Arrow (2012–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Pilot - full transcript

The name of the island
they found me on is Lian Yu.

It's Mandarin for purgatory.

I've been stranded here for five years.

I've dreamt of my rescue
every cold black night since then.

For five years,
I have had only one thought, one goal...

...survive.

Survive and one day return home.

The island held many dangers.

To live, I had to make myself
more than what I was...

...to forge myself into a weapon.

I am returning,
not the boy who was shipwrecked...



...but the man who will bring justice
to those who have poisoned my city.

My name is Oliver Queen.

Oliver Queen is alive.

The Starling City resident
was found by fishermen...

...in the North China Sea
five days ago.

Five years after he was
presumed dead...

...following the accident at sea which
claimed The Queen's Gambit.

Queen was a
tabloid presence...

...and fixture on the club scene.

Before his disappearance,
he was acquitted of assault...

...stemming from a highly publicized
drunken altercation with paparazzi.

Queen is the son of Starling City
billionaire Robert Queen...

...who was also on board but now
officially confirmed as deceased.

Twenty percent of his body's
covered in scar tissue.



Second degree burns
on his back and arms.

X-rays show at least 12 fractures
that never properly healed.

Has he said anything about
what happened?

No. He's barely said anything.

Moira, I'd like you to prepare yourself.

The Oliver you lost
might not be the one they found.

Oliver?

Mom.

Oh.

My beautiful boy.

I've got it.

Your room is exactly as you left it.

- I never had the heart to change a thing.
- Oliver.

Damn good to see you.

It's Walter.

- Walter Steele.
- You remember Walter.

Your father's friend
from the company.

- It's good to see you, Raisa.
- Welcome home, Mr. Oliver.

Mr. Merlyn phoned.
He wants to join you for dinner.

Wonderful.

Oliver? Did you hear that?

Hey, sis.

I knew it. I knew you were alive.

I missed you so much.

You were with me the whole time.

Come on, Laurel.
We're lawyers, not miracle workers.

We can't win this.

If we can't win a class action
against a man...

...who swindled hundreds of people
out of their life savings...

...we're not fit to be called
a legal aid office.

And if we go bankrupt in the process,
we won't be a legal aid office.

Hunt has an army of lawyers
and they are ready to bury us.

You and I against an army?
I love those odds.

Why do you hate me?

And in other news...

...details as to the castaway story
you've all heard about...

...the son of a very wealthy billionaire
will soon become a legendary stow.

Jessica now has more details
and the complete castaway story.

The Queen's Gambit was last heard
from more than five years ago.

Mr. Queen has reportedly confirmed...

...he was the only survivor of the accident
that took the lives of seven people...

...including local resident Sara Lance,
survived by her sister, Laurel...

After five years...

...everything that was once familiar
is now unrecognizable.

The face I see in the mirror
is a stranger.

Storm's a category two.
Captain's recommending we head back.

All right. Inform the crew.

- Are we in trouble?
- One of us is.

Ollie?

Where do you keep the bottle opener
on this thing?

I'll be there in a minute, Sara.

You know, son...

...that is not going to finish well,
for either of them or for you.

What did I tell you?
Yachts suck.

- Tommy Merlyn.
- I missed you, buddy.

Okay, what else did you miss?
Super Bowl winners:

Giants, Steelers, Saints, Packers,
Giants again.

A black president, that's new.
Oh, and Lost. They were all dead.

- I think.
- What was it like there?

Cold.

Tomorrow, you and me do the city.

- You've got a lot to catch up on.
- Great idea.

Good. I was hoping to swing
by the office.

There's plenty of time for all that.

Queen Consolidated
isn't going anywhere.

I am so sorry, Mr. Oliver.

- Dude, you speak Russian?
- Didn't know you took Russian at college.

I didn't realize you wanted to sleep
with my mother, Walter.

- I didn't say anything.
- She didn't have to.

Oliver, Walter and I are married
and I don't want you to think that...

...either one of us,
did anything to disrespect your father.

We both believed that Robert,
like you, was, uh...

- ...well, gone.
- It's fine.

May I be excused?

Hey, don't forget about tomorrow, buddy.

SARA'.
One, two, three.

- It's getting closer.
- That's not very scientific.

What would you know about science,
Mr. Ivy League drop out?

I happen to know a lot about science.
I know about fermentation.

I know biology.

Laurel's gonna kill me.

- Oh, she's so gonna kill me.
- Your sister will never know.

- Come here.
- Ha-ha-ha.

