up Laurel with Nyssa's own trainer/mentor the one and only Lady Shiva!

 

[haephestus]

... I'm a little surprised that Thea was taken so easily by Nyssa. She stepped to Nyssa like she was going to put up a fight. Don't get me wrong, I expected Nyssa to win, but it would've been neat to see Thea showing off some moves and surprising her.

Me too. Like others mentioned, I'm guessing Thea either had her own reasons for keeping her training a secret, she was trying to protect Roy (which is a little more dubious to me) or Thea wanted to discover what the woman wanted and if and how she was involved with Arrow or Merlyn.

It seemed clear that Nyssa only drugged Roy, so I guess Thea could have assumed that Nyssa wasn't intending to kill her. And, in her own twisted way, maybe Thea wanted to see whether Merlyn would show up to rescue her or whether he would leave it to herself to figure out (as part of her training). It was odd that Thea later thanked Merlyn, even though Thea appeared to have left the warehouse before Merlyn arrived (unless they had a brief meet and greet before Merlyn confronted Oliver and Nyssa).

 

[b_boy]

I do think Thea went with Nyssa because she wanted to know what Nyssa wanted, we know Thea is feed up with the secrets, when Nyssa druged Roy she steped up and said she wouldn't let her hurt him, Nyssa said she wasn't after him, so Thea put her guard down and kind of went willingly.

This was my favorite episode so far, really really liked Nyssa and her conflicts with the characters. I also think that Ra's is the one who had Sara killed and we'll be seeing a Nyssa changing sides in the future.

I thought the action was great too and agree with everyone, Diggle needs a mask if he's still going to the field with all the costumed heros.

I also agree with who said that maybe by the end of the season Nyssa will offer to train Laurel, not on the LOA, I think after she changes side, she'll help train Laurel, then we'll have a one year trained by different ppl Laurel, enough time for her to be up in her game (in the TV show time-frame ppl need).

 

[Paradox1]

It looked like she deliberately let Nyssa take her (maybe to keep her training with Merlyn secret, or to protect Roy, or any number of reasons).

I'm really feeling the Sara mystery (and I say that as someone who loved that character). It's not compelling enough to make up for the piss-poor way that she was killed up (not letting that one go writers) and I don't think that they've really sold me on the idea that it even needed to be a mystery at all. Thus far, I'm still thinking that showing the killer would have been better, the "mystery" isn't terribly compelling. The stuff with Thea, Merlyn, and the LOA is much more interesting.

In most murder mystery the killer is shown or mentioned within the first act. So I'm almost certain we've seen the killer but not doing killer things

 

[Steyin]

Kinda disappointed with Ras' look. He's too white for me, and the facial hair was totally wrong.

 

[Tv's Phil]

I just can't see Diggle with a mask or costume. He just doesn't seem like the type.
I like him being so straight forward. If there are consequences for it, he'll handle it.

 

[Boy Scout]

You'd think he'd want to minimize that risk now that he has a daughter.

 

[Snow Queen]

After being pretty disappointed with every episode since about the third to last episode of season 2, this was definitely a big improvement for me. Still not liking Laurel at all and I had some other problems but it was solid and nice to see Nyssa back.

Edit: Oh and Ra's didn't quite click with me but I'll wait until he gets a bit more to do first.

 

[Infinity9999x]

Yeah, I'm not really feeling this Ra's yet either, but I obviously need to see more. Was it just me, or did he sound like he hand a hint of Cockney in his accent? That kind of threw me.

 

[Loki882]

Well you had clearly British sounding David Warner, clearly Irish sounding Liam Neeson, and clearly British sounding Jason Isaacs counted among his other actors.

 

[Loki882]

In most murder mystery the killer is shown or mentioned within the first act. So I'm almost certain we've seen the killer but not doing killer things

I think that you misunderstand. I'm saying that thus far, they haven't sold me on why there needs to be a mystery at all. The mystery is not very compelling, and I say that as someone who loved Sara as a character. The fact that they're doing the annoying "no ones wants to tell Lance thing" doesn't help matters.

 

[Ultra Nolanite]

I just don't get what the big deal is always with live action Ra's every time.

He seems like one of the easiest DC villains to get damn near perfect visually.
And yet, it's always just... this.

 

[Loki882]

Because he also can look very stereotypical when a lot of writers draw him.

 

[Paradox1]

I think that you misunderstand. I'm saying that thus far, they haven't sold me on why there needs to be a mystery at all. The mystery is not very compelling, and I say that as someone who loved Sara as a character. The fact that they're doing the annoying "no ones wants to tell Lance thing" doesn't help matters.

Yes I misunderstood you. I however love mysteries and it's one of the things that got me amped each week for another episode.

 

[Loki882]

It's not very interesting. It's basically "oh this person must have done it. No wait they didn't." rinse and repeat week after week. It's getting old. It nowhere near compelling enough to justify the godawful way that the writers chose to kill her off.

 

[Boy Scout]

Agreed.

 

[Grommers]

It's not very interesting. It's basically "oh this person must have done it. No wait they didn't." rinse and repeat week after week. It's getting old. It nowhere near compelling enough to justify the godawful way that the writers chose to kill her off.

It's been 3 episodes, since her death.

In the one after - it was Komodo they thought...in the one after, Oliver went to get Thea, in this last one it's Malcolm/Ras they've accused.

I don't think that warrants being sick of it and saying its rinse and repeat..It's two episodes..TWO

I agree it's not as interesting as it should be, but it's not like they've butchered that idea to the ground or something.

I'm just more disappointed this is the reason that the big bad is Ras because of Merlyn..:/

 

[Paradox1]

It's not very interesting. It's basically "oh this person must have done it. No wait they didn't." rinse and repeat week after week. It's getting old. It nowhere near compelling enough to justify the godawful way that the writers chose to kill her off.

Well that is how these mysteries usually play out on tv since The Killing. One suspect, one clue, is learned each week. It's not written as elequently as say True detective but it's the same formula.

 

[p4poetic]

You misunderstood, I was referring to the actress and the way the character is written, even Smallville did a better job with their Waller.

What did Smallville's Waller do?