Oliver runs through the forest and out onto the street in Ivy Town, waving to his neighbors. He jogs up to his home and goes inside to find Felicity waiting for him. Oliver is less than thrilled with her cooking, and says that his jog was good. After sex, Felicity says that later she's having a video conference with the Palmer tech board to determine if she's fit to run the place. She warns that they're facing bankruptcy, and Oliver leaves for the farmer's market to get food for the dinner party the next night.
In the rechristened Star City, Black Canary drives her motorcycle up to hijackers stealing a Kord Industries truck. Speedy leaps aboard. One of the hijackers draws a gun on her, but Diggle swings aboard wearing a costume and shoots the man. Black Canary takes out the rear wheels and the truck skids to a halt. The hijackers' backup drives up, toss out a flash-bang, and open fire. They load up the cargo and drive off.
Back at the lair, the trio confirms that the hijackers--the Ghosts--took weapons. Laurel says that they should ask Oliver for help. Diggle insists that they can handle it on their own, and that Oliver left them in charge.
At city hall, the town council tries to find a mayor without success. The council members want Quentin to focus on catching the Ghosts, and he points out that they're not ordinary hijackers. They tell him that he has to do better, and Quentin insists that things will turn around now that they have a new high-speed rail line to Central City. A man, Damien Dahrk, comes in and says that he's the man who controls the Ghosts. Damien says that his organization wants them to let Star City die so that they can regrow. When the DA, Susanna, goes to get security, Damien grabs her arm and orders her to sit down. Once she does, he tells them to say goodbye to anyone they love and leaves.
Oliver and Felicity have dinner with the Hoffmans. They figure that their not too far from having kids, and Felicity goes to the kitchen. Oliver shows the couple his engagement ring and says that he'll pop the question that night. Felicity comes back and trips, and Oliver catches the champagne bottle she's dropping.
Five Years Ago
Oliver chases a drug dealer to a rooftop and shoots arrows at him. The dealer draws his gun and fires until he runs out of bullets, and Oliver charges at him. The man throws him over the side and Oliver falls into some electrical wires... and finds Amanda waiting for him.
Now
Laurel meets with Susanna as she has some coffee. As they discuss Damien's threat, Susanna collapses from the poisoned coffee and Laurel calls John to warn that Damien is going after the city leadership. She says that she's heading for Quentin while they cover the other two members.
The district attorney councilman is leaving the hospital and Diggle drives there, and sends Thea to city hall. Inside a man posing as a waiting patient prepares to stab the head of emergency services.
At the police station, armed men break in and open fire. Quentin surrenders when his men are gunned down.
Diggle finds the dying head of emergency services and says that he'll get some help.
Speedy tackles the city comptroller just as someone shoots him dead.
As the men prepare to shoot Quentin, Black Canary arrives and takes two of them down. Quentin tackles the last one and the man shoots him in the shoulder before Black Canary knocks him out. Officers arrive and tell Quentin about the three deaths, and Quentin realizes there may not be a city to lead.
At home, Oliver makes Felicity dinner and puts the engagement ring in her dessert cupcake. Before he can serve it, the doorbell rings. It's Laurel and Thea, who says that they need Oliver's help. They bring up a newscast about the Ghosts' attack, and explain that they kill themselves with cyanide if they're captured. The police are overwhelmed and the women admit that they can't find the Ghosts' base of operation. They figure that they're in over their heads and need the Arrow. Oliver says that the Arrow is dead, but Laurel and Thea ask him to come back for one last mission. Felicity finally says that they should already be heading back to Star City.
Five Years Ago
Oliver and Amanda go to a bar, and Oliver says that he doesn't want to be near his family in Starling City. Amanda knows what he did to Shreve and admits that she underestimated him. She warns Oliver that he can't change who he is, and tells him to embrace his inner darkness. As Oliver finishes his drink, he realizes that ARGUS agents are in the bar and passes out from the drugged drink.
Now
Oliver and Felicity take a Palmer Technology limo back to Star City. Oliver looks at the ruined buildings and wonders what they accomplished. At the lair, Diggle is waiting and says that they should have discussed it. Laurel insists that they need Oliver, and Diggle says that they don't need his help. Felicity hacks into the Kord Industry computers to see what they stole, and discovers that the Ghosts stole cluster bombs and other heavy munitions. After a moment, Diggle says that he'll do what he has to to save his city.
The team goes to work and Oliver starts giving orders. The others don't do anything until Diggle gives the word. He heads home to Lyla and his child, Thea goes out on the street, and Laurel meets with Quentin. Once they're alone, Felicity triangulates the Ghost attacks and Oliver realizes that she's been helping the team behind his back.
At the station, Laurel tells Quentin what the Ghosts have, and he tells her to stay as far away from the mess as possible. He's not happy to have their help, and Laurel asks if there are any major events happening. Quentin says that people don't come to Star City anymore.
At home, Diggle plays with his daughter. He tells Lyla that Oliver is back, and his wife isn't surprised. She admits that she understands that Oliver was at war and she understands why Oliver used her as a hostage. Diggle doesn't agree, but Lyla insists that Oliver did what he had to.
Oliver works out all of the times that Felicity was working behind his back. She admits that the first few months were great, but after that she got bored with everything except Oliver. Felicity misses having a purpose, and Oliver is unhappy that part of her wasn't with him. As she assures Oliver that she's always with him, an alert goes off on her computer. Felicity has tracked a GPS locator on one of the weapons to their last location: a truck depot that closed two months ago. As Oliver gets his bow, Felicity says that Cisco worked him up a new suit but Oliver warns he won't be there long enough to need a suit.
