Dodger

"Dodger" is the fifteenth episode of the the first season of Arrow. It aired on February 20, 2013.

Synopsis
After a brief fight involving The Hood's methods, Felicity tells Oliver that he's all work and no play, so he asks Detective Hall to a date. Then, a jewel thief named The Dodger hits Starling City and targets someone very close to Oliver. Meanwhile, while working with Laurel, Thea gets her purse stolen by a very fast thief named Roy Harper. Moira makes a move against Malcolm.

Plot
The episode opens with a museum guard named Jerry who appears to be helping a man steal a large jewel because he was forced to. A high profile criminal known as The Dodger had placed an explosive device around the man's neck.

Felicity is concerned by Oliver's decision regarding going after people on the list after finding out the next person Oliver's going after is a single father. When he refuses to listen to her, she tells him that the idea of her helping him was a mistake and she quits.

We flash to the island and Oliver bringing water to Slade whose bullet wound is getting infected. Oliver remembers some herbs Yao had in the cave that "healed everything." He leaves to get them.

Moira meets with an old friend named Frank. She tells him that she wants to get out of The Undertaking. The two of them began the undertaking to fix the city and have seen it get away from them. He seems to agree.

John expresses concern about Felicity to Oliver. Felicity walks in and Oliver tries to put her at ease about his vigilante process, and that the man she was worried about is still alive, and he gave back the money he stole. A news report talks about a criminal named the Dodger who steals using explosive collars. Felicity offhand mentions that it's too bad that that guy isn't in Oliver's book. Seeing an opportunity to get Felicity to work with them again Oliver explains he goes after normal criminals to sometimes. To get her back on the team, Oliver asks Felicity to help them take him down.

We see what appears to be The Dodger attempting to move his latest theft. The man attempts to rob The Dodger, who promptly takes out his men and shoots him in the head.

Oliver, John, and Felicity, talk about how to approach The Dodger. Felicity asks about John and Carly, getting a girlfriend vibe from her. Oliver explains the relationship and agrees with Felicity, that Dig should ask Carly out. This leads to John agreeing to ask Carly on a date but only if Oliver asks out McKenna Hall. Felicity suggests they bug McKenna's phone in order to find out what the police know about The Dodger. John awkwardly asks Carly out and she seems 100 percent into the idea. They agree to dinner that night.

Laurel and Thea are walking through the Glades, when Thea gets mugged. The guy gets Thea's purse but a piece of his wallet chain gets snagged on a fence.

Oliver plants a bug on McKenna's cell phone when she steps away from her desk. He then asks if she wants to have dinner with him. She is free that night.

We flashback to the island. Oliver grabs the herbs and then turns around to find a badly beaten man stumble into the cave. He says. "Help me".

Oliver and John listen to a conversation where McKenna talks about the man we saw The Dodger murder. Felicity finds out online that he was probably a potential fence.

Thea is striking out trying to track down information about the wallet. A nervous Oliver tells her he has a date. Thea is surprised to get a call back about a possible suspect and calls Laurel with a name, Roy Harper.

During John and Carly's date he accidentally brings up his brother and she wonders if perhaps the whole thing is too complicated.

Oliver's date is going well, until McKenna starts asking questions about the island. He begins to have small flashbacks and becomes more and more withdrawn. She points out that those years must have changed him and he agrees. McKenna is called away from dinner for work. Oliver calls Felicity and has her activate the bug on McKenna's phone.

Back in our flashback the beaten man tells Oliver he's an exchange student who got lost during a fishing trip with his class. He tells a suspicious Oliver he was the only one who made it and that he was beaten by soldiers.

While The Dodger shows the jewel to a new fence McKenna and her team police raid the building. The Dodger gets out of the building but runs into the Hood outside. Just as the Hood begins to chase him he sets off an explosive that allows him to escape.

Oliver has Felicity search for the type of antiquity The Dodger prefers. There is a fundraising auction the following night for the Starling City Cancer Society Oliver thinks they could use it to lure him out. Felicity points out the fact that they have no bait. Diggle says "You really have no idea how rich his family is." while Oliver just shrugs, a silent agreement that he could buy the piece with no problems.

Quentin questions Roy with Laurel and Thea watching through the one-way glass. Roy says his mother was hooked on Vertigo and is no longer the same, medically. He's been stealing to try and get on top of her medical bills. Thea thinks they should let him go.

Frank tells Moira he's arranged a meeting for her.

Felicity has put a GPS device in the Queen family's broach that they have donated as bait. Felicity sees the broach is on the move and stops The Dodger who has it in his pocket. He says he's going to take the item. A few moments later Felicity approaches Oliver and John with one of the explosive collars around her neck. She says "I think we have a problem". The Dodger told her if she calls the police it will go off. She tries to keep Oliver and Diggle away, but John works on deactivating the device while Oliver leaves to find The Dodger with Felicity's help.

Oliver steals a motorcycle and speeds off, with Felicity guiding him via the traffic cameras. Oliver catches up to The Dodger's car and fires something into a rear tire which forces the vehicle to flip. The Dodger gets out holding a remote for the device around Felicity's neck. He says if Oliver touches him, she will die. Oliver quickly severs his median nerve with a fletchette. As he draws his electric prod, The Dodger asks Oliver why he opposes him, claiming that they are both the same in stealing from the rich. Oliver quickly relieves him of his weapon and stuns him with it. He then says that he's not Robin Hood. Back at the party, Felicity's bomb turns off and releases from her neck.

Back in the flashback the beaten man demands Oliver untie him. Oliver agrees and has him turn around. Oliver puts his knife to the ropes, then stops. He says he can't do it because he doesn't know who the man is, then leaves him.

John tells Carly he's having a tough time with dating and she thinks perhaps he's thinking too much. He agrees and kisses her.

Thea pays Roy a visit at his home. He knows all about her bio. He gives her back her purse and before she leaves tells her she shouldn't fall for every sob story somebody like him tells the cops.

Oliver tells McKenna that when she talked to him about the island it reminded him of hard decisions he had to make. He wonders if he's worthy of actually being with anyone. This of course leads to them kissing and her telling him "You are". Quentin stops by her desk and says she wants him to help him on the The Hood investigation.

Back to our flashback. Oliver returns to Slade, who asks him if he got into any trouble. "No", Oliver responds. "Not a bit".

Moira later meets with China White and asks her to take a hit out on Malcolm Merlyn.

Production
Preparation ran from December 10, 2012 until January 4, 2013. Shooting is scheduled to run from January 7 and end on January 16, 2013.

Featured Music

 * You Bleed You by Lissie Trullie
 * Lay Your Cards Out by Polica
 * Daylight by Maroon 5