Arrow - S5E14 - The Sin-Eater

Previously on Arrow, “Spectre of the Gun”

‘The Sin-Eater’ begins, as approximately forty-percent of Arrow episodes do, with a breakout from a prison bus. China White, Cupid, and Liza Warner are back from their trip to Arrow’s island of underutilized women and are after Tobias Church’s money stash.

Meanwhile, the ACU get tipped off that the Green Arrow killed Buddy Bobby Billy, and are now after him for questioning, which really gets in the way of recapturing the trio. Fortunately, Oliver is able to use his Mayoral authority to convince Pike to let the Green Arrow off the hook. Unfortunately, that just adds one more person to the growing list of people who suspect that Oliver may be the Green Arrow.

I like to think that everyone in Star City knows that Oliver’s the Green Arrow at this point, and they’re just humoring him.

The Good

I love how ruthless and calculating Thea has become. Since her mother’s death she’s taken on Moira’s old job of saving Oliver from himself, whether he likes it or not, and discrediting Susan was exactly the kind of move her mother would have made in her place. It was a decision that was equal parts smart and brutal, and I don’t believe for a second that Thea didn’t know that it would get Susan fired.

Speaking of people getting fired, Oliver is up for impeachment. I don’t know whether it’ll stick, but it’s good that at least people are acknowledging how much Oliver oversteps his role as mayor.

Were there any other Buffy fans out there who got some nostalgic joy watching the fight in the graveyard. Just me? Okay.

The Bad

Remember China White? Remember how she was around for two seasons and never given anything to work with aside from tired stereotypes? Well now she’s back in time to murder a bunch of Triad in a Chinese restaurant, say about four lines, and then go straight back to prison.

I was actually really excited by the villain lineup at the start of the episode, but as it progressed and we were never given any sense of the trio’s plan, motivation or backstory, I have to say I was disappointed.

They seem to be building up a Dinah/Diggle romance, which is pretty fucked up given that he has a wife who loves him enough to break him out of prison and an infant at home. Hopefully, I’m reading too much into it and they’re just building up their friendship, but we’ll see.

Quote of the Week

Curtis on Prometheus’ mum refusing to give her son’s name: “Wow, my mum can hardly handle me being gay”