Arrow has said farewell to one of its team members in a jolting choice to kill of one of the most beloved character from the comic book inspired series. Damien Darhk plans his jailhouse escape, and Team Arrow is at odds and later betrayed by one of their own. These are my notable moments and take away from the Episode 4×18, heartbreakingly titled “Rest in Peace.” 

***HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED AND BY SCROLLING FURTHER YOU HAVE SPOILED YOURSELF. SORRY NOT SORRY***

Damien Darhk 

Arrow — “Eleven-Fifty-Nine” — Image AR418a_0027b.jpg — Pictured: Neal McDonough as Damien Darhk — Photo: Diyah Pera/The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This episode evolves around Darhk looking to break himself out of prison. This comes after Andy Diggle [John Diggle’s younger brother] was approached by Malcolm Merlin at the end of last weeks episode. Andy tells John about the encounter, along with Oliver and informs them that Darhk may be desperate after H.I.V.E left Darhk high and dry after his imprisonment. Speaking of Malcolm Merlin, he takes the last of his loyal followers from when he was Ra’s al ghul. He breaks into Team Arrows lair and battles head to head with his own daughter, Thea Queen in hopes to obtain the totem. Sensing Thea’s hesitation to finish him off during their battle, he knocks her out and is able to steal the totem.

Malcolm brings the totem to Damien Darhk, who is still in prison. Darhk is unamused by what is supposed to me a joyous reunion for him. He reveals to Malcolm that a piece of the totem is missing, the idol that holds all the mystical power. The idol was removed from the totem by John Diggle in hopes to keep Darhk from regaining his power. However, the idol is found, but not without help from someone close to Team Arrow.

Andy Diggle 

I have to say, I never trusted Andy Diggle; there was something about him that always seemed a little bit off. The writers did try their best to make Andy seem like a redeemable man, and made it seem like he was truly freed from Darhk’s compulsion and influence. John Diggle wanting to see the best in everyone and especially his blood brother. Also let’s not forget the moment that Andy stepped up and saved John’s wife when Argus was compromised in episode 4×10.

Despite the red flags Oliver was getting from Andy and warning John about his feelings, John ignored Oliver’s accusations and tells Andy that he hide the idol personally. Oliver, as Arrow, warns John one last time to not share everything with Andy and once again is turned down. Oliver pays a visit to Andy at John’s home and catches Andy snooping around the place. Right away your own red flags are raised and watch as Oliver ruffs up Andy in hopes to get a confession.

However, John walks in to see Oliver torturing his bother, in which he tells Oliver to release Andy. He goes on to state that it was Oliver that told him to trust Andy in the first place and to give him the benefit of the doubt. The ease of the ruse to stop the transportation of the totem and the spring attack at Malcolm’s hideout, in which he took an arrow for Oliver, did not sit easy for Oliver.  He thought there was an obvious motive for Andy’s action.

Oliver’s gut instinct proves to be right again, after Andy joins Team Arrow [by John’s invitation we might add].  Both John and Oliver are compromised by jail mates during their plan to stop Darhk’s prison break when John drops his weapons and Oliver follows to respect his best friend’s choice. Andy is released in order to provide Darhk with the idol he had so conveniently found. He stated that he had been tracing their steps and yet he was in cahoots with Darhk the whole time. All he needed to know was exactly who hide the idol.

Darhk is able to lock in the idol and with a blood sacrifice, he is able to power the mystical totem once more. Gaining his power back, he than delivers a message to Officer Lance for his betrayal. He takes Oliver’s own arrow and stabs Laurel [Black Canary] in the abdomen. He claims that he is a man of his word in that he would hurt Laurel if Officer Lance crossed him.

Black Canary’s Farewell 

Arrow — “Code of Silence” — Image AR414A_0103b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Stephen Amell as The Arrow and Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance/Black Canary — Photo: Katie Yu/ The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Black Canary [Laurel Lance] is whisked away by Arrow [Oliver Queen] to the hospital after Darhk stabs her. Oliver does not want to leave her side, but is asked to leave by the trauma doctor, claiming her team would be in shortly to assist her and did not want a circus. Oliver knows he will have to return as himself and later shows up with the rest of his team Thea, John and Felicity.  John begins to feel the weight of his action wears heavy on him. He worries that he is responsible for what happened to Laurel.

Fans were optimistic when Laurel is sent back to her room for recovery and the doctor informs the team that she will be “Fine.” The Team gathers around an alert Laurel. However, she does say this was not how she pictured her last night being the Black Canary. Laurel was planning to hang her mask up and turn down the offer to be new District Attorney of Star City by new Mayor, Ruve Adams.

She later asks Oliver to stay with her and obtain something from her pouch. Oliver holds a photo of Laurel that he kept with him, during his stay on the island of Lian Yu. She kept it as a reminder of simpler times. Laurel goes on to tell Oliver her true feelings, “Oliver, I know I may not be the love of your life, but you will always be the love of mine.” Oliver, confused by her admission, asked why she was telling him this. Laurel reminds Oliver that anything can happen and asks Oliver to promise her something.

Fans may never know that promise or at least for awhile, as code blue team is issued into Laurel’s room. A confused Team Arrow rushes in after to see Laurel seizing and later witnessing her death. A distraught Oliver leaves the room to see Officer Lance coming in with a confused look after he got a call not long ago from Thea that Laurel was fine. Laurel Lance’s death may have come as a shock to some, but the leak of her death came after a spoiler photo of a behind the scenes shot of the tombstone, that has been looming in our minds since episode 4×01.

Now that Laurel Lance’s death is confirmed, fans of the comics and series are in an uproar. Black Canary was a strong and intelligent female character. She was beloved by fans, and did not fully get a true growth of the ass kicking lawyer by day and Black Canary vigilante by night. Laurel Lance’s character deserved better than being a tool for shock value. I still have no idea how her death will bring peace to the fandom and push the storyline ahead, as Laurel Lance was a huge part of Arrow verse.

We will still see the lovely Katie Cassidy [Laurel Lance/Black Canary] for a time in Arrow in flashbacks then later in The Flash as Black Siren from Earth Two.

Promo For Next Weeks Episode