Tonight on "Arrow," Oliver finally discovered the true identity of Prometheus. While Prometheus was unmasked to the audience in the previous episode, Oliver discovered his identity after paying a visit to Talia al Ghul. Throughout all of "Checkmate," Oliver had to work alongside District Attorney Adrian Chase, but Oliver could not do a single thing to stop him. Oliver sent Team Arrow after his mother, they even used Chase's wife as leverage against him -- nothing worked -- because Chase is unlike any villain Oliver has ever seen. As both Susan and Oliver were put in danger, Felicity got in deeper and more dangerous waters with Helix. In the flashbacks, Oliver put on the hood again and made the final move in killing Gregor.

Rescuing Susan Williams

The greatest threat that Prometheus/Adrian Chase posed to Oliver throughout this episode was the capture of Susan Williams. Susan was abducted at the end of the episode "Fighting Fire with Fire" and this week Chase was holding her in an unknown location. Oliver sent Team Arrow undercover to Chase's mother's house where they found video footage of Susan being held captive. Felicity used Helix's data hack to locate Susan in an abandoned building. The building was rigged with C4, which Prometheus almost detonated. Susan was rescued in time and Oliver's team escaped safely, but not before Chase killed his own wife. When Susan was back in the police station with Lance she wanted to report Chase, but Chase threatened to hurt Oliver if she did. That was consistent with the game that Chase kept playing. First, he used Susan against Oliver, then he used Oliver against Susan. It's as if the only tricks he has up his sleeve are leverage.

The Betrayal of Talia al Ghul

talia-al-ghul-header

Oliver first found out Prometheus' true identity when he tracked Talia al Ghul down in present day. Talia quickly confessed that Prometheus's true identity was Adrian Chase and that she trained him for one purpose: to make Oliver suffer. What Oliver didn't know about Talia all those years ago in Russia was that she was the daughter of R'as al Ghul. When Chase came to her looking to get revenge on the Green Arrow, Talia agreed because Oliver had just killed her father. At the end of the episode, after an incredibly tense fight between Oliver and Chase, Talia shot Oliver in the leg, which completely immobilized him. Oliver and Chase were pretty evenly matched until Talia arrived. Her vendetta against Oliver gives Prometheus a strong ally -- will she change her mind later on during the season or is Oliver's goose cooked here?

The Testing of Oliver Queen

Oliver Queen stands with his arms crossed in Arrow

For the past five seasons, every villain on "Arrow" has pushed Oliver to his limits. From Malcolm Merlyn to Slade Wilson to Damien Darhk, Oliver has had to overcome their cunning skills, plans, and powers. While Slade was arguably Oliver's most ferocious villain, Prometheus is quickly climbing the ranks as Oliver's smartest villain. During this week's episode, Prometheus was 10 steps ahead of Oliver. Prometheus knew all of Oliver's weak places, he knew how to keep Oliver from going to the police, he even killed his own wife to protect his identity. Prometheus is cold, he's calculated, he's ruthless, and he defied Oliver at every turn.

Oliver thought he could leak Chase's identity as Prometheus to Captain Pike, but Prometheus stabbed Pike before any information could get out. After Chase's wife was threatened, Chase blamed the Green Arrow. Oliver then had to put a kill order out on the Green Arrow in order to save face. Oliver was being driven mad by Prometheus' tactics, so much so that he destroyed most of the Arrow Cave. When Diggle tried to comfort Oliver Oliver wanted to push him away. Diggle reminded Oliver that he has a team, but Oliver thought the team was what gave him weak spots.

The final fight sequence between Oliver and Chase was remarkable. They tore into each other like no antagonists ever have on this show. Even fights between Oliver and Slade and Oliver and Merlyn never reached this level of intensity. Prometheus was finally letting all of his rage and anger out on Oliver. Oliver was letting an equal amount of frustration and hatred out on Prometheus. It was intense and may be one of the best hand-to-hand combat sequences on the show yet. Talia finished the fight by bringing Oliver down, which landed him in chains, completely off the radar from Team Arrow and the Mayor's office. Now Oliver is at the mercy of Prometheus and Team Arrow has no way to track him unless Felicity can use Helix -- if she does, what will the require of her next?

Breaking the Hood

Next week on "Arrow," Adrian will continue to torture Oliver. Since Oliver is usually the torturer, the tables will have truly turned for him. While Adrian hasn't said exactly what he wants from Oliver, the trailer above alludes to some kind of confession.

The episode title, "Kapiushon," is a Russian word that means "underneath" or "hood." The flashbacks will continue to show Oliver's journey to becoming the Hood -- a journey that will end with Oliver choosing to return to Star City at the end of the season.

THE BREAKING POINT — Prometheus (Josh Segarra) goes to great lengths to break Oliver (Stephen Amell). Meanwhile, in the flashbacks, Anatoly (guest star David Nykl) becomes worried about Oliver’s increasingly violent tendencies, which come to a head in a brutal confrontation. Kevin Tancharoen directed the episode written by Brian Ford Sullivan & Emilio Ortega Aldrich. Original airdate 3/22/2017.

Airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, “Arrow” stars Stephen Amell, Emily Bett Rickards, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Paul Blackthorne and Echo Kellum.