Empty air, bloody hands, and a sense of desperation. This is all Team Arrow has ever managed to find when they target Cayden James, and the reason for their failure is crystal clear -- they don’t know his endgame.
Sure, Michael Emerson’s hacker is a slippery villain to tie down -- he’s slick, he’s cunning, and he’s perfectly willing to leave bodies in his wake -- but there’s absolutely no reason why that should keep Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and co. from at least batting 500. No, the real problem is that the mayor isn’t doing his homework.
Can ‘Arrow’ uncover Cayden’s son?
During the Thanksgiving face-off, Cayden revealed his personal vendetta against the hooded vigilante. Following James’ ARGUS incarceration, his son was killed, and, for whatever reason, the Helix founder blames Team Arrow.
Of course, Felicity (Emily Best Rickards) and Curtis (Echo Kellum) took this info to the interwebs, but even with their combined hacking prowess the pair only came up with a name -- Owen Post. Since then, an internal drama has kept inquires to a minimum. A little weird considering Original Team Arrow is willing to battle Cayden’s evil cabal regardless. If a cohort of criminals presents as much of a threat as James, Richard Diaz (Kirk Acevedo), Black Siren (Katie Cassidy), Anatoly (David Nykl), and Vigilante (Johann Urb), one would think you’d want an iron-clad plan before you engage in a one-man assault like the one Oliver so foolishly launched during “Divided.”
Nevertheless, Thursday’s episode gave us a glimpse at Cayden’s overarching plan.
He wants power, plain and simple. As Black Siren so helpfully explained, her boss is aiming to take control, although it's unclear if he merely wants to dominate Star City’s criminal underground or if he wants the metropolis as a whole.
Whatever the case, upcoming episodes will see the cool-headed mastermind get hot under the collar.
Perhaps a slip-up is in order.
When will the 'Arrow' villain make a mistake?
As expected, the next few episodes will focus on Oliver’s attempts to stick his team back together. Rene/Wild Dog (Rick Gonzalez), Dinah/Black Siren (Juliana Harkavy), and Curtis/Mr. Terrific (Echo Kellum) refused OTA’s olive branch during the midseason premiere, opting to form their own alliance instead.
One can only imagine the chaos that will ensue when both factions show up for a firefight. And yet, the nebulous idea of reconciliation won’t find purchase until at least Episode 13.
“Cayden James discovers a secret about the Green Arrow that pushes him over the edge,” The CW teased. “Knowing everyone and everything he loves is in danger, Oliver must decide if he can do this alone or if he needs to turn to his old teammates for help.”
Titled “The Devil’s Greatest Trick,” the episode will air on Feb. 8. In the meantime, William will find himself in trouble during next week’s “We Fall” before Dinah and Oliver get into a row in “All For Nothing.”
Find out more when "Arrow" airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.