The Slabside Redemption

My name is Oliver Queen.

After years of being a vigilante, the only way to achieve my goal and save my city was to confess to being the Green Arrow.

Now my family and friends must carry on my mission without me.

I am no longer a hero.

I am inmate.

Previously on "Arrow"...

Hmm?

Felicity, don't.

We need him to help Oliver.

I made a deal with the feds, a trade...

Diaz for your husband.

Oliver's coming home?

Why'd you kill Dunbar?

I didn't kill that guard.

OLIVER: Your blade says you did.

Guards found prints on it.

Turner, you're going to the hole.

W-wait. You got the wrong guy.

If you hadn't found Turner's blade, it would have been all over for me.

You were in the hole, Stanley, so how'd you know it was Turner's blade?

I guess I must have heard it somewhere.

[INDISTINCT P.A. ANNOUNCEMENTS]

Good morning,.

A beautiful day.

Be ready for an escort to receiving and releasing in hours.

As of this afternoon, you will be a pain in someone else's ass.

[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER P.A.]

Did you know Queen's getting out of here today?

I did, actually.

He told me...

When I told him how much I was gonna pay.

Get me a change of clothes.

Get rid of them.

I got a score to settle.

[CHUCKLES]

I can't believe it.

You're gonna get out of here, be able to eat real food, not this crap.

I'm really happy for you, man.

I mean, I'm gonna miss you, but the Green Arrow never should've been put behind bars.

Remember when I told you that I was wrongfully accused?

I was thinking maybe now that you're getting out, you could ask your friend Laurel to help with my appeal, too.

Stop.

I know. It's a big ask, but, honestly, I don't know how long I can survive in here without you.

Stanley, I'm not gonna help you, okay, because in here is exactly where you belong.

What are you talking about?

You killed Dunbar, and then you manipulated me into blaming Turner for it.

[CHUCKLING] What are you talking about?

Oliver, we're, like, best friends.

We were never friends.

I was just doing what the Green Arrow always does to bad guys.

I don't kill innocent people.

But you hurt them.

Remember what you did to Yorke?

To those other guards to get sent to Level ?

Prison changes people.

It didn't change me.

When I get out of here, I promise you...

You will face justice for what you did.

If you do that,

I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in here.

I know.

That's what you deserve.

Don't do this. Don't do this to me.

BRICK: I heard the news... Early release.

You're a lucky boy.

Too bad Turner wasn't so lucky.

You know, after today, you're never gonna see my face again.

BRICK: Tossers like you don't stay on the outside for long.

Wouldn't be surprised if you was back here pretty soon.

This ain't good-bye, Queen.

[INDISTINCT P.A. ANNOUNCEMENTS]

Turner.

You have a death wish or something?

I'm gonna find my way out of here.

And when I do, I'm coming for you.

I know that you didn't kill Officer Dunbar.

I made a mistake, and I'm sorry.

What the hell do I care if you're sorry?

I'm getting released.

I'm gonna make this right for you.

Of course you're getting out today.

I'm gonna speak with Lyla Michaels at A.R.G.U.S., and I'll just see if we can make some kind of deal, okay?

Yeah, I know how much promises are worth to people like you, especially when you make them to people like me.

That's not true.

Yeah. You think I'm a criminal...

You said it yourself...

And criminals belong behind bars.

Isn't that right?

I think that years ago, you saved Lyla's life.

Now, I don't know if you can be that kind of hero again...

But I think you deserve the chance to try.

[INDISTINCT P.A. ANNOUNCEMENTS]

I have to go.

I'm gonna make this right.

[INDISTINCT P.A. ANNOUNCEMENTS]

Get up,. You got a visitor.

Hello, Oliver.

Huh.

I see that prison life hasn't been treating you so well.

You listen to me very carefully.

I don't think you're in the place to be giving demands right now...

Not unless you want a whole bunch of innocent people to die.

When I heard that...

You were getting released today, it felt as if...

