Arrow: A.W.O.L.

 "A.W.O.L." is the eleventh episode of season four of the superhero-action series Arrow, and is the eightieth episode of the series overall. It was directed by Charlotte Brändström with a script written by Brian Ford Sullivan and Emilio Ortega Aldrich. It fist aired on the CW Network on Wednesday, January 27th, 2016.

Allusions

 * The title of this episode is an acronym used by members of the military, which stands for "Absent without leave". The term could have multiple meanings relating to this episode, including Andy Diggle's abandonment of the U.S. Army to join Shadowspire, or Felicity Smoak distancing herself from Team Arrow as a result of her injury.


 * After giving Felicity Smoak the code name Overwatch, Oliver Queen jokingly tells her that he was going to name her Oracle, but it was already taken. Oracle is the code name of a DC Comics character named Barbara Gordon. She was once the superhero Batgirl, but was crippled following a shooting incident with the Joker. She went on to fight crime from behind a keyboard as one of the world's best computer hackers. A TV version of Oracle was presented as one of the main characters on the short-lived Birds of Prey television series, where she was played by actress Dina Meyer.

Quotes

 * Oliver Queen: The doctor said your condition is permanent, and I don't think that it's healthy or productive for either of us to... live in denial, but I have seen people speed and shrink and fly. We watched a friend of ours come back from the dead. That is the world we live in now. And I will not stop searching it until we find a way to make you walk again.

....
 * Amanda Waller: I'm afraid you've overextended your welcome, Mister Diggle.
 * John Diggle: Which is A.R.G.U.S. speak for "Get the hell out of here".
 * Amanda Waller: You always were a quick study.

....
 * John Diggle: So how many evil organizations are you associated with? I'm beginning to lose count.
 * Andy Diggle: What are you talking about?
 * John Diggle: Shadowspire! Your old Army buddies are in Starling City. They tortured and killed an A.R.G.U.S. agent and abducted two others.
 * Andy Diggle: Look, I have nothing to do with them anymore. After I got discharged, they cut ties. They only want enlisted men.
 * John Diggle: How the hell could I not see this? You were with me the entire time!
 * Andy Diggle: Because you saw what you wanted to see. Look, you wanted to believe that the Army had straightened me out. Look, I'm your brother, but I'm not built like you. I didn't take to the military like you did. You saw the world as something to be fixed. I only saw it as broken, so I made sure I had enough to survive in it.

....
 * Green Arrow: Overwatch, we're on site.
 * Felicity Smoak: Excuse me?
 * Green Arrow: Well, I thought that it was time you got a code name. What do you think?
 * Felicity Smoak: It's perfect.
 * Green Arrow: Was gonna go with Oracle, but it was taken.

Keywords
A.J. Diggle | A.R.G.U.S. | Afghanistan | Big Belly Burger | Bow and arrow | Carly Diggle | Detective | Eye injuries | Gunshot victims | Hallucination | Overwatch | Prison | Sara Diggle | Shadowspire | Shot in the head | Soldier | Star City | Star City Police Department | United States Army