It’s nighttime in Starling City and we open in on a rundown motel room where Adam Hunt (don’t remember him, he was the first baddie that The Hood took down) is trying to get back in the game when he hears a noise and looks towards the door. It’s clear he thinks it’s The Hood but before he can say much he takes two arrows to the stomach. We pan to the new archer in town, definitely not Oliver, this guy wears a mask in an attempt to hide his face…novel idea.

At the lair, Oliver and Diggle are training and talking about how Oliver is quickly taking out people on his father’s list. During a break, Diggle comments that he’s taking his nephew to the mall to see Santa, Oliver blanches, he didn’t eve realize Christmas was coming up. On the island there were no holidays, only days filled with “how do I stay alive today?” Oliver reminicses about how his father used to do it up for Christmas. Diggle encourages Oliver to take a break from being “the hood” and enjoy the holidays with his family.

FLASHBACK ALERT: On the island the green hooded man comes back to the cave where Oliver was stranded. Turns out he was out tracking down the evil British guy who seems to run the island and took him hostage. The green hooded man gives Oliver two options; kill the British guy or go home on the British guy’s plane.

At the Queen Castle Oliver finds Thea and asks her why there are no Christmas decorations up, Thea dodges the question, and is saved by the bell because the Queen’s are having a dinner party. At the big-wig dinner the guests discuss the decrease in crime due to the efforts of the vigilante. Tommy’s dad aka leader of the yet to be named evil squad, pushes Oliver for his opinion. Oliver replies that The Hood needs a better name….to which Tommy’s dad suggests, GREEN ARROW! Ha!

Walter is interrupted by a call from Felicity with more information about the list. She has put it together that the vigilante is targeting people on the list, and that Doug Miller, Head of Applied sciences at Queen Consolidated might be the next target..this gets Walter’s attention.

The Chief of Police, who is at the dinner, gets word that The Hood has taken out Adam Hunt, which means that Oliver is off to investigate.

At the scene of the crime Detective Lance tells the Chief of Police that The Hood is not the blame and that they’re dealing with a copycat.

At the secret lair Diggle and Oliver discuss the possibilities. All Oliver knows is that they guy who did the shooting was a legit archer, so they figure if they can get their hands on an arrow, they might be able to trace it back to the shooter.

Oliver sends a phone to Detective Lance so that The Hood can give him a call to propose a plan. He explains that he needs an arrow to find this guy, which Lance is not forthcoming with, so The Hood tells him to think it over and call him back.

At Queen Consolidated, Walter has a little talk with Doug Miller, he casually mentions that the vigilante might be going after him. Miller acts perplexed as to why “the hood” might be after him but something in his eyes tells me otherwise.

At the diner Thea and Oliver enjoy some brother, sister bonding time over fries. Oliver pulls it out of her that there is no Christmas party this year. Turns out the first year they went missing they skipped Christmas and have every year since. Oliver takes the cause back home and flat out tells the family that they will have a Christmas party, and he’s going to throw it. And how can anyone say no to that face?

FLASHBACK ALERT: On the island Oliver, the green hooded man and the British guy walk through the jungle. British dude gives Oliver a history lesson on the island, turns out it is a prison, or at least it was up until 8 years ago. The Chinese government used it to house their most dangerous criminals. When they shut down the program, British guy and his team came in a disposed of all the prisoners, all except 2, green hooded man and they guy that tortured Oliver. It’s clear that Oliver doesn’t know who to trust.

In a dark alleyway, Mr. Merlyn and Moira discuss the fact that Doug Miller got questioned by Walter earlier today. Moira says that she will handle it.

It a different dark alleyway a business suit looking guy is on the phone talking about returning 70 million dollars because it’s not worth getting an arrow in the chest over, but of course just at the moment the “copycat” gives him one anyway.

The cops arrive and turns out the real Hood did speak to Ravage earlier in the week and convinced him to return the $70 million. The Police Chief tells Lance to tell the press that The Hood is behind the crimes, which Lance refuses to do, so he’s off the case.

Back at his desk, Lance decides the only way to catch the real killer is to make The Hood an ally. He tells Oliver where he can find one of the copycat’s arrow but follows it up with “you only have until Christmas, and then I’m coming after you.”

At the lair, Oliver analyzes the arrow. It’s a custom piece and it’s clear that Oliver needs to take of this guy asap.

At Queen Consolidated, Felcity is reviewing the list when Oliver walks in. He gives her some b.s. story about needing to buy some custom arrows for a friend that’s really into archery. Turns out the arrow is patented by a company called Sagittarius. She gives him an address and he’s off.

Laurel and Lance watch the news as the Police Chief tells the press that The Hood is behind all the murders. Laurel doesn’t believe it was him, and Lance can’t disagree. There’s a knock on the door and surprise it’s Tommy, but not wearing a suit which is weird. He’s there to not only support her through the holidays without her sister but to invite her to be his plus one at the Queen Christmas party. He hands her a present and leaves. Lance starts ragging on people like Oliver and Tommy, Laurel opens the gift to find an tree ornament housing a picture of Laurel, Lance and Sarah. Someone feels like a jerk.

