Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Arrow 3x19 "Broken Arrow" (The Essence of Heroism)


"Broken Arrow"
Original Airdate: April 15, 2015

"The essence of heroism is to die so that others can live."

In last night's episode of The Flash, I talked about why Cisco Ramon was willing to sacrifice himself for Ray Palmer, a person he barely knew:
We can choose how we respond to a crisis. We can choose to either run or to fight -- to flee or to protect. What we do in that moment reveals who we truly are. And there's something about Cisco Ramon that we should know by now and that's extremely evident in this episode: he will do anything to protect people. He's a good person. He's a person who tries to always do the right thing. And he's a person who will face his fears and possible death for a near-stranger because THAT is how Cisco proves his loyalty to you. He is the true definition of a "ride-or-die" friend. If he is on your team, he is ALWAYS on your team. [...] He will fight for you. He will face his fears for you. He will lay down his life for you. If Cisco believes in you, that's all you need.
Sacrifice is such a huge component of both The Flash and Arrow. The question of what it means to be a hero and what it means to lay down your life or parts of yourself in order to protect the people you care about is a prevalent and recurring thread. Sacrifice doesn't just mean putting your life on the line, really. I think a lot of people believe that in order to sacrifice yourself, you have to literally die. But that's not true. Your life -- your physical being -- is just one part of who you are. Sacrifice requires a lot more than just putting your physical self on the line. It requires giving of your time. It requires emotionally giving all you have. It requires throwing all you are in front of someone else in order to protect them. I quoted Oliver above, when he (morbidly) noted last season that in order to become a hero, you must die so that others can live. I don't think that death, in any sacrifice, is always necessarily literal.

For example, Oliver Queen has to die to himself -- to his identity, to his person and adopt the identity of Ra's al Ghul -- in order for the people that he loves and the city that he loves -- to live. Roy must die to his own identity, too, in order for Oliver to live. (And Roy is so wonderful and brilliant in this episode that I'll talk a lot about him momentarily.) Sacrifice requires more than just your physical life -- it requires dying to your self and everything that means and encompasses: your pride and ego, your ideas, your freedom, etc. Since sacrifice is such a huge component of "Broken Arrow," we'll spend a great deal of time talking about what it looks like to live and die by sacrifice.

Roy (+ Oliver)

I was admittedly not a fan of Roy Harper last season. It's not that I detested him, really. I just wasn't enthralled by his presence on my screen each week. But I've come to love Roy this season and not just because he usually provides much-needed comedic relief to an otherwise pretty "mood and brood" (to quote Felicity) series. No, I have loved watching Roy evolve this season from guilt-ridden Mirakuru soldier to compassionate leader to stoic hero. Roy has such a rich backstory, really: he came from nothing and it's why things like him admitting to Thea that he sends presents to the family of the police officer he killed so utterly amazing to me. This is a young man who doesn't have a lot to give in terms of money. He survives on what he can. But he has an amazingly generous heart and an even more amazing sense of loyalty and responsibility. Nothing is ever lost on Roy Harper: you'll never find him forgetting where he came from. He's constantly reminding himself of who he is, what he's done, and what has been done FOR him. It keeps him humbled and grounded and it keeps me a fan of his characterization.

Because Roy isn't like Oliver. Oliver is the kind of person who had to learn how to be a hero, how to survive on the island. Before then, he was spoiled and privileged and hadn't seen enough of the pain of the world to know how to respond to it. Roy was a survivor of poverty from the moment he stepped onto the screen. He was surviving, of course, by less-than-admirable means, but he was born into and lived a life that constantly demanded sacrifice. So everything Roy has been given reminds him of what he has come from and what he should give back in return. Oliver saved Roy's life and now, Roy knows that it's time to do whatever he can to save Oliver's in return. That's not something Roy decides in a spur-of-the-moment decision in the foundry. It's the way Roy LIVES: he constantly lives a life of sacrifice because everything he's been given -- every opportunity -- he uses to turn around and give back to someone else.

I'm ashamed of myself for not loving Roy before this season, honestly.

"Broken Arrow" is all about what people are willing to sacrifice in order to do what is necessary or to do what they feel is necessary (there's a slight difference). Oliver has to sacrifice his identity and work through Ray's A.T.O.M. suit and in last episode's final moments, we saw that Roy's choice was to give up his freedom so that Oliver could have his. Roy's such a generous character, such a good character, and this is -- again -- not something that he's learned overnight. It's his literal way of life. Oliver promised to never abandon Roy, and Roy knows that. Roy knows that Oliver went to hell and back for them all and would do it a hundred times over if it meant they would be safe. But "Broken Arrow" is Roy's reciprocation of that line of dialogue: he's never going to abandon Oliver either. I think this startles -- no, I KNOW this startles -- Oliver who is not used to people standing in front of him, taking what he deserves. Oliver is so self-deprecating that I feel like in this weird way, he thinks being apprehended and arrested and thrown into jail for being The Arrow is a way to atone for what he's done. Again: Oliver makes that choice without consulting anyone else on his team.

There's another faction of Roy's behavior that is of interest to me throughout the episode: his struggle with getting away with murder. Ever since he discovered what he had done under the influence of Mirakuru, he's tried to make it right. He sends the family of the fallen officer gifts and money anonymously. He heals by trying to save people night after night with Oliver. But that's still not enough for Roy. It doesn't feel like he's being absolved of guilt. It feels, to him, like he's just surviving and not living. When he turns himself in as The Arrow, Roy says it's the first time that he's felt okay. It's the first time he's felt peace. It's the first time he's felt like what he's doing is RIGHT. Oliver tries to talk Roy out of the decision, accurately noting that Roy turning himself in won't bring a police officer back to his family. But Oliver is missing the point. It's not about the officer. It's not about Arsenal. It's about Roy Harper -- it's about ROY feeling guilty and the way for him to feel a sense of peace in his this restlessness. But even though that's a big component, Roy also isn't doing this (entirely) because he feels he deserves to be punished for the wrongs he's done.

