After enduring four days of torture at the hands of Adrian Chase aka Prometheus, Oliver returned to the arrowcave. There he was greeted by Felicity and Diggle and made the decision to disband the team. As we all know this did not go over well and the team still continued to defend the city without Oliver.

At the beginning of the episode Oliver had completely given up on taking down Chase. The fact that Adrian continued to taunt him at the mayor’s office only reinforced that idea. The man even handed Oliver a knife, saying the only way to kill him would be in broad daylight. That is if Oliver was to do the job himself, which he wasn’t planning on doing. Oliver reached out to his old friend Anatole, who brought along his Bratva brothers to Star City, to have Adrian eliminated.

Meanwhile Felicity was working on her own plan to take down Chase. Helix kindly provided her with the video of Chase as Prometheus unmasking himself. Unfortunately the video was pixelated due to technology Chase was using and Felicity needed direct physical access to Chase’s tech in order to decode it. Luckily for her, Curtis snooped on her laptop and figured out exactly what she needed to decode Chase’s tech. He and his blueberries (metal balls) got the information and hand delivered it to Felicity and Helix.

The Bratva then began wreaking havoc in Star City. First they began by taking diabetes drugs in order to create another street drug to sell in Russia. Their plans were almost foiled by Team Arrow. Diggle then questioned Oliver’s morals and called him out for being a sellout. Oliver then told Diggle to stay out of it. Bratva will kill Chase and the team will remain disbanded.

Later on in the episode Diggle continued to press the issue of the Bratva being in Star City but Oliver was having none of it. Oliver told Diggle about his crusade being a cover for his murdering spree and says to stay far away from him, Chase, the crusade and the Bratva. Diggle being the hard-headed man he is goes against Oliver’s wishes. He wanted to bring in Chase the right way and save Oliver’s soul.

The Bratva then made their move on Chase and so did the team. The team managed to save Chase from the Bratva ambush. Unfortunately this got Chase put into the witness protection program and therefore untouchable, especially for the Bratva. Oliver showed up at Diggle’s place shortly after and punched him in the face for interfering. Diggle then told Oliver to stop pushing him away; he knows who he is and it doesn’t matter to him. He still believes Oliver can atone for his sins just like he did. Oliver just needs to work to be the man who deserves to wear the hood. The man Diggle knows Oliver can be.

Back at Helix headquarters Felicity and Curtis are unmasked by Helix members; they know she is Overwatch and that he is Mr. Terrific. Unfortunately the tech Curtis collected was not enough to unmask Chase on video. Therefore, Felicity and Chase needed to break into Kord (the same place Chase got his technology from) to decode Chase’s face in the video. They are successful and are able to unscramble Adrian’s face.

Unfortunately for Oliver and the rest of the team, the Bratva wasn’t leaving Star City without their 2^nd part of the deal. Oliver refused to give it to them and became an enemy of the brotherhood. He then reassembled the team in order to take down the Bratva. Anatole was prepared for Oliver and the team and took hostages in order to get the drugs they needed. This forced the team to split up. Spartan, Dinah and Wild Dog were on hostage duty while Oliver took on the Bratva and Anatole by himself. After freeing the hostages, Oliver sounded the alarms and forced everyone out of the building.

Oliver and the team returned to a newly restored arrowcave, minus Oliver’s Green Arrow suit. He then had a brief meeting with Anatole before the Bratva left Star City. In that meeting he told Anatole that he is no better than Gregor. Anatole then went on to say he became who he had to become in order to keep the Bratva together and himself alive. Sounds vaguely familiar to Oliver’s reasoning behind his crusade in the very first season.

Oliver returned to the arrowcave and Felicity informs the team that they have video of Chase as Prometheus. The team immediately brought it to SCPD and they attempted to round up Chase. Unfortunately he killed his federal details and escaped before he could be brought into custody by SCPD.

NEXT WEEK:

Diggle and Oliver attempt to get Felicity out of Helix but she isn’t going down without a fight. Felicity believes her involvement with Helix is the only chance they have at capturing Chase aka Prometheus.

