Arrow: Season Finale Hanging Questions

I can't lie, black really looks cool

                  First off, the fight scenes in this episode were both fluid and flawless as always! I'm sure I'm not the only one who got a "series finale" vibe from Arrow's season 3 finale but worry not! Arrow shall return for season 4 and it's going to be a sort of mini reboot. In other words, a dark chapter in Oliver's life has ended and a new somewhat lighter chapter will begin with Oliver becoming "Green Arrow". Don't worry the show title won't change. That being said there are some hanging questions and thoughts I have...

Making Malcolm the new Sith Lord? For shame, Oliver

Don't do Spartacus on me, dude

           First thought: Ra's al Ghul has to stop being so cool (and a little hot; wait, what? shut up)! Matt Nable played the Assassin king to perfection and I'm happy to hear that he's had talks about returning in the future. Flash backs maybe? Oliver killed Ra's who had no hard feelings but I bet he's turning in his grave right now after Malcolm Merlyn took his place instead of Oliver. Of course it was a technicality which makes Malcolm even more slippery and backstabbing. I was surprised that Nyssa didn't try to kill him right then and there but she grew up with tradition. That doesn't mean she's going to quietly follow Merlyn. She promises openly if not bluntly that she will take revenge on him for killing Sarah (who won't stay dead because she's going to be White Canary in the new spin off Legends of Tomorrow). Not sure how this will effect our heroes next season but having the twisted Malcolm in charge of an army of assassins won't be good. 

Destination: Paradise

         
         Surprised I held it in for so long but: YAY! Oliver and Felicity finally got a chance to drive off into the sunset together. I have mixed feelings about that because as I've said before it had a series finale feel to it but I know Oliver isn't done saving people yet. There are still some obstacles for him and Felicity too: there are hints that Oliver has a son out there. He ran into his unknown baby mama in Central City where they had a short awkward chat about the weather then parted ways. If the marriage thing won't slow them down, a son Oliver never knew he had definitely will. I'm not sure Felicity will leave Oliver anyway. She's completely committed to him despite all that he's done to hurt her (not on purpose but you know). What couple doesn't have challenges?

You'd think marrying my daughter, getting my title & my
magic hot tub would be enough for you

Wow, Arsenal got thinner... and curvier...

         As predicted Thea has dawned the hood and Roy's outfit is surprisingly well fitting. Speedy has risen and with Black Canary, Starling City still has a few masks to watch over it. Captain Lance allowed for a cease fire. I loved it when he called Felicity to warn her that Oliver was in the sniper's line of sight. However, I don't think he's ever going to fully be okay with our heroes patrolling the city again. Not sure if he'll out Laurel because if there's one thing consistent with Quinton is that he's more dad than cop so protecting Laurel is a priority despite their falling out. Seems that Lance has fallen off the wagon and that could be a bridge worth building again between him and Laurel. Then there's Diggle and Ray Palmer...

No time to nap, guys! The city needs saving!

         Diggle and Oliver didn't necessarily make up but there was enough forgiveness in their good bye. Diggle was happy Oliver and Felicity were getting a happy ending but Diggle is still pissed about what Oliver did to Lyla. Completely understandable. And like Laurel and Thea, John Diggle isn't done playing hero but where before he wasn't into the whole leather mask thing he may be changing his mind. Not sure what hero costume he's going to wear but it'll be interesting to see. Let's not forget Ray Palmer either. Perfect send off for him for the CW's new spin off Legends of Tomorrow, introducing Ray's new shrinking powers. I suspect a back door pilot somewhere in either Arrow or The Flash in the future. Legends of Tomorrow is supposed to premiere in 2016 but you can view the teaser trailer on YouTube on The CW's channel. 

Remember to water that fern & practice your archery skills 

           The darker chapter of Oliver's life as the Arrow has come to a close with Oliver saying: "I'm happy." Yet his story is far from over. Now we get ready for his new alter ego the Green Arrow. Though in the beginning of the season I don't think Oliver will return so quickly but that's okay. Felicity and Oliver deserve a vacation. Oliver is ready to allow himself to be happy and let others help him with his crusade. 

