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Bratva Recap

Five Years Ago

Talia takes Oliver to a group of low-level drug dealers and explains that they're target practice. She opens fire on the dealers while Oliver jumps down and fights them. Once they're down, Talia fires an arrow at Oliver and he catches it. She tells him that he's starting to understand that the man who embraces without the dark never lacks sight.


In the mayor's office, Oliver is reviewing his proposals when Susan comes in. She points out that Thea isn't fond of her, just as Quentin arrives and says that he got out of rehab early. When Susan offers to leave, Quentin says that he wanted to talk to her off-camera about his problems. Once she goes, Quentin tells Oliver that he's better than he has been in a long time, and says that he's ready to move forward.

Oliver, Adrian, and Quentin attend the press conference and Oliver thanks Adrian for helping Diggle with the charges against him. Afterward, Diggle thanks Adrian, and Susan comes over and asks if Adrian has a minute to chat. Adrian refuses to say anything, aware that she's doing a story on Billy's death. Susan receives a text that Walker and his men shot their way out of the fort, killing 30 men... and the nuclear trigger he stole is still missing.

Oliver and Diggle go to the bunker and Felicity says that Lila learned about Walker's connections with a group of Markovian separatists. They figure Walker is going to sell the nuke to them, and ARGUS can't go after walker in Russia. Diggle insists on going after Walker, and Felicity doesn't want another Havenrock to happen. They figure they need the whole team, but Oliver wants Rene to keep an eye on Quentin.

Rene goes to Oliver's office and finds Quentin working there. He explains that he's supposed to help Quentin prep for his interview with Susan, and they figured it was safer for Rene not to go to Russia. Quentin advises him to go home, but Rene refuses and Quentin tells him to pull up a chair.

Oliver, Felicity, Curtis, Diggle, Rory, and Dinah arrive in Russia via the mayor's private plane. Anatoly meets them and punches Oliver, and then tells him that he shouldn't have come back to Russia. He reminds Oliver of the Bratva contact that Oliver drew a gun on, and reminds Oliver that he swore an oath. Anatoly tells Oliver to go home and leaves.

The team goes to a former ARGUS safehouse and Oliver explains that ARGUS can't operate there without creating a diplomatic crisis. He tells the team about how Slade killed the Bratva contact, and Felicity warns that she can't estimate how long it will take to track down Walker. Dinah and Diggle tell Oliver that they have to us every asset that they have... including the Bratva.

Oliver and Diggle visit Anatoly and Oliver reminds him that he still owes him for Gregor. Anatoly gives in and Olive explains that they're looking for a rogue general selling nukes. The Bratva captain figures that they're even just for him meeting with Oliver and they have to help each other. Oliver refuses, insisting that part of his life is over, and Anatoly tells him to act quickly.

Five Years Ago

Back at Talia's safehouse, Talia tells Oliver that he did well. Oliver says that Hideo Yamane is in his father's notebook, and Talia confirms that he handles designer rug trade in Starling City. Oliver remembers seeing Thea use the drug when he returned to Starling City, and he admits that he didn't deal with the supply. Yamane is in Moscow to meet with his Russian contacts, and Talia says that they'll find out if Oliver is ready.

At the ARGUS safehouse, Dinah is practicing her sonic cry under Curtis' supervision. Walker has gone dark and Felicity hasn't been able to find him. Dinah figures that he's using a model and the same one that he uses in the States. Felicity picks it up and says that she knows someone who can get her into the older network Walker is using. She asks Rory and Curtis if they can look like Bratva.

At a tea house that night, Felicity, Rory, and Curtis go in. Felicity explains that they didn't bring Dinah because she's an unknown quality. They approach Maxim Ostrovsky and Felicity says that they want to talk in private. Curtis flashes a gun and Maxim goes with them to a private room. Felicity says that she needs access to the network, Detralink, and needs his system credentials. When Maxim refuses, Felicity blackmails him with her knowledge of how he notified the Kremlin about terrorist activity. He gives in and goes to get the credentials, and Felicity tells her teammates that they need to go.

The next day, Maxim tracks Walker's phone to a church and the team moves in. A masked Oliver and Diggle break in to the office and find a proximity alarm. Alerted, Walker and his men open fire on them and they take cover. Dinah goes to help, ignoring Felicity's orders to get the civilians out. Oliver and Diggle take out two of the men and Dinah arrives to take out the third, but Walker slips away.

That night at the safehouse, Oliver blindfolds the soldier and ties him up. He holds up a pair of battery cables and gives the man five minutes to decide if he's going to talk. Outside, Diggle tells Oliver that they don't have time and wants to take a crack at their prisoner. Oliver refuses, saying that they have to be smart, and Diggle walks away.

Five Years Ago

Hideo meets with his supplier, and Oliver and Talia open fire on them. Hideo backs into his limo and Oliver says that he has failed Starling City. With that, he kills Hideo.


Rene brings up transcripts of other interviews Susan has done and starts tossing out practice questions. He asks when the drinking began, before or after Laurel's death. Quentin snaps at him and sys that he's going to leave and when he gets back, Rene should be gone.

Rory meets with Felicity in her van outside and points out that Maxim was terrified. He asks what's going on, and Felicity explains that hacker group gave her intel that she used to blackmail Maxim. Rory figures that the data cache is huge, and says that his father told Rory to guard the rags and not abuse their power. Felicity insists that she has to stop bad people like Walker no matter the cost, and Rory says that he's worried about her, not them.

