Your thought about Daddy Merlyn was exactly my thought. That and, really, is that the best they can do with his hair?

Yeah, seriously. An evil overlord should have better hair. And a falcon.

Too bad for John Barrowman, but he'll land on his feet.

He's so pretty, I really want him to stick around, but I don't see how it could happen.

I would be surprised if Malcolm makes it through the finale. He'll die, and then some bigger plot would be revealed that mandate Oliver continue his work as the Hood, blah blah burderned with glorious purpose-cakes.

Well, when Malcom (suited up as the Dark Archer [they seriously need better names]) beat the hell out of Ollie at Christmas, he said something about having a "boss." So even if he leaves the show, there's still something big and bad out there. (Because I'm assuming the showrunner knows how ridiculous it would be to bring in Mystery Evil Overlord in the finale and then axe him/her.)

I gotta admit, I am watching this mostly for the Felicity Smoak Show.

She has the best lines in the history of awesome lines, and her delivery cracks me up. She is my nerdy awkward kickass spirit animal.

And Felicity-and-Diggle-Making-Fun-Of-Oliver Show.

Heh, yes indeed.

I OT3 them, kinda.

I wish that I shipped Ollie and Felicity, but I don't. I *do* think she has hella chemistry with Digg, though.

Also, I think the show has done a good job in the flashbacks of showing Ollie gradually turning from spoiled pretty playboy to someone capable of holding his own.

Having no knowledge of source material, I wonder if that is how they sustained the character's run.

They've deviated a LOT from the source material; the comics baddie Merlyn is nothing like Malcom. (Or, I should say, Malcom is nothing like his comics namesake, other than being an archer.)

I really like comics Green Arrow, but I'm really happy with how this show has turned out.

I'm kind of saddened that DC is once again going for ignoring the superheroes in their television 'verse.

It's even more reserved than Smallville at acknowledging DC canon.

I think Smallville got good the final two years when they loosened up the tights a bit. I'd really like to see Alex Kingston in a Canary suit...

the Felicity Smoak Show.

I never knew what her last name was! I always called her Felicity Pencilskirt. (they have been varying her wardrobe a bit more lately, though).

The flashbacks are finally paying off. I was getting naptime during them.

DRAPES EXIST FOR A REASON, LAUREL

I was watching Shame yesterday waiting for my shows to start, so this got me a little confused, and then I hoped for boy full frontal, and then reminded myself to request that in an hour, if CW is going to burn S&P to the ground just once.

I don't see Arnell's chemistry, but I do think that this shift looked like it had a lot of potential, trying to move from the symptom to the disease. But...is that a "superhero" job? If it is, is it his job? Can he do that? That's not what the time on Men's Island taught him to do. Killing Merlyn anyway was not a strategic move (or a sexy one, except for how Big Daddy is a super). But clearly big shit will be happening next week, so who knows what the status quo will be then.

Maybe an inciting incident to get Roy on the team too? That's a busy ArrowCave...

DC is once again going for ignoring the superheroes in their television 'verse

Do they not have licensing restrictions like the movies? I don't feel they're ignoring--there's a lot happening here, but I'm assuming there are market reasons they don't set up a Titans West (East? There is some sort of coast, but I'm not paying enough attention to remember which one) nightclub.

Maybe an inciting incident to get Roy on the team too?

Well, that's Roy's M.O., so if Roy doesn't end up on Team Arrow, it won't be for lack of trying.

This episode underlined what annoyed me about the last one. Papa Queen is on a voyage specifically to get funding to thwart Malcolm Merlin's evil plan. Why didn't his "I'm not the man you think I am" conversation begin with "Your buddy Tommy's dad is planning mass murder?"

My completely unspoiled theory is that Ollie kills Malcolm Merlin, which, added to the Laurel thing, turns Tommy evil. The problem is that he doesn't seem to have the mad skillz to be a big bad.

I really want Walter to stay around, but I'm glad the show recognized that what Moira did was unforgivable. I continue to be annoyed by her "what else could I do" attitude.

The problem is that he doesn't seem to have the mad skillz to be a big bad.

He's got the glower down pat, though.

Yeah, things that wouldn't surprise me about next week:

• 1 death, good or bad, Daddy Merlin first
• Tommy goes bad
• Someone new joins the team
• Colin Salmon leaves the show (their relationship is weaksauce anyway--I never felt it, as much as I like him)

Colin Salmon leaves the show (their relationship is weaksauce anyway--I never felt it, as much as I like him)

Maybe he can be the one to join the team, and then he can stay? I really like the character and the actor.