It’s chaos in Hong Kong as the Alpha Omega virus is killing people left and right. Oliver leads Tatsu, Maseo and Akio into a pharmacy to find something to help him. Back in the present, Ra’s reiterates what he said last episode about Oliver having to sever all ties from his old life, but he also reveals that Maseo is the one who brought him the bioweapon all those years ago, in exchange for a place in the league. He also reminds Oliver that he will marry Nyssa, ascent to the title of Ra’s, and then go to Starling City with a fresh basket of death. Speaking of Starling, Diggle chases down a crminal who leads him to his heavily armed gang. Diggle pops in some ear plugs and Laurel incapacitates them with her canary cry. They get into a brawl which ends with Diggle taking things a little too far. At his apartment, the two of them and Felicity are all at each other’s throats of perceived denial they think each other are dwelling in.
Elsewhere, Merlyn goes to Thea’s loft where she is preparing to go find Roy, still unsure about her own identity (don’t forget the theme of the season!). In Nanda Parbat it’s dinner time and Nyssa is joining her father and Oliver. Ra’s takes this time to remind her that she’s gonna have Oliver’s babies. Oliver reveals he is prepared to his ascension but perhaps not marriage. He steps out to leave, and while Ra’s is angry, Nyssa sneaks away a knife from the table. While walking, Oliver is confronted by a figure whom he addresses and says “You’re late.” Surprisingly it’s Malcolm Merlyn. They talk over a camp fire about Ra’s accelerated plans, both assuming they’d have more time to work on their plan to destroy the league from the inside. Maseo walks up, but Merlyn is long gone at this point. We flashback to Hong Kong where Akio lays dying. Tatsu sings to her son and Maseo decides to go find a cure from General Shrieve and Oliver agrees to accompany him.
Thea enters an autobody shop and asks for “Jason,” who is of course Roy. He explains why he never told her about their plan and they head off to his apartment. He doesn’t even clock out or anything. At Palmer Tech, Ray tinkers with his suit as Felicity enters, citing he has a “little idea” (’cause The Atom gets small). He can tell something is bothering her and even though it’s Oliver related, he’ll still listen because he’s her friend. Ray then has Felicity sign some papers which we later see is a Transfer of Ownership for (presumably) all of Palmer Tech. In Nanda Parbat, Oliver and Maseo continue their powwow and he reveals when he stole the sample of the bioweapon. Oliver offers to set him free once he becomes Ra’s, but the league is not Maseo’s prison.
Felicity, Diggle, and Laurel are summoned by Merlyn, who reveals to them that he and Oliver have been planning his infiltration of the league for some time. They all rightfully do not believe him. He brings out a friend of Oliver’s, Tatsu, who reveals that Starling is in great danger, but the trio don’t exactly believe her either, despite having heard the stories about Akio. Merlyn hands a file to Diggle on the virus and says they’re going to Nanda Parbat and to join them the next morning if they’d like to come along. In Roy’s apartment, the pair talk about his new “boring” life and Thea reveals she brought him his Arsenal outfit. Oh yeah, and they do some smoochin’.
At Palmer Tech, Felicity goes over the Omega files with Diggle and Laurel and still can’t quite believe what she’s seeing, but Diggle and Laurel say they’re going to help. In Nanda Parbat, Ra’s enter’s Nyssa’s room where he tells the origin story of meeting her mother and reveals some fancy jewelry he gave her in exchange for her greatest gift: Nyssa. Nyssa, of course, won’t be swayed into marrying Oliver because of some jewelry, but Ra’s commands it so it’s gonna happen. As he leaves she removes her hidden knife, presumably to remind us that she still has it. In Starling, Tatsu goes to see Felicity and tells her about how Oliver spoke about her when recovering from his fall. She also reveals that her husband was consumed by the League’s darkness and she never tried to find him, but Felicity shouldn’t make that mistake.
