Showing posts with label sara lance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sara lance. Show all posts

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Let's Review: Laurel Lance as Black Canary

Eonline: Introduction to the Black Canary Costume
Things have been heating up since the last episode. Ray and Felicity are slowly becoming a thing, Diggle asks Oliver to be his best man, Thea struggles with her first kill, and Ra Al Ghul offering the Arrow the role of a lifetime. Putting that aside, Laurel gets to share her moments as herself and the Black Canary. I think now is the time for us to evaluate what she has done so far. Why? For one thing, Black Canary is a very important character in DC. She is not just the love interest of Green Arrow, but also the person who knows how to keep things together. She's a fabulous mentor and is known in DC for her impeccable fighting skills. So the question is, did Laurel Lance do her justice?

To be honest, yes. 

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Let me remind everyone that this show is about Green Arrow, not the Black Canary. Yes, she is very important in his life, but it is a total no-no for her to take up a lot of screen time. Also, the first three episodes of the second half are her origin stories. In other words, she is just starting out. What's really impressive about her is that Katie Cassidy was good at turning Laurel into a very sloppy vigilante. I mean, that's how it's supposed to be when you're going to start something. I think we all remember how Oliver started out after the oh-so many flashbacks we've seen in this series, and do not make me start with Roy and Thea. So for now, I appreciate her current fighting level. It's slightly realistic (minus the part that she was willingly able to smash into a window) and how it's supposed to be for the time being. 

Her identity crisis was also something that most definitely caught my attention because it was not just a question of who she really is, but there was a tinge of sibling rivalry; and this rivalry is something that most of the viewers can relate to. It has always been a question of who could be a better Canary: Laurel or Sara. Back in season two, we all despised Laurel simply because we did not like her attitude back then, which made most of us lean more on to Sara (I know I did). Now these "Black Canary" episodes put that question into play. Interesting right??? However, the question still has not been answered. We still do not know if Laurel truly deserves or is supposed to be the Black Canary or not. Basically, Laurel still does not have a full motive as to why she took her sister's costume in the first place. Sara's death may have been the drive, but in the end we realize that's not exactly it. Heck we don't even know Laurel even wants to be a hero or not. Sara definitely did not. 

So hopefully, I want to see Laurel as a hero who truly wants to aid Starling City because that's not what Sara really wanted to do. I believe that being a selfless heroine will be the one that will set Laurel apart from her. Because the series is trying to tell us that they are not one and the same, and that Laurel is not just going to be the next Sara Lance (which kinda explains why her dad bitterly calls her the Black Canary). 

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Will we see a big development on Black Canary any time soon? Probably, because Sara will no longer be apart of Laurel's equation soon. We only got to see her truly become Black Canary in the "Canaries" episode, but it was a small rough start (thank you Detective Quentin for giving us feels). Will Black Canary be a killer? Maybe. However, Black Canary was never known for her killing sprees. Why did I ask that question? In case you have not noticed, killing has been a real issue in the series. It established the idea that killing does change a person, and it can change Laurel if it happens to her. However, I am honestly tired of seeing that scenario over and over. I want Black Canary's develop to be bumpy and complex just like Arrow's, Thea's, or Arsenal's, but I was hoping that it does not center on killing. I get that it changes people, but let's give Canary a brand new problem to worry about. 


Friday, November 28, 2014

Let's Review! The Women of Arrow

www.summer-glau.com
It's been a while since I did posts about Arrow. But I am extremely excited about the crossover event which will happen in less than a week! To express my excitement, I'd like to talk more about Arrow. In my last post regarding Bash Crime and Women Empowerment, I mentioned that one of the many things I love about this show are the female characters. They're not just purely badass, but they have so many qualities that we both love and hate. Also, Oliver Queen dated most of these women, so it will not be hard to tell what type of woman he's into. Let's remember some of these notable ladies, shall we?


Helena Bertinelli
Also known as: The Huntress
Portrayed by: Jessica De Gouw
She is my ultimate woman crush in the series. I mean, look at her. Aesthetically, she is gorgeous. Jessica De Gouw is extremely charming, which matches the character of Huntress very nicely. Have you listened to her American Accent (Jessica is Aussie, by the way)? It is divine! She made Huntress looked like the insane Succubus in sweet angel's clothing. She may not have completely nailed Helena, but she definitely portrayed her in a new and refreshing way. But at least she was able to maintain the main core of this character, which is her vengeful spirit. If you mess with the Huntress, then she will stop at nothing to kill you. Not even her good friends can stop her. At the same time, she can still her maintain her sultry-like charm.