Suggested Articles:

Adrian Chase’s True Identity Revealed – ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Checkmate”

Prometheus Unmasked! – ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Fighting Fire With Fire”

The post Felicity dives deeper into Helix – ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Disbanded” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

SERIOUSLY DON’T DO IT!

Now that that’s out of the way…. PROMETHEUS IS DISTRICT ATTORNEY ADRIAN CHASE!

Yes, you read that right. Good ‘ole D.A. Chase. The snake in the grass that no one saw coming and whom everyone believed was Vigilante. Props to the writer’s on this epic character reveal. It will definitely go down in the books.

The question remains, who is Vigilante then and why does he have a bone to pick with Oliver? He is obviously good with tech as his visor runs facial recognition software. Is it Tommy? A former Bratva member? A member of Helix (the group that gave Felicity the Pandora files)? Or someone we haven’t even met yet?

The team was close to closing in on the Vigilante thanks to Curtis’s tech. He created some metal balls that can attack and defend against other assailants. Unfortunately he got away. Felicity also used her own weapon in this episode; the Pandora files. The files were used to dig information on Collins who was the deciding vote on determining whether or not Oliver would be impeached. Oliver tells Thea not to use the information she got on Collins from Felicity. He warns her that fighting fire with fire is bound to get her burned.

Diggle then warns Felicity about using Pandora. That it is a dangerous weapon. Felicity lost all her empathy when Billy died and is in danger of going down a dark and dangerous path. Diggle tries to warn her about the consequences of doing so but she clearly doesn’t care. Felicity meets up with Kojo once more and officially joins Helix. What trouble is she going to get herself into and just how much havoc is she going to wreak upon those within the Pandora files?

Speaking of wreaking havoc, Prometheus forced Oliver to do one of three things:

1. Throw Adrian Chase under the bus for the cover up of Billy’s murder
2. Get impeached from office via throwing himself under the bus
3. Throw The Green Arrow under the bus and make him Public Enemy #1 in order to stay in office

Oliver chose the latter and blamed his alter ego for the murder of Billy Malone. Thus making his work as a vigilante that much harder. However, Prometheus’s game is just beginning. Adrian kidnaps Susan Williams, Oliver’s sort-of-still girlfriend, and tortures her.

Other happenings this episode:

• Thea resigns from office and leaves to work on herself before she gets any worse
• Oliver is still mayor
• Oliver saves Anatole and brings information on Kovar to the Bratva
• Paul hands Curtis divorce papers

NEXT WEEK:

Talia Al Ghul returns and tells Oliver that Prometheus is Adrian Chase

Adrian kidnaps Susan and tortures her. What is his endgame?

Suggested Articles:

Liza Warner, China White & Cupid Team Up – ‘Arrow’ Recap: “The Sin Eater

‘Arrow’ Recap: “Bratva”

The post Prometheus Unmasked! – ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Fighting Fire With Fire” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Last week’s episode of Arrow showed us Bratva in 2017 and 2012. We start off in 2012 where Talia and Oliver are having a little target practice on low level drug dealers. She tells Oliver the man who embraces the dark is never without sight.

Back in Star City Quentin returns and sets up an interview with Susan Williams to address his absence and his stint in rehab. Diggle is then released from prison after he was exonerated. Unfortunately Walker also released himself from prison. He and his team broke out of custody and stole a nuke to sell to the Russians. This then forced the team, including Dinah, to take off to Russia. Well, all of the team except Rene who is babysitting Quentin. Rene and Quentin practice interview questions. Quentin gets fired up after Rene mentions his late daughter Laurel, leaves and tells Rene to be gone by the time he gets back.

When the team arrives in Russia Oliver is not welcomed by Anatole; he is greeted with a fist to the face. A member of Bratva and former brother of Oliver’s, Alexi Lenov was killed by Slade because of Oliver. He broke his oath and is told to go home by Anatole.

