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Expanding the Arrowverse. It's been some time since I completed the Arrow  comic series, which tied in with the first season of the TV series of the same name, but I figured now it was time to give a brief summary of my thoughts on the series. To be honest, I had low expectations going in, expecting most of the issues to revolve around rehashed versions of events that had already taken place in the TV series. Instead, fans were treated to 36 chapters of backstory and exposition which helped to flesh out the debut season of Arrow . I loved the approach to the series, as learning more about characters such as China White, Diggle, Deadshot, the Huntress and the Dark Archer humanised them and made me more interested in seeing more of them in the future. I also loved how many issues linked directly to the show, as it made the content feel more relevant and fascinating. I particularly liked how the final chapters addressed the ending of the first season and even added some extra ...

Arrowverse Begins. So I have finished re-watching the first season of Arrow and can now summarise my views on what I believe to be a solid debut for the Emerald Archer. Oliver's crusade is great to watch throughout the 23 episode season and he really develops as a character, opening up to let Diggle, Felicity and Laurel in. His character arc is brilliant as he becomes less cruel in his treatment of bad guys and gradually adapts to his double life. Other standout characters this season include Diggle, Slade Wilson and Moira Queen, all of whom put in performances that deserve mention. The overall plot of the series revolved around first the List and then later the Undertaking and the Dark Archer behind it. The List was a good entry point, but grew stale so I'm glad they adapted it to become more of a background aspect than the core driving force, as Oliver's list later involved different story-lines which his targets became caught up in. The final showdown between the H...

What You're Willing To Sacrifice. Arrow 's first season concludes in spectacular fashion in'Sacrifice', as Oliver battles with the Dark Archer for the fate of the Glades. This episode is fast paced and thrilling from start to finish, with great action sequences and a dramatic ending. The battle between the Hood and the Dark Archer was simply bad-ass and such a well choreographed and shot fight. It was so satisfying seeing Oliver finally defeat Malcolm and an excellent twist that there was a second earthquake device. Although I originally criticised the 'earthquake device' concept as being far-fetched and a bit ridiculous, I must admit it was an effective weapon and the destruction it wrought on the Glades was graphic. I didn't think Arrow  had the capability to deliver on CGI, having seen poor examples throughout the first season, but the earthquake damage was truly spectacular and I'm glad they opted to allow the Undertaking succeed, as it would...

Malcolm Merlyn... You Have Failed This City. The penultimate episode of Arrow season one puts all of the pieces into position entering the finale. The Dark Archer makes his return and it's great to see the bad-ass villain in action. The fight between the Hood and Malcolm at the end of the episode was brilliantly done and did much to emphasise the threat Merlyn poses. It will be interesting to see how Oliver gets out of this situation in the next episode. The flashbacks also advanced their plotline, as Fyers full plan was revealed and Yao Fei is executed by the mercenary leader. A major death, it will beinteresting to see how Slade, Oliver and Shado move forward after his murder. Fyers' plan and motivation seem slightly far-fetched, although I suppose compared to the Undertaking it is realistic. My only major problem in this episode lay in the actions of Oliver and Laurel. After attempting to amend his friendship with Tommy, Oliver inexplicably experiences a rush of emotio...

You're Going To Be Really Upset When You Meet My Partner. The Undertaking is almost upon Oliver and Team Arrow and we finally know what Merlyn intends - to level the Glades by creating a natural disaster. It's a typically villainous plot which raised my eyebrows when I first watched season one, but at least the stakes are certainly high. With the earthquake machine rolling in to Starling City at the end of the episode, disaster feels imminent and momentum is definitely building. Elsewhere, I'm bored of watching Katie Cassidy (Laurel) crying and staring vacantly in every one of her scenes. Tommy leaving her was certainly sad after having seen his character progression pre-discovering-Oliver's-alter-ego, but it's interesting seeing the ex-couple deal with this break-up. Oliver gave a meaningful apology to Diggle at the end of the episode also, which felt emotionally weighted and was well acted by Amell. Overall, this episode was mainly about all the final secret...

Your Time on this Island Is At An End. The twentieth episode of this first season of Arrow  drives a serious rift between Oliver and Diggle, after the former prioritises the List over Dig's own vengeance. It's nice to see these characters finally clashing, as there has been little friction between them so far in season one, so it will be interesting to see how bad the fallout is after this argument. Deadshot was criminally underused once again in this episode, which is a shame as the character is brilliant. The main plot revolved around a hired killer taking out his targets for Rasmus, this week's corporate baddie, which felt a bit clunky and weirdly focused on the paper thing performance of the assassin. The island scenes this week saw Shado and Oliver kiss, which felt a bit rushed and unnecessary. I mean they only met two episodes ago and they have barely got to know each other, so pushing the romance between the characters feels unnatural. In hindsight, I really th...

