Betrayal

"Betrayal" is the thirteenth episode of the first season of Arrow. It aired on February 6, 2013.

Synopsis
Cyrus Vanch, a gangter incarcerted for drug running, human trafficking, racketeering, and murder, is released from Iron Heights prison on a technicality and his girlfriend Vivian picks him up. They then go to the mansion of Cyrus' lawyer, George Wolfman. Cyrus accuses George of botching his trial, leading to his incarceration. George cites the Hood vigilante taking down Frank Bertinelli and China White, and the Huntress murdering White's boss, as "contingencies that couldn't be anticipated." Cyrus hugs him in understanding, claiming that all is forgiven... then stabs him with a switchblade and appropriates the mansion as his own.

At the Arrowcave, Oliver shows Diggle the notebook he got from Felicity. Diggle finds it suspicious that Moira would have a copy of her late husband's list, but Oliver attempts to write it off as a coincidence. Diggle understands Oliver wanting to believe that his mother is innocent, but the evidence is suggesting otherwise, especially Walter's recent disapperance.

Using the map he stole from the mercanary camp, Oliver comes upon the remains of a downed cargo plane. As he attempts to loot the supply cache, an Australian man in commando gear drops down from a hole in the ceiling and holds a sword to Oliver's throat. Oliver tells him that Yao Fei sent him.

At the police station, Quentin and his commanding officer, Lt. Pike, are arguing over Quentin's recent change of assignment. Quentin insists he is getting close to catching the Hood, but Pike notes that the vigilante has done a lot of good in recent months, and demand for his capture is beginning to wane.

Moira is getting ready to leave Queen Manor when Oliver tactfully confronts her about the notebook. He claimes to have looked up the names online and discovered they are all bad people. Moira tells Oliver that prior to his death, Robert kept a list of people who owed him favors. She reminds him that Robert kept many secrets from the family. She proceeds to destroy the notebook, citing that Walter's disappearance as proof that the only way to keep the family safe is to stop asking questions.

Thea begins her CNRI internship with Laurel, and is introduced to Anastasia, who is on pro bono sabbatical from her high-paying law firm. Anastasia tells Laurel about Cyrus's recent release from prison. Laurel protests, but the District Attorney is adamant that there is nothing they can do without new evidence. As she plans her next move, she gets a call from Tommy, inviting her to join in sampling some chefs who are being auditioned for the club, but Laurel says that she has to call someone and says that she'll go out with him the next night.

Oliver returns to the Arrowcave and tells Diggle about the destruction of the notebook. Diggle sees it as a confirmation that Moira is hiding something, and says that if it were anyone else, Oliver would be donning the Green Arrow hood and confronting them. Their conversation is interrupted when Laurel calls Oliver's ghost phone. Laurel tells him that she needs evidence that will put Vanch back behind bars. Oliver points out that he doesn't gather evidence but Laurel insists that The Hood is the only one who can help her. As Oliver leaves to help her, Diggle asks if he is just using this as an excuse to run away from the truth about Moira. Oliver refuses to dignify this with a response. CTU tech Kelton informs Quentin that after listening in on the bugged cell phone, he's confirmed that Laurel is meeting with The Hood. Quentin heads to Pike's office, saying that if there is a task force, he wants to be on it.

Vanch tells Vivian that with White and Bertinelli out of the picture, there is a power vaccuum in Starling City's underworld, and he plans on filling it. He plans to do "something spectacular" to earn the respect of the other gangs. While they converse, Arrow sneaks into Vanch's mansion, takes out a few of his guards and ends up shooting an arrow into a wall near him. Vanch pulls out the arrow and tells Vivian his plan is to get rid of Arrow.

Laurel and Tommy are preparing to go out when Laurel gets a call from The Hood. He tells her that he has evidence on Vanch and to meet him at the Winnick Building. Meanwhile, Quentin listens in and then tells his task force that they're to use rubber bullets to keep Laurel unharmed, but to do whatever it takes to capture The Hood. As he prepares to go, Lucas warns Quentin that Laurel won't be happy when she learns that her father used her as bait. Quentin insists that Laurel is disobeying his orders to stay away from the vigilante. Meanwhile, Laurel tells Tommy that she has some work to take care of and will meet him in a few hours. When Moira's regular chauffer mysteriously calls in sick, Diggle arranges to take his place. She has him drop her off at a restaurant. Once she goes inside, Diggle follows her in only to discover that she's attending a friend's birthday party. When Moira asks why he's there, Diggle says that he looking for the restroom.

