Arrow s01e01 Episode Script

Pilot

The name of the island they found me on is Lian Yu.
It's Mandarin for purgatory.
I've been stranded here for five years.
I've dreamt of my rescue every cold black night since then.
For five years, I have had only one thought, one goal survive.
Survive and one day return home.
The island held many dangers.
To live, I had to make myself more than what I was to forge myself into a weapon.
I am returning, not the boy who was shipwrecked but the man who will bring justice to those who have poisoned my city.
My name is Oliver Queen.
Oliver Queen is alive.
The Starling City resident was found by fishermen in the North China Sea five days ago.
Five years after he was presumed dead following the accident at sea which claimed The Queen's Gambit.
Queen was a tabloid presence and fixture on the club scene.
Before his disappearance, he was acquitted of assault stemming from a highly publicized drunken altercation with paparazzi.
Queen is the son of Starling City billionaire Robert Queen who was also on board but now officially confirmed as deceased.
Twenty percent of his body's covered in scar tissue.
Second degree burns on his back and arms.
X- rays show at least 12 fractures that never properly healed.
Has he said anything about what happened? No.
He's barely said anything.
Moira, I'd like you to prepare yourself.
The Oliver you lost might not be the one they found.
Oliver? Mom.
Oh.
My beautiful boy.
I've got it.
Your room is exactly as you left it.
- I never had the heart to change a thing.
- Oliver.
Damn good to see you.
It's Walter.
- Walter Steele.
- You remember Walter.
Your father's friend from the company.
- It's good to see you, Raisa.
- Welcome home, Mr.
Oliver.
Mr.
Merlyn phoned.
He wants to join you for dinner.
Wonderful.
Oliver? Did you hear that? Hey, sis.
I knew it.
I knew you were alive.
I missed you so much.
You were with me the whole time.
Come on, Laurel.
We're lawyers, not miracle workers.
We can't win this.
If we can't win a class action against a man who swindled hundreds of people out of their life savings we're not fit to be called a legal aid office.
And if we go bankrupt in the process, we won't be a legal aid office.
Hunt has an army of lawyers and they are ready to bury us.
You and I against an army? I love those odds.
Why do you hate me? And in other news details as to the castaway story you've all heard about the son of a very wealthy billionaire will soon become a legendary stow.
Jessica now has more details and the complete castaway story.
The Queen's Gambit was last heard from more than five years ago.
Mr.
Queen has reportedly confirmed he was the only survivor of the accident that took the lives of seven people including local resident Sara Lance, survived by her sister, Laurel-- After five years everything that was once familiar is now unrecognizable.
The face I see in the mirror is a stranger.
Storm's a category two.
Captain's recommending we head back.
All right.
Inform the crew.
- Are we in trouble? - One of us is.
Ollie? Where do you keep the bottle opener on this thing? I'll be there in a minute, Sara.
You know, son that is not going to finish well, for either of them or for you.
What did I tell you? Yachts suck.
- Tommy Merlyn.
- I missed you, buddy.
Okay, what else did you miss? Super Bowl winners: Giants, Steelers, Saints, Packers, Giants again.
A black president, that's new.
Oh, and Lost.
They were all dead.
- I think.
- What was it like there? Cold.
Tomorrow, you and me do the city.
- You've got a lot to catch up on.
- Great idea.
Good.
I was hoping to swing by the office.
There's plenty of time for all that.
Queen Consolidated isn't going anywhere.
I am so sorry, Mr.
Oliver.
- Dude, you speak Russian? - Didn't know you took Russian at college.
I didn't realize you wanted to sleep with my mother, Walter.
- I didn't say anything.
- She didn't have to.
Oliver, Walter and I are married and I don't want you to think that either one of us, did anything to disrespect your father.
We both believed that Robert, like you, was, uh - well, gone.
- It's fine.
May I be excused? Hey, don't forget about tomorrow, buddy.
SARA'.
One, two, three.
- It's getting closer.
- That's not very scientific.
What would you know about science, Mr.
Ivy League drop out? I happen to know a lot about science.
I know about fermentation.
I know biology.
Laurel's gonna kill me.
- Oh, she's so gonna kill me.
- Your sister will never know.
- Come here.
- Ha-ha-ha.
- Okay, that one was really close.
- Sara, we're gonna be fine.
