This episode is about family as Oliver and Thea go on a quest to find more about the Monitor (amidst a scavenger hunt with Talia and the Thanatos Guild), Lyla and Diggle rescue their future adopted son, and Mia tries to protect William in her decision to attack the JJ and Deathstroke gang.
Oliver, Thea, and Nanda Parbat
Oliver arrives in Nanda Parbat to ask Nyssa what she knows in League legend about the Monitor and finds Thea alone. Much of the music for Nanda Parbat, the League of Assassins, and Talia in this episode is represented by the duduk, an Armenian wind instrument first used with Nyssa in 2x13 “Heir to the Demon” and percussion, particularly wooden and drums. The duduk starts the episode as the audience is shown that Oliver is in Nanda Parbat and the percussion plays as he fights with someone who is revealed to be Thea.
Oliver and Thea catch up on what has happened over the past year or two as a guitar harmonics and harp version of “I forgot who I was” (1x05) plays in the background. This is a quiet subtle version, using an instrumentation which is rare for this melody but been a part of Oliver’s instruments from the beginning. It harkens to the deep bond they have as siblings with a melody that has been used for their family in both good and painful times. They have had to overcome lies and change with this theme from 1x07 when Moira tells Thea that they have to accept Oliver as he is instead of who he used to be, to 3x03 “Lose you forever” when Oliver tells the truth about their Father killing himself and how much he needs her, to 6x16 when he says goodbye to Thea as she leaves on her quest “Take Good Care of Her.” It is fitting that the same theme that was used for the last time they saw each other should be used as they reconnect. It plays again in cellos with a harp accompaniment as he tells her about his upcoming death. Thea is unfazed since he has cheated death several times but Oliver tries to convince her that this is different. This theme has been used several times with goodbyes: to William, to Thea, to Moira (both in dream and real worlds). Oliver is preparing to say goodbye again.
However, they have a quest to complete first as they find Talia (with ney flute and the duduk) and then they look for the tomb of the first Ra’s. Interesting enough, Talia’s theme was not used in this episode at all. However, one theme that did return was the Ra’s al Ghul theme in the crutales (tuned cymbals) just as it was in Season 3 “Ra’s al Ghul.” This appeared as they found, read, and burned his scroll revealing the ball with the map on it.
After a run-in with the Thanatos Guild, Oliver asks Thea to stay behind which she doesn’t understand. A version of the Arrow theme plays in the piano (Oliver’s instrument) as he tells he that he cares and he is trying to protect her. Piano is used for key emotional moments and reflects both his heroic and depth of concern for anything to happen to Thea. The Arrow theme is heard again, this time in the female voice reflecting back to “The Climb” 3x09 and “Merlyn Brings News” (3x10) as he approaches the mountain where he had been stabbed by Ra’s. The piano Arrow variation plays again as Thea finds Oliver after being knocked out and betrayed by Talia.
Oliver and Thea have another heart-to-heart while climbing up the mountain. This time, “Not Black and White” (4x23) accompanies them as Oliver admits that he questions his decision about leaving his family and that his over-protectiveness was activated by seeing a world destroyed where Thea died because Oliver wasn’t there to help her. His current driving force is to have all the members of his family safe. Thea responds that she had been thinking a lot about their parents and how their decisions in trying to protect their children for the most part failed but yet turned them into the heroes that they are today. Love and family is complicated, accentuated by “Not Black and White” which often plays as Oliver recognizes the schism between darkness and light most frequently in himself, trying to be a hero for others both when he was a mayor and the Green Arrow. It played when he gave a press conference in 5x21 where he shared the truth about his father “Truth about my father” and in Felicity’s speech to William about what it means to watch Oliver being a hero “What your Dad is.” (6x11). Even though their parents were trying to act out of love to protect them, they were also acting out of fear and let darkness take over. However, Oliver and Thea have turned those struggles through darkness into light to protect others throughout the world.
Ra’s theme returns in the crutales as they enter the tomb, low choir sings (also used for the League in more mystical elements) as they open the coffin/crypt and the duduk theme for “The Black Wedding” (3x22) plays as they head toward the Phoenix trying to avoid being burnt up. The duduk (Talia) and harp (Thea) play as Thea challenges Talia to a duel as the Heir of the Demon for the original sword of Ra’s. The duduk plays one last time in the end after Thea defeats Talia as Talia tells her that the sword and what it means is Thea’s destiny. Thea rejects that however to create a League of Heroes as brass and string patterns play, inviting Talia to help her.
