It is quite disappointing that Oliver/Talia seems to be a rarity. Frankly, Talia being a villain could have been an interesting idea, if not for the fact that she was a hypocrite with her training Chase, when she had convinced Oliver to target the List on which Chase's father was and in flashbacks in Season 5 and in 7x05 and 8x03 it felt like there could have been potential between Oliver and Talia, if she wasn't insane and in most comic books she is obsessively loyal to her father but there were occassions when she would turn against him and help Bruce (Batman) as well, so that's what I'm trying to base her on, alongside 7x05 and 8x03.
I do not own Arrow.
Oliver had climbed to the mountaintop as he made his way to the edge of the cliff, where was his old friend Maseo Yamashiro, now going by 'Sarab', and Nyssa waiting, while Ra's al Ghul stood at the edge of the cliff.
"Remove your shirt." Sarab ordered.
Oliver took off his jacket and then his shirt before he picked two swords from the weapons stand.
"I was 11 years old, when I killed my first man." Ra's said, staring at the mountain. "I remember the look on his face, when the light went out behind his eyes. Such a sudden change, almost imperceptible. Between life and death. And I felt ashamed. I had stolen from that man the most precious gift of all… life. But I also felt something else." He added as Nyssa took off his cloak. "Pride. Because I had taken up arms against someone who sought to do ill against my family. And I realized what I had done was necessary." He took off his shirt as he turned around to face Oliver, placing one hand behind him. "You see, I had replaced evil with death. And this is what the League exists to do." He neared Oliver. "And I have killed several thousands more men since then and the world is better off for it."
"You've taken your last life." Oliver said.
"No. You have lived your last day." Ra's said smugly. "We are ready."
"I am envious of you." Nyssa said as she walked past Oliver. "You will see her before I do."
"Fight me, boy." Ra's ordered as Oliver took few steps closer to Ra's.
"You're unarmed." Oliver noted.
"I'll take your blades once you're through with them." Ra's said confidently.
Next thing Oliver knew, Ra's punched him in the face. Oliver recovered and attacked with the swords but Ra's effortlessly dodged the blades before kicking Oliver in the leg as Oliver staggered, while Ra's got behind him. Oliver recovered and attacked again but Ra's sidestepped and avoided the blade again. Oliver began attacking wildly but Ra's blocked before he grabbed Oliver by his wrist and disarmed him of one of the swords and kicked him in the leg, forcing Oliver on his knees. Oliver tried to attack again as he got up to his feet but Ra's parried and grabbed Oliver by his wrist but Oliver shook him off and dodged before Ra's could cut into him but it became apparent that Ra's swordsmanship skills were superior to Oliver's as Ra's again kicked him in the leg as Oliver fell to his knees. Oliver tried to attack again but Ra's effortlessly dodged and parried before he grabbed Oliver by his arm, making a cut across it. They continued fencing until Ra's grabbed Oliver by his arm again and elbowed him in the groin and kicked him in the chest, making Oliver stagger back and grunt in pain.
As Oliver recovered, he froze as Ra's pointed at his neck with the tip of the sword, forcing him to the edge of the cliff.
"You should take pride, you survived longer than most." Ra's said.
In his last ditch effort, Oliver knocked the blade away and grabbed Ra's by his wrist before punching him in the face and disarming him of his sword but before Oliver could cut Ra's head off, the Demon's Head dodged and grabbed the blade by his hand and aside from the bleeding, he showed no apparent hint of feeling pain. Ra's struck Oliver in the larynx as Oliver choked, holding his throat before Ra's stabbed him in his side. Ra's then whirled around and elbowed Oliver in the face as Oliver fell on his knees, gasping for breath.
"Don't be afraid, my son." Ra's assured, apparently regretful to kill who he considered a great warrior as he took a step near Oliver. "Death comes for us all. We can only evade it so long. Consider this an honorable exit."
Ra's stabbed Oliver in the chest as blood began pouring from his mouth and his life flashed in front of him, while hearing faintly Ra's prayer in Arabic for him.
Oliver was in the cavern on Lian Yu, hallucinating Robert who was pleading him to right his wrongs…
In Queen Manor, Oliver and Moira were hugging each other…
Thea ran down the stairwell to hug Oliver…
As Ra's finished his prayer, he kicked Oliver in the chest, sending him falling off the cliff. He then impaled the sword on the ground as he walked away.
