“Seeing Red” is episode twenty of season two of Arrow.
In the previous episode, “The Man Under the Hood”, Oliver discovered that Slade wasn’t using his own blood to build his army, and thereby weakening himself in the process, but Roy’s. Roy was rescued and Isabel shot and apparently killed in the process by Diggle. Although her death may not have taken. Oliver also took a sample of Mirakuru; Ivor told him about a cure before Oliver shot him. He never mentioned it before because he was ashamed, he tried to kill Slade rather than using the cure. Felicity took the sample to Caitlin and Cisco for their help.
Dig and Felicity are in Arrow Base; Felicity cannot find anything about Isabel’s death, she’s simply disappeared. Which is odd for a high-profile figure. Roy is unconscious on the table behind her. Dig suggests dinner and Felicity agrees, asking how can someone be unconscious and freak her out at the same time. Only Roy is no longer unconscious. Dig returns and Roy is angry. He barges past them, out of the club and disappears.
Oliver and Sara are together in bed and Sara is thinking about Roy. Oliver doesn’t think this is a great time for that, given that they are alone in a nice hotel. One that Oliver couldn’t afford, according to Sara. Oliver has a history with the manager. In fact, he thinks he trashed this specific room once. Oliver suggests getting they get a place and Sara is questioning him on whether he means move in together. Oliver, it seems, hasn’t thought that through. Oliver’s phone rings, then Sara’s, and she says that’s never good when both of their phones ring. At Arrow Base, Felicity and Dig are cleaning up and they explain about Roy.
Moira is at the mansion being interviewed about her mayoral race and, when asked why people should vote for her, Moira replies that Alderman Blood is not a parent, and talks about this. Cure Thea appearing and telling Moira she can’t have her rally at Verdant. Which results in Moira telling Thea she signed a contract. Overall, that probably could have gone better. Mark Francis tells her she needs to simplify a complicated situation; she can be a mother or a candidate, she can’t be both. Moira agrees he’s right, but from the look on her face it seems her conclusion may be different to his.
Sara, Oliver and Dig are out looking for Roy when Felicity calls them about a request for an ambulance. Four men were seriously assaulted by a guy in a red hoodie. Sin spots Roy and tries to talk to him. Some people who know her think Roy, who is definitely not acting right, is troubling her and intervene, despite her requests for them not to do so. It doesn’t go well for them. And Roy knocks Sin down as well.
Thea is not happy to see Oliver in Verdant; he says he’s there to see Sara, who is with him. Thea is not happy about Dig following her everywhere. Oliver tells Thea it’s for her own protection, as Slade Wilson is still at large. Thea’s response is that Slade didn’t hurt her, he told her the truth. Which did hurt her. Sin arrives to find Thea and she’s got a mark where Roy hit her. She tells them Roy isn’t right, he was injected with something that made him comic book strong. Sin thinks this sounds crazy; Sara doesn’t. Sin says Roy needs their help, not a beatdown.
Moira stops to see Blood to tell him she’s dropping out of the race. Because her daughter needs her more than the city does. Blood says he is going to change the city. Which is probably right, but also probably not in a good way.
The Arrow team are tracking Roy when Sin calls. She’s found Roy. Sara told Sin to head home. She did. That’s where Roy is. So, Sara and Oliver head there. Roy is now not just strong; he’s partially trained as well. Sara is taken down quickly and Oliver tries talking to Roy. Who damages Oliver’s knee, leaves through the floor and kills one policeman and hurts another.
A doctor is on the phone, saying that a full moon really brings out the whack jobs, but it can’t get any stranger. Naturally, he finds Oliver and Sara in costume, asking for his help. The doctor tells the person on the phone he was wrong and will call them back. He has a brace for Oliver’s leg, but he will still be in pain. The doctor mentions that six months ago the cabinet would have been empty, because of the triads stealing the shipments. Until someone stopped them. Ever since, he’s been looking for a way to thank the people.
Dig has a chat with Thea; he tells her that Moira is not perfect but she is consistent with her love for Thea and Oliver. That may or may not make her deserve anything, but perhaps it might grant her a second chance. Then Roy turns up on the news, albeit not by name, about the attack on the police and Thea has to head out to see a friend.
Felicity is having problems tracking Roy because of his hoodie. Sara thinks that Roy is too far gone, and they had this exact conversation five years ago about Slade Wilson. She plans to put a bullet in Roy’s head. Sara reminds Oliver of himself when he came home.
Thea finds Sin, who tells her about how Roy got shot up with a drug that is messing with his head. Sin hasn’t told Oliver about any of this but Thea thinks Oliver must know something. Thea plans to do something, and it looks like that is going to see Roy. Only she starts talking about how if someone hurts you, you hurt them back more and how she, Thea, deserves to die. Roy is seeing things, just like Slade sees Shado. This is not good. Oliver still wants a better way of dealing with Roy and it turns out that one of his secrets isn’t as secret as he thought.
Nothing from the island. Instead, there are clips of seven years ago, when Oliver revealed he had accidentally got a girl pregnant. And it wasn’t Laurel, who he was dating at the time. So, Moira deals with it.