Support NeoGAF

[Joni]

That was a fantastic episode. Liked seeing Noah team up with Felicity and the gang. They handled that perfectly, which is amazing seeing how the summary was scary. Getting Felicity fired was funny, and the Calculator quipping was a good choice as well. Now we know where she got it from.

- Thea laughing at Malcolm. That is a very big lampshade.
- Brick, Murmur, Anarky, Calculator being back is great. We need more villain team ups. Just wanted to see Anarky team-up with Thea against Malcolm.
- Donna is dressing more normal
- That stairwell fight

It's annoying though because how it was handled. There was no military response? Granted maybe Felicity and crew weren't bothering to pay attention to the military response because they were so busy with stopping it and fighting Hive.

The nuke actually not being stopped is surprising... but it raises so many fucking questions now, is US going to war with Russia? Why did no one besides fucking Felicity try and stop said Nuke? How in the world did the Nuke reach the US from around the world that fucking quickly? Will this be discussed in Flash at all? And many many more...

The United States government knew about Argus, about Rubicon. They put the Department of Defense on the case. It was just not the subject of Arrow & Friends. And it was the best choice nobody managed to stop it.

 

[Calm waterfall]

Holy shit, they actually killed tens of thousands with the nuke. Well done, i hope it´s not just for chock value, and there are some serious repercussions. I am not talking about a war between the US and Rusia, but at least an massive American hunt for Dahrk and HIVE.

 

[Joni]

Holy shit, they actually killed tens of thousands with the nuke. Well done, i hope it´s not just for chock value, and there are some serious repercussions. I am not talking about a war between the US and Rusia, but at least an massive American hunt for Dahrk and HIVE.

They'll be down before the United States army can get up to speed. I wonder if that maybe leads to a Civil War like storyline.

 

[ZeroX03]

It's interesting that they had a Russian nuke hit the US, considering that the next season will most likely deal with Russia in the flashbacks.

Could go nowhere or just be a coincidence.

I want to believe it's not a coincidence. Even in the first scene I thought "boy it's a lot of effort to have people speak presumably Google translated Russian, why not just use a country with an accent?"

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Any radioactive superheros or villains we should know about (besides Firestorm)?

 

[Briarios]

The interesting thing here is that the costumes didn't cause the destruction, that was a rogue group -- but they were the only ones able to ameliorate the damage. It's almost the exact opposite of BvS. After this, you could see the world wanting a Justice League.

Edit: I should also point out its the opposite of Marvel, as well, with Stark creating Ultron and the fallout there.

 

[Sinatar]

So much dumb shit this episode:

- We're at DEFCON 2 because the President doesn't want to start a panic?

Uh Nuclear armageddon is imminent, I think some mild panic (and fucking *COUNTERMEASURES*) might be in order.

- Oh this prototype quantum processor is locked in a safe. Well thank god the magic remote control that lets us break into it is sitting on a table 5 feet away.

- Oh but that doesn't matter because I can clone a quantum processor on my cell phone.

My brain.

 

[tim1138]

Any radioactive superheros or villains we should know about (besides Firestorm)?

Off the top of my head there's the Atomic Skull (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Skull) and Captain Atom (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Atom), but there's more than those two.

 

[Wag]

Off the top of my head there's the Atomic Skull (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Skull) and Captain Atom (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Atom), but there's more than those two.

Don't forget Chemo. Not so much a villain as a force of nature.

 

[Makonero]

Any radioactive superheros or villains we should know about (besides Firestorm)?

I'm thinking more about the Russian characters that might show up.

Rocket Red is a shoe-in.

 

[tim1138]

Don't forget Chemo. Not so much a villain as a force of nature.

Yes! I knew there was a Metal Men villain but kept blanking on his name.

 

[TheCowboyPoet]

Decent episode. Arrow continues it's post-Laurel surge.
However, was it ever explained why Curtis couldn't have helped them steal that equipment they needed?

 

[Joni]

- We're at DEFCON 2 because the President doesn't want to start a panic? Uh Nuclear armageddon is imminent, I think some mild panic (and fucking *COUNTERMEASURES*) might be in order.

It would be completely idiotic. There is no way for people to actually stop the danger, no way for them to act. Causing a panic would simply make it more difficult for the army and the police to work as they would have to spend more detail to local law enforcement, it would also block different communication methods. No panic so the army can actually work - LIKE THEY SAID IN THE EPISODE - is preferable.

 

[Ghost]

It's interesting that they had a Russian nuke hit the US, considering that the next season will most likely deal with Russia in the flashbacks.

Could go nowhere or just be a coincidence.

