This week’s episode of The Flash might have breaked with a slight hiatus, but this week’s Arrow is revving up for the big Grave Reveal next week. There were more hints, more heartwarming moments and even the inauguration of a potential new Full-Time Team Arrow member. Add in the return of some familiar Arrow faces – Malcolm Andy, etc – as well as The Flash villain Brie Larvan – last seen in Felicity’s crossover to The Flash – and you have this week’s episode “Beacon Of Hope”.

 Becoming A “Beacon Of Hope” – Curtis, Felicity, Oliver & Laurel:

Considering the phrase “Beacon of Hope” was used multiple times this episode, it really makes sense that it’s the episode title as well. No matter who was saying this, this episode was about finding new ways to help others – and potentially even yourself. In Team Arrow’s time of need, Curtis stepped up and was the tech support beacon of hope the team needed. Additionally, he continues the tradition of ‘new heroes being introduced to the Arrow Team because they stopped Oliver from almost dying’. Previous members include Felicity Smoak (gun shot) and Barry Allen (poisoning). Meanwhile, Felicity seems to be leaving Team Arrow as she feels she’s a better beacon of hope running Palmer Technologies. Though it is the Laurel and Oliver dynamic this week that really plays off as a beacon of hope.

Laurel really stepped it up this week as she not only welcomed/supported Curtis into the team – the same way Arsenal welcomed/supported her initial foray into Black Canary – but also helped save Oliver emotionally and physically. We’ve seen some more tender and forgiving moments start to appear between these two as well as moments when we’re reminded that they used to be together. Could this all be to start bringing the destined Green Arrow / Black Canary romance back into the fold? At least, she could eventually fill the romantic void for Oliver; but there’s also a chance she might fill the ‘confidant’ void as well depending on who’s in the grave – but more on that later.

Rapid Fire – Easter Eggs, Quotes & Other Notables:

• The start date of this episode was March 29^th, 2016. Which means Brie got out of prison on Tuesday and made it to Star City Wednesday.
• Oliver Queen, Potter-fan? Who knew? Also, this is the second Harry Potter reference this week as The Flash also did one.
• Malcolm’s continuing the “I am/used to be Ras al Ghul” thing.
• As we learned in the flashback, magical totem powers linger for a short while after the connection is severed. We also saw this in the Vixen animated series, but will we see this in Darhk’s future as well?
• Momma Smoak pointing out how these attacks seem to be ‘weekly’ is a great form of Meta-joking since this show airs every week.
• Brie Larvan and Cupid. With HIVE down for the moment, that explains the resurgence of B… maybe even C-Class Villains. Either way, it’s great revisiting this past villainesses.
• This episode showed Curtis tech skills (bees), athletic abilities (dodging the bee) and gadget skills (the exploding spheres he made). Yes he chose to stay with his husband at episode end, but if something were to happen to him, that could be the push Curtis needs to become Mr Terrific.
• Favorite Quotes
  • “Performance issues are common for men of your age” – Malcolm to Darhk’s
  • “Any puppies you want to kick while you’re at it?” – Laurel to Oliver
  • “So can anybody just walk in here?” – Quentin about Curtis finding the Arrow-cave
  • “This is why we leave the names to Cisco… inside joke” – Felicity
  • “Cant wait’ – Oliver responding to Curti’s revelation that the thousand of cybernetic bee larva “Should pass in a few days….”
  • “Like Independence Day… what? I can’t watch movies too?” – Quentin Lance

“Gotta Celebrate The Victories While You Can” – Impending Death Of “Eleven Fifty Nine”:

We’ve been trying to figure out this season’s long awaited death for almost 6 months now, and we’re finally going to get our episode next week in “Eleven Fifty Nine”. We already know it’s not Felicity, but considering she might be leaving team Arrow permanently, I think it’s safe to say that Laurel and Thea are safe as well – otherwise Team Arrow will be losing too many women within a two episode span. Thea’s already been killed off/brought back once. Also considering Laurel’s heroine career is just starting and Black Canary is a huge part of Arrow-lore, it MOST LIKELY is not her… if it is though, this Panda will riot! #PANDAmonium

This leaves us with one of the Season 1 Guys, John Diggle or Quentin Lance, whom have been at the top of our ‘At Risk List’ for some time. Both have stories that are nearing their completion. Last week we saw how Quentin’s testimony against Darhk would ruin his police career as well as be his chance to make up for the ills he’s done. Additionally, his romance with Momma Smoak has also completed the ‘family man’ aspect to his character – which we are again reminded of this episode.

Diggle on the other hand now has a family and has finally worked out issues with his brother… or has he? Next week will bring Andy Diggle back in as Malcolm has him try to betray Team Arrow. Additionally, this episode we heard how his fighting style and training has gone down since having a kid. Like Lance, Diggle is now very much a family man and burning the candle at both ends is draining him. Will Diggle get sloppy and get taken out by Malcolm’s latest plan? Will Darhk break out and get his revenge on Captain Lance? Does this shot from Extended Trailer for the next episode give us the head of the deceased or an attending doctor?. We’ll find out because that haircut looks an awful lot like Diggle. Either way, the tagline that it’s “an end of an era” shows it’s someone who’s firmly been around since Season 1 and the fact that we’ve only seen Oliver and Felicity brought to tears further supports this as Diggle is the final 1/3 of the Original Team Arrow (a point that we were reminded of earlier this season).

THEN AGAIN, much like ‘Kill Him’ could have been a misdirection for Darhk and really mean Malcolm; what if ‘end of an era’ refers to Oliver’s vow to not kill. What if the death does indeed return him to the death of his son William? Since it was that lie that tore him and felicity apart, telling Oliver to ‘kill him’ could signal their reconciliation of sorts. Additionally, since Barry was the one who knew of William first with Oliver, it’d explain why Barry arrived. Then again again, Barry had a crossover this season with Diggle, so that could also explain his attendance. Whatever the case, the Arrow writers have done a wonderful job keeping this secret for so long.

*SPOILER UPDATE* There’s been images shared online that detail a flashback funeral supposedly for Sara Lance – pre Season 1. If this is for parallelism as well as to match Laurel’s ‘don’t get between a sibling relationship’ comment, this could complete the season parallel between the Lance Sisters and the Diggle Brothers – see episodes: “The Candidate”, “Haunted” & “Brotherhood”