Diggle and Felicity travel to Lian Yu in search of Oliver who left Starling City after The Undertaking. Convinced to return home, Oliver finds that things are in worse shape than he thought - Isabel Rochev is preparing a hostile takeover of Queen Consolidated, Thea refuses to visit Moira in jail, Roy is trying to fill the void left by the Arrow's absence, and Laurel is working with the District Attorney's office to take down the vigilante. Meanwhile, flashbacks to the island show Slade, Shado and Oliver in a desperate situation.

Lance learns a criminal named Barton Mathis, whom he put away years ago, broke out of prison during the quake and is back to torturing and murdering women. Felicity offers herself as bait so Arrow, Diggle and Lance can catch this villain, but the plan goes awry. Furious, Mathis kidnaps Laurel in retaliation and plans to murder her while Lance watches. Meanwhile, Thea and Oliver are stunned when District Attorney Adam Donner seeks the death penalty for Moira. Oliver asks Roy to help him find the Canary.