'Arrow' Recap: 'Penance,' Season 5 Episode 4

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It's time for a prison break on the CW's "Arrow." The Green Arrow embarks on a solo mission leaving Starling City in the hands of the recruits.

Let's see if they're up to the challenge in "Penance," season five's fourth episode.

Lyla and Oliver plan to break Diggle out of prison. Curtis, Evelyn, and Rene disapprove of this plan but no one can stop Oliver once he's made his mind up.

While he's gone Tobias Church launches an attack on the city. It'll be up to Felicity to decide the teams course of action.

Team Green Arrow is out to catch a thief but just as Artemis is about to shoot him with an arrow a spray of bullets spook him. Curtis manages to tackle him with Green Arrow coming to the his rescue when the thief over takes him. Oliver gives the team a few days break. Rory is quitting the team because he's too affected by seeing Felicity everyday. Lyla comes into the base to discuss the plans for breaking Diggle out.

Felicity makes her disapproval very apparent. Lyla pulls Oliver to the side, while Felicity's not going to try to stop them they had both made their plans around her helping them. In the flashback, Anatoly is prepping Oliver for his third task by pouring liquor all over him.

It's so he makes a convincing disorderly drunk that gets themselves arrested. Curtis is looking into the stolen item because it doesn't seem very dangerous. He senses Felicity's somber mood and asks her what's wrong.

Palmer Tech is being robbed by a much more skillful thief. Well of course the thief is actually Oliver getting the tech Lyla specified. Overwatch knows all, including that it was really Oliver at Palmer Tech. When she tries to convince him not to go, he tells her to worry about getting Rory back on the team instead. Lance and the D.A. are looking into evidence surrounding Church. The rest of the team makes a feeble attempt to stop Oliver from going. The case starts humming, Lance immediately recognizes that it's a bomb and tries to pull the D.A. to safety. They survive the blast but now they have to get out before Church burns the building down. While the team tries to recover from Oliver's beating, Thea and Lance arrive to inform them about the attack.

With Lyla's help, the Green Arrow slips into the prison covered in bed sheets. He's got twenty-five minutes to make it back to the extraction point with Diggle in tow. In Russia, Oliver makes contact with his intended target who is a lead to Kovar. Felicity goes to see Rory in the midst of welding sculptures. She apologizes but it doesn't convince him to join the team again...for now. Before she can try to say anything more Curtis texts her.

After getting the information on Kovar that he needs Oliver kills the target. Team Arrow figures out what Church's next move is. He's going to to target the ADC. Guess who's there already? that's right the D.A. and he's ready to use any means necessary. Before he gets a chance, Church makes his move.

Team Arrow is debating if they should try to stop Church on their own. Rory comes in just in time to voice his opinion. The team heads out. After finding one of the guards unconscious, the prisoners are moved back into their cells. Oliver is lying in wait for him. He manages to convince Diggle that his penance should be served outside of prison.

As they're making their way through the servers, Oliver's coms get jammed. The team is actually having a successful time with the rescue when Curtis is stabbed in the back. Rene stays behind to take on Church while the others get Curtis to safety.

They're forced to leave him. Diggle and Oliver make it to the extraction point just as they're surrounded by guards. Lyla swoops in and literally whisks them away.

Lyla and Oliver show Diggle to his new safe house. He gets a text from the team about recent events. Oliver is feeling guilty about killing the Kovar agent but since he did it, he's passed the third task. The D.A. may have changed his negative stance on vigilante's. Lance asks about Rene and Thea is worried he may be Rory comforts Felicity after she can't find any trace of Rene. Church is torturing him in order to break his spirit.

"Penance" was a nice episode that explored the strengths and weaknesses of the new characters. This season of "Arrow" is shaping out to be a pretty thrilling one.

Hopefully it'll stay that way. Keep watching Wednesday at 8pm or catch it on the CW's site.

Wanna read more on this? Check these out: Arrow Season 6 Episode 8 Review: Crisis On Earth-X Part 2 (more); Arrow Season 6 Episode 6 Review: Promises Kept (more); Arrow Season 6 Episode 5 Review: Deathstroke Returns (more); Arrow Season 6 Episode 4 Review: Reversal (more).

And here are some more related articles: Arrow Season 6 Episode 3 Review/Recap: Next of Kin (more); Arrow Season 6 Episode 2 Review/Recap: Tribute (more); Arrow Season 5 Episode 1 Review/Recap: Fallout (more).

A few more: CW Releases Fall Schedule: Arrow On The Move, Black Lightning Coming Midseason (more); Arrow's Deadshot Hopes To Return To Take Diggle Down Darker Path (more).