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Mckenna Hall
Also known as: The Detective Woman who was actually assigned to arrest her own boyfriend
Portrayed by: Janina Gavankar
Yeah, we did not get to see much of her in season 1, which is such a shame. For one thing, I had no idea that women in the precinct could be this gorgeous. Also, it is quite interesting to know that she was a good friend of Oliver's, but she was also the one assigned to track him down. So what does Mr. Queen do? Date her of course! And in spite of her short appearances, it is a given that she is amazing at her job. Sadly, at the end of the arc, she seemed like a wrench in the works so people will continue to guess who the Arrow is supposed to end up with.

arrow.wikia.com
Chien Na Wei
Also  known as: China White
Portrayed by: Kelly Hu
All we know is that she worked for the triad. That's it. She remains a mystery to us all (unless you read the comics). The question is, who is she and what's her deal? More importantly, will she come back and kick ass?

www.sneakpeek.ca
Amanda Waller
Also known as: The Scary Woman in ARGUS
Portrayed by: Cynthia Addai Robinson
Okay, every woman can certainly throw a bitchfit. But if you ask me, this is one woman that I do not want to mess with. Heck, I do not even want to encounter this woman. For some reason, she has the power of an almighty pharaoh. She can take away everything you love and want with just one word. She reminds me of Kuvira, because her methods are beyond radical. When she has a goal, she puts her mind to it and she will make certain that it is achieved, even if it means taking away innocent lives. I am terrified and amazed by this woman.

www.melty.es
www.summer-glau.net
Isabel Rochev
Also known as: Ravager
Portrayed by: Summer Glau
Another woman to be terrified of. The only reason why she wanted to ruin Oliver's life is simply because his dad--who happened to be her ex-lover, by the way--chose Thea and his family over her. I guess the Queens have the knack of attracting psychopaths. And this girl is definitely a psychopath. She cleverly used all her cards just so she can get her hands on Queens Consolidated by acting as a passionate businesswoman that wants to prove to everyone that she can handle a huge and popular company. It worked perfectly, even I fell for it. And I thought it was just going to end there, but no. She had to get Mirakuru and turned into this insane killing machine. Plus, seeing her smile will give you chills on your spine and it is not the good kind. Sure, I've seen her smile and laugh during bloopers, but it still makes me feel uneasy.


Nyssa Al Ghul
Also known as: *says it in her voice* Daughter of Ra Al Ghul, Heir to the Demon
Portrayed by: Katrina Law
We all know who she is. She would never stop introducing herself as the daughter of the almighty leader of the League of Assassins. Not only that, it is revealed that she is not only a fighter but an intense lover. If any overly-attached girlfriend in the planet underwent the same training as her, then I pity the boyfriends and the girlfriends. Let's admit it, Nyssa can be quite clingy. She wouldn't kidnap Sara's mother for no reason. It's just her way of forcing her ex to come back to her.


Shado
Also known as: Shado
Portrayed by: Celina Jade
Shado is what you call an overachiever. She's a lawyer, a pre-med student, knows martial arts, bilingual (I think), excellent huntress, philosophical (in a way), and she has the looks that gave both Deathstroke and the Arrow the boners. And no, she does not have the slightest hint of arrogance in her system. She is actually a very humble person. It's been a while since I encountered a woman who can be a gentle nurse and a fighter. She's almost similar to Mckenna, only Shado had more depth. Her character in the comics was supposed to be the ruthless lover of Robert Queen--Oliver's father--but I am glad that the writers altered her personality into something like this.