Oliver arrives and Rory says that Felicity crossed a line trying to find Walker. Before he can explain, they hear Diggle bellowing and Oliver goes in. Diggle is beating the solider, and Oliver stops him. Felicity arrives and Oliver says that Diggle got carried away. He tells Diggle to get cleaned up while he handles it.

Oliver goes to Anatoly and asks what he needs Oliver to do. Anatoly hands him a drink and proposes a toast to their imperfect union.

Later, Oliver goes to a warehouse with Dinah as his backup. They knock out the guard and go inside, and make shot work of the men inside. Oliver tells the leader that Anatoly says that they have two days to shut their business down. Back in the van, Oliver admits that it's not the first time he worked as a Bratva thug. Dinah demands an answer, and Oliver says that he's trying to move forward. However, his coming back to Russia proves that he can't. He points out that Diggle tortured a man and something is going on with Felicity, and Dinah tells him that Prometheus has Oliver so fixated on what's wrong with himself that he's stopped seeing what's right. She says that Diggle and Felicity will listen to Oliver because he has more to offer than his fists. He can't change his past but it doesn't have to be an anchor.

Five Years Ago

Oliver crosses off Yamane's name, and Talia says that there are more names waiting for him in Starling City. He warns that leaving the Bratva won't be easy, and Talia points out that righting Robert's wrongs in Russia isn't possible.

Rene approaches Quentin and tells him that Susan's assistant called to say the interview is still on. When Quentin tells him that he was out of line bringing up Laurel, Rene refuses to apologize. Quentin's sponsor has told him that he should apologize to Rene, and Quentin has to figure out a way not to snap at guys trying to help him. Rene suggests that they do another dry run and Quentin agrees.

Oliver returns to the safehouse and meets with Felicity and Diggle. Diggle complains that Oliver isn't handling their prisoner the right way, and Oliver says that they'll have the information within the hour. His friends realize that he's getting the information from the Bratva, but Oliver says that he'd rather cross the line then let them. He won't let them make the same mistakes, and he needs Felicity and Diggle to be better than him.

Anatoly and his men arrive outside and he says that he brought men to fight, but they have to leave now. Oliver agrees and they head out.

Walker and his remaining men meet with Lev, the head of the Markovian separatists, at an airfield. They make the exchange and Oliver and Bratva break in. The separatists drive off and Oliver and Dinah Canary go after him. Dinah uses her sonic cry on the van, crashing it.

In the warehouse, Spartan tackles Walker and rips off his mask. He says that everyone will know that Walker was going to sell a nuclear weapon to terrorists, and Walker says that he never intended to sell it.

Oliver confirms that the trigger isn't in the van.

Walker explains that he was going to steal the trigger back and sell it to another rebel.

Felicity and Rory find the bomb in a nearby hangar, and realize that it's on a countdown to detonate.

Walker tells Diggle to do it, and assures him that he has a lot of friends and they'll go after Diggle's wife and kid.

Curtis tells Oliver that Felicity is trying to disarm the trigger, and Oliver heads to the hangar.

Felicity realizes that she accelerated the countdown clock and prepares to fly the nuke to a less populated area in the plane. Rory figures that he can use the rags to contain the blast, and tells Felicity to go in case it doesn't work.

Diggle prepares to shoot, but finally says that Walker is going to stand trial.

As Felicity runs outside, Ragman wraps the bomb in the rags. Oliver and the others arrive as the bomb detonates... and the rags contain the blast. They go inside and find Ragman unconscious on the floor. He wakes up and they confirm that he's stunned but okay.

Later, the team goes to the Bratva bar to celebrate. They toast Rory and then Diggle tells Oliver that ARGUS is taking Walker back to the States. He explains that he remembered what Oliver said to him and Diggle, and tells his friend that they make each other better. Anatoly pulls Oliver away and says that it's good to be friends again, and thought that Oliver has returned to the Brtava. Oliver says that it was temporary and Anatoly warns him that oaths are for life.

Five Years Ago

Oliver goes to the bar and says that he needs to talk to Anatoly. Anatoly is at a hospital and tells Oliver that he question Gregor's deal with Kovar and Gregor had Anatoly beat him. Oliver was right but there's nothing that they can do. Oliver says that they can kill him, and what he had to tell Anatoly can wait.


Back in star city, Oliver ends up in bed with Susan. After sex, Olive says that his past was what was stopping him from moving things forward with Susan. Susan asks what happened to him on the island, but Oliver refuses to talk about it... for now. She says that she can wait for some day and they kiss.

At the bunker, Rene is hitting a bag when Quentin comes in and says that the interview was a cakewalk. Susan told him that she went easy on him because of something Rene said to her. Rene admits that he told her a story about him and Quentin, and explains that when Rene was a kid, Quentin was a beat cop and caught him tagging a building. Instead of taking him in, Quentin told him that he could be more than a thug. Rene admits that he got dishonorably discharged from the military and goes back to the bag.

Felicity goes to Rory's workshop and discovers that he's packing to leave. He explains that the blast did something to the rags and they don't work anymore. Without the rigs, Rory figures that he's a liability. He promises that he'll be back, and Felicity says that she'll let the others go. as she leaves, she gets a text from Alena telling her not to stop with Walker. Felicity texts back that she doesn't plan to.

Susan meets with her contact, Ian, and he says that all of the people in the photo with Oliver are Bratva. Ian reviewed criminal information and a phot of The Archer, and they figure that Oliver and Green Arrow are one and the same.

Written by Gadfly on Feb 9, 2017

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