Arrow - S4E17 - Beacon of Hope

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Previously on Arrow, ‘Broken Hearts’

Team Arrow found themselves “in a Die Hard movie with bees” in this week’s pun vehicle of an episode. Brie Larvan, who was last seen on (the much more tonally appropriate) The Flash, hacks her way out of prison, which can apparently be done without Internet access, and holds Palmer Tech hostage with a giant swarm of mechanical bees. Yes, you read that right, a giant swarm of MECHANICAL BEES.

She has a tumor at the base of her spine that will cause paralysis, and has come to steal the chip that is letting Felicity walk. Now the show could have gone a couple of ways with such an understandable motive. A warning of the danger of monetized healthcare perhaps? Nope, we got to watch Oliver get in a fistfight with a man made of robot bees!

In what I’m choosing to believe was a rather meta plot point, Oliver keeps demanding that everyone be as serious and broody as he is, and everyone else points out that it’s okay to have fun sometimes. I think we should all take that to heart. Sure, we could argue that a bee-based villain in no way fits the tone of this show, but why would we when we can enjoy the campy fun of a bee based-villain whose given name is Brie Larvan and who dresses like a honeycomb (when did she have time to procure a bee themed blazer? Where was she storing her bees? How did she hack out of prison??? Who cares!)

The Good

It’s nice to see Curtis have more to do (as long as they aren’t priming him up to fill that grave), and it’s good that they didn’t drag out the Team Arrow identity reveal for too long (as they are wont to do). He was honestly the highlight of the episode, joyously hacking his way through the robot bees to save the day. Plus, his husband is a dreamboat.

Oliver made a pop culture reference! Sure, he didn’t know that Harry Potter had movies, but you’ve got to give him props for the baby steps. One day he may even be a normal, well-adjusted human adult.

The Bad

Look, I love John Barrowman as much as the next gal with two eyes and a heart, but at some point they have got to get rid of Malcolm Merlyn. The fact that he has spent seasons wandering around causing mischief (and by mischief I mean mass murder) and keeps getting away scott free tends to take away from Team Arrow’s credibility as a force for good. He currently seems to be acting as a conduit between Damian Darhk and Diggle Junior, which does not bode well for our heroes.

Why does Laurel’s canary cry affect everything except computer screens? I know it’s such a small thing to pick up on in an episode with robotic bees that can combine like Power Rangers to make a robot man, but it still bothers me.

ROBOT BEES

Quotes of the week:

The first in a long line of bee based punning: “Their bee-haviour can be appalling.”

Mamma Smoak on the lack of siege appropriate footwear: “From now on I’m buying flats. These assaults are weekly, it’s ridiculous. It’s just not conducive to high fashion.”

Damian Darkh asking the important questions: “Did you sew that in yourself or do you have some kind of lip sewing guy?”