Arrow - Recap: The Canary Sings Her Story
Tonight’s Arrow finally filled us in on what happened to poor Sara Lance the night she was sucked out of The Queen’s Gambit and into the abyss of the island. How did she become The Canary?
I can’t tell you how many times we’ve witnessed the flashback sequence in which The Queen’s Gambit capsizes, and party girl Sara is swept out to sea. This time, though, we’d witness things from Sara’s perspective, as late night partying with Oliver quickly unraveled into a maelstrom of epic proportions. Floating on a piece of debris, a desperate Sara would find herself dragged aboard the same prison freight ship Oliver would come to find himself a captive on several months later. It was one thing to witness Oliver Queen, who’d spent a significant amount of time training with Slade and Shado to fight evil mercenaries on the island, imprisoned in a cell on this ship. It was something entirely more frightening to see a helpless young woman thrown into a dank cell by the same awful crew. Surrounded by intimidating male soldiers who seemed utterly ruthless, innocent Sara would find herself taken from her cell and brought into safer quarters by a Dr. Anthony Ivo (Dylan Neal), a man set on curing the human race. This is the man responsible for funding the project that has this ship full of soldiers scouring this area for the grave cave of mutated bodies. I’m also guessing this will connect back to the present day story arc of Brother Blood and his “super power” formula. Though, we’d gain no new knowledge on Sebastian Blood during Episode 5.
In the present, Sara awoke from her nightmare, the dream that served as a piece of our island flashback this week, to find Oliver sitting quietly on his couch. She’d been crashing with her former flame in an effort to avoid Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and Officer Lance (Paul Blackthorne). Thea (Willa Holland), meanwhile, had been spending most of her nights cuddled up to Roy Harper in The Glades. It was from within the “safety” of Oliver’s home that Sara would first find herself under fire, yet the combined strength of both Black Canary and The Arrow would prove to be enough to fight off al-Awwal, The First, the assassin responsible for training Malcolm Merlyn. Having undergone quite a few onslaughts of his own over the past few months, Oliver would assume the attack was targeted towards him. That is, until Sara would own up to the past, revealing secrets she’d previously refused to disclose. Black Canary, it's time to sing!
From the comfort of The Arrow Cave, Sara would meet both Diggle and Felicity before revealing the whole truth regarding where she’d been hiding all these years. The League of Assassins, an organization previously believed to be a bit of folklore, had taken Sara under their wing, training her in their ways and recreating her as the kick-ass woman she is today. The Canary, she’d redubbed herself as per tradition, yet she’d have second thoughts following the work that would entail. Sara recalled the job that sent her running from the group that gave her new life, an order to murder a diplomat in his sleep. The man’s children would find his slaughtered corpse, and Sara would come to label herself as a murder. This, of course, is the secret she’s harbored that has prevented her from revealing herself to her family. If they were to discover the truth, would they ever be able to forgive her?
If Sara wouldn’t go easy, dead or alive, there would be consequences. Having traced a strange pesticide found in the wreckage of Oliver’s living room, Felicity managed to discover the location of The First’s warehouse headquarters. Boy, do super-villains sure take advantage of abandoned warehouses on this show! There, The Canary and The Arrow would attempt to double-team the man neither would be able to overcome on their own. Of course, he too brought friends to this sinister shindig, and inevitably Ollie and Sara would be forced to fly the coop. The First, shouting from below as the two arrowed to safety above, promised that Sara’s family would suffer for her refusal to submit.
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Felicity was sent to warn Officer Lance, who refused to budge when she pleaded with him to skip town. I enjoyed Sara’s chemistry with both Felicity and Diggle during Episode 5. Felicity had promised her new friend that she’d certainly keep her secret (Just ask Oliver!), yet trust in Smoak alone wouldn’t be enough to convince stubborn Officer Lance to head out on a spur-of-the-moment vacation. Sara and Diggle, whom she’d come to affectionately refer to simply as “Digg” very quickly, had some nice moments too. Diggle initially refused to allow Sara to finish the job Felicity could not accomplish alone, yet this woman has trained with the most killer assassins in the world. Diggle would have no choice, and Sara would head out to confront her father on her own.
