Arrow: Season 3, Episode 1, The Calm Review

By Chris Murray

Warning this article contains Spoilers for this episode.

Please note this Article will most likely contain spoilers for this weeks show. Again, if you haven't watch it yet. Please come back after. You've been warned!

Oliver Queen is back for a new season of hooded justice this week and not surprisingly is back with a bang with a strong opening episode for season three. The opening scene shows Queen and now a much larger part of the gang, Roy Harper in full Red Arrow gear intercepting a truck containing a large amount of firearms with an “arsenal” (get it?) of new toys at their disposal. including a very cool fully retractible bow. The rest of the team are present here too with the help of Diggle in the field and Smoak on the comms.

Last time we saw the group in action, Slade Wilson AKA Deathtroke was on the brink of running Starling City into the ground with his army of Mirakuru enhanced super soldiers and a Mirakuru enhanced Isabel Rochev for that matter, and pretty much destroying whats left of Queen’s family and his company. Just another day at the office for this guy! Well not anymore I guess. Unfortunately though I felt the final showdown between the two powerhouses was a little anticlimactic. But still good however.

Arrow - Series 03.Episode 01 "The Calm"..Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen...© Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

Arrow - Series 03.Episode 01 "The Calm"..Caity Lotz as Sara Lance / Black Canary...© Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

We also learned that for the 5 years Oliver Queen was presumed dead, he had not always been on the island but in fact ends up in Hong Kong under the watchful eye of Amanda Waller, facilitator of the Suicide Squad. If the opening episode is anything to go by, it seems like this will play a large part of season three. Much like the island flashbacks we've seen in the previous seasons.

It’s here that we are introduced to a couple of new characters. Maseo and Tatsu Yamashiro. Of course, if your all clued up in the world of DC comics then you will instantly know just who these characters are. I shamefully had to look this up however… Naturally, at this point in the show It’s hard to tell what the exact roles of these two will be other than the fairly brief introduction near the end of the episode that implies they too are under Waller’s thumb. But time will tell. Back in current day Starling City we are introduced to a Mr Ray Palmer. Again if you know your DC, then you can probably tell where they are planning to go with this. But I’d hazard a guess we wont be seeing this happen until the end of the season at least if not season four.

The episode is strong throughout containing great action scenes you'd expect to see from the show such as a scene that pits Arrow up against a recurring villain throughout season two; The Count/Count Vertigo. However much to Arrow’s surprise the new Count Vertigo; Werner Zytle has now taken over the role and business with a more powerful version of the drug which leaves its victims in a narcotic state, experiencing their deepest fears. During this scene Queen is hit with the dart containing the new version of the drug. Whilst he's succumbing to the effects, shows his deepest fear. Himself. Not to mention the last scene of this weeks show. Lets just say their wont be anymore canneries in Starling City… I presume this will play a large part of the next few episodes and possibly most of the season.

It plays a little more on the relationship between Oliver and Felicity too as we know from the last season has become a love interest for Queen. I suspect this will continue throughout the rest of the season somewhat but after their first date is rudely interrupted by an RPG, we’ll see what happens.

When Arrow first started I felt the show got off to a fairly slow start. But after two very good seasons later, it looks like the show will continue to impress. I’m exited to see how this one pans out and what new villains we’ll meet. Who knows, if rumours are anything to go by we might be seeing so very familiar DC faces.

Arrow - Series 03.Episode 01 "The Calm"..Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance and Paul Blackthorne as Detective Quentin Lance...© Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

If you need a little help Chris can help you catch up with the Flash

The Flash - Season 01.Episode 01 "City Of Heroes".Grant Gustin as Barry Allen; Candice Patton as Iris West..© Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.