Oliver was lying on the rocks of the cliffs, with his body under a small layer of snow, when in the darkness, a woman in black hood with a quiver full of arrows strapped to her back and a compound bow, carrying a lantern approached Oliver and sighed.
"Oliver… what have you gotten yourself into?"
When Oliver came to, he gasped as he realized he was lying on a bed and looked around to see the rock surroundings that made him realize he was in a cavern but still, there were tables, weapons stand, beds and shelves with books, which made him realize someone was living here. He turned to see wooden door and a window at the entrance to the cavern, noticing the snowstorm outside before turning to another direction as he heard metal squeaking as a big metal door open as a familiar brunette woman emerged.
"Hello, Oliver. It's been a long time."
Oliver stared at the woman in disbelief. He had never expected to come across her again. "Talia?"
Talia had in her hand a jug of water as she knelt towards Oliver. "Drink it. Trust me. It's going to speed up your recovery."
Oliver had very little reason to distrust her, but he was uncertain about what she was offering him. He carefully opened the jug and drank small gulps before he felt rejuvenated and stronger as he noticed that some of his scars were disappearing and unwrapped his bandage to see that the wound after he had been stabbed by Ra's was disappearing. He turned to Talia, perplexed. "What was that?"
"The waters of the Lazarus Pit. Mystical waters that can heal most wounds, keep one's youth and prolong their life beyond natural lifespan and some of them can even bring the dead back to life. That's how my father has been able to live for centuries." Talia explained.
Oliver considered and realized that made sense, since he himself had already seen things beyond his explanation and it would explain her being Yao Fei's teacher but then, he raised his eyebrows at the mention of 'father.' "You are—"
"Yes." Talia nodded. "Heir to the Demon. But I have no loyalty to him unlike Nyssa. You have nothing to worry about from me. I promise."
Oliver was uncertain about it but decided to give her a benefit of the doubt, for now, at least. "Why would you help me? Why would you defy your own father?"
"As I once told you, I'm helping you find your path and I've seen how uncertain have you become lately." Talia said as she got up and looked outside the window. "And that… man… is not my father anymore. Once upon a time, he was a caring man but using the Lazarus Pits as long as he has comes with a price of your soul. He's become more ruthless and coldblooded as years have passed, letting the waters of the Pit corrupt him and the League, straying away from its purpose, becoming the very evil he had sworn to destroy, not that he realizes it."
Oliver could see her point, considering that Nyssa had used Thea as a bait to get to Malcolm.
"Father and I came to be at odds, so I left to forge my own path. Nyssa is loyal to a fault, though, not seeing that father would never have passed his mantle onto a woman. He comes from times, when we were nothing but child bearers and love slaves and he once chose another heir and wanted to betroth me to him but both of us refused. I still follow the ways of the League and help people find their purpose…" Talia turned to Oliver. "But I've noticed that you have lost your way. Giving into the likes of Malcolm Merlyn and challenging the Demon's Head, despite knowing you couldn't win?"
"I had no choice." Oliver said.
"Even though you knew you had no chance of defeating my father, you tried, for your sister's sake." Talia said, impressed. "I may have underestimated you… but you still have much to learn."
"What do you mean?" Oliver asked as Talia gave him a pointed look.
"I had hoped to get a chance to end my father's reign and stop this monster… but alone, I cannot do it. But perhaps, together we stand a chance." Talia said.
Oliver was wary of Talia's motives, considering how cryptical she could be and given that she helped him channel his darkness but… right now, she was the lesser of two evils and he trusted her more than Malcolm. "When do we begin?"
"As soon as you recover from your injuries, which, if I am correct, should be by tomorrow. The water from the Pit has healed you, but it doesn't mean you are in any state to fight. For now, rest." Talia said as she got up and picked a quiver of arrows and a bow. "I'm going out for a hunt, you can't train if you have not eaten any decent food."
She approached the door but stopped, when Oliver spoke up. "Talia." She turned to him. "Thank you." He said appreciatively as Talia nodded, smiling before opening the door and leaving, while Oliver laid down and stared at the ceiling.
Once Ra's found out that Oliver had survived, he would come for him… and there was still the matter of Thea in danger because of Malcolm using her to kill Sara. Oliver closed his eyes and began to fall into sleep.
"My father had a proverb he was once fond of. 'A man cannot live by two names.'" Maseo said.
"And what does that mean?" Oliver asked.