The Hood heads to the address Felicity found to investigate but turns out it was all a trap. Inside the building there is a single arrow and a weird contraption set to explode. Oliver manages a narrow escape but is clearly shaken that his end was so close.

At the Queen Christmas party Oliver arrives a little shaken but puts on a brave face for the family. Turns out the family has their own problems. Moira is worried about Walter, Thea’s skeevy  boyfriend has arrived and Tommy shows up with Laurel.

Moira gets Walter alone and calls him out on continuing to investigate the sinking of the Queen’s Gambit. He flat out asks why Moira salvaged the ship, turns out it was for leverage against the group that Walter is currently pissing off with all his questions. She has tried to get away from them but she can’t, she wants to be better for Walter. Walter wants to know exactly what’s going on…she promises to tell him everything after the party….OH NO! IS WALTER GOING TO DIE? This is the most ominous thing ever.

Laurel gets Oliver alone and tells him that she needs to move on with Tommy. Oliver says he’s happy for them…yeah seems like it.

Oliver goes off to find Thea and walks in on her getting busy with Shane. Funniest thing of the episode, Oliver in stunned pissed off silence, points his finger and says “hit  the road”. You have to just watch it.

Oliver is pissed, he threw this party for Thea and she doesn’t even care. Well she’s pissed too, for her the party is just bringing back memories she has been trying to forget.

Diggle interrupts with breaking news, the copycat has taken hostages. On the news one of the hostages reads a letter. The copycat belives that the police have done nothing to catch The Hood and that someone needs to put a stop to him. He will kill a hostage per hour until the vigilante surrenders himself. Once again I love the cheesy font they use for all the newscasts in Starling City.

FLASHBACK ALERT: In the jungle Oliver and the hooded men have been led into a trap, right into the hands of British guy’s men including yellow/black mask dude. The green hooded man tells Oliver to run and goes to battle. Oliver runs but looks back just in time to see his buddy get knocked out and dragged away. Now what?!

The hostage situation is still underway ad the police can’t enter the building because it’s surrounded by rigged explosives. Have no fear, The Hood swings in thru the roof.

He leads the hostages to safety and searches for the copycat. Then at the other end of the hall we see him looking pretty badass. Turns out he just wants one thing, what every archer wants, to see whose better…and CUE SHOOT OFF! This fight is intense and the copycat is able to nail a few arrows in Oliver’s upper back. Once he has Oliver down and out he tells him that he knows about the list and the man who authored it wants him dead. As the copycat is about to unhood The Hood, Oliver reaches for a hidden arrow and stabs it into his attacker’s leg. Oliver is able make it out of there….but not unscathed. Once out of the building Oliver calls Dig for help.

In the hospital, Diggle watches over Oliver, turns out he did not fare well. Concussion, broken ribs, etc. Diggle told the Queen family that Oliver got into a motorcycle accident, good on Dig! His family is at his side…and he and Thea have a nice heart to heart and promise to do better moving forward with accepting each other.

The copycat limps into his own lair and takes off his hood….IT’S FREAKING TOMMY’S DAD! MR. MERLYN!

At Queen Consolidated Walter is heading home and steps onto an elevator…where a mysterious man stands…OH SHIT! THIS IS IT! He steps in and the man stabs a needle in his neck. NOOOOO!

Moira and Mr. Merlyn speak about the plan to take Walter out of the picture…for now. In 6 months when the organization’s vision is complete (which includes killing thousands of citizens) Moira will have Walter back. You can tell Moira’s not thrilled about the organization, the vision or what she had to do to Walter…but she’s stuck.

In the hospital Oliver goes to stare out the window (very Bruce Wayne move with the cane) and tells Diggle he failed. Diggle reminds him that 5 hostages are home and safe with their families because of him, and that the other archer will get his but Oliver has other concerns. He realizes that it wasn’t his father who compiled the list and there might be someone out there more dangerous than the other archer….and he is going to TAKE HIM DOWN!

Was that the midseason finale? Man I can’t wait until January 16th to see more shirtless Stephen Amell, I just can’t! I’m going to go through ab withdrawl. What a great way to leave us wanting more!

BEST QUOTES OF THE NIGHT:

Diggle to Oliver: “I heard St. Nick has a list of his own, I’ll wager you’re in the nice column.”

Mr. Merlyn: “How about Green Arrow…?”
Oliver: “Lame.”

Oliver: “How do you know that Shane guy?”
Thea: “We rob banks and smoke crack together.”
Oliver: “That’s funny….I have a feeling I’m not going to be a fan”

Tommy: “How are you sir?”
Detective Lance: “Proficient with firearms.”

Tommy to Oliver and Laurel: “So how long do you guys think it will be until this isn’t so weird?”