Previously on "arrow"...
H-How is this real?
- This is novu? - How do we stop a god?
I'm working on it.
Hello, bunker! So why'd you call in the big guns?
Earth-2 was destroyed by a wave of energy.
So it's probably powerful enough to stop a god.
- Yes, Curtis? - Whatever it is, it is
possible to replicate, but there's a catch.
It is super illegal because it requires plutonium.
Luckily, there's a guy, a military general.
- 0k. Where is he? - Russia.
You can bring back my earth?
The recovery of your universe
will require a single task.
You must betray Oliver queen.
So that's the secret? A tennis ball.
You know how you use a honing steel
to keep the edge on a chef's knife?
I don't really cook.
That makes sense.
All right.
This keeps you sharp.
Only a direct, precise hit will pin the ball.
If you are offjust a little bit...
It deflects.
Ready?
Toss it.
Thought this was supposed to be hard.
This is the warm-up.
Ready.
So specialty arrows,
and each one has a specific purpose.
What does this one do?
Explosive arrow, lighter payload,
meant to divert and disable.
Acidic arrow, meant to breach covertly
or weaken structurally.
Bolo arrow... To secure and subdue.
These are just tools.
If you rely on them too much, they become crutches.
Then why have them?
To get out of a fight
or to end one before it begins.
Not bad.
So what's next?
Hyah!
Nyssa taught you well.
Mom made sure of it.
How did you do that?
Variable acceleration.
All right? It's all about timing.
You keep practicing, you keep flowing,
it just becomes second nature.
All right. Again.
You don't want a break maybe?
She's a machine, dad. They don't need breaks.
And speaking of machines, I have something to show you guys.
I created
a facial recognition algorithm
to find that general that Curtis told us about,
which was a lot harder than it sounds,
because no offense to Felicity,
but these computers are, like, a million years old.
And Russia is a very big country.
- William. - Right. Sorry.
His name is general Alexi burov,
and he's in Moscow.
Curtis said that
the energy wave that destroyed earth-2
can be replicated, which means we can weaponize it.
And right before he went off the grid,
burov was working on plans for a weapon called
the pulse wave generator.
All right. We need those plans.
We also need plutonium.
It's the only thing that can power burov's machine.
Wait. Plutonium as in a nuclear bomb?
- Mm-hmm. - Where are we gonna get that?
Bialya. There's a facility near the border
where all kinds of radioactive material is stored.
I'm thinking a two-man fire team can get the job done.
- Okay. Want to take Connor? - No, no.
Actually, he wanted to check in on Sandra.
And he promised to stay out of sight.
I have someone else in mind to help.
Okay. I'd like the two of you
to accompany me and Laurel to Russia.
Okay?
Okay. We'll wheels up at dawn.
Well, better go buy a parka.
Is it really that cold in Russia?
Oh, oh! You are so not ready for this.
Things seem to be going pretty well with the kids.
Never thought I'd get to know them.
Not like this.
Is that why you invited them to go with you?
Well, I mean, I promised Mia
that I would keep training her.
And I think it's very valuable for them to keep seeing
how we operate in the field.
And you're sure Russia's a good place for a tutorial, Oliver?
That was a very dark time for you.
It was a long time ago, though.
I'm a better man. I'm a different man.
I think that I can teach them good
without showing them the bad.
Hope so.
What the hell are you doing here?
Our mutual friend sent me.
You're working with the monitor. Why?
- It's complicated. - Really?
Because he destroyed my entire earth.
That seems pretty straightforward to me.
He didn't.
Mar novu is trying to save worlds,
not destroy them.
All that stuff about grief,
you pretending like you were trying to help me.
I should've known better.
I wasn't pretending.
It's a little hard to believe, Lyla, after all the lying.
It doesn't matter what you believe.
You're here just the same as I am.
Now, do you want to get your earth back or not?
What does he want me to do?
Oliver's going to Russia
to retrieve plans to build a weapon.
You need to get them first.
I thought Oliver was your friend.
He is, but this is bigger than him,
bigger than any of us.
Well, whatever the monitor offered you must be
really something for you to be able to betray
everyone that you care about.
I am doing this for them, to protect them.
Are you going to help me?
Yeah.
Contact me when it's done.
And here I thought I was supposed to be the bad guy.
Help you?
Yeah. I was looking for Jason.
Yo, Jason! You got a visitor.
How you doing, Jason?
