Arrow Recap/Review: "State v. Queen" and "The Scientist"
Megan Miller ’17/ Emertainment Monthly Staff
“State v. Queen”:
This episode featured the return of Count Vertigo (Seth Gabel) as the audience sees his escape from prison during the Quake in the Glades. Since then he has developed a new strain of the drug known as Vertigo, and he has begun to infect the city by distributing it through flu shot trucks. When the defense attorney in Moira Queen’s trial, Adam Donner (Dylan Bruce), passes out during trial and is then kidnapped by the Count, Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) discovers that the Count has been causing addictions in people who had no past contact with the drug.
As Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson) continues to stand trial, she maintains that she will not testify, no matter what her attorney says. However, when her daughter’s testimony goes downhill and Thea (Willa Holland) accidentally paints her in a less than humanizing light as she’d wanted, she is forced to speak. Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), who has become the main attorney on the case due to Donner’s kidnapping, advises her against it, saying that she has Donner’s trump card and if Moira testifies she will be forced to use it. Moira has no choice, and Laurel reveals that Moira and Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) had an affair a long time ago.
Back in Starling City, Oliver has to leave the trial just before the verdict is delivered due to a call from the Count that informs him that he has Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), having found her snooping around his flu vaccination truck. Oliver comes to her rescue at Queen Consolidated and being unable to save her without killing the Count, lets off several arrows into the center of the his chest, pushing the man backwards through the skyscraper window and to his death. Felicity apologizes for being the reason he killed again, but he says that there was no choice between killing him or letting him harm her.
“The Scientist”:
The Flash’s appearance on Arrow has been hotly anticipated since he was announced, and this week he finally arrived. Barry Allen (Glee’s Grant Gustin) arrived on screen in the form of a CSI from another town in the county, investigating a case in which a super-strong man broke into Queen Consolidated in order to steal a centrifuge. Though he claims to be sent by his boss due to a similar case under their jurisdiction, Oliver discovers that there is no similar case, and that Barry is investigating because his father is accused for his mother’s murder. He knows he is innocent, as he saw someone come in inside a tornado and kill her.
Felicity Smoak seems to have a thing for Barry, and even though she’s had feelings for Oliver, her and Barry are much more like-minded. She initially invites him to Oliver’s party as her plus-one, but Oliver throws him out of Queen Consolidated when he discovers that Barry has been lying about his motives. He eventually understands the error of his ways, and invites Barry back to dance with Felicity. The party itself was an attempt to a return to normal in the Queen household. It is meant as a celebration of Moira Queen’s acquittal and return to the company, though it is a bust when only a few people show up.
Oliver goes to face the man who broke into Queen Consolidated on his own, telling Felicity that he’s killed someone like this before. She wonders what happens if he can’t stop him again. He loses the fight and two needles go through his leg, shooting an unknown substance into his body. When Felicity and Diggle (David Ramsey) arrive at the scene, Oliver is close to death. Diggle tries to call 911, but Felicity reminds him that they can’t risk it. Instead, they tranquilize Barry and bring him to their lair. Felicity pleads with him to save Oliver’s life.