Arrow Season 4 has been about those who fall prey to darkness, while others embrace their light.  Tonight’s finale looks at where, not only, Oliver is at with his own darkness, but also that of his team, giving its episode, “Schism.”

**** Spoilers Follow****

I don’t think anyone felt a real threat from the CW’s DCU being blown up by missiles last week or for that matter this week either.  We already knew all of the shows, plus Supergirl, are returning this fall. With that said, I wasn’t sure if Felicity’s Mom was going to live past the first scene this evening. After all, Darhk is a pretty determined man, willing to do whatever it takes for his bidding to be carried out.  In a freak turn of events, it would be Speedy threatening the life of his daughter to save Team Arrow and friends from an empowered Darhk.  It was surprising to see Thea’s nature once more come out. Malcolm would be proud.

Also, I lost count of how Felicity and Curtis were stopping all of the nukes. I just know they used the same tactics as Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD on their season finale. Regardless, it was really good to see Curtis work beside Felicity to save the world. The down side was that we never got to see Curtis become Mr. Terrific this season. Here’s hoping in Season 5 or maybe on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

While Felicity and Curtis were saving the world, Oliver Queen chooses to save his city from itself.  Tonight’s best scene didn’t come from Green Arrow or even Team Arrow, it came from Oliver fulfilling a promise he made in that he would protect his city, tonight Green Arrow did from Darhk, but Oliver inspired Star City to believe that they could live through its current development, and to have the tenacity to believe in  a tomorrow.  In fact, it is Oliver who gave his city hope to empower Green Arrow to withstand Darhk’s magic.  To be 100% honest, there was some disappointment with Green Arrow’s fight against Damien Darhk, especially after Darhk reminds Oliver that he was a former member of the League of Assassins.  I was so excited to see this fight, and in the end it turned out to be nothing more than a 1990’s wrestling match with both men exchanging punches.  Even though, technique began in their battle, savagery was overall the outcome, though the outcome was necessary with Oliver killing Darhk reminding him beforehand, this wasn’t something he wanted to do, but had to do.

The rest of the evening was the team looking at the consequences of this last season.  John told his wife that his killing of Andy wasn’t in self-defense. Thea looking at how, at times, she is far more similar to her biological father than of the man who raised her. Even Quinten wanting to take some time with Donna to heal after yet another catastrophe is averted.

The title, “Schism” is very appropriate for where Team was left at the end of this season.  Felicity said that a schism is one warring with their self, that neither one is full of darkness nor light, but that a battle is being waged internally.  Oliver, Thea, Lance, and Diggle are each dealing with their own schism.  Working through their personal darkness, hoping to make their path back to the light, for each of them except Oliver, time away from Team Arrow is their choice.  For Oliver, though, he is given new responsibilities- he is made interim mayor of Star City, though who didn’t see that coming.

So alone, yet together, Oliver and Felicity are left to continue on as Team Arrow, until, I am sure, the beginning of the Fall season.  Isn’t it interesting that at the beginning of this season they were the ones taking a sabbatical, and at the end of this season they are the only ones left from the team?

That is it, for now, this season. Join us this fall for Arrow season five on the CW, and the already planned four part crossover of Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.