“Spectre of the Gun” is about as close as Arrow has ever gotten to a self-contained episode. It had no shortage of moments to remember.
Note: Need a refresher? We have a recap of the latest Arrow.
Yet again, Arrow kept Prometheus out of the spotlight. The Big Bad only came up one time this week, during a throwaway scene in which we learn that his mother joined witness protection and lives somewhere in Illinois, of all places. Season 5 has been an unusually slow burn, but that just makes us more anxious for the final showdown.
Besides, “Spectre of the Gun” was by no means uneventful. Here are three moments that caught our attention:
A potential rift
Arrow — “Spectre of the Gun” — Image AR513a_0083b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Josh Segarra as Adrian Chase, Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, Willa Holland as Thea Queen, and Rick Gonzalez as Rene Ramirez — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Back from their respective trips, Oliver and Thea catch up at the mayor’s office. Thea expresses blunt disapproval of her brother’s relationship with Susan Williams (“People talk, and some people vomit a little”), and we nod in solidarity. She also raises an eyebrow at Quentin’s decision to hire Rene as his assistant. Somehow, the Queen administration still seems preferable to the current real-life American government.
Adrian shares a different concern about Susan. He asks if Oliver could persuade her to back off Detective Malone’s murder. “I’m not comfortable leveraging a personal relationship for political gain,” Oliver responds, which is a little fishy considering his relationship with Susan started as a political ploy. But when Adrian points out that exploiting relationships is sort of what politicians do, Oliver admits that he still has doubts about their decision to cover up Billy’s death.
A hail of gunfire interrupts the conversation, but it hints at the tension between Oliver and Adrian that will no doubt evolve into a more serious conflict. Their alliance has always been somewhat uneasy – and not just because neither knows that the other secretly moonlights as a vigilante.
Oliver talks to the press
Willa Holland, Stephen Amell, and Paul Blackthorne in Arrow season 5, screenshot courtesy of The CW
In the wake of the shooting, Oliver holds a press conference. Predictably, it doesn’t go well. He begins with an obligatory statement about keeping the injured and the loved ones of the dead in “our thoughts and prayers” and bringing the culprit to justice.
When the questions come, however, he falters. One reporter mentions circulating rumors that the shooting served as retaliation for the city’s refusal to enact gun safety laws. Oliver declines to comment on Edlund’s motives, though he acknowledges that the shooter was “clearly disturbed.” To queries about his position on gun control, he equivocates, saying that “it’s complicated” and he wants to “look at all sides of the issue.”
To be fair, the problem isn’t a lack of preparation; Oliver’s answers are diplomatic at least, even if diplomacy isn’t generally what people crave after a tragedy. His evasiveness stems more from his dual identities and the incongruity between them. After all, as he tells Thea and Quentin, how can he profess to oppose violence when he’s so entrenched in it? We are finally seeing Oliver question the purpose and effectiveness of his crusade. Star City remains as anarchic as ever; at a certain point, idealism starts to look more like delusion.
Cycle of violence
Cliff Chamberlain and Stephen Amell in Arrow season 5, screenshot courtesy of The CW
After Rene and Curtis discover Edlund’s plans, the team rallies at Starling General to prevent another assault. Oliver’s confrontation with the shooter proceeds more or less how you’d expect. What makes it affecting – aside from the obvious relevance to current events – is its significance for Oliver. We understand how meaningful it is for him to be unmasked and unarmed, and we know his sympathy for Edlund is genuine.
Director Kristin Windell also enriches the scene through clever staging. The above image works on multiple levels. It draws attention to Oliver; he’s in control, looming increasingly larger and eventually blocking out the police behind him. Yet, at the same time, he’s framed inside the gap formed by Edlund’s arm – trapped. Moreover, Windell implicates him in the endless cycle of violence, of self-destruction (the gun is pointing at its bearer’s head). This is as vivid and succinct a snapshot of Oliver’s psychology as any.
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Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.