Last season, Arrow became one of my favorite shows on television. It had an exceptional sophomore season packed with momentum and thrills, and I'm optimistic that season three will take the show to even greater heights. While "The Calm" wasn't a mindblowing season premiere, its shocking ending most certainly elevated the stakes in a brilliant manner.





I always liked Sara, but I recognize how important it is to the narrative to have her killed off. If Laurel is to become the Black Canary this season, the previous heroine needs to bite the dust, and I'm fine with that. Sara's death opens up some fantastic story possibilities, not the least of which include tracking down her killer (Thea perhaps?). Whatever the resolution, I have to commend the show for crafting one heck of a harrowing death sequence. I've already watched it several times, and its impact is still astounding.  There's a beautiful contrast between the lightness of Sara and Laurel's final encounter, before transitioning to Sara getting riddled with arrows and dropping off the roof before her sister's feet. Katie Cassidy was phenomenal in those final moments, and her gut-wrenching cries gave me chills and made for a powerful ending that I won't soon forget. 


Sadly, the rest of the premiere wasn't nearly as riveting. For most of the hour, The Calm was busy staging a brand new status quo, which naturally now includes Olicity. I know I'm in the minority here but I would much prefer to see Oliver with Laurel pair up in the end. Nevertheless, the fandom's deafening cries have finally been answered, and I'll admit that Olicity's first date (and all the banter that preceded it) was spot-on. While that RPG might have spoiled the mood, I'm curious to see how the pair's dynamic will be handled going forward, particularly with the addition of the surprisingly charismatic Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer. I was pleasantly taken aback by Routh's likeability, and I think I'm going to start rooting for Palmer and Felicity to hook up very soon. 




It's also worth mentioning that Arrow's newest Vertigo is played by none other than Peter Stormare of Prison Break fame. Stormare has always possessed a sinister presence, and his charisma serves the role well. Unfortunately, much like the show has done in the past, the villain-of-the-week didn't really amount to much with the actor barely getting more than ten minutes of screentime. Here's hoping he makes a return appearance soon because it would be a pity to waste the actor's menacing talent.


The one good thing Vertigo did manage to do was enlighten us on Oliver's personal journey this season.  As the premiere so explicitly states, "a man can not live by two names", and Oliver will struggle to balance both sides of his persona. Thankfully, the new Hong Kong flashbacks will give us a much-needed break from the island shenanigans, and the twist with the Japanese couple's safety being threatened (to ensure Ollie's cooperation) is a genius one. 




As for the rest of the cast, Roy's superhero alter-ego finally appeared and it's worth noting that Arsenal looks like a real badass in that red suit. It was pretty great to see Team Arrow kick ass together throughout the episode (that flip above the truck was especially thrilling). In the vein of season two, Diggle didn't get much to do, but I have a feeling that fatherhood is going to open up some intriguing possibilities for the character, particularly after he shockingly agreed with Ollie about stepping aside at the end. I seriously doubt he'll stay out of the action after Sara's brutal murder.