This episode of Arrow was the long-teased debut of the TV version of the Suicide Squad, as well as the real start of this season’s end game.
1. This is the World of DC Comics
This episode, more than almost any other, reinforced the idea that this is the world of DC’s comics. Between all of the references to DC-created nations (Kahndaq, Quoroc, Markovia), the absolute perfection of how the Suicide Squad was handled, and the beginning of allegiances being created/developed across individuals of different levels of morality, this episode really felt like DC at its best.
2. Harley Quinn
This episode was practically the White House Lawn in a few weeks (an Easter Egg hunt), but not even the reference to the “Ostrander Suite” could have prepared the world for the collective “squee!” across the internet when Harley Quinn made an off-camera cameo. This ties New 52 “Suicide Squad” into this more classic representation, and gave yet another hint of the larger world outside of the streets of Starling City. Whether or not she ever actually shows up or not seems almost not to matter at all – the hat tip to the fan favorite character was a clear sign that the production team knows what they are doing, and are happy to keep delighting fans at every turn.
3. This “Fixed” Diggle
I’ve been bitching about the show’s treatment of Diggle for months now, but this episode did a hell of a job giving him a purpose. The way the episode ended hinted at the possibility of him going back to work for A.R.G.U.S. sooner than later, and that can only be good news. Think about how much his character’s situation changed from the cold open to the end credits: he went from literally sitting around doing nothing, drinking hot cocoa, to getting his lady back to not-quite-forgiving-but-accepting Deadshot, his brother’s murderer, and being as bad ass as we’ve seen him along the way. He may go back to being useless next week, but more of this would be a wonderful development for the show.
4. A Different Flashback
By giving this episode’s flashback to Diggle, it opened the door for these types of episodes to give us a break from the island action, and to really bolster the supporting characters, similar to the flashback of the Queen family getting the news about Sara and Ollie dying. Each of these characters have their “island” that made them who they are, and Diggle’s is clearly his time in the military. I don’t know about anyone else, but I would like to revisit this time in his life – not next week mind you, but it could be a great place to go back to next season.
5. Team Arrow Has a Purpose
The show has not slacked at all in making Slade a big bad to fear, and it seems like it is going to take all of Ollie’s allies to take him down. Waller and Diggle (and maybe the Suicide Squad) on the covert front, Felicity on computers, Sara and Roy as the muscle, and Ollie as the archer taking aim. During parts of this season, it has appeared that Oliver was building up an army of world class compatriots to take down villains not worthy of the manpower. Now that Slade has shown up, it seems like the muscle isn’t just an advantage, but a necessity.
