Arrow (2012–…): Season 3, Episode 16 - The Offer - full transcript

Oliver thinks about the offer Ra's Al Ghul gave him, but to do so theres a catch.

My name is Oliver Queen.

After five years in hell...

I have come home with one goal

To save my city.

Now others have
joined my crusade.

To them, I'm Oliver Queen.

To the rest of Starling City...

I am someone else.

I am something else.

Previously on Arrow:

I killed Sara.



Malcolm gave me something
that made me...

susceptible to suggestion.

What happened wasn't your fault, Thea.
It wasn't your decision.

Malcolm, he's going
to face justice.

He's gone. Malcolm Merlyn
will never be seen again.

Welcome to Nanda Parbat.

When I told you that Malcolm
killed Sara, he wanted her dead...

but I am the one who fired
those arrows into her chest.

I promised you your vengeance.

So take it.

Kill me, but spare
John Diggle's life.

Let him go.

I will beg for it.

You've shown
tremendous strength...



fortitude...

and power.

No, Mr. Queen.

I don't want to kill you.

I want you to take my place.

I want you to become
the next Ra's al Ghul.

Ra's is a title greater
than any one man.

Am I supposed to understand
what that means?

No. It's from a dialect
no longer spoken.

Said to me by a man
whose place I took.

Contemplating the same offer.

And what it means is:

"The tale to be
told begins thus."

Don't let your
footing betray you.

Let your power come not from
the strength of your attack...

but from the ground
that holds your feet.

All men seek guidance...

a purpose...

a means to live without pain.

Those who journey here are given
such an exchange for their fealty.

You mean, they have
to kill for you.

No, Mr. Queen, they
have to die for me.

Is all of this supposed
to impress me?

No.

To inform you.

Surely, men have branded
you a murderer...

a torturer.

You see, I would never shame
you with such bluntness.

Because I see it in your eyes.

The struggle you have
with your dual identity.

Oliver Queen and the Arrow.

Neither giving you
what you crave.

But becoming Ra's al Ghul will?

Oliver Queen is a man
destined to be alone.

- He loves a woman he knows he cannot have.
- You don't know me.

But I know the Arrow.

Al Sah-Him...

will never be anything
more than a vigilante

for those whose
lives you save...

at the risk of your own.

Your city will turn on you.

And your closest allies within the police
department will call you a criminal.

You will be scorned...

and hunted...

and then killed...

dying as you began your crusade.

Alone.

♪ S03E16 The Offer ♪
Originally aired on March 18, 2015

Your brother attempted to have
me believe that he killed Sara.

Your confession is
even less convincing.

- I don't have a reason to lie.
- Except to protect your father.

Why would I protect Malcolm,
when I turned him over to you?

He gave me a drug called Votura.

I put three arrows into her chest,
and I had no idea what I was doing.

He used me.

Someone she would trust.

So I don't deserve to be living
any more than Malcolm does.

There would be no
justice in killing you.

I killed Sara.

Kill me.

Do it!

Do it.

The blood debt ends
with Malcolm's death.

Which I can assure you my father
has taken care of already.

- Thea!
- Get away from her!

Nyssa, no!

Are you okay?

How the hell did she get out?

It's League training. Probably.

What were you doing down here?

I just wanted to
pay my respects.

It was Herodotus who first
wrote of these waters.

And Ponce de León traveled
the earth in search of them.

And their discovery by Al-Khidr
is chronicled in the Qur'an.

And they have permitted me
to live way beyond my time.

You don't seem too fazed
by what I've told you.

I've seen things that have
helped me to believe...

that this world is a much bigger
place than people realize.

As I told you on the
mountain, boy...

man can only evade
death for so long.

And these water's powers are
losing their effect on me.

My time is almost over.

But my legacy won't
be just ash and bone.

It will be history.

And you think that I'll help
you secure that legacy.

You survived my sword.

Your resurrection wasn't a
gift from these waters...

but rather by force
of your own will.

What better heir to
immortality than someone

who has already claimed
victory over death?

I didn't defy death just to
become an instrument of it.

We are justice.

Isn't that what you've
dedicated your life to?

Why confine your crusade
to a single city...

when I can give you a
whole world to save?

By executing anyone
who stands in my way?

You would command resources
that you cannot even fathom.

Numbers greater than any army.

And more loyal.

