Arrow (7×19): Spartan

Episode Description:

ERNIE HUDSON (“GHOSTBUSTERS”) GUEST STARS — After the Ninth Circle delivers a major setback for Team Arrow, Diggle (David Ramsey) reluctantly reaches out to a Four-Star General of the Defense Intelligence Agency (guest star Ernie Hudson) for help, despite unresolved tension from their past. Meanwhile, Oliver (Stephen Amell) discovers a piece of information that he believes will turn Emiko (Sea Shimooka) against the Ninth Circle. Alena (guest star Kacey Rohl) returns with an interesting proposal for Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). – The CW/Arrow

This episode opens up with Dig and Oliver going after Virgil and some other bad guys looking for Emiko. They’re looking for Emiko, not the bad guys. These guys aren’t very compliant, so they beat em up instead.  No Emiko but they did found a drive, which could hopefully help them.

Felicity fries the drive trying to get into it but she did find out it is from the Defense Intelligence Agency. This leads Oliver and Diggle to meet with an old friend of Diggle’s General Stewart portrayed by Ernie Hudson. He is a fan of the Green Arrow’s. Unfortunately he cannot help them with the Ninth Circle and the drive. I’m like 90% sure we are gonna find out General Stewart is his dad. I was kinda right he is his step dad. So, like if John took his step father’s last name, his name would be John Stewart. Interesting.

In the future, Felicity, Mia and Connor Hawke are working on an Archer helmet to get some intel on Galaxy One. They need to find a power module and of course Mia knows where to find one.

Back in the present Felicity has a work meeting—if that’s what you want to cool it—with Alena who has set up a meeting with Magus Labs. Doc Magus is interested in Archer which could work with some new AI he is development. That smells like trouble for the future. In the present there’s trouble too. Smoak Technologies is taken hostage by Virgil and some more Ninth Circle baddies, for like a second and then a ton of dudes in cameo burst through the ceiling. Felicity and Alena are save but now the Ninth Circle has Archer.

There is a rendezvous back at the Arrow Cave in which Dig brings General Stewart to. The DIA knew there was a mole in ARGUS so they had been following the Ninth Circle which would explain why General Stewart’s men rescued Felicity. And the drive has a list of assets which is why Emiko would want Archer, it’ll be a lot easier to find them with Archer.

Oliver and Diggle have a little sidebar as it is very clear the General and Dig do not get along. The General was once John’s father’s Sergeant, he partially blames him for his father’s death, he left him behind and he died.

Back in the future Mia and Connor are looking for that power module which leads them to Deathstroke territory, which is apparently a thing in the future. Luckily Hawke has an in with the lead of the gang, John Diggle Jr.—I did not expect that.

All of the DIA’s assets have been secured but one so, that must be Emiko’s target. It’s a John and the General team up at the safe house for the other assets. It’s trap. Virgil was looking for the General this whole time.

John and the General wake up tied to some chairs in a Ninth Circle room. Obviously this is the perfect time for the pair to reconcile. The General apologizes for being hard on him and tells him he is proud of him. I’m not surprised. Also Dante does some torturing too.

At the Arrow Cave they are trying to figure out why the Ninth Circle wants General Stewart. This research turns up some interesting stuff regarding the mission John’s dad died on.

The General ends up giving up the codes Dante wanted after he start torturing John but they escape shortly after and call Team Arrow for back up wth John’s helmet. Oliver promptly shows up and rescues. Back at the Arrow Cave the General tells them Dante is after a project he ran when he was work at Darpa, a biological weapon. The Ninth Circle is going to use Archer to find the weapon, so now Felicity and Alena are going to hack into Archer to try and intercept them.

Oliver and Diggle have another sidebar. Oliver tells Dig the truth about his dad, it was negligence that killed him not the General, he lied to protect his name. Dig’s whole life has been a lie.

Back to the future, Mia and Connor got the module and we find out Connor hasn’t seen JJ in years and they’re kind of in the middle of a tiff, bummr I wanted to see him. After that a bunch of JJ’s guys try to kill them and then the almost kiss.

In the present, Felicity has found the Ninth Circle. Now that John has forgiven the General it is time for a proper team up.

Emiko finally shows her face as her and Dante get the weapon. Team Arrow does their thing, fighting and shooting while from behind the computers Felicity, Alena and the General assist. Felicity is forced to initiate a self destruct protocol on Archer. Oliver catches up with Emiko and tells her Dante killed her mom. she doesn’t believe him and they fight, of course. Then she gets away with Dante.

Back at the Arrow Cave, their work isn’t done yet searching for Dante, Emiko and the weapon. John and the General officially reconcile, which was actually really heartwarming. Alena and Felicity are back to the drawer board with Archer.

In the future, Felicity gets the helmet on. Archer has officially been weaponized.

The episode closes with Emiko putting many arrows in Dante.

Catch Arrow Monday nights at 8pm on the CW.