"In your case… I believe it means not having any choice." Maseo explained.
"Word of advice: We're not our masks. And we need people in our lives who don't wear one." Sara said.
Oliver's eyes snapped open as he took a deep breath, wondering how could he juggle between his two identities. That was when he heard the water splash as he turned to the metallic door which were opened lightly, behind it emanating emerald green glow. Oliver got up and put on one of the shirts on a nearby table before he opened the metallic door, revealing a chamber in the cavern, with torches lighting the place, not that it was necessary, given the emerald glow that Oliver followed as he went deeper into the cavern and heard more of the water splashing before noticing a small pool of water which was the source of the glow and that was when Talia emerged from the water, naked and Oliver couldn't help himself but stare at her beautiful body in admiration, with tendrils and drops of water pouring down her perky breasts and flat abdomen with a hint of abs forming and her slim but toned arms and thighs but Oliver turned away after a moment, cursing himself for his moment of weakness, while Talia smiled, amused before grabbing a towel, drying her hair off before wiping the water off her skin and putting on a silk bathrobe.
"I'm sorry." Oliver said, slightly embarrassed as he turned away.
"No need to be embarrassed, Oliver. I certainly am not shy and I knew you wouldn't resist the image even for a brief moment." Talia said in amusement, managing to put a smile on Oliver's face before she tied the bathrobe around her waist and Oliver's eyes turned to the pool behind her.
"The Lazarus pit?" Oliver asked.
"One of few in the world that exist, alongside the one in Nanda Parbat, which my father uses to heal himself or to prolong his life. But as I said, using it can take its toll, but so far it hasn't taken on me and it's thanks to it that I have managed to nurse you to health." Talia said as she neared Oliver. "Tell me, are you ready to begin?"
In the cavern, there were sounds of clanging of metal as Oliver and Talia were sparring with swords. Oliver was a decent swordsman thanks to his training with Slade but it was obvious that Ra's and Talia's skills were superior. Still, in the past few days, Oliver had managed to improve himself as he continued sparring with Talia.
"A decent technique. Mr. Wilson has taught you well." Talia said before pushing Oliver back. Oliver attacked again but Talia dodged. "But given your dependence on bow and arrow, your skills with the blade have dulled. That's one of the reasons why my father bested you in the duel."
"You are just as skilled with the sword." Oliver noted as Talia smiled at the compliment. "Maybe I need more training."
"Training is nothing!" Talia yelled as she attacked again, with Oliver barely managing to parry. "Will is everything!" She kicked Oliver in the chest, knocking him down on the ground. "The will to act. You were willing to kill my father but you hesitated. Why?"
Oliver contemplated the answer as he got up to his feet.
"Because you struggle with your dual identity. I can see it in your eyes. I taught you how to separate the man from the monster." Talia reminded.
"Giving the identity to the monster didn't contain the darkness. Separating into two selves, hiding into shadows, that was never the answer. We're not our masks and we can't live by two names." Oliver said, remembering Sara's and Maseo's words. "It only makes the monster stronger and everyone I love eventually pays the price for it."
"Then what is the answer?" Talia questioned.
Oliver parried and countered as Talia attacked but as Oliver was about to strike again, she grabbed him by his wrist and disarmed him and Talia neared both blades, crossed, to Oliver's throat, as if she was about to decapitate him.
Oliver was hanging on chains with his arms bound as Malcolm neared him. "You can't beat me, Oliver. Yes, you're younger and you're faster. Yet you always seem to come up short against me. You wanna know why? Because you don't know in your heart what you're fighting for, what you're willing to sacrifice… and I do."
Oliver had stabbed himself in the shoulder with one of Malcolm's arrows, piercing his chest, causing for Malcolm to gasp in pain as he let Oliver go and fell down on the ground, while Oliver staggered to his feet. "Thank you for teaching me what I'm fighting for." He turned to face Malcolm. "But my father taught me how."
Oliver punched Malcolm in the face, knocking him to the ground again.
With newfound determination, Oliver grabbed Talia's wrists, pushing each in opposite directions and moving the blades away as he got up to his feet. Talia attacked again but Oliver dodged and grabbed her wrist, disarming her of the sword before nearing it to her neck.
"You need to know what you're fighting for." Oliver said as Talia looked surprised for a moment before smirking, impressed.
"Well… I suppose there is more than one right answer." Talia noted before pulling away. "But mastery of swords isn't only about technique. To defeat my father, you must think like him. Be like him. Only a student has hope to defeat the master."
