2 romance authors dissect the latest episode of 'Arrow'

Allison Brennan and Lavinia Kent are back! We had so much fun dishing about Arrow last week that we've been waiting all week to do it again.

AB: I think maybe I listened to too many other people before I watched this episode ... I was expecting something epic, the "best episode of the season." It wasn't. Don't get me wrong — it was very good! It was an episode that the show needed. But I consider it a transition episode — Oliver transitioning from being in charge (the leader) to being part of a team; bringing Thea into the fold; and Detective Lance finally learning that his daughter Sara is dead. The episode provided satisfying (and emotionally gut-wrenching) scenes ... particularly the end. What do you think, Lavinia?

LK: I basically agree with you, Allison, this was definitely a transition — and transformation — episode. It was very necessary, but it didn't wrench my gut or make me squee with glee. There were two (maybe three) moments in it that I thought were near perfect, but I didn't lie in bed last night thinking about the episode — well, actually I did, but it was because I was plotting what to write, not because I trying to figure it out, or just admiring the artistry of it. (I do have to say that the more I tried to explain the episode the more I liked it and realized how complex it actually was.)

This episode is all about truth and how different characters must face it and grow from it. The first time I tried to recap everything that happens it ended up a convoluted three-page synopsis, so I am going to try something a little different and explain how I felt about different characters' storylines one at a time. I'll look at Laurel, Thea and finally Oliver and discuss how I saw what happened to each one in this episode.

(There is a backstory line about Oliver and Maseo trying to escape Agent Waller. The two important take-aways are that Agent Waller does have ice in her veins and that Maseo, while he may have Oliver's best interests at heart, is very able to lie to him again and again. The backstory is all about dishonesty and lies in contrast to the main storyline.)

The episode is titled Canaries and highlight's Laurel's true transition to becoming the Black Canary. The episode starts with a flash-forward to Laurel and Sara fighting, both dressed as the Canary — but we'll get to that in a bit. The action really begins for Laurel when she stops an anonymous villain who is running from the Arrow and Arsenal. Laurel steps in and brings the man down. Rather than treating her as one of the team, Oliver is displeased to have her involved and lets her know — very clearly.

We next see Laurel, as assistant district attorney, standing on the courthouse steps with Zytle (the new Count Vertigo). After one of the guards is dosed with the Vertigo drug and begins to hallucinate, Zytle escapes. Laurel tackles the guard, but is then left looking around in bewilderment for Zytle.

There are a few scenes involving the tracking of Zytle. The big importance of these scenes is that they demonstrate that Oliver, as stated earlier, does not want Laurel involved in Team Arrow. He tells her that she is using adrenaline as a drug to hide her pain. In one of my favorite quotes of the episode, Laurel turns it back on him, saying, "If there is anyone using adrenaline to hide the pain of real feelings and real life it's you." This is one of the themes of this episode, and this season, for both Oliver and Laurel.

Because Oliver is not willing to work with Laurel, she (stupidly) goes after Zytle herself. He manages to dose her with Vertigo and she hallucinates that she is fighting her sister, Sara. Sara tells Laurel that she can never replace her, that she "is a liar, a fraud and an addict." Laurel believes Sara's words and is beaten and almost killed before the rest of Team Arrow arrives to save her. Zytle escapes again.

Back in the Arrow Cave, Laurel returns to herself and Felicity talks to her, telling her that she must be herself, that there is a light in her that was never in Sara. Laurel must be a hero because that is who she is, not because she is doing it for her sister.

When Team Arrow, including Laurel, go after Zytle again, Arrow and Roy must rescue the hostages, while Laurel is left to face Zytle. He again doses her with the drug and again she hallucinates. When she imagines Sara, Laurel manages to fight back. She knows that it is not truly her sister and for the first time she really fights for herself, instead of trying to be her sister — and wins — the true beginning of her becoming the Black Canary. In a touching and rough moment, Laurel also hallucinates about her father and his blaming her not telling him about Sara's death. This leads to a (in my opinion) great moment. Laurel goes to tell her father the truth — and although he guesses part of it, giving her an opportunity to back down and not reveal all, she forces the full truth from her lips.

I thought this scene with her father showed true bravery, more even than the fight scene. She comes to her father to tell him that her sister is dead and when he says, "I know," meaning he knows that she is the new Black Canary, Laurel does not use it as a chance to back away. I truly thought she was going to. The moment he said, "I know," my insides fell. I knew she was going to put it off — and then she didn't. It was one of the first times I saw real possibility for her as a hero.

AB: I completely agree. I thought Laurel was going to back down as well, and I thought, "Yep, that's what I expect of her." But because she didn't back away from the truth, she earned my respect (though I thought she should have told him from the beginning). I had never been a fan of Laurel. Season one she went back and forth (hate Ollie, love Ollie; be with Tommy, can't be with Tommy, be with Tommy). Season two she was pathetic and did SO many things that made me cringe, particularly with the whole Sebastian Blood storyline (which, aside from Laurel, was mostly a great subplot); but these last two episodes, I don't hate her anymore. She's slowly growing on me. I don't think she'll ever be one of my favorite characters, but she finally showed some backbone and she didn't do anything too-stupid-to-live. (OK, she did — she went to the docks alone. But I choose to ignore that because it was necessary to first show her greatest fear, then to give her an emotional pit to climb out of). And then the scene with Laurel and her father — when she FINALLY tells him that Sara is dead. It's about time. He deserved to know. Overall, the scene was very well done and I completely felt for both of them.

