Arrow – Divided

By: Stacy Miller

Cayden James (Michael Emerson) and Black Siren (Katie Cassidy) pay Jerry Bertinelli (Louis Ferreira) of the Bertinelli crime family a visit. Bertinelli has a valuable ship docking port that Cayden and cronies want and give the mobster forty-eight years to consider their proposal. “Don’t you have a daughter attending Columbia University?” Cayden asks Bertinelli, a not so thinly veiled threat. “I always wanted to visit New York,” sneers Black Siren.

At the Arrow Cave, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) hasn’t had any luck locating Cayden James or Black Siren. Curtis (Echo Kellum) arrives to provide John (David Ramsey) with the technology to help with his hand tremors.

Thea (Willa Holland) comes to see Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) to apply for a job as his assistant, since Lance had trust issues with his last assistant, Rene. You know, since Rene agreed to be the FBI’s star witness in the case against Oliver.  Thea understands why Rene did what he did as he was thinking of his daughter Zoey, but that doesn’t make it easier for Oliver or Quentin for that matter to forgive him. But Quentin tells Thea that he already hired an assistant; what he really needs is a Chief of Staff.

Curtis uses the technology on Diggle and asks whether John can make a fist without the tremors. John is unsuccessful, so it’s back to the drawing board.  But what’s with that strange backlash of frequency that appears to be resonating through the Arrow cave.

Vince (Johann Urb) comes to Star City Police Department to ask Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) for a date.

John and Felicity meet with Oliver outside the Arrow Cave and tells him about the signal interference. They realize that Black Siren must have left a bug at Arrow Cave a few months ago that is responsible for the signal interference and also means that Cayden James has been one step ahead of them for months. Oliver meets with Bertinelli crime syndicate head Jerry, who tells him about the visit Cayden James and Black Siren paid him last night. Bertinelli tells Oliver that Cayden James as his super powered lady wants to control the dock port. “You think I’m going to help you win a turf war?” Oliver asks Bertinelli. The mobster thinks he and Oliver should join forces against their common enemy.

Oliver returns to John and Felicity and gives them the security footage that Bertinelli gave him. He tells them about Cayden James and Black Siren’s visit and how they threatened his (Bertinelli) daughter.

Rene (Rick Gonzalez) asks Zoey whether she wants to go to the zoo today to see the new Komodo Dragon. He admits that he’s not going to work because he’s in a transitional period but assures that no one will take her away from him again. Curtis arrives and Zoey leaves the room. Rene is feeling guilty about everything that went down with Oliver; how in order to do right by his (Rene) daughter, he had to betrayal his friend (Oliver). Rene questions Curtis about the FBI’s evidence against him (Rene); if it was digitalized and disappeared, he could recant his statement and do right by Oliver. Curtis agrees to help Rene.

On their date, Dinah tells Vince that she stopped being the Black Canary about five weeks ago and really wants to uncomplicated her life. Does this mean that there could be a future for Dinah and Vince?

Thea tells Oliver that she wishes that she had her abilities as Speedy since he’s a few people short.  Oliver assures that she will always be Speedy.  Felicity calls Oliver and tells him that she’s located Cayden James. John suggests that they do some recon first, reminding Oliver that he’d be going in alone. How right John is for when Oliver arrives and confronts Cayden, James has managed to jam Felicity’s frequency so she can’t hear what’s happened to provide Oliver with backup. Cayden James tells Oliver that he (James) doesn’t play games but always wins. It looks like Oliver is surrounded by Cayden James’ cronies, including Anatoly (David Nykl). Outnumbered, Oliver makes his escape and Cayden James doesn’t allow Black Siren to go after him. “There’s a time and a place for Oliver Queen’s demise, now is not it,” says Cayden James.

Quentin tells Thea how Black Siren saved his life; he wonders if this Laurel may not be as bad as she pretends to be. Thea warns that if he goes down this road, he may regret it.

John and Felicity tells Rene, Curtis and Dinah about the breach in the Arrow Cave’s security due to Cayden James’ listening device. Felicity also tells Dinah that Vince is working with Cayden James and The Bratkva because Oliver saw him there. Dinah finds that hard to believe, Vince may be a vigilante but he helps brings criminals down, not work with them. “I sounds like Oliver and Cayden James have a lot in common,” Rene says sarcastically. “Rene, we did that for the good of the team,” Diggle tells him. “Is that how you sleep at night John?” Curtis asks. “We are facing an actual breach in security.  You guys gave up on Oliver. You don’t get to just stay mad at daddy because he read your diary and you get to just skip out on curfew that’s not how it works!” Felicity says angrily and sarcastically. Rene reminds that he did what he did for his daughter. Dinah is tired of listening to John and Felicity point the finger at everyone else after what they did.

Meanwhile, Bertinelli comes to see Oliver. He tells Queen that he got a text from inside his daughter’s dorm room as a threat that she’s being watched and they can get to her whenever they want. So as far as he’s concerned, Cayden James can have the port. But Oliver tells Bertinelli that if he works with him and does what he says, they can end Cayden James once and for all.

Dinah goes to see Vince and punches him. She accuses him of lying to her and getting close to her because he is working for Cayden James. She attempts to bring him in, but Vince knocks Dinah unconscious.

John tells Oliver that they need the rest of the team in order to take Cayden James down. But Oliver can’t do that because he can’t trust them. John reminds that the best partnerships are built on secrets, they know that all too well.

Dinah returns to Rene and Curtis, telling them that Vince is responsible for the bruises on her face.  She feels like such a fool for believing him. The three decide to form their own team.

Cayden James is ready to take down the port and Bertinelli.  “Mr. Bertinelli has his army, he should meet ours,” Cayden James tells Black Siren.

The fight begins between Oliver, Anatoly and Cayden James.  Again, Oliver is outnumbered and has to make a getaway. Bertinelli tells Cayden James he can have the shipping port. Richard Dragon (Kirk Acevedo) shoots Bertinelli in the back of the head, killing him. Cayden James whispers over the mobster’s body because even though he betrayed him in the end, he made the right decision. “That’s why I won’t have your daughter killed,” Cayden James tells the dead man.  Then, he tells Black Siren find the best way to dispose of the corpse to send a message.

Back at the Arrow Cave, Oliver is frustrated that Cayden James out away. “Everybody got away,” Oliver says annoyed.  He realizes that numbers are an advantage; he can’t be out there alone. “I won’t make that mistake again,” Oliver tells John and Felicity. With that, John, Felicity and Oliver go to see Rene, Dinah and Curtis. Oliver admits that as a father, he understands why Rene did what he did but because of Rene’s actions, Oliver is at risk to be separated from his son. But Oliver also reminds Dinah that she kept Vince’s return a secret so there’s blame on both sides. Oliver wants them to put aside their grudges and reunite the team. But Rene, Curtis and Dinah can’t go back to the way things were before when three members of the team didn’t trust the other three members. So, they have decided to form their own team.  Oliver wishes the new team luck.  Curtis gives John the technology; he’s made some modifications with the new chip and hopes it helps.

Thea tells Quentin that as Merlyn changed in the end, maybe Black Siren can too. Vince assures Cayden James that his association with Dinah won’t compromise their (his and Cayden James) association.  “I know all the right buttons to push.”

Felicity inserts the new chip into John’s wrist.  It works, he can make a fist as well as well as catch the gun that Oliver quickly tosses to him.  “It looks like we are not as undermanned as we thought,” Oliver tells John and Felicity.  The new Team Arrow is back in business!