In the Star City of 2046, the team confronts Green Arrow, and Ray and
Sara realize it's not the Green Arrow they knew. He fires an exploding
arrow past them, and Heat Wave returns fire. Green Arrow swings down on a
line and continues firing, and Rip and Captain Cold shoot back. Kendra
insists it isn't the Green Arrow that she met, and Rip orders a retreat
to Waverider.
Back at the ship, Rip explains that the
time line is malleable. The future they're in is not set, and Rip says
that the best thing for the mission is for them to head back to their
own time and make sure none of what they've seen comes to pass.
Ray and Jax check on the ship's engine, and Rip is already working. Jax
suggests that Kendra help him, and Rip agrees. He explains that he's
busy with the Neuromorphic Interface, and Gideon can't function without
it. Ray notes that Palmer Tech was working on a similar cortex and
suggests that they get the prototype from Smoak Technologies. He offers
to break in and get it, but Rip points out that he recruited two
criminals He shows the interface to Len and Mick and they agree to get
it. Sara insists on going with them, but Rip says that she can't. She
says that he'll need her out there because she knows the city, and Rip
gives in.
Ray and Kendra meet with Martin and Jax as they work
on the computer. Jax asks Kendra to help, but Martin steps in and says
that he'll help Jax while Ray works with Kendra.
White Canary
leads Rip, Captain Cold, and Heat Wave to Laurel's apartment, and Len
points out that Sara's father failed to protect the city.
Ray
and Kendra work on the computer, and Kendra explains that she was a
shipyard riveter in 1944. As they talk, Jax listens over the intercom as
Kendra admits that she finds Ray's optimism charming. Martin is
listening as well and finally tells Ray to act professionally, and then
wonders why he's getting upset. He shuts down the intercom and says that
Jax's irritation is bleeding through their link to him. Martin realizes
that Jax likes Kendra, and Jax says that he doesn't stand a chance
against Ray and Carter before him. The professor tells Jax to have some
confidence and put himself out there.
As the field team heads
for Palmer Tech, criminals on motorcycles drive by and attack. The team
takes cover in an abandoned bus, and Green Arrow opens fire on the gang.
One ganger manages to shoot him, and White Canary runs out to help him.
Rip goes after her, and Captain Cold and Heat Wave ignore his orders
and head for a nearby bank. The gangers surround them, and Len suggests
that they teach them a lesson. The leader steps forward and punches
Captain Cold, who shrugs off the blow. Heat Wave punches him, and when
the leader shrugs it off, Heat Wave fires a blast of fire into his
chest. He takes the leader's coat and Captain Cold says that it's time
to leave. Heat Wave doesn't see the point and takes the leader's
vehicle, and Captain Cold reluctantly mounts up.
White Canary
finds Green Arrow, unharmed, and he explains that he's wearing
high-density Kevlar. She says that Oliver Queen is Green Arrow, and the
new Green Arrow says that Oliver died. No one knows how Oliver died, and
he disappeared at the beginning of the Uprising 15 years ago. The
leader of the Uprising steps out: Deathstroke. Before White Canary can
attack, rip arrives and she asks Slade how he's still alive. Deathstroke
chuckles and says that he hasn't heard that name in a long time, and
removes his mask to reveal a different man. The man asks how White
Canary knows his father, and realizes that she's related to the deceased
Quentin. White Canary says that Slade was insane, and the new
Deathstroke--Grant Wilson--calls his men forward. Green Arrow finds a
line to the ceiling and they get up just in case.
Jax joins
Kendra and helps her with the work. She admits that he's surprisingly
good with advanced technology. Meanwhile, Martin approaches Ray and says
that Kendra seems interested in Ray. Ray explains that he hadn't really
considered Kendra romantically, and Martin warns that he should avoid
personal attachments. Ray agrees and walks off.
Heat Wave and
Captain Cold go to the gang's headquarters and Heat Wave parties with
the gangers. Captain Cold talks to his friend privately and suggests
that they should get back to the team. Heat Wave insists that it's
exactly what he's always wanted, and isn't interested in stopping
Vandal. He points out that they can live like heroes there and goes off
with a girl.
Once they get clear, Green Arrow explains that
Oliver tried to raise an army to stop Deathstroke. Most of the people
didn't want to fight and evacuated. Rip tells Sara that Vandal's future
is preventable but there's nothing she can do about the current
timeline, and suggests that she focus on their mission. He then tells
Green Arrow that they have to get to Palmer Technologies. The hero says
that Felicity's projects were relocated and takes them to Oliver's old
bunker. Green Arrow explains that the place was attacked after
Deathstroke outed Oliver as Green Arrow. A man steps out of the shadows
and orders them out... and they realize that it's a one-armed and
bearded Oliver.
Oliver says that he's dead and calls Green
Arrow "John," telling him to put the arrow down. He explains that Green
Arrow is John Diggle Jr., and John says that he doesn't deserve his
father's name because he failed to save him. He's using the name Connor
Hawke instead, When Oliver points out that Connor is wearing his
costume. Connor says that someone has to and he's been trying to hold
the city together by himself. White Canary asks what happened to Oliver
and the others, and he says that they're all gone. Ray and Sara
disappeared 30 years ago and never came back, and if they had stayed
then they might have made a difference.
When Oliver wonders why
they're there, Rip explains that they're looking for the prototype.
Olive says that everything her company was working on is at a warehouse.
Rip starts to thank him, but Oliver tells them to get out and walks
away.
Jax meets up with Martin and says that things went well
between him and Kendra. Martin says that he confirmed that Ray has no
romantic interest in Kendra. Jax goes back to check on Kendra, and Ray
arrives to tell Martin that everything is ready. He then thanks Martin
for suggesting that he get together with Kendra. Martin reminds him
about the mission, but Ray figures that they're all adults.
