Arrow Episode Guide: “The Undertaking” (Season 1, Episode 21)

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Original Airdate: 05/01/2013
Written by: Jake Coburn & Lana Cho
Directed by: Michael Schultz

Starring: Stephen Amell (as Oliver Queen/Arrow), Katie Cassidy (as Laurel Lance), Colin Donnell (as Tommy Merlyn), David Ramsey (as John Diggle), Willa Holland (as Thea Queen), Susanna Thompson (as Moira Queen), Paul Blackthorne (as Quentin Lance)

Guest Stars: Jamey Sheridan (as Robert Queen), Colin Salmon (as Walter Steele), Chin Han (as Frank Chen), Ray Galletti (as Dominic Alonzo), Emily Bett Rickards (as Felicity Smoak), John Barrowman (as Malcolm Merlyn)

First Appearance: Dominic Alonzo

Trivia: This episode includes callbacks all the way back to the series pilot, including mention of Adam Hunt.
– Unidec Industries was teased in the Arrow comic book that was distributed at Comic-Con 2012.
– The device to level The Glades is called a Markov device; in the comic books, “Brion Markov” is a superhero by the name of Geo-Force whose powers involve manipulating the Earth.
– There’s a reference to Ted Kord’s fundraiser. Ted Kord is the superheroic adventurer known as Blue Beetle in the comics.
– “Ray and Jean” is a likely reference to Ray Palmer (The Atom) and Jean Loring.
– Bludhaven is the home base of former Robin Nightwing in DC Comics.

Summary:

In flashbacks, Malcolm tells the group of high-profile men that they should switch strategies to fix the Glades. Robert doesn’t approve of Malcolm wanting to destroy the Glades, so he suggests to Frank Chen that they stop him by buying the areas that Malcolm doesn’t own yet. To travel to China separately from Frank, Robert takes the Queen’s Gambit. Oliver accompanies his father and brings Sarah to avoid taking the next step that Laurel wants for their relationship. Frank assures Malcolm that the Gambit will go down.

The Hood steals a computer from an accountant with a knack for extortion. Trying to return the money to its proper owners, Felicity finds a $2 million transfer the day Walter disappeared. She traces the money to Dominic Alonzo, the leader of an underground casino. After failing to persuade Diggle to come back, Felicity, undercover, gets caught counting cards as they planned. The Hood tears through the casino to find Alonzo, who says that Walter was killed.

While Thea and Moira shop online, Oliver delivers the bad news. Malcolm shows an angry Moira that Walter is alive. Oliver overhears. From Malcolm’s phone records, Felicity finds that Walter is in Bludhaven. The Hood rescues Walter. At the hospital, Laurel tells Oliver what Tommy said about her belonging with him (Oliver). Oliver admits he still loves her. After apologizing to Diggle, Oliver asks for help stopping his mom and Malcolm.

Quotes:

Felicity (to Oliver): Let me guess, some guy is missing his fancy new laptop.

Laurel: This coffee is terrible, Oliver.
Oliver: That’s what you get for ordering coffee at a bar.

Felicity: The reason I joined you in the first place was to find Walter, and now we have a real chance. … I know how to count cards. It’s all probability and mathematics. Have you met me?

Felicity: It feels good having you inside me, and by you I mean your voice, and by me I mean my ear. I should stop talking.
Oliver: That would be preferable.

Oliver: Let me keep Dad company.
Moira: Oliver, you’re in school.
Oliver: Not really. Forgot to tell you that.

Episode guide entry by Stephanie Hall

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