Burned

"Burned" is the tenth episode of the first season of Arrow. It aired on January 16, 2013.

Synopsis
Oliver's confidence is shaken after almost being beaten by The Dark Archer and he takes a break from being Arrow. However, when Laurel calls Green Arrow for help to investigate a firefighter's suspicious death, he reluctantly agrees but his hesitance while fighting almost costs him his life. Meanwhile, Tommy throws a benefit for the firefighters and Thea tries to lift Moira out of her depressive state.

Plot
Open at a huge fire. A person dressed as a firefighter shoots accelerant at another firefighter, causing him to go up in flames.

It's been six week since Walter's kidnapping and John tells Oliver there is no update. They both realize he's likely dead. John wants them to get back to work on the names in the book, but Oliver thinks his family should be his priority.

We flash back to the island and Oliver fleeing as soon as Yao Fei begins to fight the masked man. He turns back and sees Yao knocked out and carried away.

Quentin stops by with a representative from the fire department to tell Joanna her brother Danny was killed in the line of duty.

Oliver tries to cheer up Moira but she seems pretty down.

Oliver and Thea swap Walter stories. She hopes he's having a midlife crisis and isn't dead. On TV they see a report that since Green Arrow stopped patrolling the streets, crime is on the rise.

Joanna tells Laurel she thinks Danny might have been murdered. She shows her evidence that the way he died doesn't fit with the circumstances of the blaze.

Laurel takes evidence to her father. It seems that at least once other firefighter was killed when his suit burned hotter than the fire being fought. Quentin wants to leave it with the fire department. Quentin had the phone he got from Green Arrow analyzed, but it's a dead-end. Laurel snags the phone and places a call to Oliver, saying "I need your help."

Laurel is visited by Green Arrow. Using a device to disguise his voice Green Arrow tells her he'll "look into" Danny's case.

Oliver tells John about his contact with Laurel and asks him to look into Danny. He wants John to alert the police to anything he finds. John wants Green Arrow to get back to work.

Tommy wants to throw a fundraiser for the fire department. Oliver is impressed with his friend's new attitude.

Joanna is still working and Laurel wants her to take some time off. Quentin confronts Laurel about taking Green Arrow's phone. She tells him she spoke with Green Arrow about Danny.

Moira is pressured by the COO to take over as CEO. He's worried about the public perception of Queen Consolidated once again having a CEO disappear under strange circumstances. Moira sends him off and tells Oliver she's not ready.

John has found a pickup truck he can link to the fire deaths. Oliver pauses when John tells him this is a time for Green Arrow.

Back in a flashback we see Oliver hunted by a masked man with a weapon. He seems to be trapped.

Green Arrow arrives at the scene of a fire just after the killer tosses a firefighter into a blaze. Green Arrow notices a tattoo on his wrist but he manages to escape.

Another island flashback. Oliver tries to attack the masked man and ends up rolling down a hill into a stream. Oliver calls Laurel as Green Arrow. He tells her what vehicle the killer drives and about a certain tattoo and scar.

John isn't happy Oliver left Laurel by herself to battle the killer. This leads to a brief fight between the two as John tries to figure out what is wrong with Oliver. He thinks the other archer got into his head.

Oliver talks to Laurel about her relationship with Tommy and her not wanting him to have a drawer at her place. She isn't sure she's ready for the step-up in commitment.

Laurel speaks with Fire Chief Raines. She references the fire house that had the Firefly tattoos. Three of them have been killed in the past six weeks. Another member of the group, Garfield Lynns, died two years earlier in a famous building fire at Noddel Towers which claimed the lives of dozens of civilians and six firefighters. The fire happened because of faulty building materials. The chief isn't interested in Laurel's questions.

Laurel calls Green Arrow's phone afterwards and tells him she's at a dead-end. Green Arrow says "It's my turn."

On the island Oliver wakes up in the water and sees his attacker he fought with is dead.

Thea wants to get her mother out of the house. She's up-set that Moira is no longer acting like her mother.

Oliver talks to John about what happened to him during his battle with the other archer. In past years he'd never been worried about death because he had nothing to lose. But his life is different now because of what would happen to his loved ones if they lose him. John thinks having something to live for should give him an edge. Oliver suggests that perhaps Garfield wasn't actually killed in the fire.

At the benefit Laurel and Oliver talk to Raines about the Noddel fire. He says it was the worst he'd ever seen. Garfield begged him to send his unit back in but he wouldn't do it. Raines doesn't think Garfield could have survived the fire. At that exact moment Garfield shows up behind them and starts setting the place on fire. Garfield covers Raines in accelerant and Oliver runs off. Garfield blames Raines for what happened to him. Just before Garfield can set Raines on fire Green Arrow shows up. Green Arrow offers to get him help but Garfield walks right into the fire.

The media is hailing Green Arrow as a hero. Moira is taking over as CEO and seems to be in slightly better spirits.

Joanna is finally taking a leave of absence. She gives Laurel her brother's badge. She wants her to give it to Green Arrow as a thank-you. Quentin apologizes to Laurel and gets Green Arrow's phone back from her. But after a second he rethinks it and hands it back.

We see that a speaker has been placed in the phone. The next time Laurel speaks to Green Arrow the police should be able to listen in.

Back on the island Oliver has disguised himself in the gear of the masked man. He finds keys and a map.

Oliver tells John it's time to return to the list.

Production
Preparation ran from October 10 until October 18, 2012. Shooting ran from October 19 until October 30, 2012.