TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Arrow Season 06 Episode 23: Life Sentence

After the very good cliffhanger from last week, you had to wonder how the season finale would play out. Would Diaz be taken down so simply now that the FBI was on board? Would there be any last second betrayals? What was the second thing that the FBI wanted from Oliver? Well, we got all our answers, and more, and it was very good.

Right from the start, they made it clear that the alliance between Team Arrow and the FBI was for real, storming the SCPD to take out all the dirty cops under Diaz’s payroll, and it was really cool how they showed the different teams taking everyone out. But, obviously, Diaz wasn’t caught in the strike, which started the hunt to get him.

This triggered a series of events that proved how good Diaz is as a villain, for even when he was cornered, he was still a monster, still a planner, and knew how to manipulate people. Though the bomb thing was shown in the preview for the episode, it still hit in the emotions, especially with Renee’s call to his daughter. Though that FBI agent freezing as the explosions went off was a bit on the nose.

Quentin once again shined here, as he wanted to protect Laurel (who was still captured by Diaz) but he also wanted to take Diaz down, and in the end, he helped do both…but at the cost of his life. I saw the report that Paul Blackthorne wasn’t going to be in Season 07, but I was curious as to whether he was going to go off with Laurel (Black Siren) to show her the world she was now in. But this was just as powerful. And it actually sets up a new storyline not just for Laurel, but for Sara, who returned just in time to hear her dad died. I know that some are calling this out, but it’s better than her finding out on the Waverider like she did with her Laurel.

And then, there was Oliver, who was clearly on a mission of his own as he tried to make up with everyone of significance that he ticked off on the road to this finale. John, Renee, Dinah (which I really liked), he basically said goodbye to them all, and you wondered if this had to do with the “second thing” that Agent Sampson wanted.

The final battle with Diaz was simple, but it put a great twist on a formula that many CW hero shows have done…killing the bad guy, or locking them away so that they can’t be a threat again. Diaz lives. And he’s not happy. Oh, and he knows the Longbow Hunters, you know they’re coming in Season 07.

With the city saved, the final shoe dropped, Oliver was arrested by the FBI, and he made a confession to the citizens of Star City and the world, and pleaded with them to come together to save the city. And in exchange for immunity for all of Team Arrow, he went to a Supermax prison. And unlike Barry, it was most definitely for a crime he committed.

In the end, “Life Sentence” capped off the season in both surprising and compelling ways, and made the fallout from Diaz mean something. And since Season 07 is not only coming (with Batwoman!), but will be headed up by new showrunners, it makes me excited for what’s coming next.