Oliver considered Talia's words, noticing how she seemed to be lost in thoughts, which made him wonder some things. "Why exactly did you leave your father and the League? You've explained it a bit but I need to know the full story. What exactly happened between you and him?"
Talia took a breath as Oliver looked into her eyes, seeing how she seemed to be lost in memories before noticing the hint of pain on her face, as if something was haunting her before they both sat at the campfire and put the swords down on the ground. "Do you remember how I mentioned that the Lazarus pit has allowed my father to live for centuries?" She asked and Oliver nodded. Talia took a breath as she began narrating. "First thing you need to know that Ra's al Ghul, 'The Demon's Head', is merely a title. My father's real name has been lost to the winds of time long ago. I am not certain how old my father is but his earliest memory goes back to over two hundred years back, as far as he told me."
Oliver raised his eyebrows. Ra's al Ghul was at least two hundred years old? That would partly explain his skills superior to Oliver.
"As I told you, to people of his time, women weren't equal to men, the only use we had were being maids, child bearers, for domestics, no warriors. There have been few female members of the League aside from me and Nyssa but father never considered us worthy enough to be his successors. Of course, he let me believe I could be a worthy Heir to the Demon. At one point, father and I chose a successor to his cause… but he was stubborn to a fault. Had a code. Never take a life." Talia explained, as Oliver saw her reliving the pain. "I wanted to take his place as the Heir to the Demon, not waste any more time but father then… wanted for me to be betrothed and then I realized how set in his ways he was. He never saw me as an equal… and he would never pass his mantle onto a woman, so I left, deciding to forge my own path… but I suppose it was selfish of me to leave my sister at father's mercy. She's loyal to him, unable to see he is only using her."
"So Ra's has never found a worthy successor?" Oliver asked.
"He hasn't…" Talia gave Oliver a pointed look. "…until now." Oliver gave her a perplexed look. "There is a prophecy. 'The man who survives the blade of Ra's al Ghul shall become Ra's al Ghul.'"
Oliver realized where was she going with this. "I didn't survive, you—"
"I may have nursed you to health and the waters of the Lazarus pit may have healed you but it was your will to live that allowed you to survive the fall and the cold." Talia explained and Oliver sighed. "Once father finds out that you have survived… and he will find out, he will approach you with the offer to take his place as the leader of the League of Assassins but don't fool yourself into thinking you have a choice, my father is not the man who takes 'no' as an answer. He will come for your friends and family to coerce you into accepting his offer. If you want to save the people that you love…"
"…I have to kill him." Oliver said.
"The man I remember as my father died long ago. To me, the Demon's Head is only a monster wearing my father's face." Talia said as she saw how uncertain Oliver looked. "You may not be ready yet but you have regained your fire and determination. Maybe the training and recovery will be faster than I had thought."
Oliver smiled at the compliment.
"But I still see the doubt and hesitation in your eyes. You failed to kill my father because you hesitated. In fact, in the past year you haven't taken almost a single life. Why?" Talia asked.
"I made a promise on Tommy's grave." Oliver said.
"And it is admirable that you're trying to honor him. But what happened to Tommy Merlyn is not your fault." Talia said.
"I could've been there sooner." Oliver said. "I could've saved him—"
"Tommy made his choice. He chose to go into CNRI and save Laurel. Laurel made her choice to stay at work despite your warning." Talia said.
"But I still could've saved him." Oliver said as he remembered. "When I went to the Glades after I beat Malcolm… on the way I saw muggers attacking an innocent woman—"
"And even if you hadn't decided to save her, there is no way to know for certain you could've saved Tommy. There was nothing you could have done to stop a building from crumbling down, if not him, you or Laurel could have died. Maybe all three of you would have made it out, maybe none of you would have gotten out in time but dwelling on what-ifs isn't going to help. You did everything you could and if that wasn't enough, it is hardly your fault. Blaming yourself isn't going to help anyone. You need to let it go. Otherwise my father won't be the end of you. It will be the burden of guilt that you keep carrying. If you want to defeat my father, there must be no room for doubt in your mind." Talia said as Oliver considered.
"Ra's al Ghul isn't my only concern." Oliver said.
"Malcolm Merlyn." Talia realized and Oliver nodded.
