Arrow – Second Chances

• Title: Arrow – Second Chances
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The search for a new Black Canary leads Ollie (Stephen Amell) and company to Hub City in search of a former police detective (Juliana Harkavy) who has become something of an urban legend since a failed undercover operation in Hub City left her partner dead and her with meta-human powers not unlike those of Black Siren. Out to kill the criminal responsible for her partner’s death, the potential recruit isn’t all that receptive to Oliver’s first few pitches about becoming part of the team. Meanwhile, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) is able to help get Diggle (David Ramsey) released by re-embracing a bit of her hacker past and her run-in with a hacktavist (Kacey Rohl) inspired by the woman she used to be.

The episode’s B-story is tied into the same themes of accepting yourself and earning second chance as Oliver gets to know Talia al Ghul (Lexa Doig) a bit better. Revealing herself to be the person who trained Yao Fei, Talia earns a bit of trust, and then a little more when she helps Oliver hurt Kovar’s operation. The subplot offers a few interesting tidbits as it seems it was Talia’s idea that “The Hood” was born and her help that put Ollie back on the path home to Starling City.

Of all three plot threads the new recruitment of a new Black Canary is the least interesting, although it still works rather well. I’m more intrigued by Oliver’s relationship to Talia al Ghul and I’m very curious to see this part of his flashbacks get played out. Felicity’s run-in with a younger version of herself not only gets Diggle out of trouble and give the team a powerful new weapon, but it also offers her the same chance given to both Ollie and the detective to embrace her true self and become a bit more than just Green Arrow’s tech support going forward.