My last chance at payback was getting away.

And I couldn't have that.

So that's your play?

You're gonna come after me in a federal prison?

Mm-hmm.

See, I've been in and out of places like this my whole life.

I know how to handle guards like that.

Now, you, brother...

They don't see you as Green Arrow in here.

You're just a number.

It's pretty dehumanizing, isn't it?

Bet you weren't thinking about that when you were locking these people up in here.

Well...

I'm not gonna do that to you.

I'm gonna end you.

You're going to die today.

And I'm gonna be the one who's gonna do it.

But before that...

I'm gonna make you suffer...

The way you made me suffer.

And when I'm done with you, oh, I'm just gonna, you know, pay a little visit to Felicity...

Yeah...

And little William.

And I'm gonna make sure that this time, I finish the job.

GUARD: Hey! Get in there! Get in there now!

OLIVER: Hey! Let me go!

That's Ricardo Diaz...

Get over there! Get him! Pickup!

OLIVER: That's Ricardo Diaz!

Get over there.

[GROANING]

Hey, you, where do you think you're going?

You're lucky we didn't throw you in the hole, inmate.

I don't care if this is your last day.

As long as you are in here, you will still follow the rules.

You don't understand.

[GROANS]

That was Ricardo Diaz.

He is here inside the prison.

You need to let me help you stop him.

Slabside is a Level supermax facility.

- That doesn't matter. - We have officers on duty, each one of them a trained professional.

Trust me. We have it covered.

Trust me.

That is not gonna be enough against him.

You only have a few hours left in here, inmate.

I suggest you stay quiet until then.

Diaz is here?

Oliver, please talk to me. What are we gonna do?

I know you're still mad about the Dunbar thing, but this is Diaz.

I mean, everyone deserves a second chance, right?

Oh, my God. You're "Shawshanking" out of here.

Oliver, you got to take me with you.

Stay out of this!

, stand down.

If you are not gonna call for backup, then I will.

Let me go.

You don't want this.

I said, stand down.

[INMATES SPEAKING EXCITEDLY]

[COUGHS]

Whoa.

Kiss your early release good-bye.

Target's on the third floor.

Initiate lockdown procedure now!

MAN: Lockdown, Level One...

Secure perimeter door now!

MAN: Lockdown, Level One.

Lockdown, Level One.

Lockdown, Level One.

Hey! Are we gonna be here all day?

GUARD: You are gonna be here as long as we say.

You got that, inmate?

DIAZ: Inmates!

[ALARM]

Look at yourselves.

You're on your knees.

You're cowering before men who are weak...

Men who are beneath you.

I've been where you are.

I know how it feels to be treated like an animal.

You can only take that for so long.

Hey, why don't you zip it, pal?

Hyah!

[PISTOL THUDS]

Stand up!

These guards, they imprisoned you.

INMATES: Yeah.

They disrespected you.

Yeah!

They taunted you.

Yeah!

You all want to make 'em pay?

Yeah!

You all want to make 'em pay?

Yeah!

Make 'em pay!

Yeah!

No sign of.

[GUARD HITS FLOOR]

You made quite the mess there, Queen.

Taking out prison guards doesn't seem a very Green Arrow thing to do.

I guess this place really has changed you.

I don't have time for this. Ricardo Diaz is here!

And he will not think twice about killing us all.

No, he won't think twice about killing you.

You see, I just met him.

He seems a reasonable chap.

Of course you're working for Diaz.

No. I don't work for anybody.

You see, me and Sampson, we got our own plans, as per usual, but I could always take a little time out for a bit of fun.

[BONE CRACKS]

Aah!

[PUNCHES ARE THROWN]

[GROANING]

Ugh!

Aah!

Been waiting to do that for a long time now.

[CLANG]

Bad move, Turner.

[PUNCHES ARE THROWN]

Sampson...

That was your femoral artery.

You've got maybe minutes before you bleed out.

[YELLS]

- Hyah! Hyah! Hyah... - Hyah! Hyah! Hyah...