A Single Step. The Count was one of my personal favourite villains of this first season of Arrow , so I was extremely disappointed to discover that his screen time would be limited in 'Unfinished Business', as the character was reduced to insane babbling as a result of his OD on Vertigo previously. The plot twist that the Count wasn't actually pulling the strings was a refreshing one however and it was nice to see Oliver finally feel empathy for one of the villains and decide not to kill him. Elsewhere, Tommy and Oliver's fight seemed strange to me. At no point had Oliver suggested he thought Tommy was dealing Vertigo so him snapping at Oliver was out of the blue. I am also gutted that Tommy won't be managing the nightclub anymore, as he is one of my favourite characters in the show and Oliver should probably start showing him some respect. In the past, we get to see a momentous moment as Shado strengthens Oliver's grip and hand in order to allow him to dr...

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...

Being Happy isn't What's Important Right Now. Helena Bertinelli returns as the Huntress in an episode which can be described as distinctly average. Helena already cringed me out the last time we saw her, so I must admit I wasn't eager to see her return, but it is at least a nice continuity from earlier in the season. As she hunts for her father (who is noticeably absent the entire episode, apart from a clearly-a-different-actor shot of 'Bertinelli' running away from the Huntress), she attacks those closest to Oliver, which riles him up and allows us to see an angry, motivated and wild Hood when he attempts to kill Helena at the end. A dark tone which is much appreciated. Elsewhere, we see both Tommy and Oliver's relationships breaking down as they attempt to keep the Hood a secret. Amell puts in an impressively emotional performance this week as Oliver and admittedly I truly felt for the billionaire playboy when McKenna was shot and announced she was moving...

So... Who Needs Two Bullets in the Chest? 'Dead to Rights' is a solid episode in Arrow 's first season. The episode chooses to refocus upon the Undertaking and the overall running arc of the series, and it is all the better for it. We see fractures in the List organisation, as Moira and Frank turn on Malcolm. Similarly, we see Malcolm struggling to maintain the lie of his identity from his son Tommy, and this conflict plays out well across the 42 minute run time. He kills in front of Tommy and almost reveals his Dark Archer outfit to his son, before Lawton interrupts by shooting Malcolm. Lawton's reintroduction as Deadshot is another excellent move by the showrunners. Deadshot, now missing an eye thanks to his last encounter with the Hood, is a great foe and I'm glad he's back in action and likely to return in the future of the Arrowverse. His new robotic eye is bad-ass, as was the fight scenes between Oliver, the Triad and China White. In the past, little...

I'm Not Robin Hood. The villain this week shares a name with the title of the episode, but Dodger is a lacklustre character to say the least. This is a typical Arrow  trope of dropping a dull, one-off villain in to pad out the 22 episode season. Aside from the adequate main plot revolving around Dodger, we are introduced for the first time to Roy Harper! Roy is a great, grounded character and one that will go on to be a fan favourite, but for now we just learn about his current social status. Additionally, both Diggle and Oliver go on dates this week and it is a nice change of pace to see them in a different environment to taking criminals down. Hilariously, both dates go terribly although in true Arrow fashion, all is resolved by the end of the episode. We get a darker look at Oliver in this weeks flashbacks, as he is forced to accept that trust cannot be given freely to all those in need. Oliver understands the dangers now that the island poses and thus takes a stronger sta...

Nothing is Bred that is Weaker than Man. 'The Odyssey' serves in large part as an extended flashback episode and the series benefits from it. As Oliver lies dying after being shot by his mother, we learn about how he and Slade became friends five years before. The training montage is fun and makes the viewer feel like they are finally seeing some progression in the Hood's origin story. The action in this episode is also worth mentioning, as the clearing of the runway shows Slade's brutality and fighting style, whilst the climactic showdown between Wilson and his old partner Billy Wintergreen is a brilliantly choreographed battle and a satisfying ending to the episode, as Slade finally gets his revenge for being betrayed. Oliver also faces a change of heart in this episode - he resolves to help people, as he feels he owes it to Yao Fei and thus should stop being so selfish. We can see the beginnings of his journey into becoming Starling City's vigilante. Thanks ...

Moira Queen, You Have Failed This City. 'Betrayal' is a needed injection of adrenaline in the middle of Arrow 's first season. In this episode, Oliver finally learns the truth about his mother's deception and his dramatic final line is a great cliffhanger as the Hood confronts Moira. Moira's sneaking around had grown stale, so it is nice to finally move forward in the Undertaking story line. In the past, we are introduced to Slade Wilson for the first time, an excellent character who will go on to play a big part in the Hood's origin. We see him begin to train Oliver and the seeds of Deathstroke are sown in Slade's own origin story. Back in the present day, it was a nice twist to see the Hood teaming up with Quentin to take down Cyrus Vanch. Vanch himself was a very dull villain-of-the-week who posed little to no threat, proving the low point of the episode. Apart from that, 'Betrayal' is a generally interesting mid-season episode that finally...

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...

