Arrow – Shifting Allegiances

By: Stacy Miller

Oliver (Stephen Amell) is in Russia and meets with a Bratva head about Anatoly (David Nykl) who the Bratva exiled because of his association with Oliver.

Rene (Rick Gonzalez) is out of the hospital. Curtis (Echo Kellum) brings him home to a small surprise party. “You didn’t have to do all this,” Rene says. “You’ve been in the hospital over a month you deserve a hero’s welcome,” Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) tells Rene, who is ready to get back into the game and take down Diaz.

Meanwhile, Diaz is getting fitted for a new suit. Now that he’s part of The Quadrant, his new power requires a new look. He tells Laurel (Katie Cassidy) that he’ll need to have a little talk with the new mayor Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne).

Now part of A.R.G.U.S, John (David Ramsey) gives a briefing on the Diaz (Kirk Acevedo). He learns from Dragos (Carlos Sanz) about Quadrant member Lydia Cassamento’s (Gina Ravera) involvement with Ricardo Diaz. “If she’s taking guns to Diaz, she may lead us right to him,” John says.

Anatoly is surprised that Oliver found him. Oliver tells his old friend that he helped pay a debt he owed him (Anatoly) so now Anatoly can go home. Oliver urges Anatoly as an honorable man to help him (Oliver) stop Ricardo Diaz. But Anatoly uses a taser on Oliver.  When Oliver wakes up, he finds himself chained to a chair. Anatoly reminds Oliver that most of his (Oliver) tricks are those that Anatoly taught Queen. Anatoly comments that he and Diaz had a good laugh about Oliver breaking into Star City PD. “So you and Diaz are friends now?” Oliver asking commenting that he thought Anatoly wanted back in with the Bratva. Anatoly tells Oliver that Diaz is going to make him a rich man, so whether Ricardo Diaz’s is a bad man is of no concern to Anatoly.

Rene goes to Helix headquarters and comments how much he’s missed his Wild Dog costume. Curtis says that Rene will probably be needed back in gear soon now that John has left Team Arrow to join A.R.G.U.S.  Rene is not surprised that Oliver ended up driving everyone away. Rene also believes that they (he, Curtis and Dinah) will be the team that brings Diaz down. Rene, Curtis and Dinah talk about how Diaz used to run the Scorpions, the biggest drug supplier in the city. Maybe finding where The Scorpions’ drug base is will help lead them to Diaz. And if not, at least they take down some drug dealers. Dinah reminds that now that she’s been locked out of SCPD, it won’t be as easy having access to places. “Diaz isn’t the only one who grew up in The Glades.” Rene reminds.

Quentin is surprised to see Laurel at a favorite restaurant he used to bring his Laurel. She apologizes to him as Diaz approaches. Ricardo Diaz tells the new mayor that he’ll need his signature on a deed document. Quentin angrily says that he’s not signing anything for Diaz. Stroking Laurel’s hands, Diaz says that he’s sure she can convince him.  Quentin vows that he’ll make Diaz pays if he hurts Laurel, but Diaz assures that he has no intention of hurting Laurel; she’s smart enough to play on the winning side. As they leave, Laurel turns around and gives Quentin a look that says she’s not happy to be working with Diaz.

Rene, Curtis and Dinah arrive at a facility where The Scorpions conduct their business behind a laser proof door. No problem, Curtis came prepared with a laser microphone that could pick up the sounds. Curtis gets the signal. But unfortunately, a big guy is standing in the way blocking the signal. “I’m on it,” Rene says as he confronts the guy about trying to copy his bets. Once the man moves away from the sensor, Rene apologizes to the guy saying he overacts when he loses.  Later, the trio converge upon a warehouse to intercept and stop what they believe is the transporting of drugs.  When Diaz’s crew shows up, Rene, Curtis and Dinah find themselves trapped. When Rene freezes up, Dinah’s forced to use her canary scream to get them out of the jam.  Lydia Cassamento of The Quadrant orders everyone to be blown to Hell. Lucky for Rene, Curtis and Dinah, John swoops in and saves them.

