Arrow: Dark Waters

December 10, 2015 8:51 AM - Season 4, Episode 9

Oliver moves against HIVE; Malcolm goes to see Thea, leaving her with a warning.

OH HEEEELL NO.

That's really most of my feeling at the end of this episode.

I'm going to boycott this show if Felicity eats it. Yes I realize the next episode preview implies she's not gonna die, but YOU NEVER KNOW.

Also, I thought I knew what Darhk was up to, but now I'm really unsure. Underground corn field? Bio-ethanol production? Pricing out gasoline? I was also unaware that algae blooms could be converted to a lethal gas. Yay science!

posted by numaner (21 comments total)

I'm going to boycott this show if Felicity eats it

Actually, she's been on a death-count from the second she became Oliver's girlfriend. On the plus side, Ollie will totally have the man-feels.
posted by happyroach at 9:09 AM on December 10, 2015

They've been playing up the "it's a dangerous life but we can survive it together" angle ever since they got together, without any subtlety, and at this point I really really want it to work, because I'm such a sucker for these things. But yeah... there's no chance, is there?
posted by numaner at 9:13 AM on December 10, 2015 [1 favorite]

Felicity is TOTALLY NOT going to die (yet?), because we still don't know who her mysterious villain father is, and blah blah other spoilery reasons etc. But yes, if any Smoaks die, I riot.

I really enjoyed this episode overall, including the annual Christmas holiday reminder that Felicity is "still Jewish! Not everyone worships Santa!" OMG Mama Smoak's ugly Hanukkah sweater!

But I nonetheless had a profound moment of black-humored facepalm at the questionable choice of deathtrap by Darhk. LET'S HAVE THE VILLAIN COMPLIMENT HITLER BEFORE HE KILLS THE PROMINENT JEWISH CHARACTER IN A GAS CHAMBER DURING HANUKKAH! THIS WILL GO OVER WELL!
posted by nicebookrack at 9:14 AM on December 10, 2015 [2 favorites]

Before this episode I had completely forgotten that Papa Lance both didn't know that Malcolm Merlyn was still alive AND that Malcolm had killed Sara (last time). So watching Lance first be surprised by Malcolm's presence and then casually thank Malcolm felt completely bizarre.

This show, I tell ya, it kills me!
posted by nicebookrack at 9:21 AM on December 10, 2015

Before this episode I had completely forgotten that Papa Lance both didn't know that Malcolm Merlyn was still alive AND that Malcolm had killed Sara (last time)

Yeaaaaah I totally forgot too. It's great that there are this many characters for a robust worldbuilding, but boy I always forget who knows what.

See: The 100.
posted by numaner at 9:26 AM on December 10, 2015

Yeaaaaah I totally forgot too. It's great that there are this many characters for a robust worldbuilding, but boy I always forget who knows what.

At this point, I had forgotten that Darhk doesn't know who Ollie is, so Malcolm showing up in his clothes confused me for a second. Having a villain not know his secret identity is practically unexpected at this point.

Felicity doesn't die, it seems like, but I might be done with the show if she does. Fridging women is sexist and at this point boring, and I could maybe put up with it if they did it to Thea or Laurel, but Felicity is the most redeeming feature of the show for me at this point.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:34 AM on December 10, 2015 [2 favorites]

Here's my prediction: nobody's really dead. It's a stunt to let Darhk- and maybe us - think Felicity is dead after the whole I'm going to take everything from you blah blah blah. She also happens to be the team member who can be every bit as effective from a supah sekret location far away.
posted by phearlez at 10:46 AM on December 10, 2015 [2 favorites]

At this point, I had forgotten that Darhk doesn't know who Ollie is, so Malcolm showing up in his clothes confused me for a second. Having a villain not know his secret identity is practically unexpected at this point.

I actually remembered this fact, but then when Darhk showed up at the meetup and was like "I wonder how you got your hands on one of my ghost's secret phone", I thought for a second that he did know and he was being snarky. But if he didn't, then Darhk must be the most oblivious Arrow villain.
posted by numaner at 12:09 PM on December 10, 2015

Darhk is the first Big Bad since Malcolm in season 1 who didn't know Oliver's secret identity before they ever met.
posted by nicebookrack at 12:18 PM on December 10, 2015

I really enjoyed this episode overall, including the annual Christmas holiday reminder that Felicity is "still Jewish!

