“Lost Souls” like “Haunted” and “Beyond Redemption” was another Arrow episode setting up Legends of Tomorrow. However, like both of those previously mentioned episodes, this was more than a spin-off set up. The events effected the main characters of Arrow in meaningful ways. “Lost Souls” brought Ray back from the (kinda) dead but the episode was really about Felicity. Specifically, Felicity trying to figure out how her relationship with Oliver has changed her and if that’s a good or bad thing.
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Tiny Complications

While Thea is being asked out by Jeff (and turning him down) Felicity is trying to decipher Ray’s message. After a lot of energy drinks and rants of tech talk later, she finds Ray. The problem is, he has been captured. The even bigger problem is that Ray is small now. He’s not just slightly shrunk either. He’s like microscopic small or as Felicity puts it, “the size of tater tot.” Felicity is antsy herself but in the “angry don’t touch me” way, not the cute tiny way. 

Matters get worse for Felicity’s mood when Oliver invites her mother to Star City. Felicity is too focused on finding Ray to spend much time with her mom. Felicity sends the team to find some technological MacGuffin that will help re-size Ray. So, Team Green Arrow breaks into the company that is holding the tech and steals it. I guess breaking and entering is OK if it’s in the name of a rescue mission. Ray definitely needs rescuing too because when he manages to get another message to Felicity, she sees his captor. Ray is being kept by none other than Damien Darhk. 

Also, some “genius” thought it would be good idea to bring Sara along for Team Green Arrow’s little heist. Sara might have her soul back, but she still likes punching things, hard and in the face repeatedly. Constantine clearly didn’t solve enough with her. 

Trouble in Paradise?

Once the team gets back to the cave, Felicity really isn’t happy. The simmering anger bubbles over when Oliver invites her mother to dinner. Mama Smoak, sensing the tension, ducks out to give Oliver and Felicity the opportunity to talk. Felicity comes clean that her anger isn’t about Ray. It’s about the fact that Felicity was away from Star City with Oliver when she could’ve been helping Ray. She has lost herself in Oliver and she was never that type of girl. 

I have two thoughts on this scene:
1. This retroactively makes up for a lot of Felicity’s problems in season 3. Felicity was far too weepy and far too obsessed with Oliver last season.
2. On the other hand, this whole conversation could be seeding another Olicity break-up and no one wants that, whether they are among the faithful fans or not. Arrow has told that story enough already.

Luckily, Dig and Donna talk to Oliver and Felicity respectively. Dig makes Oliver see this is not as big of a deal as he thinks it is. Dig convinces him that Felicity will come back around. Donna meanwhile, makes her daughter see that it’s OK to let herself fall for someone. It doesn’t mean that she is any less of a person or less strong as a woman. (I live for these pep talks.)

Rescue Ray Palmer

On the Ray front, Team Green Arrow finds out where Damien is keeping Ray and they plan to break into the building. They will take Curtis and his new re-sizing device with them. Sara also tags along because it’ll probably make for a dramatic final action scene, even if it is stupid. I mean Sara doesn’t say that’s why she wants to come, but we all know that’s the reason Arrow is doing it. 

Team Green Arrow has Oliver get captured by Damien. While Darhk is distracted, the rest of the team, including Curtis and Felicity, jumps in and tries to get to Ray. While Thea, Sara and Laurel kick every kind of ass in some odd lobby area, Felicity and the rest of the crew finds Ray. Curtis uses his device thingy and makes Ray all regular size. 

Damien is choking Oliver in his prison dungeon though because Damien’s a wizard who Oliver can’t possibly beat. Oliver manages to escape throwing a flashbang (because plot convenience) and the team escapes together. On the way out though, Sara attacks a guard and snaps his neck. Everyone acts like this is a really serious thing but Sara has been casually gunning people down during this entire assault so this really isn’t THAT dramatic.

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Weird Island Events 

OK, time for the flashback break. Oliver takes Conklin and Reiter to the cave that Constantine found in “Beyond Redemption.” Reiter clearly knows that the cave holds some kind of magic and wants more information on everything mystical on the island. Conklin is far more interested in the fact that Oliver is clearly lying to them. Oliver, on the other, is interested in Reiter. 

Oliver goes to the female prisoner he saved and talks to her. She admits that there is something weird going on with Reiter. Before Oliver can investigate it any further, one of the other prisoners attacks him. Oliver is forced to kill the man and Conklin finds him outraged. 

Romance and Danger in the Air

In much happier times, everyone is mostly content in Star City. Sara announces that she thinks she needs to leave Star City to start over and not dress in leather every night. Oliver and Felicity make up. Lance and Donna meet at a bar and share a surprisingly romantic conversation and Thea accepts Jeff’s date. Darhk meanwhile does something with whatever he learned from Ray. I don’t rightfully understand it, but Damien’s eyes and the dramatic music cues tells me it’s not good. 

Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8pm on The CW

(Image courtesy of The CW)

Derek Stauffer

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV

Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.