Don’t read if you haven’t seen the episode

Christmas season is just around the corner in Starling City. Oliver is trying to put things back to normal by hosting a Christmas Party in Queen’s Mansion after learning that the Moira, Thea and Walter ceased to celebrate it after Oliver and Robert’s disappearance 5 years back.

In the Meanwhile, an archer is terrorizing the city killing people on the list starting with Adam Hunt. Detective Lance is hot on the trail and is not convinced that the vigilante that they call the “hood” is behind the killing. First the arrows used in the killing are not consistent with the arrows used by their vigilante.

Oliver enlisted Detective Lance’s help by acquiring illegally the arrows found in the crime scene. Reluctant at first, the good detective gave the arrows and Oliver started his search. Using one of Queen Consolidated’s employees, Felicity Smoke, Oliver discovered that the Arrow was purchased in bulk and was shipped to a warehouse in Starling City.

Flashback shows a glimpse of Oliver’s past in the Island. Oliver has been trapped in their Cave and has run out of food and water. His saviour Yao Fei has brought him food and water and has brought Oliver’s captor, Edward Fyers. Fyers was caught by Yao Fei and Oliver immediately started to attack him. Yao Fei interfered and suggested that Oliver take his life but that would also mean that he would have to forfeit his chance to escape the island. Later it was revealed that Fyers was captured willingly to setup a trap for Yao Fei. Yao Fei was then captured by Fyers men with the help of Deathstroke. Oliver was able to escape and the flashback ended.

Back to Starling City, the new archer has lead Oliver to trap using hostages as bait. Oliver was shot twice at the back and was about to get his identity revealed but eventually Oliver got the upper hand and was able to knock his opponent out.

Oliver was able to escape with the help of John Diggle. Oliver has awakened in a hospital bed and Diggle provided an Alibi that he was caught in a motorcycle accident. It is then revealed that the masked archer is Malcolm Merlyn. Also in this episode, Walter has discovered more than he should when he found the Moira’s notebook with the list of people who are part of the secret organization that Oliver is targeting. He was drugged and kidnapped. Moira then talks to Malcolm and the later guaranteed that he won’t be harmed and that in six months, their plans would have been finished.

It makes a lot more sense that Malcolm Merlyn is the Merlyn in the Comic books. In the comics, Merlyn is older than Oliver and was his mentor turned arch nemesis. I just hope that they don’t copy the Spiderman plot were the Green Goblin was originally Norman Osborn and later became his son, Harry Osborn. The Show still keeps on coming up with answers but gives us more questions. It has been a great season so far. I hope that they don’t dwell on the Tommy Laurel plot as it seems like it is taking too much air time not unless their building up something that would eventually end the Tommy and Oliver friendship. I am glad the Thea rambling is bearable in this episode. I would want to see more of John Diggle using his ex-military skills into good use in the future episodes.

We have to wait a little longer for the next episode. Arrow’s next episode entitled “Burned” would air on January 16, 2013