Arrow Arrow Season 6 Finale: "Life Sentence"

[Authority2U]

I found the season to be decent. I'm not going to lie -- I started watching back in October (or whenever) when the season started, but after their mid-season break, I stopped following along until it got put on Netflix. So the first half is kind of blurry in my mind, while the second half, I rushed through from 10pm-1am or so while mixing in episodes of Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. So needless to say, I sped-watched this thing just to watch it without really stopping to appreciate it.

I think that this episode wasn't bad, I just can't shake the feeling that I know exactly what's going to happen... and what I think is going to happen drives me nuts. It's something that's been bugging me about these shows since the very beginning. I mean, this dates back to the DC O.G., Smallville.

Sometimes at the end of a season, the main protagonist goes away somewhere. At the end of Season 3 (I believe), Oliver and Felicity went away to live the suburban life, only to return in the first episode of the next season. Thus, there really is no consequence. It's like the last episode of the season is teasing the audience that there are grave consequences and our hero will disappear... only to have that consequence completely reversed on the very next episode. This infuriated me about Flash more than anything, where at least two season finales (the last one and the one before that, I believe) have painted Barry Allen into a corner, where he made a tremendous sacrifice that had grave consequences. But then, the very next episode, poof, he's fine.

So I find myself questioning why they'd even write that. If you can't follow through on the nail-biting cliffhanger that makes people mourn the loss of their favorite hero, then don't write one at all. Just give them a happy ending or something and pick up the next season normally. Don't build to this tragic event, just to have it all mean nothing in the very next episode.

So, knowing this formula, I have a strong suspicion that everything will return to the status quo in the next season. Because John made such a big deal about being the Green Arrow and because he got the suit at the end of this episode, I expect Oliver to remain in prison for... two, three episodes tops. I expect some weird cop-out to get him out where he's either pardoned or even more likely, they'll find some way to convince everyone that he's not the Green Arrow and that he was wrongfully accused -- or rather, confessed under less than good faith circumstances. Because like this, nobody will know his identity once more.

Next, I expect Quentin to return. I know it's crazy, but death isn't a strong-suit for these shows. Has a main protagonist ever truly died and stayed that way in Arrow? Sara, Thea, Laurel. And even when Felicity was shot and we're all thinking, "Oh no! What grave consequences!" there was still a cop-out to basically negate the entire thing as if it never happened. So, knowing that, I'm willing to bet that somehow, someway Quentin returns. Will it be this Quentin or an alternate Quentin? I don't know. But I'm thinking that he returns. Unless, of course, there's some contractual dispute or agreement that I don't know about.

I mean, looking at this season finale, how is this possible? If Oliver Queen is arrested by the FBI for being the Green Arrow, that means that vigilantism is still persecuted, right? So that means that the very next acts committed by the team would be deemed to be criminal, right? And it's not exactly hard to figure out who they are with the knowledge that Oliver Queen is Green Arrow... Anyone should be able to figure it out at this point, to be honest. So their secret identities are not so secret. And if their actions lend themselves to getting arrested, the police would have to be nimrods to not move in on them. Unless the police now condones their behavior, I guess that's one explanation (that's the Batman explanation, right?). But then, if everyone would know who they are, what's the point of even having costumes and aliases? All of these questions and more, if you want to follow what happened in this finale. However, as I've said, I expect everything to kind of go back to the way it was before and none of this to ultimately have a lasting effect.

I'm really, really sorry for my super long post. Does anyone agree, disagree, though?

 

[Flash525]

[snip]

I'm really, really sorry for my super long post. Does anyone agree, disagree, though?

I see what you're saying, and in part agree with most of it, though I've come to expect a certain amount of plot convenience as far as all of these shows go - specifically Flash & Supergirl. Legend is full of plot hole too, but the nature of the show allows it some breathing room in that department.

As far as Ollie and the team go next season; I suspect when Diaz returns, Ollie will be released to deal with him and then 'the city' will request that his sentence be lifted or something. In the comics, if I recall correctly, his identity does eventually become public, and he's a known vigilante, so if he returns and is known to be the crime fighting hero that the city needs/wants, maybe the FBI will be forced to look the other way?

The whole "happy ending" thing too is just a way of setting up suspense - we know it wont last, but we don't know what events will lead up to the next big bad, at least with the exception of Arrow this year, cause we do know; Diaz.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Quentin is dead... the actor is on a new show.

 

[kguillou]

So I just finished the season. I stopped following the show after the crossover event in November last year. It's just too much effort to keep up with these 23 episode network shows over the course of half a year. So, I waited for this go on Netflix and I binged about 14 episodes in the past 48 hours. Gotta say, I loved this season and LOVED how it ended. Bravo.

I see a lot of contention though the posts I'm reading from you guys and let make a suggestion, I think Arrow and shows like Arrow are best watched in binge bulks instead of week to week to week over the course of 30-something weeks. I think when you do that, you just get exhausted and filler episodes stick out to you more and by the time the season finale rolls around you just want it to be over. By binging it, you don't feel that frustration as you can just immediately play the next chapter without having to wait and the pacing of the show doesn't feel nearly as laborious as it would otherwise. I was hooked until the end.

