ARROW Recap: “Genesis”

Arrow is just not a light-hearted show. We finally know what Damien Darhk’s big plan is, and how Lyla fits in. Don’t worry she’s not evil. But Diggle’s better-half does have something that Darhk wants. And apparently Oliver hasn’t learned a thing about teamwork, because he goes off on his own again to try and find a way to defeat Darhk’s magic. But luckily Felicity tags along, uninvited, because it’s not like she has a company to run or anything. If you can’t tell, I’m getting a little tired of Felicity showing up everywhere and doing everything. I used to love her. But over the past two years, the show seems like it’s all about her. And this year alone; she’s taken over Palmer Technologies, gotten engaged, she got permanently paralyzed, met her super villain Dad, broke off her engagement, adapted to life without the use of her legs, then  got back the use of her legs, she left the team, she returned to the team. And now she and Oliver are possibly getting back together, and her ‘light’ may be the key Oliver needs to repel Damien Darhk’s darkness… Black Canary, we miss you!!!

While Oliver is off trying to learn how to deal with Damien Darhk’s magic, the rest of the team split up for some Rest and Relaxation. Thea goes on a trip with Alex, the former political advisor she’s been dating. And John Diggle and Lyla spend some family time together in her mobile safe house. Lyla and daughter Diggle have been stuck there for weeks, playing keep-away in the back of a specially equipped big-rig. But John can’t relax; he’s still feeling guilty about trusting his lying brother, which led to Laurel’s death. So, when he’s out getting diapers and gets a message about brother Andy’s whereabouts, he has to check it out, without back up. Lyla advises him not to engage with Andy, until she can get some Argus troops on the scene, but Diggle can’t wait. He will not risk Andy getting away. So Diggle confronts Andy, and after an exchange of gunfire, Diggle gets captured. Damien Darhk set a trap, and Andy was the bait.

Thea wakes up in a house in a quaint, and creepy, rural neighborhood. But, did she pass out during the drive, or was she drugged? Alex is acting weird, like a male version of a stepford wife, and won’t tell Thea exactly where they are. The perfect little burg is restful and quiet, but it is also devoid of people, and natural sounds. Thea tries her cellular phone, but there is no service in the place, which seems to be in the middle of nowhere. And she quickly begins to realize that she’s not on vacation, she’s been kidnapped. Alex works for Ruve Adams, Damien Darhk’s wife, and she arranged the trip for them. They are in a domed underground community, built to house and sustain the post apocalypse survivors. Project Genesis is the end of the world. Malcolm Merlin, Darhk’s new ally, probably got his daughter on the short list. Thanks Dad!

Oliver and Felicity are in a casino. Oliver was sent there by Constantine to find an Immortal that can teach him how to repel Damien Darhk’s magic. But Oliver can’t find the dude. Luckily, Felicity helps him connect with the Immortal, which is a woman. But she doesn’t really teach Oliver anything. She just tells him that he needs to fight the dark magic with his inner light, which is love and kindness and blau blau blau. But she warns that if there is too much dark inside Oliver, he won’t be able to use his inner light. So she takes him on a test run, using dark magic on him, and lo and behold he can’t repel the stuff. Because, surprise, there is too much darkness in him, like we didn’t already know that. So the Immortal kicks Oliver to the curb, lesson over. He’s out of luck.

Back in Diggle town, John has been tied up and beaten by little bro Andy. And he tells his half-dead big brother that Damien Darhk is on the way. But even when John Diggle is down, he’s rarely out. He’s able to fight his way free, and escape. But when Damien Darhk arrives to pow-wow with Andy, we find that Diggle’s escape was all part of Darhk’s plan. They never wanted John. They wanted Lyla. And now that Diggle has a tracking device on him, he’ll lead them right to her. And remember that baby Sara is with her. So John Diggle’s carelessness just put his entire family in danger. And little Andy Diggle isn’t exactly brother of the year.

When John is back aboard the mobile safe house, it’s attacked. Darhk stops the big-rig. But before he can force his way inside, John Diggle escapes via motorcycle, with baby Sara strapped to his back. Andy goes after them, guns blazing. Luckily, Felicity arrives and hits Andy with her van, and knocks him off his bike. But he manages to run off. Felicity takes Sara and John chases after him. Diggle catches his brother and subdues him. But when Andy taunts John, letting him know that he’ll never stop coming after John’s family, John shoots and kills his little brother. Dang! That’s Fratricide.

Back aboard the safe house, Damien Darhk attacks Lyla, using his magic to pull out something embedded in her arm. But before he can kill her, Green Arrow shows up and shoots him in the backside. They fight, and Darhk uses his magic to kill Oliver. And it almost works, but Oliver is able to channel that inner light and repel his magic. Then Darhk escapes. Oliver was able to think about Felicity to achieve that inner light. And he heard her reminding him of all the good things in his life. He also heard Laurel. But the thing that Darhk took from Lyla was called RUBICON. And with it, Darhk can launch all the nuclear weapons around the world, and destroy everything. (Except his underground community) STAY TUNED!!

SIDE NOTE: Diggle lies to Lyla about what happened to Andy. He admits to killing him, and he’s obviously disturbed. But he lies and says Andy reached for his gun, that’s why he had to shoot him…AND, I hope, next week, they explain why Damien and Ruve Darhk want to destroy the world… AND, just for the record; I miss Roy and Black Canary. And I hope they put a little bit of fun back into this show next season.