Arrow: Season 3 Episode 6 "Guilty" (REVIEW)
written by Justin Prince (@prince_justin)
A tick behind but eh, better late than never yeah? This week on Arrow we see Oliver and company face off against some new troubles. After the shocking reveal of the last episode, Roy faces some troubling dreams... dreaming that he was the one who killed Sara. Much like how Roy was unstoppable while under the influence of Mirakuru, this dream saw Roy losing control... killing Sara... so should he team the team or not?
On the bad guy side, gang members are being taken out one by one, while investigating some drug dealers, Ollie expects to face off against a gang... only to find bodies strewn about with "GUILTY" written in on the floor.
This episode sees team Arrow plus much of the supporting crew seeing quite a bit of action. Much of the episode centers around Ted Grant, the man who's been training Laurel to fight. Even for the DC initiatied, the name Ted Grant may not ring a bell, but in the comics Ted Grant was one of the original members of the Justice Society of America, operating as the superhero Wildcat. On Arrow Ted Grant's background is more or less the same (sans JSA connection), he operated as a vigilante during the years Oliver was stranged on Lian Yu.
After a body shows up in Ted Grant's gym, Ollie pegs him as the prime suspect... though Laurel vouches for him Ollie reluctantly joiins up with Ted to find who's been killing gang members. Hong Kong is a bit lighter this episode, with the majority of the flashback scenes focusing on Ollie learning to remember something he doesn't immediately remember.
So far this season's "villain of the week" format has been wearing thin on me, but this episode I truly enjoyed. The pacing felt balance although flashback sequence felt light. When comparing Lian Yu to Hong Kong, I've felt that Hong Kong's story still hasn't found its groove this season. Lian Yu kept me guessing and looking forward to the next episode while Hong Kong feels more like filler.
On a positive note, Roy finally gets a name! Looks like he's officially called Arsenal now. Personally, I've never wanted him to be called Speedy. Possibly with some training, Thea could eventually be Team Arrow's Speedy... i mean hey, she already has the nckname.
The ongoing mystery of Sara's killer still feels unresolved, but the episode gives more context to Laurel's wish to join the fight, and thanks to a post to the Arrow facebook page, it looks like it's coming soon. A major Green Arrow villain makes a surprise appearence near the end, no spoilers so you'd just have to watch it.
