ARROW Aims at Heart and Home
Episode 120 “Home Invasion”
[photos: Jack Rowand/CW]
Yes, I’m behind. Story of my life. Playing catch-up on a lot of things, so bear with me whilst I drop this here a little late…
Four plots going in this episode, with the main two being the assassin coming after a kid who witnessed a murder, and the next step in Diggle’s arc involving Deadshot. The other two — Roy’s obsession with finding the Hood and Oliver’s relationship with Laurel (along with the attached triangle with Tommy) vie for second place.
Flashbacks are really just more Shado-as-Miyagi teaching Oliver-as-Daniel-san how to shoot, with the requisite first steps toward the two having a fling on the island. Of course it’s going to happen. He’s a red-blooded American boy. She’s a hot Asian girl. It’s fate. Right?
Just as it’s fate that the whole Tommy-Laurel thing is going to fall apart, and we get a step closer to that here as Laurel’s caught in the crosshairs when she tries to help a family looking to get their money back from a bad investment managed by an evil Bernie Madoff type. When the couple is killed, Laurel takes the boy under her protection until family can get to town. Naturally, that makes her a target and gives us yet another pass at the destruction of her apartment. (Seriously, how many times before the landlord kicks her out?)
Tommy, knowing Oliver’s secret, suggests staying at the Luthor Queen mansion under the protection of Luthorcorp Queen Consolidated security types. This is fine for a while, but Tommy’s not pleased to learn Oliver has other places to be. More water under the bridge between the two, and Tommy’s already about to bust a blood vessel because he’s angry at Oliver. But it strikes me that I should ask if Tommy’s seething rage is entirely justified at this point. I mean yes, he’s Oliver’s best friend — but that also works against this plot point. As Ollie’s best friend, he should understand a little about why Oliver kept the Hood secret — especially after doing it himself when he had the perfect chance to spill everything to Laurel.
Naturally, things come to a head on that front, because Laurel clearly still has feelings for Oliver, which she suppressed because she didn’t think he was any different when he got back. But she can see he’s changed, and she likes what she sees. And Tommy knows he can’t compete with that, and with his knowledge of Oliver’s night job, it’s going to make it even more difficult to compete with an ideal. Thus, establishing one more nail in the coffin holding the friendship between Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen.
Note that at one point Laurel calls him “Merlyn” instead of “Tommy”. This is more than likely not an accident.
Oliver’s torn between loyalties in this ep, and it bites him on the butt pretty keenly, as he has to choose between going after the mobster trying to get away from town, or stopping Deadshot. His choice — going after the threat to Laurel — gets four federal agents killed when Deadshot shows up to a sting and starts picking off Lyla’s team. This makes John Diggle very angry with Oliver Queen, angry enough that he walks out of Team Arrow. And Smoakin’ Felicity isn’t too thrilled with the turn of events either, but she and her dyed-blonde tresses stay put. At least for now.
Note #2 that Lyla’s code name is “Harbinger”. Nice wink to Crisis on Infinite Earths. That, along with Lance calling Roy and Thea “Wonder Twins”…
Ah, Roy and Thea… Team Speedy. Roy’s got a bee in his bonnet (which is a red hood, you should note) about finding the Hood and … what? Roy feels like he owes something to the vigilante, and Thea thinks he’s crazy, but since he’s hot she’s going to help him find the Hood.
Yay Team Speedy!
So, this episode sets up isolation for Oliver, and takes us a step closer to Merlyn as nemesis. This definitely sets up the confrontation we know is coming between Oliver and Tommy. Plus, if you look closely at the photo album, you’ll see a blonde Laurel next to Oliver in one photo. Foreshadowing?
[Official Show Site at CW] [Previous Recap: “Unfinished Business”]