You're not going after them?

I've got better things to do.

Thanks for your help.

It doesn't mean I like you.

Turner...

How did you get out of your cell?

How did you get out of yours?

[THUD, RATTLE]

What are you looking for?

Ricardo Diaz broke into the prison.

People usually break out of prison.

He wants to kill me, and he will kill as many people as he has to in order for that to happen.

I thought I had a lot of enemies.

Don't have a signal. Come on.

DIAZ: Hello. Are you having technical difficulties?

It's a little, uh, little going away present from the Longbow Hunters.

They jammed the signal, so no calls in and out.

You are so predictable, you know that?

You're trying to make a call for help?

You're trying to save the day?

Ohh.

I have someone here that wants to say hello to you.

Go ahead.

Don't do anything he tells you to do.

Try again.

You have failed this city, Oliver Queen.

Diaz, that's enough. Let him go!

You speak and people do as you say?

That's how it goes?

Doesn't matter if you're right or wrong?

Not this time.

Not anymore.

[GAGGING]

[GAGGING STOPS]

[THUD OVER WALKIE-TALKIE]

How's that feel?

How's it feel, somebody else playing God?

This is between you and me, and no one else needs to die, okay?

DIAZ: Wrong!

Wrong again.

I want you to spend the last hours of your pathetic life knowing that these men, they died...

They died because of you.

I'm coming for you.

But will you make it in time to save the guards?

It was hard enough getting through a few prisoners.

I wonder what it's gonna be like going against the entire prison.

[ALARM]

Keep your head down.

They're not gonna mess with me. They know better.

It's not about them.

Diaz knew we were in the locker room, which means he's watching us.

There are only two rooms with camera access.

There's the main security room...

No way he got in there. It's too fortified.

Then he's in the control room in the mess hall.

That's where we have to go.

There's no "we."

I saved your ass so you could get me a deal with A.R.G.U.S. doesn't mean we're some kind of team.

Did you hear Diaz?

He's killing hostages.

You said I was wrong about you?

You said you've changed?

Prove it.

The only way to the mess hall is through the cell block.

It'll be times worse in there.

This place is already a powder keg, and it's about to blow.

It's the only way to the mess hall.

[ALARM]

These inmates are gonna kill them.

And if we don't get out of here, they may kill us, and, clearly, we'll never make it to the mess hall.

I'm not gonna let innocent people die.

[GROANING]

[CLANG]

Uh!

Uh!

Hyah!

Uh!

Come on.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Thanks, Queen.

Where are the rest of the guards?

A few of them made it to the panic room.

Some were taken to the mess hall.

Diaz set the inmates loose.

He convinced them to gather up the guards.

Listen, a few of my buddies have already died.

It's like Diaz is killing them for sport.

How many inmates in the mess hall?

Last I heard, around.

You good to walk?

Yeah, I'm good.

All right.

Take them to the panic room, and I'll meet you at the commissary.

Not the time for a snack.

If we're gonna fight our way through inmates, we're gonna need weapons.

[SYRINGE DISCHARGES]

I really, really need to talk to you.

[THUD]

Oh, good. You're awake.

[EXHALES]

I'm sorry about the sedative.

I was just trying to get your attention.

It's okay. I... I understand, Stanley.

I was just, um...

[CLEARS THROAT]

Busy trying to stop Diaz from killing everyone in the prison, you know?

So, honestly, Stanley, I think I could use your help.

Really?

Yeah. Really.

[EXHALES]

Just, why don't you untie me, and we'll make a plan and you can be my sidekick?

Ohh! Heh.

Actually, I already have a plan.

[SNIFFLES]

You know how to get out of here

through the morgue, right?

So why don't we escape this place, you... you and me?

Yeah, we could, but what about Diaz, right?

Who cares about Diaz?

These people deserve whatever he's gonna do to them.

You know that.

Yeah. I...

I can't leave all these people to die.

You were gonna leave me.

