Arrow review Season 8, Episode 7, “Purgatory” Aired Dec. 3, 2019.
Fighting ghosts of Purgatory’s past is a rather typical way to structure an Arrow episode. And is perhaps foreshadowing for things to come?
However, the most important aspect of “Purgatory” was Oliver’s goodbyes, so let’s break them down!
Diggle
This goodbye is rather in keeping of the entirety of the Diggle and Oliver relationship. Oliver tells Dig he’s a good man, or the best man, and Diggle lightly teases him. They’ve been through so much together. I cry.
Oliver: “Every mission has an end.”
Diggle: “I wish this one didn’t.”
Also, Oliver asking Diggle to find Felicity and to tell her he doesn’t want the kids separated…
- SAME.
- I’m guessing whatever bullsh*t reasons (a lá, Emiko and The Ninth Circle) they were kept apart aren’t reasons all of the sudden?
- I mean if we are being honest the kids were only kept separated so the Mia Smoak reveal would be a surprise so…
- I AM SO EXCITED! THIS IS PROOF THE FUTURE IS CHANGING PEOPLE! MIA AND WILLIAM WILL GROW UP TOGETHER ALL I CAN SEE IS RAINBOWS AND HAPPINESS!
William
This goodbye was cathartic for so many reasons. I think in each goodbye with Oliver’s kids, they each got to say something to him that they were holding back.
And for William, it was that he let a lot of it go a long time ago. He wasn’t angry. He’s proud and inspired by his father.
William: “I’m gonna hug you now.”
Oliver: “You better.”
THEN THEY HUGGED! And I really like that William keeps the Hozen.
Mia
I think this goodbye is most important. Not only for Mia, for Oliver too (not saying Oliver is ranking his kids, but they had some stuff to work out).
All Mia ever wanted was her dad. And now he’s here, and she was so focused on how he wasn’t there for so long, and the pain of that, it was hard to remember WHY. He wasn’t there because he’s a hero, fighting for something bigger than himself. And she accepts that now. And it was beautiful to see.
But what Oliver says to her may be one of the most important things said in the whole series:
“For a very long time I have hated this place. I think about all the people that it took from me, and it would just make me so angry… still a little bit angry. This island taught me to survive, it turned me into someone else, somebody better than the person I was before. So despite my feelings, there are no stories about the Green Arrow to tell, if I don’t make my way to Lian Yu. And I also won’t be standing here in this moment, looking at my daughter.”
Despite all the pain, he’s been given so much. His son, his daughter, and his wife. Oliver Queen exemplifies: you will be okay. You can find peace in your choices, in your past, and in your future.
Stray Musings:
- When William was dropped on Lian Yu, a mention of Samantha would have been nice. Just saying.
- Loved it when Lyla turned into Harbinger! So amazing.
- The reasons why Fyers and Yao Fei showed up were not explained well. At all. BUT I think “ghosts” of some sort can be possible foreshadowing for Oliver’s fate, post-Crisis.
- So the future is changing… the question now is how much.
- Lyla didn’t really let John have a moment to process all this did she.
- I have never been more of a Connor Hawke stan than this episode. The way he handled chopping off Roy’s arm… *chef kiss*
- LOL at Oliver’s goodbye to Dinah and Rene. That was just INACCURATE. And I have receipts @ Arrow writers.
Catch Crisis on Infinite Earths on The CW! The Supergirl, Batwoman, and The Flash episodes will air in December 2019, while the Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow episodes will air in January 2020.
