Arrow S1 E18 - 'Salvation' Review


What's the Difference Between You and Me?
Oliver wrestles with his self-imposed isolation this episode, whilst a so-called Savior hunts down those that have wronged the Glades and murders them on camera. It's a fun, serial-killer story which makes the viewer question Oliver's own actions - what makes him so different to the Savior?
Roy and Thea are also inadvertently pulled into the madman's plans when Roy is kidnapped, thus we get to see their relationship progress as a result of the trauma. Meanwhile, Moira dobs in Frank, who is immediately killed by the Dark Archer. Moira's breakdown in the car following the incident leaves me confused at whether to feel sorry for her or disgusted by her, but clearly her twisted sense of right and wrong means she is too far gone to be saved. It will be interesting to see how Ollie reacts to the truth about his mother, whenever it comes to light.
On the island, we encounter Shado for the first time and thus the love triangle that will turn Slade and Oliver against each other has began. It sounds like we will finally find out Fyers' plans next episode, which is long overdue being revealed to the viewer after 18 episodes of mystery.
Overall, 'Salvation' is a good episode and continues the trend of propelling the main story arc further forward as the season nears its end. I'm glad the Dinah/Sara story has been resolved as it was an unnecessary distraction. Also, it is good to see Roy progressing as a character and Oliver finally deciding to try opening up after 8 months being back home. A morally complex villain helps to make this episode one of the best in the season.

 STARRING: The Savior

 EASTER EGGS:
- It is revealed that Laurel's mother, Dinah, lives in Central City. And as she is about to leave she says she "should be back in a flash." This is a nod to another long-running DC superhero The Flash who is based in the fictional Central City
- In one shot, a subway train passes by the camera. On the front of the train is graffiti of the letter "A" in red. This is the sign of the villain Anarky, who is primarily an antagonist for Batman in the comics
- The episode's title is a reference to a village that Jenn stayed at, where the photo of her was taken
- The scene where Moira finds Frank Chen's blood on her hands and desperately tries to rub it off with a cloth is an homage to Lady Macbeth from Macbeth trying to clean blood off her hands in a similar manner
- Sara Lance and John Diggle are mentioned to be fans of the Starling City Rockets sports team. In the DC comics, the Star City Rockets are a baseball team operating in Star City and were formerly owned by Robert Queen
- 'Glades Betrayed' was made into a real website prior to the release of this episode, as a countdown to its release
RATING: 8/10

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