Oliver and Thea say goodbye again as Oliver plans to stop the Monitor and Thea goes to create the League of Heroes. As they hug, “Purest Heart” (2x21) plays in the piano and violin. This theme is primarily how Oliver views and loves his sister since Walter told Thea “your brother loves you more than life itself” in 2x21. This is a love reinforced from Oliver himself and reciprocated by Thea: “There has not been a day that I did not cherish you as a sister” (2x21), “I will always see you as my big brother” (Thea to Oliver, 3x03), “I love you. Don’t ever forget that, ok?” (Oliver saying goodbye to Thea in 3x20), and as Oliver visits Thea in the hospital both in 4x12 and 6x01. In this scene, neither one wants to let go from their hug as Oliver believes this is the last time he will see her and while Thea doesn’t want to believe it, she does miss her brother every day. The slow version of the Arrow theme plays in the violins as Oliver and Thea say goodbye possibly for the last time.
Diggle and Lyla
Diggle and Lyla end up on a mission to rescue Connor Turner and his mom. They have a few moments to reflect both on the past and the present. Part-way through the episode, Diggle doesn’t want Lyla to put herself in harm’s way which confuses her since he isn’t usually this cautious. He admits that seeing a universe disappear changed him and that he couldn’t risk losing her. This moment is accompanied by their main love theme in the piano and hammered dulcimer since 3x01 when Sara was born. It played during their proposal in 3x08, Oliver telling them to go on their honeymoon in 3x17, and talking about going on a mission as a second honeymoon in 7x03. This couple has been through many high risk moments from the army to ARGUS but their love still shines through. This theme then returns at the end after they rescued Connor as Lyla asks John to always hold onto the good memories and John responds that he won’t have to because he’s not going anywhere and neither is she.
Future Team Arrow
Meanwhile, Mia decided that the best way to stop JJ and his Deathstroke gang is to attack their lair and go on the offensive. The rest of the team think this is a reckless move but follow her lead. The harp/guitar harmonic combination returns for Mia and William which is a lovely move to use for both generations of Queen siblings. Harp for William and guitar harmonics for Mia. William echoes what Zoe had mentioned earlier in the episode: Mia shouldn’t make her strategy based on the fear of losing her brother. The instrumentation may be familiar but the theme is new as Mia tells him that she can’t lose the only family she has left.
Unfortunately, things end up poorly as Mia gets cut in the neck by JJ and Zoe pushes him out of the way only to be stabbed herself. As she dies in Mia’s arms, she tells Mia to tell her Dad that she loves him. The theme in the piano is “Rene’s Loss” from 5x13, first heard in the flashbacks when Rene discovered his wife was using drugs which led to Rene losing his wife and Zoe put into foster care. It played a few times in Rene and Zoe scenes especially when he was struggling with trying to bring her home in Season 5. The use of the music of what tragically changed their life when the audience first sees Zoe to be used in her death scene is heartbreaking. She went through some bumpy patches with Rene but she always loved her Dad. Not only is it Rene’s loss but a loss to the whole team as they grieve her death.
Harp and future-like high electronics (glissandos up and down) play as Oliver and the Future Team gets beamed into the bunker in 2019, giving it an other world or time sound. The music continues with a version of the Arrow hero theme but mostly filled with string patterns and atmospheric fluid sounds as it leads to a climatic moment as William, Mia and Oliver look at each other in shock.
Extra Notes:
I am so excited for the reunion in the next episode between Mia, William and Oliver!
You can tell this is the end of the series because the lack of accessible gifs is staggering.
Watching The Honourable Woman. I HATE LIFE AND EVERYTHING ABOUT IT NOW. WHY DID NESSA DO THAT TO NATHANIEL BLOOM???????!??????!!!! WHY!!!!!! JUST NO! NO I WONT ACCEPT ANY EXCUSE. WHY DID THEY HAVE TO KILL MY BABYSGKECKSCKKUECKIDNPSARONFSIKFSUNCF -__- the first episode alone should have tipped me off I keep looking up pictures of Tobias Menzies to make myself feel better since it's only his character that's dead. But I still feel teary and emotional everytime I look at him
The Honourable Woman - 1x03 - "If you were me, you'd be a Gazan, born in a refugee camp that's still there today. You'd have spent your whole life a stranger on your own land. No home, no nation. Nothing. But if you were me, you would have learned one thing. How to wait."