Ollie: "Well actually I've met all these top Russian generals and diplomats before...on the island"


Everyone else: "...fuck off Ollie"

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

Man, I love that they brought back Ving Rhames. I love that guy.

He was great in Stock Lock and Two smocking Barrels.

Ving Rhames: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000609/

Vinnie Jones: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005068/

 

[Joni]

Ving Rhames: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000609/

Vinnie Jones: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005068/

All those humans just look the same for me.

 

[Briarios]

Decent episode. Arrow continues it's post-Laurel surge.
However, was it ever explained why Curtis couldn't have helped them steal that equipment they needed?

The oldest reason in the book ... We spent all our budget for talent hiring these other actors back, so no money.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

I'm thinking more about the Russian characters that might show up.

Rocket Red is a shoe-in.

Thinking of possible origins from the nuke detonation. Would makes some sense that leads to the next season villain.

 

[Wag]

Thinking of possible origins from the nuke detonation. Would makes some sense that leads to the next season villain.

 

[Volimar]

But the darkest timeline had Smoak Industries!!!

 

[Joni]

The oldest reason in the book ... We spent all our budget for talent hiring these other actors back, so no money.

Curtis isn't a regular so he only has a certain amount of episodes. It is something they would have needed to predict when they signed him.

 

[n00bsauce87]

Not recruiting Curtis forced this episode to be bad in the sense that the writers would have to figure out what to do with the extra 10 or so hours they would have saved from making a smart choice. It added unnecessary scenes.

Also, you'd think at the very least Lyla would activate the Suicide Squad for protection services. Your only job, The Smoaks does not get hit from an enemy.

I could go on with how at the very least Cisco does not get any sort of notification of nuclear launch codes going active. His hack-a-station should be good enough to detect that a nuclear fallout is 24 hours from being a thing.

I just wished that there was more logical choices being written into the script

 

[Briarios]

Curtis isn't a regular so he only has a certain amount of episodes. It is something they would have needed to predict when they signed him.

Right, but they wanted to bring back all the villains, and there is a limit to how much they can spend -- so, it's easy to limit his appearance.

 

[Joni]

There are no members left in Task Force X. Outside maybe Torque and Harley.
Cisco is busy battling Zoom so he can't help.

Right, but they wanted to bring back all the villains, and there is a limit to how much they can spend -- so, it's easy to limit his appearance.

And difficult even without the money aspect if he is booked for a certain amount of episodes. They still have strict unions. Outside of Vinnie those guys aren't expensive.

 

[Ithil]

If Season 5 doesn't revolve around the fallout (hurr) of an American town being vaporized by a nuke, uh, then we have a problem.

Also, it sucks to be that Palmer Tech security goon that Oliver just chucked headfirst down a flight of stairs. I hope Curtis can come up with a magic chip for his paralysis too.

 

[Joni]

If Season 5 doesn't revolve around the fallout (hurr) of an American town being vaporized by a nuke, uh, then we have a problem.

Also, it sucks to be that Palmer Tech security goon that Oliver just chucked headfirst down a flight of stairs. I hope Curtis can come up with a magic chip for his paralysis too.

Just wait for the board to deny him because he isn't rich enough.

 

[n00bsauce87]

Curtis isn't a regular so he only has a certain amount of episodes. It is something they would have needed to predict when they signed him.

There isn't a story board that included this episode's major plotline: Arrow team breaks into Palmer Tech to steal tech from Curtis R&D lab?

I don't know...

 

[Septimus Prime]

Looked like DC to me...making it even more insane that the US military didn't do anything.

Maybe President Sanders cut the military budget by too much.

 

[Joni]

There isn't a story board that included this episode's major plotline: Arrow team breaks into Palmer Tech to steal tech from Curtis R&D lab?

I don't know...

You think that was there a year ago?
And the break in wasn't a major story. It was Noah and his daughter connecting. Curtis doesn't matter for that.

 

[n00bsauce87]

You think that was there a year ago?

If it wasn't then there's nothing we can do about it. And to be honest, it felt like the script was written without any inclination that Curtis existed. The fan in me would like to believe that edits could have been made. It's not like the Arrow team hasn't done hi-and-bye scenes with Curtis before. But now that Curtis has been introduced, it turns what just happened last night on its head because it makes no sense.

 

[Joni]

Just imagine that he is on holiday, or Felicity doesn't want him to be fired over stealing from that vault which might be above his grade.

 

[ZeroX03]

Sometimes scheduling just doesn't work out. Echo Kellum isn't a series regular

Spoiler

until next season

, they can't guarantee he'll be there.