Now...

if you wish for them to
renounce killing as you did...

thy will be done.

I doubt that.

It's called the League of
Assassins for a reason.

The League's reason
would be your own.

You would be Ra's al Ghul.

And what if I say no?

Then you are free to leave...

with your compatriots...

as a gesture of goodwill.

All debts forgiven.

And all blood oaths waived.

Let's go home.

We really need to stop having these
"Thank God you're not dead" reunions.

- I agree.
- Heh.

I'm working on it.

- You look okay. Are you okay?
- I'm fine. Not even a scratch.

How is that possible?

- How did you get him back?
- Doesn't matter.

What matters is, you
didn't kill him.

No, I wanted Ra's to kill him.

- And I still do.
- Thea.

He's not staying here.

You know there's nowhere
else I can take him.

If you think I feel bad
for him, you're wrong.

I'm not asking you to feel bad for him.
I'm not asking you to forgive him.

Just let him heal.

I have to go.

How did Thea react to
her new houseguest?

- Fine.
- That bad, huh?

She ask how we made
it back alive?

- I didn't get into it with her.
- How about me?

Like I said, Ra's had
a change of heart.

Ra's doesn't have a heart.

He kicked you off a mountain,
put a sword through you.

Now he's giving you Malcolm
back gift-wrapped?

Diggle, we're back. We're alive.

Let's just be grateful for that.

What's the Chinese
word for "okay"?

Or how do you say
"okay" in Mandarin?

Everything is gonna be hao ba.

- I wanna go home.
- Yeah, I know, buddy.

But home's not really
safe right now.

Because those men
tried to hurt us?

Yeah, because of those men.

In fact, Akio, we shouldn't
be out in the open right now.

Akio!

- Oliver?
- Hey. Hey.

Hey, look, you cannot
disappear like that.

I thought I saw my father,
but it wasn't him.

All right. Look, I get it, I get it.
I'm sorry.

- We can't get separated.
- The botanical gardens.

- The what?
- Mother and father always told me...

to go there if we
ever got separated.

- Okay.
- Come on!

Well, thank God.

Just because I'm furious with you,
that doesn't mean I want you dead.

What about Malcolm? I mean, I know
Laurel wants him dead. I mean, is he?

No. We got him back.

Well, I suppose, "Congrats," and, "Why,
oh, why did you do that?" are in order.

Oliver?

- Oliver, what are you doing?
- You're free to go.

My father would never
trade my life for yours.

He certainly wouldn't
for Malcolm Merlyn's.

He didn't.

If no bargain was struck,
then how are you still alive?

Go home, Nyssa.

Okay...

well, I don't understand
anything anymore.

- Why did Ra's...?
- It doesn't matter.

Let's focus on what does.

Somewhere, there is someone
that needs a reminder...

that we are still
watching over this city.

There is a robbery in progress at
the Kingston Property Depot on 3rd.

A new shipment just arrived. Whatever
it is, it's worth a lot of money.

Okay, suit up.

- Oliver...?
- Suit up.

- I want this shipment done.
- Excuse me.

We're looking for the Catoca shipment.
Maybe you could help.

The Catoca shipment.

- Where is it?
- Uh... I don't know.

Sorry.

Boss said check the crates
for a Catoca manifest.

Drop it!

Look out!

You still need training.

- When are you gonna stop telling me that?
- When you no longer need training.

Arsenal?

The head guy got away.
With these.

Ran into a new player tonight
who dropped some bodies.

I need a name.

- One of these four will give him up.
- Yeah.

But when he does, you can
read about it in the papers.

- Detective?
- It's captain now!

When were you gonna tell me?
Or were you gonna tell me?

You're really gonna stand
there still pretending...

you didn't know my
daughter was dead?

- Captain Lance...
- My whole career...

my whole life, even when I knew nothing,
I, at least, knew right from wrong.

And I knew vigilantism
was wrong.

The day we take the law into
our own hands is the day...

that we become outlaws.

And that idea... That
idea was precious to me.

Almost as precious
as my own daughters.

I threw that all away the
day I threw in with you.

You know why?

Because I trusted you.

But I see the man
under the hood now.

He lies, and he keeps secrets.

All so he doesn't have to carry
around the weight of his decisions.

And I'm done with him.

What would you say...

if I told you I just connected the
virtual TCP to the open-source sensor?

