Legacies

"Legacies" is the sixth episode of the first season of Arrow, and the sixth episode overall. It aired on November 14, 2012.

Synopsis
A gang of bank robbers, dubbed The Royal Flush Gang, hit a local bank and seriously wound an off-duty police officer during a heist. Diggle tells Oliver he needs to deviate from his father's list and start helping the citizens of Starling City. Meanwhile, Tommy asks Thea for relationship advice, but things get awkward when she realizes he was asking about Laurel. Moira confronts Oliver about all of his recent disappearances in the middle of family functions.

Plot
Three masked robbers, three men wearing masks with the Ace, King and Jack on them, break into Starling Trust Bank and knock out the manager when he says he doesn't have the combination for the vault. One of the customers, an off-duty police officer named Stan Washington, goes for his concealed weapon. But one of the hostages warns him against it and one of the robbers, Ace, hears them talking. He shoots Stan several times before the leader, King, stops him. The police arrive and Detective Lucas orders the robbers to surrender. They send all of the hostages out, wearing similar masks to their own. By the time the police struggle past the crowd, they discover that the robbers have tunneled out through the floor of the vault. Down in the tunnels, King tells Ace that they don't kill.

Oliver and John are sparring at the hideout and Oliver easily takes John down repeatedly. He explains that a man named Yao Fei taught him but refuses to give John more detail. Oliver then brings up the file on another of the men on his father's list, Scott Morgan. Scott has been cutting off power to the poor but John points out that winter won't be for another month. He suggests that Oliver go after the bank robbers, nicknamed the Royal Flush Gang. However, Oliver says that he doesn't see a point in going after street criminals. John suggests that Oliver think beyond the men on Robert's list but Oliver insists that he needs to keep his promise to his father so that he didn't die in vain. John says that Oliver has a narrow definition of being a hero and Oliver insists that he isn't a hero.

After the cave-in traps him, Oliver burns a blank page from his father's journal to keep the fire going. As he weakens from a lack of food and water, Oliver hallucinates and sees Robert's ghost.

At the CNRI legal office, Joanna and Laurel learn that their major donor, Stagg Industries, has stopped donating to the firm. Tommy comes in and offers to fly Laurel out of town for the weekend. She wonders why he's coming on so strong and Tommy explains that he wanted to follow up on his offer to let her learn more about him. Laurel says that they've lost their funding and she has more important things to think about, and Tommy realizes that it's not a good time.

At the manor, Thea and Oliver are talking and she points out that their mother has been down since Walter left suddenly on his business trip. Moira comes in and tells them that she's invited Janice Bowen and her son Carter to have brunch with them. Carter was in Oliver's high school and was the perfect student that Moira always used to compare to Oliver. Oliver and Thea both try to get out of the brunch but Moira insists and they reluctantly give in. John calls Oliver to tell him that Scott just tried to kill himself, possibly in fear of The Hood, and Oliver says that he'll be at Starling General Hospital right away.

As Oliver starts to head out, Tommy arrives and suggests that they take his new car for a spin. Oliver passes, saying that something important has come up, and leaves. Thea has overheard the conversation and offers to listen if Tommy has something he wants to discuss. Without going into specifics, Tommy says that he's truly interested in a woman but he doesn't think the direct approach would work for telling her his feelings. Thea suggests that he find out what the woman is interested in and then become interested in it himself, and Tommy gets an idea. As he leaves, he thanks Thea for her help.

When Oliver arrives at the hospital, John tells him that Morgan isn't there. The paramedics are transferring Stan, who is in a coma. Jana comes over and thanks John for financing the necessary treatment for her husband, and John tells her to thank Oliver since he's paying the bills. Once she leaves, John warns Oliver that he's the kind of man who doesn't walk away from someone that needs help. Oliver immediately agrees and tells John that they're going after the bank robbers. They go to the hideout and examine the video surveillance of the bank robbery. They note that Ace was the violent one who shot Stan. Ace is wearing a ring on the hand he used to slap the bank manager, and Oliver figures that he can get the impression from the evidence lockup at the station. That night he breaks in, slips by the police, and downloads the file with the photos.

The next day, Laurel discovers that Tommy is already at the office, talking with Joanna. He informs them that his company, the Merlyn Global Group, wants to sponsor a charity fundraiser to keep CNRI going. Laurel refuses but Joanna draws her to the side and explains that they need the money and she doesn't care why Tommy is doing it. Laurel reluctantly thanks Tommy for the fundraiser with some prodding from Joanna.

