Councilwoman Pollard is leaving City Hall as Vigilante draws a bead on her. Dinah gives her a compstat and sees the reflection off of Vigilante's scope and gets Pollard to cover. An officer is hit, and by the time the police mobilize Vigilante is gone.
When Oliver hears about the report, he tells Rene to give a statement on his he tends to personal business. Once Oliver hangs up, he turns to Slade, who explains that his son Joe changed his name by the name Kane now. Slade tracked him to Calgary and then across the world. Joe joined the Australian Secret Service, and then was caught by locals in Kasnia and serving a life sentence for shipping arms. Slade says that he needs Oliver to help him find his son through diplomacy. However, he refuses to explain what he needs Oliver to do, and says that he has a flight leaving at 2200 for Kasnia.
Thirteen Years Ago: Milford Sound, New Zealand
Slade and his young son Joe are going out in the woods for a camping trip. Joe figures that Slade is always leaving, and Slade claims that he works for Australian Airlines and is always off on business.
Now
At the bunker, Curtis and Felicity identify Vigilante from CCTV and let Dinah know. They're searching the apartment where Vigilante set up, and they figure that he was targeting Pollard. As Diggle and Dinah look over the place, Samanda comes in and asks why Diggle is there. Diggle says that he has relevant experience, and Samanda asks him what type. When he says that he has sniper experience, Samanda points out that she's checking Oliver's background and knows about Diggle's background. She leads him off to talk, telling Dinah that it's a private conversation.
Felicity returns home and finds William working on quadratic equations. He directs Felicity to Oliver's room, where Oliver is packing. Oliver explains where he's going and why, and worries that if he doesn't go then Slade make take a more offensive approach. He insists that he's out, and Felicity points out that he made a promise to Slade as well. She figures that it's about Slade's son, not Slade, and advises Oliver not tell William about Slade. Felicity Oliver assures Oliver that William will understand if he just says that he's helping a friend.
Later, Oliver joins Slade at the airport. Slade thanks him for coming.
Pollard is going about her business while Dinah watches him. She spots Vigilante on a fire escape and opens fire on him. He runs and Dinah uses her sonic scream, shattering his visor and knocking him back. He recovers and removes his visor, revealing that he's her ex-partner Vincent Sobel. When Dinah hesitates, Vincent leaps over a fence and runs off.
Back at the bunker, Dinah tells the team who Vigilante is. She reminds them that he was shot in the head in front her, just as the particle accelerator wave hit. Diggle says that it doesn't change anything and they still have to find him. Diggle found a casing at the first crime scene and it's magnetized, suggesting it was stored in a strong magnetic field. He tells Felicity that he talked with Samanda and pushed back, just as Felicity calls and asks for a meeting with her for an interview.
In Kasnia, Slade takes Oliver to a meeting with a former contact, Nylander. Nylander knows about Slade using Mirakuru, and gives him a file. Slade thanks him for the info and says that he has to find Joe. Nylander tells him that Joe is lucky to have Slade as a father. When Slade points out that Joe wouldn't be imprisoned Slade was his father, Nylander warns him that Joe was sopping around some dangerous people.
Felicity meets with Samanda, who says that Felicity is seeing Oliver. She points out that Felicity is Oliver's alibi for certain nights that Green Arrow was active, and asks if she's ready to testify to the alibis under oath. Curtis texts to say that Dinah has a lead on where Vigilante is making bullets. Felicity claims that she has a coffee date, and Samanda says that he can go.
At their hotel, Slade explains that he set it up so that Oliver came to Kasnia to plead for Joe's release. It's just an opportunity for Oliver to pay them $50,000. Once he has Joe, Oliver is to take Joe to the airport with passports and tickets to London. Oliver realizes that Slade isn't going to see Joe, and Joe asks him to promise that he won't mention Slade is involved. He says that he gave up his right to be Joe's father when he became Deathstroke. Joe contacted his mother and she sent Slade a message to stay away. As he leaves, Slade tells Oliver that not all fathers get a second chance.
The Past
Slade and Joe make a fire and cook fish, and Joe doesn't believe that Slade is a pilot since they don't get free trips. A family hikes by and Slade claims that he works for a cheaper airline that doesn't allow for cheap vacations. Joe says that he's not too hungry and walks off Slade then sends a text saying that he has eyes on the target.
Now
The team goes to a facility that used to house MRI machines. Felicity arrives at the bunker and tells the others that she's there, and thinks that Samanda's net is including the rest of them. Diggle finds the bullet, and Black Canary says that Vincent is a psycho killer.
Oliver meets with the warden who has heard of Oliver by reputation. He explains that Oliver should have come earlier. Oliver returns to the hotel room and tells Slade that there was a fight at the prison and Joe tried to break it up. Someone pushed and Joe hit his head... and he's dead. Slade looks at a photo of him and Joe, and says that Joe never knew that he loved him. Oliver insists that Joe knew, and Slade says that he should have gone with Oliver so he could say goodbye to Joe. His friend tells him that he still can.
