Arrow: 5 Things That "The Calm" Did Right (And 3 It Didn't)

4. New Toys

It wasn't only the gravity defiance and fancy parkour that made this episode so exciting to watch. In addition to all of the drama and detonation was an array of new toys crazy enough to make even Batman jealous. Gone are the days of the wooden bows of Season 1 and the plain old compound bow of Season 2; Oliver's brand new Season 3 bow is a collapsible contraption that expands from an easy-to-carry (and conceal) handle into a formidable full-sized weapon, ready to pepper perpetrators with all of the arrows in his quiver. Of course, Oliver's nonlethal methods of dispensing justice as established after his Season 1 murder spree leave the option of peppering perps as a last resort. Thankfully, "The Calm" introduces some never-before-seen trick arrows that both keep his kill count low and look totally awesome on screen. The most whimsical of these is the arrow that bursts into a web to block doorways and prevent bad guy getaways, leaving them at the tender mercies of the friendly neighborhood vigilante. Hey, just because the Arrow doesn't kill the criminals anymore doesn't mean that he can't punch them out as they cower at his feet. And Oliver "You Have Failed This City!" Queen isn't the only one who got a gear upgrade. Roy "Who Needs More Than One Sweatshirt?" Harper trades in his trademark red hoodie for a getup properly befitting a sidekick. Decked out in head to toe leather, he looks more like a real member of Team Arrow and less like the little brother who tagged along with the big kids.