All About Arrow: ‘Invasion!’ Brings Back the Dead For a Heartwrenching Episode

Do you know what today is? It’s Arrow Open Discussion Thread Day! That means, if you watched last night’s episode, it’s time to settle into this post and let all of those feelings out. Friendly warning: there be spoilers in these parts so if you didn’t catch the whole thing, it’s time to make like a tree and get out of here. With that said, let’s start the discussion!

We’re Day 3 into “Invasion” and half the crew has been kidnapped by the Dominators who, contrary to their message of peace, are living up to their name. This episode finds Oliver, Sara, Thea, Diggle and Ray Palmer in a shared dream-like state while wearing tacky green pajamas that just happen to come in their correct sizes. Since they’re an advanced life-form, I’m just gonna chalk that up to “technology,” like the kind seen in Back to the Future Part 2.

Back in dreamland, Team Abducted finds themselves living slightly better lives. In Oliver’s case, his parents are alive, he never embarked on The Queen’s Gambit and he’s marrying Laurel. Diggle turns out to be the Green Arrow, Ray is engaged to Felicity, Sara is just a normal person celebrating her sister’s happiness, and Thea has a happy and healthy family.

In the real world, Cisco, Barry and Kara struggle to figure out how to save their friends. They find help with Felicity and the remaining members of Team Arrow including Curtis Holt, a tech expert who likes to quote movies (how original) and Rene Ramirez, a guy who isn’t exactly fond of meta-humans or aliens. Bonus points for Kara and Barry, Team Ice Cream and Sunshine, for showing Rene that metas and alieans aren’t all bad. As they’re off chasing hip new stolen tech that might help them figure out what the aliens are up to, the alien fantasy sequence is delivering some of the episode’s best moments.

Welcome back Moira and Robert! And Malcolm Merlyn! Sadly, no Tommy but we did get a nice call out. Most importantly, Laurel Lance returned and I’ve vowed to cherish every moment she’s on screen. I’ll never get over the way they ended her story, essentially sacrificing her life for the sake of manpain. Still, it’s great to see her alive and well, and sharing beautiful moments with her sister, Sara. Side note: When Sara says she “prefers girls,” did that imply she was gay instead of bi? What do you think? (Writer’s note: Nope, still bi. Obviously, I still have more to learn…but I love this line.)

As with life, all good things must come to an end. Team Abducted realizes this world is not real and they make a break for it, but not without a fight. The Dominators had more more trick up their sleeves, with baddies like Deathstroke and Damien Darhk popping up to hinder their exit (and deliver kick ass fight scenes). And even after the villains are defeated, there’s one last hurdle to get over—saying goodbye to Laurel once more. I don’t know about you but this scene left flash floods on my face and I just don’t know how one can walk away from her but, by golly, Ollie had to do it. Be still my heart.

So Team No Longer Abducted finally wakes up and manages to escape from the ship only to be scooped up by the Waverider because Felicity figured out their exact location. Wow, those last few minutes were quite a ride. Now, the Dominators are headed toward Earth with destruction on the agenda and our merry band of superheroes are our last defense. Will they save the world? Or is this how the Berlantiverse goes down? Discuss away.

(image via screencap)

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