How'd you find me?
Oliver's son... William. He found you.
Oliver's son. Isn't he, like, 13?
Heh! Yeah, well, it's a long story.
I have a feeling you didn't come all this way
just to catch me up to speed.
I didn't. I need your help, Roy.
Whatever you're about to ask me to do, I can't. I'm sorry.
You haven't even heard what I have to say, man.
'Cause I don't need to. You know what I did.
I'm not a hero anymore, John,
not with my condition.
So you're just gonna walk out on me,
same way you did thea?
Thea told Oliver that you left, man, without even saying good-bye.
It was for the best for the both of us.
I needed a fresh start, which is what I'm doing now.
Ok, it was...
It was good to see you, John.
Roy...
Look, man,
I know earlier this year was a struggle for you,
but this crisis is a threat that's bigger
than anything we've ever faced.
I wouldn't be here, man, if we did not need you.
If I decide to help you, it'll be a one-time thing.
That's all I'm asking.
I hope you don't mind, but, uh...
I brought you a change of clothes.
So this is Russia.
Not what you were expecting?
I just thought there'd be a lot less dirt.
Is very rude to insult man's homeland.
Hello, anatoly.
Oliver queen...
My brother.
Oh, you think maybe I punch you again?
Nevereven crossed my mind.
Welcome to Russia, my favorite American.
Now, I have seen some very crazy things in my life,
but adult children of Oliver queen sitting in my bar.
I hope you do not think badly of me.
Last time we met, you were little,
and I was on wrong side of history.
I like this one already.
I was surprised to learn that you were in Russia.
I thought the Maldives would be permanent.
Oh, with Diaz dead, so reason to stay away.
You got bored.
I miss borscht.
So I reinvent myself. Bar owner. Hm.
But I got inspired, too.
I got really good recipe for pifia colada.
You should try. It's delicious.
Who wouldn't want to be reminded of the tropics
in these cold Russian winters?
Well, apparently, his customers.
Nice to see this one's still charmer.
How's the search going for general burov?
Well, it's not very easy.
But I do have friends I can call.
I know, but I... I don't want them involved in this.
Why not?
If he has friends that can help, it...
Because, Mia, with due respect,
the people that anatoly is describing...
Aren't really friends.
Let's just keep this one in the family, ok?
All right.
I work to find burov hard way.
You really think an energy weapon's
gonna stop this monitor guy?
Yeah well, that's the hope.
Why this place?
The military stores all its excess plutonium here.
The problem is it's impenetrable.
Which is why you asked me to come.
You need a b and e expert to get inside?
Yeah. Well, actually, it's more of a smash and grab.
There's a shipment coming in tonight.
We are gonna steal the plutonium
before it gets inside.
Go. Go. Go.
Why not bring dinah or Rene?
They have their hands full in star city.
Must be weird, right?
Oliver meeting his future son.
Yeah. Well, he's not the only one.
In the future, I adopt Ben Turner's son, Connor.
He's an agent in knightwatch,
future version of a.R.G.U.S.
Well, it sounds like he would've been a great candidate
for this mission.
You didn't need me for this, John.
So what are we really doing here?
You said you wanted to atone.
Well, you can't do that by fixing cars.
You do that by rejoining the team.
I know you think you can't control your bloodlust.
That's only because you haven't figured out a way that works.
Because there is no way.
So whatever you're about to say,
I don't want to hear it.
Look, we're already here, so I'm gonna help you.
But once we're done, I'm going to disappear
to a place where even William can't find me.
I have classic bad news/good news.
Ifind general burov.
Is that the bad news? I'm confused about the order.
Bad news is, is he is man who likes betting
and blood, which means only place to find him,
krovavaya banya.
"The bloodbath."
Oh. Heh. Doesn't that sound lovely?
It's not lovely. It's a fight club.
Oh. That sounds like where I met her.
He met you where?
Well, when I first left home,
I had to find a way to make money.
So I fought, and I won.
Like father, like daughter, eh, tovarisch?
You, me, and Laurel
will go to the club to find burov.
You two are gonna stay here.
Did you not hear what I just said?
I grew up in fight clubs.
You did not grow up in fight clubs
that were run by the bratva.
Then why did you bring us on this mission
if you're not gonna let us help?
This is not a regular mission. This is the bratva.
They are terrible people, and you guys are my kids.
Yes, but we're not children.
