“Invasion!” is episode eight of season five of Arrow.
In The Flash episode “Invasion!” the fact that Barry had tampered with the timeline was revealed to everyone. This made almost everyone who didn’t already known unhappy – Cisco was already unhappy. The primary exceptions were Kara, who hadn’t been affected by it because she is from another Earth, and Oliver, who totally understood why Barry had done it and said he, and anyone else, would have done the same. One result of this was Oliver and Barry didn’t accompany the others as they went to recover the missing president. Which meant that they weren’t mind-whammied by the Dominators, and were able to free the others. However, at the end of the episode, Oliver, Thea, Sara, Ray and Digg were all transported… somewhere.
This episode opens with Oliver running through some trees. Then arriving at the Queen mansion. Inside which, after his shower, he speaks to his fiancée. The, not dead, Laurel Lance. Something definitely seems to be off. And it is; Oliver and the other four are all unconscious in some sort of pods.
Rory, Rene and Curtis are wondering if there’s been any word from Felicity. She had contacted Rory and said that Oliver and the others were abducted by aliens. And made this statement sound normal. Curtis is not happy. His whole life he has wanted to see intelligent alien life. Now he has, and they’re just mean. At this point Felicity arrives with Cisco.
After the introductions, Cisco wants something to vibe off. He explains to the other three what vibing is; Rene does not seem happy. Commenting that Cisco is one of them. A meta-human. Felicity gives Cisco Oliver’s broken bow and he sees the five in pods. When he describes his vision, Felicity keeps mentioning the tech he saw. Sure, aliens are bound to have technology, but she actually means that they may be able to hack them. Cisco has a piece of the Dominator ship that crashed in Central City.
Back in the virtual reality, Thea gives Oliver the same stone he gave her back in “Pilot”. He has a fairly similar reaction to the one Thea had. Then Moira and Robert Queen arrive. Also not dead. The wedding of Oliver and Laurel is happening soon. Oliver shows he still has his reflexes.
Later, Sara arrives and Laurel helps her unload. Laurel has a pendant around her neck and Sara asks if it’s a bird. To be told that it’s a black canary. And Sara jumps. Oliver has been fitted with a tux and his father is saying he is going to be sworn in as mayor in two months. He wants Oliver to take over as CEO of Queen Consolidated. Oliver suggests Walter, but Robert replies that the board won’t back him. Plus it’s a family company. If Oliver doesn’t accept, the board will push to accept Ray Palmer’s buyout bid. In the background behind them is the Smoak Technologies tower. Then a mugger pulls a gun on them, only to be taken down by an archer in a hood. Afterwards, back at the mansion,. Robert says that Oliver is a hero. And Oliver has a flashback to the sinking of the Queen’s Gambit. Then, when Laurel comes in, he sees her injured and in a hospital gown.
In the real world, Curtis is excited about hacking extra-terrestrial tech. Even if he isn’t impressed with ET. He has a translator that he developed but, when it’s put in the Dominator tech, it overloads and explodes. They need a regulator. One has been developed, but it’s also been stolen by a Dr Laura Washington who has been augmenting herself with stolen tech. And given herself a range of powers that Felicity says they can’t handle. She agrees it might be their only chance to rescue Oliver and the others. So she is going to call in reinforcements.
In the simulation, Oliver has headed to the SCPD and is speaking to Captain Lance about the Hood. Looking at the board gives Oliver more memories. At the rehearsal dinner, Laurel introduces Sara to Ray. Both get some flashbacks. Oliver has headed out and found the Hood’s hidden lair. Where Felicity is. And Diggle, who is the Hood. He knows both their names and has more memories. Digg tells him to leave and not throw everything he has away.
Curtis, Rene and Rory are with Barry; Curtis thinks it’s awesome to meet the Flash. Barry says to wait until they meet her. And Kara drops in. Rene has had enough. Inside, he complains to Barry and Kara about a flying meta-human. The fact that she’s an alien, not a meta-human doesn’t make it better. He says that they have the power of gods and think they make the world a better place by simply dressing up. Superpowers are evil and Rene wants nothing to do with them. Naturally, as soon as Rene leaves the two he gets blasted across a room by Dr Washington.
Thea is wearing a bridesmaid’s dress and she has a memory of her mother dying. Oliver asks to see Laurel – he missed the rehearsal dinner and apologised with a text message. Sara tells Oliver he’s lucky she isn’t a trained assassin. Oliver wants Laurel to marry him. Now. They should elope. Then Digg arrives. He, too, has been having memories, and seeing a building that shouldn’t exist – Smoak Technologies.
So, there are five trapped in a rather attractive virtual reality in which a whole bunch of dead people are not dead. On the outside, the others are trying to track down where they are being kept. You can pretty much guess where.
The story continues in DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and “Invasion!”.