'Arrow' Recap: Is There a Vixen in the House?
Warning: This recap for the “Taken” episode of Arrow contains spoilers.
This week’s episode of Arrow is titled “Taken,” so the question has to be asked: How does this man with a certain set of skills compare to the original mad dad, Liam Neeson? Well, even with flashbacks, Oliver Queen still managed to get his kid back in under an hour, so advantage Green Arrow.
The Plot
Damien Darhk has Oliver’s son, William (Jack Moore), and will kill him if Oliver doesn’t drop out of the mayoral race. The boy’s mother, Samantha (Anna Hopkins), is introduced to the team and to the Arrow Bunker. Oliver brings in Vixen (Megalyn E.K.), whose magic necklace gives her the power of animals. They track down Darhk, but he escapes and demands that Oliver quit the race immediately. Oliver does, but they attack Darhk anyway, fearing he will double-cross them. Vixen’s knowledge of magical totems enables them to find Darhk’s and destroy it, removing his powers. Oliver decides that he should send William into hiding to protect him. Felicity decides she’s had enough of secrets and walks out on Oliver.
The Flashback
Baron Reiter finds a cave guarded by the ghost of Conklin. The tattoo that Constantine gave Oliver glows and grants him passage.
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Secrets Revealed
Well, Felicity finally knows about William like we knew she always would. And, as much as Oliver and Samantha try to explain that it was Samantha’s ultimatum that kept him from telling her, it got harder to believe as the list of people who also knew (Thea, Malcolm, Barry Allen, probably the gardener…) kept growing. The guy just can’t help keeping secrets and by now, he should know that if he’s keeping secrets to protect someone, they never, never, never end up actually protecting them.
Not that Ollie’s a bad guy, but is he a good mate for Felicity? Or anybody? Maybe if this were The Americans where everybody was a Russian spy. And it’s not even just the secrets. He doesn’t talk with Felicity about sending William away. That’s great for a girlfriend, but a fiancée? Maybe she needs to look up Barry’s number again.
“I’m the Green Arrow and My Life Is Very Dangerous”
If you really want a show about daddy issues, try The Flash. But that doesn’t mean that Arrow can’t grapple with them on occasion. Storywise, you can’t very well keep William and Samantha around — they’d only be good for kidnapping anyway. But is it a good dad move? Mari sold it as giving him a childhood; on the other hand, Oliver routinely crosses paths with groups like H.I.V.E. and the League of Assassins. How hard will it be for them to find Li'l Bill and chop him up into kid nuggets?
Compare that with Malcolm, a dad always ready to make the hard choices to protect his daughter. Not always the right choices, but definitely the hard ones. Arguably, he’s the better dad because he’s actively protecting Thea. Again, he’s doing a terrible job, but at least he’s trying real hard.
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Damien’s Lost His Mojo
And just like that, Damien Darhk is just another crime lord. Without his mystical powers, how much of a threat will he remain? We’re barely past the halfway point in the season, so either he’s getting them back or he’ll use H.I.V.E. to become even scarier. It wouldn’t be the worst thing if they left the magic behind, frankly. All his powers have amounted to is basically a classier version of Darth Vader’s force choke. What does a desperate Damien Darhk look like?
Vixen Gets the Pinnochio Treatment
At long last, Vixen — who’s had numerous animated appearances including her own CW Seed show — is live-action, played by the woman who voiced her on the web series, Megalyn Echikunwoke (or E.K., as she’s listed in tonight’s credits). In the comics, she has the power to turn into any animal that has ever existed on Earth. Why she isn’t just a T. Rex all of the time is the real mystery here.
Quiverful of Thoughts
* Move of the Night: Curtis Holt’s chip begins working and Felicity’s first steps… are right out the door. That is what you call a full-fledged, Beyoncé-level power move.
* Last week, it seemed like William might end up being under that gravestone. He’s not a main character and there’s no need to spend time building a bond with him for dramatic purposes — we’ll all automatically feel bad since he’s a child. Does his leaving mean he’s off the hook? Or will Darhk track him down anyway?
* Line of the Night: “Don’t you dare tell Barry about this.” Y'know, Mari: In some cultures, sniffing somebody’s action figure means you’re married.
Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW.