He's sacrificing his freedom for Oliver's because he believes he owes Oliver his life and this is what that means to him. There's this line in Doctor Who where Clara jumps into the Eleventh Doctor's timestream to save him. She's suffering because she wants him safe, and when he urges her to walk toward him, this is what he says:
"How many times have you saved me, Clara? Just this once, just for the hell of it, let me save you!"
This is the relationship between Oliver and Roy in a nutshell. Truly, it is.

Team Arrow

The rest of Team Arrow (and I'm now including Thea in Team Arrow because she's actually privy to the details of how they work and save the city) is struggling in the wake of Roy's arrest. And they struggle even more with how to save the city without saving it as Team Arrow. That's proving difficult because, you know, metahumans have decided to show up in Starling City (they just wanted to take a vacation from the way-too-sunny-and-happy land of Central City) now that The Arrow is out of commission. There's a lot at play in "Broken Arrow" when it comes to the team and it's evident that they are fracturing under their new constraints. 

In fact, it's Malcolm Merlyn who makes the most sense when he tells Oliver that Ra's will not stop until he becomes the Demon's Head. He hasn't killed anyone close to Oliver yet, but that day is coming. And when Roy is attacked in prison, it seems like that day is closer than everyone thinks. There's a moment about halfway through the episode where Oliver completely and totally loses it on Diggle, of all people. He snaps at Diggle and shoves him out of his way as he prepares to go break Roy out of prison. Diggle, ever the voice of reason, tells Oliver that if he goes after Roy... they will lose everything. He'll be in prison. And then what use will he be to Roy after that?

So much about Oliver's frustration is tied inherently to his perceived identity. He spends all of "Broken Arrow" on the brink of rage because he's unable to control his circumstances anymore. (And we all remember how much  Oliver loves control, right?) He can't save Roy. He can't fight for the city. He can't do ANYTHING and the fact that he can't control his circumstances is what drives him toward the brink of madness and anger with everyone in the episode, but no two people more so than Dig and Felicity. When Oliver cannot be in control, he spirals: he spirals into guilt and into self-blame and into everything masochistic. He tells himself that everything is his fault. He can't stand to live with himself most days because he doesn't know exactly who he is.

But then in "Broken Arrow," something happens that has been building for quite a while (ever since "Canaries" actually): Oliver is forced into letting other people call the shots. And, as it turns out, other people are quite good at it. When Oliver died, the team nearly crumbled. But then Felicity and Laurel realized what the team was really about: making their crusades personal -- making the work they did personal to them. It wasn't about Oliver anymore: it was about THEM. Together. And when Oliver returned, he tried to re-assume his de facto position as leader/dictator and that didn't work for the team. Oliver likes being in charge, but I think some of the reason he does is also partly masochistic -- I think Oliver wants to take the blame and the fall for any choices that are made. He doesn't ever want the people he cares about to be hurt or to be burdened so he carries around pain and the weight of decision-making FOR them. But the only way Oliver can ever grow is if he learns to let other people make their own choices.

The team knows Oliver's personality so they elaborately stage a ruse to get Roy arrested, fake his own death, and then get him out of prison and send him away from Staling. They do this all, of course, without Oliver's knowledge or consent. They knew he would never consent to it, and he doesn't. He's relieved that Roy is alive but the moment he gets the chance to, he chastises them for the potential that he wouldn't live. Team Arrow... I have honestly never loved Dig, Felicity, and Roy more than I did in that moment. Why? Because it proved to me that their love for Oliver outweighed their dependence on him as their leader. THEY made a plan. THEY took charge. THEY used all of their skills and assets. They sacrificed -- each one of them -- to make sure that they would all make it home. That they would all be safe.

Let's just take a moment and marinate in that. Oliver is constantly beating himself up over what he's done that has landed the people he loves in life-or-death situations. He is filled with blame and constantly filled with pain and Team Arrow knows that. What they did? It proves that they are all leaders. That they are a united front, whether they have Oliver's consent or not. That's so utterly refreshing to me. Do you understand what that means? It means they are all in this thing together. And THAT is what Oliver needs to get through his head. Whether he likes it or not, the team WILL make decisions. And they will do what is best for them, collectively. Most importantly, they will always have his back and he needs to learn to LET them. That's the difficult part for Oliver, as I noted above.

But "Broken Arrow" was an absolutely stellar episode for Team Arrow. It really and truly was and I may have shed an actual tear when they revealed their elaborate plan to Oliver in the foundry. (I also nearly got up from my seat and actually gave the group a standing ovation for what they did. OT3 status, right there.) Because finally, the person who spends all of his time worrying about and protecting and sacrificing? He was the one on the receiving end of such a gift. OLIVER was the one being saved and Team Arrow was saving him. 

And it was beautiful.

Quentin Lance

Welllllllllllllllll, expletive.

Looks like our dear old Captain hasn't quite yet lost the rage that fueled him into the manhunt for The Arrow. Even after Roy is apprehended and arrested, Quentin manages to secure a search warrant for Verdant and discovers the lair. Whoops. With the foundry now compromised, everything about the way Team Arrow operates now becomes about a thousand times more complex. Lance is still mad. He's more than mad, actually: he's fueled by rage and a crusade. Those are the two worst possible things you could be fueled by because they lend themselves to irrational behavior. I have no doubt, like I've said before, that Quentin has a right to be angry. He totally does. But his anger isn't entirely properly placed. He's using The Arrow as a scapegoat because it's easier for him to deal with his anger over losing Sara if he can blame someone -- anyone -- for her death.

Basically, Captain Lance spends the entire episode on a one-man personal crusade against The Arrow. I talked a lot about it last week and his motivation for the crusade, so I won't reiterate it again. I'm finding it difficult, as I think about the episode, to find something positive to say about Lance and his story. The one thing I will say is this: the scene between Lance and Roy in prison was powerful, because it demonstrated the history that the two have and also the fact that Lance and Oliver both gave Roy similar advice -- he can't punish himself for something that he did. It won't fix what's been broken. And it won't fix what's broken inside of him, either.