Oliver reviews the photos and confirms that the impression is of Larchmont High School. Checking the records, he confirms that one student, Kyle Reston, disappeared five years ago right before his senior year. His family his father, mother, and his younger brother disappeared at the same time. After checking the recording of the robbery, Oliver confirms that one more hostage left the bank that was inside, meaning that the female robber came out with the hostages. As he goes over the evidence, Oliver realizes that he's late for the brunch and heads out. He gets to the manor just in time and makes small talk with Janice and Carter. Carter is talking about his career as a doctor and research scientist and Oliver comments that Carter is the hero.

In Starling City, the Royal Flush Gang is preparing to rob another bank. Derek, tells his son Kyle not to shoot anyone. After Carter boasts about his job, Janice asks Oliver what he's going to do now that he's back and tells her that he's running a night club. John comes in and whispers to Oliver that the robbers have hit another bank. Oliver gives his regards, saying he has to deal with a liquor dealer, and goes out into the hallway. As he and John discuss how the robbers will probably escape via the sewers again, Moira comes out and asks her son where he's going. He avoids answering her question and leaves.

Derek, Kyle, and his younger brother Teddy escape into the sewers beneath the bank. The police arrive and Kyle opens fire. As Lucas Hilton and his men return fire, The Hood arrives and shoots the bag away from the robbers. The Restons retreat and Oliver pins the bag to the floor with a trick arrow. As the bank robbers escape, the police spot The Hood and tell him to halt. The Hood shoots out a fuse box and hides in the shadows as the police run by. That night, the Restons try to work out what to do next. Derek wants to leave for Mexico but Teddy says that they don't have enough money yet to survive. An angry Kyle says that they should stick to the plan and get enough money so that they're set, and Derek reluctantly agrees to do one more job to put them over the top.

Now that they have identified Kyle, Oliver and John have Felicity meet with them and check the family background. She confirms that Derek worked at the Queen steel factory in Starling City for fifteen years. When Robert Queen closed it in 2007 and outsourced the work to China, Derek was out of a job. Derek was the foreman at the factory but since Robert used a legal loophole to make sure he didn't have to pay severance packages, Derek had nothing to his name. Robert points out that he begged Oliver to survive and tells him to kill himself here and now if he can't keep on living. Disgusted that his sacrifice has been rendered meaningless, Robert gives Oliver a gun. When Oliver insists that he's doomed to slow starvation, Robert says that he can survive it. His son disagrees and puts the gun to his head.

Oliver goes to the bar where the factory workers used to drink and John goes after him. John insists that what happened isn't Oliver's fault, but Oliver says that it was his father that ruined them and that he has to give the family a chance. As Tommy and Laurel plan the fundraiser, Laurel asks why he's coming after her. Tommy talks about how he recently picked up a girl and went back to her place, only to realize that he had been there two years earlier. He left and remembered how he never forgot the times that he woke up next to Laurel and that it was more than fun.

Derek is playing poker at the bar when Oliver sits down with him and explains that his father used to bring him there when he was a child. Derek, unimpressed, points out that Robert kept the truth about the shutdown right up until when it occurred and lied about how the factory would say in Starling City. Oliver says that people are hurt when they make wrong choices but there is always one moment where they can turn it around and do the right thing. He offers Derek a job but Derek refuses, saying that he doesn't want charity from the son of the man who screwed him over. Oliver gives Derek his card in case he changes his mind and points out that they're both dealing with the consequences of Robert's decisions. However, now whatever happens is on the two of them. As he leaves, he secretly puts a bug in Derek's jacket pocket.

Oliver returns to the hideout and listens in as the Restons plan their next robbery. He realizes that the family is going to go ahead with the robbery and tells John that he's going to take them down. That night, Oliver and John arrive at the fundraiser. While Oliver tells John about his plan to slip away, Laurel comes in and Tommy compliments her on her dress. He then talks to Thea and finally tells her that Laurel was the woman he was asking for advice about. Shocked and upset, Thea watches as Tommy goes over to Laurel. Carter comes in and starts talking about himself, and then invites Laurel to have a drink with him. She goes off with him and Tommy watches, unhappy with how things are working out. Oliver goes over to Moira at the bar and apologizes for leaving the brunch. Disappointed, Moira says that they already had a connection and she knew what her son was thinking. However, now he isn't interested in being with her or telling her the truth. As Oliver considers telling her the truth, John comes over and tells him that he's heard that the Restons are going for their next bank. Oliver tells his mother that he has to go and tries to apologize, but she tells him not to bother.