- Okay, that one was really close.
- Sara, we're gonna be fine.

Sara!

- Sara!
- Aah!

Sara.

- Oliver! Oliver!
- Sara!

- No! No! No, dad, she's out there!
- She's not there.

Sara!

- She's gone.
- Oliver! Wake up. Oliver!

Oliver!

- I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.
- No, it's okay, Oliver.

It's all right, sweetheart. You're home.

You're home.

- Where did you get these?
- Roxies. Thank you, Daddy's ACL tear.

- Ollie.
- No one's called me that in a while, Speedy.

Worst nickname ever.

What, always chasing after me as a kid?
I thought it fit pretty well.

- Maybe it still does?
- See you at school, Speedy.

- Sorry about her.
- I have something for you.

You did not come back from
a deserted island with a souvenir.

It's a Hozen and in Buddhism,
it symbolizes reconnecting.

I kept it, in hopes that one day
it would reconnect me with you.

A rock. That is sweet.

I want one of those T-shirts that says...

..."My friend was a castaway
and all I got was this crappy shirt."

Don't let him
get you into too much trouble.

You just got back. Take it slow.

Ahem. The city awaits.

Have you noticed
how hot your sister's gotten?

Because I have not.

- Your funeral blew.
- You get lucky?

Fish in a barrel.
They were so sad and huggy...

- No.
- And I'm counting on...

...another target-rich environment
for your welcome home bash.

- At my what?
- You came back from the dead.

This calls for a party.
You tell me where and when.

I'll take care of everything.

This city's gone to crap.
Your dad sold his factory just in time.

Why'd you wanna drive through
this neighborhood anyway?

- No reason.
- So, what'd you miss the most?

Steaks at The Palm?
Drinks at The Station?

- Meaningless sex?
- Laurel.

Everyone is happy you're alive.

You wanna see
the one person who isn't?

Laurel, I just got this
from Hunt's lawyers.

They filed a change of venue.
We're now in front of Judge Grell.

- Hunt funded Grell's re-election campaign.
- Mm-hm.

- Grell's in his back pocket.
- It's fun being your friend.

I get to say "I told you so" a lot.

Adam Hunt is not smarter than we are.

He's richer and willing
to commit felonies.

- We don't need to go outside the law...
- To find justice.

Your dad's favorite jingle.

Hello, Laurel.

You went to law school.

You said you would.

Yeah. Everyone's proud.

Adam Hunt's a heavy hitter.

You sure you wanna
get in the ring with him?

Five years and you wanna talk about
Adam Hunt?

No. Not really.

- Why are you here, Ollie?
- To apologize.

It was my fault.

I wanted to ask you not to blame her.

For what? Falling under your spell?

How could I possibly blame her
for doing the same things that I did?

- I never meant to...
- She was my sister.

I couldn't be angry
because she was dead.

I couldn't grieve
because I was so angry.

That's what happens when your sister
dies while screwing your boyfriend.

We buried an empty coffin.

Because her body
was at the bottom of the ocean...

...where you left her.

It should've been you.

I know that it's too late to say this
but I'm sorry.

Yeah, I'm sorry too.

I'd hoped that you'd rot in hell
a whole lot longer than five years.

How'd you think that was
gonna go, Tommy?

About like that.

We took care of that. Good call.
Now we can make up for lost time.

If you're not sick of fish
let's find some leggy models...

...and eat sushi off them.
What do you say?

What the hell?

Hey!

Here, son. Drink.

What the hell are you doing?
That's all we've got.

If anybody's making it out of here,
it's gonna be him.

I'm so sorry,
I thought I'd have more time.

I'm not the man you think I am.

I didn't build our city.
I failed it.

- And I wasn't the only one.
- Mr. Queen?

Mr. Queen?

Did your father survive that accident?

I ask the questions.
You give me the answers.

Did he make it to the island?
Did he tell you anything?

Yes, he did.

What did he tell you, Mr. Queen?

He told me I'm gonna kill you.

You're delusional.

You're zip-cuffed to that chair.

Not anymore.

- He killed that man.
- You don't have to do this.

Yes, I do.

Nobody can know my secret.

So that's your story?
A guy in a green hood flew in...

...and single-handedly took out
three armed kidnappers?

I mean, who is he?
Why would he do that?

I don't know.
Find him and you can ask.

Yeah.

What about you?

You see the hood guy?

I saw just movement.

Everything blurry.
I was kind of out of it.

Yeah.

It's funny, isn't it? One day back
and somebody's gunning for you.