Apart from that, I spent the majority of "Broken Arrow" wanting to smack Lance across the face. Oh, and then when Roy was presumed dead? Lance basically told Oliver that it was his fault. So the dear Captain and I aren't on the best of terms at the moment.

Oliver/Felicity/Ray

I hate even classifying this as a triangle, but I suppose a triangle is really what it is. With Oliver being forced to lay low after The Arrow's presumed apprehension by the police, he discovers that the way to save his city and protect it is by going through Ray. Literally, Ray is the vehicle for Oliver in this episode and Felicity encourages the team-up. I won't rehash my problems with Ray as a character because I'm saving that for another post. Here's an important reminder, though, of what recently happened on Arrow: Felicity realized she's not in love with Ray; Felicity's mother realized she's in love with Oliver; Felicity has to make a choice. At the top of her list right now though? Not "choose a boyfriend." The prime spots on this list are occupied by: "find a way to process what happened to Roy/what is happening to them all/the foundry" and "don't die 'cuz metahumanz." 

But "Broken Arrow" is an extremely important episode for Oliver/Felicity and also probably the breaking point for Ray/Felicity (especially after that ending). Oliver, as I noted, spends the entire episode frustrated with himself and his inability to do anything to save the city. And he's frustrated, too, because he's being forced out of his home (the foundry) and into Ray's home/his former home (ouch, I just realized that Oliver spent a lot of time in Palmer Tech this week) forced to watch Ray and Felicity make googly eyes at each other. Oliver tolerates Ray just about as well as I tolerate gnats in this episode. And I understand his frustration because it's wrapped up in a lot of different things, among which is the fact that Felicity is with Ray.

But it's not Oliver who should be concerned or worried or irritated in the episode. If anyone has cause for concern, it's Ray who realizes at the end of "Broken Arrow" (silently) that the reason Felicity doesn't love him and cannot say those words back? It's because she's in love with Oliver. And Oliver is madly in love with her, too. When Oliver snaps at Diggle and storms out of Palmer Tech, it's Felicity who goes after him, matching him stride for stride and line for line. And when Oliver talks about his anger, Felicity doesn't chastise him for being angry -- she pinpoints the actual source of his anger. She knows that the reason he is upset is because everything he knows -- everything he has ever wanted or loved or worked for -- has been stripped away from him. His company. His identity. His team. Her.

Let's dwell on that last one for just a moment, shall we? Because what happens next in this Oliver/Felicity exchange is extremely important. In last night's episode of The Flash, Felicity reminisced with Barry about when she first met Oliver. She talked about how she knew he was a good person with a good heart. She still believes that. But she also knows something that most people don't. She knows what terrifies Oliver. She knows that he's always at his weakest when he feels out of control and she accurately tells him that Ra's has managed to strip away his identity. He forcefully took away The Arrow from Oliver. And you can see how much that visibly affects Oliver -- how Felicity hit on a truth that he hasn't even vocalized to anyone, even himself, yet. Because Felicity KNOWS Oliver, remember? She knows every piece of him: every fear, every insecurity, every hope, every longing. She knows that it bothers him to be forced to sit on his hands. She knows he would have never went along with their plan to save Roy. She knows all of this. But for as much as Felicity Smoak knows The Arrow, there's something more important at play here. She knows The Arrow and she has always believed that person to be a hero.

But Felicity Meghan Smoak believes in Oliver Queen. He is the man that she loves. Felicity stops herself in "Broken Arrow," when she tells Oliver: "You're the man that I --" We all knew how the sentence was going to end. Oliver seems startled by it, and so does Felicity for that matter. Three words that are impossible to say to Ray slip out naturally in conversation with Oliver because they're real and they're genuine and they've been threatening to spill out of her mouth ever since Oliver left her in "The Climb," I think. But take note: Felicity doesn't want to tell Oliver that she loves him in this episode in order to make him feel better. She wants to tell him that she loves him during this particular moment because while he thinks he has lost everything, he hasn't ever lost her. He can't see that. He thinks he's lost her to Ray -- thinks that she's blissfully and perfectly happy. But she's not. She's happy, but it's not right with Ray. Felicity's heart? It belongs to Oliver. And it's not going anywhere.

It's right with Oliver and this is the moment Felicity understands, just briefly, how she feels toward him. At the end of the episode, she clings to Oliver's arm and tells him -- for the millionth time -- that for all the people he has sacrificed for because of his love for them, he needs to wake up and realize that there are people right beside him who love him so much, too. People like her. She'll always be right at the crook of his elbow, literally or metaphorically. She's not going anywhere.

(Ray Palmer, you never really stood a chance.)

I'm really looking forward to next week's episode, primarily because of the Canadian promo and also because this episode is going to allow us to explore Oliver and Felicity's relationship more (I hope, unless ~things~ are a delusion, in which case: I'm coming for you with torches and a pitchfork, Guggenheim). "Broken Arrow" was such a stellar episode because it perfectly followed "Public Enemy" and its emotional development on the Oliver/Felicity front. I'm glad that Oliver is now at a place where I can tolerate him again -- where he's become more open to others caring about him. Other people are making decisions around him and for him, and though Oliver doesn't necessarily like that... he's accepting that. He's not walking away. He's sticking beside his team and for the first time -- maybe since the island -- Oliver is allowing himself to be cared for by people. And Felicity? Well, Felicity now recognizes that what she feels for Oliver is deep and it's powerful and it's not something that will go away. This? This is what love feels like.

And isn't that what "Broken Arrow" is about, at its core? The idea of love and sacrifice are what save us in the end? If the essence of heroism is sacrifice, then every single person in this episode emerges a hero, not just Oliver. And I think that's pretty great.

