Arrow season 4, episode 16, “Broken Hearts,” featured the return of Cupid and Damien Darhk on trial.
In “Broken Hearts,” Felicity and Oliver’s breakup takes center stage with the return of Cupid, who is murdering recently married couples because “love is dead” since the death of Deadshot. When the team realizes Cupid is targeting celebrity couples, Oliver suggests he and Felicity fake a wedding to lure Cupid out. Felicity is unhappy about it but eventually agrees.
Felicity is cold during the ceremony, but Oliver’s vows are heartfelt and he promises to never lie again as he slides the ring on her finger. Felicity is clearly touched, but the moment is broken by Cupid’s entrance. Felicity, surprisingly, talks Cupid down by sharing what love has meant for her just before Spartan and Speedy arrive. Working together, the team takes Cupid down without any bloodshed. Oliver hopes that they can build on what Felicity said, but Felicity believes part of him will always default back to old Oliver. She returns the ring and quits the team.
Despite Felicity’s words, her leaving should come as no surprise since we’ve seen Felicity and Oliver in the flash forward, and she’s not wearing her ring. If the show intends to bring Oliver and Felicity back together, it’s going to be a drawn-out process. And maybe it should be.
Though Oliver has proven his desire to change and be a better man, he has also proven that he can revert back to his old ways — such as his violence after Felicity was shot. Plus, Felicity’s issues likely stem from her issues with her father, who is also a liar and a criminal, and that is not something someone just gets over.
Meanwhile, Damien Darhk is on trial for his crimes with Laurel prosecuting. At the preliminary hearing, the defense claims Darhk is another man entirely. Laurel puts Diggle on the stand to talk about the Christmas abductions, but the defense brings up the drugs Diggle helped Thea buy for a vigilante mission. This destroys his credibility — and makes Laurel realize she can’t put any vigilantes on the stand.
Quentin volunteers to testify, but Laurel doesn’t want him to because he would be incriminating himself. But when no other witnesses will testify out of fear of Darhk, Laurel is forced to put him on the stand after all. His testimony is damning, and the judge determines the trial will go forward. Darhk is taken to jail, but he doesn’t seem too worried.
The fact that the judge makes it so explicit that the case against Darhk hinges on Quentin’s testimony puts a huge target on his back. Any members of H.I.V.E. — or even Malcolm Merlyn — will likely target Quentin to keep the trial from going forward, thus freeing Darhk. This lends more credence to the theory that Quentin is the one in the grave as well.
Additionally, it was also nice to see Laurel doing her job as an attorney. We hear references to her working but so rarely see it. Laurel may also be a target of H.I.V.E. because she’s probably one of the only people willing to prosecute the case against Darhk. It’s possible she is also the one in the grave, though it’s hard to believe Arrow would kill its Black Canary.
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