I would say that you
only think you did.

I've been trying to figure
that out for over two weeks.

If it makes you feel any better, I have
been trying for at least two full minutes.

Ah. Let me see.

Oh? You don't believe me?

Well, no, I just wanna make
sure you did it right.

Oh, and if I'm right?

Then I will take you to the best
steak dinner you've ever had.

Mm.

Which I'd probably do anyway.

I hope it's better than
that fusion place...

where I needed this
microscope to find the food.

Oliver, hey. What
are you doing here?

I mean, it's nice
to see you here.

- Nice to see you again, Mr. Palmer.
- Likewise.

And, please, call me Ray.

Okay. Ray. May I speak with
Felicity for a few minutes please?

- Uh, absolutely.
- Thank you.

- I should have called.
- No.

I should have told you
earlier, when you got back.

- You don't owe me a thing.
- That's not true.

You're one of my
closest friends.

We went up against a new crew last night.
One of them had his lips sewn shut.

- Is that a real thing?
- Apparently.

If only I had known
I had that option.

Okay.

- Michael Amar?
- Yeah.

Street name's Murmur because
of the whole lip-stitch thing.

Practitioners say it focuses
the mind, like meditation.

You Okay?

I handed some of Amar's
men over to Lance.

He knows the Arrow knew about
Sara and didn't tell him.

What did Lance say?

Some variation on "go to hell."

- Oliver, he just needs time.
- No, he's right.

I lied to him. For months.

I kept something from him, and
he had every right to know.

Are you okay?

I mean, besides Lance and the
whole, well, me-and-Ray thing...

It just seems like there's
something else going on...

underneath all of that.

I'm fine. Thanks for
help with Amar's name.

Oliver's not here.

Actually, I came to see
how you were doing.

He told you that
Malcolm was here?

Go ahead.

I'd be the last person to
stop you from killing him.

My last attempt to do so
didn't exactly work out.

That's kind of why I'm here.
I'm worried about you.

Everyone's so interested in
saving my soul these days.

Look, no one wants to see
Merlyn dead more than me...

but Oliver was right.

You wanted your own
father killed.

Yeah, and how messed up is that?

I wish that I never learned
Malcolm was my father.

Everything since
then has just...

You know, you're lucky, Laurel.

You have a normal father.

Someone who really loves you.

I can't say we're on
the best of terms.

- Yeah.
- Ugh, ahem.

You should probably go.

How much of that did you hear?

Enough to know that I am the last
person you wish to see alive.

I'm not gonna apologize
for what I did.

And I'd do it again.

I know.

You asked me to teach
you to be strong.

To make sure you
can't be hurt again.

You learned your lessons well.

I have learned nothing from you.

Do you realize that I'm so messed
up I was willing to die last night?

For what you made me do.

You know, I didn't actually think it was
possible for me to hurt any worse...

than I did when I came to you.

You proved to me I was wrong.

So, what was it again
that you taught me?

Show me the knife.

How did you know?

You are my daughter.

Do it, like I taught you. One strike
to the neck, it'll be over quickly.

You're sick.

I love you. And I want to
do what is best for you.

If that were even close
to being true...

you would have stayed
out of my life.

Father.

Your safe return
pleases me, my child.

Extend me the courtesy of explaining
why Malcolm Merlyn is still alive.

If you're not going to
watch your tongue...

then at least mind your tone.

Why did you release
al-Sahfer's murderer?

As a gift to Oliver Queen.

In advance for him
becoming my heir.

You selected an outsider
over your own daughter?

He survived my sword.

Sara.

You're punishing
my love for her.

At least do me the courtesy of
admitting it, you never approved.

I never approved of you allowing
weakness into your life.

And even in death, your devotion
to her pollutes your judgment.

- Target's name is Michael Amar.
- Yeah. Got him here.

Got out of Iron Heights
two months ago.

- He escaped?
- No, released.

Turns out he was serving his sentence
based on a coerced confession.

Cops beat it out of him.

He confessed to a crime he didn't commit?
I might sew my mouth shut too.

He's not innocent anymore.
What was he after tonight?

His crew made off with a couple
crates, all containing these.

Industrial-grade diamonds.

The shipment was loaded with
high-end jewels they didn't take.

Why steal worthless diamonds?