Later on in the episode Oliver meets with Anatole to make amends. Anatole still owes him for killing Gregor. Oliver asks for Anatole’s help. He offers if Oliver will help him. Oliver refuses and so does Anatole.

Felicity with her new found courage and knowledge (Pandora Files) ropes Curtis and Rory into going under cover as Bratva to get a location on Walker and the nuke. Rory tells Felicity that he is worried about her and that she needs to use that powerful information wisely. As Uncle Ben once said “with great power comes great responsibility”.

The team finds Walker and Oliver, Diggle and Dinah go after him. Oliver and Diggle are ambushed by Walker and his men. Dinah saves them by using her powers and they take a man hostage. They torture him to get information on the buy. Diggle goes rogue and beats Walker’s man to a pulp without getting information from him. Oliver is then forced to take Anatole up on his offer in order to gain his help with Walker.

The episode then jumps back to 2012 where Oliver goes after the man who sold drugs to Thea in Starling City years ago. He kills all the dealers.

Jumping back to 2017 Dinah reminds Oliver that he has more to offer than his past mistakes. Oliver tells Felicity and Diggle that they need to remain good. Anatole arrives with information on the buy. The team goes on the move again.

Ragman and Dinah use their powers to neutralize Walker and his men and take back the nuke. The Bratva orders them to drop their weapons. Unfortunately the team discovers the bomb wasn’t in the van and that it is in a hanger and armed. Felicity has to shut it down or she will have another Haven Rock situation on her hands. Rory realizes the bomb can’t be disarmed so he wraps his rags and himself around the bomb to absorb the shock. He survives the blast and saves the day.

Diggle has Walker at gunpoint but he lets him live so that he can face trial.

The team celebrates Russian style with Bratva. Dinah becomes Anatole’s favorite American (sorry Diggle) because she can hold her vodka. Anatole then tells Oliver that his oath to Bratva is for life. It isn’t temporary.

The episode then jumps back to 2012 Russia again. This time Anatole is in a hospital bed after being beaten to a pulp because he questioned Gregor about his loyalty. Oliver offers to kill Gregor for him.

The team returns to Star City and Oliver finally seals the deal with Susan. Quentin also has his interview with Susan and all goes well because Rene told her to go easy on him. He told her a story of when Quentin told him he could be more than a thug when he was a kid and caught him tagging a building.

When Rory gets back to Star City his rags no longer work; they got destroyed in the blast. Therefore he decides to leave for now and asks Felicity to let the team know.

Felicity receives a text from Kojo and confirms that she plans to continue with Pandora. What trouble will she get herself into? Will she be able to get out of it? Who else is in those Pandora files?

Susan “The Snake” Williams is still looking into Oliver’s past in Russia. She is beginning to piece together that Oliver is The Green Arrow. What does this mean for their relationship? More importantly, what will she do with that information?

Next Week:

The team needs to change their approach to save the city.

Suggested Articles:

A Second Chance For Black Canary – ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Second Chances”

Laurel Lance Returns – ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Who Are You?”

‘Arrow’ Recap: “What We Leave Behind”

The post ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Bratva” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

As we saw in last week’s episode of ‘Arrow’, Wild Dog (Rene) is being tortured by Church and the team is having difficulty locating him. However, Oliver is optimistic that they will find Rene in this week’s episode, “Human Target”.

The Green Arrow and crew kick off the episode by picking up some human targets of their own, specifically street thugs, in order to find Church. While Church tortures Rene he reveals his reason behind coming to Star City. He needs the city’s water access in order to build his drug empire. Unfortunately Rene also gives Church a bit of information. He tells him The Green Arrow’s true identity; Oliver Queen. Moments later Oliver comes to his rescue and Rene comes clean.

Back at the arrow-cave Diggle calls in a friend with a “unique skillset” to help Oliver deal with Church. Diggle also tries to talk to Rene about what happened when he was being tortured to see if he remembers anything that can help the team figure out what Church is up to. At first Rene doesn’t remember anything but Diggle tells Rene about when his brother tortured, which in turn gets Rene to open up. We finally learn why he was dishonorably discharged; He beat a P.O.W. to get answers.

