TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews The Arrow Season 05 Midseason Finale

Ok…let me get this out of the way…LAUREL!!!! WHY!?!?!??!?! Why must they torture us!?!?! After that BEAUTIFUL sendoff for her in the 100th episode…they bring her back!!!!!…kind of!!!! Ok, obviously this could be a thousand different things. It could be a clone, an illusion, a psychological break (think Season 02 midseason finale), magic, or something else. But to see Laurel…and then it cut out?!?!?! THE PAIN!!!!!!

I’m better now, let’s move on.

It may have taken awhile, but “What We Leave Behind” got to show why Prometheus is the big bad for this season. Yes, we’ve had teases, but this was much more in your face, and much, MUCH more personal, on many levels in fact.

I’m glad they did the reveal of Evelyn/Artemis as the traitor pretty early, as it allowed for the rest of the story to develop. There’s still a question of when she became a part of Prometheus’ scheme, but for now, it’s more important that the team knows. As that’ll be a big part of the back half of the season no doubt.

As for Prometheus himself, the question of who he was was a big mystery going into this season. And though we got teased that he was someone who know of Ollie and/or The Hood from Season 01 seemed to narrow down the suspects. BUT, to have him tie back to The List in a way I don’t think anyone expected was pretty cool. Him being the son of one of the people The Hood killed was a nice twist, though I do feel a little disappointed that it wasn’t an actual comic character.

That being said, having the flashbacks in this episode be of a “lost episode” in Arrow Season 01 was a cool twist. As we got to see Ollie as The Hood once more, as well as a more withdrawn Diggle who still wasn’t comfortable with all that Ollie was doing. And though a little on the nose, Dig’s warning about “unintentional consequences” really hit home.

Which was the other effect of this episode. Seeing how the newest attack by Prometheus (with Evelyn’s help) really shook the team. From Curtis and his husband being estranged, to the fallout for Felicity and her boyfriend (R.I.P), and of course Ollie, who in his anger made a mistake that will haunt him for some time.

There was many levels to Prometheus’ final attack of the episode. It was psychological, personal, intimidating, and just plain creepy! He is something to be feared. And just like Slade in Season 02, he’s not afraid to break Oliver before trying to kill him.

Now, while I did like this episode, there was some drawbacks. The Felicity drama with her boyfriend was very over-the-top. Especially when she could say that he was her boyfriend…really? And her clear fawning over Oliver (while drinking) was sad. On the contrast, Curtis and Paul’s was MUCH more real…but Curtis basically being willing to give up his marriage for “who he was”? That didn’t add up at all.

Now, onto that final sequence. Dig is apparently captured…again. Felicity is going to be in mourning for awhile…and Laurel is back! Gosh dang it Laurel!

In the end, “What We Leave Behind” was a very intense episode on many levels. This is definitely the frontrunner for the DC CW shows in regards to the  midseason finales. Cause I look VERY forward to what’s coming next.