You were gonna abandon me to Brick and Sampson, and I shouldn't even be in here.

I did nothing wrong.

Hey, come on.

It was just because you were going to attack me. Okay?

Why would I attack you?

Because you're the Green Arrow, and you fight bad guys, and you think I'm a bad guy.

And you just think that I'm what everyone says that I am.

How could I?

I don't... I don't know what people say.

That I'm a killer, that I'm a monster, that everything I did, everything I did...

That whole Dunbar thing.

It was just like the Dunbar thing. I...

I didn't have a choice! I didn't have a choice!

And all those people had it coming.

You killed other people before Dunbar?

Honestly, what you and I do is not so different, right?

So, like, we make such a great team.

So why don't we just get out of here, maybe we could work together again?

Oh!

Why'd you do that?

[ROPES SNAP]

What the hell took you so long?

It's a long story.

How are Felton and Miller?

They're safe.

TURNER: I can't believe I'm working with the Green Arrow.

You aren't.

Hey, maybe... maybe prison has changed me, compromised my judgment of people.

You sure that's a bad thing?

Look...

No offense.

Okay.

But the old Green Arrow, he wasn't the best.

He saw the world in black and white, but now you... You know

there's gray out there, too.

Maybe that makes you a better hero.

And I know it's bad for you, but do you really think you're gonna stop Diaz with a can of soda?

We're about to find out.

[GUARD SCREAMING]

[INMATES SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

Are you planning some kind of light show?

Something like that.

It's nice to know someone hates Queen as much as I do.

If it wasn't for him, I'd still be running Star City.

Yeah, me, too.

He's a cockroach. He refuses to die.

Diaz!

[BATON HITS RAILING]

Look who decided to come to my party.

Let those guards go.

I told you...

The only thing I wanted was to see you suffer...

Before you die.

You're not gonna get what you want.

No?

Uh!

[GROANING]

Ooh. I've been waiting to do that for a long time.

Well, get your shots in while you can because I'm gonna see to it that you spend the rest of your life eating your meals in a spot just like this.

I promised myself I'm never gonna die in prison.

And I'm gonna take you with me.

Oh, you sure about that?

Hyah! Hyah! Hyah...

TURNER: Queen!

[INMATES SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

[TURNER GROANS, BRICK YELLS]

[COUGHS, GROANS]

Queen!

Calling for help won't save you!

This place...

Is gonna be ash long before anyone gets here.

[COMPUTERS BEEPING]

[BELL RINGING]

OLIVER: Come on.

- Get up! Get up! Come on! - Let's go. Go! Go! Go! Go!

Get going.

What the hell happened?

Diaz has some sort of device.

It must have triggered an electrical fire.

The whole place is gonna go up.

You need to get them to the secure courtyard.

What about you?

I'm going after Diaz.

You'll need these. No half-measures.

[BLADE IS UNSHEATHED]

Just the two of us?

[YELLS, GROANS]

Aah! Uh! Uh!

Hyah!

[YELLS]

[GROANS]

I'm a lot stronger now.

[COUGHING]

Uh! Ohh!

Uh! Uh!

Prison's made you weak.

Come on. Get up.

Yeah. Yeah.

You're not surviving this.

You just don't know when to quit, do you?

[COUGHING]

I guess what you and Felicity have in common, huh?

Don't you say her name.

[COUGHS]

[HELICOPTER]

Felicity.

Do you know she tried to kill me?

She put a gun right to my face.

She was about to pull the trigger.

I don't believe you. That's not her.

It is now.

[OLIVER YELLING]

[GROANS]

Arrow's little sidekick.

How did you find out about this place, Dover?

I could ask you the same question.

[CHUCKLING]

Well, the only way out of this place is through the morgue.

But you don't have to be dead.

[BLADE STABS]

[THUD]

Actually, I think you do.

You shouldn't have been so mean to me.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Turner...

Thanks.

For what?

Without you, we would all be dead.

[POLICE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS]