Arrow Talk Podcast - ARROWTALK

While being transported from prison, Werner Zytle orchestrates an escape by poisoning a guard with Vertigo. As Oliver tries to keep Laurel off the streets as a vigilante, Malcolm arrives at the hideout to inform Oliver that to beat Ra's al Ghul he will need to bring Thea into the team. Oliver decides to reveal the truth to Thea who accepts and praises him for the work he has been doing as the Arrow. Laurel tracks down Zytle and takes him on herself, only to be poisoned with Vertigo. Laurel begins to hallucinate images of Sara, who confirms all of Laurel's self doubts. Oliver and Roy arrive in time to save her and get her back to the base for treatment. Later, Oliver brings Laurel along to take down Zytle. Laurel is dosed with Vertigo again, but overcomes her fears to stop Werner. Meanwhile, DJ Chase attempts to kill Thea, but Roy and Malcolm show up; Chase commits suicide when it is clear he has lost. Based on Malcolm's advice, Oliver takes Thea to Lian Yu for training. Laurel meets with Quentin and finally tells him the truth about Sara. In flashbacks, Oliver attempts to contact his family but is captured by A.R.G.U.S. and interrogated for the location of Maseo and Tatsu. Amanda Waller brings Oliver and Maseo to Starling City to find China White.

MALCOLM MAKES AN OFFER TO HELP TEAM ARROW — Still operating without Oliver (Stephen Amell) and desperate to stop Brick (guest star Vinnie Jones), Team Arrow is forced to consider Malcolm’s (John Barrowman) offer to help shut Brick down as Malcolm has a personal score to settle with the felon. Roy (Colton Haynes) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) point out that the team could use some help to save the innocents of The Glades, but Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) is adamantly against it. They look to Diggle to make the final decision. Meanwhile, the flashbacks chronicle Malcolm’s descent from kind-hearted father and husband to cold-blooded killer after the murder of his wife. Jesse Warn directed the episode written by Beth Schwartz & Brian Ford Sullivan (#312). Original airdate 2/4/2015.

Tatsu informs Oliver that his will to live and the cold temperature of the mountain are the only reason he survived. Oliver warns Maseo that Ra's will see his act as a betrayal and kill him for it. While Oliver attempts to rest and heal, members of the League arrive which forces Maseo and Tatsu to kill them to protect Oliver. Maseo cuts himself so Ra's will believe Oliver escaped. Roy and Diggle warn Laurel to stay off the streets, after Roy has to bail her out of a fight. Brick kidnaps the city's aldermen, but when Laurel and Roy track them down Brick escapes and kills one of the aldermen in retaliation. In exchange for the remaining aldermen, Brick demands that all police presence evacuate the Glades for good. The team is able to locate the aldermen and successfully rescue them, but the Mayor still agrees to remove the police after Brick reveals that he has targeted every legislative body member. Meanwhile, Felicity rejoins the team and provides Ray with the missing piece for his A.T.O.M. exo-suit. Chase, the DJ for Verdant, is revealed to be a spy for the League, who informs Maseo that Merlyn has chosen not to leave Starling. In flashbacks, Maseo makes a deal with China White to give her the counterpart to her virus in exchange for Tatsu.

THE TEAM DEALS WITH OLIVER’S DISAPPEARANCE — In the aftermath of Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) fight with Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable), Diggle (David Ramsey) and Arsenal (Colton Haynes) continue to protect the city in the Arrow’s absence. However, after three days without hearing from Oliver, they begin to fear the worst may have happened to their friend. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) refuses to believe that Oliver could be dead until Merlyn (John Barrowman) pays the team a surprise visit. Thea (Willa Holland) suspects there is something more behind Oliver’s disappearance and asks Merlyn for a favor. Meanwhile, Ray (Brandon Routh) tests a part of his new suit and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) takes up the mantle of the Black Canary. Glen Winter directed the episode written by Marc Guggenheim & Erik Oleson (#310). Original airdate 1/21/2015.

