Arrow "Taken" (REVIEW)
Written By Jacob Chimilar (@sweetlows)
This weeks episode sees Megalyn Echikunwoke, as Vixen, a character introduced in a CW animated short also titled Vixen. She now gets her live action debut. This episode centres around Damien Darhk’s kidnapping of Oliver’s son William. This leads Oliver to spill the beans to everyone that he has a son and he needs help getting him back. Felicity is shocked and appalled by this news, seeing as they are partners and he should have shared that little tidbit with her. William’s mother Samantha later shows up, is told by Oliver that he is the Green Arrow and she gets a chance to talk to Felicity and told her the ultimatum he was facing. Don't tell people you have a kid and I'll let you visit. Tough stuff and one that Felicity doesn't exactly approve of still.
Oliver Queen is on a complete downwards spiral. His son has been kidnapped by a man he has no chance of defeating, Felicity is super mad at him, and Laurel is also upset given that they were dating at the time. On top of that, Darhk forces him to leave the election race and allow his wife to succeed.
Oliver, having met up with her previously in an “animated” encounter, puts out the request for help from Vixen with her magical powers. Her ability to harness the power of animals allows her to track William’s scent using his favourite Flash action figure. The team’s first encounter with Darhk ends with him escaping and Vixen unable to trace William. Vixen, clearly in tune with magic than any one else on Team Arrow, suggests that Darhk’s power comes from some kind of object like her necklace. Quetitin Lance tells the gang he says he saw something that could fit that description and upon further research they are able to track the location of the item and go after Darhk.
This second battle goes much smoother for Team Arrow, Vixen, accessing a multitude of animal strengths, is able to destroy Darhk’s magic weilding object. One that conveinently was sitting on his coffee table for anyone to smash to bits. And it totally was. Darhk loses his abilities and Oliver takes him down and takes back his son.
Oliver deciding it was best to let William has a normal childhood away from Star City and his alternate life. He records a message explaining his life as The Green Arrow, one that he will not get to see until he is 18 if all goes according to plan. We also learned that the person responsible for taking William was in fact Malcolm and not Darhk. I never know what that guy is up to! MERLIN!
The Island this week found the gang entering a cave that is shrouded in some kind of dark magic. It also seems to be able to bring the dead back to life as Conklin is standing guard not letting anyone pass, except Oliver, who's tattoos once again save his butt.
The last big event came in the form of Felicity saying she needed some space and out right leaves Oliver. Not only that, but she does it on her own two feet. She regains proper feeling in her legs, stands up, and walks away from Oliver. No more wedding, nothing. Oliver has no son, no mayoral campaign and now now fiance. Dark times are ahead for our masked hero, how will he handle it? I guess we'll find out!