At
the gang HQ, Deathstroke and his men come in. He tells them to find
Green arrow and kill them, and Heat Wave says that it's his gang now.
Deathstroke warns him that it's his city and describes White Canary and
Rip. Once he and his men leave, Captain Cold points out that the gang is
going to kill their friends. He tells Heat Wave that it's time to go,
and Heat Wave draws his gun. After a moment, Captain Cold suggests that
they resolve their issues once they rescue White Canary and Rip.
Green Arrow accompanies White Canary and Rip to the warehouse. As they
search, White Canary asks if Rip knew what would happen to Star City
once she and Ray weren't there to help. Rip says that what has happened
is a good thing, because it's only a potential timeline that doesn't
have to happen. He insists that the timeline they're in isn't real, and
they split up to search for the prototype.
White Canary finds a duffel case and opens it, and smiles at the contents.
Rip finds the prototype just as Deathstroke's men open fire. Green
Arrow takes them on and White Canary and Rip join in. It soon becomes
clear that they're outnumbered, and Captain Cold and Heat Wave arrive.
Once most of the gangers go down, the team realizes that the others took
Green Arrow with them. White Canary insists that they have to rescue
Green Arrow, and Rip insists that once they return to 2016, the timeline
disappear.
Heat Wave wonders why Captain Cold doesn't want to
stay, and figures that they can take out anyone who gets in their way.
When Heat Wave turns his back, Captain Cold knocks him out and tells the
others that they had a difference of opinion. Rip says that they have
to get the prototype back to Waverider and they take off.
Jax meets Martin and realizes through their psychic connection that he
did something. Martin finally admits that he prompted Ray to think about
Kendra romantically. Jax figures that nothing has changed and he should
still have confidence in himself. The others come in and Martin
realizes that there's something wrong. Sara explains that all of her
friends and family are dead except for Oliver. She wonders what happens
if they don't return to 2016, and Jax and Martin agree that they should
help. Rip warns that they are meddling with the future, and Sara points
out that Rip is using them to save his family. He tells them to go ahead
and save Green Arrow, but he'll leave in one hour.
Len checks
in on Mick, who is locked up in a prison cell. When Mick accuses him of
lying to him, Len reminds him that he's the brain and Mick is the
muscle. Mick figures that it's not about the score for Len anymore, and
Len admits that he's become a team player to stop Vandal. He explains
that once they take out Vandal, they'll have the biggest reputation of
all time. Mick says that he doesn't want to be a hero: he just wants to
see the world burn. If Len touches him again then he'll burn as well.
White Canary goes back to the bunker with the duffel and calls to
Oliver. She tells him that Deathstroke has Connor, and Oliver says that
he can't do anything to help him. Sara warns that Deathstroke has too
many men and she's on her own... unless Oliver helps her. She gives
Oliver his bow and says that Star City will always need a Green Arrow.
On Waverider,
90 minutes pass and Martin tells Rip that it doesn't matter that
they're in a potential future. It's real to Sara, and Rip points out
that he gave her an extra 30 minutes. Gideon reports that they're close
to where the gangs are gathering to watch Green Arrow's execution. The
longer they wait, the greater the risk that they'll be detected. Rip
asks Martin if he wants to risk being marooned in the alternate
timeline, and Martin insists that he won't abandon their friend and
teammate.
Deathstroke has his men drag Connor to the execution
block. He explains that he took Oliver's arm there, and prepares to cut
off Connor's head. A guard brings White Canary up and says that they
caught her sneaking in past the perimeter. Deathstroke wonders what she
planned, and White Canary says that her job was to distract her. Oliver,
wearing an artificial arm, steps out and fires an exploding arrow at
Deathstroke. White Canary attacks the gangers while Connor fights
Deathstroke. When Deathstroke takes Connor down, Oliver shoots him in
the chest with an arrow and tells him to fight him.
Atom and
Hawkgirl arrive and attack the gangers, and Atom says that rip sent
them. The rest of the team arrive and look for Oliver. Meanwhile, Oliver
tosses his bow to Connor, and Connor shoots Deathstroke with a
paralytic arrow. Oliver knocks him down, and the remaining gangers run
off. He greets Atom and Hawkgirl, and tells Connor that it was good
shooting. Connor gives him his bow back and Oliver tells him that no
matter what he calls himself, he's Green Arrow.
Back at the
bunker, Oliver tells White Canary and Connor that they have a lot of
work to do to defeat all the criminals who will try to take
Deathstroke's place. White Canary wants to stay, but Oliver says that
her mission matters and that he's not alone. Connor nods in agreement,
and White Canary hugs her former lover. She tells Connor to watch
Oliver's back and leaves, and Oliver says that it's time to get to work.
Jax finds Kendra and finds her talking with Ray. Ray invites Kendra to
have a drink with him. Jax secretly listens as Kendra says that with
everything that has happened, she isn't interested in exploring a
romantic relationship. Ray accepts her announcement with good grace and
goes to check on Martin. He finds Jax out in the hallway, pretending to
work on the circuitry. Jax admits that he overheard them talking, and
Ray says that he figured Jax had a thing for Kendra. He jokingly says
that Kendra would have picked him and walks off.
Sara thanks
Rip for sending the team to back her up, and Rip admits that she was
right. He assures her that every future is worth fighting for, but asks
if Sara is a member of the team. She says that she is and walks out.
They go to the bridge and prepare for takeoff. Ray joins Mick at the
viewing port, and Mick says that he's going to miss the place. When Ray
says that they seem like Mick's kind of people, Mick admits that he
doesn't know who his people are anymore.
Rip sets course for where Vandal will least expect them and they depart into the timestream.
Written by Gadfly on Jun 23, 2019