Arrow (6×13): “The Devil’s Greatest Trick”

 

 

Episode synopsis:

Cayden James discovers a secret about Green Arrow that pushes him over the edge. Knowing everyone and everything he loves is in danger, Oliver must decide if he can do this alone or if he needs to turn to his old teammates for help. William starts to demand more of Oliver’s time. – The CW

“The Devil’s Greatest Trick” opens with John and Ollie walking in on a classic Cayden James trap. The thermobaric bomb will be detonated at midnight and Cayden James cares about nothing including the fact that Oliver is close to proving he didn’t kill Cayden’s son.

In an evil meeting James let’s everyone know that they will be airlifted from the city before the bomb explodes and paid. He also takes the time in this meeting to personally thank all of them for their help, considering how important this was to him. He’s evil but a good boss, I suppose.

Flashback to 18 months ago, Cayden James and Alena first meeting, totally doesn’t seem evil. Uh oh, Cayden missed his son’s basketball game, classic working dad trope. Cayden promises to go to his playoff game, I’m guessing he dies before that happens.

The airlift is late and tensions are rising for the baddies. Maybe he’s not a good boss.

Hey, remember that vendetta Dinah promised about last week? Well she’s on it, beating down criminals looking for Laurel. New Team Arrow tries to intervene by warning her about the bomb but she can’t stop.

Alena and Felicity cracked the footage. Karl Iscove killed Cayden’s son and he is an assassin, interesting. The plot thickens, the assassin was assassinated shortly after.

With a little help from the Flash, Ollie and John are able to catch up with James before he leaves town. They show him the undoctored footage. Looking at the metadata Cayden concludes that the same person doctored the photo outing Oliver earlier this season. There is a traitor amidst his team and he kindly asks John and Ollie to round up the team for him. They have to oblige since he still has that bomb and all.

It’s time to get the team back together, the whole team.

Dinah finds Laurel, a beat down ensues. Quentin intervenes shortly before the combined Team Arrows show up and subdue both of them. I still can’t tell if Laurel is 100% evil or not, poor Quentin.

The teams split. Arrow and Spartan are going after Anatoly, Wild Dog and Terrific are going after Diaz and Dinah and Lance are babysitting Laurel.

Flashback, ARGUS is on Cayden’s trail but he can’t miss the game.

 

William continues to be a whiny pain in the cave. Can’t blame him the city’s going to blow up and his dad is trying to stop the madman.

With all the crew in custody James gives them a meeting place. Unfortunately, William overheard that and looks like he’ll be leaving the cave and heading there. Somehow, I feel like William is going to save the day, like Cayden’s going to see Ollie and his son and be like damn I can’t kill all these families or something.

I was like half right. Cayden thinks he should be there, it’s only fitting Ollie’s son be there considering James’s son.

Flashback again, I was wrong James saw part of the game and his son was still alive. Unfortunately, he doesn’t make it into the gym, he is arrested while he is looking through the window.

Laurel sets Lance straight, she’ll never be his Laurel she was weak and deserved to die.

The gangs all there now and Cayden can start whatever he plans to do.

Cayden monologues about his son being taken from him. He trusts the data, no one else.

Laurel did it or so she says. Cayden knows she’s lying and I think we all knew.

Double trouble, Felicity and Alena detect something wrong with the bomb. Laurel’s dampening collar is interfering with the detonator.

The dampener short circuits and Laurel screams at everyone and flees, the other baddies follow suit. It’s all hands-on deck trying to catch them.

Laurel’s hurt and it looks like Quentin is going to help her escape. Also, William gets himself in trouble going after the detonator but my prediction might come true with a change of heart from James. And I was right, Cayden realized it was his job to protect his son and he failed. In his moment of anguish Ollie disarms him.

The day is save. Back in the cave Ollie and William have a heart to heart.

Cayden James is being booked and everyone else is on the run.

The two teams dismantle once again. New Team Arrow isn’t planning on getting back together anytime soon.

In custody Ollie visits with Cayden. He actually seems sorry and he gives Oliver a list of places everyone probably fled too and is giving Oliver access to the account that has all of the city’s money. All Cayden wants in return is permission to visit his son’s grave. Oliver of course agrees to that.

The final flashback, in custody James is told of his son’s death.

I was right, Lance has Laurel handcuffed in the backseat of his car and they’re on a road trip.

It was Diaz. He was pulling the strings all along. Star City is his now. Oliver under indictment, the Arrow team fractured, Star City is ripe for the taking. He has the police chief in his pocket and a handful of officials. We find this all out during a monologue while he visits with and kills Cayden.

I did not expect that at all. Diaz kind of seemed like a moron. So, I guess he is the big bad for the rest of the season. I also kinda feel bad for James.

Arrow will return March 1st.

Catch Arrow Thursday nights at 9pm on the CW.