"My sister had been lying to me for months… she was with… him the whole time." Oliver said with gritted teeth. "He drugged her… she killed Sara… and Merlyn made a video. He used it as a leverage against me to challenge Ra's." He scoffed, realizing how stupid he had been, realizing Malcolm was bluffing. He never would have just sold Thea out like that.
"Even if you hadn't challenged my father, by the League's code, your sister is still marked for death as well. Blood debt Malcolm Merlyn owes the League by violating their code of honor with the Undertaking and not asking father's permission extends to the entire family." Talia said and Oliver sighed. Back to square one.
"If I kill Malcolm, Thea will never forgive me." Oliver said.
"She'd brought it on herself by showing Malcolm more loyalty than to you. She shouldn't forget what he'd done to your parents. Robert Queen may not have been her father by blood but he chose to raise her and love her despite being Malcolm's child. If she can't see it… that isn't your fault." Talia said. "But I need to ask you… are you ready for what happens next? If you hesitate, if you still have doubts about what are you fighting for, you'll lose again. You were willing to sacrifice your life to defeat Malcolm Merlyn, maybe more. Are you ready to sacrifice even more to beat Ra's al Ghul?"
Oliver considered before getting up. Thea had made her own choice. If she couldn't see past what Malcolm had done, that is on her, not him. But… he wasn't sure if he was willing to fight her. He turned, about to leave, when Talia held his hand and he turned to her.
"Oliver. Be careful." Talia said with a longing look that Oliver had seen before in Sara's, Laurel's, Shado's and Felicity's eyes. He didn't expect Talia to give him that look though and he had not considered this with her before but next thing they knew, they kissed briefly before pulling away as Oliver grabbed his jacket and weapons, walking away.
Back in Starling City in the Glades, Brick was exiting the precinct with his thugs, when the emergency warning light on the roof of one of the police cruisers exploded, hit by an arrow. Brick laughed as he noticed Arsenal and the Black Canary in the middle of the street. "My two favorite trick-or-treaters. Well, look at that. Didn't anybody tell you that Halloween was three months ago?"
"Daniel Brickwell…" Black Canary said.
"…you have failed this city." Arsenal finished.
"And you seem to have failed in your maths." Brick said, while his army of thugs began to approach. "Can't you see there's a lot more of us than there is of you?"
"Guess again, Brickhead." Sin sneered as she showed up with her baseball bat with more of the people of the Glades.
"Is this little parade supposed to mean something? I'll tell you what it means. It means the population of the Glades is going to plummet severely." Brick ordered before turning to his thugs. "Get them!"
Both groups engaged each other in the street brawl, while Ted, in his Wild Cat mask, was fighting Brick, but was quickly overpowered and knocked down. Brick drew his gun, about to finish Ted but Roy fired an arrow below Brick's shoulder as Brick grunted in pain and ran to avoid as Brick opened fire, while engaging another thug and Laurel knelt to Ted, taking off his mask and checking in on him, while Brick ran off.
Brick made his way to an alley, where, much to his annoyance, he was facing Malcolm Merlyn in his League attire, not that Brick had any idea who was he facing but looked merely annoyed. "Really? How many more of you masks are there?"
Malcolm nocked and fired an arrow, trying to disarm Brick but it merely bounced off before Malcolm rushed at him and they began exchanging blows but Malcolm quickly managed to get the upper hand due to his experience and training as he knocked Brick down on the ground before Malcolm dropped his bow.
Back in the street, Sin kept battering another thug with her baseball bat before she noticed the blonde in black leather and in a moment it became clear to her it wasn't Sara, since she would never be so careless and giving the thugs an opening to take her down, when the fight was going on. Another thug approached Laurel but Sin attacked him with her baseball bat, knocking him out before she helped Laurel on her feet.
"You shouldn't get so distracted in a fight." Sin said and Laurel nodded.
Roy was fighting another thug, when he heard a sound of arrow flying through the air and hitting something as another thug fell down and he and Laurel smiled, realizing who it was.
"Oliver?" Laurel asked.
Back in the alley, Malcolm grabbed Brick's gun and aimed at the crime lord, who was lying on the ground.
"This is for Rebecca." Malcolm said.
"What?" Brick asked, confused as Malcolm grabbed Brick by the collar of his shirt.
"You don't even know her name, do you?" Malcolm whacked Brick in the face with the gun before letting go as Brick fell down on the pavement and Malcolm aimed the gun at him. "Is this the weapon you used to murder my wife?"
