Arrow - Do We Really Want a "Crazy Ollie?"

Well, do we?

A lot has been made about how the "Arrow" is supposed to survive his deadly encounter with Ra's al-Ghul.  Most seem to think Ollie will be rescued by some unknown figure that will bring him to the Lazarus Pit and use it's restorative powers to heal Ollie and bring him back to life.  Only there is a catch.  Here's what the DC Comics Database says about those who use the Pit.

"When used to heal or to bring someone back to life, that person is also rendered temporarily insane (although one instance when it was used for the Joker, it temporarily rendered him sane)."

So I ask the question, "Do we really want a Crazy Ollie?"


Ra's al-Ghul has been using the pit (purportedly) and he seems normal.  Normal in the sense that using murder to cleanse the planet of evil doers and their minions is normal.

What would happen to Oliver Queen if he was rendered temporarily insane?

Well, for one, whomever brings him to the pit could secure Ollie until he gained his sense.  That would be if said person knew of the pit's after effects.  If he or she did, then we could assume Ollie would be safely secured.

But that's not how TV works.

I can imagine a scenario where a revived and traumatized Arrow breaks free of his restraints and overpowers his keeper. He heads back to Starling City filled with a distorted and psychotic rage.  The misguided focus of fury aimed at those he loves. Thea, Felicity, Digg, Roy and Laurel.

I don't like it.

Let's hope the series doesn't go this way.  Sure, it would all be over soon but we've already touched upon themes such as this.

When Ollie originally returned to Starling City he was basically a vengeful murderer.  Those who had "Failed this city" paid the ultimate price.  Hardly a sign of a virtuous and stable hero.

Later, Roy Harper went through a period of drastic instability when he was injected with Mirakuru.

Wouldn't having Ollie running around half crazed be just a recycling of the aforementioned story lines?

  

So what clues does the "Left Behind" trailer present to us as to the immediate future of Arrow?

The trailer begins with someone carrying a lantern through the snow.  The garb of this person seems similar to the person who approaches Ollie's "lifeless" body when the Fall season ended. 

We quickly cut to a spinning overhead shot of Ollie still lying in the snow.  A solitary figure stands over Ollie.  But is it the same figure that started the trailer?  The clothes are the same but there is no lantern here.

It's important to note we are also getting a voice over provided by Malcolm Merlyn.  He informs his listening audience that Ra's honors his fallen foes by leaving the instrument of their death.  A sweeping shot reveals the solitary blade still standing on the mountain top.

The Blade shot is followed by a limp hand of a figure that a pullback reveals to be the body of Ollie on a Travois being pulled by the "Solitary" figure.  A gloved hand then knocks on a seemingly ancient door.


Speculative:  Let's say the "Lantern" figure and the "Solitary" are two different people.  We can further speculate they are working together because they are similarly garbed and conveniently working on the same snow swirled mountaintop.  To extrapolate on this further, we can speculate that the Solitary figure is the one that is knocking on the Ancient door and it is the Lantern figure that is waiting on the other side.  Who could they be and why would they be working together?

Here's my best guess, a sympathetic Maseo Yamashiro has retrieved the body of Oliver and waiting behind the Ancient door is Tatsu Yamashiro.  Could it be the other way around?  Sure why not?  I just think it would better for Tatsu to be hiding in the shadows until she is ready to reveal herself as Katana.  Maseo has said he still grieves over the missing Tatsu but perhaps that is part of her cover and a way of protecting her from Ras.

Any other suspects for pulling the lifeless body of Ollie to the Ancient door?  (Where, presumably, the Lazarus Pit is located)

Could it be Malcolm Merlyn?  It's his voice we hear in the voice over and as the trailer continues we get a shot of Merlyn standing in the "Arrow Cave" and callously placing the blade in front of Felicity, Roy and Digg telling them "Oliver Queen is dead."  So we know he's been to the mountaintop but what is his game?

Speculative: Malcolm retrieves the body of Oliver Queen for his own twisted purposes.  He's already manipulated Thea and now with Ollie in tow he can revive him in the Lazarus pit and use the deranged Arrow in order to defeat Ra's al-Ghul.  Thereby lifting the death sentence of the League.

Is Malcolm working with anyone?  I'm hard pressed to figure out a scenario wherein Nyssa al Ghul is helping him.  Sympathy for Ollie?  Power play?  She's pretty close to her her father so I can't see how she'd be in league with Merlyn.  I'll have to think on this one.

After Merlyn makes his deathly announcement to the Arrow crew the trailer evolves into a rock n roll montage.  A young girl dashes in a panic through an darkened alley way.  We get our first look at the villain, Danny "Brick" Brickwell played by the fearsome Vinnie Jones.  He punches the lights out of somebody (get it, "When light falls") 

We get a quick look at a hooded figure and lights crash about what seems to be some sort of research facility.  (Queen Industries?) Vinnie Jones reappears to assert his desire to possess the Glades.


And then.....

Darn it, we get a shot of Ray Palmer working on his Atom suit!  There goes my theory about him becoming the Atom and rescuing Ollie on the mountain top.  Why can't TV think more like me?

It looks like Brandon Routh's Palmer is nowhere close to perfecting his suit.  You better hurry up dude if you want to be ready for the spinoff series they are talking about for you.

Bullets fly and we get a quick cut to what seems to be Thea getting some more training from her loving father.  I wonder if Malcolm does have plans for a Crazy Ollie and presenting him to Thea to further split them apart.


Roy wanders aimlessly about the stricken city but then another hero arrives!

We get a look at Laurel and the next instant a black clad figure with a platinum wig is seen kicking ass in the darkness.  Has the Black Canary arrived?

Sorry for the poor screen grab but that is the black clad figure above.  No doubt it is Laurel.  Can she hold up her own despite a dearth of training?  I don't think she wants to be on the receiving end of a Danny "Brick" Brickwell right cross.  That guy packs a mean punch and I can't see Laurel just taking one and bouncing back up.  Being a hero is a tough business.

Digg and Felicity get some doom and gloom shots to accentuate the hopelessness of the situation.

But then...

Has the Arrow returned?  Is it Crazy Ollie ready to spin the city out of control?  It could be Roy who has shaken off his lethargy and is ready to take on the baddies as the sparks fly.

It could also be Diggle.  He's taken up the mantle of the Arrow before and no doubt he wants to give the city some hope once all Hell break loose.

Our happy little trailer comes to a close and once again Starling City is aflame.  Man, this burg can't catch a break.  It's starting to make Gotham City look like a vacation spot.

Arrow returns January 21st!