Well, you are when I look at you.
And I'm sorry, but this is how it's gonna be.
Okay.
So this is what the Russians do for fun.
I assume that we want to have our chat with the general
without crossing the bratva.
We want to move quickly and keep our heads low.
There is general.
Damn it. So boring.
General burov...
I am anatoly knyazev, danik's friend.
Danik has big mouth.
What do you want?
Your expertise...
With something sensitive.
Lucky for you, this fight is boring.
Let us go talk.
I abandoned this pulse wave generator project.
Too unpredictable, bad business.
Why should I give to you,
kapiushon?
Maybe you should've kept your secret identity secret?
So this means that
you won't be giving us the plans willingly.
No need for unpleasantness. I am willing to make deal.
Good. What do you want?
A fighter,
someone to upset the favorite
so I cannot be bored.
Should be easy for you, kapiushon, no?
So I win, and then you give us the plans.
Done deal.
Excellent. I will go make it so.
You saw that Goliath, right?
He is twice your size.
So I give him half a chance.
You got a problem?
Oliver seems to think you are hero now.
I'm not so sure.
I think you may be like snow leopard
who cannot change spots.
You changed yours.
Worry less about me and more about your friend over there.
I'll sweep the perimeter.
Wow.
Impressive, no?
Anatoly, let's get the car ready.
Very good! I don't think you have many fans here, though.
But I am man of my word.
Not so fast.
This one needs to learn not to put nose
in other people's business.
Oleg, what? What a pleasure.
Did you really think you could conduct business
on bratva territory without me knowing?
Of course not. This simply fighter collecting his winnings.
He's no mere fighter, are you, Oliver queen?
How does he know who you are?
Everyone in Russia knows kapiushon.
We have no fight with you or the bratva.
That is what we came for.
When we have it, we're gone.
The general only operates here because we say he can.
And we did not say.
No!
Mia.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
- Where are we? - Um.
Yeah, probably some bratva hideout.
I told you to stay put, Mia. What were you thinking?
That we needed to finish the mission.
You understand that I had it handled, correct?
Uh, apparently not, considering
we are tied up in a creepy basement.
Why did he call you "kapiushon"?
Kapiushon is a nickname that the bratva gave me.
It means "hood."
You were a member of the bratva.
You should've told me.
I didn't want you or William involved in this.
- I can handle myself. - That is not what this is about.
Then what is it about?
Ugh. Damn it.
We tied your thumbs.
You went to a lot of trouble to get this.
Even we couldn't crack its security encryptions.
Must be worth a great deal.
Tell me what it is.
I will only ask once more.
You have 5 seconds.
- 5... - Don't tell him anything.
They're plans...
For a weapon that burov's building.
Was that so hard?
Now we can move on to next phase.
Ok, what are the chances that my father and sister
are in the clutches of the Russian mob but aren't already dead?
Slim and getting slimmer every second we do not find them.
Ok, their phones aren't online. Why aren't their phones online?
Will have been destroyed so as not to trace them.
Aren't the people in your family
constantly injecting each other with tracking devices?
Normally, I would say, "god, I hope not,"
but now I guess I can see the advantages.
Have you ever hacked a cctv camera?
- No. - Well, congratulations.
You're about to learn the only upside
of a Russian surveillance state.
Okay.
The shipment should be here soon.
What made you wait till now to give me your big pitch?
I'm guessing Connor told you something bad about me in the future.
Not just about you.
Tell me.
William finds you on lian yu
after being there for years,
apparently, in some self-imposed exile.
I never get rid of my bloodlust?
You knew all that, and you still thought you could come save me?
Because there's more to your story.
You may have started on lian yu, Roy,
but that's not where you ended.
Felicity sent William to that island to find you
because she believed in you.
You go back to star city, man. You work with the kids.
You help them save the city, Roy.
How is that possible?
Because you found the way to control your bloodlust.
You found that it was by being part of a team.
You kept your distance because you believed that you were a danger
to everyone around you, but the real danger
was believing that you can deal with your past alone.
It's pretty ballsy
thinking you can give me the answer 20 years earlier.
Yeah, well, hopefully, this time, you don't have to wait that long.
Don't touch her.
I told you everything that I know!
We will see.
On the line.
Mia, no.
Mi... mi... Mia!
Ring the bell.
You have 60 seconds.
Begin.
Time is up.
I needed to make sure
you weren't lying about the drive.
