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Recap / Arrow S 1 E 8 Vendetta

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Helena runs out in the middle of her night with Oliver to take down China White and the Triad, but Oliver stops her in the process. The next day, Oliver takes her to Sara Lance’s grave, talking about his past and lecturing Helena about her chosen path.

Even though Tommy has been cut off from his father’s money, he invites Laurel to an expensive restaurant. There, the two run into Oliver and Helena and double date. After Laurel publicly confronts Tommy for not asking Oliver for a job, Tommy leaves. He and Laurel have a falling out, but soon make up. Later, Oliver gives Tommy a general manager position.

Felicity Smoak comes to Walter with more information about Moira’s investments, including that someone else was looking into them, and she hands Walter a paper with the circular symbol on it. When Moira leaves for a meeting, Walter snoops around the house and finds a little booklet similar to Oliver’s. Walter asks Felicity to find out everything she can about it. She shows him the names written inside.

Oliver bestows a crossbow and a purple-infused costume upon Helena. They interrupt a drug deal by people who work for her father and turn them over to the police. Solo, Helena murders a group of triads, telling the lone survivor that she was working for her father. The Triad invades the Bertinelli house, but Oliver thwarts them. Making a run for it, Bertinelli is shot down by Helena. Oliver stops her from killing her father, who shoots her back. She survives. Frank Bertinelli will be in jail for the rest of his life but Helena wants nothing further to do with Oliver and apparently leaves town.


Tropes applying to this Episode:

  • Bilingual Bonus: In-Universe when Zhishan at gunpoint says in Chinese, "If you seek vengeance, first dig two graves. One for your enemy, and one for yourself." Helena can't speak the language, so doesn't get the message.
  • Borrowed Catchphrase: The Huntress gets to deliver the “You have failed this city!” line this episode.
  • Chilly Reception: While chillin' in the Arrowcave, Oliver introduces his "associate" John Diggle.
    Helena: Well, any associate of Oliver's—
    Diggle: Is absolutely nothing to you. Ma'am.
  • Conspiracy Thriller: The C-Plot of the episode plays out like this as Walter continues to investigate the Nebulous Criminal Conspiracy.
  • Continuity Nod: Carly asks a pointed question about why Oliver is in the Glades at night without her brother-in-law guarding him, no doubt thinking he's ditched Diggle again.
  • Dragon Ascendant: China White takes command of the Starling City Triad following the boss’s death courtesy of Helena.
  • Everyone Can See It: Helena realises from the way Oliver looks at Laurel that he still loves her. Tommy realises from the way Laurel is jealous of Helena, and looks to Oliver to solve her problems, that Tommy will always be second best to him.
  • Geoff Johns: Co-wrote the episode along with the previous episode.
  • False Flag Operation / Spare a Messenger: Helena leaves one Triad Mook alive to tell him “Frank Bertinelli sends his regards.”
  • Friendship Moment: Oliver has two much needed moments with Dig and Tommy at the end of the episode.
  • Good Is Not Nice: Walter coldly threatens Felicity’s job should she continue to investigate Tempest, seemingly for her insubordination. Later in the episode, it’s revealed he did this to protect her.
  • Good Feels Good: Subverted; Oliver tries to show Helena the difference between vengeance and justice and she claims to appreciate it, but what she actually appreciates is working with someone whom she thinks is a kindred spirit.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Tommy loses his cool when Laurel asks Oliver to give him a job, calling it Laurel running to her white knight. In parallel, Helena loses her cool that Oliver clearly still has feelings for Laurel.
  • Guns Akimbo: Huntress when attacking the Triad the second time.
  • Hands-On Approach: Helena enjoys Oliver teaching her to shoot a bow, and the lesson soon degenerates into Oliver showing off his precision archery for his new girlfriend until Diggle interrupts.
  • Hell-Bent for Leather: The superhero costume Oliver picks for Helena is a Badass Longcoat, calf boots and Domino Mask.
  • In Harm's Way: Walter warns Felicity that the last person he asked to help investigate this mystery died the next day. Felicity replies, "I hate mysteries. They need to be solved."
  • Intertwined Fingers: Oliver takes Helena to the gravestone of Sara Lance and explains how his grief and guilt made him the man he is now. Helena has her own issues of grief and guilt, and as he talks a close-up shows her reaching out her hand and intertwining her fingers with his.
  • A Lighter Shade of Gray: Oliver finally accepts himself as this to Helena. He wants justice, she wants revenge.
  • The Missus and the Ex: The double date with Oliver, Tommy, Laurel, and Helena. Doubly complicated by the fact that both Ollie and Laurel are in this situation, and triply complicated by the fact that Ollie is Dating Catwoman with Helena.
  • Mob War: Helena's plan to wipe out her father's crime family is to weaken it by killing several key officers, then kill the head of Triad so they'll do the rest.
  • Mythology Gag:
    • Oliver's penchant for super-spicy food pops up near the end like in the comics.
    • Helena asks Oliver whether her costume can come in purple, a reference to both the Huntress's real costume and to Batman Begins where Bruce Wayne asks if the Tumbler comes in black. In the Earth-2 continuity, Huntress is Batman's daughter.
  • Not So Similar: After last episode lead Ollie and Helena to believe they’re Birds of a Feather, Oliver realizes Helena is too far gone on her path for vengeance.
  • Not Staying for Breakfast: Helena slips out of bed with Oliver to continue her Roaring Rampage of Revenge. It's played entirely like this trope with Oliver having to chase after Helena and coax her into continuing their relationship.
  • Offing the Offspring: Averted, Frank takes a killshot at Helena but she survives.
  • Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: Jessica De Gouw’s native Aussie accent slips through about three times, most notably when she says “You have failed [rhymes with dialed] this city!”
  • Patricide: Attempted by Huntress, but Oliver shoots her crossbow out of her hand.
  • Save the Villain: Oliver has to save Bertinelli from his vengeful daughter.
  • Saying Too Much: While reminiscing about their old antics, Oliver mentions Laurel's father being angry that they spent a weekend in a room where There Is Only One Bed, tipping off Helena about their prior relationship.
  • See the Invisible: Felicity gives Walter some UV goggles to see what's written on the blank pages of the book he found hidden in Moira's study. It's another copy of the List.
  • She Who Fights Monsters: Oliver reluctantly concedes Diggle was right: Helena had already crossed the line.
  • Shipper on Deck: Frank Bertinelli is pleasantly surprised when he realises his daughter and Oliver are seeing each other, as it would help his business interests and Helena seems a lot happier now.
  • Ship Tease: When Diggle tells Oliver that love is about finding the person who is right for you, he can't help glancing at Carly across the room, who smiles back at him.
  • The Straight and Arrow Path: Despite her skepticism Oliver tries to teach Helena archery, citing the advantage of precision and self-discipline it requires.
  • That Came Out Wrong: Felicity tells Walter she needs to be in the dark for what she's going to do next. After acknowledging how dirty that sounded, she hands him UV goggles.
  • This Means War!: Everyone knows what it means when the Triad boss is killed.
    The Hood walks over several dead bodies to Zhishan. He dials Diggle's number.
    Diggle: It's Dig. What's the situation?
    Oliver: War.
  • Villain: Exit, Stage Right: Oliver lets Helena flee town without turning her in.
  • We Will Meet Again: Despite a bad breakup with Helena, Oliver is confident they will meet again.
  • Woman Scorned: Helena embracing her murderous side happens to come directly after Oliver’s history with Laurel makes her feel extremely insecure about their relationship.
  • You Need to Get Laid: Played seriously when Helena thanks Ollie for the sex which she really needed, the implication being that she's avoided having a lover since her fiance died.

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