The Mark: ‘Arrow’ Season 01 Episode 10 “Burned”

The CW’s Arrow is back and so is “The Mark”, our weekly rundown of the series. The mid-season break is over and Oliver Queen is back.  Did the mid-season return “heat” up or fizzle out? Well, I am happy to say that things are definitely “heating up” in Starling City. Minus a not-so-action packed finale, with an ending that you didn’t completely expect, it was another solid episode for the series.

The episode picks up six weeks after the Dark Archer’s attack before the break and we find Oliver shaken and quite off his game. Well, he’s going to have to get his head in the game because there’s someone going around killing firefighters and it’s a job that seems to be more than the police can handle. Who is it that’s doing this? Well, that would be Arrow-verse version of DC Comics villain Firefly. Oh, come on don’t act like you didn’t already know about that one. It’s a pretty dark introduction to the character and actually one of the best opening’s that the series has had.

The episode also saw the residents of Starling City go from calling the character a vigilante to a hero. After being gone for six weeks, the effect he has had has been seen and they want him back. The hero Starling City deserves, but not the one that’s anywhere to be seen right now? Okay, there’s the one Nolan joke about the series that I will make.

Overall it was a solid episode and really expanded upon all of the sub-plots, but did leave a bit to be desired. The action and tension were well done, minus the finale. While I did enjoy the Arrow-verse’s take on Firefly, the character met a demise that seemed way too quick. The finale of the episode lacked a bit in the action department and seemed to kind of “fizzle out” at the end. I did like how Lynns went out, but I definitely would have liked to have seen more lead up to it than we got.

The episode did continue leaving me wanting more of the series and there’s plenty to come. Wondering when Roy Harper is going to show up in Starling City? That is going to be Episode 15. Did you want more Deadshot? Well, he’ll be back and teaming up with China White in Episode 16. Want to learn more about the Dark Archer’s backstory? You’re going to and that’s just some of the stuff coming this season. Are you excited to see the rest of the season? We definitely are. Check out the promo for next week’s episode “Trust But Verify” below!