Arrow Season 5, Episode 1 Recap: Where is Oliver’s New Team? — Popcorn Time Live Blog

So Arrow Season 5 Episode 1 is finally here. Last we saw Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), he had placed the final nail in the coffin of a particularly dragging season. He had broken his vow to never kill again in order to put an end to the sinister Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough). He had also risen to the top of the city as Mayor, having earned the people’s respect.

Oh yeah, and the original Team Arrow had dissolved in order to deal with personal demons. The only ally who stayed by Oliver’s side was Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards).

Here we go. Episode 1 begins and before I go any further: SPOILER ALERT

Arrow S05E01: Introducing Tobias Church

Chad L. Coleman leads the episode with a bang as hardened street gangster Tobias Church. He initially appears to be up to the challenge of making a name for himself in the city, and he targets the Green Arrow specifically because he’s the “Biggest guy on the block.” But not before taking down another mob boss to prove he’s serious.

Oh, and serious might be an understatement, because in his hunt for the Green Arrow, he decides to kidnap Oliver Queen and three other politicians as bait. To amp up the stakes, he keeps the hostages in a power plant and wires the entire building to blow.

I’ll tell you right now. I like Tobias Church.

Oliver’s flashbacks: Oliver joins the Russian Bratva

The show cuts to Oliver’s past in Russia. The show looks like it’s definitely hitting the gritty undertones of the first two seasons the right way. Oliver undergoes a brutal underground gauntlet in his attempt to infiltrate the Bratva. Things get out of hand when Oliver kills the ring’s best fighter however, and he nearly gets shot in the head if not for the interference of an old friend: Anatoly Knyazev (David Nykl). As it turns out, he needs Anatoly’s help in order to keep a promise to kill a Russian warlord.

Anatoly offers to recruit Anatoly into the Solntsevskaya Bratva with a word of warning that the recruitment could kill him; and that IF he survives, then they can begin the process of initiation.

And the brutality carries over to the present as well. We find Oliver Queen has turned back to his killing ways. He blames his decision to turn away from killing as the sole reason for Laurel Lance’s death.

Green Arrow’s new team

We find Oliver is struggling to admit to himself that John Diggle and the rest of the original Team Arrow is not coming back. Felicity, Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne), and Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum) desperately try to convince Oliver that he needs a team to go into the streets with, but Oliver is adamant that he can’t work with anyone else. Even Thea Queen (Willa Holland) is unwilling to return to vigilantism after witnessing Oliver break a man’s neck.

At the end of the day, Oliver concedes to Felicity’s attempts at recruiting a new team. Just as well, as Tobias Church announces he has successfully infiltrated and taken control of what seems to be every major crime ring in Star City. We don’t get to see Olly’s new team just yet, but in the meantime, Oliver publicly announces the creation of the Anti Crime Unit: an elite police task force who will directly report to the mayor. Looks like a decent start.

Prometheus makes his debut

So this is honestly a good episode in my opinion. We’ve been introduced to a strong villain, and we got a conflict that didn’t get killed off in the same episode it was introduced (I’m looking at you, Flashpoint).

Speaking of Flashpoint, I’m surprised the altered timeline did not have any effect on the show. I was expecting a few easter eggs or hints at Flashpoint.

But the best part of the episode is our first glimpse at no less than Prometheus. Oh man, this guy is good.

So we find Prometheus doesn’t just use a bow. He also wields what looks like custom made shortsword, and apparently, he’s pretty handy with throwing stars. His first act is to straight out murder one of the four police officers assigned to head Oliver’s new Anti Crime Unit. That act speaks for his ruthlessness right off the bat.

And there we go. The episode ends just like that: with Prometheus taking his first official kill. It starts strong, and it ends strong.

Am I excited for this season? Absolutely. It’s much more reminiscent of the first two seasons we all found we loved. What do you guys think? Anything out of place? Anything you think hit the spot? Let us know.

Arrow Season 5 airs on Jack TV every Thursday at 13:00 (+8:00 GMT).