Unfortunately it doesn't seem like this season of Arrow ended off with a bang like I wanted it to, but it doesn't mean it wasn't a good episode. Overall it was a solid finale.
The best part of the episode was probably the director James Bamford. It was just great to see Laurel and Bronze Tiger back for the finale with some cool action scenes. Unfortunately Emiko is by far the worst main Arrow villain. Sea Shimooka just doesn't give a good enough performance for the character, and her development feels extremely rushed. Her redemption just isn't set up well enough. She dies anyways, so there was really no point. Despite this being worse thematically, I do think this was the best choice. Her character just hasn't been developed well enough, and the actress has proved that she isn't good enough for this role, so to kill her off is better than to have her taint the last 10 episodes of the series. It does seem like they might be setting up the Ninth Circle to continue being the villain of the next season with a new character being introduced, which is hopefully better than Emiko.
Despite having some really good action, and the final confrontation between Emiko and Oliver actually being really good, I do feel like the episode feels way too rushed. The flashforwards coupled with the last 15 minutes setting up the next season and giving farewells to characters just doesn't give this episode enough to breathe. The flash forwards just ruin the pacing of the episode, and I honestly just didn't care about them. They did have some good moments, but I just still don't like he flashforwards.
The last 10ish minutes were everyone is leaving and they leave the bunker is honestly a pretty good send off to the characters. However it feels a bit too sudden. I never thought I'd say this considering these series usually suffer from longer episode counts, but this needed the last 23rd episode that these seasons usually have to really properly pace the episode. Regardless of that we get Felicity's send off, which was quite sappy, but Stephen Amell brings a great performance which honestly had me quite sad as well, and finally we get the Monitor! It is revealed that Oliver is going to die in Crisis on Infinite Earths, and that he needs to leave to help the stop what's coming. It's a pretty great scene, and it's hineslt pretty sad how Oliver has to leave yet again and can't catch a break. I mean damn Oliver has sacrificed so much, and he still ends up dying. Hopefully the future forwards find a way to persevere his legacy, because it's honestly depressing that Oliver did all of this for nothing.
In Conclusion this was a good finale. It was great to see returning characters, and had some great action. It sets up the future, whilst being a great send off to the show. Unfortunately though, what could've been an amazing finale is really held back by the rushed storyline, and the jarring pacing the flash forwards create. I'm a big fan of the show. I've been watching it since the beginning, and only recently started reviewing it, I really do hope next season gives us a final great season to give Oliver Queen the send off he deserves. It is an end of an Era.
8/10
The best part of the episode was probably the director James Bamford. It was just great to see Laurel and Bronze Tiger back for the finale with some cool action scenes. Unfortunately Emiko is by far the worst main Arrow villain. Sea Shimooka just doesn't give a good enough performance for the character, and her development feels extremely rushed. Her redemption just isn't set up well enough. She dies anyways, so there was really no point. Despite this being worse thematically, I do think this was the best choice. Her character just hasn't been developed well enough, and the actress has proved that she isn't good enough for this role, so to kill her off is better than to have her taint the last 10 episodes of the series. It does seem like they might be setting up the Ninth Circle to continue being the villain of the next season with a new character being introduced, which is hopefully better than Emiko.
Despite having some really good action, and the final confrontation between Emiko and Oliver actually being really good, I do feel like the episode feels way too rushed. The flashforwards coupled with the last 15 minutes setting up the next season and giving farewells to characters just doesn't give this episode enough to breathe. The flash forwards just ruin the pacing of the episode, and I honestly just didn't care about them. They did have some good moments, but I just still don't like he flashforwards.
The last 10ish minutes were everyone is leaving and they leave the bunker is honestly a pretty good send off to the characters. However it feels a bit too sudden. I never thought I'd say this considering these series usually suffer from longer episode counts, but this needed the last 23rd episode that these seasons usually have to really properly pace the episode. Regardless of that we get Felicity's send off, which was quite sappy, but Stephen Amell brings a great performance which honestly had me quite sad as well, and finally we get the Monitor! It is revealed that Oliver is going to die in Crisis on Infinite Earths, and that he needs to leave to help the stop what's coming. It's a pretty great scene, and it's hineslt pretty sad how Oliver has to leave yet again and can't catch a break. I mean damn Oliver has sacrificed so much, and he still ends up dying. Hopefully the future forwards find a way to persevere his legacy, because it's honestly depressing that Oliver did all of this for nothing.
In Conclusion this was a good finale. It was great to see returning characters, and had some great action. It sets up the future, whilst being a great send off to the show. Unfortunately though, what could've been an amazing finale is really held back by the rushed storyline, and the jarring pacing the flash forwards create. I'm a big fan of the show. I've been watching it since the beginning, and only recently started reviewing it, I really do hope next season gives us a final great season to give Oliver Queen the send off he deserves. It is an end of an Era.
8/10