The team goes to the depot and listens as Damien addresses his men. He calls one man, Alvarez, forward and points out that he didn't kill their enemies. Damien then touches Alvarez's chest and drains the life from him. Oliver and the others attack, and Speedy beats one man to the floor and doesn't stop him. Oliver calls to Speedy to stop her. He then grabs Alvarez and demands to know what their plan is. With his dying breath, Alvarez says they're going to destroy the train station. The police arrive and open fire, and the remaining Ghosts return fire. As Oliver and the others retreat, Quentin sees the masked Oliver.
Back at the lair, Diggle figures the Ghosts will attack the station the next night during the reopening. Oliver tells the others that what Damien did was mystical, and he's seen things that they wouldn't understand. Felicity warns that she can't activate the GPS, and Diggle says that they'll do it the old-fashioned way.
The next day, Oliver and Thea go through the station scanning manually for the explosives. Thea wonders how Oliver could have given up the rush, and he points out that she seemed out of control. He warns his sister that restraint is what separates them from the bad guys, and Thea insists that nothing is going on. She complains that Oliver can't stay out of his business and walks away, and Oliver finds Diggle. He reminds Oliver that Oliver was aggressive when he started out and figures Thea is fine. When Oliver tries to make small talk, Diggle says that he realized that Oliver doesn't trust and doesn't love because inside he's just as dark as the League was.
Laurel calls Quentin in to help and he spots Oliver. The captain reminds him that Starling City started going downhill when Oliver returned, and he inspired monsters. Oliver says that he's not a monster, and Quentin asks what he is before walking off.
Five Years Ago
Oliver wakes up in a cargo plane. Amanda's man is there and tells Oliver that he's going on a mission. When Oliver refuses, the man draws a gun and tells him to put on a parachute. Oliver does so and the man says that he knows the terrain. He explains that Oliver's job is to infiltrate the terrain, asset the terrain, and report back via the encrypted communicator in his pack. Oliver realizes that they're over Lian Yu, just as a soldier kicks him out.
Now
Back at the lair, Oliver tells Felicity that he ran into Quentin and there's something wrong with Thea. Felicity suggests that they leave but admits that she misses their life in Star City. Oliver tells her that Quentin is right and he knew the darkness would be waiting for him. He doesn't want to be the type of person who becomes the darkness to fight it, and Felicity tells him to be a different kind of person. The others come in and report that there was no bomb in the station. Felicity realizes that the Ghosts are bringing the bombs in on the train. As the others suit up, Felicity tells Oliver to suit up and reveals the new suit Cisco made him.
The Arrow and Diggle try to intercept the train as it approaches the station. Inside, Speedy fires a smoke arrow and yells at everyone to get out. As they run, Quentin and his men come in while Black Canary helps a boy up. Her father sees him and orders everyone to exit calmly.
Felicity warns that the train is ten minutes out and they have six minutes to stop it before it reaches blast radius. Arrow leaps aboard the train and fights his way inside..
Damien is in the cargo car with the bomb. Arrow comes in and orders him to stop the train, and Damien says that he destroyed the braking system. When Arrow wonders who he is, Damien introduces himself. The hero fires arrows and Damien deflects them by gesturing. The two men fight and Damien easily deflects Arrow's blows and slams him into the wall. As he drains his life force, Diggle shoots him in the back. Arrow thanks him but when they turn, they discover that Damien has escaped. The two heroes leap off the train and Arrow makes a shot, setting the explosives off.
Back at the lair, and Oliver tells the others that he and Felicity are staying. He explains that Ra's said that Damien had a "hive" at his disposal, and Diggle remembers Deadshot describing the people who hired him to kill Andy as HIVE. Diggle tells the others that it's nothing and says that he's heading back home, but Oliver says that there's something they need to do.
At the station, an officer tells Quentin that someone has hacked into the emergency broadcast system. On all of the networks, Arrow announces that what Arrow stood for was taken up by a new group of heroes. He says that they believe that the darkness can be the key to find light. He says that he is going to stand with the heroes and fight for Star City... as Green Arrow.
Five Years Ago
Oliver lands on the island and a soldier knocks him down and demands to know who he is.
Now
Damien goes to a hidden chamber and takes a short sword, and then cuts his arm. He drips the blood on a stone bowl and recites a mystic chant, and runes glow on his arms. A soldier comes in and announces that Damien has a visitor: Quentin. Damien explains that the blood ritual is a means to protect people from suspecting that Quentin is involved with HIVE, and says that he's disappointed the station is intact. Quentin isn't, and Damien reminds him that he agreed to do whatever he said. He wants to know everything about Green Arrow. If Quentin refuses, Damien warns him that he doesn't have a choice.
Oliver and Felicity move into Oliver's old loft and Oliver explains that Thea moved in with Laurel. As they talk, Oliver hides the engagement ring. Felicity says that his speech sounded surprisingly hopeful and they kiss.
Six Months Later
Oliver visits a gravesite. Barry joins him and Oliver apologizes for missing the funeral. He says that he now knows it's not his fault... but it is his responsibility to end it. He promises to kill the person responsible, and asks Barry to leave him alone.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 8, 2015