[Criticism] Arrow season 5: a finale that marks the end of an era

Arrow has just completed its season 5 with the broadcast of Lian Yu, the twenty-third episode of season 5. Our review.

The end of an era. This is what the last episode of season 5 of Arrow, broadcast on the American channel CW, offered us. Soberly titled Lian Yu, named after the island on which Oliver spent so much time, this episode put an end to the confrontation between Oliver Queen and Adrian Chase aka Prometheus. Everyone has surrounded themselves with a team to lead this fight and the surprise comes from Oliver's side who decides to partner with Slade Wilson. The one who killed his mother (at the end of season 2) seems to get rid of the effects of the Mirakuru. Actor Manu Bennett is back in the flesh and soon finds the mask of Deathstroke that we missed so much. We must admit that he is one of the cult characters of the show and seeing him back is very exciting!

Five years later

Arrow is a series that works in part thanks to fan-service. Far from being devoid of interest, the series has created in 5 seasons a gallery of very interesting characters. And this finale is a real statement to the fans! Between the return of Malcolm Merlyn and his gesture towards his daughter Thea (the actor announced that he would not be present for season 6), the appearance of Digger Harkness aka Captain Boomerang and the surprise cameo of Susanna Thompson (Moira Queen), Lian Yu is a real dedication to Arrow addicts. And yet, this is not the end of the series but only the end of an era. Five years on an island for five seasons of flashbacks, the circle is complete. The series returns next season with a new dynamic. Even if we don't know which characters will be back in sight of the last scene. We must admit that Oliver's choice was difficult and we believed in it until the end. But Adrian Chase is certainly the most interesting villain that the series has been able to offer us (after Slade of course!). Oliver is not what he used to be, he has changed. He is no longer a cold-blooded killer or even a shadow of his father. No, he has friends, a family who love him. And even a son…

An interesting parallel

The end of flashbacks also means the end of Konstantin Kovar. In a very relevant parallel between the past and the present, the writers take us back to the pilot of the series, when fishermen discover Oliver. We feel that they knew where they were going all these years, much to our delight. It all started on a boat with a father and son. And this episode ends on a boat with a father and son. Oliver risks losing all the people he loves, even if we already know that actress Katie Cassidy will become regular again for season 6. The wait will be very long between now and the start of the next school year…

In conclusion, Lian Yu is perhaps the best episode of the series to date. From tension, action, emotion and fan service, the writers of Arrow have found the ideal recipe. Special mention to the return of Manu Bennett and the wink scene with Susanna Thompson. If we could still doubt that Arrow had everything of a great, this final season is there to remove all our doubts. We're certainly holding the most successful of this year's Arrow-Verse Series Finals, with a very big head start!