The Past
Slade and Joe play catch, and the family come by again. Slade asks the father Darryl to take a photo of him and his son, and Slade thanks him before Darryl and his family leave.
Now
Dinah is beating the exercise post and tells Diggle that she's going to put Vincent down. He says that a part of her should be happy to have him back, and Dinah says that she became somebody she doesn't even recognize to avenge Vincent and doesn't recognize him anymore. As Diggle says that Vigilante needs help just like she did, Rene comes in and says that Pollard is doing a TV interview and Samanda subpoenaed him. Dinah heads to the news station and tells Diggle that she's got it.
Oliver returns to the prison with Slade and explains that Slade wishes to see his son's body. The warden says that it's impossible because the body is no longer in his possession. Slade doesn't believe him, and Oliver threatens to create an internal incident if the warden doesn't cooperate. He says not to make Slade angry, and the warden explains that the men Joe was investigating are the Jackals. They broke into the prison and took Joe to torture him as a spy. Joe has secrets in his head worth millions, and threatened reprisals against the warden's family if he said anything.
At Channel 52, Dinah secures the station. Samanda and her people arrive. Felicity is emailing Oliver information on Slade, and Diggle asks her if she also has concerns about Slade. Dinah calls to tell them to stand down because Samanda and her agents are there.
At the hotel, Slade puts on his Deathstroke gear. Oliver tells him that Felicity found nothing on the Jackals, but she got their location from a keyhole satellite. Slade tells Oliver that he's going in alone and that circumstances haven't changed for Oliver. Oliver insists that he's going alone, and then Oliver passes out from the drugged water that Slade gave him.
The Past
Slade gives Joe some food that he cooked, and Joe admits that it's not bad. Darryl walks by and Deathstroke grabs him and says that "Darryl" is Xien Ming, an agent for the Ministry of Defense, People's Republic. Deathstroke says that he's looking for Yao Fei, and Xien says that he's in Purgatory. A footstep sounds nearby, and when Deathstroke is distracted, Xien goes for his knife. Deathstroke kills him and looks around.
Now
Diggle arrives at the station and tells Dinah that he's there as a civilian and figured that Dinah isn't in her right head. She explains that Vincent used to make matchbox art, and tells Diggle that there's nothing let of that man. Diggle points out that Vigilante had the chance to kill her but didn't, and Dinah insists that she's going to put him down and advises Diggle to leave before Samanda sees him.
Jane Woods interviews Pollard about the anti-Vigilante comes in via the catwalks and prepares to kill Pollard. Dinah is arguing with an officer about the value of vigilantes when the lights go out. She spots Vigilante and goes after him. Meanwhile, Vigilante confronts Pollard, who warns that if he kills her then it will guarantee the referendum passes by turning her into a martyr. As he dismisses her as a corrupt politician, Black Canary attacks him, tells Pollard to run, and then tells Vince that she just wants to talk. An officer arrives and orders Vigilante to surrender or he'll shoot.
The officer fires and Vigilante drives in front of the bullet. Black Canary tells the officer to call an ambulance, and Vince removes his mask and pulls out the bullet. He tells Black Canary that the Dark Matter changed him and everything heals. She says that Vince let her believe he was dead, and he says that he couldn’t afford distractions and what he's doing is the only way. When Black Canary says that he's lost his mind, Vince points out that he's not the only one wearing a mask. Sirens sound in the distance and Black Canary tells Vince to go. Once he leaves, Diggle calls in and Black Canary tells him that Vigilante got away.
Once Oliver wakes up, he finds a thank-you note from Slade. William calls and asks if he's coming home. Oliver says that he is, and William asks him if he was able to help his friend. Oliver says that he wasn't, and William hopes that Slade finds Joe. The boy asks if there's anything else William can do for him.
Deathstroke breaks into the Jackals' headquarters and fights his way through the men. His armor deflects the bullets, and Deathstroke soon takes them all out. As he removes his mask, more Jackals arrive. Nylander comes out and tells everyone to stop, and warns the Jackals that Slade is a legend. He offers a truce and an explanation, and Slade agrees. Slade wonders who is running the organization, and Nylander says that they have a great thing going and what Joe knows is priceless. Slade demands to know where Joe is, and Nylander asks if he wishes to join him.
The Past
Slade and Joe pack their things.
Now
Samanda tells Dinah that Pollard said that she saved Black Canary. It didn't change Pollard's position, and Samanda asks where she was. The agent points out that when it went dark, Dinah disappeared and Black Canary was there. Samanda says that she focuses on what she can prove and leaves, and Dinah notices a matchbox on her car's dashboard. Inside it is a paper rose, like the ones Vince made. Looking at it, Dinah smiles.
Oliver enters the Jackals' HQ and takes out guard. Meanwhile, Nylander asks what Slade's plan was. Slade says that he will join the Jackals as long as they let Joe go. Oliver watches from the shadows as Nylander says that they need Joe... because he's their boss. Joe comes in and Slade stares at him in shock.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 10, 2017