Diggle helps Rene go back to when he was captured to help unlock repressed memories. He is able to remember Church mentioning a meeting with the head of crime lords from other cities at private airstrip outside Penny Town. Church is looking to create the largest drug empire on the east coast.

Mayor Oliver Queen also got into some hot water with a councilman. He was trying to convince him to vote yes on re-zoning to create lower income homes. The councilman won’t budge due to Queen Industries and the city building sky rises instead of low-income homes in the past. Later in “Human Target” Oliver discovers the real reason behind is no vote; the councilman wants the land for himself as he has investors interested in the land. Oliver manages to get the councilman on his side by the end of episode. Mayor Queen also convinces Susan Williams to give him 1 month without bad press in order to earn her trust and work to fix Star City. He then gets her number.

I don’t think this potential relationship will last long as Susan is already digging for dirt on Mayor Queen the minute she leaves his office. A source of hers, Ian, gives her dirt on Oliver’s past. He uncovers a photo of him from 5 years ago in Russia when he was supposed to be on the island.

We also got to see Oliver in Russia in this episode. Oliver meets the head of Bratva, Viktor and is threatened by him. Viktor tells Oliver he isn’t really Bratva and he will never truly be Bratva. He then attempts to have Oliver killed in an alley way by luring him with a young woman who seemed to be in danger. Oliver is saved by Christopher Chance who was hired by Anatole.

Back in Star City Church makes his move on Mayor Queen. He hires a man to take him out. Turns out that man was being impersonated by the guy Diggle was talking about; The Human Target aka Christopher Chance. The same man who saved him in Russia 5 years before.

Oliver fakes his death in order to get Church to move forward with his plan in order to figure out what he has planned.

The team then figures out Church’s plan and heads out to break up the party. Spartan (Diggle) rejoins the team and so does Wild Dog. At the airstrip Wild Dog goes after Church again and loses him after an RPG goes off. Ragman and Artemis are about to be taken out by the archer Church hired but they are saved by Chance who was in disguise as a thug.

Oliver finds Church inside an air hanger and takes him on mono-e-mono. After beating Church up, he tells Oliver about Prometheus and his quest to end Oliver. Mayor Queen returns to the podium and civilization after Church and crew are captured and the rezoning for lower income housing passes. However, in route to prison the transport van Church is in is attacked. Prometheus comes for him and Church gives him The Green Arrow’s real name in hopes of having his life spared. Prometheus thanks him for the information and then kills him. That escalated quickly.

“Human Target” also showed some trouble in paradise for Billy and Felicity. Billy tells Felicity he took a job at the ACU and asks if Oliver knows about the two of them. She lies and says he does. This comes back to bite her when Chance accidentally lets Oliver know about Billy and Felicity. Oops. Oliver later confronts Felicity about her relationship with Billy and the fact that she hid it from him. Did she avoid telling him because there is a chance she still wants to be with Oliver?

Next Week:

Prometheus tries to bait Oliver killing people to send him a message. He is saying Oliver is the serial killer. Who is this guy and why does he hate Oliver so much?

Suggested Articles:

‘Arrow’ Recap: “Penance”

‘Arrow’ Recap: “A Matter of Trust”

Arrow Season 5 Premiere Recap: “Legacy” *SPOILERS*

The post ‘Arrow’ Recap: “Human Target” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Arrow — “Legacy” — Image AR501a_0060b — Pictured: Prometheus — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Season 5 of Arrow premiered last night [Wednesday October 5^th]. “Legacy” showed us the many faces of Oliver Queen: Oliver Queen as the Green Arrow, Oliver Queen as Star City’s Mayor and Oliver Queen as an assassin in Russia. We’ll start off discussing Oliver Queen as the Green Arrow.

