'Arrow' Recap: 'The Candidate' Season Four Episode 2

Last week on CWTV's Arrow, Oliver made his return to Starling City. In "The Candidate," episode two of season four, the Green Arrow is back to protecting the city and its mayoral candidate Jessica Danforth.

Oliver and Thea will stop at nothing to protect Jessica, who they have close ties with. Thea is feeling some pretty harsh effects from being dipped in the Lazarus Pit and brought back to life. The affects are alarming and Oliver has to figure out how he's going to help her control them.

While Felicity is the main brain on team Arrow, she has to make some decisions of her own. When she seems a bit torn Curtis Holt steps in to lend a hand.

Diggle is still struggling with Oliver's return and Laurel is trying to keep her father safe even though he is in tandem with Damien Darhk and his ghosts.

The episode kicks off as the Black Canary and Speedy take out some ghosts. Diggle joins in and so does the Green Arrow. Felicity tells the team she wants a code name and Olive tells her to find the bomb and then they'll talk. She locates the bomb and Oliver chases after after it.

Oliver locates it and tells Felicity to get Diggle down there to disable it. The team is successful but Diggle feels they could have done better.

Oliver approaches Thea about how hard she is fighting but she tells him she needs to get ready for Jessica and Madison. Meanwhile Felicity has a big meeting coming up and she is very excited for it.

Oliver is being very supportive and when she playfully asks, "who are you," it triggers a flashback. Oliver has landed on Lian Yu and he takes out a soldier. He tries to use the device but he is unable to use it.

In present day, Jessica tells Oliver and Thea that she is running for Mayor and asks for their support. Felicity makes her way into the meeting room and everyone on the board is not pleased.

They inform Felicity that Curtis has derived an algorithm to help them out of a financial issue. It involves firing some employees, however, Felicity is adamant that no one will be fired.

Thea and Oliver are at Jessica's Mayoral announcement. In the middle of her speech about their mother, gunshots are ringing out. Thea rushes to track down the gunman but notices there is no one manning the gun. Jessica is almost captured by Lonnie a.k.a. Anarky but Oliver saves her.

Oliver goes after Anarky but he manages to escape. The team is meeting about what happened and they know it won't be scaring Jessica. They notice that Anarky is different from the other ghosts.

He doesn't wear a mask and he left fingerprints. However, there is a problem.

Oliver meets with Quentin to discuss helping him take out the ghosts. Quentin says that a man hiding behind the mask won't get the job done. He doesn't believe that Oliver will be different this time, In another flashback Oliver makes his way through Lian Yu and sees armed soldiers ill-treating the villagers. He sets off the bomb on the body of the soldier he took out to create a distraction.

Felicity approaches Curtis about his algorithm. Curtis said his idea wasn't to get people fired but to have them paid more.

Felicity has to fire someone for the first time and it's not easy at all. The employees had hope in Felicity but seem to be losing it now.

Laurel and Diggle are keeping a watchful eye and she asks him why he's been going so hard lately. He tells her about H.I.V.E., the organization that killed his brother. Diggle said when he dug up any information it led to dead ends. Diggle said he kept it secret because it was a family thing. Laurel tells him he needs to tell people about it. Anarky is approached by Darhk who tells him that half of his money was wired to his account.

Anarky says it's not about money for him. He wants to make sure Jessica does not run for mayor. He is allowed one more chance but Darhk says there will not be a third.

Felicity found a residue on the prints that led back to Palmer Industries.

They trace it to a paper mill and Speedy and the Green Arrow approach but Thea is a bit out of control and breaks the arm of an underground dealer.

Oliver snaps at her and tells her to get out of there.

Felicity manages to I.D. Anarky and lets Diggle and Laurel in. Oliver and Thea get into a huge fight right in the middle of the base and the team starts to realize that she might be exhibiting effects of the Lazarus Pit. Oliver admits he was warned about the effects of the pit but he didn't tell her and Thea is completely upset.

Diggle asks what he wants to do about it and another flashback occurs. Oliver meets a Mercenary who captures him.