Aren't you popular?

Were you able to identify the men?

Scrubbed identities.
Untraceable weapons.

- These were pros.
- Yeah.

They figured you'd pay a king's ransom
to get your boy back.

Or a Queen's ransom, as it were.

After all, a parent would do anything
to keep their child safe.

I don't find your tone appropriate,
detective.

If Oliver can think of anything else,
he'll be in touch.

Thank you, gentlemen, for coming.

Your luck never seems to run out, does it?

You are different.
Not like you to read a book.

I missed you, Raisa.

- No kitchen on the island.
- No.

No friends, either.

Hey...

...thank you.

- Do I really seem different?
- No.

- You're still a good boy.
- Oh, I think we both know I wasn't.

But a good heart.

I hope so. I wanna be the person
you always told me I could be.

Oliver...

...I wanna introduce you to someone,
John Diggle.

- He'll accompany you from now on.
- I don't need a babysitter.

Darling, Oliver's a grown man. If he
doesn't feel he needs armed protection...

You know, I understand
but this is something I need.

So...

...what do I call you?

Diggle's good.

- Dig, if you want.
- You're ex-military?

Yes, sir. 105th Airborne out of Kandahar,
retired.

Been in the private sector
a little more than four years now.

I don't want there to be any confusion.

My ability to keep you from harm
will outweigh your comfort.

Do we have an agreement?

Sir?

Sir?

The abduction was unexpected.
It forced me to move up my plans.

What I told the police was true.

The man in the green hood
was in that warehouse...

...and he's just beginning.

The suit alleges Hunt
committed acts of fraud...

...and theft against the underprivileged.

Laurel Lance, attorney for the city...

Adam Hunt.

His crimes go deeper than
fraud and theft...

...but he's been able to bully, bribe,
or kill anyone who's gotten into his way.

He hasn't met me yet.

Remind Grell I put him on the bench.
I can take him off.

- I will turn him into a cautionary tale.
- Yes, Mr. Hunt.

And this attorney, Laurel Lance?

You said she wasn't gonna be a problem
anymore. I told you to fix that situation.

Why are you still here?

Get in the car!

Hey, you missed.

What? What?

Look, just...

Just tell me what you want.

You're gonna transfer $40 million
into Starling City Bank account...

- ...1141 by 10 p.m. tomorrow night.
- Or what?

Or I'm gonna take it.
And you won't like how.

If I see you again, you're dead.

He was wearing a hood. A green hood.
And had a bow and arrow.

What, you don't believe me?

That maniac put two of my men
in the hospital.

Well, thanks for your statement.
We'll put out an APB on Robin Hood.

Hey, pal, I'm not some grocer
who got taken for his register.

I go to the front of the line.

He said he'd be back here by 10 p.m.
Make sure you're here first.

You can coordinate with Mr. Drakon,
my new head of security.

All right. Well, uh, thanks for your time.

Looks like Queen was telling the truth.

Yeah, well, there's a first time
for everything.

This hooded guy comes
looking for trouble, he'll find it.

Put on your seatbelt, sir.

Wouldn't want you to miss your party.

Everybody, hey?.

Man of the hour!

And, ladies, please give this man
a proper homecoming.

Thank you very much, everybody!

Ollie, Ollie, Ollie.

I missed tequila.

What the hell's going on out there?

Across the street. Party for the guy
they rescued off that island.

Oliver Queen.

- Bye.
- Hey, does he wipe for you too?

Now, by my rough estimate,
you have not had sex in 1839 days.

As your wing man,
I highly recommend Carmen Golden.

- Which one?
- She looks like the chick from Twilight.

- What's Twilight?
- You're so better off not knowing.

Back in a minute.

- Ollie, hey! This party is sick.
- Who let you in here?

I believe it was somebody who said,
"Right this way, Miss Queen."

- Well, you shouldn't be here.
- Oh, I'm not 12 anymore.

No, you're 17.

Ollie, I love you, but you can't come
back here and judge me.

Especially for being just like you.

It couldn't have been
easy when I was away.

Away? No, you died.
My brother and my father died.

- I went to your funerals.
- I know.

No, you don't.

Mom had Walter. And I had no one.

Now, you guys all act like it's cool,
let's forget about the last five years.

Well, I can't. For me,
it's kind of permanently in there.

I'm sorry if I've turned out
a major disappointment...

...but this, me, is the best I could do
with what I had to work with.

Let's bounce.

- You have the fun dip?
- Yeah. It's right here.