Oliver and Maseo get to the rogue army base in a quick Hong Kong flashback, wherein Maseo provides Oliver with a bow and arrow and asks for the killer that Amanda Waller saw in him. Merlyn prepares to leave for Nanda Parbat as Tatsu admires her family’s katana. Eventually everyone else shows up, but Felicity promises to rat him out to the world if he betrays them. We get a brief glimpse of Tatsu’s Katana mask as they depart. They all arrive in Nanda Parbat in their cool costumes and find the plane Ra’s was planning to use on Starling City. A fight breaks out, naturally, and Felicity rushes to get near to the plane to disable it. The flurry of fists and swords continues, eventually leading to a confrontation between Maseo and Tatsu. As the plane takes off, Felicity’s tablet takes an arrow to the screen, but she brought back-up, and here comes Ray Palmer. Ray flies around the plane and after a quick bout brings it tumbling down, along with himself. Though Maseo gets the drop on Tatsu, she turns things around and plunges her sword into his gut killing him – she asks him to tell Akio that they both love him. (Note: They’ve been building to this moment all season since Katana’s “power” in the comics is that her sword is possessed by the spirit of her late husband.)
As the fight dies down, Ra’s and Oliver appear with more ninjas and reveal it was all a ruse, the bioweapon was never in the plane. After the group surrenders, Oliver leads them into the main chamber and tells them not to say anything. When confroned by Ra’s, Tatsu says that Maso revealed his plans to them, which Ra’s doesn’t appear to believe. Ra’s also casually reveals to all of them that Oliver will be getting married to Nyssa shortly, which you could say surprises Felicity. On the other side of the world Roy and Thea cuddle in bed and she finally reveals what’s going on with Oliver, but Roy doesn’t seem to want to help at all. They continue cuddling. Back in Nanda Parbat, where cuddling is scarce, Oliver’s friends sit in a dungeon and some guards bring Diggle to Oliver’s room. He tries to ask if everyone is okay but they butt heads rather quickly, imagine that.
In Hong Kong, General Shrieve admires a cigar as we hear gunfire and death off screen. Maseo and Oliver enter and ask for the antidote. Shrieve points them to a safe after taking a bullet to the shoulder, and Oliver reveals he’s coming with them. Ra’s admires Tatsu’s katana as Merlyn stands before him. Merlyn, being the weasel that he is, offers to reveal the true traitor to Ra’s in exchange for his life, citing Oliver as the one who gave up their plans. Oliver enters and is confronted by Ra’s but manages to make his case for why Merlyn was lying. Once more on the other side of the world, Thea wakes up to an empty bed. She goes back to Roy’s place of employment, but he’s long gone and he left her a note and a bag. He wants what is best for her to grow, like who she was best for him, but being on the run won’t be what she needs. Roy also left the Arsenal gear for her, allowing her the opportunity to assume the “Speedy” mantle in season 4 presumably.
Felicity tries to talk to Diggle back in the League’s dungeon, but he says it’s not worth getting into. Ra’s brings Merlyn down and has Tatsu removed from the dungeon and casually tosses the bioweapon into their cell. He seals the room as they all look on in horror at the man they trusted close them in on death. Right after revealing that Tatsu was innoculated, we cut back to Hong Kong where Oliver and Maseo return with Shrieve, who reveals there isn’t a cure, but they were too late anyway as Akio has died. Just as Oliver prepares to end Shrieve, some laser sights appear on his chest, they’ve been caught.
Oliver enters the main chamber for his wedding day, how special. As the virus spreads in the dungeon, the wedding carries on with Nyssa’s entrance and even her attempt to stab Oliver with her dinner knife, which he blocks. The priestess says they are now captive in their love for each other, which is juxtaposed with Felicity coughing and succumbing to the bioweapon. She tells Diggle she’s glad to have known him, just as Oliver and Nyssa’s union is sealed.
You can check out the promo for the season three finale of “Arrow” in the player below. Titled “My Name Is Oliver Queen,” the episode is describes as follows:
“Everyone’s lives are in danger as Ra’s al Ghul (guest star Matt Nable) puts forth his final plan. Oliver/Al Sah-him (Stephen Amell) must decide if he’s strong enough to take on this new role and what it will mean for everyone on Team Arrow, and his soul.”
Directed by John Behring with story by Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg and teleplay by Marc Guggenheim & Jake Coburn, “My Name Is Oliver Queen” is set to air May 13. “Arrow” airs Wednesdays at 8 P.M. EST.
