TV - Arrow Season 3, Episode 4

Does The Magician conjure up any surprises Steve Taylor-Bryant? Here's his thoughts...

Bringing Thea back to Starling City was never going to be without its troubles, especially when you consider who her biological father is, and this week the League of Assassins show up in the form of Nyssa Al Ghul. During the confrontation in the Arrow cave Oliver explains to Nyssa that Sara has been killed which leads to Nyssa offering up the information that Malcolm Merlyn is still alive and that Sara had been sent by Ra’s Al Ghul to see if had indeed returned to Starling City. Nyssa goes to Sara's grave to mourn the loss of her great love only to end up face to face with Laurel and managing to upset the Lance girl with a crack about not being fit enough to wear the Canary’s jacket.

After tracing Merlyn to a house in the city, Oliver hits him with a tracer arrow, much to the disgust of everyone who wanted Merlyn dead. Merlyn works out what Oliver had done and arranges a meeting in a public place where he convinces Oliver he had no part in Sara's slaying. The Arrow team, minus Felicity who is in Central City visiting Barry Allen, and Nyssa remain unconvinced and Nyssa threatens Oliver for being naive.

Outside Verdant, soon to be reopened by Thea and her mysterious investors, Nyssa takes down Roy and kidnaps Thea leading to a confrontation with Merlyn in which Oliver again helps him escape now convinced by his innocence in Sara's killing. This leads Nyssa to declare that Oliver is now an enemy of the League of Assassins and she returns to see her father Ra's Al Ghul who explains Sara was never one of them but that war will be coming.

A fantastic episode that built some doubt in the viewers mind as to Malcolm’s involvement in Sara's death. Thea is starting to show a harder edge thanks to her father’s continued help and, whilst the rest of team were not involved much, the fight scenes involving Arrow were amongst the best the show has produced thus far. The flashbacks still tie back to the events on the island and the face to face with Amanda Waller only added to my hatred of ARGUS although they aren't really following the episode’s narrative at the moment more building towards something.

Top performances from Stephen Amell and John Barrowman and an appearance by Ra's Al Ghul.

What more could you want?

Image - IMDb.