Tonight was all about two steps forward and one step back with Team Arrow dynamics and relationships.  All this and a Teen Wolf favorite guest stars as this week’s meta villain.

***SPOILER ALERT***

This week’s Arrow started with only Oliver and Diggle operating in Star City and they were both very distant from the other.  Because we all knew that both Thea and Laurel left for Nanda Parbat at the end of last episode, I sort of knew this episode was going to focus on the bromance between Ollie and Diggle.  They did a good job of trying to make everything look like status quo until Diggle went up against several H.I.V.E.  ghosts as he was  looking into his brother’s murder, at the same time that Green Arrow had a standoff against a meta called Double Down played by Teen Wolf star, JR Bourne.  Kudos to Felicity for being the one who forced Oliver and John to acknowledge their issues with one another  as well as forcing them together to deal with them.  You can so tell that she is growing into one of the strongest characters in the teams of Arrow and Flash.  As much as I like Diggle, and normally I am in his corner, this time I felt for Ollie when he asked him why Diggle couldn’t accept the apologies he has offered several times?  John broke down where he was, which is that he doesn’t trust Oliver.  The weird thing was that John was working alone on his brother’s murder for years, long before Oliver’s sketchy behaviors at the end of last year.  No one called him on it once he asked for Oliver’s help and, according to him, a way to start to earn back his trust.

While the bromance was on the mends in Star City, Laurel and Thea take a trip to Nanda Parbat believing that there may be some answers to help Thea’s growing blood lust for violence since coming out of the Lazarus Pit.  Still, for Laurel it was also about bringing her sister, Sara back from the dead.  I am thinking Laurel is banking on Thea to help convince the newest Ra’s al Ghul, Malcolm Merlin, to help them.  At first, it was strange to see Malcolm as the wisest person in the room, trying to make Thea and Laurel understand the consequences of bringing Sara back to life.  But, then was the first time (but not last time) I almost tilted my head and thought, “What!?!”  At first, Malcolm refuses the very thought of the Lazarus Pit being used on Sara.  Then after an emotional guilt trip by his daughter, he changes his mind.  That seemed so farfetched and, well, it didn’t make sense.  We all know that Sara will be on Legends of Tomorrow.  I was actually hoping she would be a Sara from one of the other 52 universes seen in this season’s The Flash.  It is obvious that Laurel simply wanted her sister back, and she wasn’t thinking about the consequences that we will all see in next week’s episode, as well as the following week with guest star John Constantine.  He will either be called in to help Thea and Sara control their growing violent outbursts or Constantine may be called in as a consultant against the big bad this year, Damien Darhk.

Another of those “What!?!” moments is when Felicity enlists Curtis for help.  While it is awesome that Curtis is being used in Team Arrow, and while his chemistry with Felicity is electrifying, I wish they would have written a better reason for why he is included.  After all, the scene when Felicity asks him for help with the card reminded me of the lame excuses Ollie used on Felicity when they were getting her help.  Secondly, we are talking Felicity here.  She is the brains on Team Arrow, why would she need to outsource what she does amazingly on her own.  It just didn’t make sense.  But regardless, it is very awesome that Curtis is slowly becoming part of the inner circle which will be part of his path to becoming a hero.

Tonight’s title “Restoration” works on several levels with one focus being Oliver and John’s friendship being restored, as well as Sara’s life.  Still, I think we are far from being done with Thea, and now Sara, and the consequences of them being resurrected.  Don’t forget to tune in this coming Wednesday for the next new episode of Arrow when we see what consequences befall Team Arrow for Sara’s being brought back to life.