Truth and Consequences
The trial of Moira Queen begins, with each side presenting their case. Thea, whose testimony was meant to humanize her mother, damns her instead when it comes out that she waited five months before visiting her mother in jail. Moira decides to take the stand to do some damage control, but Laurel begs her to reconsider. Seems that if Moira takes the stand, then Laurel will have to grill her about an affair she had with Malcolm Merlyn many years ago. How could she have truly feared for her life and the life of her children from her former lover? Moira tells her children first, so that they don’t have to learn about it under cross-examination. Hours after the conclusion of the trial (and is it me, or do television trials take no time at all – I’d expect the trial of a millionaire charged with killing more than 500 people and conspiring to reduce the Glades to rubble would have more than a couple of witnesses), the jury comes back with a pair of not-guilty verdicts. Moira is free to walk and resume her life.
The Return of Count Vertigo
The earthquake, as we learned weeks ago, reduced part of Iron Heights to rubble, making possible escape for several inmates, including Count Vertigo. He adds the drug Vertigo to some of the city’s supply of flu vaccine. Diggle and assistant DA Adam are among those who have been exposed to the drug. Oliver has his labs work overtime to come up with an antidote, but Vertigo has another option – give in to the urge to dose on Vertigo. Since Oliver is at the courthouse waiting to hear if his mother will be found innocent or guilty, Felicity decides to go all Veronica Mars on Vertigo, after realizing that the Vertigo is being administered to unsuspecting Sterling City residents who get flu shots at mobile vaccination clinics. Vertigo kidnaps Felicity, figures out that Oliver is Arrow, and calls him. Oliver runs out of the courthouse, dons his green hood, and tries to subdue Vertigo and rescue Felicity without taking a killshot. When Vertigo threatens to kill Felicity, Oliver kills him, breaking his vow to stop killing. Felicity apologizes for putting him in the position to kill again, but Oliver tells her that once her life was in danger, there was no real choice.
Brother Blood Dons His Mask
Brother Blood, we learn, financed Vertigo’s operation and hired him to kill Arrow. Before he could get too down-in-the-dumps about Vertigo’s death and failure, he learns that one of the “volunteers” survived the super-serum procedure. The volunteer tells Blood that he feels stronger, and Blood tells him that now their work can begin.
Parenting 101
Moira, expecting to finally return to her mansion, is surprised when her driver says that he can’t take her home just yet. In an empty parking lot, Moira and her driver get out of her limo, but before Moira can get answers from her driver, he is killed by an arrow. Moira turns and is surprised to see a very much alive Malcolm Merlyn. He tells Moira that he returned to Sterling City because she needed help – and because he had learned that as a result of their long-ago affair, she gave birth to his daughter, Thea.
On the Island
Professor Ivo and his men, Sara, and Oliver return to the island. They try to kill Slade and Shado, but the pair survive. Slade, whose face is now burned on one side (making him look a bit more like villain Deathstroke), and Shado deactivate a bomb set to explode on the plane. Meanwhile, Ivo forces Oliver to take him to the cave where the skeletons are. There, Ivo looks for the arrowhead (the very one Oliver gave Thea way back in season 1). The arrowhead is gone because Shado has it – a fact she tells Oliver after she and Slade rescue him and Sara. The arrowhead could be important because of the numbers engraved on one side of it – numbers that could very well be coordinates.
