While the previous episode of Arrow was focused primarily on Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo), "Shifting Allegiances" splits the focus across multiple stories. We get the crime boss attempting to force Mayor Lance (Paul Blackthorne) into doing him a favor, Diggle (David Ramsey) and A.R.G.U.S. attempting follow Quadrant leads back to Diaz, Rene (Rick Gonzalez) returning to the field and working with Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) and Curtis (Echo Kellum) to attack Diaz's drug operation, and Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) attempting to convince friend-turned-enemy Anitoly (David Nykl) to turn on Diaz. Anitoly refuses Oliver's offer, but in delivering him to Diaz he gives the hero perhaps his chance to save the city in a one-on-one fight between the Arrow and the crime lord (who, unfortunately for Oliver, isn't above cheating to win a fight).
The main theme in multiple threads of this week's episode is Diaz's growing power. Oliver goes to some lengths to drive a wedge between Anitoly and Diaz, and even in defeat he may have won back on old friend. While Diggle and the vigilantes are able to put a small crimp in his new allegiance with the Quadrant, Diaz getting Quentin to bow to his wishes, beating Oliver and moving up his trial further solidify him as the season's big bad. The scenes involving Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and Quentin not only underline just how dangerous Laurel believes Diaz to be, but also show how conflicted she is with some of the crime lord's recent moves. While I'm not real happy to see The CW set-up yet another trial (is Oliver going to go to jail for two weeks, too?), I am curious to see just where Laurel's actions may lead and what other surprises may arise when Diaz attempts to prove the former mayor is the Green Arrow.
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