Sara! - Sara! - Aah! Sara.
- Oliver! Oliver! - Sara! - No! No! No, dad, she's out there! - She's not there.
Sara! - She's gone.
- Oliver! Wake up.
Oliver! Oliver! - I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry.
- No, it's okay, Oliver.
It's all right, sweetheart.
You're home.
You're home.
- Where did you get these? - Roxies.
Thank you, Daddy's ACL tear.
- Ollie.
- No one's called me that in a while, Speedy.
Worst nickname ever.
What, always chasing after me as a kid? I thought it fit pretty well.
- Maybe it still does? - See you at school, Speedy.
- Sorry about her.
- I have something for you.
You did not come back from a deserted island with a souvenir.
It's a Hozen and in Buddhism, it symbolizes reconnecting.
I kept it, in hopes that one day it would reconnect me with you.
A rock.
That is sweet.
I want one of those T-shirts that says "My friend was a castaway and all I got was this crappy shirt.
" Don't let him get you into too much trouble.
You just got back.
Take it slow.
Ahem.
The city awaits.
Have you noticed how hot your sister's gotten? Because I have not.
- Your funeral blew.
- You get lucky? Fish in a barrel.
They were so sad and huggy-- - No.
- And I'm counting on another target-rich environment for your welcome home bash.
- At my what? - You came back from the dead.
This calls for a party.
You tell me where and when.
I'll take care of everything.
This city's gone to crap.
Your dad sold his factory just in time.
Why'd you wanna drive through this neighborhood anyway? - No reason.
- So, what'd you miss the most? Steaks at The Palm? Drinks at The Station? - Meaningless sex? - Laurel.
Everyone is happy you're alive.
You wanna see the one person who isn't? Laurel, I just got this from Hunt's lawyers.
They filed a change of venue.
We're now in front of Judge Grell.
- Hunt funded Grell's re-election campaign.
- Mm-hm.
- Grell's in his back pocket.
- It's fun being your friend.
I get to say "I told you so" a lot.
Adam Hunt is not smarter than we are.
He's richer and willing to commit felonies.
- We don't need to go outside the law-- - To find justice.
Your dad's favorite jingle.
Hello, Laurel.
You went to law school.
You said you would.
Yeah.
Everyone's proud.
Adam Hunt's a heavy hitter.
You sure you wanna get in the ring with him? Five years and you wanna talk about Adam Hunt? No.
Not really.
- Why are you here, Ollie? - To apologize.
It was my fault.
I wanted to ask you not to blame her.
For what? Falling under your spell? How could I possibly blame her for doing the same things that I did? - I never meant to-- - She was my sister.
I couldn't be angry because she was dead.
I couldn't grieve because I was so angry.
That's what happens when your sister dies while screwing your boyfriend.
We buried an empty coffin.
Because her body was at the bottom of the ocean where you left her.
It should've been you.
I know that it's too late to say this but I'm sorry.
Yeah, I'm sorry too.
I'd hoped that you'd rot in hell a whole lot longer than five years.
How'd you think that was gonna go, Tommy? About like that.
We took care of that.
Good call.
Now we can make up for lost time.
If you're not sick of fish let's find some leggy models and eat sushi off them.
What do you say? What the hell? Hey! Here, son.
Drink.
What the hell are you doing? That's all we've got.
If anybody's making it out of here, it's gonna be him.
I'm so sorry, I thought I'd have more time.
I'm not the man you think I am.
I didn't build our city.
I failed it.
- And I wasn't the only one.
- Mr.
Queen? Mr.
Queen? Did your father survive that accident? I ask the questions.
You give me the answers.
Did he make it to the island? Did he tell you anything? Yes, he did.
What did he tell you, Mr.
Queen? He told me I'm gonna kill you.
You're delusional.
You're zip-cuffed to that chair.
Not anymore.
- He killed that man.
- You don't have to do this.
Yes, I do.
Nobody can know my secret.
So that's your story? A guy in a green hood flew in and single-handedly took out three armed kidnappers? I mean, who is he? Why would he do that? I don't know.
Find him and you can ask.
Yeah.
What about you? You see the hood guy? I saw just movement.
Everything blurry.
I was kind of out of it.
Yeah.
It's funny, isn't it? One day back and somebody's gunning for you.