- Million-dollar question.
- Street value's only a couple thousand.

We could use Felicity
on this, Oliver.

She's preoccupied.

I know a couple of fences from my
less socially-responsible days.

I could talk to them, find out where
Amar's trying to move these diamonds.

That's a good idea.

You wanna tell me
what's going on now?

Ra's predicted this.

He said that the city would turn
against me, and I would die alone.

Then we come back and the first thing that
happens is, Lance is shutting me out...

and I see Felicity with Palmer.

It's like he looked
into my future.

Sounds to me like Ra's is
playing with your head.

Question is, why are
you letting him?

He wants me to take his place
in the League of Assassins.

It's why he let us go.

As a sign of good faith.

Is there even a world where he
can imagine you saying yes?

He said that I can do more as the
new Ra's than I could ever do...

as Oliver Queen or the Arrow.

That I would have
unlimited resources.

That I could make a
difference, not just a dent.

You're not really
considering this?

Just because Captain Lance is angry, and
Felicity is momentarily unavailable.

It's more than that.

I just...

John, tell me honestly.

What have we accomplished?

Oliver.

All the people that we put
away, John, they got out.

The city's no better
off, the Arrow is not...

He's not making a difference.

And if I just can't be me...

and the Arrow isn't enough...
Oliver.

Then maybe I should
be Ra's al Ghul.

Is Malcolm still alive?

In my head I've already slit
his throat seven times.

- Broke his neck twice.
- Sorry that I had to bring him here.

Been trying to remember who
I was before Mom died.

Before Malcolm.

And I don't recognize her.

I couldn't even fathom...

killing someone.

And in the last month...

I've held a gun to
Slade Wilson's head...

and nearly took my
father's life twice.

But you didn't kill
either of them.

You know why I
didn't kill Malcolm?

Mom.

About what she'd think about her daughter
becoming a murderer just like him.

Thea, you're nothing like him.

There's something
broken inside of me...

just like there's something
broken inside of him.

Nothing can change that.

- Where are you going?
- To go buy my evil dad some soup.

- One big happy family.
- What did you do to her?

I encouraged her to kill me.

My version of being a
supportive father.

- You really are insane.
- Perhaps.

But I'm not the only one.

Or do you doubt that Ra's
would release us both...

without conditions?

No conditions.

An offer.

To take his place.

You don't seem surprised.

I don't put much
stock in augury.

But there is a prophecy.

The man that doesn't perish at
the blade of Ra's al Ghul...

will become Ra's al Ghul.

Ra's al Ghul doesn't offer, he orders.
Oliver.

Don't delude yourself into
thinking you have a choice.

Hey, what are those
bamboo things called?

Hey, Akio, come on, all right?
It's okay.

You need to remember that you're
strong, right? Just like my sister.

- You have a sister?
- I do.

And I miss her just as much
as you miss your parents.

Why aren't you with her?

Well, I told her that I had to
hang out with my good buddy, Akio.

- Really?
- Yeah.

We used to go to botanical gardens
just like these in Starling City.

Except she didn't know the
plants as well as you do.

Oliver, what's wrong?

Run.

Hi.

- Where's Diggle?
- He's out with Roy.

They're on their way back.

Thanks for coming.

Where else would I be?

It's not rhetorical. Ray
and I may be something...

but that doesn't change
my commitment here.

- Good.
- What about your commitment?

John might have told me about your
employment offer from Evil Incorporated.

He also might have told me that
you may be considering it...

which is, by the way, insane.

They're the League of Assassins.

That is not the name
of a nice group.

I've been an assassin.

There is more than
one path to justice.

There are a lot of different
ways I can answer that.

All varying on the theme
of, "You're crazy."

But I'm gonna go with:

What makes you think that you're
not already on the right path?

Okay. Okay.

Because it's been over two years.
You tell me.

What have I really accomplished?

My mother's dead.

Tommy, Sara.

Crime's not down, and my sister is in
10 different kinds of pain right now.

So, you leave. Then what?

All the people you've lost, all
the sacrifices you've made.

It would have been for nothing.

I don't know why I'm
doing this anymore.

I can't answer that for you.

Yes, Captain Lance
is shutting you out.

But I don't believe you're the Arrow
so that people can say thank you.

And, yes, you and I are not
together, but that was your choice.

When we thought you were dead...

each one of us had to figure out
why we were doing all this.