And then he ripped off her helmet and passionately kissed her...
Oh wait that's what SHOULD'VE happened but it didn't

Defiance: Amanda's Dark Side

She's the Dark Horse you never saw coming

             Haven't written a Defiance blog in a while so I feel I'm due. Over the course of season 2, things got really heated. More so we got to know Amanda a little better and while I see she's a noble character like all great heroines she has a darkness that may lead her down a dangerous path.

Amanda is Head Bitch in Charge... ALWAYS

         In Season 2, Amanda was demoted from Mayor to Madam. I feel that she fit the role pretty well. Amanda is a person who feels more at home in a position of authority and leadership even when she doubts herself. She's also not a very judgmental person. Her sister, Kenya, was a Madam and that didn't seem to hurt Amanda's political career. Probably because being in such a remote area where survival is more important, people don't tend to throw stones. They're all just trying to make it. So becoming a Madam wasn't really a bad thing for Amanda. I think she sort of blossomed in the role...

Come on, it's chamomile... we could also
braid each other's hair

       As I've said, you won't find too many judgmental people in Defiance but in political office it's more cut throat than inside the fight tents. In office, Amanda had to be more conscious of her decisions especially because she had a tenuous position not being fully elected mayor. Amanda had to be extra careful so getting involved with a guy like Nolan wasn't really in the cards for her at the time (despite the fact that they both felt something for each other). Yet in season 2, Amanda didn't have to worry about that anymore so she pursued a relationship with Nolan. It was fun while it lasted but Nolan and Amanda are too much alike. They're both closed off people who protect their fragile hearts (albeit in different ways). So once there was an opportunity, Amanda shut Nolan out. Nolan being Nolan he didn't pursue the issue and let things end. What idiots, right? But I have a feeling they're not entirely finished yet. But onto Amanda's darkness...

At least she told Nolan the truth... only after telling Pottinger

       I completely understand Amanda's shutting out Nolan. It all starts with her abandonment issues where during a fire fight, her mother left her and Kenya to fend for themselves so Amanda had to step up (hence her comfort in being in leadership roles). This self reliance mixed with fears of being deserted by someone who was supposed to love and protect her helped her and Kenya survive. But then Amanda met Connor. Maybe she finally found someone who would stand by her, however that was basically destroyed when she was raped at work one night and got pregnant as a result. Confessing about a rape when in politics was not an option also Amanda reacted like most strong women do when abused: she felt like she had to take care of the problem herself. This was another traumatic event in Amanda's life that I think brought back that moment of abandonment and maybe she felt Connor would do the same so she never told him the truth. The only constant in Amanda's life was Kenya...

Guys always come crawling back to Amanda

        When it came to Kenya, Amanda was always ready to fight and protect her. When Kenya went missing Amanda took care of the Need/Want so sure she would come back. Though she did have a terrible feeling that Kenya was dead. Amanda was just in denial. The denial may have lead to her drug use (there may have been other factors as well). This denial was so strong Amanda was willing to accept a Frankenstein echo of her sister. When Stahma told Amanda that this Kenya was an imposter, Amanda became all scary threatening Stahma with violence if she ever told anyone else this. Then there was that scene where Amanda was begging fake Kenya to stay and play house. Of course this lead to physical injury. Then Amanda was really at a crossroads when she learned that Stahma killed Kenya (You know, Pottinger, maybe you should stick to diamonds, just sayin'). Amanda may have not pulled the trigger but that doesn't mean she won't seek some form of revenge.    

How many more graves are we gonna dig?

        I'm hoping in season 3 we see more of Amanda's dark side come out (and that she unleashes that darkness on Pottinger when she finds out he played her). She's a complex character and seeing her get her hands a little dirty seems like the next step for her. I also see that Amanda is a resilient character. She managed to kick her drug habit and despite the satisfaction she may have gotten from killing Stahma, getting rid of the senior Tarrs would have opened a power vacuum in the drug game leaving open to someone even worse. She cares too much about Defiance to put it through a drug war. If Amanda did declare war on Stahma I doubt Alak would stay out of it. Christi especially. She already hates the E-Rep for destroying her family and Amanda essentially works for them. Come to think of it I wouldn't mind seeing Christi take a more active role in the Tarr family business. You declare war on someone be prepared to face the entire clan, blood or otherwise. Let's see how Amanda handles new challenges in season 3.

