TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Arrow Season 7 Episode 16: Star City 2040

I think it’s only appropriate that the arrival of the “Flash forward” scenes brings back the classic “focus on the other timeline” episode. Much like The Odyssey and many others after it, “Star City 2040” focused on the future timeline. Giving us some answers, while also bringing forth many new questions.

I thought it was very cool to start the episode with the birth of Mia, her training…BY FREAKING NYSSA AL GHUL, and what led to her separating herself from Felicity. Props to both Emily Richards and the makeup department on making Felicity seeing not just older, but acting like a true mother. Not that she didn’t do that with William in the present timeline, but this was a much more mature mother in Felicity this go around, and it really showed.

There were a lot of moving pieces in this episode, and it really worked out to their advantage. Such as the truth about Connor Hawke being revealed and confirmed (he’s Diggle’s adopted son, and the son of Bronze Tiger as well as the fact that he is basically ARGUS), which put a nice new wrinkle on his and Mia’s relationship. Then there was the reformed Team Arrow, finding out more about the threat, and that Rene was actually a part of it in his own way.

I found it interesting the character change Rene went through. Because here was a man who used to not believe in anything but himself and his mission, and now, he fell for a trap that he would’ve seen before. Just goes to show how certain events can affect a person.

Watching Future Team Arrow come together was a really cool thing, as they each had a role to play in what was the battle to come. And Mia got to steal the show in her own way (and pay tribute to her comic counterpart) by being both like her father and mother.

I’m glad they addressed the fact that without the bombs, there was no threat to the city and thus the storyline would be stalled, but they noted that there was still a lot of work to do. And with Felicity now free, Rene back on the right side, and a future that is still uncertain, it’s enough to keep the future timeline going for another set of episodes.

The only bad thing about this episode was that they really went cliche at points. Mia saying, “I don’t even know who you are anymore”, and the very cliche “make up” scene among others stand out. But it can’t hold back the episode too much. This was a nice payoff for what was built up the first 15 episodes, and I’m curious to see what else this future holds.