The Calm

"The Calm" is the first episode of the third season of Arrow, and the forty-seventh episode overall. It aired on October 8, 2014.

Synopsis
With crime in Starling City at an all-time low thanks to the Arrow and his team, Oliver thinks he can finally balance being both the Arrow and Oliver Queen and asks Felicity out on a date. However, when a new villain emerges, who has claimed the name Vertigo from the recently deceased Count, Oliver is caught off-guard and someone close to him is hurt. Oliver and a newly suited up Roy take on the Count. Meanwhile, Diggle becomes a father, Lance is promoted to Captain, Laurel joins Arrow's inner circle and Felicity gets a part-time job at a tech store to make ends meet. Also, Oliver fights to regain his company, Queen Consolidated, but comes up against a worthy opponent - Ray Palmer.

Plot
Episode starts with Team Arrow chasing down a criminal in a truck, and of course successfully captured the citizen who failed the city. Oliver gives Digg an early gift for his unborn daughter made by himself due to both Oliver and Digg agreeing he can't really afford anything currently. Digg tries to talk Oliver in asking a date with Felicity, which later he does so. Laurel and Oliver witnesses Lance gives a speech due to his promotion to Captain.

While chasing down a criminal, Oliver and Diggs called Felicity on her job for some assistance. Which Oliver at the same time discuss with Felicity whether she likes Italian food. While Felicity was serving a customer, she gave a good impression which he told her he was hiring someone in her expertise which she notes she is not looking for a new job.

During the date, Oliver talks about himself not being able to trust people due to his experience in Hong Kong, then the first time he met Felicity and sees a person which they reminisce their first meeting together. Their date was cut short when the restaurant was attacked, Oliver carried Felicity back to the Arrowcave. When Oliver engaged by the Vertigo, he was injected and became weaken and end up losing in the fight. Lance tried to help but end up having coronary artery spasm, but enough time for The Arrow to down Vertigo and send Lance an ambulance.

Oliver and Felicity participate in the board meeting at Queen Consolidated, also revealed the man Felicity helped at the store was Palmer which Felicity obviously regret helping. Later at the Arrowcave Oliver starts pushing people away because of his self-guilt. While Diggs leave the Arrowcave, Felicity tears. Roy tries to disarm a bomb but could not, 'plan b' Felicity tells Roy to freeze the bomb instead. Sara is back.

Palmer "stalks" Felicity to the hospital as she heads to visit Digg and his new family member. Revealed that Felicity hacked most of Palmer's tech like his desktop and phone and Palmer tries to apologize for misleading her and asking her if she could undo the hack. Felicity and Oliver discuss their relationship where Felicity tells Oliver to pretend saying that he never said he loved her but Oliver then kisses Felicity and tells her "Don't ask me to say that I don't love you" but Felicity tells Oliver again that once they were done talking it's over and walks away. She doesn't want anymore "maybe"s. Barry calls Oliver saying he woke up and could use some advice. After a brief chat with Laurel, Sara is shot and falls down the building. The episode ends with Laurel crying while hugging Sara's body.

In flashbacks, show Oliver trying to contact his family but failed.

Production
Preparation ran from June 27 until July 8, 2014. Shooting ran from July 9 until July 18, 2014.

Behind the scenes

 * Oliver states that he's approaching 52nd Street. This is a reference to DC's New 52 universe.
 * Vincent Steelgrave is possibly a reference to Professor Steelgraves, a minor enemy of Green Arrow and Black Canary in the comics.
 * Channel 52, which is also a reference to the New 52, frequently appears on Arrow.
 * Werner Zytle is the alter ego of Count Vertigo from the New 52, originally Werner Vertigo.
 * Greg Osborne is the name of one of Werner Zytle's accomplices. In the comics, he was a corrupt CIA agent who blackmailed Green Arrow in to hunting down Shado for him.
 * Felicity utters the word "frak", a popular expletive from the Battlestar Galactica franchise.
 * Ray Palmer's use of his belt buckle as a projector is likely a reference to how in the comics he could only change size using a special belt.
 * During his presentation, Ray mentions his aspiration to transform Starling City in to Star City. This is a reference to the city's name in the comics.
 * Shintaro Shimosawa, one of the crime bosses at the boxing match, is the name of a producer who both wrote an episode of Smallville and produced horror film, The Grudge.
 * Ferris Air is one of the boxing match's sponsors. In the comics, the company employs Hal Jordan, better known as the superhero Green Lantern. Also, the logo used is the same as that in the 2011 film, Green Lantern.
 * Ostrander Rum, another of the sponsors, is a reference to John Ostrander, who created, among others, the modern version of the Suicide Squad.
 * There was an error when Oliver described his love life. When he stated his girlfriend before Sara (Mckenna) shot his girlfriend before Mckenna (Helena), it was actually the opposite. So what Oliver should have said was "My girlfriend before that was shot by my girlfriend before that".