Kyle and Derek break into the bank. Chloroforming the guard unconscious, and blast open the vault door. As they take the money, they hear someone moving outside. Kyle goes to investigate and The Hood fires at him, but the robber has a riot shield and is ready for him. The two men exchange shots and Kyle's bulletproof vest protects him from an arrow to the chest. The guard wakes up and grabs a shotgun, and prepares to open fire. Meanwhile, Derek has heard the gunshots and comes out to investigate.

The Hood shoots the gun out of his hand and the guard prepares to shoot Kyle. Seeing his son in danger, Derek leaps in front of Kyle, taking the shotgun blast meant for his son. The Hood tells the guard to call for an ambulance and then turns to Derek. Derek insists that none of it is Kyle's fault and that he was the one who turned his son into a criminal. Oliver pulls the trigger but nothing happens. He realizes that he's hallucinating as "Robert" says that he's made his sacrifice worthless. When Oliver says that he's not strong enough, Robert tells him that it's his responsibility. He apologizes for lying to Oliver for so many years about who he really was and says that he loves him.

The police pull up outside. As Lucas and his men charge in, The Hood slips away into the shadows. At the fundraiser, Tommy watches Carter and Laurel dance. A drunken Thea comes up and invites him to dance, and Tommy realizes that she's flirting with him. He tells her that he thinks of her as a younger sister but she says that Laurel doesn't understand him the way that she does. Thea says that she's used to rejection from everyone and Tommy is no exception, and Tommy gets her out as she makes a scene. Laurel notices and goes after them, and finds Thea vomiting in the back alley. Tommy angrily tells her to go back to Carter and Laurel says that she knows Carter is an ass but he also made a big donation to the legal office so she was dancing with him. Tommy admits that he's not thinking straight about her and gets Thea into the car. As he starts to go, Laurel tells him that he owes her a dance and that he earned it. As they drive away, Thea asks Tommy not to hate her and he assures her that he doesn't.

At the hideout, Oliver is brooding in the dark when John arrives. John assures him that what happened wasn't his fault, but Oliver isn't convinced. John tells him that Robert would be honored by what Oliver did for Derek and asks if Oliver believes that there's now more than one way to save Starling City. Oliver isn't so sure, and John tells him that Stan came out of his coma and will make a full recovery. Oliver wakes up from his hunger-based delirium and prepares to burn another page of his father's journal. As he holds it up to the flames, the invisible ink on the blank page comes out. Looking through the journal, Oliver realizes that there are dozens of names: all of the wealthy that control Starling City. He promises to his father that he'll live up to his responsibility.

When Oliver comes home, he finds Moira pouring herself another drink. She apologizes for what she said earlier and admits that she's been lonely since Walter left. When Moira points out that Oliver has been distance, he says that he misses her and invites her to a late dinner. They go to Carly's burger joint and they order hamburgers. Moira prepares to eat it with a fork but Oliver tells her that it's okay for her to get her hands dirty once in awhile. She eats it, says that it's great, and assures Oliver that Carter doesn't know what Oliver knows about finding the best burger in town. She also tells him that he is better than Carter.

Production
Preparation went from August 23 until August 31, 2012. Shooting ran from September 4 until September 13, 2012.

Trivia

 * This episode marks the first time Oliver is seen during the day as The Hood, as the character normally operates at night. Although he did operate in a dark area to be able to hide in darkness.
 * This episode marks the first live action appearance of the Royal Flush Gang, only making six other animated appearances in Batman Beyond, Justice League Unlimited, Justice League: Doom, Super Friends, Justice League, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
 * When at Laurel's office, Tommy mentions visiting Coast City, a military city where the Green Lantern Hal Jordan lives and operates.
 * Also at Laurel's office, she asks where Tommy will take her this time, suggesting "Monte Carlo", a movie which actress Katie Cassidy appeared in.
 * When Oliver took off his hood there was a camera facing him. There are three possible explanations for Oliver not being caught for this is the back of Oliver's head wasn't enough to catch him as The Hood, considering he was proven "innocent" before. A second is the security guard gave Oliver the security footage either willingly out of respect or Oliver threatened him for the security footage. The third is the camera's angle wasn't at the correct angle to catch Oliver with his hood off.