Arrow 8x1 : Starling City review

Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it. 

Arrow's eight and final season has arrived and with only 10 episodes it has a lot to get through including the impending Crisis. The episode begins on Lian Yu of all places. We see a hooded Oliver running throughout the island. He lights a bonfire with an explosive arrow to help an incoming boat identify him. He is soon rescued and brought home and it is from here on where I just had no idea what was going on..but that was only temporary. While at Starling General Oliver's mom walks in and welcomes her son home. Seemingly having suffered through the same ordeal he did before this show began Oliver arrives home to find things are completely different in Starling City. Yes Starling City not Star City. Moira and Malcolm Merlyn are married, Tommy Merlyn lives with them and Thea?? well Thea during her 18th birthday overdosed and passed away. Tommy seems crushed by this and keeps telling Oliver that he tried absolutely everything he could to help her. Oliver asks to see Walter but he's already sold out his shares of the company. A company that is no longer called Queen Consolidated but now Queen - Merlyn Industries. Oliver ever the cautious one takes it upon himself to investigate what is happening in the city. At Queen - Merlyn Industries Oliver walks into a room full of dead scientists. Killed by Arrows to the chest Oliver is soon met by another man dressed as The Hood. Soon enough Laurel shows up sporting a new look and asks Oliver just what is he doing on her Earth?? so Oliver is on Earth 2 it seems. But the reveals don't stop there as the man underneath the second hood is none other than Adrian Chase. Back at Laurel's bunker both her and Chase are a crime fighting duo who are chasing after the Dark Archer. Oliver right away says it's Malcolm Merlyn but as he goes to visit Merlyn he is greeted by The Monitor who says he is getting too involved. He brought Oliver to this Earth to gather Dwarf Star Particles which he needs for unknown reasons. These Dwarf Star Particles just so happen to have been stolen by the Dark Archer and after him and Oliver have a fight at Malcolm Merlyn's office later that night we learn his identity and it's Tommy Merlyn of all people. 

If you've been a fan of Arrow since the very beginning the throwbacks here are abundant and absolutely smile inducing. It's not all the same as there is a lot of twists on characters and which side they are on be that good or bad. There's even a throwback to Oliver's first meeting with Felicity but the girl is just a Felicity look alike which was fun. So Tommy Merlyn is the Dark Archer and after kidnapping Oliver he reveals his plan which is identical to Malcolm Merlyn's was way back in season 1. To use an Earthquake machine to level the Glades which in his mind were the cause of Thea's demise. What follows is identical to season 1 as Oliver breaks free of his chains and gets rescued by Diggle who used a device given to him by Cisco to get to this Earth. They both agree to stop Merlyn and that's what they do as both him and Oliver fight it out on top of a building (again like season 1) which ends in the Dark Archer losing and admitting he was wrong. Not before Oliver steps in with a rousing speech. All of this felt like at least 3-4 episodes from season 1 sped up over 20 minutes or so. It was so incredibly fast paced. Star City 2040 makes a return in this episode as Mia, William, Conor and Zoey are all still doing what they do best in the future. After Felicity left at the end of last season she left it to them to protect the city. What they are up against however is a threat unlike any other as it's Deathstroke who turns out to be Conor's brother JJ. Mia's frustration grows as he gets away and everyone doesn't seem to want to agree with her plan of attack. It's all exciting and interesting and will only get better as the season goes on. The character of Mia is a born leader and is such a joy to watch. She wasn't at first back in season 7 but she's come so far it's great. 

The episode draws to a close back at the SCPD precinct where Oliver bids his farewell to Tommy, Malcolm and his mom. His mom of course thinks he's coming home but he isn't as him and Diggle are going back to their Earth. Just as they are about to leave however Laurel rushes in and says that someone is attacking the city. Outside bright red lights shine throughout as the city gets engulfed in this energy that renders people to dust. Oliver's Mom, Tommy and more are killed in an instant as this is surely the beginning of the impending Crisis. Oliver, Dig and Laurel escape to their own Earth as Earth 2 gets completely destroyed and that is how the episode ends..wow what an intense episode that while nostalgia filled also focused heavily on Oliver's mission towards what is to come. A great way to begin Arrow's final season and an even better way to begin the drive towards the Crisis. Welcome back Oliver your final few episodes won't go unnoticed. 

★★★★