History Recap / ArrowS4E19CanaryCry

* {{Retcon}}: A pretty large one with [[spoiler: flashbacks to just after Tommy's death showing Oliver not attending Tommy's funeral, Laurel being relatively upbeat and optimistic, Oliver and Laurel kissing and getting back together, Laurel planning their future and then Oliver dumping her again and heading to Lian Yu. The comics that accompany the TV show - and were considered canon - previously showed Oliver speaking at Tommy's funeral and Laurel too grief-stricken to see Oliver. Their scenes in 2x01 also implied they hadn't spoken since the Season 1 finale and had ''Laurel'' being the one to say they can't get back together. (Plus Laurel was broken-hearted over Tommy for much of Season 2). The retcon unfortunately makes it look like Laurel was relatively unaffected by Tommy's death and her Season 2 spiral was more over Oliver ditching her again.]]

** Dinah finally makes another appearance, after Alex Kingston's unavailability forced some awkward writing on how she found out about Sara's resurrection.
** Oliver's former campaign assistant makes his return.

* NotNamedInOpeningCredits: Grant Gustin is not credited for his role as Barry Allen at the end of the episode. Justified, however, because the footage was shot for [[Recap/ArrowS4E1GreenArrow the season premiere]] and was simply re-used here.
* OffscreenBreakup: An interesting subversion in that the flashbacks shown are Oliver and Laurel's OffscreenBreakup between the Season 1 finale and the Season 2 premiere.

* WouldHitAGirl: Diggle pistol-whips Ruvé Adams in the face.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Felicity is actively encouraging Oliver to kill Darhk, a sign of how much Laurel's murder affected her.

** Oliver chews out Diggle for trying to kill Ruvé, pointing out it won't achieve anything to kill Star City's new and powerful mayor.

* HeroWithBadPublicity: Thanks to John and Evelyn's rash actions, Ruvé is able to turn the city against Team Arrow. However, Oliver tells everyone at Laurel's funeral that she was the real Black Canary, in order to persevere her legacy.

* BackFromTheDead: Averted. No matter how badly Quentin wants to evoke this, Laurel ain't coming back.

* CosmicPlaything: The Lance Family.

* HeroWithBadPublicity: Thanks to John and Evelyn's rash actions, Ruve is able to turn the city against Team Arrow. However, Oliver tells everyone at Laurel's funeral that she was the real Black Canary, in order to persevere her legacy.
* FiveStagesOfGrief: Quentin spends a good chunk in denial before he has to accept that Laurel isn't ever coming back.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Diggle's attacking Ruve, gives her an excuse to reform the Anti-Vigilant Taskforce.

* PlotHole: It's never explained how Evelyn managed to bypass Cisco's security lock on the Canary Cry or how she connects Ruve to Hive.
* TheReveal: We finally find out who Oliver said he'd kill in the premiere - Laurel's murderer Damian Darhk.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Ruve, since there's no official connection between her and Darhk.

** Oliver chews out Diggle for trying to kill Ruve, pointing out it won't achieve anything to kill Star City's new and powerful mayor.

** Averted with Oliver, who notes that he ''use'' to think this way, but he makes it clear that he blames Darhk and he's going to kill him.

* TheCameo: Barry at Laurel's funeral.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Ruve, since there's no official connection between her and Darhk.

* {{Hypocrite}}. Oliver once again, who scolds John for going after Ruve in order to find Andy and [[HeWhoFightsMonsters stepping down to the same level his enemies are]]....only for himself to promise later that he will kill Darhk.

* AbsenteeActor: Merlyn, Darhk, and Andy are absent from this episode.

* TheBusCameBack: Nyssa comes back to attend the funeral.

** Also, the opening scene appears at first to be Laurel's, but it's actually a flashback to Tommy's.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When Nyssa has to tell Quentin she destroyed the Lazarus Pit, you can tell from her face that she regrets it, especially since it was especially since it was just to spite Merlyn.

* PlotHole: It's never explained how Evelyn managed to bypass Cisco's security lock on the Canary Cry.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Evelyn wants revenge on Hive for killing her parents in their gas chambers.

* BaitAndSwitch: For a brief moment, we some how think that Laurel some how survived, but it's just some girl who stole her gear.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When Nyssa has to tell Quentin she destroyed the Lazarus Pit, you can tell from her face that she regrets it.

* PlotHole: It's never explained how Evelyn managed to bypass Cisco's security lock on the Canary Cry.

* AbsenteeActor: Both Merlyn, Darhk, and Andy are absent from this episode.