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We were led to assume that Sara was looking to confront her dad as Black Canary, yet in the quiet street outside of his home, she approached him simply as his daughter. Lance, absolutely shocked to see the daughter whose death he’d grieved endlessly, embraced Sara with open arms. The two would head out for Chinese food where Sara would subsequently reveal that Felicity’s story of an impending attack by assassins was, indeed, true. Lance was able to deduce quite quickly that his daughter was no longer an ordinary Starling City resident… she is the female vigilante. Now, something that I didn’t understand personally was why Officer Lance wasn’t subsequently able to piece together that Oliver is The Arrow. Wouldn’t that make perfect sense considering they’d both most likely spent time surviving in the same region?
The CW "Arrow"
Ollie, meanwhile, took the opportunity to check in with Laurel, who hasn’t been herself since Arrow started back up for Season 2. First, Oliver was flabbergasted to find Laurel sitting beside the D.A. when a plea deal was offered to her mother. In fact, Laurel was the one responsible for concocting the deal that served up a life sentence in exchange for, well, Moira’s life. Laurel reasoned that she’d done her friend a favor, yet it’s been made entirely clear that Laurel is still searching for redemption following Tommy’s untimely death. Later, after he’d realized that the assassins would target Laurel, Oliver would take her out to dinner before walking her back to her apartment. Outside the door, Laurel would awkwardly attempt to kiss her ex, completely misreading Oliver’s intentions. In truth, Laurel feels that she’s perpetually abandoned. This conversation was put on hold, though, once Laurel realized that her door was ajar. Inside, Oliver did what I felt was too brief of a scan before declaring the coast clear. A signature blade was enough to tip him off to the fact that this First had come and gone. Laurel, in the shadows of her apartment, would pop pills following Ollie’s departure. She’d attempted to prove her sobriety prior by refusing wine at dinner, yet it’s clear that her father’s demons have begun to manifest in her as well.
The CW "Arrow"
The CW "Arrow"
Episode 5 would wind to an end with an epic fight scene between Sara and the three assassins sent to bring her to her punishment. Leading the men straight into a trap, Sara had the home turf advantage in the clock tower she’d most recently called home. Her father, gun in hand, attempted to aid her in her battle, even eventually landing a bullet square in one cocky assailant’s chest. The booby traps previously set up by Sara were also quit useful. Ollie would arrive in the nick of time to lend one last helping hand just before The Canary could succumb to her attackers. In the end, she’d be the one to snap The First’s neck before sending the last living man back to Ra’s al Ghul with a message to keep far away from her family. Sara, realizing that a true return home to Starling City was no longer in the cards for her, hugged her tearful father goodbye before leaving, seemingly for good. At least, we’re to assume she’s taking care of business for now.
Officer Lance closed out his arc this week by paying his other daughter, Laurel, a visit at her office. Laurel had previously been dodging her father’s calls, but it turned out her dad was the one she truly needed to help her start the process of picking herself up and moving forward. Moira, who was absolutely fine with taking the plea deal if it meant keeping her own secrets under wraps, was eventually coerced by Ollie and Thea to fight the good fight. Whatever secrets would be unveiled, her children would stand by her. Lastly, Diggle and Oliver would share a drink from a special bottle of vodka Ollie had been saving for just the right heartbreak or headache. Whether this was the night he was meant to take a swig or not, he couldn’t say, but the man needed a drink! Following Sara’s progressions post-island, Oliver realized that it was now time to start talking about what truly transpired during his time on and around the island.
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To conclude the recap, Episode 5 closed with a very similar final island scene as the episode prior. Jumping into the future, at least a few months into the future when Oliver was just imprisoned on the same freight ship Sara was previously taken aboard, Ollie was shocked to discover that the girlfriend fling he’d once thought dead had become a soldier in her own right, and she was, as it seems, in charge.
What did you think of Arrow Season 2 Episode 5, “League of Assassins”? Are you interested to see more of Sara’s story unfold in the past? Will Slade and Shado make their way to Starling City? What will come of Moira’s trial? Is Black Canary gone for good? Will Laurel eventually learn the truth? Is Sara some kind of prophet? What will Dr. Ivo bring to the table?
Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of Arrow Season 2 Episode 5, “League of Assassins”!
Also, In case you missed it, here's Episode 1 of Blood Rush!