Title:ย Arrow: โLevel Twoโย Review
Release Date: November 5th, 2018
Network:ย The CW
Genre: Superhero, Drama, Action
After last weekโs disappointing showing, I felt that Arrow had to bounce back strong with its latest episode, โLevel Twoโ. Well, it may have actually exceeded my expectations.
โLevel Twoโ saw the return of the imposter Green Arrow and flashforwards story arcs. The flashforwards, in particular, are extremely engaging to watch each week. Honestly, I havenโt been this excited to sit down and watch since season two and these flashforwards are a large part of that.
Turns out, much like the rest of the Arrowverse, the future hasnโt been kind to Star City. It appears that at some point in the future, The Glades rise up against the rich of the city and create a wall, dividing the two into a crazy Escape from New York/Batman: Arkham City situation. Dinah showing up as Black Canary (with an older Zoe as her sidekick) was a welcomed sight to see, as was the twist reveal of Dinah telling William and Roy that Felicity is dead. This brings the question of who is sending these instructions to William and why? Is Felicityโs fate sealed? Or is this a possible future for Team Arrow if they fail against Diaz?
In the present day, the new Green Arrow moves using unnecessary parkour stunts and has seemingly been trained by a pro. With both Zoe and Dinah recognizing him in the flashforwards, it is all but confirmed to me now that this imposter Green Arrow is none other than Roy Harper. Hopefully, the series wonโt drag out the reveal of our mystery vigilanteโs identity too long as it has in the past with, well, Vigilante.
That being said, I love the way theyโre presenting the Green Arrow story. Itโs much like season one. He (or she) has a list. They are willing to kill if need be and are primarily working alone. The only difference is that we are watching it from the outside with Dinah and Rene. Itโs refreshing.
While there are probably some people frustrated with Dinahโs actions during this episode, I completely understand where sheโs coming from. Diaz completely destroyed the Police Department last season and, if weโre being honest, they werenโt that impactful to begin with. She wants to change the publicโs mindset without using hoods and masks. After receiving some sound advice from Diggle, she learns that sometimes you are going to have to cross that legal line in favor of the greater good. I could easily see her and the new Green Arrow having a similar dynamic to Oliver and Lance in the showโs first few seasons.
Felicity had a nice arc as well. Sheโs becoming more ruthless every episode in her hunt for Ricardo Diaz. Turning to someone she hates in Black Siren for help is proof of this. It was a pretty cool moment for Laurel and her continued redemption as she warns Felicity of this revenge-fueled path. We also got a small tease of what Earth-2โs Felicity is like (Seriously, is every hero a villain on Earth-2?). I hope we see Earth-2 Felicity show up sometime later this season, maybe even as a villain of the week.
If youโve noticed, Iโve yet to talk about the main character of Arrow, Oliver Queen. Itโs not that his developments in “Level Two” were bad, itโs just that all that youโve read above were just better. I really enjoyed Oliverโs โtalksโ with Dr. Parker. Other than Daredevilโs Charlie Cox, I donโt think there is another superhero TV actor who impresses me as much as Stephen Amell with these emotional beats.ย Prison is finally starting to get to him. Not just prison but everything that has happened to Oliver for over a decade has started to hit him.
As Dr. Parker said, Robert Queen forced his problems onto his son. Thatโs true. As soon as he shot his bodyguard and himself, Robert changed his son, putting him on his way to becoming The Hood. Thatโs Oliverโs greatest fear for William and Amell portrayed that to perfection. Unfortunately for Oliver, it looks like his greatest fears will come to life in our flashforwards but that shouldnโt take away from Amell or his characterโs development in the present day.
โLevel Twoโ is a great episode but I did have one problem. I hope that the series finds something worthwhile for Diggle soon. At this point, the character feels like The Flashโs Joe West or Henry Allen. He gives great advice and…thatโs about it. His time as the Green Arrow was lackluster at best and A.R.G.U.S hasnโt done anything to revitalize the once prominent member of Team Arrow.
Verdict: Arrow has bounced back strong with its latest episode,ย โLevel Twoโ. Not only did we see the return of the seriesโ most interesting arcs but we also saw some new developments with Felicityโs hunt for Diaz and Oliverโs breakdown in prison. I havenโt been this excited to see this show in years and I hope that continues beyond next week.
What were your thoughts on this episode? Where do you see Arrow going with these flashforwards? Let us know in the comments below!
[review]