RA’S AL GHUL GIVES OLIVER AN ULTIMATUM; DINAH LANCE PAYS LAUREL A VISIT — Nyssa (guest star Katrina Law) returns to Starling City and tells Oliver (Stephen Amell) that her father, Ra’s al Ghul (guest star Matt Nable) has given Oliver 48 hours to find Sara’s killer or the League of Assassins will start killing the citizens of Starling City. Laurel (Katie Cassidy) is stunned when her father (Paul Blackthorne) delivers a very special Christmas gift – her mother, Dinah (guest star Alex Kingston). Meanwhile, Ray (Brandon Routh) tries to make amends with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Oliver sets a meeting with Ra’s al Ghul. Thor Freudenthal directed the episode written by Jake Coburn & Keto Shimizu (#309).

Oliver and Roy track down the home of Digger Harkness, a boomerang-wielding murderer, but they only find A.R.G.U.S. operatives looking for the same man. S.T.A.R. Labs' Dr. Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon arrive in Starling City to help Felicity analyze DNA from the arrow that killed Sara. Digger attempts to kill Lyla; Roy and Oliver arrive to stop him, but need assistance from Barry Allen, who uses his super speed to stop a couple of boomerangs from killing Oliver. Later, Lyla reveals Digger was part of the Suicide Squad, and Oliver agrees to allow Barry to assist in the investigation. Oliver's interrogation tactics lead Barry to question how emotionally stable Oliver is. The team track Digger's location, but it turns out to be a ruse that allows Digger to trace their hideout, where he wounds Lyla before being forced to run away. In order to escape, Digger plants 5 bombs around the city. While Oliver captures Digger, Barry uses the rest of the team to defuse the bombs at the same time. Flashbacks to Hong Kong show Oliver learning how to torture suspects effectively to get information.

Oliver must stop an Arrow-obsessed serial killer, Carrie Cutter, who is convinced that The Arrow is her one true love and will stop at nothing to get his attention. Unfortunately, her way of getting his attention is to kill people. Meanwhile, Ray asks Felicity to be his date for a work dinner with important clients. Thea auditions new DJs for Verdant and meets Chase, a brash DJ with whom she immediately clashes.

After a body is found strung up in the Wildcat gym, Ted Grant (J.R. Ramirez) becomes the main suspect. Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) argue over Ted’s innocence. Meanwhile, in flashbacks, when Maseo (Karl Yune) needs Oliver to remember where an informant for China White stashed key information, he asks Tatsu (guest star Rila Fukushima) to help jog Oliver’s memory. Roy (Colton Haynes) shares a secret with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). Peter Leto directed the episode written by Erik Oleson.

“CHARLOTTE ROSS (“NYPD BLUE”) STARS AS FELICITY’S MOTHER — When a cyber attack brings Starling City to its knees, Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) are pushed to their limits to contain the destruction. Life gets even more complicated for Felicity when her mother, Donna (guest star Charlotte Ross), stops by for a surprise visit. Meanwhile, Ted Grant (guest star JR Ramirez) questions Laurel’s (Katie Cassidy) motives, and Thea (Willa Holland) buys an apartment with Malcolm’s (John Barrowman) ‘estate’ money, which infuriates Oliver. Nolan Funk guest stars as Felicity’s ex-boyfriend. Michael Schultz directed the episode written by Ben Sokolowski & Brian Ford Sullivan (#305).”

“NYSSA RETURNS TO STARLING CITY, RA’S AL GHUL MAKES HIS ENTRANCE — A furious Nyssa (guest star Katrina Law) confronts Oliver (Stephen Amell) about Sara. When Oliver learns Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) is alive, he suspects Merlyn killed Sara. Oliver and Nyssa join forces and go after the Dark Archer, intent on bringing Sara’s killer to justice. Laurel (Katie Cassidy) keeps her distance from Nyssa, as she blames her sister’s death on her involvement with the League of Assassins. Meanwhile, Oliver and Roy (Colton Haynes) work on repairing their respective relationships with Thea (Willa Holland), who has returned home. Nyssa discusses Oliver with her father, Ra’s al Ghul (guest star Matt Nable). John Behring directed the episode written by Wendy Mericle & Marc Guggenheim (#304).”