The Messengers: "Drums of War" Review

Raise a glass...

                     Sorry this is late but been reeling a bit from the CW's quick cancelation of The Messengers. It feels like it was axed before it was really out of the gate but the show must go on as we will see the rest of the season. 

Still not entirely on board are you?

      Horseman, Horseman, who's the Horseman?

             This time Vera helps her fellow Messengers since they're down an angel but still manages to put a  damper on everyone's spirits with her skepticism. Rose basically tells Vera to "screw off" with all of her science. So the Messengers spilt up for strategic reasons this time: Raul, Erin, and Vera go to the summit, Joshua goes to his sister to try and sort out his vision, and Rose goes to try and help get Peter out of prison. Let's start with Peter's not so fun time in Oz (you know the one I mean)...

Sorry I'm the Hulk angel, the one you're looking for
is Rose Stone...

   Prison Break...

            The Devil is everywhere! He can get in anywhere too but I feel it's more because of his roguish grin and sexy accent. If Satan's you're attorney it's either a good thing or a bad thing, but in this case it's a really bad thing as Satan tries to keep Peter in prison. We get more into Peter's background this episode and he's your typical teenager with angst and emotional issues. But more than that we see Peter has felt unwanted and alone for most of his life. Every time he finds someone to connect with it falls a part and he's alone again. The Devil pushed Peter to contemplate suicide. Given what Peter was facing I don't blame him. Thankfully Rose made Peter realize that he wasn't alone and he won't be abandoned this time; all he needs to do is be willing to fight for it. Peter managed to control his anger against another bully (who pretended not to be able to speak English until he was begging for his life) and walk away. 

Super flirty road trip. Eyes on the road, Raul!

    HorseMan Roulette...

       Erin and Raul were super flirty this episode. It's obvious there's something between them but whether or not they'll act on those feelings is unclear. They're both not in a great place right now to start anything romantic. Vera had to deal with a stalker all day: her work colleague and friend, Alan. Vera seems to me a very independent person, not willing to let anyone help her easily. Yet if she could manage working with complete strangers she can allow a long time friend into her heart by sharing something personal. Vera finally told Alan that she had a son and now Alan can be a better asset for the Messengers. Back to finding the Horseman though...

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I can't read your mind
at the moment so fill me in..."

         Probably my favorite part of the Devil in "Drums of War" was in the elevator with the Senator's aide. Diogo Morgado is fantastic as the Devil. I loved it when the aide claimed that the Devil wasn't the first evil monster he faced in Washington. Satan's response: "And they all work for me." Ambiguous but sounds about right. In the elevator Diogo's Devil was cynical, snarky but also had no concept of personal space and despite his casual air, Satan is a cold son of a bitch that has no patience for those who hesitate. The perfect devil!

If anyone needed to relax it's Bible Thumper

     Make Amends

           Joshua had to sort out his visions. Needless to say out of the Messengers, Joshua is the one with daddy issues. Also he had a drug problem. ("Retreat" is code for "Rehab".) However, instead of going to daddy, Joshua decided to reconnect with his estranged gay sister who happens to be a shrink. I thought this was really touching. It shows that Joshua isn't prejudice, just a bit of a coward when it comes to arguing with his domineering father when it comes to these subjects. Yet Joshua is showing real courage and feels it's time to stop caring what his father thinks and as a result Joshua was able to dig deeper into his vision just in time. 

Maybe she should be getting a restraining order

     Coming Together

           The Messengers managed to come together and stop an assassination but failed to stop the Senator from becoming the Horseman of War. Bright side they did save the Prime Minister and stop a war. Peter is on the road to becoming more emotionally healthy and mature. He even contacts his foster parents to tell them as much. Peter isn't the only one repairing bridges, Raul sets up a little memorial for Nadia's father. Seems like Nadia is starting to forgive her uncle a bit though I worry about that blog she's working on. 

Sorry your dad died... wanna watch cartoons?