Observations & favorite moments:
  • MVP for this episode is, without question, Colton Haynes. (This is the first time he's made my MVP list, I think!) The scene between him and Stephen Amell was just so underrated and beautiful and poignant. And then his scenes with Willa Holland and Paul Blackthorne in prison were wonderful and emotionally layered. Seeing Roy break down in guilt and anger and become this swirling range of emotions was just so powerful for me. And then, the most powerful scene, of course, came in the form of his departure. Even though Roy is not gone permanently, it broke my heart to see everyone bid him farewell. Honestly though, Roy's growth and trajectory and arc of redemption from the beginning of the season to now has been so beautiful and wonderful and understated and that's thanks -- in huge part -- to Colton Haynes. Brilliant job with a wonderfully complex character.
  • "Broken Arrow" is such a great title for an episode because it works on two levels: 1) It's a great metaphor because broken arrows -- those that are snapped or cut -- can still pierce and can still wound. 2) Oliver, aka The Arrow, is broken in this episode. Get it? Broken Arrow? GET IT?
  • "More like, right now." Laurel Lance's true superpower is her knowledge of the law and I'm extremely glad we got a verbal Lance vs. Lance smackdown in this episode. Also, Laurel was literally in one scene and then disappeared the rest of the episode, presumably to do lawyer-y stuff. I don't know if she'll be in the rest of the season except in flashes to Starling City. Hmm. Maybe absence will make my heart grow fonder for her.
  • "Oliver's sister's boyfriend is obviously a part of your team." "Obviously."
  • "It was lowercase L."
  • "This city still needs you." "It needs you more."
  • Is anyone else tired of Hong Kong? I'm really tired of Hong Kong. Blah, blah, stuff with Amanda Waller and Tatsu and Maseo happened. Honestly, I'm not even sure what the plot was so let me know in the comments.
  • So... is Malcolm Merlyn just perpetually lurking in dark corners waiting to deliver lines? I feel like the answer is yes. Also, Malcolm is right: Oliver needs to start thinking about taking Ra's' offer because if he does not, someone close to him will probably die soon. As always, though, Oliver thinks he knows best. Of course. Hey, buddy, it looks like Malcolm was right. Why do people not actually listen to him again? Oh, right. Evil.
  • Felicity's face is so sad when the love fern falls to the floor and shatters.
  • "We're dealing with a metahuman. Call Barry."
  • "Now I see why Cisco gives them all names."
  • Oliver couldn't even try to hide the eyerolls and frustration when he was working with Ray, could he? Although, okay, it WAS very nice that Oliver was so encouraging to Ray throughout the fight scene with the metahuman. In fact, it's exactly what Ray really needed, actually: the reason he began his crusade and built his suit was to prevent himself from ever feeling weak or powerless again. But Oliver reminds him in this episode that it's not a suit that will rescue him and it's not a suit that he needs: the strength that Ray needs to rely on is deeper than just technology. That is what has been missing this whole time for Ray. He's been so reliant on the suit that he's ignored the real problem -- his lack of self-confidence. Ray appears confident and outgoing but it was his fear of being powerless that drove him to the suit in the first place. I liked that Oliver was able to give Ray some much-needed hero wisdom in this episode. And most of it was snark-free, to boot!
  • "Thea, please. Just know that I'm gonna be fine." "Is that a lie?" That scene and the score? So beautiful and sad.
  • "Stop calling it a team-up, Ray."
  • "Do you get this anxious when I'm out in the field?"
  • "Well, that's fascinating and... terrifying."
  • "I'm the weapon." "That's poetic."
  • "Just remember: that was without arrows."
  • "Lightbulb, literally! No, figuratively."
  • "I've already lost everything. I'm not gonna lose Roy."
  • "Oliver, you can't go out there." "IT'S FELICITY." As if we needed anymore proof that Oliver is hopelessly in love with her, there it is.
  • I went through an extremely emotional rollercoaster in my tweets when I thought they killed Roy and then when they revealed it was a plot to fake his death.
  • "I'll miss you most of all, Scarecrow." I'm not going to lie, that line actually drove me to tears.
  • Goodbye to the foundry. :( We will not see you again this season, at least.
  • I'm 100% convinced that the Cisco/Ray scene served no purpose except to set up the spin-off. On the one hand: CISCO. On the other: ehhhhh, spin-off.
  • Well, did anyone NOT see the Thea twist coming at the end? I think we all knew that she was going to die this season and be resurrected using the Lazarus Pit. (Or... was that just me?) And I'm honestly really excited for this because I want to see Thea become darker and more kick-butt than she already is.
Well, follks, there you have it. Who enjoyed this episode? Who can't believe we're almost done with this season? Hit up the comments below and let me know your thoughts on this week's episode and anticipation for next week. Until then, folks. :)

24 comments:

  1. I LOVED it. I had worried a bit that it would be filled with action/plot filler, slot A/tab B before Nanda Parbat stuff, but it was so brim with emotion. Brothers, friends, lovers - all of it. Great stuff.

    It must just piss Diggle off that Felicity can make the same argument in a sentence that he's spent paragraphs saying to Oliver with arm motions and he will actually stop and listen to her. And calm down.

    Ray was tolerable here. He's a lot funnier with a decent straight man. Two Felicitys in one room are not nearly as funny as one, which is why I think she works better on Arrow; EBR has a better background to showcase her humor and tenderness.

    I have to wonder, if the writers are setting up Ray to be the female Felicity as they wrote Sara to be the female equivalent of Oliver (both relationships have the same comfortableness and lack of passionate chemistry), have the EPs chem tested Brandon Routh and Caity Lotz? Obviously Ray is going to need a real foil on his new show (and significantly better writing) or that spinoff is going to flounder like anything.

    Colton for the win. Maybe he'll come back to visit?

    Great review, as always.

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    1. Hello there, fiacresgirl and welcome back. Thank you for the comments! :)

      It must just piss Diggle off that Felicity can make the same argument in a sentence that he's spent paragraphs saying to Oliver with arm motions and he will actually stop and listen to her. And calm down.

