Arrow Season 2 Review


Facing the Past, Becoming a Hero.
In my quest to smash through the many different TV shows and other media incorporated in the Arrowverse, I have completed the second season of Arrow - a season that has long been held up in my head as the best outing for the Emerald Archer to date. Upon re-watching, the season lived up to the hype and more, reinforcing my belief (despite holding out hope for the contrary), that Marc Guggenheim and Team Arrow peaked on their sophomore outing.
Oliver's journey this season is very different from last. Following Tommy's death, the archer vows to try not to kill anymore to honour his memory. This mindset leads Ollie on the path to redemption, transforming him from vigilante to hero. He gains his mask, build his team and opens up his circle of trust, all of which have a positive influence on our titular hero. By defeating Slade, Oliver essentially faces his past and emerges victorious - he is now able to forgive himself and move on.
The core story this season revolved around the return of Slade Wilson/Deathstroke and his mission to destroy Oliver and Starling City with help from Isabel Rochev/Ravager and Sebastian Blood/Brother Blood. The trio assemble a super-powered army to achieve their objectives. This serves as the first time 'powers' are visible in the Arrowverse, but it is still somewhat grounded in reality, with the Mirakuru serum supposedly being an attempt by the Japanese to create super soldiers in WW2. The plot itself was well placed, with Oliver discovering Brother Blood's operation fairly early and therefore furthering the overall plot from an early stage, which was much appreciated. Naturally, there were still a number of episodes which acted as filler, although we were still treated to a couple of mini arcs including Roy being affected by Mirakuru, Sara returning from the grave and Barry Allen's introduction to the Arrowverse. Generally this was all really well incorporated into the show, such that it flowed nicely and never truly lost momentum.
The villains this season were much better than those the Arrow faced last time out. The building of the Suicide Squad helped expand the universe, whilst stand-out opponents also include the Clock King and the Dollmaker. Speaking of the expanded universe, the inclusion of the League of Assassins was also thrilling and is a nice set-up for Oliver's face off against Ra's Al-Ghul next season.
Having seen all 5 seasons of flashbacks, I have to say that season 2 is definitely the best season for these past story-lines. The link to the present stroy-line is stronger than any other series and since both involve Slade Wilson, it's no surprise they are awesome. Shado's death was dramatic, the re-emergence of Sara was surprising and the deteroration of Ollie and Slade's relationship was heartbreaking to watch. It really did deliver in all departments.
Overall, season 2 of Arrow was just incredible. It improved on its predecessor in every way and sets a standard for the series moving forwards. Deathstroke helped Oliver become a hero, and he helped Arrow become one of the best comic book TV series around.

 RATING: 9.8/10

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