Arrow season 4, episode 7, “Brotherhood,” aired tonight. Read our recap and discuss the episode with fellow fans.
Andy Diggle lives
When Team Arrow discovers that Andy Diggle is alive after all, they have different reactions to the news. While Diggle is furious about his brother’s lying about his fate, the rest of the team wants to rescue Andy from Damien Darhk’s clutches and find out the true story. When one rescue operation goes south and Oliver is injured, Diggle wants to let the whole thing drop. The team isn’t having it, though, and they once again infiltrate one of H.I.V.E.’s bases. Thea manages to take Andy down, but when they bring him back to the Arrow cave, Andy confirms that everything in the H.I.V.E. file about him is true.
On the surface, Diggle’s reaction to Andy’s “resurrection” is rather surprising. Rather than being happy that his brother has been alive all along, he’s furious that Andy let everyone who loved him believe he was dead. He’s betrayed by Andy’s apparent criminal activities. And he’s not willing to give his brother the benefit of the doubt despite the knowledge that he is under Damien Darhk’s influence.
But considering the pain Diggle went through after the loss of his brother; the pain Andy’s family went through; and Diggle’s complicated relationship with Oliver, his surrogate brother in green, it makes more sense. He’s still getting over Oliver’s actions last season, and this news is a painful echo of that feeling of betrayal.
Now that Team Arrow has Andy locked up in a cage in the Arrow cave, though, what comes next? Will they be able to undo whatever influence Darhk has on him? Since the next episode is the Flash/Arrow crossover, we’ll probably have to wait to find out.
Ray’s lack of purpose
Speaking of “resurrections,” Ray is dealing with being normal-sized again. However, he doesn’t seem to be dealing particularly well. He refuses to see anyone besides Team Arrow or return to his company. Felicity gets him to help the team with the tooth they got from a Ghost a few episodes ago, and they discover that the Ghosts are taking some kind of compound that messes up their DNA to keep them from being identified. Ray also helps Team Arrow in their H.I.V.E. infiltration in his Atom suit. But he’s going to take some time for himself to figure out what to do with his second chance at life.
Ray’s struggle here seems to run parallel to Sara’s, who also just came back from the dead. Both characters are looking for purpose in their resurrections; what are they living for now that they are back? Things that once seemed important are put in perspective after a return from the dead (or “dead”). It seems like they’ll find this purpose on Legends of Tomorrow.
Fighting Darhk from the light
While the Green Arrow’s fight against H.I.V.E. takes place at night, Oliver Queen continues his campaign for mayor during the day. At a benefit, he’s approached by Damien Darhk, who proposes they work together. However, if Oliver doesn’t agree to his terms, he will find opposition in Darhk. Oliver considers going in undercover since Lance is in trouble, but both Felicity and Diggle remind him that this is what he did against the League of Assassins the year before. Oliver needs to do things differently and fight Darhk in the light, and he agrees.
This plotline goes to show just how much Oliver has truly changed; when he said he was going to do things differently this time around, he truly meant it. Fighting for the future of the city in the public sphere is not something Oliver has had the opportunity before, as his enemies have also been in the dark. Now that we have a villain literally named Darhk, though, a large portion of the fight is going to be in the light of day. There’s something both amusing and appropriate about that.
Also, shout out to Neal McDonough’s commanding performance as Damien Darhk. He’s one of the best villains the show has had.
Also worth noting
- Thea’s bloodlust returns, and she nearly kills a creeper who hits on her while she’s on a date with Alex. Alex stops her from killing him, but he’s definitely shaken by what he’s seen.
- Speedy comes face-to-face with Damien Darhk and he tries to use his magic against her, but it ends up backfiring on him for some reason. Thea asks Malcolm to help her figure out how to make the effect permanent since her bloodlust temporarily disappeared.
- Darhk is suspicious of Quentin Lance, which doesn’t bode well for his life expectancy. Oliver stops the team’s infiltration plans the moment he learns Quentin is in danger, though.
Watch a promo for the next episode
