Especially this particular version of Slade who is less "only slightly above peak human but has off the charts combat prowess in terms of pure skill" and more "still has that same combat prowess, or nearly so, and can punch through concrete and take small arms fire without feeling it".
Not sure which 'version' of Slade you are referring to in that former one? Comic book Slade has been shown to be fairly on with, if not superior to, Arrow Slade.
And Aquaman can knock Superman around. In fact, I'm pretty sure that Smallville's Season 1-10 cast has about 5-6 members who could one-shot Arrow's cast, in a deathmatch. I just don't think it's fair to suggest Arrow is lacking in depth as far as a cast.
Especially this particular version of Slade who is less "only slightly above peak human but has off the charts combat prowess in terms of pure skill" and more "still has that same combat prowess, or nearly so, and can punch through concrete and take small arms fire without feeling it".Not sure which 'version' of Slade you are referring to in that former one? Comic book Slade has been shown to be fairly on with, if not superior to, Arrow Slade.
And Aquaman can knock Superman around. In fact, I'm pretty sure that Smallville's Season 1-10 cast has about 5-6 members who could one-shot Arrow's cast, in a deathmatch. I just don't think it's fair to suggest Arrow is lacking in depth as far as a cast.
I never remarked upon Aquaman's strength. My insinuation was simply that Deathstroke would be annoyed if you were comparing him to someone most famous for being able to talk to fish.
Not really interested in a true "versus" argument, I was just joking around.
Aquaman's only lame if you go by the Super Friends' 70s version of him. All the other incarnations are pretty hardcore...oh wait...
Not really interested in a true "versus" argument...
...
Not cool, dude. You can't do that to me.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I am not a dude. Perhaps that's why I'm not really interested, versus arguments tend to resemble member-measuring debates and I've not got one. ;)
Not sure which 'version' of Slade you are referring to in that former one? Comic book Slade has been shown to be fairly on with, if not superior to, Arrow Slade.
I'll admit, I'm not a big comic reader, so 90% of my experience with Slade comes from the various cartoons, games, and TV shows, and the description I've heard/read online on stuff like the DC wiki ("these enhancements make Deathstroke an enhanced human, not superhuman").
Which all bears out that he's an incredibly skilled BAMF, but on the superhuman scale he barely pings. He has the DC equivalent of the super soldier serum Captain America has, which basically makes you above an Olympic athlete in all areas, as well as making you somewhat smarter (much smarter in his case, with the "90% of your brain" bull) and enhancing your senses, but doesn't make you bulletproof (he's shown being able to HEAL FROM many injuries, but not just take a gunshot round to the chest and have it go *PLING*) or ridiculously strong.
So that's the base I was working from for comparison.
Now I can't imagine Slade without an australian accent.
"That's not a knife..."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I do wish Arrow had a theme song. All Superheroes should have a theme song. Duhn duhn dun dun dun dun duhn duhn! Doesn't cut it. Maybe we should write one.
Hey! It's the Arrow! (Arrow!)
His enemies he's gonna harrow! (Arrow!)
His shafts are not made of bendy yarrow! (Arrow!)
He doesn't look at all like Mia Farrow! (Arrow!)
Heeyyyyyyy, it's the Arrow!
No?
Anyway.
LAST NIGHT. That was pretty damn intense. Yay the Lance Sisters! Yay Felicity and the van! Yay Felicity and Ollie pep talk! Aawwww Kate Spencer (maybe there is a reason Laurel is dressed in Manhunter colors). Boooo lousy anticlimatic Blood and Ravager scene. Yay the clocktower! Yay John Barrowman! HOLY CRAP WHAT WAS THAT the ending!
Come on, you just KNOW they're pulling the ol'
That's my hope.
I don't know, he noticed the other guy who was behind him very quickly, he didn't seem to be aware of a threat this time.
That said, whether Thea shot him or not, I am pretty sure he is not dead. His armor is pretty protective, and he's LOA-trained. They didn't bring Malcolm Merlyn back from the dead for him to die off screen over a cliffhanger.
"You're out of arrows."
"You're not."
Loved it.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
|
I do wish Arrow had a theme song. All Superheroes should have a theme song. Duhn duhn dun dun dun dun duhn duhn! Doesn't cut it. Maybe we should write one.
Amusing aside. In "To another shore" Green Arrow sings his own theme music at one point.