No, this did not top season 5 or season 2 for that matter, it had some bumps in the road but I think Arrow, more than any of the other Berlanti shows, has a much stronger hold on serialized story telling and is learning from its past mistakes. Splitting the season into two major story arcs was incredibly wise and I hope they continue that trend going forward. Diaz was an incredibly compelling villain IMO and he really put Oliver through the ringer which ultimately led to Ollie's big decision in the finale. I LOVE that they've done this. I'm sure the writers are like "F*** how do we write ourselves out of this?" but thats good. Putting heroes in impossible situations is what these characters are all about. The show now has an incredibly new dynamic to explore and play with next season and going forward because now things will never be the same and this status quo is rich with possibilities.

So overall, I thought this was a rock solid season albeit with a few bumps here and there. Guys, trust me, from now on, wait til the season ends and binge it all at once, the show is much MUCH more enjoyable that way or watch the episodes in large chunks at a time throughout the season.

 

[Flash525]

So I just finished the season. I stopped following the show after the crossover event in November last year. It's just too much effort to keep up with these 23 episode network shows over the course of half a year. So, I waited for this go on Netflix and I binged about 14 episodes in the past 48 hours. Gotta say, I loved this season and LOVED how it ended. Bravo.

I see a lot of contention though the posts I'm reading from you guys and let make a suggestion, I think Arrow and shows like Arrow are best watched in binge bulks instead of week to week to week over the course of 30-something weeks. I think when you do that, you just get exhausted and filler episodes stick out to you more and by the time the season finale rolls around you just want it to be over. By binging it, you don't feel that frustration as you can just immediately play the next chapter without having to wait and the pacing of the show doesn't feel nearly as laborious as it would otherwise. I was hooked until the end.

No, this did not top season 5 or season 2 for that matter, it had some bumps in the road but I think Arrow, more than any of the other Berlanti shows, has a much stronger hold on serialized story telling and is learning from its past mistakes. Splitting the season into two major story arcs was incredibly wise and I hope they continue that trend going forward. Diaz was an incredibly compelling villain IMO and he really put Oliver through the ringer which ultimately led to Ollie's big decision in the finale. I LOVE that they've done this. I'm sure the writers are like "F*** how do we write ourselves out of this?" but thats good. Putting heroes in impossible situations is what these characters are all about. The show now has an incredibly new dynamic to explore and play with next season and going forward because now things will never be the same and this status quo is rich with possibilities.

So overall, I thought this was a rock solid season albeit with a few bumps here and there. Guys, trust me, from now on, wait til the season ends and binge it all at once, the show is much MUCH more enjoyable that way or watch the episodes in large chunks at a time throughout the season.

The problem is, if everyone had that approach, the show would lose a mass of viewers and be cancelled.

 

[shabadoo25]

So I just finished the season. I stopped following the show after the crossover event in November last year. It's just too much effort to keep up with these 23 episode network shows over the course of half a year. So, I waited for this go on Netflix and I binged about 14 episodes in the past 48 hours. Gotta say, I loved this season and LOVED how it ended. Bravo.

I see a lot of contention though the posts I'm reading from you guys and let make a suggestion, I think Arrow and shows like Arrow are best watched in binge bulks instead of week to week to week over the course of 30-something weeks. I think when you do that, you just get exhausted and filler episodes stick out to you more and by the time the season finale rolls around you just want it to be over. By binging it, you don't feel that frustration as you can just immediately play the next chapter without having to wait and the pacing of the show doesn't feel nearly as laborious as it would otherwise. I was hooked until the end.

No, this did not top season 5 or season 2 for that matter, it had some bumps in the road but I think Arrow, more than any of the other Berlanti shows, has a much stronger hold on serialized story telling and is learning from its past mistakes. Splitting the season into two major story arcs was incredibly wise and I hope they continue that trend going forward. Diaz was an incredibly compelling villain IMO and he really put Oliver through the ringer which ultimately led to Ollie's big decision in the finale. I LOVE that they've done this. I'm sure the writers are like "F*** how do we write ourselves out of this?" but thats good. Putting heroes in impossible situations is what these characters are all about. The show now has an incredibly new dynamic to explore and play with next season and going forward because now things will never be the same and this status quo is rich with possibilities.

So overall, I thought this was a rock solid season albeit with a few bumps here and there. Guys, trust me, from now on, wait til the season ends and binge it all at once, the show is much MUCH more enjoyable that way or watch the episodes in large chunks at a time throughout the season.

Yeah, no.

Bad season, dumb/nonsensical writing.

 

[Flash525]

Yeah, no.

Bad season, dumb/nonsensical writing.

I gotta' disagree. I quite liked this season (and I watched it weekly). None of the CW shows are perfect, especially those within the Arrowverse, but I'd certainly say that Arrow is one of the better ones this year.

 

[shabadoo25]

I gotta' disagree. I quite liked this season (and I watched it weekly). None of the CW shows are perfect, especially those within the Arrowverse, but I'd certainly say that Arrow is one of the better ones this year.

That doesn't say much. The DC CW shows were mostly hot garbage this year. Legends and Supergirl stood out over the dreck of Flash and Arrow.

 

[Flash525]

That doesn't say much. The DC CW shows were mostly hot garbage this year. Legends and Supergirl stood out over the dreck of Flash and Arrow.

Well, I enjoyed Arrow for the most part, and Black Lightning come to mention it. Flash & Supergirl have some serious problems to sort out. Sometimes I wonder whether the writers even care.

The thing with Legends is we know exactly what we're getting; a popcorn show. I don't take Legends remotely seriously, and it's intended to be just a bit of fun, unlike Flash & Supergirl that should be a little more coherent.

 

[davidshannon]

I hate it when the good guy is just about to take down a bad guy and someone from good guy's team ruins everything!
Oliver was about to take down him but laura had to cry!