Hey guys

So, let's begin.

While season 5 was decently enjoyable it is nowhere near "the greatest season ever" because there are multiple things wrong with it. Something that happened in 5x17 and the set up to that episode, is one of the things wrong with season 5.

In the span of one episode the Arrow writers managed to destroy Oliver's entire character with a simple line "Because I wanted to and I liked it" referring to Oliver's confession of he enjoys killing for the sake of killing people in season 1.

They retconed it of now Oliver's suddenly a sadistic serial killer, through the ground work was actually laid in 5x06 really, when the new recruits considered Oliver a serial murderer and he or no one else defend his actions.

In 5x09 flashbacks Oliver was killing Justin Claybourne's security guards who were already laying on the ground, out of the fight. Oliver was never that extreme as The Hood back in season 1.

Then in 5x17 came the revelation where Adrian Chase made Oliver confess that he killed because he enjoyed it and his entire mission was based on a lie.

It was pretty clearly set up that the Arrow showrunners were not just having Oliver believing Prometheus due to being broken from the torture for six days straight.

Like where Stephen Amell said in an interview of "I like examining this stuff because one of the truths that we reveal in season 5, via our flashbacks and in present day is there was an element of Oliver that we met in season 1 that took a little bit of pleasure in snapping somebody's neck."

No, Stephen your wrong because that was never Oliver's character.

Yes, in the flashbacks for 5x17, Oliver said he hated killing to Anatoly but the setup was already in place for this retcon to now become the truth.

Congratulations to the showrunners who pulled it off and I'm being completely sarcastic. Because now if Oliver's sole reason for beginning his mission to save his city was all in fact a lie and just based on a desire to kill? All your left with a villainess monster running around with a bow and arrows. Not a hero.

Which exactly is what Marc Guggenheim, Wendy Mericle and the rest want to make Oliver Queen. This proves they do not understand the character at all and perhaps even hate Oliver.

Guys you don't turn your main character and again I say Main Character into a psycho serial killer and have him lack a backbone when his own team or family members treat Oliver like dirt.

Which happens so frequently I'll just say the past several seasons to describe how much crap Oliver takes from them without saying a one word to defend himself.

So, who exactly was Oliver in the early seasons? Yes, he was a killer but not a remorseless one.

Oliver initially wanted to go after Joseph Falk simply because Oliver didn't like a vigilante running around without his restraint.

Just simply Oliver offering people on The List a second chance and when Alexi wanted him to kill that guy, Oliver purposely faked the man's death. Then even told Diggle as a response he must have a very low opinion of him, if Diggle thought Oliver would kill that guy without a second thought.

Those three things alone is something Oliver wouldn't have done if he just wanted an excuse to kill people.

With this season 5 retcon Oliver would have joined the Huntress on her killing spree regardless of the innocent bodies dropped instead of trying to help Helena find a better path.

Really every single show of Arrow, Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow have all just fell apart due to this poor writing.

For season 5, this is one of the main problems then there's the Felicity/Helix storyline, but I'll save that horrible disaster of pandering for another time.

I don't own anything in the Arrowverse because if I did I wouldn't be producing such unwatchable shows.

On with the story

The Bunker

With his upper body bloodied and bruised, Oliver wearing his Green Arrow suit minus the mask and has the hood down, with the jacket unzipped walks near the computer platform. Dropping the full quiver to the ground, Oliver sees the shocked and concerned looks on Felicity, Diggle and Curtis faces as they approach.

"Oliver? Oh, my God" Felicity said, horrified at seeing the abuse he's been put through.

"Oliver?" Diggle asked.

"Chase had me" Oliver said, walking up halfway on the steps while painfully removing his jacket and dropping it to the floor "And he let me go."

"Go slow, man." Diggle said.

"It's over" Oliver said, tiredly. Mostly just to remind himself, he's no longer being held captive.

"Oliver, we're gonna get this son of a bitch for whatever he did to you." Diggle said.

"I know but I'm not worried about that right now" Oliver said.

"Why did he let you go?" Felicity asked.

"I told him what he wanted to hear" Oliver said.

"And that was?" Curtis asked.

"I kill because I wanted to and liked it. That my father's mission, my whole crusade is based on a lie. It was just an excuse to kill" Oliver replied.

"But it might make some sense. You had at least 26 confirmed kills your first year back and nobody could have murdered that many people if you didn't enjoy it" Curtis said, in disgust. Ever since learning of The Hood being Oliver, months ago, he can't help but consider he's signed on with a serial killer.

A hard look "I'm not a sociopath. I have never taken any pleasure in killing or torturing people" Oliver said.

"Not ever?" Felicity asked.

Diggle gives her an unseen glare.

"Curtis, you just now said yourself I had twenty six confirmed kills my first year back. A rather small amount compared to the probably over hundred guards I faced that year. I only killed those men to stay alive. Now for The List, Diggle how many did I actually kill?" Oliver asked.

"There was Leo Muller who sold guns in The Glades. Justin Claybourne used weaponized tuberculosis in Lamb Valley killing countless families, then had his company develop a cure which he sold to make an expensive profit. Ted Gaynor was going to shoot me and Guillermo Barrera died in a fight. Just four people" Diggle replied.

