‘Arrow: S5E09 What We Leave Behind’ Review

‘Arrow: S5E09 What We Leave Behind’ Review

Review by Nathan Ryan (@Clown_Prince52)

**Spoilers Ahead!!**

“Everything you touch…Dies.”

This week served as the Winter Finale for the show. Typically, we see some overly dramatic moments during the Winter Finale. In years past we had Oliver being stabbed and falling to his apparent death. Last year we had him and Felicity’s car being shot up and the apparent death of Felicity. This year we got a couple of reveals that were just as dramatic but for entirely different reasons.

Throughout this episode we saw Evelyn continue to be a traitor and a further glimpse into her relationship with Prometheus. While Evelyn wants Oliver dead, Prometheus wants to make him wish that he was dead. We find that there is a tie to a criminal on Oliver’s list in season 1 that he ended up killing. Through some digging, the team finds that a picture of a baby that they can’t match but that they assume is an illegitimate son to Clayborn, the previously mentioned murderer. Apparently this picture is dated in a way that leads the team to believe that this is Prometheus, though that is as far as we get in determining who the man behind the mask truly is.

Things really heat up towards the end of the episode, as Prometheus draws Oliver out to the same place that Oliver killed Clayborn in Season 1. We see some fun parallels in the present and flashbacks to what happened 4 years prior. However, at the end of the chase we see Oliver find and kill Prometheus. Except that it wasn’t Prometheus. Earlier in the episode Billy Malone, Felicity’s boyfriend, was captured. Prometheus dressed Billy up and used a recorder to make it sound like him. Oliver was tricked, and he killed Felicity’s boyfriend.

The ensuing scene in which Oliver told the team, and Felicity, what happened was very emotional. Stephen Amell did some of his best work in this scene. The guilt and the pain that he felt were palpable, as it was on Felicity’s. The best part of this for me was that the team was there for Oliver. Even Felicity stated that this was on Prometheus. The team embraced Oliver and seems to have his back.

So, that’s the big reveal right? That’s this year’s twist? That alone would be good enough if you ask me. However, as Oliver returns to the Arrow Cave after a couple of drinks with Susan someone is there, waiting for him. It is Laurel. Boom! The fun now is theorizing how this is possible. Obviously Laurel is dead. Is this a figment of Oliver’s imagination? Did Susan drug him when giving him a drink? We did see a long pause on a bottle of Russian vodka in her apartment. Could it be Black Siren whom we last saw be captured on The Flash? Talia Al Ghul is coming, perhaps there is still a little Lazarus Pit action happening? The worst part? We won’t find out until February!

Ratings Update

According to TVSeriesFinale.com, it was a very good week in the ratings for Arrow. It scored a .70 in the 18-49 demo and 1.944 for total viewers. Clearly this is a drop from the previous week’s crossover and 100^th episode, but that was to be expected. Other than the crossover episode, this is virtually tied for the highest rated of the season. Given that it was the Winter Finale, I would have hoped it would have retained more crossover fans, but the numbers still aren’t anything to sneeze at. Additionally, those numbers make it the most watched episode for the season. It’s still firmly entrenched as the third highest rated show for the CW, right behind The Flash and Supergirl and just ahead of Legends of Tomorrw and Supernatural.

Loved…

• The Christmas party. It’s exactly the kind of bash we would see Moira throw in season one.
• Awkward Felicity. She was classic Felicity for much of this episode.
• Curtis taking on Prometheus to save Paul. The look on Paul’s face was perfect.
• Seeing the original suit in this episode.
• Diggle’s speech about unintended consequences.
• That Thea suited up in this episode. Hopefully that continues.
• That Oliver was honest with the team about the fact that he was tricked and killed Billy though he thought it was Prometheus. Amell was at his best during this scene and it was very emotional.
• That as a result of that scene, there wasn’t any frustrating drama. As of the moment, the team embraced Oliver and has his back.
• The last scene. Is it Laurel? Could it be Black Siren from Earth 3? Is it a figment of Oliver’s imagination? It’s fun to theorize.

Hated…

• That Evelyn is a traitor, but also am glad. I prefer she doesn’t “redeem” herself and make her way back onto the team.
• Paul’s ultimatum to Curtis after learning of his role with the Green Arrow. Though, I also understand it. Also hated seeing him leave at the end.
• Oliver being tricked and killing Billy. Just because it was painful to watch, but I actually feel it was an interesting direction to take. Just as long as the show doesn’t become all about the emotional fall out.
• Diggle being arrested. Hopefully this is the path to him getting his name cleared, but we just got him back.
• That feeling I got when I realized that this show doesn’t return until February 1^st.

Quote of the Week

“My favorite Christmas movie is Die Hard.”