Kapiushon

Arrow is my favorite show. Season 5 is my favorite season. Season 5 Episode 17 is my favorite episode..

I have never, not ever in this show or any other seen anything I've seen in this episode.. a bottle episode. Every single line, executed perfectly. Every frame, every second of sound perfectly accounted for and displayed.

To say that this is the best episode of the show is an understatement. I have rewatched this show so many times to the point where I have lost count, but still, this episode - on every rewatch gets to me. It gets to me deep and makes me feel something.

The acting displayed in this episode, not just in any one particular scene but throughout, especially by Stephen Amell, was beyond perfect. Beyond anything I have ever seen.

I loved so much everything that was put into the episode, the psychology, the incredible twists, everything was remarkable and this particular episode, is the highlight of the whole show.

I love it so much when they tie the flashbacks to the present, this was taken to a whole new level in season 5. But in this particular episode, that very concept made this episode what it is. Every single thing had some significance and I loved every second of it.

The ending sound, the one that plays right before end credits gave me goosebumps, it's the most intense I have ever heard it in any episode, and it's incredibly fitting for the episode.

Overall, 10/10 acting, themes, execution. I am afraid that I will never feel the way I did when I first saw this episode again with another episode, because this episode is one of a kind.

There are a few staples in every season of Arrow. For one, they have to include at least one flashback heavy episode. As much as the flashbacks have annoyed me over the past few years, building an entire episode around what's going on Russia wasn't the safest bet. The other staple for Arrow is having Oliver spend an entire night strapped or cuffed up shirtless. Most of the time, those two staples go hand in hand. The ladder is a bit goofy, but seriously, Arrow has done this several times over the course of the show.

Is anyone not enjoying Josh Segarra's performance this season? He continues to prove himself as one of the best villains this show has had. I love the calm intensity he brings. It's as close to the next Slade Wilson as we may ever get. So Oliver spent the majority of the episode under Prometheus' control, in a cell, tortured, and beaten to near death. We've seen the season's big bad break Oliver emotionally and physically before, but there's something to be said about Adrian Chase/Prometheus' different approach. Maybe it doesn't feel as personal as when Slade Wilson took over in season 2, but Chase is far more manipulative and maybe even more effective.

As far as the flashbacks go, they continue to just be minutes filling up the runtime of the episode. It's not that they are poorly acted, directed, or written, it's just that they aren't interesting. I can't say I've ever had my eyes glued to the screen when it flashes back to Oliver's time in Russia. However, Oliver made some progress tonight, killing Kovar, becoming an official Bratva captain, and seemingly moving on from Russia altogether. That is, until none other than Malcom Merlyn helped bring Kovar "back to life". Sure, I'd like to see Dolph Lundgren come back for a few more episodes of mumbling words and smiling like a pure lunatic, his death felt necessary tonight. But I guess they have something else planned for the flashbacks. Hopefully he goes back to the island sooner rather than later. Even seeing Oliver suit up isn't enough to save the flashbacks.

It was an eventful episode. We saw the return of Malcom, Kovar, and Artemis. Which by the way just made me hate her character even more (though it was clever on Chase's part). But more importantly, this was the episode where Oliver broke. We've seen him "retire" before, but it felt different this time. I hardly believe he'll hang up the cape and hood at the end of the season for good, but Oliver certainly is learning a new lesson this time around. I said this last season but could he go back to being a loner vigilante by season's end (which would mirror the flashbacks)? Either way, I've never been more excited but also perplexed as to the direction for the rest of the season.

+Chase v Queen

+Breaking point

+Lesson learned

-Flashbacks still aren't all that interesting

8.6/10

I could not finish watching this episode and stopped watching the series. If in the initial seasons the main character was portrayed as a heroic character with a dark past and mental trauma, then in season 5 a psychopath and a monster arose. However, traits of moral deformity also appeared in other "positive" characters. I have no desire to look at this feast of violence and meanness. Showrunners, you should be ashamed!

Since the season 02 of this show, i began to believe this show is gonna get bad day by day when i started to watch season 03, they messed it up really well and continued to do it in season 04. But looks like they realized it by the dropping rating of the show, so they planned to make a come back and it was depicted in very first episode of the season 05. Story was going well, action sequence was also good and more realistic. Specially seeing Oliver Queen in the green hood. Adrian Chase is the guy, a real actor. On the other hand, Stephen Amell continues to grow. This episode was a blaster, i never felt so much tension in one episode before as i am a permanent watcher of this show since season 01. Everything was fully intensified, story, action, emotions, acting. Definitely one of the best titles of this show.

This series is just downhill. Boring, meaningless and derivative.