Arrow: Honor Thy Father

I liked the second episode of the series. The episode wasn't as good as the first, but I'm going to keep watching. I think the flashbacks are done well. I love the training sequences, although I'm not so fond of the voice overs. I don't think they are really necessary. I wish that Thea wasn't such a brat. I understand that she's frustrated that Oliver keeps pushing her away, but she is doing the same thing to him. And you'd think she'd be a little forgiving of a person who almost died in the middle of the sea, and then spent five years on an island. Come on, give the guy a little bit of a break. I hope each episode isn't just about crossing off names from his Dad's list. I'd like to see a little variety in the plots.

Observations:

Oliver has to go to court to declare himself legally alive, but does he have to explain what happened to him in order for the court to prove he's still alive? Isn't it proof enough that he's standing there?

Why would Laurel tell her client, someone she only knows professionally, that her old boyfriend cheated on her with her own sister? Isn't that just a little TMPI (too much personal information) for a lawyer to tell her client?

I understand that Moira, Oliver's mother, wants to protect her son, but he is a grown man. He really can do what he wants to do, and if he wants to go without a bodyguard, Moira should honor his wishes.

What a traumatic thing to be on a raft for days and days with your Dad's dead body. No wonder Oliver has issues and doesn't want to talk about them.

It's nice that Oliver wants to talk to Laurel, but it was Thea who said he needed to open up to someone. It would be nice if Oliver would open up to Thea. However, I am glad that Oliver isn't totally avoiding Laurel. It's so cliche when the superhero tells the woman he loves to stay away from him because he doesn't want her to get hurt.

It's very annoying that Laurel's Dad is angry at Oliver after Laurel is attacked in her apartment, because if Oliver hadn't been there, Laurel might have been killed. I do love that Dig came and helped save them both. Is Dig starting to suspect something?

I wish Laurel would understand what her father is going through. He's already lost one daughter, and when someone threatens Laurel, he wants to keep her safe.

Is Oliver's superhero outfit bullet proof? Because he has a lot of bullets fired at him and he's never hit. *wink*

Oliver didn't get a an MBA on the island, but somehow he learned Russian, and Chinese. Hmm.

It was Laurel who told Oliver he should be the person he wants his mother to see him as, so Laurel should have known that Oliver was putting on an act at the dedication of his Dad's building.

Oliver finds his Dad's notebook, and it has a symbol on it. The same symbol that the mystery man in the car has. Hmm. Also, unless I missed something, it looks like the notebook is blank. There are no names. If that's true, where did Oliver get the names, and why does he say they're the names his father gave him?

I'm so excited that John Barrowman is going to be in the series, and I'm looking forward to seeing him.

Oliver has more secrets than just being the Arrow. One of those secrets is that there was someone else on the island, and he wears a green hood. Hmm.

Quotes:

Oliver: This guy gets more air time than the Kardashians, right?
Thea: Five years on an island and you still know who they are.
Oliver: I've been catching up. It's nice to see how our culture has improved while I was away.

Walter: Everyone here understands this transition is really difficult for you.
Oliver: Oh thank you, Walter. Which part though? Everyone fantasizing that I got my MBA while I was on the island, or the fact that my father's CFO now sleeps down the hall from me?
Moira: You know, five year ago your irresponsibility was somewhat charming. It is a lot less so now.

Dig: Maybe after five years alone you're not as messed up in the head as you have the right to be.

Laurel: I'm a lawyer. I live to argue.
Detective Lance: I'm your father. I'm here to keep you safe.

Oliver: I need to get better, and talking about what happened to me out there - I'm not ready yet.

Oliver (to Laurel): I'm a jerk. Before the island I was jerk, and now I'm a damaged jerk.

Laurel: Oliver, you're an adult. You can say no.

Dig: I think I'm just beginning to understand what kind of man you are.
Oliver: Shouldn't take you very long. I'm shallow.

Oliver (talking to his "Dad" at his memorial headstone): You asked me to save the city, to right your wrongs. I will, I swear. But to do that I can't be the Oliver everyone wants me to be, which means sometimes to honor your wishes I need to dishonor your memory. I'm sorry.