         Some final thoughts, who the hell is that homeless lady and why does she have all of that information on the Messengers (don't have to wonder how entirely given that she can get most of these items out of trash)? And is she keeping score? For now it seems that the Messengers are tied with Satan but who knows how long that will last.  

            

              

The Messengers: Path to Paradise Review

Crashing a funeral. Why couldn't it have been a wedding?

               I always say that the third episode is the best because the third episode really hooks me and something happens that changes the whole story. Something new in the that you have to see through: having a crater with a man's imprint in it in a government facility is a pretty tantalizing hook! Also that rock making things bloom or turn to dust. Let's talk about "Path To Paradise". 

I prefer his dark sexy brown eyes

      Guns, Drug Lords, & Explosions!

             Raul's entire story line felt like it was right out of an action movie... minus the happy ending. Turns out Raul and his brother Cezare were drug dealers, Raul was sleeping with his brother's wife, and in exchange for becoming an under cover agent Raul and Cezare's criminal records would be wiped clean. So Raul's no saint but he has some nobility. Wish he used that nobility to help his fellow angels. It's hard to judge Raul too harshly for choosing family over the Stop Armageddon mission. However, he left himself wide open for Satan to play him like a fiddle. Raul was so consumed with saving his brother that he failed in the end because he allowed the Devil to take advantage. And when Raul was at his lowest, he sees The Man walking through fire and realizes his horrible mistake. He just told the Devil everything about his Messenger buddies so now the Devil has some leverage over them. Don't worry, Raul, the Devil is a slippery character, anyone would have been fooled. Raul came back repentant, really broken up over his brother and his own betrayal of the Messengers. I wanted to give him a hug! Or Erin should have given him a healing hug. 

Where did they get those scarves?

     Off to the Races!

             Raul was MIA along with Vera who (even after she saw their wings in the mirror) refuses to get on the train to the Apocalypse. So the mission is left with Josh, Rose, Peter, and Erin along with her little helper, Amy. Wasn't surprised that Josh was bubbling with excitement and curiosity over their gifts though he wished he had something better than visions. Hey I would choose being the Rosetta Stone over having seizures. Putting their heads together they managed to pick out 2 possible Horsemen. Thankfully they had a teenager who's pretty savvy with Googling.

Shaking hands with Satan

       Raul would have come in handy but he was busy being an action hero. Josh was all gun ho especially at the funeral. I can't tell if it's his insecurities and anger with his father that's causing this eagerness or if it's his Evangelist instincts. Probably a little of both. Plus side on the "Who's the Horseman", even the Devil has no idea. He may have been smiling while shaking hands but he was just as clueless. Let the race begin!

No your soul has to jump out of your body THEN
you can go through stuff

         Believing is Seeing

                We finally got to see Vera's gift! Her gift is her soul can travel outside her body, going through walls, and no one can see or hear her. Unfortunately her body needs to watched because it's basically a corpse until she jumps back in. Not only that but we meet Vera' baby daddy whom she thought was a self centered ass but turned out he dumped her to spare her the painful burden of his Huntington's Disease. And guess what? It's hereditary. So Michael may or may not have it in which case if Vera finds him she has that to worry about added to the burden on whether or not to tell Leo about their son. 

Anyone would love to be called Raul's girlfriend!

        On top of that, their rock was stolen by some government spook. The rock does some interesting trick. Surrounded by good energy, things blossom and grow, but surround it with bad energy then everything around it rots into dust. Good Intentions= Pretty flowers; Bad Intentions= Rotten apples. So the government does have a role in all of this but how? Do they know what they're dealing with? Given the name Project Genesis I doubt it can be good. Sounds bad. End of the world bad!  

No husbands (or ex-lovers) at the strip club!

          Some closing points: Vera is finally a believer (or just a curious scientist), Raul is back with the team, and Peter has been picked up by the Po-Po! Never follow a mysterious, beautiful voice away from your friends. Just when they all get back together another one of their team is out of play... for now at least. How will the Messengers get Super Peter out of this mess? 

Arrow: Will Thea Dawn the Hood?