"Five actually, Hideo Yamane was a drug dealer in Russia. So five people out of an entire book with hundreds of names. Targets like Marcus Redman I left alive with all the money distributed back out to the people he stole from, leaving Redman broke. My other targets like Jason Brouder, Martin Somers and Cyrus Vanch all got sent to prison." Oliver said.

"How many criminals did Chase kill?" Diggle asked towards Felicity and Curtis.

"None besides Tobias Church. The rest of his victims have all of been innocent, good people" Curtis said in realization.

"Exactly. The both of you, Evelyn and Rory all thought I was a serial killer when I'm not. I wouldn't have tried to help Helena Bertinelli from her path of vengeance or Garfield Lynns despite Lynns being a killer, if I was a sadistic monster" Oliver replied, passionately and angrily.

"Justin Claybourne murdered people for profit and his son is an insane lunatic who killed his own wife, just because she got in his way. Keep that in mind" Diggle said.

Felicity and Curtis both reluctantly nod at being lectured and do their best to hide their surprise. Especially for Felicity who's used to being in charge and might join Helix full time, where she can actually get some respect there. Instead of being treated like this by people she considers her friends.

"Go home, all of you and get some rest. We've had a long six days" Oliver said walking past them.

"You sure man?" Diggle asked, concerned.

Glancing back "I'll be fine. Not the first time I've ever been tortured and probably won't be the last" Oliver said.

"Alright. Call if you need any of us" Diggle said.

Felicity and Curtis follow Diggle into the elevator. Which Diggle knows he needs to give Rene, Dinah and Quintin an update of Oliver has returned home.

Hearing the elevator doors close, Oliver slumps painfully down into a nearby chair, wincing in agony.

Oliver knows while he enjoys the satisfaction of removing threats like Baron Reiter, Leo Muller, The Count and others like them, that's so they can't hurt anymore innocent people. Something he's long since known.

Through briefly Oliver does actually have to wonder if what he told Chase really was the truth given all the people he's killed and tortured.

However, to reassure himself, Oliver's thoughts drift back to a particular memory during his final year in Russia.

Flashback begins: in an apartment

"Your father asked you to take a different vow, did he not? You told me he wanted you to right his wrongs. You cannot do that from here" Talia said sliding the journal back to Oliver.

"When I do return, I'm going to give them a second chance to right their wrongs or else I take them down" Oliver replied.

"Have you not been paying attention to any of the lessons I have taught you over these past months?" Talia asked.

"I'm not just going to execute people in cold blood. I've learned how fear and violence are very powerful tools if used properly. I'm going to use this Hood persona to channel the monster inside of me, to be something more than just a remorseless killing machine Talia. Otherwise I really will be the very thing I'm fighting" Oliver replied.

"You have learned nothing if you ever think being soft like this is truly going to work. If you wish to go up against people like Yamane or Gregor you have to meet them at their level." Talia said.

"When you taught me how to skin a man alive I knew then Talia, how you are broken, perhaps sick even. In a far worse state than I was after Hong Kong. You taught me how to find my way back, however I don't think you ever truly did." Oliver said.

"No, I've just lived longer. Goodbye Mr. Queen since it seems our business is officially ended and I have nothing left to teach you." Talia said.

Oliver watches Talia disappear into another room then reappear moments later with a bag containing her weapons. Talia barely spares him a glance while she moves to the door and leaves.

Flashback ends

Coming out of those memories, Oliver feels reassured that what he told Prometheus was not true.

Because it's ultimately, his humanity that separates him from people like Adrian Chase, a merciless sociopathic. Or Talia who's as evil as the people she wants to protect the world from. Just like Amanda Waller was.

Pushing those thoughts aside, with groaning in pain, Oliver climbs to his feet and begins walking to the medic area to stitch himself up.

Regarding Prometheus and Talia Al Ghul, once he gets healed up over the next couple of days, the Green Arrow and his team will be going after them both.

I hope you all enjoyed that. Let me know what you think in reviews if you want and they are always appreciated.

Now let me explain the first major two things I got rid of from canon, besides Oliver just lying his way out of Chase's captivity.

#1, which is toning down Oliver's attack against Justin Claybourne's security force being less brutal of the Hood wasn't putting arrows into guys already out of the fight.

#2, I removed Oliver skinning Kovar's man alive in the flashbacks and the whole kept going for practice thing which was just a further set up for the episode's "twist."

So, Oliver did torture Kovar's thug to get information about the Syrian gas but didn't do the skinning thing.

I originally was going to have Oliver use that hunting technique to get information from the guy, but just didn't keep going for practice. Unlimitedly I decided to scrap it completely.

Which was helpful for the flashback in this showing Oliver and Talia going their separate ways in Russia, when I need a clear divide between their beliefs.

Also I wanted to show the moment Oliver really does take his finale steps into becoming The Hood by setting a code to always give the people on The List a second chance.

That's something the writers briefly remembered enough for the 5x09 flashbacks when Oliver confronted Justin Claybourne, but never actually bothered to show the moment when Oliver chose to do that in the flashbacks.

Not like I'm hardly surprised given these writers.

For Oliver seeing himself a monster who hunts other monsters, is well the typical self-guilt and hate he has for himself.

With Curtis and Felicity given, their issues with Oliver killing is why they possibly believed what Oliver told Chase is actually true.

So that's all for this one shot.

Until next time.