Arrow
Season 5 Episode 4: “Penance”
Directed by Dermott Downs
Written by Brian Ford Sullivan & Oscar Balderrama
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, Echo Kellum, Paul Blackthorne, Josh Segarra, Audrey Marie Anderson, Rick Gonzalez, Joe Dinicol, Madison McLaughlin, Chad L. Coleman
The CW
Air Date: Wednesday, October 26th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last week’s Arrow was one of my favorites, as former WWE wrestler, Cody Rhodes, joined the hall of villains as Sampson – a “stardust” dealer, who battled against the Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) in the handsomest fight in town. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) confessed her part in Haven Rock to Rory (Joe Dinicol). Diggle (David Ramsey) hallucinated Deadshot in the meanest audience trick, but wants to stay in jail for something he didn’t do, as penance for something he did – kill his brother. Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) was not having it, and went to get Oliver.

Spoilers below.

Arrow 5.4 “Penance” review: The team is working a crime sans Rags. Whoa… Curtis (Echo Kellum) is a badass, but Oliver is badder. They disappointed him again, so they get a few days off, while he helps Lyla retrieve John. Rags quit because of Haven Rock. He doesn’t exactly blame Felicity, but she reminds him of what he lost. Oliver is gracious about it.

Felicity is not gracious about the plan to break John out of prison. I can’t get over “John Junior.” Damn you, Barry Allen!!!

Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) is deputy mayor in charge. Oliver trusts him… tears! Curtis knows that something is off about the piece they picked up from the thief. Curtis was right. It’s a bomb that allows Tobias Church (Chad Coleman) and his gang to break into the evidence locker. and blow up the station with grenades.

Flashback: Oliver gets himself thrown in jail on purpose to question another prisoner for Bratva. “I am Bratva. And you are gonna tell me everything I need to know.”

The team tries to either join or stop Oliver from breaking Diggle out. He easily gets away. He is going to feel so bad when he realizes what happened to that evidence and Lance. It’s up to the kids to figure this out.

Lyla and Oliver are in with tricky technology. Just as Oliver gets to the cell, they realize that Diggle is in “gen pop.” Lyla wants to abort.

Felicity goes to give Rory the Rocky speech and also upsets herself. He doesn’t want to come back to the team.

The DA is more than he seems.

Rory comes back and they go out there.

Diggle resists rescue, but Oliver is very convincing. They escape using a compound that, “Theoretically, it should eat through everything.” Funny.

There are battles on all fronts as Diggle and the Green Arrow fight their way out of prison, and the kids battle Tobias Church’s men to get the DA and cops out of there. Ragman’s power is powerful. Mr. Terrific is stabbed in the back with a knife. Wild Dog sends Artemis to get Curtis to safety, and Lance screeches up in a van. Church gets his impressive hostage in Rene.

Oliver and John leave via plane harness, which seems like the scariest thing ever. He is reunited with his wife. “I figured if you wanted to make your own decisions, you wouldn’t have gotten married.” That’s right.

Diggle to Oliver: “When you said you haven’t changed… Don’t” Tears!

Wild Dog is being tortured with glee. I think Chad Coleman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan took “Torture is Fun 101” lessons together.

I am loving this season so far. The story is tight, the flashbacks are brief, and the action is not overdrawn. It is back to skill and weapons, more than magic (so far). Although Oliver is still super grouchy at times, I can see the slow begrudging development of trust in him, and the slow development of skill and maturity in the mini-vigilantes.

Arrow airs Wednesday nights at 8:00pm ET on The CW.

The CW’s synopsis:

Arrow
Penance (Ep# 504)
OLIVER STEPS IN FOR DIGGLE — Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Lyla (guest star Audrey Marie Anderson) team up on a secret mission for Diggle (David Ramsey). Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) finds out and disapproves of the plan and opts to stay behind. When Tobias Church (guest star Chad L. Coleman) launches a deadly assault against the city, Felicity must decide if she wants to send the recruits out sans the Green Arrow. Dermott Downs directed the episode written by Brian Ford Sullivan & Oscar Balderrama (#504). Original airdate 10/26/2016.

Video

Arrow | Inside Arrow: Penance | The CW

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