Diaz accomplished the impossible. By attacking our heroes and their families, he succeeded in bringing the NTA and the OTA back together, at least temporarily. As a bonus, he got Oliver to admit he could not defeat Diaz by himself. Somehow, I don't think that was Diaz's intention.
The trial is over and life goes on. Oliver and Rene go home to their families. Diggle gets a clean bill of health on his arm. Curtis shows Nick how he spends his days instead of how he spends his nights. And Dinah decides to blow off a little steam. Welcome to our new normal.
Not so fast.
Thanks to Anatoly's conscience, our heroes are forewarned of Diaz's reprisal, and with the exception of Nick, escape unscathed. Their response is to fall back on old habits. All grievances are forgotten until Diaz is off the table. While I admit it was a little jarring to see Oliver Large and In Charge in the NTA's bunker, it was also a welcome relief from the infighting and finger pointing of the back half of this season. But has Oliver really learned his lesson?
In addition to combining resources with the NTA and A.R.G.U.S., he reaches out to Anatoly for assistance. I think his reconnection with Anatoly meant more to me than all of the NTA combined. Like Diggle, Anatoly's relationship with Oliver was founded on mutual respect and a friendship bordering on family. They have put their lives on the line for each other on multiple occasions and that level of trust does not disappear quickly. This is why Anatoly is willing to put himself on the line to get Diaz out in the open where A.R.G.U.S and Team Arrow can get him. Cassamento and her reinforcements were the only things that kept their plan from succeeding.
What was Curtis thinking? Or more importantly, why wasn't he thinking? I get that Curtis wanted a little payback on the guy that put his boyfriend in the hospital but Curtis is smart enough to know he can't take on Diaz by himself. Where were his T spheres when he needed them? Since this was the first time in months that the narrative gods ran roughshod over character, I'll forgive them. Moving on.
This was one failure too many and Diaz suspects he may have another mole. Given Anatoly's previous relationship with Oliver, he's the most likely candidate (not to mention the correct one). However, Anatoly has an uncanny knack for self-preservation. He spins a yarn for Diaz that plays on Diaz's insecurities and includes enough truth to convince Diaz of Cassamento's guilt. Her arrogance seals her fate. Not content with her demise, Diaz demands control of the Quadrant from the other members. One refuses and shares Cassamento's fate. The other agrees and lives.
Oliver's willingness to work with the others apparently doesn't extend to his wife. At first, he tries to send Felicity into an A.R.G.U.S. safehouse with William and Raisa. When she declines he grudgingly agrees, that is until she enters a firefight to retrieve information she believed could bring down Diaz's organization. As I predicted, Felicity finally puts her foot down. Marriage means they are partners. Oliver backs down – sort of.
He and Diggle have one of their patented heart-to-hearts. Oliver claimed he benched Felicity because his concern for her safety splits his focus, essentially throwing Diggle's comments back at him. Dig, like everyone else in Oliver's life, reminds him that his friends and family are his strength. Oliver does apologize to Felicity so something got through his thick skull.
Regardless, their efforts were wasted. Diaz crashes the party before they can decrypt the information and they are forced to destroy the bunker in order to escape. Out of options, Oliver plays the only card he can think of. He contacts Agent Watson and admits he's the Green Arrow.
Why do I think this will not end well for Diaz or Oliver?
Another strong showing.
4 out of 5 Bunker ending explosions
Parting Thoughts:
Breakfast for dinner. Finally, something I can get behind!
Both bunkers gone?!? Will they continue to work out of A.R.G.U.S.? Because Helix Dynamics has FAR too many windows.
I guess I was half right. Nick did turn out to be the sacrificial lamb I've been worried about all season. But he also survived. Yay!
Bennet is dead. We just met him. Boo!
Poor Dinah was the only one without anyone waiting for her at home.
Will Anatoly's luck continue through the finale? My fingers are officially crossed. He deserves that drink with the umbrella straw!
Quotes:
Anatoly: "Please save gratitude for when I'm sipping on umbrella straw on beach, safe and sound in Maldives."
Cassamento: "So, you switched gears from careful and precise to loud and messy?"
Oliver: "Does this absolutely have to be done onsite?"
Felicity: "It absolutely does if you absolutely want it to work."
Felicity: "It's just so nice to see how you and John work when you're out in the field because you're so in sync. How do you do it?"
Lyla: "You're asking for marital advice, now?"
Felicity: "I'm just going to take a wild guess and say that this isn't one of those conversations that starts with like, 'I love you. You were brave. You go. That was awesome'."
Oliver: "No."
Felicity: "There is no alone for us anymore."
Curtis: "A deranged madman attacked everyone I hold dear and near to me. I'll nap later."
Cassamento: "You are out of control and out of your depth, Ricardo."
Oliver: "I'm sorry if she thinks I'm changing the rules for her. I am changing the rules for her. Because things have changed."
Diggle: "When I said that your focus was split, I didn't mean throwing away everything and everyone that gives you strength."
Diaz: "What hurts more, do you think? Me killing her in front of you or you in front of her."
Quadrant Member: "You don't want a partnership. You want a controlling stake."
Diaz: "Guilty."
Oliver: "I'm the Green Arrow."
Watson: "And the truth shall set you free."
Shari loves sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, and anything with a cape.
They better not kill Anatoly in the finale. Oliver will probably go to prison as part of his deal. Diaz is of course toast, I bet the writers will let Laurel kill him.
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