Arrow Round Table: Overwatch was Overdue!

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Big things went down on Arrow Season 4 Episode 11, including the death of Amanda Waller.

Below, the Round Table team discusses the death of Amanda, the passing of Goth Felicity, someone's new code name and whether Andy is a trustworthy Diggle.

Join TV Fanatics Jay Ruymann, Hank Otero, Meg Bonney, Caralynn Lippo and Carissa Pavlica as they breakdown the following topics...

Amanda Waller is dead. REACT!

Jay: Yawn. Waller was unbearable and her needless death is only going to be used to create trouble between Lyla and Diggle when she's asked to step into Waller's position.

Hank: Taking Amanda Waller off the board in that way was ridiculously annoying. She is such an iconic character, played brilliantly by Cynthia Addai-Robinson, but never reached her potential on the series. It seems like DC doesn't trust its audience enough to have two Waller's out there, as Viola Davis will be playing her in the Suicide Squad film. We lost Deadshot, Boomerang was imprisoned on Lian Yu with Deathstroke (possibly in the film) all because Arrow can't use those characters. Lame!

Meg: I loved her so this sucks and the actual reason behind it is even more annoying. Way to mess everything up DC! These are the first of many side effects of DC's cinematic universe not jiving with the television one.

Caralynn: I agree with Hank and Meg – the way they offed her was terrible. Seemed designed for shock value and was done just to throw people off/try not to create further dovetailing between DC TV and movies. This is just another instance in which Marvel CLEARLY has a way better handle on how to blend its TV and movie universes.

Carissa: I've never liked the character. I also don't think it has anything to do with the movies. If it does, then I'd have to believe The Flash was going to be canceled for certain before the movie came out, and I don't believe that. As for Waller, she was a one dimensional baddie, which was my problem with her. If they had taken the time to make her more, I would have cared.

What did you think of Felicity's struggle with her Goth self to get back on her feet (so to speak)?

Jay: This was the best part of the episode. Last season, when Roy, Laurel and Diggle were figuring out why they were protecting the city without the Arrow, Felicity was more supporting than struggling. I like that she got her chance to find herself and find her reasons for being on Team Arrow.

Hank: I also enjoyed watching Emily Bett Rickards shine playing opposite herself. She did a phenomenal job and gave Stephen Amell tons of meaty material to work with elevating his performance as well. This episode is probably one of my favorites of the season thanks to those scenes.

Meg: I love Goth Felicity! I hope she gets back to her roots one day. EBR did an amazing job playing both versions. Felicity's past is very interesting, and I hope we get to see more.

Caralynn: Goth Felicity was so catty and snarky! I loved seeing this different side of her, and I thought the hallucination was a neat trick to do this and have Felicity work through her issues. I also thought it was really important that she did this on her own. Oliver can tell her that she's still a valuable team member all day long, but it was clear she needed to do some soul-searching and come to that realization herself.

Carissa: I really loved Goth Felicity. I hope firing up her photo doesn't mean she's gone forever, but shelved until she's needed again. This was even better than Felicity's actual origin story, as it gave her purpose and drive from inside. It worked really well. I bet Emily had a lot of fun playing both sides of Felicity digging at the same problem, as well.

Can Andy be trusted?

Jay: Probably not. This story was dragged out for so long, they wouldn't have brought him back from the dead unless he had a big role and so far, he's done nothing.

Hank: Ah nope. I'm still not sure why Andy was brought back from the dead. He hasn't made a real impact this season. Sure, its given David Ramsey plenty to do as far as his own storyline, plus I enjoy the Afghanistan flashbacks. I'm just waiting to see what the character's endgame is.

Meg: NOPE! I don't really care for this whole story, but I do love Diggle! Watching Diggle struggle with the loss of his brother was something I liked because it was like he had found a new brother in Oliver. Now, all of those dynamics are messed up.

Caralynn: Unsure. On the one hand, it's totally possible he's playing everyone and will emerge as a serious threat. On the other hand, I can also see him doing something randomly heroic and dying, which would give Diggle a really meaty storyline to contend with and take care of rebalancing the whole "Oliver and Diggle are soul bros" thing.

Carissa: I'll be shocked if he can be trusted. He's such a shady character. He seems insincere with every action, which is so unfair to John. I'm also worried about John since the last person other than Oliver to have a flashback, Deadshot, died shortly thereafter. 

Felicity got a codename. What are your thoughts on Overwatch?

Jay: I'm glad it wasn't Oracle. Felicity is a unique character, and she deserved her own unique codename, and it's a bit disappointing that they went about it this way, but nevertheless, it's about time.

Hank: I loved the shout-out to Oracle, but let's be honest Overwatch doesn't have the same kind of ring to it. Has Felicity earned her Team Arrow codename? Absofreakinlutely! I just think she deserved something a bit more clever. As far as Felicity definitely not being Oracle, I'm fine with it, though I would like to see all the Birds of Prey together on Arrow at some point. I want Felicity out of that wheelchair ASAP as well.

Meg: I am glad she got a code name! But I wish it had more of her spunk in it. Oliver should leave the naming to Cisco on The Flash. Overwatch is a lame name for her. What about a computer centric name? Hopefully in the future?

Caralynn: Meh. The scene where Oliver first called her by the new code name was super cute, but I agree with Meg. He should've called in Cisco on that one.

Carissa: It was beyond time she got one, but she deserved something inspired. Overwatch just isn't. There are simply too many useless comic characters so all the good words are used. That stinks.

Share any other thoughts you had on "A.W.O.L."

Jay: I felt it was one of the worst episodes of the series. Diggle's episodes are always filler episodes and this was no different. It felt like the writers didn't have anything else to do, so they gave Diggle another unimportant episode with flashbacks that hardly ties to the overarching villain or the present storyline.

Hank: I've got to disagree with Jay, this is not one of the worst episodes of the entire series. There were so many terrific moments between Felicity, Oliver, Diggle, Andy and even Layla (hope she sticks around). The flashbacks were kickass, freakin' finally. It's the island flashbacks that feel forced. Okay, so it was a bit of a filler as far as the main villain, but what is the overarching storyline this season?

For me, Arrow has become more about enjoying individual little bits (like the dual Felicity's), than worrying about the bigger picture. It's more like a fun comic each week, than the way the first couple of seasons were plotted out. Yeah, this was an entertaining hour for me. I dug it.

Meg: I really liked this episode! Having Felicity (literally) take a long hard look at herself was overdue. I think we will see a shift in her character going forward, and I am excited to see Felicity embrace her past a little more. I do tend to groan when we go to the island flashbacks but they have to see that through. All in all, I think it is one of the better episodes of this season.

Caralynn: I liked it! I don't think it was one of the best or worst, but it was definitely more good than bad, in my opinion. Goth Felicity was great, the flashbacks were actually illuminating/somewhat interesting this time around, and I always love seeing Lyla and little Sara!

Carissa: If we could have more episodes like this one, we'd be sitting pretty. 

Next up is Arrow Season 4 Episode 12, "Unchained." You can sort through some photos now!

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.

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Arrow Season 4 Episode 11 Quotes

Laurel: You canvas the area yet? There could be a witness who saw something.
Cop: I don't need an ADA to tell me how to do my job.
Laurel: Well, I'm sure there's a murderer out there who appreciates your lack of initiative.

Andy: I never pegged you for the masked vigilante type.
Diggle: Yeah, well I guess we're all full of surprises, Andy.