This is one of those reminders that is necessary when you cast the least Jewish-appearing person imaginable to play a Jewish character.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 12:41 PM on December 10, 2015

Hey, as Felicity will also remind you, she's not a natural blonde. And hey, for all we know they converted.

I'm quitting the show if Felicity dies, period. Hopefully the showrunners know that and will just have a faked death, especially when she can work remotely. (But that loses her her awesome CEO-ship!)

I'm amused that so far four people have now played the Arrow.

I loved Mama Smoak's blue Santa hat and Hanukkah sweater. Loved it.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:35 PM on December 10, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'm going to boycott this show if Felicity eats it

I won't boycott it, but I may simply lose interest since the rest of the Arrow gang are actually pretty boring characters on their own. Felicity adds a lot to this show.
posted by homunculus at 6:11 PM on December 10, 2015 [3 favorites]

They still have the six-month deathwatch but it hasn't been six months. I'm pretty sure she's not dead but I'm going to be pissed if they fridge her. The team has been too big at times, but Felicity is one of the stronger links. She shouldn't be on the block.
posted by immlass at 9:19 PM on December 10, 2015

Now Laurel on the other hand can totally bites the dust and I wouldn't bat an eye, even though Katie Cassidy is actually quite nice.
posted by numaner at 8:06 AM on December 11, 2015

Who else throws up in their mouth a little when someone refers to a grown woman as "my baby girl"? Ugh, twice.

I am not okay with this proposal right on the heels of Oliver deciding to keep his son a secret from Felicity, but I'm even more not on board with Felicity getting killed off.
posted by ktkt at 2:57 AM on December 12, 2015

She also happens to be the team member who can be every bit as effective from a supah sekret location far away.

Well, she does have a giant company to run...
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:40 AM on December 14, 2015

So, you mean to tell me that, despite being a (former) billionare and brother to a current billionaire and lover to a tech giant CEO, while running for mayor in a city where the last 45 mayors or whatevs have been murderised by terrorists, and after deliberately antagonising those self same terrorists, the Queen campaign hasn't sprung for an armoured limo and a security detail? WTF, show?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:43 AM on December 14, 2015 [4 favorites]

Also, given that the Lord of the Exposition Ninjas is, you know, an assassin, perhaps he should have put that grenade arrow through Damo Darko's head instead of three feet to the left?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:45 AM on December 14, 2015 [3 favorites]

Yeaaaaaaaah to all those points, red thoughts. I could understand Malcolm not wanting to get rid of Darkh yet, but the limo not being bullet proof? That's quite a stretch.
posted by numaner at 7:21 AM on December 14, 2015

I'm basically expecting Malcolm and the League to be in league (ha!) with Darhk AND Vandal Savage AND whoever else is evil and shows up, because "reasons that make sense only to Malcolm."

I love Barrowman and love-to-hate Merlyn, but I'd like him to have a plot-purpose again...even as I'd prefer not to see another season swallowed up by Meryn hijinks. What does Malcolm WANT? Seriously, we just had an entire series that involved Malcolm's elaborate murder plot to have Thea murder Sara so Malcolm could set himself up as Ra's al-Ghul 2.0. And so far he's used his hard-won power and devoted assassin minions to...lurk in the shadows and protectively stalk Thea. Really, Malcolm, the League of Assassins doesn't have better things to do, like assassinate people?

I'm enjoying Darhk as this year's Big Bad in part because, while it's clear he has Mysterious Hidden Agendas, you also get a sense of his short-term motivations, i.e. he's a cheerful sadist who enjoys torturing and intimidating people.

Speaking of mysterious hidden agendas, WTF was up with that corn? Just. WHAT.
posted by nicebookrack at 11:56 AM on December 15, 2015

WTF was up with that corn?

The whole HIVE thing is actually just the High Fructose Corn-syrup lobby looking to establish a new East (?) coast office. Next season will be Oliver fighting the scourge of corporate money in politics.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 2:01 PM on December 15, 2015 [2 favorites]