Arrow – Prochnost

By: Courtney Groom

Oliver (Stephen Amell) is at the bunker with Mia (Katherine McNamara) training her and trying to get things back on track as a family. William (Ben Lewis) comes in telling them he has something to show them that he has created. It is a facial recognition program to help track down General Alexi Burov (Barry W. Levy). He goes on to say that Curtis (Echo Kellum) said the energy wave that destroyed Earth-2 can be replicated, meaning they can weaponize it. Before the General went off the grid William found out he was working on a weapon called “The Pulse Wave Generator,”  but the only way to power the General’s weapon is with plutonium and no one knows where to find it. John (David Ramsey) walks in saying they can find it in a facility in Bialya where radioactive material is stored. Oliver turns to William and Mia asking if they would like to accompany him and Laurel (Katie Cassidy Rodgers) to Russia.

Instead of going to Russia for the mission John shows up at an auto place, asking an employee he is looking for Jason. “Jason” moves from underneath a car in front of John and reveals himself to be Roy Harper (Colton Haynes). Roy questions how John found him and is confused even more when John says that William located him because last time Roy saw him that he was only thirteen years old. John says he will explain another time, but he needs his help. Roy refuses. Roy says he’s not a superhero anymore and wants to carry on with his “normal” life.  John asks if he is going to walk out on him the same way he did to Thea (Willa Holland). Roy explains that it was the best for both of them and that he needed a fresh start. Roy tries to leave but John stops him, telling him a Crisis is coming and it’s the biggest threat they have ever faced. Roy finally agrees to help, but says it will only be a one-time thing. John says that all he asked for and unzips his bag to reveal Roy’s Arsenal suit.

Oliver, Laurel, William and Mia arrive in Russia to be greeted by a very familiar face – Anatoly Knyazev (David Nykl). Anatoly tells William he hopes he doesn’t think badly of them, as the last time they met Anatoly was on the wrong side of history. He’s been helping Oliver undercover to track General Burov, but it’s not been easy. He says that as “friends” he can call for help, but Oliver doesn’t want them to be involved.

In Bialya we see Roy ask John if he really thinks the energy weapon is going to stop The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) and John tells him that he hopes so. In order to obtain the Plutonium they’re going to have to seal it before it gets inside armed facility. Roy wants to know why John didn’t just bring Dinah or Rene because they’re more than capable to break into a facility. John says their hands are full in Star City, but Roy doesn’t buy it. John wants Roy to rejoin the team permanently to help control his bloodlust. Roy tells him it is never going to happen and after this mission he is going to disappear to a place where no one can find him again.

Back in Russia we find Anatoly telling the team he has some good news, but also bad news. The good news is that he found General Burov, but the bad news is he is a man who likes betting and blood. This means the only place to find him is Krovavaya Banya, a/k/a “The Bloodbath” – a fight club. William mentions that it sounds like where he met Mia for the first time. Mia explains when she left home she had to find a way to make money, so she fought at a fight club and won. Oliver tells Anatoly they and Laurel will go to the club to find Burov and says to William and Mia they are going to stay put because it’s too dangerous.

Oliver, Laurel and Anatoly get to the club and Oliver tells Laurel they want to move quickly and keep their heads low. Anatoly points out the general and they go talk to him. Oliver tells Burov they want his expertise with something sensitive. Moving to a quieter part of the club, Burov tells them that he abandoned the Pulse Wave Generator project because it’s too unpredictable and bad business. But he’s willing to make a deal with Oliver for it. Burov tells him he wants a fighter, someone to upset the favorite. If he wins Oliver can have the plans.

Oliver puts himself into the cage and starts fighting. In the corner of his eye he sees William and Mia has followed him. It almost catches him off guard, but he starts to fight back even harder and knocks out his opponent. Burov begins to give Oliver the plans, saying he’s a man of his word, but they’re interrupted when some guys come in – one of them holding a gun to Mia. Oliver tells the guy, Oleg (Kis Yurij), that what was being handed was what they came for. When they have it, they’re gone. Oleg points his gun to Mia and before he can do anything Oliver runs over to him. Unfortunately, Oliver is tased and so is Mia.

Oliver wakes up with Mia right next to him, both of them tied to chairs. Oliver tells her they’re probably at some hideout and to stay put until he knows what is going on. Oleg comes in saying that Oliver went through a lot of trouble to get the drive. Oleg urges Oliver to tell him what it is as he has five seconds while pointing his gun at Mia’s head. Mia tells Oliver to not tell him anything but for the safety of his child he confesses to Oleg what the plans are. Once Oleg leaves the room Oliver manages to dislocate his thumb and sets himself and Mia free. Just as they’re leaving Laurel and Anatoly show up.

Back at Anatoly’s bar Oliver tells them they need to figure out when and where the sale is happening, so they can recover the drive. He says to Mia that she and William are going home as it is too dangerous for them. William says no since they just saved him from being murdered by a bunch of gangsters. Oliver tells him he is their father and it’s his primary job in the world to protect them. Mia says they don’t need that as in the future they’re the ones that are saving the city. Mia says because he made the choice to protect them she had to spend her whole life alone. Oliver tells them he made a promise to their mother to protect them – past, present or future – and he’s not breaking it.

Mia explains to Oliver that the should stop trying to send them home because they’re not leaving. Oliver expresses that is good because he needs their help. Anatoly tells them Oleg is selling the drive during the bloodbath. Laurel wants to know how they’re going to get in since they know their faces. Oliver tells her they use that to their advantage. He explains to Mia that they’re going in the ring together as a team and William will be helping to get them in. Oliver notes that when Oleg realizes it’s him and Mia in the ring it will cause a distraction and that’s when they’ll steal the drive.

The team turns up to the club with William speaking Russian to the guards to try and get Oliver and Mia inside. He agrees that Oliver and Mia will fight six men since no one has survived that many men in the ring before. As Oliver and Mia get inside and begin to fight, Laurel notices their cue to strike Oleg. Laurel gets upstairs but is stopped by Oleg. Before he can shoot her Anatoly shoots him. Laurel takes the drive and everyone manages to get out the club alive.

Back at Anatoly’s bar Oliver tells Laurel that John got the plutonium with an assist from Roy. William says all they have to do is whip up an energy wave to destroy an all-knowing space being. Easy! Laurel and Anatoly leave so Oliver can speak to William and Mia about his time in Russia. He tells them he knows he hasn’t spoken to them about it because there were some things he did that he’s not very proud of. As he’s coming to grips with the fact that the two of them are grown up, he’s realizing that shielding them from the bad isn’t going to do their relationship any good. Oliver tells William and Mia that from this point forward that whatever they want to know and whatever they might want to ask him is fair game.

At the bunker Roy asks him if what they have will be enough and John responds that it should do the trick. Roy tells him he’s thinking about sticking around for a little while as he figured they’re going to need all the help they can get.

Laurel meets up with Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) in Star City, who asks if she brought the plans. Laurel tells her she’s decided not to join. Lyla explains to her she’s not going to get her Earth back, but Laurel says if saving it means going back to the person she used to be then she doesn’t want it saving. She tells Lyla she should really tell her family the truth and Lyla responds with “not yet.” However, unbeknown to her John and Oliver are right behind her. Before Lyla can even explain herself John, Oliver and Laurel are all tranq-darted by someone before passing out.