Arrow Season 6 Episode 20 Review: Shifting Allegiances
Carissa Pavlica
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With Oliver on his own, the rest of masked avengers in Star City are in need of help.
That means that on Arrow Season 6 Episode 20 most of the animosity between everyone is being set aside in a way.
Rene gets out of the hospital, and even though things were not the best with Diggle during the split, Diggle is being the bigger man and lending an assist now that he's with ARGUS.
You know what? I'm glad. Holding a grudge isn't helpful. It's not helpful on the show, and it's not helping out here in the real world.
There is so much animosity when it comes to Arrow flowing in so many different directions, if anyone is willing to set aside their petty behavior, it can only lead to something good down the road.
John's doing a bang-up job at ARGUS, and the people he reports to (under Lyla) treat him with respect. They aren't in it with a strange agenda to rid the world of evil because they were on an island or their boyfriend was killed by someone or any other personal reasons we are reminded about too often.
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At least not that we know about at this point. And in a professional organization like ARGUS, Diggle shouldn't have to listen to that kind of suffering. People like that don't make the best soldiers, and if they weren't weeded out, they are probably on the Suicide Squad.
And let's be real here, Diaz is a dirty bastard that needs to be stopped. I can't think of a worse time than now for Oliver to attempt going it on his own. I appreciate his desire to stop the guy, but allowing Felicity and William to sit home and worry when he's up against Diaz is almost cruel.
Adrian Chase was a fantastic villain. He brought a lot of life and energy to Arrow Season 5. Watching him wasn't painful in any way. The same cannot be said about Diaz.
It's not a knock about Kirk Acevedo but Diaz himself. As Laurel described him, Diaz is a monster. He's not filled with anger and hate; he's inhuman. Watching Diaz burn that man alive made her realize exactly what she was up against, and she wasn't going to be able to sway him in any direction he didn't want to go.
She can't protect anybody by helping Diaz, but she sure as hell can watch as he kills others.
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It was cool of Lance to take a step back and see the parallels between what he did with Damien Dahrk and what Laurel is doing with Diaz now. Casting stones at Black Siren is easy. She had made a lot of missteps.
But so have a lot of other characters. Lance is one of the few who is willing to apply his past to the current situation of others, and it's admirable.
Oliver was hoping he could enlist an old friend on his quest to take down Diaz, but instead discovered another one who jumped when Diaz called. He incites fear in everyone around him. Even Anatoly.
Oliver made an around-the-world journey to ensure he could get Anatoly what he wanted most -- the opportunity to return to the Bratva. Suddenly he doesn't want it anymore? The odds are pretty slim unless you take into consideration whatever Diaz promised to do to him if Anatoly didn't join him.
Oliver got the opportunity to fight face-to-face with Diaz and Oliver didn't play Diaz's game. Maybe he didn't keep track of the trail of death in Diaz's path, but letting Oliver get up off the ground only occurred because he's the star of the show.
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Diaz kills because he can. Oliver could have broken Diaz's neck and been done with it, but he gave Diaz an opportunity to respond, and the killer pulled a knife on him.
They should have been fighting naked. Even then it would have been difficult to trust Diaz, but the odds would have been better. It would have been more entertaining for the viewer, too.
As it stands, Diaz double-crossed Oliver anyway. Doesn't anybody read papers before they sign them? I guess whatever Laurel delivered to Lance had nothing to do with land and everything to do Lance unknowingly revoking Oliver's bail and moving up his trial.
Diggle may not be ready to join with the rest of the un-Arrowed masked avengers of Star City, but he'll have to work with them and ARGUS to do something to stop Diaz while Oliver is in prison.
With Laurel the prosecution's best witness, it seems like she might call in a favor so whatever she says on the stand not only holds weight but allows Oliver to go free with another familiar (if deceased) Star City face to take over the guise of the Green Arrow.
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It's a pretty neat twist if that's how it goes down and will do a lot to help with Laurel's redemption. Even Oliver's face looked befuddled at that reveal.
Laurel's been treated decently for the first time in her life, and even if she's been at Diaz's side while he's done some awful stuff recently, it's looking like she can be trusted for real. She has learned over the years how to protect herself, though, and that means fooling even the best when making them guess on whose side she falls.
Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about Rene. Diggle was very cool with a guy he didn't need to help at all, and that's why we love him. He helped Rene get a handle on being a father and an avenger, and now Rene's daughter can continue being proud of her dad for some time to come.
Leave it to the kids to know who's out busting crime in the city even if fellow adults can't grasp the concept.
Arrow Season 6 Episode 21 looks like a big one, so be sure to tune in! If you need to catch up, you can watch Arrow online for all the latest.
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.
