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For the object of the same name, see Canary Cry (object).
"I knew Laurel Lance for almost her entire life. She was my friend and I loved her. Before she died, I was lucky enough to hear her tell me that she loved me too. Laurel Lance became a lawyer to help people who may have appeared helpless. She wanted to give a voice to the silent. But just being a lawyer wasn't enough. She wanted to do more for those people, and for this city. And she loved this city so much. By now, everyone knows that Laurel was killed in the Iron Heights prison riot. And while it's true that she was an assistant district attorney, that's not what she was doing there that night. Before she died, Laurel told me the truth: Laurel Lance was the Black Canary. And for the past few days, I have had to sit and listen to people try and paint the Black Canary as a criminal. She was not a criminal. She was a hero. She was a hero in every way that a person can be. And if Laurel were here, I know that she would expect all of us to live up to the example that she set. She'd want us to save our city."
Oliver Queen's eulogy for Laurel Lance

"Canary Cry" is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of Arrow, and the eighty-eighth episode overall. It aired on April 27, 2016.

Synopsis[]

Plot[]

The episode opens at a funeral, where Oliver is welcomed up to convey the commendation yet can't be there. Rather, Laurel rises up to say a couple words. The burial service, which occurred in May of 2013, was for Tommy Merlyn. In her eulogy, Laurel expresses Tommy's strength of character, while Oliver observes from afar. At that point, Laurel assures the attendees that Oliver believed the same as he leaves.

In the current day, Lance numbly strolls through the different individuals from Team Arrow in the hospital hallway and steps into Laurel's room, where she lies dead. He cries, and Laurel's primary care physician, Dr. Schwartz, hands the Black Canary's items to Oliver. Oliver can barely talk and walks away from the room.

At the Arrowcave, Oliver and Diggle talk about Andy's betrayal. Diggle feels overwhelmed with guilt, believing if he had listened to Oliver as opposed to confiding in his brother, Laurel would still be alive.

On Channel 52, Alex Davis declares that ADA Laurel Lance died in a riot at Iron Heights Prison and her assumed killer, Damien Darhk, is still on the loose.

An arms deal is going on in a deserted alley. Suddenly, a woman dressed like Black Canary uses her sonic scream to incapacitate the men before stealing a bag of weapons from an open vehicle trunk and running off.

At the bunker, Felicity, Thea, and Diggle appear when Oliver calls for Team Arrow. Lance shows up not long after with a newspaper stating that Black Canary attacked a gun ring the previous evening. He is frantic to believe that Laurel is still alive. The team attempts to debilitate this, but can't think of another explanation, especially when they find that the Canary Cry is missing from Laurel's belongings.

Oliver brings Lance to the hospital to prove that Laurel's body is still in the morgue, discouraging him. Lance runs out, but Oliver stops to disclose to Schwartz that he thinks someone took the Canary Cry from Laurel's possessions. Schwartz admits that there's an ER patient who may be a decent suspect, but she can't reveal to him who it is because of doctor-patient confidentiality.

In a flashback, Oliver goes to Laurel's apartment to see her after Tommy's funeral. Oliver admitted that he remained up the entire night chipping away at a eulogy, yet couldn't move beyond the possibility that he failed Tommy. Laurel assures Oliver that he can't blame himself for what happened to Tommy, though Oliver replies she would accuse him as well, in the event that she knew the truth. Oliver then walks off as Laurel asks what he means.

At the bunker, Felicity is attempting to follow the new Canary through facial recognition, though Diggle is occupied. Diggle admits to Felicity that Andy was working with Darhk and he feels answerable for what occurred.

Alex and Thea are out on a date, attempting to divert Thea from everything that is going on. She asks him for what good reason he turned to politics. Before Alex can reply, the Black Canary imposter arrives at the restaurant and assaults him. She's about to shoot Alex before Thea stops her and briefly removes her mask. Thea realizes the girl isn't Laurel before being knocked back by the Canary Cry. The girl then tries to run but Thea calls Oliver in. At the point when Oliver confronts the girl, she attacks him multiple times with the Canary Cry, yelling that he "failed this city" when he "left [them] at Reddington to die". The girl then flees.

Since Cisco Ramon had keyed the Canary Cry to Laurel's voice, it shouldn't be working for this young woman — yet by one way or another it is, at much higher decibels. Oliver reveals Reddington Industrial was where H.I.V.E. held Team Arrow hostage over Christmas and believes this girl was one of their prisoners. Felicity learns the present girl is Evelyn Sharp, a promising teen genius and gymnast who was reported missing, along with her family, before Christmas. The girl's mother and father were killed by H.I.V.E.'s gas chambers that night, and Evelyn blames Green Arrow for not trying to save them.

At his home, Lance has brought in Nyssa with expectations of utilizing the Lazarus Pit to resurrect Laurel. Nyssa sadly reveals she had destroyed the pit months prior and Quentin leaves, distressed.

In Oliver's former campaign office, Felicity comes to find him alone, pondering over everything that has happened. Felicity admits she blames herself for Laurel's death as well, due to not being with the team at the time of her murder. Oliver reveals to her that the real reason he blames himself for tragedies is that it gives him a reason behind them. Thea then calls Felicity to reveal that Lyla called, searching for Diggle.

