Arrow: My Name Is Oliver Queen

Oliver and his team make a last attempt at stopping Ra’s al Ghul’s attack on the city. Hidden agendas unravel as the heroes try to stop the League of Assassins once and for all.

Spoilers ahead!

The season comes to a close as Ra’s uses the Alpha/Omega virus to both allow Al Sah-Him to embrace his new identity by destroying Starling City and to kill his rival, Damien Dahrk. Oliver, despite losing the trust of his friends, must work with them and additional allies to save the city. He ends up killing Ra’s and the team saves the city, but with all of his identities destroyed, he opts to focus more on Oliver Queen alongside Felicity.

Many plot threads are tied-up in this satisfying, but unexciting, finale. From Quentin tempering his hatred of Oliver, to Ray finally developing his shrinking technology. The best resolution would have to be Thea’s, as she re-purposes Roy’s costume to become another archer vigilante. She finally lives up to her Speedy nickname.

Despite the biochemical threat, the stakes just don’t feel as high as the earthquake destruction of the Glades or the Mirakuru rampage. While the final battle with Ra’s al Ghul has a great reprise of their first duel, it is nowhere as climatic as his battle against Slade Wilson.

The entire Damien Dahrk section felt somewhat pointless beyond just setting up the main villain for season four. This time could’ve been used for more characterization and breathing room for the characters. Sara’s death, despite being addressed, still feels like an after-thought, despite triggering the event of the season.

The  flashbacks once again become redundant. Beyond the origin of Oliver’s “failed this city” threat and his next destination, not much occurs that wasn’t conveyed through dialog and action earlier in the season. It’s disappointing to lose Katana in general, since her and Maseo’s storyline has been the sole saving grace of the Hong Kong flashbacks.

Felicity’s role in the episode is hamfisted and clumsy as she almost risks the entire city just to save Oliver. She unintentionally comes off as selfish and overly emotional, and her big, heroic save of Oliver is unnecessary and kills the mood of his climatic final battle. The writing in general has put her once-entertaining character through painful cliches used in female characters.

The biggest promise of the episode is Oliver’s development from his brooding self to a happier, balanced individual. This is an important stepping stone into becoming the Green Arrow, which appears to be a distinct identity from either the Arrow or Al Sah-Him.

“My Name is Oliver Queen” ends the season on a deflated note. While there are some promising storylines coming up, weak areas such as the execution of the Felicity romance and the jarring flashbacks place this finale below the first two seasons. Here’s hoping that Oliver’s new attitude and new foe also come with stronger writing and more focus on the plot.

What did you think of this season finale? How long until Malcolm antagonizes Oliver once again? What are your expectations for season four?

Let us know in the comment section below!


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Author Profile: Consumer Expert Allan Sandoval

Allan is a fresh college graduate with a major in English Literature and minor in Performing Arts. He loves discussing all sorts of geeky pop culture, particularly television and movies. He dreams of being involved in the industry one day.

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