Arrow season 2, episode 13, “Heir to the Demon,” aired tonight, featuring a look into the Lance family dynamics.
The episode opens at the Starling City airport, as one Nyssa Raatko arrives. When her name is flagged by A.R.G.U.S., guards approach but she takes them all out and heads on her way.
Sara returns
Oliver gets a call from Quentin Lance and hurries to the hospital, where he finds Quentin and Dinah with Laurel. She’s being treated after her apparent overdose, though she insists she didn’t take any pills.
In the Arrow cave, Oliver tries to convince Sara to stay for Laurel’s sake, but Sara refuses since the League of Assassins is still looking for her. Quentin also wants Sara to stay, but Sara reiterates the party line when they meet.
The heir to the demon arrives
The Arrow is about to confront Sara when Nyssa appears. Sara watches her warily before Nyssa kisses her. The Arrow steps forward after the reunion and Nyssa introduces herself as the daughter of Ra’s al Ghul. Sara asks the Arrow to trust her before speaking with Nyssa alone.
Nyssa wants Sara to return, but Sara can’t take the killing anymore. Nyssa, though, wants her lover back but realizes Sara no longer loves her. Sara wants Nyssa to ask Ra’s to free her from the League. Nyssa declines.
A trap for Sara
Laurel’s blood tests negative for pills, meaning she didn’t overdose after all; she was poisoned. The plot thickens as Dinah is kidnapped. The Arrow and Canary follow the van with Dinah in it, but it gets away after an intense chase. Nyssa gives Sara one day to choose between her and her mother.
Sara, the Arrow, and Quentin attempt to take one of Nyssa’s cronies hostage to find out where Dinah is, but he kills himself rather than talk. Sara is forced to agree to return to Nanda Parbat, but she’s got an ace up her sleeve: the poison used on Laurel.
Oliver, meanwhile, is worried about Sara killing Nyssa, as it would bring the wrath of Ra’s al Ghul down on Starling, so he tracks her.
A fight for freedom
Sara and Quentin arrive at the docks, and Sara briefly reunites with Dinah before stepping toward Nyssa. But she stumbles, and Nyssa realizes too late that Sara poisoned herself.
Nyssa knocks Quentin out after he attacks her, but the Arrow arrives in time to save Dinah. An archer battle ensues, though the Arrow takes the upper hand when the fight turns to hand-to-hand. Sara asks him not to kill Nyssa then collapses. The Arrow hurries to give her the antidote. Sara revives and begs Nyssa, “No more killing.”
Nyssa releases Sara from the League just as the police — and Laurel — arrive on the scene.
Back at the Lance house, the family is reunited and Laurel is furious as she pours herself a drink. She blames Sara for “every single thing that’s gone wrong” in their lives and tells her to leave.
Sara finds Oliver in the Arrow cave, where he’s taking out his own anger on a training dummy. When Oliver asks what’s next, Sara says she’s home, and they have sex.
Moira’s campaign
Meanwhile, Moira is set to announce her candidacy for mayor. Felicity tells Walter that there was a wire transfer made from Tempest, Moira’s offshore account from the previous year, to an account in Starling. Walter says he’ll talk to Moira.
That night, Felicity approaches Moira. Knowing that Walter was lying, Felicity looked into the wire transfer herself. She tracked the money to Moira’s OB and made the connection between Malcolm and Thea.
Felicity wants Moira to tell Oliver, but in a super manipulative moment, Moira plays on Felicity’s feelings for Oliver and tells her that part of him will always hate her if she tells him.
Later, after Blood and Oliver amicably cut political ties, Moira confronts Blood. He advises her to drop out of the campaign so he doesn’t have to destroy his friend’s mother, but Moira warns him not to underestimate her.
The moment of truth
The next day, Oliver confronts Felicity about why she’s been acting off and exchanging looks with his mother. Felicity tells him that her father abandoned her and that she’s terrified of losing someone important to her again. Oliver assures her that she’ll never lose him, and she comes clean.
Oliver is called upon to introduce his mother, and as he visibly struggles with what to say, Moira realizes Felicity told him. Finally, Oliver tells the assembled crowd that they don’t know what his mother is capable of…when it comes to helping the people of Starling. It’s a good save, and Moira announces her campaign.
Slade catches the announcement and declares that he’s taking matters into his own hands.
Broken bonds
That night, Oliver confronts Moira. He’s upset because he’s supported her through everything. When Moira says she was only protecting Oliver and Thea from Malcolm, Oliver retorts that Moira is just a liar — and she’s made Oliver a liar too since Thea can never know.
Oliver then cuts ties with his mother. He’ll keep up public appearances, but in private they’re done.
Lance family flashbacks
In lieu of island flashbacks, we get a look at the Lance family six years earlier. They were happy and whole when Sara surprises her family with a visit, though she’s also planning a secret rendezvous with Oliver.
That night, Laurel tells Sara she and Oliver are preparing to look for apartments together. Sara points out that Oliver may never be ready to settle down. This upsets Laurel, and their argument pushes Sara past her doubts to join Oliver on the Queen’s Gambit.
After the news about the boat going down hits, Moira has to tell the Lances that Sara was on board as well, and they all grieve together.
