I especially liked the detail of Laurel pulling her gun on the technician who confirms Earth-2 is truly gone. This could very well be the best work the actress has done throughout her long tenure on Arrow, an exquisite performance in which she manages to capture anger, denial, overwhelming grief, and resolve, often all at once. The Black Canary of Earth-2 is now (presumably) her world’s sole survivor and Cassidy takes the character through an appropriately explosive emotional journey. Amell sells the overwhelmed fear Ollie’s feeling perfectly and is predictably just as good at the stoic determination he transitions to once Tatsu convinces him he can handle the Crisis without compromising his principles.Īs well as the Oliver arc works, however, “Welcome to Hong Kong” is Laurel and Katie Cassidy’s hour.
![arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax](https://static.cdn.asset.aparat.com/avt/18373572-7988__9680.jpg)
ARROW SEASON 2 EPISODE 8 IMOVIEMAX HOW TO
He’s desperate to believe the Monitor is on the side of the angels because if not he has no idea how to save his family or the world. Oliver’s response reveals just how deeply the looming threat of the Crisis has shaken him. Tatsu challenges Oliver in regard to these issues, demanding to know why he’s following the Monitor so blindly when he’s so clearly dangerous.
![arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/7d3X4EWDcLFDCaxF1nLfk9Jqy9i.jpg)
I found Oliver’s arc here quite compelling because it directly addressed two of the biggest concerns I’ve had about the season, namely that Oliver Queen is no one’s errand boy and the Monitor is so obviously shady that not having the heroes recognize it (or, more accurately remember, as they experienced his capacity for evil in last year’s crossover) makes them look foolish. It’s a welcome choice that builds the stakes of this most dramatic of conflicts and shows that the show is intent on depicting the emotional and psychological toll the Crisis is already taking on its characters. This hour is all about Oliver, Laurel, and, to a lesser extent, Diggle reacting to the destruction of Earth-2 and considering what it means for their mission going forward. While Tatsu makes her presence felt and Fukushima gives a predictably strong performance, otherwise the setting is mostly a backdrop for the show to grapple with the magnitude of the events of the season premiere. Season 3 in general and its flashbacks, in particular, are far from iconic to even the most loyal fans so the episode doesn’t have to devote too much focus to paying tribute to them. Part of the reason the Hong Kong setting works is because of the more muted reputation of its past material.
![arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/cqyOuQNxAFIZJiWBORjl57byBmM.jpg)
However, returning to Hong Kong surprisingly makes for a compelling episode and a worthy follow up to Season 8’s epic premiere.
![arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax arrow season 2 episode 8 imoviemax](https://static.cdn.asset.aparat.com/avt/18368008-8161__9894.jpg)
The third batch of serialized flashbacks to Oliver’s time away from home is far from the worst storyline the show has ever done and Maseo (Karl Yune) and Tatsu Yamashiro (Rila Fukushima) were strong characters (the latter making a welcome return here) but it was also far from the best, with a lot of its significance not even becoming clear until the fifth season two years later. It’s safe to say the Hong Kong flashbacks probably weren’t on many lists. Arrow Season 8 Episode 2 “Welcome to Hong Kong” Director: Antonio Negret Starring: Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Rick Gonzalez, Juliana Harkavy, Katherine McNamara, Ben Lewis, Joseph David-Jones, LaMonica Garrett, Katie Cassidy, Audrey Marie Anderson, Andrea Sixtos Rating: TV-MA Runtime: 42 minutesĮver since it was announced that Arrow‘s final season would pay tribute to many past storylines and seasons, fans have been putting together lists of what eras in the show’s history they would like to see represented.