“Deathstroke” is episode eighteen of season two of Arrow.
At the end of the previous episode, “Birds of Prey”, Thea was offered a lift by Slade Wilson as she was walking home after Roy forced her to break up with him. This episode opens in the car, and Slade, on seeing that Thea has been crying, says that heartbreak is not an easy thing to recover from. And sometimes you never do. When the car stops, Thea says that they aren’t at her home. Slade tells her she isn’t going home, and to get out. Running away from the car, Thea runs into a skull-masked Blood.
Diggle is reading an article about how a wing of Iron Heights prison is reopening after the damage caused by the quake when Oliver arrives. Dig says that it’s about time; Oliver’s policy of letting the bad guys stay alive has filled the jails to capacity.
Roy has a bow and, when Oliver asks if he’s ready, says he isn’t exactly a natural. Oliver tells him that neither was he. Roy shoots and misses by a lot. He’s been thinking about Thea and what’s the worst that could happen if he told her the truth. Felicity says that the last time she told a guy the truth – Barry Allen – he got struck by lightning. That probably won’t happen again. Statistically speaking. Oliver tells Roy that it wouldn’t make Thea any safer; what they are doing is dangerous and anyone in their orbit could get hurt. And to try again with the bow, but this time aim.
Felicity has a month’s worth of messages from Oliver from Queen Consolidated. Oliver wants her to toss them. Again. With Slade out there he doesn’t have time for the company. Felicity tells him he has to make a few hours for the company. There’s a board meeting and the CEO needs to be there. In case Oliver has forgotten, given how little time he spends at the company, that’s him.
When Oliver arrives for the board meeting, only Isabel is there. The meeting doesn’t start for half an hour; Isabel has altered the time for all appointments by 30 minutes in anticipation of Oliver being late. Oliver approves. Felicity then tells Oliver that his mother is there; Moira wants to know if Oliver has heard from Thea. There’s a debate tonight.
At the debate, Thea still hasn’t been seen. Blood tells Oliver it’s probably his fault Thea’s late – it is, at least partially – but the reason he gives is gridlock caused by his motorcade. During the debate, the moderator says he has a video question. From Thea Queen. Who appears with a man wearing a black and white mask holding her captive and a question asking how much her life is worth printed on the screen.
Lance and Lt. Pike are telling Moira that there has been no amount named, so they don’t think it’s about money. When asked if she can think of anyone who might want to harm Thea, Moira things of Malcolm Merlyn, but tells them she can’t. Isabel signals Oliver; the voting on new officers decided at the board meeting needs to be done within 24 hours. SEC regulations. Oliver can’t think of that at the moment. On Isabel’s comment, he decides to appoint her CEO pro tem.
Felicity has been digging through the photos of everyone who was at Verdant and has found a car registered to Slade Wilson. Dig thinks this is a bit easy. Sara has some venom used by the League of Assassins to sedate Slade when they find him. Oliver asks Roy if he’s angry. He is. Oliver wants Roy to use that rage. As to holding back? Not tonight. Slade is very easily found but refuses to talk. He asks what are they going to do, kill him? He’s the one who knows were Thea is. So, Oliver decides to call in Lance to arrest Slade and sedates him.
Lance wants to know if Oliver knows if Sara is working with the Arrow. She says not. Which isn’t true. Moira and Oliver arrive at the precinct; Pike tells them there is evidence showing that Slade has been in Costa Rica for the past 72 hours. This hasn’t gone well for Lance.
Oliver sneaks in to see Slade, and tells him that he’s being called Deathstroke. Slade decides he likes that name. Oliver wants to know how Slade got off the island. Slade asks if that’s really his first question. Given that Slade has made it clear he won’t say where Thea is, yes. Slade swam. He suffered damage but it all regenerated, thanks to the Mirakuru, all but his eye.
Slade is unfortunately free to go and he tells Lance he isn’t one to hold a grudge. Clearly not true. Oliver and the others had planned to follow Slade as he left, but Slade had planned for that and they lose him. When Slade arrives where Thea is, he tells her she’s free to go. He took her to make a point and now that point is made. Of course, if she leaves, she won’t hear her brother’s secret
On the island, Sara is preparing to hand Hendrick over to Slade. One of the others says that’s an effective death sentence and Sara suggests it could be an opportunity as well. So, she has Anatoly remove the explosives from a land mine. If Hendrick is going to die anyway, may as well make his death count by turning him into a bomb. Anatoly wonders when Sara became so scary.
Roy is questioning Oliver’s decisions, as they don’t seem to be working. Oliver ends up questioning himself; Slade has put a long-planned plot into motion and so far, Oliver is simply following along, being continually sent off balance by what Slade is doing. Secrets start to come out as well, as Slade works on hurting everyone close to Oliver. Not by violence, at least not yet. There’s also a glimpse of a sign that refers to Starling City as being a Star City – Star City being the home of the Green Arrow in the comic books.