It looks like Oliver is in more trouble this week (isn’t he always?!).  Even though Diaz was captures, he looks to escape and unleash hell in the prison in order to take Oliver out once and for all.  Will he make it out?  Read on to find out!

Free At Last? — Yeah right.  That would be way too easy, right? Diaz is getting locked up in the same prison as Oliver (of course) and he’s also paid off some cops so he can settle the score with Oliver.  This man is dangerous.  Why is a single armored car taking him in?  You would think A.R.G.U.S., or maybe even the FBI (who had been trying to find him for a season and a half) may have provided proper coverage. Diaz gets a change of clothes and meets Oliver in the visitation room.  Ok, I get what they are doing, but you’re telling me that no cop at this maximum security prison can tell that Diaz is there?  Yeah, he has his Peaky Blinders hat on, but not just anyone can go into a prison and visit someone. There is no way he paid off all the cops, right?

Last season we saw Diaz lose his composure.  It doesn’t happen often, but it showed what really made him tick.  We got to see a little more of that when he was speaking to Oliver.  For this being such a maximum security prison, the security really sucks. Diaz easily got away even when Oliver was yelling his identity.  On the plus side, Oliver knows that he has to escape his cell in order to stop Diaz.  He pulls a pretty sweet MacGyver move in order to do so. While attacking all of the officers, Oliver escapes through an unlocked door.  Really?  Come on.  If these officers are so “highly trained” how in the world would they leave doors unlocked…?

Diaz Incognito — Diaz not only has millions, but it looks like most people in the city don’t watch the news.  As Diaz strolls into the prison, this time donning a uniform and a gun, none of the other officers seem to recognize him.  This was a bit too far of a stretch for me.  I get they want him to come in and pull an Arkham Asylum, but they could have done better.

The show is definitely gritty again, as seen when Diaz slits an officer’s throat while telling Oliver that it was his fault.  With the cells open, Oliver and Bronze Tiger have to fight their way out.

Unexpected Friends — Oliver realizes Stanley set-up Bronze Tiger, so he speaks to him in the hole letting him know that he realizes he is innocent (and helped Lyla in the past) and will make things right for him. I have enjoyed the depth of character we have gotten to see from Bronze Tiger.  It gives some of the minor villains more humane characteristics.

In the melee of the prison riot, Oliver and Bronze Tiger team up to dispatch of Brick and Sampson.  Can Bronze Tiger be trusted? The two save the innocent lives of the officers during the riot.  The next plan of action after saving the officers? Get weapons and head to the mess hall.

Finally, the showdown.  Oliver makes it to the mess hall and calls out Diaz.  With the help of Bronze Tiger, Oliver uses some human ingenuity and beats the crap out of people with a pillowcase filled with cans of pop (yeah, I’m from the North).  Meanwhile, Diaz held two electrical fuses together to overload the system.  This was kind of weird, but it did start an electrical fire.

Oliver and Diaz once again go one-on-one.  Diaz looks to have clearly out-matched Oliver when Diaz tells him that Felicity pulled a gun on him, which Oliver doesn’t believe.  Could Oliver be the reason for her downfall that has been hinted in previous episodes?  In a moment of weakness, Diaz lets his guard down and Oliver stabs him.

Because of the chaos, Oliver is finally released to a waiting Felicity and Diggle while Bronze Tiger did receive a “thank you” from the officers.  Something tells me we will see him again.  Will it be as an enemy, or friend?

Copycat — In Stanley’s attempt to “be like the Green Arrow” viewers find out that he was behind framing Bronze Tiger, and Oliver had to tell him that getting the villain at the expense of innocent people isn’t the way it’s done.

Stanley later unexpectedly drugs Oliver.  It becomes clear that Stanley has psychological issues.  This is interestingly tied to his comic book counterpart.  After finding out that there is much more to Stanley than first thought, Oliver locks him in the supply room for everyone’s safety.

Stanley obviously gets out and finds the escape area through the morgue, not before stabbing Brick and seemingly making his exit.  Is this the last we have seen of Stanley?  I highly doubt it.

Everything happened within the prison this episode, which was pretty cool, but some parts could have been handled better.  We all knew Oliver would eventually get out of prison, but I think the timing across several episodes was good.  It wasn’t rushed like Flashpoint, but it didn’t drag out either. I also like the direction this season is taking the characters.  The writers have been much more thoughtful in not only their approach, but the depth they are taking all of the characters has been handled well. Next week Oliver looks to get back into action!  Will he encounter the “other” Green Arrow? Is this the last of Diaz?  Who will be the next villain?  I have a theory that the other “Green Arrow” isn’t William, but is someone else who will take over the villain role for the remainder of the season.  Could he/she take over the Longbow Hunters with Diaz now out of the picture?  I guess we will have to find out.

What did you think of this week’s episode?  Leave your thoughts in the usual spot, and thanks for reading!

Arrow returns next Monday at 8 p.m. on The CW.

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