“Sacrifice” is episode twenty-three of season one of Arrow and the season finale.
At the end of the previous episode, “Darkness on the Edge of Town”, Oliver had gone to confront Malcolm Merlyn. Oliver was unaware that Malcolm was the other archer, the one he had gone up against in “Year’s End” and come out second best against. Malcolm managed to defeat Oliver again, breaking his bow in the process – and this time discovered his identity. And Malcolm said ‘Oh no’ when he removed Oliver’s hood.
The episode opens with Oliver’s memories of the raft after the sinking of the Queen’s Gambit. Then he comes to, as water is thrown over him, and he is hanging in a place from the ceiling. Malcolm Merlyn is there, and he tells Oliver that he hopes he didn’t hurt him, and that he can finally thank Oliver for saving his life back in “Dead to Rights”. Malcolm says if he only knew how Oliver was spending his nights. He wants to explain everything to Oliver, to help him understand. Oliver replies that Malcolm murdered his father and sentenced Oliver to five years of hell on that island. Malcolm says that he is truly sorry – and he probably means it.
Oliver says that he understands that Malcolm lost his wife but does not believe he honours his wife, Tommy’s mother, by destroying the Glades. Malcolm replies that he believes it as surely as Oliver believes he honours his father by wearing the hood. Malcolm says that he misses Oliver’s father every day and Oliver replies that Malcolm will be joining him soon. Malcolm says that Oliver can’t beat him. He is younger and faster than Malcolm but always comes up short against him. Because, according to Malcolm, Oliver does not know in his heart what he is fighting for, what he is willing to sacrifice for, and Malcolm does. Malcolm tells Oliver that no-one can stop what is about to come, not even the vigilante, and leaves.
When Malcolm has gone, Oliver climbs up his chains and, once he has reached the top, drops, letting his weight break the beam he is attached to. Two men come in and Oliver takes them both out but a third has a gun. Then drops when there is a gunshot, for Diggle has just shot him. Digg tells Oliver that he is going to take back every joke he ever made about Oliver sticking a tracking device in his boot. Digg tells Oliver that Felicity is at Queen Consolidated, digging into the data that was pulled off the Merlyn network. Oliver asks if Felicity has found something, and she has – the schematics of the earthquake generator. Which means they can shut it down. If they can find it.
Felicity calls Digg and asks if he has got Oliver, which is yes, and if Oliver is okay. Which is mostly. Felicity says she is on her way, but then Detective Lance hails her, asking where she is going in such a hurry. Lance takes Felicity to the precinct and comments that she is not exactly a hardened criminal. Felicity replies that she isn’t any kind of criminal. Lance asks what she calls computer hacking then and Felicity replies a hobby. That she does not engage him. In the previous episode, Lance’s tech guy had, during his own attempt to breach the Merlyn network from outside, discovered Felicity’s attempt to do the same and traced her.
Lance says that he has a bunch of computer stuff that he doesn’t understand but which his tech guys do. They have gone through Felicity’s computer and found a bunch of stuff, all from cases involving the Hood. Lance asks Felicity what he is thinking, then a phone rings. Lance tells Felicity that she has been saved by the bell and answers it – it’s the phone Oliver gave him. Lance tells Oliver that he has got his trusty sidekick in front of him. Oliver replies that he doesn’t have a sidekick; if he needs help, he calls Lance. Which is what he is doing.
Oliver says that Malcolm Merlyn is going to level the Glades with an earthquake device created using technology from UNIDAC Industries. Lance asks Oliver if he’s having fun with him. Oliver replies that he doesn’t know Merlyn’s timetable, but Lance needs to evacuate the Glades immediately. That whatever Lance thinks of the Hood, to please believe this. After the call, Felicity says to Lance that it looks as if he has bigger problems than her. He tells Felicity to not leave town. As she is leaving the interview room, Felicity says that she used to think the vigilante was a criminal too. But he has sacrificed an awful lot for the people of the city. So that kind of makes him a hero. Doesn’t it?
Oliver is at the club when Tommy arrives, saying that if it isn’t his best friend in life. For Tommy has been drinking. He tells Oliver that he took his advice and went to see Laurel to fight for her. Unfortunately, Tommy arrived as Laurel had admitted to Oliver that she still had feelings for him as well, and Tommy saw them both through the window.. Oliver says that he’s sorry and Tommy says that he isn’t. Oliver tells Tommy that something is happening involving his father. Tommy replies to keep his father out of it but Oliver continues, saying their fathers, they were not the men they thought. They had been working on a plan together to level the Glades and Malcolm is going to do it to avenge his wife’s death. Oliver says that the difference between them is that Oliver didn’t find out the truth about his father until too late, but Tommy has always known, deep down, the sort of man Malcolm Merlyn is. Tommy’s response is to say he wished Oliver had died on the island.
At SCPD, Lance approaches Lieutenant Pike and says that he has it on good authority that Malcolm Merlyn is going to level the Glades. Pike asks who Lance’s source is and Lance admits it’s the vigilante. He called him. And has done several times over the past few months; he has been helpful on some cases. Pike is not happy, reminding Lance that Lance wanted the taskforce setup and swore to bring the Hood in. Lance says that he swore to uphold the law, but what use are laws if they do not protect people. He knows this may sacrifice his career, but Lance is willing to forgo capturing the vigilante if it saves lives. Pike tells Lance he is suspended – and it’s suspension or incarceration.
Moira is in her room when Oliver enters and tells her no more lies. That they need to stop what is happening. Moira replies that everything she has said or done has been to protect him and his sister. Oliver asks about the people in the Glades and Moira says that she isn’t their mother. Oliver says that he spoke to Malcolm and Moira replies that Malcolm could have killed him. That he killed Oliver’s father. Oliver replies that Malcolm didn’t, and tells his mother what actually happened after the ship went down.
Oliver tells his mother that his father sacrificed himself so that Oliver could live. But how can Olive go on living if his mother sacrifices thousands more in his name. That Moira has to help Oliver stop it, and tell him where the device is. Then Moira gets a call – from Malcolm. Afterwards, she tells Oliver that Malcolm has accelerated the timetable and that the Undertaking – is happening tonight. Oliver leaves, telling Moira that someone in their family must put an end to it. Whatever the cost.
Laurel wants to know what is happening in her and Oliver’s relationship. He doesn’t tell her everything of course. Felicity figures out the logical place for the device to be hidden – the clues where there. Moira takes Oliver’s advice to heart and does something. A whole bunch of truths are revealed, to everyone, and a lot of them aren’t comfortable for those who hear them.
In the previous episode Fyers told Yao Fei that the only reason he hadn’t been killed was so that Yao Fei could make a recording for the airliner that Fyers was about to shoot down. Once Yao Fei finished the recording, Fyers shot him. Yao Fei had given a knife to the others and Oliver is working on his bonds. The radio operator tells Fyers that the airliner is holding steady and Fyers replies to be ready to launch missile one on the target on his mark.
Before this can be done, Oliver breaks free and attacks the operator before cutting Shado’s bonds. Fyers yells to fire the missile and it is launched as Shado gets outside. She and Oliver get onto the launcher as Slade provides cover; Shado says they need to reprogram the missile. Oliver asks who know how to do this and she replies that she does. The SAM battery driver is killed and the vehicle lurches away. Shado falls off fighting one of the men on it and Oliver defeats another, leaving him to reprogram the missile. The new target is Fyers’ base.
Not quite a cliff-hanger ending to the season but plenty of tension on the island and in Starling City. It finishes with a heck of a mess to clear up in both locations.