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Oliver finds himself the pawn in a high-stakes game of roulette tonight--one that plays for lives instead of chips.
The episode opens on a roulette wheel. After losing everything at the tables, Oliver agrees to join a 'different' kind of game, one that leads to passing out in the street and waking up locked in a wooden box. Please note: Never trust beautiful Asian women with creepy dragon tattoos who offer you little red pills.
Resourceful as he is, Oliver escapes from his prison, which just happens to be a coffin, and finds himself in a warehouse. He is not alone though. Another coffin displays the inscription 'Alexander Luthor' and Oliver breaks open the lid, discovering speakers. He automatically assumes Winslow Shlott, Toyman, engineered this 'game', but a disembodied voice denies the assumption. When Oliver asks who he is really dealing with, the voice only answers: "Who did you destroy?"
Their conversation is interrupted by shattering glass as a huge dog crashes through. Oliver leaps out the broken window, races through a junkyard and dives inside an old Cadillac only to discover a huge truck bearing down and all the doors jammed shut.
He wakes hours later, face down in a muddy puddle--the wreck of the Cadillac only feet away. Using a payphone, Oliver attempts to contact Chloe, but reaches only a mocking female voice instead. The 'Roulette' stamp on his wrist leads him back to the gambling club where our dragon lady awaits. The two flee, Oliver demanding information, but she reveals only that her name is Victoria. She also asks a familiar question, "Who did you hurt so badly that they'd wanna see you dead?"
Shots ring out and Victoria collapses on the pavement as police arrive and taser Oliver.
Meanwhile, Lois and Clark hunt for Mr. Queen too. Apparently when you have nine phone numbers and still fail to return calls, your friends worry. Especially when it is your birthday and you are ignoring all your traditional celebratory acts. Beer pong anyone?
Although his office appears Oliless, Clark does discover an invitation from 'Roulette', just as Lois discovers a certain video from the night Winslow 'Hindenburged' Oliver. She realizes not only that Oliver attempted suicide, but Clark knew and kept the information secret. Trouble!
Elsewhere, the police seem convinced Oliver murdered Victoria. Then the FBI arrive, explaining the 'game' as a means of extortion. The agent provides him with a computer, suggesting he check his accounts immediately and Oliver complies. At this point I questioned rather loudly the whereabouts of Mr. Queen's sense and intelligence.
About two seconds later the account empties itself. Oliver shouts for help and runs after the agent, but finds the door locked as gas pours from the ceiling. Luckily, while investigating the clue, Clark heard him and arrived just in time. He rips the entire wall away, revealing the interrogation room as a fake. It is only another warehouse and Oliver has been taken.
Oliver and Clark enlist Chloe's expertise in hunting down the people who run the 'game' and her search identifies Victoria (a.k.a. Roulette) as the evil mastermind. Oliver asks for his gear, but Chloe and Clark both warn him against following the path of vengeance again and he storms out.
Thanks to the wonders of GPS, Lois found Oliver's car, and a very alive Victoria. Girlfight! Lois holds her own until Victoria trumps her by pulling a gun.
Back at the club, Victoria sits facing the bar. Oliver enters and aims his gun, but cannot bring himself to pull the trigger. Thankfully too because it is actually Lois! Bound and gagged with a black wig.
The real Victoria appears behind him and a shooting match ensues. Oliver dives for Lois first, but follows Victoria into the burning room when she cries for help. She asks why, noting no one would blame him if he let her die, but Oliver says he would blame himself. Suddenly the flames extinguish themselves as Victoria stands. Unharmed once again. She reminds him of the question: "Who did you destroy?"
Spotlights shine down on them as the walls turn, revealing mirrors. As Oliver stares himself in the face, Victoria reveals that he destroyed himself as he buried the hero within. Through his actions he proved that hero is still alive though. Now is the time for its resurrection.
Oliver confronts Chloe as the real mastermind behind the game, engineering and monitoring the entire plan as the Watchtower. Oliver notes that Clark may never know or understand him, as Chloe does because of the different lives each has led.
In Kandorian news: Remember that video? Chloe found footage of a woman Clark recognizes as the Kryptonian assassin--the one from the future that Clark killed. Both Chloe and Clark are stumped by her presence in the present, but Jor-El identifies her by the family crest tattooed on her shoulder. Her name is Alia of Kandor. Chloe programs a search algorithm cross-referencing all satellite images with her Kryptonian lexicon. The search finds not one, but numerous little red dots marking arrival sites all around the globe.
The episode closes with the Green Arrow and the Blur meeting on a rooftop overlooking Metropolis. Let the war commence.
(Image Courtesy of The CW)