Laurel meets The Hood on the roof of Winnick Building and he gives her the recording he made of Vanch's plans. Quentin and his men storm the roof and The Hood grabs Laurel and uses her as a shield. After giving her a whispered apology, The Hood leaps off the roof to the patio below and ducks into the building. Quentin recklessly charges after him, but The Hood knocks him out and makes his escape.

At the precinct, Laurel expresses her outrage at being manipulated. When Quentin reminds her that she disobeyed his orders, Laurel points out that he bugged the phone after warning her and he wanted her to contact The Hood, and his obsession is leading him down a self-destructive path. Quentin tells her that he will need the ghost phone back. Disgusted, Laurel slams it down on the desk and walks away.

Oliver tells Diggle about the ambush, and Diggle suggests that Oliver "cannot see straight" with either Laurel or Moira. He has been surveilling Moira, because someone with an unbiased perspective needs to keep an eye on her. Oliver initially disapproves, but Diggle convinces him that there is nothing wrong with driving her around for a few days.

Laurel tells Tommy about how her father used her as bait to entrap The Hood. Tommy disapproves of her meeting the Hood, saying that even if he has helped her, he's still a killer. He says he can sympathize with her over the fact that someone close to her has been lying. The next morning, Cyrus is watching a news report on the failed sting against The Hood when Vivian informs him of a hot tip she received from their mole in the police department: they can use Laurel as bait to bring The Hood to them.

Tommy visits Oliver at the manor and tells him what happened with Laurel. Oliver is surprised that Laurel is lying to Tommy, and Tommy points out that Laurel has always been intrigued by bad boys like The Hood. Trying to reassure his friend, Oliver tells Tommy to fix things with Laurel before it's too late.

The commando tells Oliver that he has been working with Yao Fei for months, trying to find a way off the island. They found the airfield but Yao Fei was compromised and forced to work with Fyers. The man then gives Oliver a ninjato and admits that he'll need someone to help him take the airfield now that Yao Fei is gone. However, if Oliver is supposed to have his back, he needs to make sure he can cover it. The two spar, with Oliver being easily overpowered. Oliver insists that he's no soldier and that he only killed the mercenary by accident, and he ran when Yao Fei told him to. Disgusted, the man knocks him unconscious with one punch.

Laurel is leaving a message of apology for Tommy when someone knocks at her door. When she answers it, two of Cyrus' men break in. Laurel manages to fend them both off and runs for the door, only for Cyrus to step in and taser her unconscious.

Diggle drops off Moira at who she claims is her accountant. Once she goes inside, Diggle follows her and sneaks into a supply closet next to the office. Using a listening device, Diggle overhears Moira talking to Malcolm Merlyn, telling him that she's made sure that Carl Ballard won't interfere with "the undertaking." Malcolm then tells Moira to get rid of the wreckage of Robert's yacht, saying that there's no need to look for evidence of sabotage even though Moira is sure that it happened. Malcolm's bodyguard comes into the closet and sees Diggle, and asks what he's doing there. Diggle claims that he was looking for a place to smoke and shows him the cigarette lighter that he substituted for the listening device.

When Tommy returns to the apartment, he finds it in disarray and discovers The Hood's transmitter arrow stuck in the wall. He takes it to Quentin and they play back a recording of Cyrus telling them to send The Hood to meet with him. Quentin realizes that only someone in the squad could have overheard his earlier conversation with Laurel about The Hood and her connection to the vigilante. He tells Tommy that he can't trust his own men and says that he has to make a call.

Diggle plays Oliver the recording of the conversation between Moira and Malcolm, and Oliver is shocked that the accident with the yacht was no accident. However, he insists that Moira couldn't have been involved. Diggle doesn't believe it and figures that the recording shows that she's involved, but they're interrupted when Quentin calls on the cell phone. He asks The Hood to help him since Vanch kidnapped Laurel.

