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.

Everyone in the arrow-verse is seeking penance. Oliver for all the people he has killed, Felicity for all the people she blew up, Lance for his alcoholism, Diggle for killing his brother… the list goes on and on. This week’s episode of ‘Arrow’ taught us a great lesson. We have to keep the guilt from our past mistakes from swallowing us up in whatever way we can.

Oliver has made a lot of mistakes and a lot of tough choices along the way. “Penance” revealed Oliver’s third and final test in his initiation to Bratva. Oliver gets himself put in a Russian prison for the night in order to get information on Constantine from Pyotr Friedkin. After threatening Friedkin’s family he is able to get the information he needs. Friedkin asks him to kill him shortly after. Oliver completes the deed and is finally initiated into Bratva. “[with Russian accent] Welcome to Bratva Oliver.”

Back in Star City Oliver goes to talk to Rory who hasn’t shown up for training since Felicity told him the truth about Havenrock. Rory tells Oliver that he has to leave the team. He understands what Felicity did wasn’t her fault but he can’t bare the constant reminder. Later on in “Penance” Felicity talks to Rory and it still results in the same conclusion. He won’t come back to the team. Therefore, Felicity must make a tough call and sends the team after Church when Oliver goes rogue to save Diggle.

Church stole a device and rigged to blow up the evidence vault. He and his crew then take ceased weapons and then proceed to obliterate the vault. The DA and Lance escape with their lives all while Oliver and the team are brawling. They thought they could stop Oliver from breaking out Diggle. That was their first mistake. Rule one, do not get in Oliver’s way.

Oliver then steals a molecular device from palmer tech and with the help of Lyla heads to the military prison where Diggle is being held. Unfortunately the mission does not goes as planned and Lyla tells Oliver to abort the mission. Mr. Queen is having none of that and attacks a guard in order to get all the prisoners returned to their cells. He then uses the anti-molecular device to break Diggle out of prison. However the two run into trouble when they reach the extraction point but that doesn’t stop them. Harness + Lyla flying a military plane = mission success.

Back in Star City Church is at ACU (Anti-Crime Unit) headquarters trying to take out every person in the building. Felicity makes another difficult call and sends the team in after him. Lucky for her Rory comes back and helps the team goes after church.

At ACU headquarters the team blows up the building to save the ACU members. Rory uses himself as a shield and absorbs the blast. Curtis is stabbed in the back and Wild Dog takes on Church to allow the team to get to safety. Church and crew takes him hostage as Quentin saves the rest of the team. They are forced to leave Wild Dog behind.

Back at the arrow-cave Felicity can’t find Wild Dog using her tracking system. Unbeknownst to her he is being tortured for information in a warehouse. Rory calms her down and tells her that they will find him. He also promises to help keep the guilt from this and Havenrock from swallowing her up if she promises to do the same for him.

Next Week:

The team sets off to find Wild Dog.

Church learns that Oliver is The Green Arrow.

Mayor Oliver Queen is shot.

Another enemy arises.

Suggested Articles:

‘Arrow’ Recap: “A Matter of Trust”

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

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