Series Issues: Arrow 3×15 – Nanda Parbat

Spoilers will be thrown at you.

Alternate Title: Malcolm gets screwed. And there was much rejoicing.

So far we’ve seen things happen to Thea. In this episode, she makes things happen. Whether or not they’re the best decisions is a bit of a mixed bag. Oliver has forbid her to tell people how she was involved in Sara’s death, but Thea has other plans. She tells the truth to Laurel who handles it surprisingly well. With Thea, that is. She has other ideas about Malcolm, whom she attacks first in close melee. That goes as well as you think it should, Malcolm just pushes her away.

But Laurel has other plans and pulls a gun on him. She soon finds out she’s not getting her wish as the League of Assassins shows up with Lyssa in the lead. She takes Malcolm down and away. Perhaps I am a bit callous, but I found that as the perfect solution. Thea has basically traded the Queen’s lives for Malcolm Merlyn. If this was season one, I would’ve expected a party to break out. No, that doesn’t happen.

Instead, against everyone’s judgement, Ollie wants to go rescue Malcolm. He’s already at odds – they’re almost at each other’s throat at this point – with Laurel. Felicity is also a member of the Screw Malcolm Club, but as everyone else she can do very little to stop Oliver. Arrow goes after the League just as they’re loading Malcolm onto a helicopter. He can’t stop them, but manages to catch Nyssa.

I think the regular viewers could guess what happens next. Oliver gets the location of Nanda Parbat from Nyssa, gets joined by John Diggle and gets captured. Thea reveals herself as Sara’s killer to Nyssa while opening her cell and handing her a sword.

Meanwhile, Felicity has been trying to hold back Ray Palmer but he’s unstoppable. Finally, she locks him out of his account and forces to get some food and take a shower. That’s not all as finally they end up in bed together. Afterwards, Ray leaves Felicity asleep and finally finishes the armor and suits up. Of course he ends up testing the armor himself by taking flight.

Back in Nanda Parbat, Oliver Queen gets the strangest of offers from Ra’s Al Ghul. The demon’s head wants Ollie to replace him as the next Ra’s Al Ghul.

Highs:

Thea proves herself a good negotiator. Or an evil one.
Malcolm Merlyn has diverted punishment for a long time. He finally gets a taste of the League’s brand of justice.
The Atom finally flies. We don’t get any hints on his size-altering powers just yet.
Felicity finally hooks up… with Ray Palmer. Oliver, that’s how you lost the girl. Seriously though, Oliver has gone too dark for a relationship right now.

Lows:

Oliver trying to boss around Thea. Oliver trying to boss around Laurel. Enough with the requests for blind trust, if you want someone to trust you tell them everything and trust them to take the right decisions. I thought Oliver had learned this lesson already. He has not, so he will have to learn it again.
Oliver again, unfortunately. It becomes clear that he’s also willing to face Ra’s again because he wants to prove to himself he can but it’s not really a decision cemented on logic. Even if Malcolm were to give up Thea’s involvement, I don’t believe that saving Malcolm prevents the League from finding out. In other words, I never saw a reason for him to try to free Malcolm.
There is a flashback story again with Maseo, Tatsu and their son but it’s not really engaging. I believe we eventually find out what happened to the kid. Chances are he’s dead. Or has become something else in the hands of China, ARGUS or the League.
Thea opening Nyssa’s cage. I don’t see an actual confrontation there. Perhaps it will be defused in the next episode.

Update! I swore I wouldn’t forgot this one and I did. The offer from Ra’s Al Ghul has a more sinister aspect if the showrunners use the version from the comics. When he offers someone the “honor” of becoming the next Ra’s Al Ghul, he’s really asking to use their body as a vessel. That means that it would be Oliver’s body but the inhabiting soul would be Ra’s. Oliver the person would be gone.

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