"Lian Yu" is the twenty-third and final episode of the fifth season, and 115th episode overall of The CW series Arrow. The episode was written by showrunners Wendy Mericle and Marc Guggenheim and directed by Jesse Warn. It was first broadcast on May 24, 2017, on The CW. The episode received universal acclaim from critics, who hailed the finale as the best episode of the series, praising Amell and Segarra's performances, the action scenes, conclusion to the flashbacks, and Bennett's return.