Vertigo


 * For the eponymous drug, see Vertigo (drug).

"Vertigo" is the twelfth episode of the first season of Arrow. It aired on January 30, 2013.

Synopsis
Open with Arrow chasing a drug dealer who sells something called Vertigo. The guy admits he's supplied by someone named The Count.

Queen tells Digs how fired-up he is to get this Count. Digs reminds him that Thea's hearing is coming up in a few hours.

Outside the courthouse Thea is bombarded by a huge media throng. Thea has worked out a plea arrangement with the prosecutor but the judge denies the deal, saying he wants to make her the poster child for the city's Vertigo problem.

The Queen's attorney gets to work on an appeal, but tells the family to be prepared for her to do jail time.

Queen flashes back to being behind bars on the island. He tells Fei to let him go, reminding him that he returned for him. Fei says "I can't" and walks away.

Queen drops by the police station and meets with a vice detective named Hall he knew from their younger days. She is aware of the Count's name and shows him a file. She gently asks him to let the police handle the situation. Lance notices Queen is snooping around and asks Hall about it.

In order to make an example the Count injects pure Vertigo directly into the blood stream of the dealer from the opening scene. This apparently creates agonizing pain for hours or days and eventually causes the person's heart to give out. The Count hands him a gun with one bullet, giving him the option to take revenge or end the misery. The man shoots himself. The Count finds it "interesting" that Arrow is coming for him.

Laurel and Tommy discuss their radically opposite schedules. Queen shows up and asks Laurel about Thea's judge. He wants her to see if her father can help.

Laurel tells Lance she sees potential in Thea and doesn't think she needs prison. Lance says he'll make a few calls.

Queen meets with his Bratva connections to try and get connected with The Count. He says he's interested in the drug business. In exchange for the help they ask him to kill a man. Queen obliges.

This leads to a flashback to the island. Fei brings Queen to an organized fighting circle Fyers is using for unite cohesion. Fei shoves him into the circle and it appears they are to fight.

Back in present day Queen puts the body of the man he seemingly had just killed into his trunk. He places his finger under the man's chin and he pops back to life. Queen tells Diggs that in order not to blow his Bratva connection his plan is to meet with The Count as himself, then follow him to his hideout.

Laurel and Queen talk to Thea about her legal situation. Thea says the judge has agreed to two years of probation and community service, provided Laurel supervises her. Thea says she doesn't want to do it and Queen is furious. After Laurel leaves Thea says essentially that she wants to go to jail to ruin Moira's life. Queen tells her their father admitted he was a liar on the boat. Moira overhears this and is upset with Queen.

Queen and Diggs meet with The Count. Queen says he wants to have something to offer his nightclubs customers. The Count tells him that 56 people died to perfect his product. Lance and Hall pull up with several vehicles to bust the meeting. The Count gets away, on his way injecting Queen in the chest with what we assume is the pure form of Vertigo. Queen and Diggs manage to get away.

Diggs mixes up some kind of medicine and gives it to Queen.

During a flashback Queen recalls his fight with Fei. Fei beats him severely, then does the fake death move on Queen.

Queen wakes up from his Vertigo state, with Diggs telling him that The Count only got a half dose into him. Queen's told that The Count got away but they have a sample of what he injected into him.

Lance and Hall pay Queen a visit. Hall says she saw him at the scene. Queen tells them he was working on getting The Count. Lance says if they spot him at another deal he'll be put in jail. Moira tells Thea she had been lying to her about Robert because she wanted to preserve her positive memory of him. They appear to make up.

Queen is still suffering some effect from his overdose. He collapses on the stairs.

During another island flashback we see Fei dump Queen into the river in full view of Fyers.

In present day Diggs wants to take Queen to the hospital. He declines. Queen brings the Vertigo to Felicity for analysis, hoping she can tell him what part of the city it was made. She finds it was made near an abandoned juvenile detention center. Against Diggs' wishes Queen goes after The Count.

Unable to handle his bow because of the overdose Arrow has to fight his way through The Count's soldiers. As he makes his way up to the area where the drug is being made the police arrive. Arrow fights with The Count and begins injecting him with his own product. At this moment Lance arrives. Arrow shoves The Count away and leaves the scene.

Thea comes to her senses and decides to take the deal working for Laurel.

Hall gives Queen a call with word The Count has been arrested and put out of business. We see the Count battling for his life in a hospital.

Another island flashback: When Queen hits the water he wakes up and is able to swim to shore. In his pocket he finds a map Fei has slipped in there.

In present day Felicity asks Queen to meet her. After asking if she can trust him, Felicity shows him a book identical to his father's. She says she got it from Walter, who told her it belongs to Moira. Felicity thinks the list cost Walter his life.

