The Darhk-ness Spreads in Arrow’s “Blood Debts”

After the events of the mid-season finale, things get dark with Arrow‘s first episode of the new year.

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Spoilers Ahead

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After the attack ordered by Damian Darhk’s on Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak, Smoak is in critical condition at the hospital. It is a very painful image to see the light of Team Arrow on the hospital bed and paralyzed. Smoak’s paralysis via gunshot to the spinal cord is reminiscent to how Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, became paralyzed from the waist down due to being shot in the spine by the Joker. Gordon later found a way to still help Batman with her computer skills and ability to gather information as “The Oracle.” Smoak has been playing this role for Team Arrow so this might be a homage to a Batman character due to Batman v. Superman coming out soon. Despite her paralysis, it’s a relief to see Smoak still say an inappropriate line by accident and see that her condition has not affected her outlook, but the same can not be said for some members of Team Arrow.

Green Arrow was very close to return his old ways of torture and killing people to get to Darhk. luckily, all the Ghosts he attempted to question chose to off themselves. Green Arrow states that the only body he wants to drop is Darhk’s, but had Thea Queen and Laurel Lance not been there during the interrogation, Green Arrow would have tortured and possibly killed Lonnie Machin to get info on Darhk.

John Diggle goes down the same path as well as he willingly beat his own brother to try and obtain information about Darhk. Diggle redeems himself however when he realizes what he did was wrong and comes back to have a heart to heart with his brother. After several episode, Diggle is finally able to make progress with his brother with a game of cards at the end of the episode.

Thea is also showing signs of blood lust again and is tempted to kill Machin multiple times throughout the episode. Fortunately, she was able to control herself but unless she gets a lucky break, Thea will have to kill again.

While the darkness was consuming Team Arrow, Darhk ironically showed that there is some good in him when he lets Green Arrow and the team live for saving his family. Darhk’s wife however was disappointed that Darhk had not killed the Green Arrow right there and then. Looks like being dark runs in the family.

The ending of the episode leaves us with a cliffhanger that will likely last throughout the rest of the season and leaves us asking, “Who died then?” The person is most likely someone close to the Green Arrow, but as for the killer neither Queen or Smoak said Darhk ‘s name. While Darhk is the obvious choice, Arrow is know to have its twists and surprises.

“Blood Debts” was a pretty heavy episode and makes you remember that Arrow is not your typical “the superhero wins every time” type of show. The episode shows that even the heroes have a dark side to them and the villains can have a good side. Unfortunately, we did not get the epic Darhk vs Green Arrow episode we expected, but it looks like not everyone will be alive to see who wins.