Decoding Arrow 7x15, AKA *OMG, Guys, OMG*
So, today’s my birthday and tonight’s episode, while anxiety inducing, was awesome. AND THAT PROMO! (In the words of Cristina Yang: “Somebody sedate me!”)
Last week, when the promo for 7x15 aired I was kind of ambivalent about the episode since it (as we now know) was almost a complete misdirect of what the episode actually ended up being. And, oh boy, did it end up being something else.
I don’t even know where to begin, so I’m just going to go for it. Sorry if this is confusing.
The Road to the End and How Last Week’s Announcement Effects the Future Storyline
Due to last week’s announcement that Arrow is officially coming to an end with a shortened 8th season, I think it is necessary to reevaluate where this train is headed. I could be completely wrong, but I’m not convinced that anything up until the announcement of Arrow’s fate was written in stone. I believe that the Flash Forwards were introduced primarily as a launching point for a post-Stephen Amell version of Arrow, where the action would be firmly entrenched in 2040, allowing for a version of the series starring Ben, Kat, the actors that play Zoe and Connor, Juliana, Rick, Colton, and maybe David as regulars.
Now that Arrow is ending, I’m not as convinced that the fate of the story will remain the same as it would have if Arrow would have remained on the air. While the speculation of Oliver’s possible death being reversed would still have been very possible if Arrow continued past 8x10, I don’t know that it would make as much sense in terms of the seeds being sewn this season for a possible continuation in the future storyline.
On a side note, I can’t tell you how happy I am that Arrow will end with Stephen’s departure. Even though I’ll miss it, I think it’s for the best.
The State of Star City and Vigilantes in 2040
One of the big mysteries that the Flash Forwards have created this season revolves around Star City’s grim fate and the criminality and hatred of vigilantes in 2040. Until tonight, the solution to that mystery seemed pretty straight forward. In fact, I was speculating that the discord between the SCPD and Team Arrow tonight (with Dinah siding with the SCPD) was the beginning of the end for the redemption of vigilantes in the eyes of Star City (and the SCPD/Mayor Pollard) and the beginning of the end of Dinah and Rene’s relationship.
But, just as quickly as I thought that, Diggle came through with words of wisdom and moderation and reminded our parents-to-be that going to the other extreme of defying everything they’d worked for wasn’t the way to go. So, by the end of the episode, a truce has been reached between the SCPD and Team Arrow and Mayor Pollard is ready to repeal the anti-vigilante law. This does not match up to the future we’re seeing in 2040.
So, what gives? What happens next that causes such a reversal?
I don’t know for sure, but all signs are pointing towards wherever the storyline with Dante/Emiko is going.
The item that I’m battling with right now, particularly after the information we’ve been given last week, tonight, and in the promo for next week have made me wonder whether we’re putting way too much stock in Crisis on Infinite Earths providing all the answers to out questions. (And that goes beyond the mystery of Oliver’s fate.)
The reason for this is that, assuming there won’t be an unexpected time jump and that the 2019 Crossover will happen in November/December, the timelines at this moment don’t match up for Crisis to be the all-consuming answer.
Plus, Arrow (and the rest of the Arrowverse) generally try to ground their series in their own independent storylines without relying too much on crossover since not everyone watches every show. Again, not saying Crisis is not going to play a major role, that but as we learn more information, we’re possibly ignoring what’s going on NOW in favor of putting all our eggs in the Crisis basket.
Felicity’s pregnancy is in an early stage, so probably pre-12 weeks if we’re going by traditional rubrics. She manages to keep it a secret while in Star City and then finds a way to legitimately leave Star City and have the baby with no one but Oliver and Diggle knowing.
It’s reasonable to assume that Star City’s condition continues to deteriorate or reaches a turning point as Season 7 comes to a close. Whether that’s all due to Dante or also something happens with the SCPD truce remains to be seen. But, something drastic has to happen to cause Oliver and Felicity to believe that their only option is to hide Mia away.
I’m also assuming that it is around the same time that Olicity decide that it is better to let William think they abandoned him in order to keep him safe.
Unless there’s a time jump, Mia will not be born before the end of the season. So, something major has to be coming and soon. What that is though, I don’t know.
Who Is the Real Big Bad? (And Is Diaz Really Dead?)
Last week’s episode left Emiko’s loyalties ambiguous, even though they placed heavy doubt on them. Tonight, however, I think there is more evidence in the camp that Emiko is indeed one of this season’s villains. (Though that doesn’t mean she can’t/won’t be redeemed by season’s end.)
My speculation is that Diaz is really dead and that Emiko was sent by Dante to Slabside to tie up that loose end. While of course the comics-based speculation that Diaz could be reborn through some kind of ritual within the Ninth Circle, I think Dante sees him as a liability that needed to be snuffed out. (Much like how Dante simply shot everyone else in that meeting where Diaz went rogue.)
There’s no doubt that Dante, the Ninth Circle, and Emiko to a certain extent are the Season 7 Big Bad.
What remains to be seen, however, is how exactly they relate to the future we’re seeing in 2040.
Based on tonight’s episode, the title of a future episode, and a post made by Katie Cassidy, I am speculating that Black Siren dies within the next few episodes. I could be totally wrong, or only wrong that Black Siren dies and doesn’t just leave a redeemed person. But, the title “Lost Canary” combined with Katie Cassidy cutting her hair pretty short, and the newly established animosity between Emiko and Black Siren is interesting...
It could also be a reason why vigilantes are once again in the crosshairs, since Black Siren is technically the DA.
I covered most of this above, but OMG THAT PROMO!!!!
I think next week is going to be doozy. I can’t even begin to verbalize what I think we’ll be talking about at this time next Monday.
So...what do you all think? Where are we headed from here?