"Everybody I dropped was with that piece." Brick said.
"She was a good person. Decent. Kind. She ran a clinic right here in the Glades." Malcolm reminded.
"Brunette?" Brick laughed. "Yeah, now I remember. She was my first. My initiation into the Orchid Bay Butchers."
Malcolm stared at Brick incredulously. "You murdered her because you wanted into a gang?" His wife died because of this?
"No." Brick said as he got up to his feet. "Because she was weak! Because she was crying, begging me not to kill her, but you won't get that from me. So come on! Finish it!"
Malcolm punched Brick, sending him to the ground again and aimed the gun at him.
"Don't do it!" The Arrow ordered as he showed up.
"You are too late." Malcolm said.
"Drop the gun. No more death."
"That's easy for you to say, you just returned from the grave."
"Killing him won't balance the scales." Oliver pleaded.
"When you have killed 503 people, including your own son, you tend not to worry about scales and don't tell me it won't stop the pain and it won't bring her back because you don't understand!" Malcolm snarled. "If I had taken care of him back then, it could all be different. The League, the Undertaking, Tommy… every choice I have made since my wife died." He said brokenheartedly and as much as Oliver hated Malcolm, once upon a time, Malcolm was a family to him and he understood the pain.
"Then you make a different choice now. Ask yourself, what would Thea and Tommy want you to do?" Oliver asked as Malcolm stared at him in contemplation.
Quentin drove into the Glades as the Arrow stood on top of a police transport van, while the officers apprehended Brick.
"I've been gone and I'm sorry, sorry for what the city has had to endure in my absence but you did endure it and the evidence of that struggle is lying at my feet. You did not fail this city and I promise you, I will not fail you by leaving it again." The archer announced before he notched an arrow with a grapnel and fired above, disappearing into the air.
Later, in the lair, Diggle, Laurel, Felicity and Roy were watching the news, when Oliver entered and they turned to him, looking at him in disbelief as if they had seen a ghost.
"Hey." Oliver said.
Laurel and Felicity rushed to him and hugged him tightly.
"Merlyn told us you were killed." Diggle said.
"I was close… but an old… friend of mine saved my life. I spent past few weeks recovering. I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner, I wasn't exactly in a cell service area." Oliver explained before he pulled away, eying them all. "Look, I get that you were desperate but what were you thinking, dragging innocent civilians into a fight with armed thugs?"
Diggle, Felicity, Laurel and Roy winced.
"Look, FYI, I wasn't completely OK with the idea but it's not like we had other options." Roy said.
"It was either that or working with Merlyn." Felicity said as Oliver turned to her with a glare that unnerved her.
"I know you were against it but you're the last person to have any say in what this team does, not after what you've done." Oliver pointed out and Felicity glared back.
"You were gone and we thought you were dead and we had to go on without you and you don't get to come back here and make judgements on us." Felicity retorted as Oliver laughed humorlessly.
"That's rich coming from you. You're the one who left when the team needed you the most, so the Glades falling apart is your fault as well and I have to marvel how easily can you play a hypocrite!" Oliver said, his voice louder than he had intended and Felicity looked like she had been punched in the gut.
"Alright, everyone calm down. You've made your point, we screwed up." Diggle intervened, trying to play the peacemaker. "But, Oliver, it's not like we had any other options left. Felicity shouldn't have left, I don't disagree with it but we had to go on without you and just because you're back, doesn't mean things can go the way they used to."
"It doesn't justify your calls either, how many innocents could've died if I hadn't returned and how many got hurt in the fight?" Oliver pointed out and Diggle, Laurel and Felicity had the decency to look ashamed, knowing he had a point before turning to Laurel. "As for you going out as the Canary, you're done."
Laurel glared. "Hey, I decided to take the mantle and go out fighting, you don't get to—"
"Come here." Oliver gestured to the training mat, while taking off the jacket. Smirking and looking forward to it, Laurel approached the mat, while Oliver stood across her. "Come at me."
Laurel threw a punch but Oliver sidestepped with his hands behind his back. Laurel threw more punches but Oliver dodged with no effort, just like when Oliver was fighting Ra's before she attempted to kick him but Oliver sidestepped and grabbed her by her leg and with one lazy move of his hand, Laurel was on the floor and before she could get up, Oliver knelt down, pressing his knee against her back and holding her arms by her wrists, pinning her down. Laurel grunted, trying to struggle out but to no avail.