Lyla Michaels
Also known as: Harbinger
Portrayed by: Audrey Marie Anderson
I am glad that Diggle has met someone like her. She is literally his other half. They're both into public service, for instance. They met during a war, for crying out loud. Although they have excellent chemistry, I am still wondering why they have this on-and-off relationship in the first place. Lyla is a very well-rounded woman and I think out of all the female characters, she is a person who can stand her ground. It is a given that they have different opinions on world peace or something and that being together while serving the military is not that easy. To make things more complicated, Amanda Waller picked them to be part of the Suicide Squad; but hey, that didn't stop them from having a baby.

www.complex.com
Sara Lance
Also known as: The Canary
Portrayed by: Caity Lotz
Talking about Sara Lance would be a challenge. Why? Because it will take me forever. I would dedicate an entire novel about how amazing she is in season 2. Furthermore, Caity Lotz did most of her own stunts in the series (and she is an excellent dancer. She used to be a back-up dancer in a notable cheerleading film called, "Bring it on: All or Nothing"). Basically, she was my favorite character in the entire series and she was actually the only girl that I totally shipped with Oliver. Only she died a very painful death and up till now, I am deeply upset about it. I was kinda hoping that she would be the Black Canary, but no. Writers have to play with my feels for a little while.

arrow,wikia.com
Thea Queen
Also known as: Speedy
Portrayed by: Willa Holland
She's the character that I wanted to hate, but couldn't. In the first season, she's been acting like Lindsay Lohan mostly because she just wanted some attention from her family. She tries to build up in season two but she didn't like the idea of people lying to her, which is understandable. I gotta say, she had a very interesting character development. Like I can see her change in every season. Now she suddenly became more interesting in the third season, not because she gained some fighting skills but because she is finally becoming a stronger individual. And by that, I mean she is starting to have clearer goals and she is more level-headed than before. She learned to work hard, she decided that she did not want to feel sorry for herself anymore so she decided to do something about it. Even though this lead to her having some father-daughter bonding time with the crazy Malcolm Merlyn, we can still see how much Thea changes as a person.

forums.superherohype,com
Moira Queen
Also known as: Oliver Queen and Thea Queen's diabolical mother
Portrayed by: Susanna Thompson
Like I said before, she displayed a mother's love in a very twisted way. Let's just say she would do anything for her kids, even if it means being a colossal bitch to Felicity Smoak. Unfortunately she was a victim herself. She just got caught in a crossfire between her husband and the people of the Undertaking. When her husband died, she had no choice but to clean up the mess he had made. Fear is evident in her expressions, but she had to swallow it down and do it. All for the sake of her kids. What even surprised me was that she knew what her son was up to for the past two years! I guess mothers do know best.

reviews.realtvchat.com
Laurel Lance
Also known as: Black Canary
Portrayed by: Katie Cassidy
Yes, I can hear you groaning. But let's cut her some slack, she's been doing really well in season three so far. And I'm going to say this one more time: she is not a terrible character. Yes, she is complicated, but that's what makes her fascinating. She can be irritating, intimidating, loving, and sorrowful to watch all at the same time. Plus her story so far has been interesting. It's complicated, which is exactly like her and that's how it should be. Now it has been established that she is not just going to be your typical lawyer, it makes me wonder how she's going to rekindle the fire between her and Oliver...since they are the canon after all. Sorry Olicity fans.



Felicity Smoak
Also known as: Bitch with Wifi
Portrayed by: Emily Bett Rickards
EVERYONE'S FAVORITE GAL!!! I don't blame you guys, Felicity Smoak is fabulous and she deserves a standing ovation. Although I was not completely impressed with her origin story, I still love her character development. She showed us that she's more than just an awkward I.T. girl. She can threaten bad guys with her tablet and she can give serious pep talks to Oliver Queen. She hesitates, she takes stands, and she can surprise you with her amazing party clothes. Basically she's not just the typical awkward and shy girl that everyone in Arrow thinks. And above all, she has almost every awkward girl's dream: to be wooed and surrounded by very attractive, strong, and intelligent young men. She's got more game than any slut I know.

The Newbies (Just first impressions)

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Carrie Cutter
Also Known As: Cupid
Portrayed by: Amy Gumenick
I never expected Arrow to have a villain who is a mixture of Harley Quinn and Catwoman. But here she is. Believe it or not, her only motive is to make senpai--in this case, it's Oliver--to notice her. I wish I can see her again, because she has definitely sparked my interests. But seriously, what can she do for ARGUS?

www.craveonline.com
Tatsu Yamashiro 
Also Known As: Katana
Portrayed by: Rila Fukushima
She's a tough cookie with a moist heart. I am dying to know how she became Katana, but I get the feeling that I am going to regret it pretty soon.