Arrow Round Table: Virtual Fighting Saves the Ray
Carissa Pavlica
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On the Round Table for Arrow Season 3 Episode 19, the team chats about the best and worst moments from "Broken Arrow," what's going on with Captain Lance, the enjoyment factor of Oliver controlling Ray via the ATOM suit and where Arrow is heading as the finale grows near.
Join TV Fanatics Lindsay MacDonald, Allison Nichols, Hank Otero and Carla Day and be a part of the discussion when you throw your dollar's worth in the comments section.
Favorite or lease favorite moment from Broken Arrow.
Lindsay: Probably Oliver controlling the suit with Ray in it. There was a lot of trust in a move like that, especially for two guys who don't particularly get along well.
Allison: I'm with Lindsay. One of my favorite moments was that fight scene. It was visually awesome to watch, and it was also great to see Oliver rooting Ray on and motivating him to keep fighting after the connection was severed.
Hank: I also loved the "Team Up," that was fun stuff. As far as least favorite, I'm going to go with Roy leaving Starling City. When he was first introduced, Roy had such an interesting arc. Once he became Arsenal, the writers didn't know what to do with him. While I'm glad they left the door open for the character to return, I feel cheated by his abrupt exit. It seems the time's come for Speedy to be the sidekick.
Carla: The Oliver-Controlling-ATOM fight scene was awesome. Ray's "Team-Up" was hilarious as was Oliver's "There's a decent chance that you and Palmer are related." And, lastly, Felicity's "I honestly can't think of an answer to that question that doesn't get me in trouble." Everything between these three was funny and in an intense episode like "Broken Arrow," the lightness and laughs were a nice break.
Capt Lance only had eyes for Oliver, never even considering a meta lunatic in town. Is it time for him to go?
Lindsay: He's gotten out of control with this vendetta, and it's really killing his likability. You typically see this kind of rapid demonization of a character when they're about to be killed off, so I'm worried for Papa Lance right now.
Allison: His old partner had to come in to try to talk him down. Quentin has gone too far, and his behavior towards Thea was inexcusable. I do love his character, when he isn't being unreasonable, and would hate to lose him. Once the vendetta stops, it would be really interesting to have some one on one scenes between him and Oliver. It is hard to see how Quentin can redeem himself though.
Hank: I finally liked Quentin for about a minute earlier this season. Now, he's obsessed and obnoxious again which is a real shame. I've got the same feeling as Lindsay, making us hate him is a clear sign he's about to be killed off. Sadly, I wouldn't miss the character at all.
Carla: Lance has lost it and it's been difficult to watch him go down that path. That said, I understand it and it feels realistic to me. Lance never liked Oliver and only started to accept him for his daughters' sake after Sara's return. Now that Lance has lost Sara again and been betrayed by both Laurel and the Arrow, he's grieving and blaming them. He's acting out of pain. I hope he doesn't die. Something has to give this season and perhaps that will include a redemption of Lance's character.
Talk about the actual all star team up between Oliver and Ray. Did it work for you?
Lindsay: I thought it gave some nice humor to the episode (Oliver could not have been more DONE with Ray), and it's setting up crossover opportunities for when the CW eventually launches the Atom spinoff. Developing the tentative partnership now on Arrow is a good move.
Allison: I loved it. Oliver was in sass mode, which we don't get to see a lot of. Ray brought a new dynamic into the mix, and I wish there were more interactions between Ray and Diggle. I enjoyed the team up, and seeing Oliver being helpless to do anything was something we hadn't seen in a very long time.
Hank: As everyone mentioned the team up brought an interesting dynamic to the show. While I enjoyed it overall, I wish Ollie would stop talking down to Ray. Sure, the guy is new at the superhero thing but he's a freakin' genius and deserves some respect. I think that's why I enjoyed his visit to Central City so much. Everyone there appreciated his suit, and Wells even complimented him. I loved Cisco's appearance at the end, when he told Ray, "You know, you're the only other person who is good at the names."
Carla: Oliver and Ray were hilarious. I loved watching Oliver's passion as he was punching virtually through the ATOM suit. We haven't seen that him fight with emotion like that in a long time. Oliver and Ray have an awkward relationship because of Felicity, so that made it all the more enjoyable to watch them work together.
Things weren't what they seemed with Roy. Talk about that and his exit.
Lindsay: I can't help but feel like his exit seemed a little rushed and weird, kind of like Rebekah on The Originals last year. It felt more like an actor who wanted to bail than a natural, story-driven decision.
Allison: I'm glad there was this plan all along because otherwise Felicity and Diggle acted like they didn't care about Roy at all. The whole scheme showed that Team Arrow is very capable of handling things without Oliver. It is a shame to lose Roy. He has gotten so much more interesting since joining Team Arrow. I'm going to miss his relationship with Oliver.
Hank: As I mentioned above, Roy's exit was my least favorite part of this episode. I completely agree with Lindsay, his departure was rushed and odd. Though producers say this was the plan all along, I can't help feel like Colton's contract was up and he was ready to move on. Anyone remember how abruptly he bailed on Teen Wolf? I mean, you can't blame the guy for wanting to grow as an actor, but the writers should have laid the foundation for the character's exit. There was none of that. Here today and gone tomorrow, which is super frustrating for fans.
Carla: Roy's character hasn't been well utilized for a long time, so it's not a surprise that he would leave. Team Arrow got too big for its own good and Roy leaving makes the most sense. While it felt rushed that fit the story. He sacrificed himself to save Oliver without actually dying. He'll be back this season and I wouldn't be surprised to see him show up on the new spin-off or The Flash.
Does it feel like Arrow is moving in the right direction and what do you expect from the final episodes?
Lindsay: I'm excited about this new world where Oliver essentially cannot be the Arrow anymore. That's the premise of the whole show, so we're entering a new age where Oliver's got to find another way to be a hero. Unfortunately, just because it's exciting doesn't mean it's necessarily good. We'll have to wait and see.
Allison: I agree with Lindsay. I'm so excited to see how Oliver operates not being the Arrow, and what it means for the show. Will we still be based in Starling or will there be a broader scope? I'm hopeful that this twist will help re-invent the show and keep things fresh.
Hank: Honestly, I have no idea what direction the show is headed in. All I know for sure is we'll get a kickass finale and that the show returns next season. I'm hoping the writers craft a solid Arrow Season 4. This year has been extremely hit or miss for me. If Merlyn and Quentin take each other out in the finale, I'll be a happy camper. That certainly would be a start toward moving in the right direction
Carla: Arrow Season 3 has been my least favorite starting with Sara's death debacle. With Oliver out as Arrow ... for now, I'm expecting a huge re-write of this season in the finale. I don't know if it will be time travel or some other method, but something will happen to shake up the foundation of the show even more than we've seen so far.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
