Hey, Ra’s al Ghul’s other daughter. Welcome to Arrow.
This week’s installment introduces Katrina Law’s–who was excellent in Spartacus, by the way–Nyssa Raatko, member of the League of Assassins and daughter of Ra’s al Ghul. Law is fantastic tonight, bringing the menace, the quiet seductiveness, and the simple love she has for Sara.
It’s the kind of plot that could feel manipulative, contrived, cheesy, etc., but Nyssa’s (and Sara’s, for that matter) motivations fee; genuine to me. I’m impressed with the way they bring in this new person, raise the emotional–granted, there are portions where it falls into the melodrama a bit too much–stakes, retains the comic book-ness of her character, and uses the storyline as a way to really bring all the Lances into the fold. I would’ve liked some Nyssa-Sara flashbacks instead, but I’m grateful that the writers are trying to solve one of the shakier aspects of the show.
Speaking of the Lances: although I know Katie Cassidy gets a lot of flak, I have to give her kudos for her reaction at the end to seeing Sara. No, I don’t believe it’s over the top; in fact, she does have legitimate gripes, and you can tell this anger has been building for years. Of course, I’m completely on Sara’s side right now, as Laurel just has absolutely no idea what her sister’s been through. I’m one of the few who’ll defend Laurel, but right now, it’s easy to see why her behavior doesn’t endear her to us.
Elsewhere, I really like the Felicity plot we get. Instead of dragging out the “will she, won’t she” storyline, they get right to the point. Felicity and Oliver’s relationship has always been one of the strongest aspects of the show, and it’s nice to see the writers recognize that Ms. Smoak’s a person who’ll do the right thing, who’ll go to Oliver to, ultimately, protect him. In addition, Stephen Amell is just brilliant in his Moira-disowning scene; it’s a huge character moment for him, and he pulls it off beautifully.
I’m really looking forward to seeing Felicity chastise Oliver about his hookup with Sara. The act itself makes perfect sense, as Oliver and Sara are in similar emotional states right now; they have a very unique kind of bond. Yet, this is bound to throw a wrench in things.
All in all, it’s an episode that showcases some of the best aspects of the show, and we’ll hopefully continue to get this in three weeks.
GRADE: B+
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-I’m happy Sara doesn’t die, because that means I can still hope to get a “Dueling Salmon Ladders” scene in the future.
-And holy shit, Sara on the salmon ladder. I wonder how much Caity Lotz was able to do there.
-I like the Sara-Nyssa kiss very much.
-Oh man, do I love Nyssa’s introduction: beating the crap out of some guards at the airport.
-Slade shows up again.
-Roy’s pushed aside here, which is interesting given his recent storylines.
-Waste of Alex Kingston!
-Paul Blackthorne’s continuing to do some great work.
-See you in three weeks for the next episode, which also happens to be the premiere night of season 2 of The Americans. For now, enjoy the Olympics, if you care.
Photo Credit: Arrow, The CW
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