Aren't you popular? Were you able to identify the men? Scrubbed identities.
Untraceable weapons.
- These were pros.
- Yeah.
They figured you'd pay a king's ransom to get your boy back.
Or a Queen's ransom, as it were.
After all, a parent would do anything to keep their child safe.
I don't find your tone appropriate, detective.
If Oliver can think of anything else, he'll be in touch.
Thank you, gentlemen, for coming.
Your luck never seems to run out, does it? You are different.
Not like you to read a book.
I missed you, Raisa.
- No kitchen on the island.
- No.
No friends, either.
Hey thank you.
- Do I really seem different? - No.
- You're still a good boy.
- Oh, I think we both know I wasn't.
But a good heart.
I hope so.
I wanna be the person you always told me I could be.
Oliver I wanna introduce you to someone, John Diggle.
- He'll accompany you from now on.
- I don't need a babysitter.
Darling, Oliver's a grown man.
If he doesn't feel he needs armed protection-- You know, I understand but this is something I need.
So what do I call you? Diggle's good.
- Dig, if you want.
- You're ex-military? Yes, sir.
105th Airborne out of Kandahar, retired.
Been in the private sector a little more than four years now.
I don't want there to be any confusion.
My ability to keep you from harm will outweigh your comfort.
Do we have an agreement? Sir? Sir? The abduction was unexpected.
It forced me to move up my plans.
What I told the police was true.
The man in the green hood was in that warehouse and he's just beginning.
The suit alleges Hunt committed acts of fraud and theft against the underprivileged.
Laurel Lance, attorney for the city Adam Hunt.
His crimes go deeper than fraud and theft but he's been able to bully, bribe, or kill anyone who's gotten into his way.
He hasn't met me yet.
Remind Grell I put him on the bench.
I can take him off.
- I will turn him into a cautionary tale.
- Yes, Mr.
Hunt.
And this attorney, Laurel Lance? You said she wasn't gonna be a problem anymore.
I told you to fix that situation.
Why are you still here? Get in the car! Hey, you missed.
What? What? Look, just-- Just tell me what you want.
You're gonna transfer $40 million into Starling City Bank account - 1141 by 10 p.
m.
tomorrow night.
- Or what? Or I'm gonna take it.
And you won't like how.
If I see you again, you're dead.
He was wearing a hood.
A green hood.
And had a bow and arrow.
What, you don't believe me? That maniac put two of my men in the hospital.
Well, thanks for your statement.
We'll put out an APB on Robin Hood.
Hey, pal, I'm not some grocer who got taken for his register.
I go to the front of the line.
He said he'd be back here by 10 p.
m.
Make sure you're here first.
You can coordinate with Mr.
Drakon, my new head of security.
All right.
Well, uh, thanks for your time.
Looks like Queen was telling the truth.
Yeah, well, there's a first time for everything.
This hooded guy comes looking for trouble, he'll find it.
Put on your seatbelt, sir.
Wouldn't want you to miss your party.
Everybody, he)” Man of the hour! And, ladies, please give this man a proper homecoming.
Thank you very much, everybody! Ollie, Ollie, Ollie.
I missed tequila.
What the hell's going on out there? Across the street.
Party for the guy they rescued off that island.
Oliver Queen.
- Bye.
- Hey, does he wipe for you too? Now, by my rough estimate, you have not had sex in 1839 days.
As your wing man, I highly recommend Carmen Golden.
- Which one? - She looks like the chick from Twilight.
- What's Twilight? - You're so better off not knowing.
Back in a minute.
- Ollie, hey! This party is sick.
- Who let you in here? I believe it was somebody who said, "Right this way, Miss Queen.
" - Well, you shouldn't be here.
- Oh, I'm not 12 anymore.
No, you're 17.
Ollie, I love you, but you can't come back here and judge me.
Especially for being just like you.
It couldn't have been easy when I was away.
Away? No, you died.
My brother and my father died.
- I went to your funerals.
- I know.
No, you don't.
Mom had Walter.
And I had no one.
Now, you guys all act like it's cool, let's forget about the last five years.
Well, I can't.
For me, it's kind of permanently in there.
I'm sorry if I've turned out a major disappointment but this, me, is the best I could do with what I had to work with.
Let's bounce.
- You have the fun dip? - Yeah.
It's right here.