Seems like it's your turn.

Are we interrupting something?

What do you have?

Talked to a friend who ran a munitions
depot back when I was in Afghanistan.

I know why our guy is so
interested in low-grade diamonds.

The type Amar was interested in is
used to make diamond-tipped bullets.

They go through body
armor like tissue paper.

- Okay, so who wears body armor?
- The police.

The guys who beat that false confession
out of him, put him in prison.

- He's going to get payback.
- Okay, Roy, suit up.

Dig, secure the perimeter of the station.
Felicity...

Call Captain Lance.
I'm already on it.

Hi.

Peace offering.

- I already ate.
- Right.

You know, it's funny.

A friend of mine is having
trouble with her father.

A son of a bitch who's
barely human, butyouuu

You know, history's taught me that you'll
give me the cold shoulder for a while.

And then you'll move on
to blowing up at me.

And then finally...

you'll let it all out at a dinner I've
dragged you to after days of pleading.

But my point is, is
just let me have it.

I deserve every minute of it,
and I am ready to take it.

But don't you think for one
second that I am giving up on us.

When you were a little girl...

you used to wait up for
me when I was on nights.

You couldn't fall asleep
until I walked in that door.

- I remember.
- Yeah.

You were always the protector
of this family, of everyone.

Laurel Lance...

always trying to save the world.

You can't save this.

- Dad...
- You don't know how hard I've tried...

to forgive you for lying
to me the way you did.

I'm not proud of it.

You're my daughter, I'll always love you,
but I don't know if I'll ever forgive you.

Kill them all!

Duck!

Police band is filled with reports
of gunfire at the precinct.

- Any luck getting to Lance?
- Still trying.

Get down.

I'll lay down cover fire,
haul ass for the exit.

I'm not leaving you.

Regardless of what you think,
I'm gonna protect my daughter.

Now, on my move, you run!

Go, go, go!

My father's back there.

Go, go, go!

Hey!

What, are you waiting
for a "thank you"?

That's not why I do this.

Nice work.

Not without a few casualties,
but Amar is in custody.

So it's a "no" on the whole
victory-dance thing, then?

You know me, I don't dance.

But I do occasionally
say, "Thank you."

You're welcome.

And you were right.

A "thank you" and a "you were right."
I should really be recording this.

I started all of this
because of my father...

to right his wrongs.

It became something more.

But I never stopped
to think about it...

or about why...

until you asked me to.

Well, what was the answer?

Tonight, at the precinct...

the only thing that I could think
about was those police officers.

And how their families
were counting on me...

and Roy and Diggle...

to get them home safe.

That's why I'm doing this.

So...

that means a pass...

on becoming the most
handsome Demon's Head ever?

It means I'm not ready to give
up on what we're doing here.

You know, you're always saying how
you just want me to be happy.

The thing is...

as long as you're
in my life, I am.

I should probably take this.

- Who are those men?
- I don't know.

Then why are we running
away from them?

Shado?

Are you all right?

What are you doing here?

Looking for you, actually.

I missed your sister.

I suppose I wanted something
to remind me of her.

Now's really not the best time.

Are you having problems
with your father?

I have some experience
in that area.

- Do you want to talk about it?
- With you?

You know what?

I could use a
reminder of Sara too.

Dinner's on me.

During the fighting, your
technique was competent.

Why do I feel like that's
your idea of a compliment?

It could certainly be improved.

Is that an offer to teach me?

I have nowhere else to go.

It is not customary for
one to wait so long...

before accepting a great honor.
I'm not accepting it.

- "The tale to be told begins thus."
- Maseo, this story...

it's over before it begins.

You misunderstand.

It does not mean the
tale is yet to unfold.

It means Ra's has
already written it.

- The choice has been made.
- No.

I will always be grateful for
what you've done for my family.

For what you meant to Akio.

But if you insist on pursuing
this path of resistance...

there will be consequences.
Is that a threat?

It is the will of Ra's al Ghul.

Yeah, who is it?

Hello?

Thea, are you okay?
What's going on?

I don't know what
I'm doing anymore.

I don't know who I am.

Can I just stay here with you?

Yeah.

Cops believe they've won.

But we still got what?

How many rounds of those
armor-piercing diamond bullets?

You tell everyone who'll
listen what you've seen.

Go.