Arrow 4x13 Recap: "Sins of the Father"

Sins of the Father.
Last week, Nyssa made Oliver an offer for the Lotus elixir that will be hard to refuse, especially as Thea continues to struggle with her bloodlust. Last week, Felicity's father returned, and this week we'll see them sit down to talk and how that relationship develops this episode. By the looks of the promo, it looked like we'd see some sort of sword fight from opposing sides regarding Thea's condition, so let's talk about what actually went down.

Oliver doesn't want to be involved in the tension between Nyssa and Malcolm. He feels that Nyssa should give him the elixir without any gain because Thea is going through what she is going through because of her father. Oliver's plan is to try and convince Malcolm to give Nyssa control of the League, which will give Nyssa what she wants. Laurel intends to get Nyssa on board with it and Oliver plans to work on Malcolm.

Meanwhile, Felicity has one question for her father while they're out to coffee: "why now?" And then he brings up that he was doing a job and he was almost beat. He did his research and then used her codename 'Overwatch' and now Felicity knows who he is. She goes to leave, but he says he wants to prove that he can be trusted, so he gives her a collection of things on a USB that will prove it. He wants to be present in her life and wants to regain her trust.

Oliver speaks to Malcolm about the Lotus who doesn't trust Nyssa. If there was proof this elixir existed and he could save Thea, he would do it, but he doesn't believe such an elixir exists. Laurel's conversation goes more in depth with Nyssa. Laurel will never forgive Merlyn for what he's done, but if Nyssa wants Merlyn dead, then she needs to drive that sword herself. That's why Nyssa needs to compromise. And when Laurel tells her the plan, she agrees as long as they can convince Malcolm. And if he doesn't, Nyssa threatens war and bloodshed on Star City. To convince Malcolm, Oliver asks Nyssa for anything to prove to Malcolm that she's not lying. So she gives them a sample of the cure and Malcolm can get the proof that he needs. Sure enough, it heals her wound and Malcolm's on board with the plan.

When Felicity returns, she tells the team of the news she's learned. Even though she has the USB, she wants to put her father through a test to see if he's being truthful. Oliver thinks it's a good idea. Felicity calls her mom being that her dad's in town and Donna's concerned that the may have hurt her. Felicity thinks that he may have changed, but Donna doesn't think so. She's been through this before and things only became worse. She doesn't feel people have the ability to change. Felicity still sees her father, though. She shows him around Palmer Tech and Curtis' lab and gives him a look at what they've been working on.

Malcolm and Nyssa meet that night, but what seems like it will be a peaceful exchange at first turns into a sword fight when Malcolm calls in his own force. Nyssa, on the other hand, was expecting a peaceful exchange. Despite their short encounter, Oliver, Diggle, and Laurel prevent Malcolm from taking his men any further after Nyssa.

League men are fighting in Star City and while looking at the scene where some were, Diggle and Oliver talk about the elephant in the room. They both known Malcolm has to be taken down. And Oliver admits that he has never hated anyone more than he hates Malcolm Merlyn. War is on the verge in Star City and the reason for it all is Merlyn. It's time for Oliver to channel that hate and take him down. After they stop Malcolm's men for the time being along Nyssa in the streets of the city, they shoot Nyssa with a tranquilizer gun and take her with them back to the lair.

Laurel gets a chance to talk to Nyssa on a deeper level, telling her that this isn't who she is. The way she's acting is how her father was, and he's no longer around. She can be who she is. She's free to make her own choices. Definitely some good advice Nyssa should be thinking about.

Felicity sees Oliver later in the day and reveals the device she found after her father left the lab. He placed a device that would be able to suck all the data out of the room. He failed her test. She brought him into Palmer Tech without restrictions and he failed. And in some ways, Felicity and Oliver are going through similar situations, wondering if people can change. Oliver would have an easier time getting rid of Malcolm if he wasn't Thea's father and sometimes, he thinks that he has changed.

Malcolm would not risk his city to save his daughter. He doesn't trust the power Nyssa has if she becomes the new Ra's. They'll all be in danger then. And then Malcolm mentions William, and that catches Oliver off guard, but he's Ra's al Ghul, he knows everything about him. Even then, Oliver is adamant that he would search and search for another way to save both his son and the city if he was in the same situation.

The only way things will be settled will be in a battle by combat. Malcolm and Nyssa are to fight in front of the team and the League. However, what Oliver has up his sleeve is a different idea. As Nyssa's husband in the eyes of the League, he elects to fight for her against Malcolm, instead. She's confused as to why, but let's him anyway. He's going to correct the mistake he made when he first gave Ra's the ring. Oliver's kicking his ass, but Malcolm refuses to yield. Instead of killing him, which everyone approves of him doing and even Malcolm is taunting him to do, he cuts off his hand and takes the ring off that hand and gives it to Nyssa. She is officially the new Ra's al Ghul. They successfully have the Lotus. The Lotus heals Thea and she no longer has the bloodlust. They'll eventually have to tell Thea what happened, but they'll take baby steps.

Felicity decides to say goodbye to her father. She tells him how she always worried what was wrong with her, why he abandoned her. He says he thought he was doing the right thing for them, but she doesn't believe him. And to prove her point, she turns him over to the police and he's arrested. Take that, Calculator. Felicity is nothing like you.

Nyssa follows Laurel's advice and it turns out that her words were very powerful. She disbanded the League of Assassins. No one will be her father's prisoner any longer. She's now her own person. She's free. And in front of Oliver, Laurel, and Malcolm, she melts the ring. The League no longer exists and Malcolm is angered beyond belief, even going so far as to threaten Oliver, but Oliver will stand none of it.

Felicity knows it's insane for Oliver to be torturing himself over betraying Oliver, but it's why she loves him. Oliver did what Diggle said. He took an impossible situation and made it have the best possible outcome. And then he tells her that they should get married soon because maybe now is their window.

Malcolm Merlyn hasn't changed and that's been very clear. But he's reached an all time low. To get back at Oliver, he's gone to Damien Darhk to give him information about who Oliver cares about most, and then he tells him about Oliver's son, William. Pardon this, but what an asshole. Sacrificing a child's life to get revenge on Oliver for betraying him. And now, the possibility of William being the one in the grave we keep seeing is even more possible. And I'm starting to think it is him because Barry knows who William is, he'd comfort Oliver about it. Overall, good episode tonight with a big ending. It's going to be an interesting next few episodes!