Prometheus is in his lair sharpening his sword when Evelyn arrives and says that she brought what he asked for. She gives Prometheus photos and addresses, and Prometheus posts on the wall. Evelyn reminds him that they had a deal that she'd be there when he takes Oliver down, and Prometheus says that he's not going to kill Oliver. He throws a blade into Oliver's photo and says that he's going to make him wish he were dead.
At City Hall, Thea is throwing the mayor's holiday party. Oliver says that their parents would be proud of her. She says that her time in the Dominators' mental reality showed her how lucky she was to be a part of her new family. Susan arrives late and kisses Oliver, and says that she had a deadline to meet before she could come. Thea takes in that Susan is Oliver's date, and Thea goes to get a drink. Once they're alone, Oliver explains that Thea is being protective.
Felicity and Billy are checking the party and Felicity says that she wants her friends to like Billy as much as she does. As they kiss, Curtis and Paul come over and Felicity introduces everyone. Paul thinks that Curtis and Felicity have been working late nights on a startup, and Felicity quickly and awkwardly covers.
At the bunker, Diggle is playing with his son. Rory and Rene are celebrating as best they can, and Rene talks to Diggle about how Diggle had a daughter before Flashpoint. When Rene says that having children around Christmas is the best thing in the world, Diggle wonders if he has children. Before his teammate can answer, Evelyn comes in with gifts: stockings.
At City Hall, Oliver talks about how he rewatched It's a Wonderful Life and it reminded him of how much work they all have to make Star City a safer place. Afterward, Felicity and Susan congratulate Oliver on his speech and Felicity introduces Billy. Curtis says that they're heading out and he thinks things will be okay. Outside, Paul demands to know if Curtis is seeing something. Before he can, Prometheus attacks him with a throwing knife, just missing his throat. Curtis attacks him but Prometheus easily defeats him. when Paul runs over, Prometheus kicks him aside and throws another knife into Curtis' neck. Paul runs to his husband and yells for help.
Later, Curtis wakes up at the hospital and finds Paul at his bedside. Paul asks where he learned to fight, and says that he knows that it was the throwing star killer. Before Curtis can answer, Oliver and Felicity arrive and Paul says who attacked his husband. Felicity asks Paul to give his statement to Billy. Once she and Paul leave, Oliver realizes that Prometheus must know that he's Green Arrow.
Once Billy takes Paul's statement, he tells Felicity that he knows Curtis is Mr. Terrific. He wants Felicity to stay at his place for safety until he tracks down Prometheus. Billy walks off and Oliver comes out to tell Felicity that the doctors found a drug in Curtis's system: dycloseral.
Four Years Ago
Diggle and Oliver meet in the headquarters and Oliver has discovered that there was a TB outbreak in Lamb Valley. Justin Claybourne and his company created dycloseral, and it fights the strain of TB. Claybourne jacked up the price, and Oliver tells Diggle that Claybourne is on Robert's list. Diggle wonders how Oliver will persuade him to stop, and Oliver says that he won't have a choice.
Now
At the bunker, the team is watching the newscast about Prometheus, and Oliver and Felicity arrive. Felicity explains about how Hood killed Claybourne four years ago. Oliver figures that Claybourne is somehow still alive, and Felicity confirms heavy usage of water and power at the old Claybourne manufacturing plant.
The team breaks into the building and Arrow and Spartan spot someone. They split up and a door opens to let Arrow in. he goes in despite Overwatch's warning, and finds an empty room. a phone rings, and a doorway lights up behind it. The door closes and locks behind Arrow, and Prometheus steps out of the shadows. When Arrow fires an arrow at him, Prometheus splits it in half with a throwing knife and the two men attack each other.
Overwatch calls Wild Dog and Artemis, who are heading up the stair well.
Before Prometheus can strike, Wild dog shoots the sword out of his hand. However, Artemis shoots Wild Dog's guns out of his hands. She says that Arrow is a fraud and the city needs to be saved from him. Artemis then fires a flash arrow into the floor, and she and Prometheus split away. Spartan arrives and Diggle tells him that Artemis is working with Prometheus.
Oliver goes to Thea's place to help her pack to move into the bunker. Diggle confirms that Lyla and JJ are at an ARGUS safe house, and Rory wonders what other secret information Evelyn could have told Prometheus about them. Felicity blames herself for not vetting Evelyn enough, and the others assure her that she's not at fault. They find crematorium ashes among the evidence from the plant, but Felicity gets a text from Billy about a Prometheus 911. She tells them to run a DNA test on the ashes and goes to see Billy.
Felicity goes to her loft where Billy is waiting, and he says that he learned that Curtis was injected with dycloseral, manufactured by Claybourne Pharmaceuticals. Felicity says that she knows and they already got everything there. Billy insists that it's his job, but Felicity tells him to stay out of it for her if not for himself. He says that he has to be true to who he is and leaves.
