Arrow S1 E12 - 'Vertigo' Review


The Count.
'Vertigo' is an adequate entry in Arrow's first season, which mixes up the current formula by seeing Oliver face off against a drug kingpin, The Count, as opposed to the names on the List. Oliver's vendetta against the Count is motivated by the fact that Vertigo has resulted in Thea's arrest, thus it is nice to see Oliver's emotions getting the best of him for once, as he is unable to contain the rage he feels towards those behind Vertigo.
The Count himself is a great villain of the week, channelling similar energy and lunacy as the Joker and making for a sufficiently psychotic enemy. He came across a bit too over-the-top at times, however ultimately Seth Gabel puts in a great performance and one that leaves viewers hoping to catch the Count again in a later episode, now that he has been driven even further into insanity via his own creation.
The flashbacks this week set the past story in a new direction, as Yao Fei fakes Oliver's death and sets him on a mission to travel across the island. As a viewer, I am left wishing we would be told more about Edward Fyers and his operation  on the island in order to better understand the circumstances, but I am sure this is all yet to come.
Overall, 'Vertigo' isn't a thrilling new entry to the Arrowverse, but rather a fun mid-season episode which at least has seeds sown in the previous episode to lend it weight.

STARRING: The Count (Cecil Adams), Yao Fei, Edward Fyers

 EASTER EGGS:
- Vertigo was the drug that Thea Queen used, and the Count was the nemesis that manufactured the drug and pushed it on the streets. The drug induced, among other things, dizziness. In the comic book series, Count Vertigo was a nemesis for Green Arrow. Count Vertigo's power, which was artificial in nature, was to cause people to become so dizzy that they could not stand. Green Arrow was able to defeat Count Vertigo in the comic even though he too was affected by Count Vertigo's power. He did this by using an arrow that was equipped with a homing device. Though Green Arrow shot wildly, the arrow homed-in on Count Vertigo and rendered him unconscious
- During the court hearing it is revealed that Thea's middle name is Dearden. In the comics, Mia Dearden is the name of the second character to take the mantle of Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy
- When Oliver goes to see the Bravta, Alexi Leonov says "Anatoly Knyazev speaks very highly of you", to which Oliver replies that it is because he saved Anatoly's life. In DC comics, Anatoli Knyazev is a Russian villain called KGBeast. The character appears several times over the course of the series played by David Nykl. The character also appeared in the movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) played by Callan Mulvey as a thug for Lex Luthor
- Laurel says to her father, "When I look at Thea I see Sara's potential and her flaws." Later Thea will be taught to fight in the same manner as Sara, League of Assassins style. They will also both suffer from blood lust

 RATING: 7.5/10

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