Arrow – The Thanatos Guild

By: Stacy Miller

Four Years Ago. “So, where we going?” Thea Queen (Willa Holland) asked her father Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) as she sat in the backseat of his limo. “Wherever you want,” Malcolm answers. Thea realizes that her father wanted to get out of town because the police and the Arrow were after him. She didn’t want to get hurt ever again and Malcolm promised to teach her to be strong and protect herself. “That’s what every father wants for his daughter,” Malcolm told Thea.

Present Day. A group of renegade League of Assassins known as The Thanatos Guild lead by Athena (Zyra Zagorsky) discuss Malcolm Merlyn and the age of Thanatos. They talk about Merlyn’s journey not being able to commence without his blood legacy being cleanse. Athena wants to also rid them of the Daughter of the Demon Nyssa al Ghul (Katrina Law). But Nyssa came prepared with plastic explosives and is able to make her escape.

In Star City, it is Thea’s farewell party and her nephew William (Jack Moore) tells her how much he’s going to miss her. Thea asks William to look out for his dad and shares a story how Oliver (Stephen Amell) needed a nightlight when he was young because he was afraid of the dark. Oliver approaches and after William goes to get a fork and plate to eat his cake, Thea thanks Oliver for giving her the party as she thought he’d be anti her leaving. Oliver reminds that he was the one who told her to go and follow her heart.  At the party, John (David Ramsey) asks Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) how things are going with his new roommate. Quentin comments how the only difference between this Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and his Laurel is that this Laurel is a better cook. Oliver joins the conversation. They talk about the dirty cops on Diaz’s payroll and how far reaching his payoff pockets are. John urges Oliver to enjoy the few moments he has with his sister and to let him handle the Diaz situation.

At Helios Headquarters, Curtis (Echo Kellum) wonders what kind of food is being served at Thea’s going away party, not that he’s thinking of crashing. Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) tells Curtis to focus on finding out about which cops are dirty of Diaz’s payroll.

Later at Star City PD, Dinah becomes suspicious of Captain Hill (Tina Huang).

Meanwhile as Roy (Colton Haynes) and Thea are driving out of town, their car is attacked. They are saved by Nyssa, who tells them that the people who attacked them were scouts belonging to the revived League of Assassins. Nyssa tells Thea that nothing stays dead forever and as the Heiress of the Demon, there’s no getting out for her (Thea).

Back at the Arrow Cave, after making a snide comment about Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) taking her (Nyssa) husband (Oliver) as her own, Nyssa explains about The Thanatos Guild and how the self-appointed head Athena is looking for a map she believes Thea possesses. Thea insists that this is not going to keep her from having a normal life with Roy, but Nyssa again reminds that there is no getting out. So, Thea joins Nyssa when they go off to meet Tigress (Alvina August) a former Thanatos Guild operative with over two hundred kills under her belt, one of which is her own brother. Tigress tells Thea she recognizes her as Malcolm’s blood and how Athena believes that Thea is the only one who can uncover the map’s secrets. Tigress provides Thea with an information on the location where Malcolm may have hidden the map.

Later all suited up, Oliver, John, Thea, Roy and Nyssa arrive at the location. Nyssa finds a box buried and tells the group that the map is encased inside. The box has a cypher, which Thea thinks the code could be her birthday. But as the cypher is eighteen digits, it’s not Thea’s birthday. Suddenly, Tigress pops out dead, hanging upside down from the ceiling. Athena appears demanding Thea and the map. “I’m always merciful when I get what I want,” she says. “I know you better than that,” Nyssa counters, already in fighting stance. “Stand down, I’m not going to ask twice,” Oliver orders. But Team Arrow is outnumbered when they are soon surrounded by The Thanatos Guild. Athena tells Thea if she comes with them she’ll continue to let her friends draw breath. But if she refuses, blood will be shed! Thea says that the only blood that will be shed will be Athena’s. Nyssa tells Thea to go take the box somewhere safe. “The exit’s kind of blocked right now,” Thea says. “We can help with that,” Oliver assures. Soon, Team Arrow vs. The Thanatos Guild in battle. “Make your father proud, come with us,” Athena orders Thea. But Team Arrow is able to make their escape.

