Arrow continues its sci-fi placement program with the addition of two new characters that are familiar faces to many a geek.
Agam Darshi (of Sanctuary horror) shows up to replace Laurel’s best friend who’s probably moved on to another TV show. Spoiler alert: I hated Agam on Sanctuary. A lot.Check it out. I’ll try to be unbiased and let her get her Arrow legs but no promises.
And then there’s David Anders (of Alias and Once Upon a Time fame) who acts as the main object of conflict for this episode. Hottie Anders is playing Cyrus Vanch (no DC connection that I know of) who has just been released from Iron Heights Prison (DC connection there. Iron Heights is where most of the Flash’s Rogue Gallery summer).
Laurel gets her panties in a wad when she learns Vanch is out (rightfully so, he’s an original character so clearly very unpredictable). Her panties are SO wadded she’s about to bust down Kate Spencer’s door, a lawyer of Starling City. KATE SPENCER! I’ve been so preoccupied with Felicity Smoak becoming Oracle that I left myself open to squeal at another favorite female. Oh, I got ahead of myself.
Kate Spencer is as brilliant a DC character as she was short lived. Isn’t that always the case? She’s DC’s answer to Marvel's Daredevil . After seeing to many criminals fall through the cracks of the justice system she works for, Kate dons the 3rd (maybe 4th?) mantle of Manhunter and starts kicking some serious tail. You must buy her trade paperbacks and you must fall in love with her.
I hope Arrow takes their time and develops this character correctly and that she evolves past this sly mention. But kudos boys for doing your homework and making me squeal again.
Ok, back to the plot. Laurel is determined to put Cyrus back behind bars before he does too match damage. Too late. He kills his lawyer 4 minutes into the episode. Getting no help from Daddy Detective, Laurel turns to Arrow and since Daddy is eavesdropping on all her clandestine calls on the Arrow phone he schemes to be crash her little roof top tea party.
Arrow uses Laurel as a shield and escapes Daddy Detective’s clutches. Laurel does not take this betrayal (ah! Get it?) lightly and this causes the wedge between daddy and daughter to widen considerably.
Just in time for the wedge between Momma and Son to be driven into the Stepford relationship of Momma Queen and Ollie Queen.
After receiving Walter’s Book of Names, Oliver politely confronts Momma Queen whom I shall now christen Lady Queenbeth because this bitch is a master of the subterfuge and the chess. She slyly demands Oliver’s obedience to not interfere and causally tosses the book in the fire conveniently ablaze. Oliver isn’t the only one with exceptional aim.
Back to the Arrow Cave (where Oliver refuses to change his shirt or work out, come out, we want to see skin!) where Oliver shares the day’s events with Diggle. We have yet another conversation where Diggle has the foresight and vision to be the vigilante and Oliver refuses to use Diggle as his Guy Friday.
Doesn’t really matter because Diggle will not be put in a corner. He somehow wiggles his way into Lady Queenbeth’s car under the guise of chauffer. Clever. Until he starts sleuthing. He’s not the cleverest in that department as he crashes a birthday party and get’s caught in a broom closet “smoking”. Bad Diggle, bad!
Though he is able to get a recording of Lady Queenbeth and Merlin chatting about their nameless cabal. Lady’s Queenbeth’s voice is distinct while Merlin’s is conveniently blurred. I guess we can’t have both lenses of Oliver’s rose-colored glasses shattered in one episode.
Oliver is aghast but can’t really emote for us because Laurel’s been kidnapped by Cyrus Vanch. Literally because Laurel takes his two henchmen down. Town. To the hospital. Bitch don’t play. Watch out Laurel’s dead sister and Alex Kingston , she’s vying for the role of Black Canary.
Daddy Detective has to swallow his pride and team up with Arrow to get his daughter back. The two storm Castle Vanch and take out all the henchmen armed with assault weapons (we don’t need a ban, just a bow and arrow). Except for one. Vanch likes to do math and counts that Arrow keeps only 24 arrows in his quiver. Apparently Arrow’s kryptonite is the number 25. Thank god Daddy Detective is there, creeping around in the background to save the day and lose his integrity.
Fueled with natural rage for kidnapping his daughter Daddy Detective is about to remove Vanch from the playing field for good before Arrow knocks his gun away with…a lamp, vase, his bow, I can’t remember but the gun’s down and so is Vanch.
“Betrayal” ends with yet another tired scene between Arrow and Laurel angsting away for eachother…watch out CW, if this becomes a Clark/Lana thing, I’m out. And not in the gay way.
Oh, wait, it was a cliffhanger episode. “Betrayal” ends ends with Arrow bursting through Lady Queenbeth’s office window before delivering his catch phrase “You’ve failed Starling City”. Pins & needles folks, pins & needles.