 

[n00bsauce87]

Alright, it's hard to unsee him, but you make good points.

 

[Team Filler]

Terrible episode, not enough Felicity. I did like how they showed us Donna reacting to Lance's unforgivably reprehensible ultra-lies, this show really should spend more time exploring how vile and terrible it is to ever lie at all. Donna should've scolded Lance more for his talk about protecting his own daughter, I mean she's a superhero after all.

 

[KonradLaw]

I think Oliver should more often go all Watch Dogs

 

[Joni]

Terrible episode, not enough Felicity. I did like how they showed us Donna reacting to Lance's unforgivably reprehensible ultra-lies, this show really should spend more time exploring how vile and terrible it is to ever lie at all. Donna should've scolded Lance more for his talk about protecting his own daughter, I mean she's a superhero after all.

He wasn't actually protecting his daughter, he was lying so his excuse in courts stood up. But it would involve denouncing the good deeds of his daughter.

 

[The Hobo]

I have to say, I haven't missed Laurel. Like, I don't notice she's not there until someone points out she died. Weird.

 

[Joni]

I have to say, I haven't missed Laurel. Like, I don't notice she's not there until someone points out she died. Weird.

It is basically because she had no role. SHe was filler. Comic book fans can complain all they want but killing her was a good decision.

 

[The Hobo]

You're not wrong. The most focus she got each season was at the beginning where she'd make a stupid decision and then spend the rest of it in the background.

 

[MHWilliams]

I have to say, I haven't missed Laurel. Like, I don't notice she's not there until someone points out she died. Weird.

As I pointed out before, Laurel improved because she wasn't the focus of any real scenes. Her improvement came from lack of use, not a marked improvement in the writing of her character.

Oliver and Felicity are fine when they don't have to go through the normal CW romance drama. Diggle is fine when he's not whinging about brother stuff. Thea is mostly great because she doesn't have much in the way of story arcs anymore.

 

[MikeBreezy92]

And since ARGUS was in on the plot, I feel like there really wont be too much Russian/US hate because they can explain it.


Although that is a good way to Supermax Oliver though if the government wants to blame someone.

 

[Joni]

Thea is mostly great because she doesn't have much in the way of story arcs anymore.

She also has better luck with mini villains, it is more exciting to see her versus Anarky compared to Laurel versus Brick. She is being held back by Malcolm being alive though.

 

[Septimus Prime]

So Alex is dead? He did even less than DJ D-bag.

 

[MartyStu]

She also has better luck with mini villains, it is more exciting to see her versus Anarky compared to Laurel versus Brick. She is being held back by Malcolm being alive though.

Agreed.

I cannot tell you how odd it is that Thea is now my favourite regular.

 

[MikeBreezy92]

It is basically because she had no role. SHe was filler. Comic book fans can complain all they want but killing her was a good decision.

That's not the main reason why people complained when she died and I hate seeing it brought up as the reason why people were upset.

Most comic fans divorced Laurel from Dinah Lance so there wasn't much of a comic attachment. People just literally liked her character since she had a chance to grow after she got sidelined plot wise and wanted to see her do more and be a better character at the end if they didn't keep giving her weird ass plots where she was the focus.

 

[Joni]

So Alex is dead? He did even less than DJ D-bag.

He looks dead, yes. Should have gone punisher on Anarky at that point.

That's not the main reason why people complained when she died and I hate seeing it brought up as the reason why people were upset.

Most comic fans divorced Laurel from Dinah Lance so there wasn't much of a comic attachment. People just literally liked her character since she had a chance to grow after she got sidelined plot wise and wanted to see her do more and be a better character at the end if they didn't keep giving her weird ass plots where she was the focus.

The main complaint for many people was that they killed a comic book character and kept one of their original inventions. Every time she got focus, it failed. Including this year when she revived Sara. We have been complaining about Laurel for four years, but the minute she is dead, she was an integral part that shouldn't have died.

 

[MajorMane]

So Alex is dead? He did even less than DJ D-bag.

I thought the way Thea fell on him looked relieved, meaning I don't think he's dead.

 

[Septimus Prime]

He looks dead, yes. Should have gone punisher on Anarky at that point.

To be fair, Merlyn should have shot him in the head to begin with. I don't understand why he's all about not killing now.

I thought the way Thea fell on him looked relieved, meaning I don't think he's dead.

It looked more like grief than relief to me, but maybe.

 

[GulAtiCa]

I thought the way she looked and collapsed meant Alex was dead.

 

[Sinatar]

Yea she collapsed on him and said "I'm sorry Alex", I don't think she'd be saying "I'm sorry you survived."