Plot
Open with Arrow chasing a drug dealer who sells something called Vertigo. The guy admits he's supplied by someone named The Count.

Queen tells Diggle how fired-up he is to get this Count. Diggle reminds him that Thea's hearing is coming up in a few hours.

Outside the courthouse Thea is bombarded by a huge media throng. Thea has worked out a plea arrangement with the prosecutor but the judge denies the deal, saying he wants to make her the poster child for the city's Vertigo problem.

The Queen's attorney gets to work on an appeal, but tells the family to be prepared for her to do jail time.

Queen flashes back to being behind bars on the island. He tells Yao Fei  to let him go, reminding him that he returned for him. Fei says "I can't" and walks away.

Queen drops by the police station and meets with a vice detective named Hall he knew from their younger days. She is aware of the Count's name and shows him a file. She gently asks him to let the police handle the situation. Lance notices Queen is snooping around and asks Hall about it.

In order to make an example the Count injects pure Vertigo directly into the blood stream of the dealer from the opening scene. This apparently creates agonizing pain for hours or days and eventually causes the person's heart to give out. The Count hands him a gun with one bullet, giving him the option to take revenge or end the misery. The man shoots himself. The Count finds it "interesting" that Arrow is coming for him.

Laurel and Tommy discuss their radically opposite schedules. Queen shows up and asks Laurel about Thea's judge. He wants her to see if her father can help.

Laurel tells Lance she sees potential in Thea and doesn't think she needs prison. Lance says he'll make a few calls.

Queen meets with his Bratva connections to try and get connected with The Count. He says he's interested in the drug business. In exchange for the help they ask him to kill a man. Queen obliges.

This leads to a flashback to the island. Fei brings Queen to an organized fighting circle Fyers is using for unite cohesion. Fei shoves him into the circle and it appears they are to fight.

Back in present day Queen puts the body of the man he seemingly had just killed into his trunk. He places his finger under the man's chin and he pops back to life. Queen tells Diggle that in order not to blow his Bratva connection his plan is to meet with The Count as himself, then follow him to his hideout.

Laurel and Queen talk to Thea about her legal situation. Thea says the judge has agreed to two years of probation and community service, provided Laurel supervises her. Thea says she doesn't want to do it and Queen is furious. After Laurel leaves Thea says essentially that she wants to go to jail to ruin Moira's life. Queen tells her their father admitted he was a liar on the boat. Moira overhears this and is upset with Queen.

Queen and Diggle meet with The Count. Queen says he wants to have something to offer his nightclubs customers. The Count tells him that 56 people died to perfect his product. Lance and McKenna Hall  pull up with several vehicles to bust the meeting. The Count gets away, on his way injecting Queen in the chest with the pure form of Vertigo. Queen and Diggle manage to get away.

Diggle mixes up some kind of medicine and gives it to Queen.

During a flashback Queen recalls his fight with Fei. Fei beats him severely, then does the fake death move on Queen.

Queen wakes up from his Vertigo state, with Diggle telling him that The Count only got a half dose into him. Queen's told that The Count got away but they have a sample of what he injected into him.

Lance and Hall pay Queen a visit. Hall says she saw him at the scene. Queen tells them he was working on getting The Count. Lance says if they spot him at another deal he'll be put in jail. Moira tells Thea she had been lying to her about Robert because she wanted to preserve her positive memory of him. They appear to make up.

Queen is still suffering some effect from his overdose. He collapses on the stairs.

During another island flashback we see Fei dump Queen into the river in full view of Fyers.

In present day Diggle wants to take Queen to the hospital. He declines. Queen brings the Vertigo to Felicity for analysis, hoping she can tell him what part of the city it was made. She finds it was made near an abandoned juvenile detention center. Against Diggle' wishes Queen goes after The Count.

Unable to handle his bow because of the overdose Arrow has to fight his way through The Count's soldiers. As he makes his way up to the area where the drug is being made the police arrive. Arrow fights with The Count and begins injecting him with his own product. At this moment Lance arrives. Arrow shoves The Count away and leaves the scene.

Thea comes to her senses and decides to take the deal working for Laurel.

Hall gives Oliver a call with word The Count has been arrested and put out of business. We see the Count battling for his life in a hospital.

Another island flashback: When Queen hits the water he wakes up and is able to swim to shore. In his pocket he finds a map Fei has slipped in there.

In present day Felicity Smoak asks Queen to meet her. After asking if she can trust him, Felicity shows him a book identical to his father's. She says she got it from Walter, who told her it belongs to Moira. Felicity thinks the list cost Walter his life.

Production
Preparation ran from November 5 until November 14, 2012. Shooting ran from November 15 until November 26, 2012.