Things heated up in Star City a lot more than expected. "Spartan" juggled a lot, yet managed to deliver on pretty much every front it wanted to, even in the most unlikely of areas.
For starters, Ernie Hudson made his great debut as General Stewart (fans must have noted the Green Lantern connection). What could have been a one-dimensional authority figure from the get-go, Hudson turned him into a complex, caring father to Diggle (David Ramsey). It was honestly a nice touch to add some dramatic depth to John, seeing as how closed he was about his family and past for so many years. It made sense and the writing backed up the father-son duo very well with a compelling conflict and a touching resolution.
What is admirable about this episode is how quickly it accelerated the plot. The Ninth Circle were prominently featured as pretty imposing foes (although I would question their recruitment process, some of their blank-masked assassins are clearly more competent than those who just walk straight into Diggle's crosshairs) and Dante (Adrian Paul) made yet another strong case for himself while he interrogated Stewart and John. Moreover, Emiko (Sea Shimooka) had her best episode yet. I've never been on board with Emiko being a full-fledged baddie, but I'm starting to ease into it. The final, shocking twist also hints at a more focused angle for the villainess going forward.
The flash-forwards were also well-done, hinting at a darker threat emerging due to Felicity's (Emily Bett Rickards) present-day Archer program. I will say, Felicity's exit is not being handled in a subtle manner and her constantly talking about her "legacy" was kind of on the nose. That ties in with the flash-forwards, where the dialogue is still steeped in melodrama. However, things are looking up there too, as we now have the Deathstroke clan in the mix.
I've recently started posting my opinions on certain directors, as season seven has ushered in quite a few newcomers. Avi Youabian definitely made a case for himself and clearly wasn't afraid to go big and brutal with the action. The opening Chinatown fight scene was beautiful and the final showdown between Emiko and Oliver (Stephen Amell) was absolutely brilliant. I would like to see him do more work in the future if all his episodes will be this well-shot.
"Spartan" accomplished a lot. It paved the way for the final stretch of the season, had fantastic action set pieces, further set up its villain and expanded on the Ninth Circle and provided a compelling arc for a series regular. What more could we ask for?
For starters, Ernie Hudson made his great debut as General Stewart (fans must have noted the Green Lantern connection). What could have been a one-dimensional authority figure from the get-go, Hudson turned him into a complex, caring father to Diggle (David Ramsey). It was honestly a nice touch to add some dramatic depth to John, seeing as how closed he was about his family and past for so many years. It made sense and the writing backed up the father-son duo very well with a compelling conflict and a touching resolution.
What is admirable about this episode is how quickly it accelerated the plot. The Ninth Circle were prominently featured as pretty imposing foes (although I would question their recruitment process, some of their blank-masked assassins are clearly more competent than those who just walk straight into Diggle's crosshairs) and Dante (Adrian Paul) made yet another strong case for himself while he interrogated Stewart and John. Moreover, Emiko (Sea Shimooka) had her best episode yet. I've never been on board with Emiko being a full-fledged baddie, but I'm starting to ease into it. The final, shocking twist also hints at a more focused angle for the villainess going forward.
The flash-forwards were also well-done, hinting at a darker threat emerging due to Felicity's (Emily Bett Rickards) present-day Archer program. I will say, Felicity's exit is not being handled in a subtle manner and her constantly talking about her "legacy" was kind of on the nose. That ties in with the flash-forwards, where the dialogue is still steeped in melodrama. However, things are looking up there too, as we now have the Deathstroke clan in the mix.
I've recently started posting my opinions on certain directors, as season seven has ushered in quite a few newcomers. Avi Youabian definitely made a case for himself and clearly wasn't afraid to go big and brutal with the action. The opening Chinatown fight scene was beautiful and the final showdown between Emiko and Oliver (Stephen Amell) was absolutely brilliant. I would like to see him do more work in the future if all his episodes will be this well-shot.
"Spartan" accomplished a lot. It paved the way for the final stretch of the season, had fantastic action set pieces, further set up its villain and expanded on the Ninth Circle and provided a compelling arc for a series regular. What more could we ask for?