No, I must've dropped it.
Oh! Oh.
- You're here.
- Tommy.
He made the point that we have too many years between us to leave things the way we left them.
Is there some place quieter that we could go? Yeah.
I'm sorry about saying that you should've been the one who died.
That was wrong.
If I could trade places with her, I would.
About Sara There's something that I've been afraid to ask, but I need to know.
Okay.
When she died did she suffer? - Aah! Sara! - Aah! No.
I think about her every day.
Me too.
I guess we still have one thing in common, then.
I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but if you need someone to talk to about what happened to you, I'm here.
- Something wrong? - I asked somebody to do something.
They didn't do it.
Laurel you always saw the best in me.
Right now, that's what you're doing.
Looking at me and you're wondering if that island changed me somehow if it made me a better person.
It didn't.
Stay away from me.
Otherwise, I'm just gonna hurt you again.
But this time, it will be worse.
Gotta roll.
I got five years of debauchery to catch up on.
You know what, Oliver? You're wrong.
That island did change you.
At least now you're honest.
Something I can help you with, sir? - I just want a second to myself.
- I would believe you if you weren't full of crap.
Party's this way.
It's locked.
You two cover the elevator.
Hang back and be ready.
Stay in the corners and stay alert.
It's past 10.
He's never getting in here.
- All's clear.
- Yeah.
- You missed! - Really? He's here! All units converge.
All units converge.
Go right, go right.
On me.
Lay down your weapons or we will open fire.
I repeat, lay down your weapons! Tell me you saw that.
Okay.
Let's go.
Move! Search the building.
Roof to basement.
Find him.
Starling City police.
The party's over, kids.
Oh, Mr.
Merlyn.
Imagine my shock to find you here.
Roofie anyone special tonight? Detective.
This is a private party.
There was an incident at Adam Hunt's building.
Know about that? - Who's he? - A millionaire bottom feeder.
I'm surprised you aren't friends.
I've been out of town for a while.
Yeah.
Well, he just got attacked by the guy with the hood.
The guy that saved your ass the other day.
- You didn't find him? - Yeah.
I'm gonna offer a reward.
Hey, everybody.
Two million dollars to anybody that can find a nut bar in a green hood.
- Did you even try to save her? - Okay, let's go partner.
Did you even try to save my daughter? Sara wouldn't want this.
It's not.
Partner, let's go.
It's all right.
Let's go.
- It's too quiet in here! This is a party.
- Yeah! Some coincidence.
You asking to have your party here and Hunt getting robbed next door.
And by the same guy who rescued us at the warehouse.
If I were you, Tommy, I'd just be glad you're alive.
- What happened to you on that island? - A lot.
What the hell are you talking about? Forty million dollars doesn't just up and vanish.
Untraceable? It is $40 million.
Find it! How did he do it? There's not enough for all of us.
- Save your strength.
- You can survive this.
Make it home, make it better.
Right my wrongs.
But you gotta live through this first.
You hear me, Ollie? You hear me, son? Just rest, Dad.
No.
- Dad.
- Survive.
No! If, hypothetically, $50,000 magically appeared in your bank account, it might be best not to speak about it.
To anyone.
Ever.
God bless you too.
I just got a very grateful phone call from one of our clients against Adam Hunt.
Me too.
It looks like Starling City has a guardian angel.
By the way, your cute friend's here.
You left the party quick last night, even after I stocked the bar with Pinot Noir.
It wasn't really my scene.
I thought maybe you and Oliver went mano-a-mano again.
I saw you two head out.
There's nothing between Oliver and I.
Not anymore.
And here I thought the only thing between you and Oliver was us.
I wouldn't characterize us as an us, Tommy.
- Then what would you call it? - A lapse.
It's quite a few lapses.
Your place.
My place.
My place again.
Come on, Merlyn.
We both know that you're not a one-girl type of guy.
Depends on the girl.
I have to go back to work.
Dinah Laurel Lance.
Always trying to save the world.
Hey, If I don't try and save it, who will? She says the island changed me.
She has no idea how much.
There are many more names on the list those who rule my city through intimidation and fear.
Every last one of them will wish I had died on that island.
The police failed to identify the men I hired to kidnap Oliver.
And they never will.
- Should we arrange another abduction? - No.
There are other ways of finding out what my son knows.

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