Curtis notices that Felicity is sad and Felicity realizes that she has to find double the amount of people. Curtis is actually one of the people on the list. He tells her not to feel bad because he fired himself.

Oliver meets with Jessica and tries to convince her to drop-out but she's not budging. Jessica says the Green Arrow is not enough. The city needs inspiration and she wants to provide it. Oliver learns that Jessica's daughter was sent back to school with police supervision, however, when he asks Jessica to call Madison, no one replies and all of her protection has been taken out. Jessica makes an announcement to Darhk.

She asks him to let her go and Oliver is briefed about the assailant. Oliver demands for Quentin to let them help. Meanwhile, Oliver is introduced to the leader of the mercenaries.

They tell him that they can't send him home but has no reason to kill him. They want to make Oliver one of them and he is offered a job.

Anarky is greeted by Darhk who kidnapped Madison. Darhk is upset with Anarky for crossing a line, much to Anarky's surprise. Darhk tells him to clean up his own mess and their relationship is done. Laurel is at home watching Jessica's plea and Thea walks in.

Thea is upset about what's going on with Jessica but she is also upset with Oliver. Thea tells Laurel that Ra's Al Ghul almost killed her and offered to use the Lazarus Pit to bring her back.

Her current state is a side-effect from the pit. Malcolm tried to warn Oliver but all Oliver wanted to do was save her.

Quentin meets with Darhk and tells him that he is all the way out. Darhk threatens Laurel when Quentin tries to get out. Damien Darhk gives up the name of Madison's kidnapper and tells Quentin next time he should mind his tone.

Felicity and Oliver are going over everything that has happened since they came back to Star City. He tells her they need time but is interrupted by Quentin who gives him Madison's location.

Anarky returns to his hostage and seems to become unhinged after being rejected. Madison begs for Anarky to let her go and he agrees only if she agrees not to tell anyone about him. She Anarky makes her pinky swear but changes his mind and breaks her finger. Oliver rushes in just in time to save Madison and while Diggle and Laurel rush her to safety, Speedy and the Green arrow team up to find and stop Anarky.

Speedy is surprised by Anarky and taken out. Green Arrow and Anarky get into a battle and when Oliver goes down, Speedy jumps back in to help.

Oliver tells her hurt take him out and she sets him on fire. They are forced to burst one of the pipes to put him out. Thea has a look of shock on her face and Oliver is concerned.

Madison is reunited with Jessica and Oliver comes in to see if she's okay. Jessica decides to make a statement and tell the people that she is withdrawing her candidacy. Quentin threatens to book Oliver for murder next time another man is found nearly dead. Oliver is a part of the Mercenary team and orders the villagers back to work. Felicity calls a meeting and puts her foot down on the project.

She brings Curtis in to assure the shareholders that they have a plan to bring the company back without firing anyone. Curtis and Felicity for a new team.

Oliver visits Thea and he says he will always be worried about her.

He tells her that he should have told her about pit and says that whatever she is going through, they will get through it together.

Laurel opts for a spa getaway with Thea and asks if he and Diggle can handle things while they're away.

Laurel tells Thea they aren't going to the spa but Nanda Parbat instead. Laurel wants the League of Shadows to help Thea and there is also another reason that Laurel failed to mention. Quentin is called to a gruesome crime scene that was marked with the symbol of Anarky. Oliver meets with Felicity and they talk about what's been going on.

He doesn't think he is doing things different enough and he needs to offer hope and inspiration. They need someone who can do things in the light.

Oliver decides to run for mayor. Laurel and Thea dug up Sara's grave and it looks like she's going to go missing.

"The Candidate" is another action-packed episode of Arrow and the character development of Thea is going to be very interesting. Thea's new story seems to resemble Roy's when he was the first Red Arrow.

Being Oliver's sister, he is going to be very protective of her and that may either be a good or bad thing.

Darhk is simply ruthless and his attacks are getting worse. Fans will have to be a bit patient until The CW's hit series "The Originals" returns with season 3.

Photos that sum up tonights episode.