Everyone looks cool in black

         So another Arrow wedding on the way though this one does not involve a happy couple (Arrow is taking heavy story lines from Batman). While Oliver is off getting hitched and being brainwashed I noticed in the last episode that Thea was hinting that she wanted to join Team Arrow and her weapon of choice? Bow and arrow of course! So does this mean Thea Queen is going to take up her brother's crusade?

Normal people spend the morning with coffee

          Thea has grown so much these past few seasons. It's been a dark often dangerous and heart breaking road but fortitude runs in the family. Like Oliver, Thea has shown the ability to pick herself up and recover. Oliver tried his best to keep Thea as his little sister but she's full grown and it took 3 seasons before Oliver finally decided to let go (just a little) and tell Thea his biggest secret. It turned out to be a great relief for Thea and has brought them closer. I was a bit worried with Thea fawning over Malcolm and calling him "dad" but once she found out what he did she kicked him to the curb. Knew she would. Glad she did. Thea Queen is a warrior princess for sure but being the Arrow requires a harder exterior.

With what money did Oliver buy popcorn?

          Thea's first real kill was Sarah Lance and she doesn't even remember! Malcolm drugged Thea and got her to slay the Black Canary. Yet Thea hasn't gone fully dark thanks to Oliver. She hasn't been in many situations where she had to kill (on an island in hell). Thea wanted Malcolm dead but even I know that if she went through with allowing her father to be killed it would have really messed her up. What's she going to do when lives are at risk? Would she aim for the heart or the shoulder? Oliver hasn't killed in a while up until the Count which was okay because Felicity was in danger. Still he's taken quite a few lives. Oliver even does torture and he's also well versed in strategy but that's because he's had years of training and had to survive. Criminals fear the Arrow for his often brutal (very Batman) tactics (also the dark voice helps). Given that Oliver has a team he can let up on that but before he had to be a force for the underworld to fear. Can Thea become that?

Okay so Oliver has joined the dark side with Darth Vador

          I admit that I like the idea of Thea becoming a more active part of Team Arrow. She's pretty handy with a bow and arrow and looks good in that black hood of hers. She even lowered her voice a bit to sell it. Thea will need to train harder to gain her brother's mad skills but I feel like she can do it. Last we left her Felicity told her that Roy was alive and well (they should really keep Thea in the loop) and gave the option to run off and be with him. Thea hadn't said yes or no so we're left hanging until the next episode. So will Thea become the new Arrow of Starling City or run off with Roy for a happy ending?

The Originals: Devil's Deal with the Devil

An unholy alliance!

                      Quite a revelation on Monday. Turns out every first witch of Dahlia and Esther's family has an enormous amount of juice but with 100% guarantee of going to crazy town (Freya did seem unbalanced). Hope is especially vulnerable because she's not only a witch but she's going to have the vampire hunger with the werewolf temperament. The girl is a time bomb! But would Klaus really kill Hayley?

Just a hazardous hike through the bayou

             I want to point out first of all that Jackson's plan to run away with Hayley and the baby was doomed from the start. I understand a bit why he wanted this plan to work. Hayley's a hybrid now but unlike Klaus she can't reproduce so Hope is the only baby he can share with her. But a huge part is that Jackson's a good guy who wants to do the right thing. However, Klaus would never give up Hope so easily and she isn't an ordinary baby. Forget the fact that she's a Mikaelson, she's the first of her kind. If what Dahlia says is true then when Hope becomes a teenager she'll be a hurricane of flame especially with all of those hormones. She'd kill Jackson and Hayley, not on purpose but she won't be able to control her magic. Jackson is treating Hope like a wolf when she's so much more than that. But maybe Klaus should tell Hayley what Dahlia told him!

Karma, bitch!

             We know Hayley is very protective of her daughter. Their daughter is what bonds her and Klaus together. We've seen them come together as much when it came to Hope's safety. So much so that Hayley became one of the family. A Mikaelson. When Klaus said Jackson wasn't "One of us" I assume he meant that Hayley was one of them. He also told Hayley that he trusted her more than she knew. I have a hard time believing that he would just flat out kill her. He could tell her about what Dahlia said and convince her this is for Hope's own good. However, like Klaus, Hayley is fierce when it comes to protecting Hope. She more than likely wouldn't believe anything Dahlia said and wouldn't give Hope up for anything. 

