‘This is your sword’? Well, here are my feels! The Arrow team are once again forced to save their city without Oliver, but this time it’s done with heavy hearts. Diggle even loses his restraint, pulverising one crooked criminal. To shatter their worlds even more, Malcolm Merlyn reveals Oliver Queen was never lost. The team, his closest friends, were just kept out of the loop.
Thus we find ourselves once again in Nanda Parbat on a rescue mission for Starling and for Oliver Queen… with Katana.
That’s right! It finally happened! Wonderfully pulled into the fray, Merlyn uses Tatsu (aka Katana) to affirm that Al Sa-him was all an act. At first, the whole idea that Al Sa-him was a ruse was disappointing. I was really looking forward to see how Team Arrow could save Ollie again instead of the other way around. But the fact that Ollie now has to save his team from the heart of Nanda Parbat and the Alpha-Omega super virus makes up for it. The writers are seriously trying to dig our heroes a hole they can’t get out of! The episode does leave me questioning how close Nanda Parbat is to Starling. In one scene, Merlyn is giving advice to Thea, the next he’s chatting with Ollie, then he’s rounding up the Arrow team for a suicide mission! Is it hidden in the Grand Canyon or something?
This episode also shows the events leading up to Nyssa and Ollie’s wedding. Holy matrimony, Green Arrow! Katrina Law can act. Nyssa snaps between the hardened warrior I know and love to the subdued and controlled daughter of Ra’s so seamlessly my heart breaks for her! However, I can’t praise Law without looking at Matt Nable, our very own Ra’s. This man is terrifying, portraying threats and compassion in the same spine tingling calmness. There is yet to be a failed scene containing both of them, their words always having me on the edge of my seat.
And finally, what I have been waiting for since early season 3, Tatsu has become Katana! After finding a sneak preview of her crime fighting gear, my excitement had diminished slightly. But then! Then, she pulled out the katana. She explains to Merlyn that the katana was traditionally passed down to the first born son within her family. Merlyn raises a brow and points out the obvious:
‘You are not a son, Tatsu.’
‘No, I am not.’
There is something there, a story glaring out from her four words. I really want to know what she did to get her katana.
Now, I know I have been almost begging for it: the death of Maseo. His death is such a strong part of Katana’s origin it was bound to happen. But I did not see this coming. Within another mass fight scene with Diggle pew-pewing, Merlyn slinging bows, Laurel still kicking ass (so happy!), and Felicity playing discus with her tablet, we have Tatsu finally facing Maseo. Man, I wish they gave us more from that fight. It was epic!
SPOILER AHOY!
Then, with Maseo standing over Tatsu, his sword outstretched, she leapt. Her katana found its mark, straight through Maseo’s heart and my feels. Oh man, my feels.
EXIT SPOILER
We leave ‘This is Your Sword’ with the Arrow team inhaling the super virus, Tatsu being held prisoner elsewhere in Nanda Parbat (due to virus immunity) and Ollie continuing the wedding even after Nyssa pulled a knife on him at the altar. With the greatness of the past two episodes, I have high expectations of the finale!
Oh, and Akio died.
Review by Brittany Howarth
