Arrow ‘Legacy’ Recap and Reaction

Graham Host
TV Arrowverse
TV Arrowverse

As good as things had been for Barry and his three-month Flashpoint vacation, Star City has been suffering without Team Arrow. As you might recall from the end of last season, Thea hung up her cowl in order to pursue a normal life. Laurel died at the hands of Damien Darhk and Diggle went back to the army to cope with murdering his brainwashed brother. Olicity split after the tensions between work and personal life became too large but have continued to pursue justice together.

Spoilers will follow.

To the minds of the public, Oliver Queen is now the bumbling mayor who constantly misses meetings and skirts responsibilities. The role of Green Arrow is taking a larger toll now that he has reverted back to hitting the streets alone. Another delayed arrival is raising questions and a quip is made that he is with a woman. Oliver is actually pursuing Anarchy and attempting to defuse a bomb at the same time. A remote arrow allows Felicity to defuse the device as another figure attempts to intervene. Oliver has apparently encountered the new wannabe-vigilante before and warns him to stay away in future. There is a more angry edge to actions this time around. An arrow stabs Anarky to the wall and another goes into the leg of the well-meaning vigilante.

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Back in the Arrow Cave, Curtis and Felicity attempt to convince Oliver that he needs new teammates such as Wild Dog – the vigilante from earlier. One of the sketches in Felicity shows is a little inside joke – it’s DC’s Vigilante.

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The newest villain of the piece is introduced in a short scene with several corrupt cops attempting a double-cross. Tobias Church emerges and kills the cops, leaving the bodies to be found by the police and Green Arrow. A passing comment about Lance has Oliver pay a visit to his old associate.

Consequences

But a few problems have come up. In his own words “A drunk needs a reason to be sober and I’m fresh out.” After the suffering the loss of his oldest daughter and the disappearance of the younger, Quentin slid back into the bottle. Donna split and moved to Vegas after the drinking started again and the former cop is all alone. Despite being invited to a celebration of the Black Canary, Lance declines as it might be bad if he broke down. The gritty reality that Oliver’s actions have consequences gives the entire show a very grounded feeling.

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Events quickly go sideways at the unveiling of the Black Canary memorial. Tobias Church crashes a police van onto the scene and kidnaps Oliver and several others at gunpoint. Despite Felicity requesting that Speedy take to the streets, Thea asks that they search for any chatter about Church first. Church is using the captive politicians in order to lure out the Green Arrow – not realising that he’s tied to a chair.

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In order to escape, Oliver insults Church so that he will be taken away and beaten. Lance and Thea track down a location but Thea is unwilling to become Speedy again. This marks the first time in her life that she is normal. Over the past few seasons, she evolved from drug addict to unwitting killer to undead zombie person and is finally leading a normal life. The trauma both Thea and Lance are displaying is a touching scene.

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Change of View

Despite four years of advancement, Oliver seems to have backslid all the way back to his first days off the Island. Tied to a chair, Oliver is suddenly free and snaps the neck of his torturer – “Nobody can know my secret.” The scene will be familiar as it is how the Arrow first appeared. But Thea saw everything and wants to know why he has taken up killing again. Laurel’s death didn’t just shock Oliver – it seems to have destabilised him.

Oliver now thinks Malcolm is right and that killing is an inevitable part of seeking justice. Thea is disgusted and quits once more. Lance convinces Oliver to recruit four of his best officers to create a legal vigilante team to help save the other hostages. Surprisingly, the idea is accepted. This is because of the hidden promise Oliver made Laurel before she died – that she would not be the last Black Canary.

Showdown

Oliver and his new team infiltrate Church’s base and retrieve the hostages but set off a chain reaction of explosives. The rest of them escape as Oliver dives through a window and latches onto an escaping helicopter with Church onboard. A short fight ends with Church pushing Green Arrow out of the copter with only one trick left up his sleeve – a trick parachute arrow! This is a great throw-back to the zany days when DC’s Green Arrow had trick arrows for everything. Boomerang, handcuffs, boxing gloves, explosives – parachute arrows!

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Church later establishes himself at the head of crime as Mayor Queen legalises the new police team and decides to establish a new vigilante team after talking with Diggle. Curtis Holt volunteers to join the new team after being attacked. Felicity is now apparently in a new relationship. What is weird is that she is still in the loft apartment. Considering that Thea bought it – with her father’s money – and gave it to Oliver, why is Felicity there and where is Oliver living?

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One of the new police team is attacked by a figure that he mistakes for Green Arrow. We know from press releases that this is the new Prometheus. His fighting style appears similar to the ones used by Merlyn. Could this be his latest identity?

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Flashback Oliver

The flashback storyline establishes Oliver as attempting to locate government strongman Kovar to honour a promise he made to Taiana. He runs afoul of the Bratva after killing their prize fighter and is only saved by the fortunate appearance of Anatoly from Lian Yu. Anatoly promises to help Oliver by initiating him into the Bratva.

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The initiation to the actual initiation

Legacy is an episode with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. First Oliver is against a new team. Then he has the police squad and plans for a new vigilante team by the end of the episode. Curtis Holt only wanted to be tech support before getting mugged on his first scouting trip. Even Thea wanted nothing to do with Speedy, then suited up before quitting again. Not bad for ten minutes work. Stay tuned to Fandom to keep up with the latest Arrow news.

Graham Host
Graham Host was a proud member of the Fan Contributor program. In his spare time, he enjoys the works of Terry Pratchett, DC Comics and a wide assortment of video games. Under no circumstances should he be fed after midnight.