In a shocking season finale, the epic battle between Team Arrow and the League of Assassins came to a head on May 13. Over the past few episodes, Oliver Queen has been carrying out an elaborate secret plan to bring down Ras Al Ghul. He emerged victorious, though, on Wednesday.

After his sister, Thea, was stabbed by Ras, Oliver was forced to accept Ras’s offer to take his place as the heir to the demon, so that he could immerse his sister into the Lazarus pit, a magical pit of water that has healing properties. Once this was done, despite his friends’ best efforts to save him, he allowed himself to stay and sent them home. He was then put through Ras’s intense training, and afterwards he was required to capture Nyssa Al Ghul, Ras’s daughter. To do this, he was forced to kidnap his best friend’s wife, destroying his relationship with him. Finally, it was revealed that as his final task of ascension to the heir to the demon, he must release a bio-weapon on his home city.

However, it was here that the episode took a drastically unexpected turn. Oliver reveals that he knew of that plan, and so he has pretended to turn to the League of Assassins to stop Ras from carrying out this plan. Team Arrow is forced to trust Oliver once more, and together they stop the League from destroying Starling. The episode finally ends with Oliver announcing his retirement as the Arrow, and he leaves with Felicity.

Overall, this episode, while good, was valued more for the shock value than the actual quality. The fact that Oliver killed Ras was actually rather disappointing, as the League of Assassins was actually a brilliant enemy and killing Ras kind of ends that. On the other hand, with Merlin placed as the new Ras Al Ghul, it is possible he will use their might to attack again. However, with Oliver gone, even though it is only supposed to be for one season, I suspect that the next season will not be nearly as satisfactory, even with the addition of Thea to Team Arrow. This said, it is up for the viewers to make their own decisions. When Arrow returns, watch it on the CW.