Arrow New Episode Review: 'Canaries' Races Plot Forward as Oliver Queen Takes Big Step

With a title like "Canaries," you would think that the new Season 3 episode of Arrow would be focused on Laurel Lance and her deceased sister Sara. And while the two got some screen time, the real focus of this episode was on Oliver Queen and his full-fledged return to Starling City.

You knew this episode was going to be packed when Oliver revealed his secret to Thea in the first act. This is a moment that has been building for more than two seasons, and "Canaries" got it out of the way in the first 10 minutes. This was a major step for Oliver that the show could have bungled horribly or dragged out for far too long. But refreshingly, Arrow got right to the point and didn't waste time.

Even more refreshingly, Thea didn't throw a hissy fit or start whining that Oliver had lied to her and kept his identity a secret. Instead, it dawned on her that every lame excuse and every time he wasn't there for her meant he was saving someone's life. And so she thanked him for that. For a show that often focuses on the misery of its characters and the darkness in this world, this was a breath of fresh air and a beautiful moment.

As if that revelation weren't enough, Laurel finally told Captain Lance about Sara's death. But to get to that point, Laurel had to go through a hellish journey in her own head. Oliver first called her out for being an addict who was using the thrill of suiting up to fill herself. So when the Count dosed her with Vertigo, she of course saw her sister, who berated her for being selfish and trying to take her place.

Oliver saved her and brought her back to the Arrowcave, which provided some great moments for Katie Cassidy to portray a broken and terrified Laurel. It also quickly ramped up the stakes when Thea walked in and it became all to clear to her just how real and horrifying Oliver's world can be. This moment then led to a confrontation between Roy and Oliver, which illustrated just how much things changed while Ollie was away from Starling City. Roy has really grown in the last few episodes, and this was a huge step forward for him, as well.

Oliver finally came around to Laurel's wishes, and the two went back out into the field. This time, Laurel saw her father and her sister, who again belittled her and the decisions she has made. This finally pushed Laurel over the edge and she beat down the Count with her bare hands.

All of this led to the wonderful scene in which Laurel finally came clean to her father about Sara's death. Quentin quickly pointed out that he already knew the woman running around Starling City was Laurel, and it looked like the scene would end there and Arrow would drag this out more. But Laurel told the whole truth, and Lance almost completely fell apart. This was a beautifully acted scene by both Paul Blackthorne and Katie Cassidy.

This wasn't a completely stellar episode for Thea, as she made the boneheaded decision to sleep with Chase the DJ. Naturally, the DJ tried to kill her on behalf of Ra's al Ghul, but Thea was smart enough to detect his plan and fight him off long enough for Malcolm and Roy to stop him.

By the end of the episode, Malcolm had sent Thea and Oliver to Lian Yu to conquer their fears, Laurel and Quentin had grieved together over Sara, and Roy had stepped up to his mentor. That's a lot of action for one episode, and "Canaries" handled it expertly.

Notes:

- The flashbacks in this episode also moved Oliver forward in a significant way, as Amanda Waller has kidnapped him and Maseo and brought them to Starling City.

- So it appears the present day portion of next week's episode will take place on the island, while the flashbacks will occur in Starling City. This will be an interesting twist from the formula of Seasons 1 and 2.

- Laurel knocked that cop out cold!

- Felicity didn't have much to do this episode, but it's clear things are still icy between her and Oliver.

What did you think of "Canaries"? Let us know in the comments section.