      HAHA. Probably but also he super ships them (don't think I didn't notice you leaving after Roy departed so Oliver and Felicity could have their moment), so he'd probably be okay with that. ;)

      You know, everyone seems to be of the consensus that Ray was tolerable and I agree. I didn't hate him. I think he was just irritating because his personality constantly grates me. But I love that Oliver clearly felt the same way.

      I have to wonder, if the writers are setting up Ray to be the female Felicity as they wrote Sara to be the female equivalent of Oliver (both relationships have the same comfortableness and lack of passionate chemistry), have the EPs chem tested Brandon Routh and Caity Lotz? Obviously Ray is going to need a real foil on his new show (and significantly better writing) or that spinoff is going to flounder like anything.

      This is REALLY interesting and something I hadn't even considered, to be quite honest. I sincerely hope they chem tested Caity and Brandon. I can see them being a great pair and even a way for me to actually maybe be able to stand Ray. Since they're foils for two characters who have insane chemistry together, maybe that'll work.

      I definitely don't think we've seen the last of Arsenal or Roy. They'll call him on deck when they need a superhero. Does this mean Dig will be out in the field more next season? They're down one crucial member now, unless they start recruiting more vigilantes, lol.

      Thanks again for the comments!

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  2. Hi, I came in at 3x17 and caught up on your other reviews, they are deep and informative and have a combination of theme,character and emotion being discussed. My emotional intelligence is not the most functional parts of my brain (I`m also diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.) I wanted to comment but I did not know when I could or what to say. But I think I can say I can enjoyed this post and how everyone in the show seems in tune with everyone's thoughts and feelings. I enjoy reading your reviews since you catch things I don't catch at first glance.

    Anyway personal thoughts on this episode besides feeling bad for Ray Palmer. (I`m also an Iron Man fan so..) Lance was on point even if he's in the wrong, Oliver is the last of the Queens and next week when Thea returns well she might just put on a Red Hood of her own. (Thea takes Malcolm resources goes global crime syndicate..fully on board with super-villain Thea Queen)
    PS: I can't excuse Ray's actions when pinging Felicity's phone but I feel more kingship with Palmer, except he's more extroverted and rich..I will still read your post on Palmer.

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    1. Hi there and welcome, Donavan! :)

      And wow, thank you so much for those kind words and the compliments. I am so honored that you feel that way about this website and that the reviews have given you the chance to catch things you didn't notice upon first glance and that they're informative. That's always my main goal with these and I'm so glad I've accomplished that.

      Oh, yeah, poor Ray never really stood a chance against Oliver now did he? And to be honest, I really did enjoy the Oliver/Ray scenes -- his encouraging talk during the fight? So great.

      It looks from the trailer that was released before that Thea will be donning a hood at some point. We all know she'll come back and I'm so interested to see if she'll come back evil. That would be amazing.

      Thank you again so much for commenting and for joining us here. :)

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  3. Thea turning dark has been my one wish this season (um Olicity Sexy Times is a need not a wish) but I didn't imagine it without Roy and it hurts.

    You know, where was Malcolm when Ra's was attacking Thea and how did he really know he was going to do that? Something's fishy there.

    Ray, *sigh* while I still won't watch your spin-off because "My Fiancé Died and I Have Billions" is not a compelling origin story, I actually felt sorry for you in this episode. Clearly none of those PhDs were in Human Behavior so you had to be hit over the head, literally and figuratively with Oliver & Felicitys love.

    I'd also like to point out Diggles "you're dumb man" face when Oliver asked if Felicity got anxious for him too. Classic Dig.

    I fast forwarded through the flashbacks so can't help you there.

    ON TO 3x20!

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    1. Welcome back, April, and thank you -- as always -- for your comments! :D

      Thea turning dark has been my one wish this season (um Olicity Sexy Times is a need not a wish) but I didn't imagine it without Roy and it hurts.

      I didn't cry when Roy "died," but I cried when he bid the team farewell. Because I can't imagine them being a team without him and I can't imagine Thea losing one more person she loves. It breaks my heart. But her turning dark because of The Lazarus Pit? I'm all for this. From a promo video, we see her donning a hood and I would totally be down for some Thea Queen, League of Assassin-style shenanigans in season four.

      You know, where was Malcolm when Ra's was attacking Thea and how did he really know he was going to do that? Something's fishy there.

      I literally almost tweeted: "THE ONE TIME YOU'RE NOT LURKING OUTSIDE OF THEA'S APARTMENT, MALCOLM!" And then I thought about it and I remembered how much Malcolm wouldn't have been able to help anyway. Dude got his butt kicked by Ra's, after all. He would have helped but he probably would have died in the process. (OKAY, NOW I'M UPSET HE DIDN'T COME AND HELP BECAUSE THIS WOULD HAVE SOLVED MY MALCOLM PROBLEM.)

      Clearly none of those PhDs were in Human Behavior so you had to be hit over the head, literally and figuratively with Oliver & Felicitys love.

      I'm actually cackling right now, so thank you for this.

      ONTO 3x20 WE GO. I'm desperate to see what this jet scene is all about. I kind of just want it to be Felicity and Oliver holding each other.

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    2. Thanks for the return welcome. The last few episodes didn't leave me with a lot of passion, at least not enough to talk about them, but I knew Arrow would make me love them again and so they did in this episode! I am pretty sure 3x20 might require copious amounts of alcohol so I am off to BevMo. Till next week!

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  4. Boy did R'as really know where to use leverage on Oliver. He has taken the Arrow away, although this would still allow him to have some other kind of life (if Oliver were capable of that now). But he had to really push it and Oliver WILL BEG and do anything to get his sister back, we know that. Well played Mr al-Ghul. Horrifying scene all round but it makes total sense plot-wise. And you made a good point, what the heck has Malcolm been doing during all this? I figure he has been ejected from the loft and their lives after healing but he spectacularly failed to see what R'as was going to do or didn't try and stop it. We see him so concerned at Nanda Parbat in the preview for Fallen but I really wish that guy would get some kind of justice.