Star City is being run by a solo Green Arrow, armed with new arrows, specifically a bomb decoder or computer and a parachute. There are also new emerging vigilantes trying to help our hooded hero, however Mr. Queen doesn’t want to create a new Team Arrow. He believes Thea and Diggle will come back.

Later in the episode Oliver must come to terms with the fact that Team Arrow is no more. Luckily for Oliver, Felicity has been looking into the new vigilantes popping up all over the city. She convinces Oliver to recruit and train them after Curtis is attacked by two thugs doing re-con. Curtis also demands to join Team Arrow to which Oliver agrees.

This couldn’t come at a better time as a new sharp shooter has just arrived in Star City. Meet Prometheus (not related to the DC Comic characters, this is Arrow’s own original character). Prometheus has an axe to grind with Oliver and will be stirring up some trouble in Star City for the vigilante. The question remains who is this villain and what did Oliver do to piss him off? As season 5 is tied to season 1, could this be a character we have seen before or could this be Mr. Kover? The man Oliver is seeking in Russia.

“Legacy” gave us another look into Oliver’s past. This time he is in Russia in some sort of fight club, killing for sport. On the hunt for a Mr. Kover, Oliver kills a man during a fight and is captured by Bratva. Thankfully an old friend and member of Bratva, Anatole, comes to Oliver’s aid and stops him from being killed. Oliver is then brought into another fight by Anatole and begins his initiation into Bratva. That is if he survives the 7-on-1 match.

Mayor Oliver Queen also did some bidding in this episode. He called out SCPD for being corrupt during their gala and said he was hesitant about setting up an Anti-Crime Initiative (a task force of sorts) within the department because of it. Now that Captain Lance no longer runs the unit, corruption and crime within in the force has increased significantly. Fortunately Captain Lance makes his return to Star City in time to see his daughter’s, Laurel “The Black Canary” Lance, commemorative statue. However, he is in no shape to run the department or anything else for that matter. Lance has once again fallen off the wagon after Donna Smoak left him. Oliver does convince Lance to come to the ceremony but it is quickly cut short thanks to Tobias Church and crew; they open fire at the service and take Oliver hostage in hopes to drag out the Green Arrow. If they only knew they had him in their possession already.

Oliver insults Church and gets himself isolated from the group. An SCPD officer takes him to a separate room and punches him in the face a few times. Oliver warns the officer about the dangers of hitting him again. The officer laughs as he believes the mayor to be zipped tied to the chair. Oliver shows the officer his now free hands and proceeds to kill the officer in order to keep his secret. Thea aka Speedy briefly comes out of retirement to help her brother only to arrive when he is killing the SCPD officer. Needless to say she was not pleased.

The duo escape and come back to where Oliver was held in order to rescue the other hostages taken by Church. This time Oliver has back up in the form of Speedy and 4 brave and loyal SCPD officers, hand selected by Detective Malone; a man Lance knows is squeaky clean, he doesn’t even double park, and trust worthy. After successfully saving the hostages and escaping before the building blew up, Oliver announces the start of the ACI, which is to be led by Detective Malone.

Church also gathers all of Star City’s criminals for a meeting, asking them to assemble and work together as one under one chain of command, presumably him. However, it seems like his reign of this team won’t last too long, especially with Prometheus in town. It won’t be long before he comes knocking on their door.

Other exciting things “Legacy” brought us:

We finally learned what Laurel made Oliver promise: “Please don’t let me be the last canary, that way a part of me will always be out there with you.” AWWWWW!!!!!!!

Felicity has a new man, ACI team member Officer Benton.

New CG which looks amazing and really added to the episode overall.

Next Week:

Training day for the new recruits

Suggested Articles:

The Flash Season 3 Premiere Recap: “Flashpoint” *SPOILERS*

The CW picks up ‘The Lost Boys’ Series

‘The Flash’ and ‘Supergirl’ Musical Crossover Event

The post Arrow Season 5 Premiere Recap: “Legacy” *SPOILERS* appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.