‘Arrow’ Season 4 Episode 22 Review: Exciting Build Up Or Flop?

“Arrow” is one of those shows that have become rather formulaic of late, but it’s got enough entertainment value to keep people hooked. This week’s episode sets up the events of the season finale, which means that it needed to really build up the tension and get viewers excited. So, did it? According to a review by JoBlo, the answer is “not really”.

The biggest problem with “Arrow’s” season 4 episode 22 or indeed, every pre-finale episode of past seasons is the repetitive nature of the challenges that the characters face. There’s the huge army, the generic villain, and the city getting destroyed. Fortunately, there have been some pleasant changes this time, including a forgettable bad guy in the form of Lonnie Machin getting in the way of the main bad guy.

While trying to ruin Damien Darhk’s day or killing him, whichever works, he ends up being instrumental in the destruction of Tevat Noah; along with all the preparations made by Darhk and his evil organization for the apocalypse. He also kills Ruve Adams, Damien’s wife in the process.

Among other things that our heroes had to contend with included a brainwashed Thea (yet again), a turncoat Malcolm Merlyn, and Felicity’s ex-boyfriend Cooper Sheldon. Felicity had to team up with her father Noah Kutter in order to battle Sheldon, but her mother Donna walked in on them, thus forcing Felicity to finally reveal the truth about her extracurricular activities.

As the recap from the International Business Times outlines, the episode ends with Felicity and her parents being treated to the hospitality of Darhk who asks them for a favor; that favor being to give him control over the nuclear weapons once again. Astute readers might note that since Tevat Noah is gone, nuclear fallout would kill everyone, but it seems that Darhk no longer cares.

The season finale of “Arrow” season 4 will air on May 25 on The CW.