Oliver (Stephen Amell) decides it’s time for Thea (Willa Holland) to come back to Starling City, so he packs for Corto Maltese, where Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) has traced Thea’s whereabouts. Lyla (guest star Audrey Marie Anderson) asks Diggle (David Ramsey) to go with Oliver because one of her field operatives, Mark Shaw (guest star David Cubitt), has gone dark in Corto Maltese and she’d like him to look into it. Feeling responsible for Thea’s departure, Roy (Colton Haynes) joins Oliver and Diggle on their journey. Shaw double-crosses Diggle, putting numerous A.R.G.U.S. agents, including Lyla, at risk. Meanwhile, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) meets Ted Grant (J.R. Ramirez), and Felicity adjusts to her new job. Stephen Surjik directed the episode written by Erik Oleson & Beth Schwartz.

COLIN DONNELL RETURNS AS TOMMY MERLYN IN A FLASHBACK; MATT WARD GUEST STARS AS SIMON LACROIX, AKA KOMODO — Lance (Paul Blackthorne) calls the Arrow (Stephen Amell) when another archer appears in town and starts skewering businessmen. Diggle (David Ramsey) uses A.R.G.U.S. to find the archer’s identity; he is a man named Simon Lacroix (guest star Matt Ward), who goes by the codename Komodo. However, the team hits a rough patch with the mission and gets help from a surprising source – Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Meanwhile, Oliver begins to worry that he hasn’t heard from Thea (Willa Holland), which forces Roy (Colton Haynes) to tell him the truth about why she left town. Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) pursues Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). In the flashback, Maseo (guest star Karl Yune) tells Oliver that Amanda Waller has ordered his first kill. As Oliver looks down the scope of the rifle, he sees the target is his best friend, Tommy (guest star Colin Donnell). Despite her promise to her sister, Laurel debates sharing a secret about Sara (Caity Lotz) with Lance. Wendey Stanzler directed the episode written by Jake Coburn & Keto Shimizu (#302).

With crime in Starling City at an all-time low thanks to the Arrow and his team, Oliver thinks he can finally balance being both the Arrow and Oliver Queen and asks Felicity out on a date. However, when a new villain emerges, who has claimed the name Vertigo from the recently deceased Count, Oliver is caught off-guard and someone close to him is hurt. Oliver and a newly suited up Roy take on the Count. Laurel joins Arrow's inner circle and Felicity gets a part-time job at a tech store to make ends meet. Also, Oliver fights to regain his company, Queen Consolidated, but comes up against a very worthy.

ABOUT THE FLASH After a particle accelerator causes a freak storm, CSI Investigator Barry Allen is struck by lightning and falls into a coma. Months later he awakens with the power of super speed, granting him the ability to move through Central City like an unseen guardian angel. Though initially excited by his newfound powers, Barry is shocked to discover he is not the only "meta-human" who was created in the wake of the accelerator explosion -- and not everyone is using their new powers for good. Barry partners with S.T.A.R. Labs and dedicates his life to protect the innocent. For now, only a few close friends and associates know that Barry is literally the fastest man alive, but it won't be long before the world learns what Barry Allen has become...The Flash.

HEROES ARE FORGED AND SACRIFICES MADE IN THIS EPIC SEASON FINALE — Oliver and Diggle race to stop the Dark Archer from unleashing his vengeance on The Glades. However, they run into a roadblock after Detective Lance picks up Felicity for questioning. Tommy and Oliver’s already tumultuous relationship takes a turn for the worse after Oliver makes a confession about Laurel. After hearing of the danger in The Glades, Thea races to find Roy, inadvertently putting herself directly in the line of fire for Malcolm’s devious plan. On the island, Oliver, Slade and Shado (guest star Celina Jade) are locked in a life-or-death struggle against Fyers (guest star Sebastian Dunn) as his missiles lock on a full Ferris Air jetliner. Susanna Thompson also stars. David Barrett directed the episode with the teleplay written by Marc Guggenheim & Andrew Kreisberg and story by Greg Berlanti.