It's gonna be a blood bath

           Klaus seems to be returning to his old ways. By that I mean holding on fast to family members and causing bloody mayhem to keep them in his orbit. Klaus has displayed a destructive love for his daughter. When Hope gets older this could drive a wedge between them. Even worse when she finds out that her father murdered her mother. Killing Hayley could cost Klaus more than he realizes. Is trusting Dahlia really for Hope's benefit or does Klaus just not want to lose his daughter? Most likely yes to both questions. Though I hope Klaus doesn't kill Hayley all the same. I've grown to love her and I would feel the show would be killing off a great character. 

           

The Messengers: Strange Magic Review

I know he's the Devil and all but what would I give
to be wrapped in those arms

                   Getting excited every time Friday rolls around now that The Messengers is on The CW. Perfect to hold me over until Dominion in July. So let's discuss last week's episode "Strange Magic".

You're crazy town banana pants, lady, and I should have
smothered you with a pillow... err I mean...Crap

        Doubting Vera

                Everyone... well almost everyone was wondering if anything Rose was saying was true. Vera was very vocal about how insane this all sounded. Everyone else was like: "What? Seriously? Maybe..." Joshua needed no further convincing, yet through out the whole episode Vera kept giving rational explanations for the crazy stuff happening. What did you expect she's an atheist? "You're all crazy" and you were just about to smother a coma patient, Vera so who's really the crazy one? But someone has to be rational I suppose and she has reason to doubt God given that she lost her child a few years back. Something as horrible as that would make anyone cynical. 

Rule 1 when on the run: NO HOSPITALS!

          I have to say I could feel some sparks between Vera and Josh. Most of it debating belief but you know what they say about opposites attracting. These two seem less obvious than Raul and Erin anyway. I'm guessing Erin has a thing for the rough, bad boys (who doesn't?). Vera doubts right up to the end until she sees their wings reflected in the mirror. Explain that, Vera! (Group hallucination...? Not very likely!)

First murder didn't work out so onto the second!

         The Man With No Name

                  Technically he does have a name. Rose called him Satan. Isn't he already in hell? We may discuss that in another blog. Another question: where is The Man getting his clothes? Do we have to start a missing persons hotline if he's in town? At least Vera's reluctance to murder somebody allowed Rose to wake up just in time to give the Devil the stink eye and tell him to "f*$k off" in Enochian (I'm guessing). So there's a slight kink in the Man's plan, but he regroups and instead decides to murder someone else to set things in motion. Who better than a wounded vet who was having an awesome day until he got challenged to a game of chess then lost... and then the Man threw that huge wad of cash into the garbage. WHY?! As someone who's in debt that hurts me the most! On top of that the vet gets hit by a bus! And so falls the first domino...

So where's Charlie...?

          Out of all the Dive Bars in All the World...

                You can fight it all you want but fate worked it's ass off the whole day to get our angels back together. Raul went to see some relatives. I guess he's the baby of the family because it looks like Uncle Raul is the same age as his niece Nadia who blames him for breaking up her family (would love to get into that story later on). Of course this was all before Raul beat up a police officer for Erin so she wouldn't get arrested for "kidnapping" (I put that in quotes because I'm all for her protecting her little girl). Amy wasn't the only one who noticed some heat going on between Mom and the new guy (by the way are we sure Amy isn't some sort of prophet or even the 7th angel we have yet to find?). Peter meanwhile was literally following the signs. He basically just walked the whole day being directed by well placed, ominously worded signs. And just like that they all end up in the same bar... It's beginning to get more interesting.

This is the most dangerous game of hide and seek
ever, Uncle Raul...

           I'm hoping Fate is kind to this show and the TV gods grant it big ratings because I'm really liking it's originality and morality content. I like programs that challenge their viewers. This Friday we meet the Horseman of War and the more I see the military stone walling Vera and her partner the more I suspect they're going to be more involved in the future as they start the Apocalypse with something nuclear. 

Can't we keep him, Mommy?