And Wonder Woman reads from my favorite poem!
OK carry on
Arrow doesn't even have a theme song. Smallville had Erica Durance... too... :P :P :P
Not in the second season, it didn't. :) That was 4th, which is where I thought it started to pick up and get interesting.
Going to have to watch the episode when I get back from work so I can open up all those spoiler tags...
Okay, from the preview of the finale:
He doesn't in the comics, currently, either.
On other stuff...
Here are my predictions for the finale (subject to revision as I see fit):
Contrary to popular opinion, Sara does NOT die. She MAY leave with the League of Assassins.
Quentin MIGHT die.
No core member of Team Arrow will die.
I'm inclined to say Slade will not die, or he will not die by Oliver's hand at least. On this one I could be wrong but somehow I feel like they are going to make the end to his arc more complex than that.
There's a 50/50 chance Isabel will be killed or cured (to live on to become the Queen).
Merlyn is most certainly not dead. Thea will still end up following him at some point.
I'd buy that, Fallen Mage.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
OK, so I have a nitpicky question about last weeks episode, with the appropriate spoiler tags attached:
Also, is it possible that Blood is still alive? Yes he was run through with two swords, but sometimes swords are fatal (Moira) and sometimes they aren't (Ollie).
I just realized that both Mayoral candidates were killed by swords. I also just realized that the lame duck period for mayors in Starling City is extremely short, if only a week or so passed between episodes. ;)
TarSpartan:
Blood was shown earlier in the season as being reasonably stealthy. Between Slade presuming Blood's loyalty (Slade is smart but I think he is also impressed by his own capabilities enough and assumed Blood would be too intimidated by him to betray him), and Blood's own capabilities, he just managed to sneak off long enough. I also need to rewatch, but I thought I recalled Slade instructing SOMEONE to take the cure somewhere to do something with it, so he wouldn't immediately notice it was not where it was supposed to be.
Blood is pretty tough (and I actually expected more of a bang of a fight with Isabel than the whimper we got) so he could be alive, but I doubt it. They paused to show the body and the wounds in a comic-book-tv show kind of way to go "see, we are showing the body, he is dead."
I also just realized that the lame duck period for mayors in Starling City is extremely short, if only a week or so passed between episodes. ;)
This is a bit of a handwave, but my sense is the mayoral election was happening at all because of course the old one was dead. The newly elected mayor becomes sworn in as the interim mayor until the official beginning of the term.
In my city, our mayor got convicted of a crime and was ousted. The city council president in this case became interim mayor, until we had our normal election and term beginnings. If we extend this to Starling City... probably the head of the council of Aldermen was interim mayor, and doubtless Blood, as an alderman himself, had schmoozed/threatened the head alderman to let him become interim/official mayor as soon as he was elected.
I do wish Arrow had a theme song. All Superheroes should have a theme song. Duhn duhn dun dun dun dun duhn duhn! Doesn't cut it. Maybe we should write one.
Hey! It's the Arrow! (Arrow!)
His enemies he's gonna harrow! (Arrow!)
His shafts are not made of bendy yarrow! (Arrow!)
He doesn't look at all like Mia Farrow! (Arrow!)Heeyyyyyyy, it's the Arrow!
No?
I can't not hear this every time I see an ad for the show. And I don't even WATCH the show.
TarSpartan:
** spoiler omitted **
Do you live in Charlotte?
Do you live in Charlotte?TarSpartan:
** spoiler omitted **
Nope.
FWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
That was some fun TV watching. Worth getting up at 6 AM to watch.
And wow, I think I actually hit most of my predictions.
Contrary to popular opinion, Sara does NOT die. She MAY leave with the League of Assassins.
Yes, and she did leave with the LOA. Bizarrely chirpily, in fact (pun originally unintended, but left once realized).
Quentin MIGHT die.
That is exactly as it is apparently. It ends with uncertainty. I was actually wondering why he seemed unharmed by all of his encounters with the bad guys. Internal injuries, yech.
No core member of Team Arrow will die.
Indeed.
I'm inclined to say Slade will not die, or he will not die by Oliver's hand at least. On this one I could be wrong but somehow I feel like they are going to make the end to his arc more complex than that.
And yes indeed. I liked what happened. And I think Fallen_Mage's prediction is going to come true. My only sadness is he isn't in the other facility to be tormented by Harley Quinn.