Back at the Arrow Cave, Thea comments that she thinks Athena broke her (Thea) ribs. Nyssa assures Thea that this will be the last time Thea has to face Athena. But Thea thinks that Nyssa may need her help. Nyssa says that her people evented math and should be able to open the box. Thea counters that they have the greatest mathematician (Felicity) on their team. Felicity is confident that she can open the box; after all, there’s nothing that she can’t crack. Roy pulls Thea aside and reminds her that Nyssa gave her an out and they should resume their plan to have a life together. But Thea says that after seeing The Thanatos Guild in action, she doesn’t know whether she can just have a happily ever after until she puts them down.

Curtis and Dinah break into Star City PD evidence room to get information that will prove that Captain Hill is dirty. Dinah hides when Officer Nick Anastas (Evan Roderick) appears. She finds some drugs. Quick thinking Curtis lies that he’s there to meet Dinah for dinner but got lost in the maze that is the station. Nick offers to give Curtis a tour while they wait for Dinah. He says it will be at least an hour before she comes to work.

Oliver tells Nyssa that Thea discovers to have her own life. He understands that she is conflicted because Malcolm was her father, but he knows that Merlyn was evil. Nyssa understands that Thea wants to right her father’s wrongs because both she (Nyssa) and Oliver have dedicated their lives to doing the same.  Oliver reminds that he chose to do it because his father asked him. He doesn’t feel that Thea should sacrifice her life trying to make amends for Malcolm Merlyn’s wrong doings. But in Nyssa’s book because Malcolm gave his life to save Thea’s, she (Thea) owes her father a debt. “That’s convenient for you to believe because Thea gets you closer to what you want,” Oliver tells Nyssa. Their debate is interrupted by Felicity: She’s cracked the code to open the box containing the map. She explains that the code dates back to 450BC. Felicity says that every number is a sequence dating back to the two previous numbers and that they need to know the two starting numbers. Nyssa tells them that the starting numbers are 10 and 13 because that was the year the League was started. “And Malcolm’s birthday,” Thea realizes. Thea enters the sequence and the box opens. Nyssa snatches the map out of Thea’s hands but discovers that it has nothing written on it. Felicity takes a candle to the back up the map in an attempt to reheat it to reveal the invisible ink. When that doesn’t work, Felicity tries scanning the map; reasoning if she makes a 3D recreation they’ll be able to see the hidden text.

Roy tells Thea that he doesn’t understand why she thinks it’s her responsibility to right her father’s wrongs. Thea reminds that Malcolm died for her so she has to do this. She assures Roy that the map isn’t her future, he is.

At Helios, Curtis and Dinah realize that the drugs she found when she searched the evidence room is Vertigo and that Captain Hill is innocent. Which means they are back to square one.

Thea talk with Oliver about duty and responsibility. She says that when Oliver puts on the hood, he becomes the best version of himself. She’s hoping that she too can become the best version of herself.

Team Arrow suits up again and run into Athena, who tells Thea that the map is useless unless she spills Thea’s blood. “You’re really starting to piss me off!” Thea says. She and Athena begin fighting while John and Oliver fight the other Thanatos Guild members. Athena taunts Thea that Malcolm was always ashamed of Thea’s weakness. “He tried to teach you to be strong,” Athena tells Thea, “If you bleed, I win.” Thea holds the map over the flames, threatening to burn it. She then manages to stab Athena. Nyssa appears and asks Thea whether she is alright. Thea looks down to the floor and Athena is gone.  Nyssa tells Thea that Athena is hard to kill.  Drops of Thea’s blood drip on the map and text appears. So spilling Thea’s blood was literal.

Back at the Arrow Cave, Nyssa explains that the map reveals that Malcolm Merlyn discovered the existence of three Lazarus Pits.

Curtis asks Officer Nick Anastas on a date. His happiness on getting back on the horse is short lived when Dinah arrives and tells her that she’s discovered Captain Hill is dirty, she’s helping Diaz push Vertigo.

Thea tells Roy that after talking with Oliver about how being the Green Arrow helps him to be a better version of himself, she’s decided to go with Nyssa. Roy says that he’s going with her; it doesn’t matter where they go as long as they go together. Nyssa gifts Oliver with a special dagger that symbolizes in League tradition the annulment of their marriage. Before she leaves, Thea gives Oliver some advice: “If you’re going to wear the hood, don’t string John along.” And with that, Thea Queen departs. “Goodbye Speed,” Oliver says as he watches his sister drive off.