    Anyway, back to this week. I was really pleased with this episode. It hit a lot of great points and it was especially nice to see both Amell's and Haynes' performances. They really did an amazing job and I think Haynes for episode MVP is highly deserved. I have been very impressed with him this season. He hasn't had a lot of screen time every week but when he does he makes it count. So when Roy sacrificed his freedom for Oliver and Oliver was fixating on getting him out I completely felt it. I loved the little scene with Thea. He can't tell her what is going on but he also won't lie to her. That promise of complete honesty was brilliant and I hope that gave Thea some comfort, some idea that he had a plan. He couldn't guarantee he would be okay so he didn't tell her that but the most painful thing for me was that Thea didn't know that Roy was okay before she was struck down. I imagine if anything will bring Roy back into our story a bit this season it will be Thea. And the goodbye between the Roy and his team mates was beautifully done. That scarecrow line was wonderful from Felicity and you could see the warmth in his smile which is especially sweet knowing how close the actors are as well. Haynes has created a wonderful character with an interesting back story, believable issues with rage, compelling friendships and ending with growth into a real hero. Not bad at all.

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    1. Welcome back, darling Becca. :D You already know I love you, so let's get cracking:

      But he had to really push it and Oliver WILL BEG and do anything to get his sister back, we know that. Well played Mr al-Ghul. Horrifying scene all round but it makes total sense plot-wise.

      I didn't really think about the implications of The Arrow being apprehended and how that literally means that Ra's stripped him of being The Arrow forever (or... for a while because I'll never say "forever" or "never" on this show) until Felicity mentioned it. But yeah, well played there Ra's. That dude is scary because he's like -- if you watch Sherlock -- Charles Augustus Magnussen who is an expert at pinpointing a person's pressure point and then using it as a weapon. That's exactly what Ra's has done.

      Amell and Haynes were absolutely on point in this episode. From the trailer for next week, I already know that Amell will make my MVP. But I've grown to love Roy Harper and his arc -- watching him turn from a criminal into someone who is a hero in every sense of the word. His transformation has been more subtle than most and it's taken a while, which is why I appreciate it more than most arcs. It wasn't as overt, but it was always there. I'm proud of how he grew and what he did for Oliver and the team and Haynes knocked it out of the park for his last episode as a series regular.

      (We all know he'll return eventually in some capacity.)

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  5. Oliver was so under pressure this week and Amell did an amazing job. He was so visibly struggling and fixating on getting Roy out to be able to control something, accomplish something. (The guy does love to use work to avoid dealing.) It was so obvious how difficult it was for him to sit back and receive help. It was even uncomfortable for me to watch him not be able to don his hood or stay in his lair and be forced into regular clothes and someone else's office. Ouch. I actually enjoyed watching him blow-up at Dig. When we're in pain, it is often easiest to take it out on the people we trust the most. Deep down we know they understand and will take us at our worst. And you could see on Dig's face that he wanted to tell Oliver not to worry about Roy, he was trying to say “Trust me” with his face and it was amazing. I was so proud of him for being so supportive of Palmer when he was having a difficult time himself. He is a really good mentor, to Roy, to Barry and now to Palmer, even if he is pretty tough.

    And Palmer didn't bother me at all this episode. I still have some residual issues but his enthusiasm bouncing off Oliver's bristly nature was great. And at the end when he saw Felicity talking to Oliver and just leaned against his car while you saw this realisation cross his face. That was a good Palmer moment for me because he can be SUBTLE and QUIET and that was way more effective in helping me to see some layers or depth to the man. But yes, please have Felicity break it off and not Palmer. PLEASE. She initiated it with the kiss, she's the one who is not all-in, she needs to be the one to end it and take responsibility rather than just bounce off to be with Oliver after Palmer makes the decision for her. This is so important to me. PLEASE WRITERS! And then Palmer can be understanding and take his own path.

    Felicity was right on in her counsellor mode. She immediately got to the point of how much Oliver has lost, how he has been stripped of the Arrow, the one thing he's been sacrificing to maintain. And I loved that she is still certain of who Oliver is even if he is not. Their talk outside the building was an amazing scene. Her point about Oliver accepting help really gets to the heart of some of his issues and when she tells him he is surrounded by people who love him it made me giddy. And when she was at the power plant she was so clever in getting away from Deathbolt. That's my girl. Calm under pressure and so smart.

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    1. It was even uncomfortable for me to watch him not be able to don his hood or stay in his lair and be forced into regular clothes and someone else's office. Ouch.

      Not only that but it registered to me after the episode aired that he was also in the former Queen Consolidated. So when he says that everything has been taken away from him... yup. His hood. His company. His ability to protect the people he loves... everything in that moment? Gone. Amell played the restlessness of Oliver and the frustration that mounts and ultimately explodes so brilliantly. He's so consistently underrated as an actor, I tell you.

      And Palmer didn't bother me at all this episode. I still have some residual issues but his enthusiasm bouncing off Oliver's bristly nature was great. And at the end when he saw Felicity talking to Oliver and just leaned against his car while you saw this realisation cross his face. That was a good Palmer moment for me because he can be SUBTLE and QUIET and that was way more effective in helping me to see some layers or depth to the man.

      Yeah, I didn't hate Ray in this episode. I don't love him but it WAS hilarious to watch him interact with Oliver. Like a puppy on Red Bull and Grumpy Cat interacting, I swear. I also really thought his pep talk and encouragement was exactly what Ray needed and I love that only Oliver is able to deliver that because he's the one person who understands what it means to be in the field. It was a really great example of how Oliver has grown, too, in becoming a mentor (from his previous lone wolf status).

      But yes, please have Felicity break it off and not Palmer.

