Shifting Allegiances

...is the fact that Kathleen Gati (Raisa) had more natural facial expressions in those last 5 seconds of the episode than Emily Rickards had during all 6 seasons (and probably the rest) combined.

Fun episode though.

It's safe to say the decision to split Team Arrow into 3 separate divisions is a controversial one. The problem doesn't even necessarily lie with the fact that they are separate, but that they have yet to really capitalize on the story possibilities. So far, Ollie has had an episode on Vertigo, an episode in which he had one scene, and an episode which he was tied up by both Anatoly and Diaz. I'm still waiting for an episode where we actually focus on Ollie suiting up as Green Arrow and not relying at all on outside help.

It also doesn't help that Wild Dog is trying his hardest to make us hate him even more. It's absolutely mind-blowing how much this show has made a 180 on his character. Think about how hard it was to get us to agree to even having a new team last year, and then picture how much the show has worked to throw it all out the window and make him unlikable. His whole arc this episode was uncomfortably painful to watch. Why do I need to hear him say "I don't care" about Oliver breaking up the OTA? Why do we need to have a scene with him at all?

Speaking of the NTA, the whole spiel about them saying "it was always going to come down to us 3", in talking about taking down Diaz, is one of the most laughable lines I have ever heard on this show. And that includes everything Cayden James ever said.

It was nice to see an actual 1v1 scene with Diaz and Oliver, after all, we only have 3 episodes left in the season. But it was beneficial to see a little bit more into what Diaz is all about, and how it doesn't seem like he cares if he cuts corners or not, he just wants to be on top. Ollie clearly kicked his butt, but Diaz didn't mind using some extra curricular objects to defeat him in their fist fight. Whether or not this is just the beginning in a line of solid scenes between the two, we'll have to wait and see.

7.0/10

In past seasons, Oliver has shown much progress in his combat ability facing the likes of Slade Wilson and Ras al ghul. How is it in this episode? When he fights Ricardo Diaz he still loses, even while being stabbed? He face more adversity and worse enemies than a common street thug who happens to be " born in hell", a.k.a. The slums of starling city? I mean, even Damien dark was worse of a threat, and Oliver Queen still managed to beat him. I think this is just plot armor for Ricardo Diaz and his character, but I think that the show should've stuck true to what all the queen actually was able to do.

It was inevitable that Arrow would eventually have to cut the ultra-dark and focused Oliver / Diaz arc's for a lighter, more sporadic chapter. "Shifting Allegiances" mostly captured the hot streak that the show has been on in the past three or four episodes. The return of New Team Arrow was admittedly, not bad at all. Diggle (David Ramsey) and his collaboration with Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) and Curtis (Echo Kellum) worked as they sought to take down Diaz's (Kirk Acevedo) operation in Stary City. René's comeback, while better than expected was odd and underwhelming. His current condition showcases early season six Diggle symptoms, which does not make for compelling drama. The spotlight is really on Oliver (Stephen Amell) and David Nykl's Anatoly. The palpable tension between two former friends was either very upsetting or moving and seems to open doors for a potential reunion. I feel that Katie Cassidy and Paul Blackthorne also should be credited, as their own family feud also has plenty of fine moments. The highlight of it all, was the Oliver / Diaz fight, which while a little awkwardly shot, managed to encapsulate the desperation and the brutality both of them felt. Moreover, the season seems to have established a cool new end game which is very different from any other we've seen. "Shifting Allegiances" is not quite as focused as the past few weeks have been, juggling a character too many again, but its grim twists more than compensate and make for great entertainment .

Oliver works for the Russian cartel in Russia, then tries to work with the Russian mafia in Star City.

Oliver still can't beat the bad guys.

Quentin signs City property over to criminals like it's his own,

Quentin still shelters and protects a murderer (*with Oliver's knowledge!*) because she looks like his dead daughter.

Diggle, and New Team are actually having successful missions against the bad guys, and *they all get along with each other!*

"Arrow" series is upside down, and dead. Start a New Team series, and put Oliver and Quentin in *prison* ...--->> because they're criminals! <<---