There's a 50/50 chance Isabel will be killed or cured (to live on to become the Queen).
Well, that was a wishy washy "prediction" so no points for that. I'm almost disappointed Nyssa killed her, cool as it was. I feel like Ollie, Dig, or Felicity deserved the kill shot on that. I actually WOULD have liked her to survive to become the Queen, and keep Ollie away from Queen Consolidated.
Merlyn is most certainly not dead. Thea will still end up following him at some point.
And yes, indeed. I also liked that it was just plain old kevlar that protected Malcolm.
And I could see Roy was just pushing Thea away without his realizing it.
And her saying, "I thought I could be Thea Queen" indicates she is going to decide to no longer be Thea Queen. I think she's going to start going by her middle name, which is also her mother's maiden name, Dearden.... and maybe (less likely but still) even change that first name to swap the "Th" with an "M" for Merlyn.....
Other thoughts......
I loved Felicity throughout this episode. She really, really shone in many ways, and I love that she got that hit in on Deathstroke. The "Olicity" tension is interesting... but it seems like the acknowledgement is they really do care for each other and aren't going to go there because they know it would complicate things. Plus I like to think Felicity has enough self-respect not to get into a relationship with Oliver, who, let's face it, is a whore. What I'm getting at is stuff like... he and she both I think admitted that they have cared for each other deeply... even while, say, Ollie was banging Sara in the Foundry. She does not need to get involved with that hot mess.
I'm alright with Sara leaving with the LOA, which I kind of expected. She never had any name other than "Canary" and I think she may go the route, ultimately, of the White Canary (though never be so psycho-b*$+* crazy). I do wish they had time to show her with Nyssa, talking to her, see really why she was okay going back to her, especially since she seemed downright happy to leave by the end. They are the ones with the relationship, however messed up it might be, but we don't really see that in this episode. I know some of that was simply that she felt empowered to make the choice. I'm sure we'll get to see her again next season and maybe some of that will get filled out a bit though.
Ollie honestly bored me a bit until the very end...I love that he finally saw the way to punish Slade, to "win" -- to make Slade realize that all he's done is push Ollie to be the hero he is. I felt proud of him by the end.
Slade, on the other hand, just felt more and more pathetic to me. I realized this whole thing wasn't even about Ollie, it was about Slade's anger at himself for not admitting his feelings for Shado before it was too late. And that's just some pathetic BS right there. I say this in part because I'm exactly the kind of person who is awful at admitting my feelings for someone, and blaming that failing on anyone else but yourself is just pathetic. In the end, I saw Slade as a sad, loveless coward.... badass, surely, but anybody can learn to beat people up. He's got no heart or soul worth being interested in. (Compare to, say, Merlyn, who I think has some more interesting complexities and has the balls to own his insanity.)
Thea and Merlyn played out more or less as I expected. I was kind of sad with both him and the LOA in town that there wasn't a showdown there, but I realize there was no time for that. Wished it could have been acknowledged in some way.... maybe even at the end, Nyssa being like, "Oh, we're leaving some men here, as Merlyn was spotted, kthnxbai," leaving Team Arrow with a Duhn-duhn-duhn.
Poor Quentin. Poor Laurel. Poor Quentin. I think he's kinda dead. Maybe not. Interested either way where that will take Laurel. Sara did literally pass her mantle (well, jacket), if not figuratively. Laurel has a way to go before serious kicking of butt though--her bit of self defense and firearms skills doesn't quite cut it yet. She was wearing red and gray all before in the episode and I really thought with Kate Spencer dying, Laurel might go the route of Manhunter. Dinah Laurel Lance as Manhunter is an Elseworld story I'd definitely follow. But now I'm not sure what they plan with her. If Lance dies, it'd be interesting to see her become a PI (as Larry Lance became in the comics)... which would be an unexpected twist that could still take her the eventual route of becoming a heroic vigilante.
Oh dear, I must go to work. Perhaps I'll babble more later.
I'll be honest I wasn't super impressed with this episode due to some nagging problems but it was by no means bad.
"Oh by the way your ex-wife's pregnant" was the major moment that had me going "Seriously WTF was your point in saying that at THAT EXACT MOMENT and what have you done with the real Amanda Waller?" and soured the mood for a bit. And I wasn't a huge fan that Conservation of Ninjutsu was firmly in play when it came to the min-Slade army.