"It this was in the field, you'd be dead the moment you were on the ground. Sara would've been able to free herself. Your attacks are too obvious and sloppy, no technique or grace. Anyone properly trained, not just members of the League, could take you down just as easily." Oliver said bluntly.
Laurel screamed angrily and shook violently for a few moments before the humiliation and truth of Oliver's words dawned onto her as she relaxed and Oliver got up, letting go, while Laurel turned and sat down, glaring.
"Few boxing lessons with Ted Grant and self-defense classes make you nowhere as good as your sister." Oliver said.
"Fine. I get it, I'm not ready to go out in the field, I have a lot to learn." Laurel said, humiliated and angry, not at Oliver, but at her own arrogance getting the better of her.
"And I know that you tricked Quentin into believing that you're Sara. He deserves to know." Oliver said, making Laurel wince.
"Ollie—"
"It was one thing to keep her death a secret from him, but you tricked him into believing that you are Sara, that's another matter altogether." Oliver said and Laurel sighed, knowing he was right.
"You're right. I'll tell—"
"No. I'll handle it." Oliver said before turning to everyone. "Once Ra's al Ghul finds out that I survived, he'll be coming for us all. The League of Assassins is unlike any other enemy we've faced and you're not ready for the likes of them, not even close. There are people that are more experienced and skilled than you that can help us, the one who saved me being among them. I'm going to reach out to them."
"And what about Malcolm Merlyn?" Felicity reminded.
"I'm gonna make sure he's not our concern anymore." Oliver promised before turning to Laurel. "Laurel… there is something else that you need to know."
Later, Oliver entered the loft, when he noticed Malcolm and Thea at the couch. Upon noticing her brother, Thea got up and approached him and hugged him, sighing in relief.
"Where have you been? I've been so worried about you." Thea said.
"It's… a long story." Oliver said before he turned to Malcolm, glaring, making Malcolm put his guard up and Thea stepped in.
"Ollie—"
"Get out of my way, Thea." Oliver warned.
"You're not going to kill me, Oliver. And you're not going to fight your sister." Malcolm said as he got up to his feet.
"I don't have to." Oliver said.
Next thing Thea knew, she was shoved to the floor as Oliver pulled a knife out of his belt and engaged Malcolm, who dodged and blocked Oliver's attacks but for some reason, he was barely able to, realizing Oliver's fighting spirit had strengthened since their last fight. Thea had recovered and stared in shock at her brother and father fighting.
"Stop!" Thea exclaimed.
"Stay out of it, Thea!" Oliver ordered as he turned to her and Thea froze and as she looked into Oliver's eyes… that anger… the same anger in the Arrow's eyes, when he was trying to save her from the Hood copycats and when he broke into the loft, when questioning her about Malcolm… Malcolm engaged Oliver as they traded blows again and that's when it hit her, wondering how did she not put it together.
Malcolm had disarmed Oliver of his dagger, knocking it off his hand as they had each arm wrapped around their opponent's, now in stalemate.
"If you kill me, she'll never forgive you." Malcolm said.
"I made my choice and I'll have to live with it… as will everyone." Oliver said as Malcolm shook him off and Oliver ducked to avoid as Malcolm attempted to attack again and getting behind him, Oliver kicked Malcolm in the back, sending him stumbling. Malcolm turned, noticing that after his duel with Ra's, somehow, Oliver's skills had improved in the past few weeks. "Five years of Hell because of you! My parents, Tommy, Sara. It ends here."
"Don't posture, Oliver. You've had multiple chances to kill me before. You even spared the man who killed Moira." Malcolm said.
"You killed my father. Tommy. The woman I love. Hundreds of innocents in the Glades. With Slade I had a choice. With you I don't." Oliver said.
Oliver and Malcolm resumed exchanging blows before Malcolm kicked Oliver in the groin as Oliver staggered back. Malcolm rushed at Oliver, spinning around him and grabbing him in chokehold, just like during their showdown at the night of the Undertaking but this time, Oliver was ready as he jumped up high, using Malcolm as leverage and as Oliver's feet hit the ground, Oliver used the momentum and threw Malcolm over his shoulder, sending him tumbling to the floor. Malcolm barely managed to recover, when Oliver had recovered his dagger and pinned him down and Malcolm gasped as he felt the sharp blade in his neck and Oliver cut the carotid artery.
