Arrow Season 5: The Comeback Kid!
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I’ll be honest. I went into Season 5 a little skeptical. On the one hand, I was excited about the Bratva backstory but on the other hand, I just wasn’t sure the show could bounce back from the disaster that was Season 4. However, the writers promised us a return to basics and that and along with my undying need to see what would happen Olicity-wise kept me watching. So now for the big question…. Did the show redeem itself? IMO: Yaaaaaassssss! Don’t get me wrong, it did take a few episodes for me to get into the swing of things. At first, I thought Prometheus was just another version of Malcolm Merlin from season 1; I mean how many arrow wielding baddies can there be in the world?
As I watched the season unfold I was worried that Arrow was going to take a page from the Flash and just recycle the same type of big bad over and over again (I love The Flash but the whole evil speedster that forces Barry to get faster storyline is getting a bit old.) Boy, was I wrong. Season 5 turned out to be the best season since Season 2 with Prometheus giving Slade Wilson a run for his money as best villain.
So what made it so good?
Prometheus: As I mentioned earlier I think the MVP award this season has to go to Adrian Chase. I was all about the Green Arrow/Prometheus rivalry and what made it so delectable and exciting was the very personal nature of the feud. For once the focus wasn’t on Star City; it was on Oliver. Through an elaborate plan of psychological torture, Oliver was forced to really confront himself and his mission. He had to examine some pretty tough questions that I, as a viewer, have been asking since season 1. Is he really making a lasting impact in Star City? Is it okay for him to decide who lives and who dies? It was this psychological darkness that really drove the season and I loved it!
Russian flashbacks: I have been dying to know how Oliver ended up in the Bratva since season 1 and while I am definitely ready for the flashbacks to be over I do think that they helped to tie up some loose ends this season. I believe that more than anything else, Ollie’s time with the Bratva turned him into the conflicted fighter we see today. So it was good to finally see the end of his journey from college playboy to superhero. Also, the fight scenes with Kovar were super dramatic and action packed and didn’t drag the way flashbacks have in previous seasons
Olicity: I know everyone’s not a fan of their relationship but at the very least you should be a fan of Oliver finally making some headway in the personal growth department. I like that they made progress in their relationship without things being rushed or forced and I look forward to seeing what will happen with them in season 6.
Why it wasn’t perfect…
Too many people!!! I get that Team Arrow needed to expand but I feel like it could have been handled in a more organic way, similar to how Curtis was introduced. Going out and recruiting people and then dumping them on us just didn’t work and it constantly felt like there were competing for our attention and detracting from established characters. Maybe if people had been added in a more natural way I would have cared a bit more about them and their backstories. For example, Rene, I wanted to care about this whole thing with his daughter but in actuality, I just didn’t.
Susan Williams: While I personally had absolutely no desire to see Ollie hook up with anyone other than Felicity I understand the need to move on with your life. That being said, Susan ended up being the most useless character on the show. She started dating Oliver simply to get a story but despite the fact that she was manipulative and deceitful he decides to stay with her until she becomes nothing more than a damsel in distress.
Will I be watching Season 6?
You bet I will! I’m strongly hoping that after the Season 5 finale we’ll be able to prune at least a few of the extraneous characters and I like this whole “back to basics” mentality that the writers have. I’m also excited to see what they’ll do now that the flashbacks are officially gone. Love it or hate it, you’ll find out my thoughts after the season is over. Until next time!
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XOXOX – Daphnium
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