Got it. Cctv footage of Mia and dad being taken
into a warehouse on the east side of town.
Thank you, illegal Russian satellites.
Great. Well, let's go save day.
Are you ok?
I should've been able to do it.
Oh, I should have enough slack now.
To do what?
Aah! Uh!
What the hell?
I can dislocate my thumbs.
It's a useful technique if getting tied to a chair
is gonna become a habit.
You have got to teach me how to do that.
So you not ring bell.
Still, very impressive to, uh, not die.
You shouldn't have told them what was on the drive.
They would've killed you if I didn't.
Or we would've been able to escape without you
- giving up the information. - Mia.
Okay, can we please just save the family squabble
until after we have the plans?
Oleg's bound to figure out how much they're worth.
Well, he's smart businessman.
He will figure out way to sell it.
We need to figure out when and where
the sale is happening, and then we go recover the drive.
Let me guess.
Me and William get to stay at the bar, right?
You're going home, both of you.
I have a feeling there's less drama out here.
What do you mean, "no"?
I'm sorry, dad, but we just saved you
from being murdered by a bunch of gangsters.
I'm on team Mia here.
Yeah, but Mia just got kidnapped by the bratva.
- So did you. - I'm your father, all right?
It is my primary job in the world
to protect you.
We don't need that.
In the future, we're the ones that are saving the city.
Well, this isn't the future!
This is months after
I was heartbroken right before I left...
That I couldn't get you on the phone
at your grandparents'.
So I walked into your room to look at you one last time,
and you looked back at me from your crib.
And because you made the choice to protect us,
I had to spend my whole life alone.
I didn't have a chance to get to know my brother,
to get to know you.
I'm sorry that it worked out that way.
And both of you can decide on your own how much...
How much you want to hate me
and how much blame you want to assign.
But I made a promise to your mother to keep you safe.
And there... there is no world,
there is no universe, there's no past,
present, or future where I break it.
Fine.
You ready?
As I'll ever be.
Let's go!
Must be some kind of tamper alarm.
- I'll get the payload. - I'll keep watch.
Hey, hey! Hey.
Hey, Roy. Roy, look at me, man.
Look at me!
Roy, you're all right.
Y... you got it?
I do. It's right here.
Let's get the hell out of here.
- Any word from your contact? - Nyet.
Oh, these things take time.
I don't know about you, but
I could handle drink without umbrella.
I'm good, thank you.
If by good, you mean... How you say... moody,
yes, you are.
Is this because you ruin family vacation?
I have to send them home for their protection.
Do you not think they can handle it?
They can handle it. I just...
I want to keep them away from the bratva.
You mean keep them away from your bratva past.
Dark time for me.
That is understandable.
You are ashamed.
You have truly done some terrible things.
Thank you for the reminder.
But you also have done some good things.
It's important that the kids see both.
Right, but why would I want to share some of the...
Worst mistakes of my entire life with my children?
That is the thing about teaching.
It's not about what you want to say.
It's about what they need to hear.
Remember first thing I taught you?
Living is not for the weak.
Your children are not weak, Oliver.
They're also not children.
Whatever it is you have to say,
they can handle it.
If you do not, they will never learn to be heroes.
Oof. It would suck to be that door.
If you're here to give me a pep talk or whatever,
just don't.
Don't flatter yourself.
I just couldn't stand the smell of that stale bar anymore.
It smells like cabbage.
That's one more thing I won't miss about this place.
So you're actually going home.
Why wouldn't I? Dad doesn't want me here.
Oh, god. I can't stand pity parties.
Easy for you to say.
And why is that?
You're the black canary.
All I've ever heard are stories about how great you are.
In the future, you even save me once
like it was nothing.
Are you sure that's actually me you're talking about?
Okay, you can cut the false modesty.
Some people are cut out to be heroes,
others not so much.
Is this really all because you didn't ring some stupid bell?
Well, I couldn't save Zoe either.
Every time I try and live up to my dad
or to prove that I can do what it is you all do,
I... I fail.
Do you think your father is any better?
If you're trying to live up to us, don't.
We are just as flawed as anyone,
especially me.
All you can do is live up to yourself.
What does that even mean?
Are you really the type of person that just gives up?
Oh, good.
Do we have time for one more fight before we leave?
I'm not looking for a fight.
Then stop trying to send us home.
We're not leaving.
Good because I need your help.