Back at Helix, John gives Rene, Curtis and Dinah information about Lydia and The Quadrant. Dinah realizes that The Quadrant wasn’t trying to get drugs from The Scorpions, it was an ambush and they planned to wipe the members of The Quadrant out. John explains that The Quadrant are planning to ship weapons into the city.  John apologizes for the part he planned in what happened to separate the two Team Arrows. Quentin arrives and tells the group that Diaz paid him a visit wanting him to sign over a piece of city property. They realize that Ricardo Diaz is a member of The Quadrant.

While on a stakeout to see what The Quadrant is up to, Rene tells John how he froze when in the field and asks Diggle how he does it, how does he keep functioning in the field with the fear of being killed and leaving his child alone in the back of his mind. Their conversation is interrupted by activity. It looks like Diaz is planning to turn the city into a weapon shipment way station.

Oliver tells Anatoly that once Diaz is finished with him (Anatoly) and he’s no longer of use, Diaz will turn on him and kill him like he did Cayden James. Anatoly assures that won’t happen because Cayden James underestimated Diaz, a mistake that Anatoly won’t make.

Laurel comes to see Quentin. She admits that she’s afraid of Diaz and urges Quentin to sign over the property or Diaz will kill him.

Rene, Curtis and Dinah decide that they will blow up The Quadrant’s shipment.

Quentin comes to see Laurel. He tells her that he saw a look in her eyes that convinced him she was telling the truth about being afraid of Diaz. He tells her how he worked with Damien Darhk to protect his daughter and Darhk ended up killing her anyway. Laurel says that she’s known many different types of men but Ricardo Diaz isn’t a man, he’s a monster. “I watched him burn a man alive over a childhood grudge.” Laurel worries what Diaz could do to her if she tries to escape from him. Quentin promises that he won’t let what happened to his daughter Laurel happen a second time. Laurel and Quentin decide that they will protect each other.

John, Rene, Curtis and Dinah manage to blow up The Quadrant’s shipment. Furious, Diaz returns to Oliver and angrily tells him that his (Oliver) friends just blew up twelve million dollars in a valuable shipment. “I don’t have any friends,” is Oliver’s response earning him a punch from Diaz. When Diaz keeps decking a chained Oliver, Anatoly tells him to fight with honor. Diaz has Oliver’s chains removed and wagers Queen that if he puts Oliver on the ground, Oliver will leave Star City forever and if Oliver puts him on the ground, he’ll do the same. “You think you spent five years in Hell, I was born there,” Diaz tells Oliver as they begin fighting. When Oliver gets Diaz in a chokehold and orders him to stay down, Diaz plays dirty and stabs Oliver with a knife he had concealed. “You have failed the city, now I’m taking it back,” Oliver vows before passing out.

When Oliver wakes up, Anatoly gives him the bandages he brought for him. Oliver thanks Anatoly for giving him a chance to take Diaz down. Anatoly tells Oliver that he just wanted to see for himself which one of them had honor. The guards arrive to take Oliver to Diaz.

Curtis comes to see Rene, who tells his friend that every time he goes out in the field he’s afraid of something happening to him and leaving Zoey alone. Zoey comes out of her bedroom and admits that she knew Rene, Curtis and Dinah wore masked and fought bad guys. He taught her to be brave and she’s proud of him for fighting for what he believes in.

Diaz tells Oliver that even though they had an agreement, he changed his mind and Oliver can stay in the city for twenty-five years to life. “I’m moving your trial up and don’t even think about getting bail, I have a lot of friends,” Diaz says as Ricardo’s paid cops enter to escort the former mayor back to jail. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), William (Jack Moore) and Raisa (Kathleen Gati) watch the Breaking News of Oliver’s arrest and May 3 trial date on the news. How will Oliver get out of this one?