      A few things are going to happen. Either: 1) Oliver and Felicity's hook-up in the promo isn't real and is a delusion and Felicity is still with Ray and nothing changes. Which would suck, but I could also see happening (if it does, I'm calling it now: everything after Felicity opening the door will be in Oliver's head) because the writers are evil. 2) The group goes to Nanda Parbat and Ray and Felicity are still together, but she sleeps with Oliver anyway. I'm definitely not a fan of this one, because then the excuse would be "well they were both emotional so it's not really cheating." Again: it's a crappy situation but I could also see the writers doing that. 3) Ray breaks up with Felicity when she goes to Nanda Parbat because he tells her what EVERYONE IN THE WORLD HAS TOLD HER and that he can't be with her when she's in love with someone else. And I would hate this so much. Because FELICITY almost told Oliver she loved him in this episode and I need her to get over her fears and step up and be strong and tell Oliver that he is what she wants and he's gonna have to find a way to deal with that because she's not going anywhere. 4) Felicity breaks up with Ray. It seems less likely than the third option given how much she seems to care about him and how Ray is the one noticing things. Ugh.

      And I loved that she is still certain of who Oliver is even if he is not. Their talk outside the building was an amazing scene.

      One of Arrow's constants: Felicity is always there for people to tell them exactly what they need to hear about themselves, even when they don't believe it to be true. And this moment was SO perfect because even if Oliver doesn't know who he is, Felicity does. Because hood or not, he's the man she loves. And when you love someone like that, you just KNOW them.

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  6. Lance is not easy to like lately huh? I'm so glad his fellow officer warned him that he is getting “white whale” about hunting Oliver Queen. I am going to call him Captain Ahab now. He is becoming obsessed and I think you used the word scapegoat. I think that is right on. He is using Oliver as a scapegoat so someone is to blame for anything bad that happens no matter whether Oliver had anything to do with the situation or not. But what really hurt were a couple of times when he was really cruel: when he told Oliver that Roy dying in prison was his fault and when he told Roy not to think that spending any time in jail would make up for any of his crimes (why exactly does Lance put people in prison if there is no point to incarceration?). Both men were clearly in pain and Lance just poured his bitter vinegar into the wounds. That was low and shows that nasty streak that we've seen when he was in the depths of his alcoholism. I don't know where they are taking Lance but I am impressed with Paul's portrayal as usual and I hope I can see him happy someday.

    Oh and the flashbacks. I have classified them as offering little tidbits of info but having no major impact on me this year. To be fair, I rarely re-watch flashbacks no matter the season. But it turns out Waller isn't behind hunting them down which is good because it never made sense to me that that would be her move. Plus, she did look like a total bad ass when she and Oliver talked which I liked. I wouldn't be surprised if the creepy General Shreve shows up in flashback again. Two things stuck out. Tatsu also said that Oliver needs to accept help from others when he said he wouldn't be responsible for getting them hurt (the boy has some responsibility issues that need to be sorted). Secondly, Oliver was good at casing the joint so he got more resources than just the vaccine; he got a phone with intel that will help him fight and it was nice to see him becoming that hyper-aware, resourceful guy we know and love and get annoyed at.

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    1. Lance is not easy to like lately huh?

      You know, last week I didn't hate Lance. I was frustrated with him but I understood him. He crossed a line though when he basically bragged that he was right ABOUT A CLOSE FRIEND OF OLIVER'S -- HIS SISTER'S BOYFRIEND -- dying. LINE CROSSED, LANCE, LINE. CROSSED.

      I don't know where they are taking Lance but I am impressed with Paul's portrayal as usual and I hope I can see him happy someday.

      Ditto, Becca. Ditto.

      Oh and the flashbacks. I have classified them as offering little tidbits of info but having no major impact on me this year.

      Agreed. Give me more of the island at this rate. Or no flashbacks. The Flash has even started using them more sparingly (there were none in this week's episode at all) and I think that's making the show tighter because you're able to focus on the main story and action instead. Thanks for the plot tips by the way! I thought that's what happened but barely cared, lol.

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  7. Little things

    - The lawyer smack down from Laurel was great and is my favourite role for her. I'm glad that even though she wants to repair her relationship with her father she won't stand by when she knows he is wrong
    - Palmer's back peddle on the ILY was actually touching to watch
    - Felicity's purple dress at the beginning was to DIE FOR!
    - Love that the team was ahead of Lance and knew he would come for the Foundry and they were ready. Poor love fern
    - Loved that shot where the ATOM suit glove reacted to the high five and then you just saw Oliver's irritate face. Hilarious plus it feels like Oliver was channelling my irritation with Palmer so I didn't have to feel it, like it was somehow acknowledged that he was irritating
    - I enjoyed seeing Roy take out those guys in the prison all on his own. It was nice that he wasn't overshadowed by Oliver or even Laurel for once. He is a capable fighter now. Plus, it made the actual stabbing scene that much more powerful
    - I loved seeing Oliver forced to stay behind with Felicity and Dig, see how it feels on the other side
    - “There's a decent chance that you and Palmer are related.” Nice and loved his expression after Felicity glared at him!
    - “It wasn't that bad was it?” “It was way worse Ray” John Diggle always manages to crack me up with the fewest words
    - the music behind Oliver and Felicity's talk outside Palmer Tech was subtle and beautiful
    - “You think the plan to find Simmons will work?” “Well, it was Felicity's so yes.” This made me like Palmer a little more
    - I like watching the intercutting of Oliver fighting and Palmer following but I am also glad (even though I'm not a Palmer fan) that they had the connection bread down and Palmer could have his own moment
    - “I make my own choices John.” So does everybody else Oliver. So does everybody. So stop taking their loads
    - “How many times have you saved one of us without asking?” Right on Roy!
    - Beautiful reaction shot showing John Diggle quietly leaving Felicity and Oliver to talk at the end. We know he is a shipper!
    - I really like the scene between Cisco and Palmer at the end. I like that Palmer asked how they are fed and go to the bathroom and that Cisco didn't give an answer. And I did like that they left a little question of unexplainable metahuman origins there at the end

    Great episode that leaves me so excited for next week. And there are three episodes after that. Where will they go from Oliver accepting the Heir position, Thea brought back, Felicity presumably sleeping with and saying goodbye to Oliver (if they give us a love scene but seriously damage the relationship between the two I am going to be so pissed)??? David Ramsey talked about seriously hurt relationships. Where does that fit in? And is Malcolm ever going to get any actual consequences??