Oliver awakens to find that he has been tied to a chair. The commando reiterates that he needs someone else to help him retake the airfield, but Oliver is too weak to be of any use to him. He now plans to kill Oliver so he can't be captured and reveal his location to Fyers. Oliver finally injures his hands to pull himself free of the ropes and then punches his captor. Surprised and impressed, the man introduces him as Slade Wilson and says that Oliver might have some fight in him after all.

The Hood meets Quentin on a roof and the detective admits that he hates everything that the vigilante stands for. However, because there is a security leak in the precinct, he has no one else to turn to. The Hood admits that Vanch's mansion is too heavily fortified to take on alone, and tells Quentin that he'll have to help him.

At the home, Vanch tells Laurel that her time is running out and that he has trained men placed around the house. He's unaware that The Hood is already on the grounds, taking out the men in ones and twos. Meanwhile, Vanch tells Laurel that he's confirmed that The Hood always carries 24 arrows and flechettes... and he has 25 men armed with automatic weapons. A guard captures The Hood when he runs out of weapons and brings him to Vanch. Vanch orders his man to kill the vigilante, but Quentin arrives, kills the last man, and prepares to shoot Vanch. Oliver reminds him that he's a cop, not a vigilante, and Quentin gets control of himself and punches Vanch out while the vigilante slips away.

Quentin takes Laurel back to the station and makes sure that she's okay, and then offers to drive her home. His daughter refuses, saying that she doesn't want to be around him as long as she can't trust him. As Laurel goes to her car, The Hood steps out and asks if she's okay. She says that she is and that her father has the phone back. Laurel assures the vigilante that she knew the risk, but Oliver refuses to let her take them. As Tommy runs up, Oliver slips into the shadows. Relieved that she's alive and unharmed, Tommy hugs Laurel and assures her that nothing else matters as long as she's okay.

Slade warns Oliver that he'll kill him if he ruins his escape attempt, but Oliver points out that if he's dead then Slade will have nobody else to help him. When he asks what they should do next, Slade tells him to pick out a weapon from his supplies. When Oliver goes through them, he finds the black-orange Deathstroke mask and assumes that Slade was the man who tortured him. Slade reveals that he is a member of Team 7, an elite division of the Australian Special Forces, hence the unique mask design. He and a partner were sent to the island to extract Yao Fei, but the partner ended up going rogue. It was this ex-partner, not Slade, that tortured Oliver and captured Yao Fei.

Oliver reviews Diggle's recording and is devastated to learn of Moira's complicity in his father's death. Diggle suggests that blind trust can be dangerous and they figure that they need to know what "the undertaking" is and how Moira is involved. Oliver suits up and says that he's going to talk with his mother.

Moira is holding a meeting in her office when The Hood swings in through the window and takes out the guards. He then turns to Moira, accuses her of failing the city.

Plot
Oliver confronts his mother about the list of names, but she denies any knowledge and throws the book into the fire. Diggle does not trust Moira and decides to look into her daily activities. Oliver has flashbacks to his time on the island, where he met Slade Wilson, an Australian Intelligence operative who came to the island to free Yao Fei. Laurel enlists the help of the vigilante when criminal Cyrus Vanch is released from prison on a technicality. Oliver acquires evidence that could put Vanch back behind bars, but Vanch discovers what the vigilante is up to and kidnaps Laurel in an attempt to kill the vigilante and take leadership over the city's gangs. Detective Lance and the vigilante team up to save Laurel, as Lance realizes that Vanch has contacts on the police force and that was how he learned of Laurel working with the vigilante. The pair save Laurel, with Oliver stopping Lance from killing Vanch as revenge for kidnapping Laurel. In order to protect Laurel, Oliver decides that she can no longer have contact with him. Diggle presents evidence to Oliver that his mother is connected to the group he is hunting, and that she also knew that his father's yacht was sabotaged and kept it to herself. In response, Oliver decides to interrogate his mother again, but this time as the vigilante.

Production
Preparation ran from November 16 until November 26, 2012. Shooting ran from November 27 until December 6, 2012.

Behind the Scenes

 * Malcolm's office door reads "Faquet-Lemaitre Consulting". This is likely a misnamed reference to Dominique Fauquet-Lemaitre, a recurring set decorator on Arrow.