Malcolm gagged and coughed as he held his neck, trying to stop the bleeding but it was pointless as he felt the blood quickly stain his hand. The last thing Malcolm remembered was glaring at Oliver before turning to Thea pleadingly before his mind drifted away and his head lifelessly slumped to the floor.
Oliver glared at Malcolm and panted out in relief. There was no way back for Malcolm from this.
"Ollie…"
Oliver turned to Thea, who breathed heavily, staring in shock and disbelief at her brother as if she was not recognizing him anymore.
Frankly, Oliver surviving thanks to Lazarus waters seems more logical, since 'the cold and will to live kept you alive' felt very weak, but what could you expect from Guggenheim?
As far as I know, female members of the League of Assassins were a rarity, asides from Nyssa, Talia and Sara, there was also Talibah (Mesah), one of Nyssa's loyalists, who was recruited by her in Arrow Season 2.5 comics but I wouldn't recommend reading it due to being Guggenheim's Olicity fanfiction basically. And I think you know which other successor was Talia talking about but it's just a reference, that's it.
In the tie-in comics, after beating Malcolm in 1x23, Oliver was on his way to the Glades, when he ran upon three thugs mugging a woman and made a short detour to stop them before making it to CNRI and Oliver later blamed himself for making that detour that cost him time to save Tommy.
What is stupid is how Thea basically turned her back on Oliver, Robert and Moira and her blind loyalty to Malcolm, despite knowing he had planted a bomb on the Gambit and what he had done and honestly, I find Malcolm being antihero and his so-called 'redemption' laughable, considering him planting the bomb on the Gambit, killing 503 people, his own son included and he also showed how power-hungry he was by choosing the rule over the League of Assassins over saving Thea's life, Malcolm controlling the League in Season 4 could have been an interesting concept, but that, among other things, was also severely mishandled and Oliver giving Malcolm control was stupid in the first place and the people who believe Malcolm is redeemable is just kidding themselves, then again, him constantly switching sides between Team Arrow and Darhk was fault of Guggenheim's stupid writing.
I didn't cover the events in Starling City until the final battle with Brick's gang, since they would be the same as in canon but I hope you have enjoyed Oliver giving Team Arrow a reality check. While I understand how desperate they were, sending innocents to what could have been certain death was a reckless plan from Team Arrow and Laurel kneeling to Ted, while giving anyone an opening to take her down, just as well. To be honest, I have mixed opinion on Laurel, she didn't really leave me with a good impression, since, asides from the mishandled Oliver/Laurel romance before the Gambit, on one hand, Oliver cheating on her with Sara was annoying and before that, there was Samantha and other girls possibly. On the other hand, Laurel had created this fantasy life with Oliver in her head, not seeing that Oliver was far from the perfect boyfriend she had wanted him to be, as shown, when she was pushing him into moving in with her, despite that he wasn't ready, making him invite Sara on the Gambit and cheat on Laurel and she was also oblivious that he had slept with Samantha and gotten her pregnant too. And her treatment of Oliver in the beginning of the series was out of line, she shares their not-so-pleasant history with someone she barely knows, while being a bitch to Oliver and until learning about the scars is indifferent to his suffering and to be blunt, out of all the Canaries, Laurel was the worst, even Black Siren was more comic book accurate.
Sara had years of training in the League of Assassins and as much as I am not a fan of Dinah Drake, given how mishandled she was, even she and Black Siren surpass Laurel by miles and Laurel's journey as Black Canary was mishandled and rushed. Basic self-defense lessons, few boxing sessions with Ted Grant and few weeks at best with Nyssa al Ghul make her nowhere as good as other Canaries and even if Diggle did train her when Oliver left, it's a bit hard to believe she could take down Ghosts who had military training.
And also, siccing innocent civilians against armed thugs doesn't seem like a plan Oliver, Roy or Diggle would ever condone, if they were actually in character. Given how horrible Diggle, Felicity and Laurel were this season, they are going to get called out if necessary but their less-than-graceful moments aren't going to be here very often.
And I'm aware of the delusional obsessed Laurel/Katie Cassidy fanatics, so the following message is aimed directly at you, deciding to argue with me or criticize me or defend Laurel will accomplish nothing and I have no intention of wasting my time with you and if you decide to be immature and rude despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, it only shows how hollow your lives are if this behavior gives your life any meaning and only says more about you than me.
And, well, Oliver has a lot to explain right now.