Oleg is selling drive during bloodbath tonight.
And how are we supposed to get in?
They know our faces.
Right. We use that to our advantage.
You and I are going in the ring together as a team.
You would be helping us get in.
Sorry. I did not have time to get it dry cleaned.
I'm really more of a behind the screen kind of guy,
but wow. That is a nice suit. Huh.
What exactly will anatoly and I be doing
while you two are playing father/daughter fight club moment?
When Oleg realizes that it's the two of us in the ring,
that'll cause a distraction.
You guys go and steal the drive.
What do you say?
Well, I'm in.
Fancy rich guy is the role I was born to play.
You?
Why the hell not?
Suit up.
Now I see why they call it the bloodbath.
You sure about this?
Just get us in, please.
Not from you, American.
Well, if it's not about money,
then how about stakes?
Has anyone survived 6 men before?
My guys will fight 6.
You fight next.
Do we really need to be setting records tonight?
You like a challenge, right? Just please don't die.
Anatoly, you guys set?
Da. But no sign of high rollers.
Now is good time to strike.
How much time do we have?
Five minutes give or take.
Well, this is gonna be fun.
I've seen what you can do in there,
so just trust your instincts, okay? I do.
That's our cue.
Pakhan will still be protected.
I'll deal with the muscle.
You just watch my back.
Tick-tock. You guys have the plans yet?
Don't move or I'll shoot.
You said watch back.
I got it. Let's move.
I could actually get used to this.
Congratulations. Now you my favorite American.
Hey, don't get too excited. He has a lot of favorite Americans.
Did you talk to John?
I did. He got the plutonium with an assist from Roy.
All we have to do is whip up an energy wave
to destroy an all-knowing space being. Easy.
Before that, I would like to propose a toast
to Mia and William.
Couldn't have done this without you.
Vashe zdorovie.
Actually, here we say prochnost.
Prochnost?
Prochnost. It means strength.
It means a lot more than that.
Um, would you mind giving me a minute
with these two, please?
- Yes. - Sure.
Ah. Leave the bottle.
I know that I haven't really spoken to the two of you
about my time in Russia.
And that is because there are some things that I did here
that I'm not very proud of.
As I'm coming to grips with the fact that the two of you are grown up,
I'm realizing that
shielding you from the bad
isn't going to do our relationships any good.
From this point forward, whatever you want to know,
whatever you might want to ask me is fair game, okay?
Like dislocating your thumbs?
'Cause I can't believe I missed that.
Maybe something a little less painful.
What about that island you were on?
It's lian yu.
It's mandarin for "purgatory."
You think that'll be enough?
Yeah, well, this should do the trick.
Roy, thanks for your help, man.
It was good having you back, even if it was
just for one last mission.
I think I'm gonna stick around for a while.
If you're gonna be taking on a space god,
I figure you might need all the help you can get.
I'm glad you changed your mind.
You know, when I first met Oliver,
he gave me a purpose,
but he also gave me all of you.
It makes sense that having a team is
what helps me in the future, so why wait?
Besides, you know, I kind of miss this place.
Welcome back, Roy.
Don't forget to send me that picture of my dad with that haircut.
Don't forget to ask about bratva tattoo.
We have matching.
Used to. Used to, actually.
Oh, ho. I'm gonna need to hear that story immediately.
Thank you.
I always seem to end up in your debt.
We are beyond keeping score.
We have been friends, we have been enemies.
From now on, let us just be brothers.
Not the bratva kind.
No! Real family, like the one you have now.
I can be the fun uncle.
Being father really suits you.
Good-bye, brother.
Thank you. Good-bye, Oliver.
All right. Let's go.
Oh, Laurel, uh...
There's something I want to say.
What? One last hilarious Russian joke for the road?
Sorry to doubt you.
I guess leopards really can change spots.
Or in your case, bird, feather.
I thought you said you weren't sentimental.
Maybe I change, too, like you.
Did you bring the plans?
About that.
I have decided not to join you
and your cosmic fashion tragedy
that you're in cahoots with.
Then you won't get your earth back.
If saving it means going back to the person that I used to be,
then what the hell is the point?
You really have changed.
Look, I'm new to this whole doing the right thing game,
but you should really tell your family the truth.
Not yet.
Then this is gonna be a little awkward.
I didn't want to believe it.
I'm sorry.
Lyla, what have you... What have you done?
Greg, move your head.