Words to live by.  This episode tested the relationship between Diggle and Oliver, as Dig's old friend Ted Gaynor is on the List. There is a great action sequence involving the Hood and an armoured car robbery, in which slow motion is once again used to great effect. In the past, Oliver is found out during an attempted rescue attempt of Yao Fei, only to find out that Yao Fei is working for Fyers - a great revelation which makes no sense upon first viewing, so it makes for a good cliffhanger. Also, a nice tie in is set up for the following episode when Thea is arrested for taking Vertigo whilst driving. Meanwhile, we learn that Walter is alive and that Malcolm Merlyn loves Tommy in a weird, twisted way. STARRING: Ted Gaynor, Yao Fei, Edward Fyers EASTER EGGS: - With the exception of Robert, everyone in the original Queen family has been in the hospital due to some kind of accident as of this episode - Oliver reveals to John that he found a message from his father...

I'm Already Burned. This episode features Firefly, one of DC's coolest and most iconic villains. He is much more toned down for TV but still a fun reference to the comics. I'm just gutted the show runners killed off Garfield Lynns after one appearance - he would've made a great repeated villain! Elsewhere, Oliver goes from being bad at archery due to being shook by the Dark Archer, to regaining his mojo by the end of the episode. Moira takes over the company, Laurel and Tommy grow closer. In the past, Oliver just about kills a security guy - his first human kill. Gets his uniform and weapons. STARRING: Firefly (Garfield Lynns), Yao Fei, Fyers EASTER EGGS: - In Season 1's episode 'Burned', the antagonist is a firefighter with burns on most of his body, with a firefly tattoo; his name is revealed to be Garfield Lynns. In the comics, Garfield Lynns is the secret identity of Firefly, a pyromaniac equipped with a flamethrower and jet-pack           ...

It's Just Beginning. This is a great episode as the Big Bad of the series is finally revealed - The Dark Archer, who is extremely bad-ass in both costume and fighting style. Oliver dealing with a hostage situation was a cool idea and worked well. Walter is 'dealt with' by the mysterious list group, due to him looking into their business too much. I like that the Hood was defeated as it made a nice change of pace. The party was tense and fun. Meanwhile Yao Fei captures Fyers but it was all a ploy - Fyers men jump out and capture Yao Fei. STARRING: The Dark Archer, Adam Hunt, Yao Fei, Fyers EASTER EGGS: - The scene where the Arrow, after suffering an injury from a duel with the Dark Archer, jumps out of a window and calls Diggle for help is quite similar to the scene in Batman Begins (2005) where Batman, after being set on fire by the Scarecrow, jumps out the window and calls Alfred for help                       - ...

Justice Wins Out. This is a fun episode that closes out the series' first two-part episode. Helena becoming the Huntress in her outfit is cool to see, although the outfit is a bit crap.The trope of good guy trying to turn bad guy good but failing has been done far too much so it seems a bit familiar, and also Helena turns fully bad way too quickly. Elsewhere, Walter finds out about the List after continuing to dig up clues, and Tommy gets a job from Oliver as his nightclub manager. Oliver feels hurt for opening up and resolves to continue his mission. STARRING: The Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Frank Bertinelli, Anthony Venza EASTER EGGS: - This and the Season 7 episode "Unmasked" are the only eighth episodes of Arrow seasons to not feature Grant Gustin (Barry Allen)                        - The outfit Oliver wore when he trained Helena would eventually be used again in "Inheritance", where he trained Emiko A...

When I Didn't Feel Lost, I Felt Free? More Than One. This episode introduces Helena Bertinelli as the Huntress and she is a bad-ass who is more violent than Oliver so Oliver tries to change her. The two bond over their weirdness and then hook up at the end. Meanwhile we learn that Malcolm Merlyn is Tommy Merlyn's father and Thea and Moira grow closer. At the end Walter returns to Moira. Also, Malcolm threatens Moira over Walter. Badass back to back fight between the Huntress and the Hood, although there really doesn't seem to be any romantic spark there between the two. STARRING: The Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Frank Bertinelli, China White EASTER EGGS: - The original Huntress was the daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle (Batman and Catwoman)                        - Helena is the first person to figure out on her own that Oliver is the Starling City Vigilante             ...

There's Always One Moment When You Can Turn It All Around. This episode is the first time Oliver truly strayed from the List. He goes after a group of bank robbers, known as The Royal Flush Gang, because his father fired one of the men in the gang. Tommy meanwhile throws Laurel a fundraiser and they grow closer together. Thea wanted Tommy to pick her. The episode is fun, if a bit basic. Moira and Oliver grow closer at the end. The pattern of one off episodes is growing stale and also the main plotline needs a kick in the balls. Good to see a comic villain group and a sad, reality grounded tale surrounding their circumstances. In the past, having met Fyers last episode, Oliver trips and debates with his father, eventually vowing to stay alive to avenge him. STARRING: The Royal Flush Gang EASTER EGGS: - The masks that the Reston family wore during their bank robberies had the markings of the ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of spades. This is in reference to The Royal Flush Gan...