Arrow Review: Reset (Season 8 Episode 6)
A hard, devastating lesson is learned, and tears are shed as Oliver takes one step closer towards his “Crisis” fate on another powerful Arrow Season 8 Episode 6, “Reset.”
Oliver’s trapped in a time loop of The Monitor’s making put in place to teach him a seemingly important lesson for what’s to come: you can’t fight your fate.
It’s this Groundhog Day-esque plot device that puts Oliver’s emotional arc front and center in a way that takes you on the journey with him that feels different than the journey we as viewers have been on with Oliver up to this point.
It leaves a much more profound sense of heartbreak and resignation as we are left to connect the dots as Oliver comes to the same realization.
From the moment Quentin makes his surprise appearance as Star City’s mayor, explaining he escaped his fate before, it’s clear that there’s something more to it all. It’s a pointed emphasis on fate.
Oliver’s no stranger to being resigned to his fate, whatever that may have been at specific points in his life. But even with that resignation, there were moments of hope that his fate wasn’t precisely as fixed as it could be.
It’s that exact bit of hope that must be extinguished, in a sense, and the reason behind the loop.
Quentin: Like I was finally at the end, and I made my peace with that. Maybe it’s time you did, too…looks like fate’s knocking.
Quentin’s return is an interesting choice as the lynchpin in The Monitor’s plan for Oliver’s penultimate test. But his presence leads to a few great, emotional moments with Earth-2 Laurel, as well as with Oliver.
Quentin’s faith in Oliver and his abilities as the Green Arrow is heartwarming to see, especially when it comes to the validation he provides to Oliver, that his instincts are to be trusted, and his sacrifices have been acknowledged and appreciated.
Audrey Marie Anderson has done an excellent job playing the vagueness and ambiguity that’s been behind Lyla’s motivations this season. Lyla has always made it known that she operates in the grey—it’s something that she’s had in common with Oliver over the years.
Ultimately, it’s that knowledge of what they have in common and Lyla’s explanation for her motivation—protecting her family—that takes the sting out of her keeping this massive secret for so long.
Though we continue to get vague information about what’s coming in the looming “Crisis,” there’s a sense of heaviness to the words Lyla utters to Oliver with more than a hint of how important he is to the mission to save the multiverse.
Lyla: You are the only chance we have.
But of course, their conversation comes with its own heartbreaking moment and perhaps one of the most sob-inducing moments of the hour.
Oliver: Why did he involve my children?
Lyla: Time is a gift.
There’s something about Lyla’s words that hit so incredibly hard and a sentiment that is honestly poignant beyond the series. It’s an emotional highlight of the hour, joining Oliver’s last conversation with his kids as he explains how proud he is of all 3 FTA members.
The entire cast does a phenomenal job bringing the heavy hour to life.
David Ramsey does a beautiful job directing his second hour, with a solid cinematographer to convey the helplessness and absolute resignation Oliver faces throughout.
Onalee Hunter and Maya Houston’s story works well to get Oliver to the point that has him ready to accept what The Monitor needs of him.
With Oliver accepting his fate wholeheartedly, and the team transported to Lian Yu, the question of what comes next looms. How will Oliver meet his fate and what is he meant to find on Lian Yu?
Random Thoughts
- Seeing Future Team Arrow getting a chance to just be normal kids, for at least a while, is bittersweet.
What did you think of this episode of Arrow? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Arrow airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Brianna Martinez
Brianna spends her time away from briefs, legal research, and pleadings, watching TV and writing about it. She generally has a lot of feelings about TV, which you can read about here and on Twitter.