Whiny Slade made me disappoint as well.
But good things:
-Thea actually shot Merlyn. Sure, it didn't work, but she got brownie points from me for actually pulling the trigger. Twice, no less.
-Olicity went nowhere, THANK GOD. Setting aside my feelings on Felicidiggle being OTP, Oliver and Felicity are terrible for each other and it would have come out of left field in this episode had it not been a cunning ruse (which I thankfully figured out pretty quick once I engaged my brain instead of going "What!?! NOOOOOOOO" and improved the episode considerably for me in the intervening space).
-Despite the sad mess of the mini-Slades getting mowed down like your garden variety mook, the BoA team-up was cool beans.
-Really, to sum up, 90% of this episode was great but the other 10% brought it down for me a bit.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I largely agree on most of your points, Rynjin, but I think the blow-away good moments for me balanced out the disappointing ones.
I am 100% certain at this point there is a real Amanda Waller played by CCH Pounder, and Robot!Supermodel Amanda Waller is the one we see; R!SAW has enough AI to operate on her own independently, but once real Amanda has time to notice she's off her game, she'll reprogram the decoy so it'll operate better.
I agree the pregnancy is really super random. If for no other reason than it would strike me a super-pro warrior-spy type like Lyla would be on several forms of birth control, if not actually have her tubes tied, not to mention both of them seem to have the sense and foresight to be the types to think to use a condom. I know, I know, condoms don't exist on television, but really. I know realistically birth control doesn't reduce chances of impregnation to 0 but still. Obviously they're working more on Diggle's story and they're giving him a stake to fight for (why can't he just fight for, I don't know, himself and his principles? Jesus, people.).
I also agree it was lame that Waller was the one who blew the "surprise." So Lyla told Waller but not Dig? Or is Waller just omniscient?
And at this point, I think it's safe to say Waller knows everything (though R!SAW doesn't have the processing power to effectively act on that information...), and is also everywhere at once (if Flashbacks 2.0 will be any indication).
Also if the Flash trailer is to be believed Ollie's going to be swinging through the city like Spider-Bat-Man next season, which is neat I suppose.
I haven't been reading comics regularly for several years, so I have to ask a potentially ignorant question...
Is A.R.G.U.S. DC Comics' answer to S.H.I.E.L.D.?
I don't remember that organization at all back when I was reading DC books regularly back in the '80s and '90s.
The only thing I know about ARGUS comes from the Justice League cartoon, where it was basically created (or adapted?) as a last line of defense in case the JL ever went rogue. So not really the same thing as SHIELD in general mission parameters, since they didn't really do anything BESIDES monitor the JL, but in the way it worked and its methods? Pretty similar.
Now I don't know how this lines up with the comics so I could be way off.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
|
Last night's episode was fun, I liked seeing the team working at top efficiency, and having time to deal with some non-villian issues.
I wasn't expecting things to come crashing down so quickly with the bombshell at the end of the episode. I thought they'd wait until episode 2 or 3 for that.
** spoiler omitted **
What reason would there be for doing so?
Plus the archer there looked kinda like Thea in posture and whatnot.
|
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
|
** spoiler omitted **
I watched that scene a few times, and I can't even see an archer, much less spot any details of posture.
|
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
|
** spoiler omitted **I watched that scene a few times, and I can't even see an archer, much less spot any details of posture.
I'm pretty sure he's referring to the scenes from next week, where an archer is shown, but considering how the scenes from next week almost always try to misdirect you, I'm guessing whoever that archer was, it's not the same one from the premere.
** spoiler omitted **I watched that scene a few times, and I can't even see an archer, much less spot any details of posture.
Hm, guess it was in the previews.
I stand by my theory though.
Because they come on immediately after the show. I'm sorry (?) I don't scramble to immediately shut off my TV when the episode ends, I guess.
Wait no I'm not
On the upside of the trajedy, Laurel is now free to take up the mantle of the Black Canary.
Here's how I see it go down. Distraught over the loss of Sara, she decides to go to a gym (instead of turning to drugs), and meets Wildcat (did anyone notice the name at the boxing match?), from there she begins training up. Now as far as gaining the sonic devices, she'll either find Sara's equipment or Team Arrow is going to help develop some.
That's my theory.