Arrow - Honor Thy Father

On a trip to the courthouse to get his death certificate repealed and begin his life in earnest, Oliver (Stephen Amell) runs into Laurel (Katie Cassidy) who is prosecuting a murder case involving Martin Somers (Ty Olsson), one of the names on Oliver's list, who Green Arrow decides to pay a little visit to later that evening. However, the attack on his life only enrages the businessman with ties to the Chinese Triad to reach out to an assassin named China White (Kelly Hu) who suggests they end the nagging problem of Ms. Lance, permanently.

Detective Lance (Paul Blackthorne) arranges 24-hour police protection for his daughter and her client (Emma Bell), a young woman whose father was killed by Somers and his men. The fact that Oliver and Diggle (David Ramsey) are at her apartment when the woman strikes is the only thing that saves Laurel's life as the assassin disappears back into the mist. It also starts to change Diggle's view of his new client when Oliver saves his life with a remarkable display of marksmanship.


Back on the home front, Moira (Susanna Thompson) convinces Oliver to take his protection more seriously after he once again eludes Diggle to play Robin Hood, and she surprises him by requesting he take over for Walter (Colin Salmon) as the head of Queen Industries. Despite his reluctance his mother is stern in her wishes pushing Oliver to make a public spectacle of himself to keep himself out of the boardroom and in the shadows where can continue to honor his father's final wishes.

Two episodes in the show seems to be running ahead full-speed with the new version of the character, one far more brutal than his comic book counterpart. I'd like the writing of both the storylines and the dialogue to be a little more subtle, but the show certainly isn't boring - even if I'm already tired of the state of Oliver's relationship with his troubled younger sister (Willa Holland). China White (a character I have no real feelings for one way or another) comes off well-enough here (although her wig looks pretty damn cheap), and I like they leave her story open-ended. Next week gives us Deadshot (a character I have quite a bit of fondness for), and hopefully more insight into the episode's surprising final scene introducing a new character to Oliver's flashbacks on the island.