No, I must've dropped it.

Oh! Oh.

- You're here.
- Tommy.

He made the point that we have
too many years between us...

...to leave things the way we left them.

Is there some place quieter
that we could go?

Yeah.

I'm sorry about saying that
you should've been the one who died.

That was wrong.

If I could trade places with her,
I would.

About Sara...

There's something that I've been
afraid to ask, but I need to know.

Okay.

When she died...

...did she suffer?

- Aah! Sara!
- Aah!

No.

I think about her every day.

Me too.

I guess we still have one thing
in common, then.

I can't believe I'm gonna say this,
but if you need someone to talk to...

...about what happened to you, I'm here.

- Something wrong?
- I asked somebody to do something.

They didn't do it.

Laurel...

...you always saw the best in me.

Right now, that's what you're doing.

Looking at me and you're wondering
if that island changed me somehow...

...if it made me a better person.
It didn't.

Stay away from me.

Otherwise, I'm just gonna hurt you again.

But this time, it will be worse.

Gotta roll.

I got five years of debauchery
to catch up on.

You know what, Oliver?

You're wrong.
That island did change you.

At least now you're honest.

Something I can help you with, sir?

- I just want a second to myself.
- I would believe you...

...if you weren't full of crap.

Party's this way.

It's locked.

You two cover the elevator.
Hang back and be ready.

Stay in the corners and stay alert.

It's past 10.
He's never getting in here.

- All's clear.
- Yeah.

- You missed!
- Really?

He's here!

All units converge. All units converge.

Go right, go right.

On me.

Lay down your weapons
or we will open fire.

I repeat, lay down your weapons!

Tell me you saw that.

Okay. Let's go. Move!

Search the building.
Roof to basement. Find him.

Starling City police.
The party's over, kids.

Oh, Mr. Merlyn. Imagine my shock to find
you here. Roofie anyone special tonight?

Detective.
This is a private party.

There was an incident at Adam Hunt's
building. Know about that?

- Who's he?
- A millionaire bottom feeder.

I'm surprised you aren't friends.

I've been out of town for a while.

Yeah. Well, he just got attacked
by the guy with the hood.

The guy that saved your ass
the other day.

- You didn't find him?
- Yeah.

I'm gonna offer a reward.

Hey, everybody.

Two million dollars to anybody
that can find a nut bar in a green hood.

- Did you even try to save her?
- Okay, let's go partner.

Did you even try to save my daughter?

Sara wouldn't want this. It's not.
Partner, let's go. It's all right. Let's go.

- It's too quiet in here! This is a party.
- Yeah!

Some coincidence.

You asking to have your party here
and Hunt getting robbed next door.

And by the same guy
who rescued us at the warehouse.

If I were you, Tommy,
I'd just be glad you're alive.

- What happened to you on that island?
- A lot.

What the hell are you talking about?

Forty million dollars
doesn't just up and vanish.

Untraceable? It is $40 million.

Find it!

How did he do it?

There's not enough for all of us.

- Save your strength.
- You can survive this.

Make it home, make it better.

Right my wrongs.
But you gotta live through this first.

You hear me, Ollie?
You hear me, son?

Just rest, Dad.

No.

- Dad.
- Survive.

No!

If, hypothetically, $50,000
magically appeared...

...in your bank account,
it might be best not to speak about it.

To anyone. Ever.

God bless you too.

I just got a very grateful phone call from
one of our clients against Adam Hunt.

Me too.

It looks like Starling City
has a guardian angel.

By the way, your cute friend's here.

You left the party quick last night, even
after I stocked the bar with Pinot Noir.

It wasn't really my scene.

I thought maybe you and Oliver
went mano-a-mano again.

I saw you two head out.

There's nothing between Oliver and I.
Not anymore.

And here I thought the only thing
between you and Oliver was us.

I wouldn't characterize us
as an us, Tommy.

- Then what would you call it?
- A lapse.

It's quite a few lapses. Your place.
My place. My place again.

Come on, Merlyn.

We both know that
you're not a one-girl type of guy.

Depends on the girl.

I have to go back to work.

Dinah Laurel Lance.

Always trying to save the world.

Hey, If I don't try and save it, who will?

She says the island changed me.

She has no idea how much.

There are many more names on the list...

...those who rule my city
through intimidation and fear.

Every last one of them
will wish I had died on that island.

The police failed to identify the men
I hired to kidnap Oliver.

And they never will.

- Should we arrange another abduction?
- No.

There are other ways of finding out
what my son knows.