As Spartan, Diggle stops Ruvé Adams' limousine by shooting the drivers and hauls her out. When Ruvé tries taunting him, he pistol whips and prepares to shoot her. However, Oliver intervenes and shoots the gun out of Diggle's hands, allowing Ruvé to escape. Oliver warns Diggle he can't assault the mayor of Star City without evidence of her crimes. Diggle angrily declares that he needs to find Andy and get him off the streets before he hurts anyone else. Oliver advises Diggle that Laurel would want him to be better than this this.

On TV, Ruvé accuses Team Arrow of murdering Laurel, claiming that Black Canary assaulted her chief of staff, Alex, and afterward, Spartan assaulted her vehicle earlier that evening. She has requested the district attorney to issue arrest warrants for Team Arrow, beginning with Black Canary. Oliver realizes that Evelyn is Ruvé's main target and Team Arrow needs to find her before the police do.

Nyssa calls Oliver about Lance, worrying he is in denial. Oliver confides in Nyssa that he's struggling with Laurel's legacy being tainted and doesn't know how to help.

In a flashback, Oliver and Laurel are in her apartment looking at old pictures of them and Tommy. Laurel remembers what Oliver said before about needing to make the city a better place, and recommends they could do it together. The two kiss, and Laurel admits she's excited for their future, yet Oliver is conflicted.

At a former League of Assassins safe house, Oliver shows up to intercept Lance, who is searching for League individuals to assist him with bringing Laurel back. Oliver implores Lance to accept Laurel's death, stating they both lost her and if there was any way to bring her back, he would, but there isn't. Lance breaks down and reveals that Laurel was his rock — the person who helped him through losing Sara, his divorce and alcoholism, everything. Lance can't imagine being without her.

At the bunker, Felicity apologizes to Diggle for not trying to stop him from blaming himself for Laurel's death, admitting that listening to him prevented her from continuing to blame herself. The two talk through their feelings, beginning to accept that what happened wasn't directly their fault. At that point, Felicity gets a facial recognition hit on Evelyn; she is planning to attack Ruvé at a gala for the Women's Advocacy Association at Star City Plaza Hotel.

At the hotel, Team Arrow searches for Evelyn. She is caught by a security guard but uses the Canary Cry to knock him out, alerting her presence to Ruvé's security detail. Ruvé wants to stay at the gala, knowing Evelyn's attack will fuel her agenda. Evelyn shoots a couple more guards on her way to the hotel's ballroom when Oliver stops her. He understands that Evelyn wants revenge for her parents' deaths, but this isn't the best approach to justice. Evelyn replies it's the only way she has left before using the Canary Cry to corner Ruvé at gunpoint. However, Oliver reminds Evelyn how she was inspired by the real Black Canary and asks what she would think of her actions. Evelyn eventually drops the gun, sparing Ruvé. As Evelyn escapes, Ruvé sends a SWAT team after Oliver, but he shoots an arrow through the ceiling and escapes through a bay window.

Back at the bunker, Thea is upset that Evelyn has tarnished the Black Canary's name. However, Oliver is certain that won't occur.

Later, at the cemetery, Dinah Lance is still in denial over Laurel's death, certain that she's going to return to them like Sara did. Oliver conveys Laurel's eulogy. Over the span of his speech, with Evelyn looking on from a distance, Oliver tells the attendees that Laurel was the Black Canary, which was why she was killed, and that if Laurel were here, she would want them to save their city.

In the last flashback, Laurel is in her apartment when she finds a note passed under her door. It's from Oliver, who reveals that he has left the city (to return to Lian Yu) to deal with Tommy's death. He might return one day, but urges Laurel to continue helping the city without him. Oliver leaves Laurel the photograph of her he kept with him on the island.

Afterwards, at Laurel's grave, Oliver remains alone before her tombstone when Barry Allen shows up after dealing with Zoom. Oliver reveals to Barry he only blames Darhk and is going to kill him. Oliver requests to be left alone, after which he cries. On Laurel's tombstone is engraved "The Black Canary".

In the limo, a tearful Felicity tells Oliver that they need to take down Darhk. Oliver says he knows, but doesn't have the faintest idea how. Oliver admits that he's seen Darhk's idol previously on Lian Yu, and it's not just magic; it's darkness which corrupts the soul, and he's always been unable to defeat it. Felicity won't accept that Darhk is invincible, or Laurel will have died in vain.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Guest starring[]

Co-starring[]

=Uncredited[]

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Production[]

Preparation ran from February 15 until February 23, 2016. Shooting ran from February 24 until March 4, 2016.[1]

Trivia[]

  • This episode introduces Evelyn Sharp, who becomes the vigilante "Artemis" in Season 5 until her betrayal.
  • When Ruvé Adams orders the Green Arrow to be arrested, Oliver states he's "seen this movie before" and escapes by shooting his grappling hook through a glass domed ceiling. This is a reference to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, where Robin Hood uses the same tactic to escape the Sheriff of Nottingham.
  • During Laurel's funeral, when the priest invites Oliver to talk, the tombstone behind him says "-M Clayton". This is possibly a reference to William Clayton being one of the candidates for dying this season.
  • In the final flashback, Laurel's last appearance in which she is alive, she is wearing the same clothes she wore in her very first appearance in "Pilot".
  • Barry Allen is depicted with his speed in this episode, meaning that it takes place before "Versus Zoom", where Barry gave his speed to Zoom.
  • This is the last episode of Arrow to feature Katie Cassidy (Laurel Lance) as a series regular until Season 6.

References[]

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