LK: To be honest, I've also never been fond of Laurel. I would expect that the fans who loved this episode were largely Laurel fans. I admit that I do have high hopes for her. I liked the actress, Katie Cassidy, when she played Ruby on Supernatural, and I am hoping that she can bring some of that character to Laurel as she transitions into fully being Black Canary.

Now on to Thea. There is another great scene when Oliver, having been persuaded by Merlyn that he must tell all, approaches Thea with great trepidation and takes her down to the Arrow Cave to reveal that he is the Arrow. He (and we) expect her to react badly, but instead, as the music rises, she thanks him for guarding the city. It is a wonderful moment. It could have gone so badly and instead Thea shows true strength of character in taking the time to understand why Oliver acted the way that he did.

AB: I think Thea has been the most consistent character on the show, both in terms of her reaction to what is thrown at her and the growth from being an 18-year-old party girl to a 20-year-old club owner. Yes, she's young, and she makes mistakes (like sleeping with Chase!), and she's made mistakes in other episodes, but she learns from them. And I was happy that she reacted positively with Ollie when he told her he was the Arrow. That brought them together. I'm not quite sure I buy into her immediate change of opinion of Merlyn once she knows the truth ... except, that she's done that before with her mother (when she thought that Moira was having an affair with Merlyn during season one). Of course, I also think that by the end of the season something will drive them apart ... true happiness and peace will never be part of the Queen Family legacy!

LK: I have to agree that I am not quite sure why Thea was so mad at Malcolm. I would understand if she knew the full story — he set her up to kill Sara — but not knowing that, her reaction did seem out of proportion. Although, I hadn't really considered how consistent Thea's reaction to Merlyn was to her reaction to her mother. You are right and it makes me more accepting of her strong emotions.

And it may explain the mistake she makes next, deciding to sleep with Chase (Ra's al Ghul's agent and cool DJ guy). She wants something simple in the midst of her complicated life — until she realizes that he's trying to poison her. Roy and Merlyn manage to save her. And for perhaps the first time this season, Thea understands her own weakness and the need to work as a team. She is not willing to forgive Merlyn, but she will work with him.

There is a wonderful scene (my third great moment) between Roy and Thea almost at the end of the episode, but it is as much the acting as the script, and it would lose much in the translation. Their expressions in this scene show such deep care and understanding — without it jumping right back to their being a couple.

AB: Oh, and I really love how Roy sensed something was wrong when he saw Thea leave with Chase, and instead of being the jealous hothead, he went to protect her. Roy is another character who has both been consistent and grown.

LK: Yes, yes, yes.

And now on to Oliver. He begins this episode feeling very much back in charge. He tries to prevent Laurel from being the Canary. He yells at Roy when he steps in to protect Thea. He believes that he is the leader and that he should give the orders.

And then first, he must confront Thea with the truth of who he is and he must try to persuade her that they must work together with Merlyn. Thea refuses to trust Merlyn strictly because Oliver says so. It is only her own experiences that can bring her around to accepting Merlyn's help.

Then when Oliver tries to command the team, he runs into Felicity (dressed in pale pink in a room full of the darkly clad), who once again shows her guiding light. "You [Oliver] were dead, at least we thought you were. And we had to go on with our lives. And doing that meant not doing things your way ... [Having you back] doesn't mean that we can go back. And that doesn't mean you have the right to come back and question everyone's choices." Wow. I see this as the moment when Team Arrow becomes more than a group of followers — and Oliver knows it.

The episode ends with Thea and Oliver heading back to the island after Merlyn convinces them that the only way to defeat Ra's is to overcome their fears and that Oliver must go back to the island to do that.

AB: I'm really looking forward to the island next week with Ollie and Thea! Rumor has it that Slade Wilson will return. I love Manu Bennett! As Deathstroke or as Slade, he's a great actor and character. I know some people didn't love the island flashbacks, but I did. I thought they were woven perfectly through the episodes, as well as the Hong Kong flashbacks with Amanda Waller and Maseo. And now I can't wait until next week since at the end we see Oliver, Maseo and Waller driving into Starling City a full two and a half years before Ollie returns home for good.

LK: I am also waiting with anticipation. While for once an episode answered as many questions as it created, I am anxious to see just where everything is going.

AB: Oh, and I just have to say ... I LOVE Peter Stormare (Zytle.) He was so, so good as a villain ... though I wish they could have done more with him other than just serving as a catalyst for Laurel's transformation. Stormare was also the brilliant Berlin on Blacklist, another favorite show of mine. I wonder what he's going to turn up on next ... Anyway, until next week!

Allison Brennan is a Paste BN and New York Times bestselling author of romantic thrillers. Lavinia Klein is a bestselling author of sexy historical romances. They both watch Arrow with their sons, Allison on the West Coast and Lavinia on the East Coast. And now, they enjoy recapping their favorite show together.

Find out more about them and their books at www.allisonbrennan.com and www.laviniakent.com.