Rory calls Curtis at the hospital and tells him that Evelyn is a traitor. As Curtis hangs up, Paul comes in and hears him talking to Rory. He doesn't believe Curtis' cover story, and demands the truth. Curtis says that he works with Arrow, and Paul doesn't believe him at first. Once he does accept it, he tells Curtis that he needs to stop being a vigilante. Paul says that Curtis can be a vigilante or married to him but not both, and walks out.
Back at the hunker, Felicity checks the DNA sequencer and confirms that the ashes belong to Claybourne.
Four Years Ago
Claybourne is meeting with investors at his plant. The lights go out and Arrow takes out Claybourne's guards. Claybourne insists that it's not his problem, but the Hood says that his days of holding the poor hostage are over. He says that Claybourne has until the next morning to make it right. When Claybourne wonders what happens if he doesn't, the Hood shoots him in the leg.
Now
Billy searches Claybourne's old office and finds a locked box. He opens it and checks the papers inside, and finds a photo of a baby. Someone moves in the shadows, and Billy draws his gun. He sends a copy of the photo to Felicity… and Prometheus attacks him.
At the bunker, Felicity checks the photo and tells the team that Billy didn't reply to her. Oliver figures that Prometheus is leaving a trail for him to follow, and leaves.
Four Years Ago
When Claybourne doesn't lower the price, Oliver does some digging. He tells Diggle that Claybourne created the epidemic, and Diggle warns Oliver that he can't be judge, jury, or executioner. One day his actions might have some unintended consequences, but Oliver isn't convinced.
Now
Adrian calls Oliver in and tells him that Prometheus has abducted Billy. The DA says that they need a shoot-to-kill order, and Oliver reluctantly agrees. Once Adrian leaves, Oliver gets a text from Felicity that she's found something. He goes to the bunker and Felicity says that facial recognition on the baby photo has confirmed that the baby is Claybourne's illegitimate son. There's no record of the boy's name in the court files, but he would be about 30. Diggle tells Oliver that it isn't on him, but Oliver says that it is and points out that Diggle warned him about unintended consequences. He describes how Prometheus made a move that was taught to him by his teacher in Russia, and figures that Prometheus has learned everything that he does. Oliver then tells Felicity that Billy has gone missing and promises to bring him back, and has Diggle bring in Rory and Rene to hit the streets but to not engage.
Later, Arrow meets with Speedy after Diggle tells her what's going on. She says that Robert wouldn't be disappointed in who Oliver has become, and everyone leaves both a good and bad legacy, behind.
Curtis returns to the bunker and says that Rory told him what happened to Billy. He admits that Paul left him, but he has to be true to who he is and isn't giving it up.
Four Years Ago
Oliver visits Felicity and has her get the address of the group that is helping Claybourne design the TB bioweapon. She tracks them down and drops her pen, and Arrow gives it back to her.
Now
Arrow remembers the address and figures that Prometheus is there, and tells Speedy not to tell anyone because he's going to deal with it himself. When he arrives at the office building, Arrow finds two police detectives dead on the floor.
Four Years Ago
The Hood breaks into the building and takes out Claybourne's guards, shooting them down. He follows Claybourne up the escalator, killing more guards, and finally corners the businessman on the roof. Claybourne says that they have to make the city great with business money, and nobody cares about the poor. The Hood shoots him in the chest.
Now
Arrow arrives on the roof and finds Prometheus waiting. He says that it's about more than revenge and attacks Arrow. They swing off the roof into an office below, and Prometheus ducks into the shadows. Arrow goes after him, and Prometheus calls from the shadows and says that he knows everything about him. He boasts about how easy it will be to turn everyone against him by showing them that Arrow is a killer. Arrow sees Prometheus ahead and shoots two arrows into him, and Prometheus falls backward through the glass. There's a speaker on the body's chest, and Arrow removes the mask to reveal that it's Billy with his mouth taped closed.
Back at the bunker, Oliver tells the team that Prometheus staged the whole thing. He admits to Felicity that he killed Billy, and that Prometheus was trying to prove that everyone close to him dies. Oliver realizes that he's right and tells everyone to get as far away from him as they can. Diggle says that they're exactly where they are supposed to be and hug him.
Curtis returns home late and tells Paul that it was a terrible day. He sees Paul's suitcases, and Paul says that he's going to his brother's house. He figures that he's never seen Curtis happier but doesn't want to take him away from that, but can't live with the fact that every time he sees Curtis might be the last.
At the bunker, Diggle gets a call from Lyla saying that something's wrong with JJ.
Olive goes to Susan's apartment and says that he didn't know where else to go. She invites him in and gets him a drink, and Oliver tells her that he was reunited with someone from his past. The person told him that he ruins the lives of everyone he comes into contact with.
Curtis sits at home, crying.
Felicity sits in the loft, looking at Billy's obituary.
Diggle enters the safehouse and finds armed men waiting.
Susan says that everyone's life touches everyone else's and sometimes the result is good and sometimes it's bad. She figures that Oliver is only focusing on the bad, and tells him that shutting people out is the last thing he should do. Susan then kisses him.
Later, Oliver returns to the bunker and finds Laurel there, smiling at him.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 8, 2016