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    1. POOR LOVE FERN IS RIGHT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Q27LruEnA. ("Our love fern! You let it DIE.") Favorite rom-com of all time. ;)

      I enjoyed seeing Roy take out those guys in the prison all on his own. It was nice that he wasn't overshadowed by Oliver or even Laurel for once. He is a capable fighter now. Plus, it made the actual stabbing scene that much more powerful

      YES. I was so happy to see him kick butt. "And that's without the arrows." I may have applauded that line.

      the music behind Oliver and Felicity's talk outside Palmer Tech was subtle and beautiful

      It's a beautiful variation of the "Olicity Theme" by Blake Neely, who composes the most wonderful stuff for this show. Seriously. Absolutely perfect.

      “I make my own choices John.” So does everybody else Oliver. So does everybody. So stop taking their loads

      Hallelujah, amen.

      As always, Becca, thank you for your comments. I love them. <3

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  8. I liked this episode. I won't call it my favourite episode, but I think it was the most balanced episode this season. It had all of the ingredients that made Arrow so great to watch. Focus on Oliver's journey, Team Arrow working together, Olicity, Roy and Oliver, Thea trying to be strong against Ra's, Laurel in lawyer mode. I'll even go as far as saying I enjoyed Ray Palmer this episode. Definitely his best episode of the series. It miffs me somewhat that this was the first genuine interaction between Oliver and Ray because they play off each other so well. (I don't count episode 17 because Ray was a douche then).

    Only negatives about this episode IMO were Ra's Al Ghul (when will he die?), Malcolm Merlyn and Quentin Lance. I'm finding it very difficult to sympathise with Quentin. In fact I don't at all. When Ra's showed up I was just like "oh brother he's here again". Seriously, the man needs a hobby. Malcolm Merlyn leaves Thea alone to hide away from the cops and Thea dies. I won't say anything else about that man.

    When Oliver pushed Diggle away, I squeaked in happiness. It. Was. Glorious. I know Roy was many people's MVP this episode but...Oliver was kinda mine. The absolute raw emotion he exhibited throughout the episode was awe inspiring because normally he's Mr. Conceal Don't Feel Don't Let Them Know. He had to sit back and let others save the day, he had to experience his own family doing what was best for him without his knowledge (how does it feel Oliver?), he was smacked in the face by an almost ILY (jeez can he be anymore lamb-like with Felicity?) And he exposed his emotional side when Roy "died". Rollercoaster for this boy.

    Ray and Felicity: Mmm watcha say. The writing is on the wall. At first I was confused by Felicity's interactions with Ray after he went backsies on the ILY. Which BTW was a brilliant scene by Brandon Rough (I really did like Ray this episode). She was clingy and flirty and...err Felicity? But these two are in denial so bad it's a joke. I like what you mentioned about Felicity's mind not being on her feelings for Ray (or lack thereof) but on Roy and the metahuman. That's definitely the impression I got. Felicity and Ray find superficial "relationshippy" things easy to handle. Just let them talk about feelings and the awkward will be heartfelt. Which is what I assume will happen in episode 20.

    I really hope Felicity's the one who breaks up with him. Not that I want Ray's heart to be broken but, I really want her to take charge of her feelings and deal. Whether she's with Oliver or not, she's in love with him, and right NOW any relationship she has is pale in comparison to her feelings for him.

    Your review is super cool. Thumbs up :D

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    1. Lanche: Hello there and welcome! :D Thank you first of all for your comments. I truly appreciate them.

      It had all of the ingredients that made Arrow so great to watch. Focus on Oliver's journey, Team Arrow working together, Olicity, Roy and Oliver, Thea trying to be strong against Ra's, Laurel in lawyer mode. I'll even go as far as saying I enjoyed Ray Palmer this episode. Definitely his best episode of the series. It miffs me somewhat that this was the first genuine interaction between Oliver and Ray because they play off each other so well. (I don't count episode 17 because Ray was a douche then).

      I think everyone is in agreement with you -- we needed this dynamic sooner. Not douchey!Ray and angry!Oliver. We need Oliver being totally exasperated by Ray and Ray being an energetic puppy who loves science. Trying to set up a "love triangle" and isolating Felicity to Ray stories made it creepy and weird. I kinda would have loved to see Ray be the one energetic over like, meeting Oliver Queen and befriending him or something. Anything. There was so much comedic gold between Ray and Oliver this episode.

      I know Roy was many people's MVP this episode but...Oliver was kinda mine.

      Stephen Amell knocked it completely and totally out of the park. Especially during the scenes where he thinks Roy died. Watching him spend the entire episode on the sidelines was so good.

      Ray and Felicity: Mmm watcha say.

      THE MOST PERFECT RESPONSE TO RAYLICITY EVER. THANK YOU.

      I really hope Felicity's the one who breaks up with him. Not that I want Ray's heart to be broken but, I really want her to take charge of her feelings and deal. Whether she's with Oliver or not, she's in love with him, and right NOW any relationship she has is pale in comparison to her feelings for him.

      *standing ovation* Exactly this.

      Thanks so much for your comments! :)

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  9. Wow!! Great review!! I´m just going to say:
    1. Did you just include Ray in one of your observartions and favorites?? You are getting soft! ;)
    2. Oliver saying: There´s some possibility you are related…… LOL!!
    3. No Laurel in Team Arrow!!! Yayyyyy!!! Actually I didn´t notice until the episode was finished… but yayyyy!!
    4. It was weird that Thea wasn´t saying goodbye to Roy… she didn’t even know he was alive….. and then she dies… so I think that was all planned (by MG and friends), so when Thea comes back she has a more tortured soul…
    5. Roy….. oh Roy! I´m going to miss him so much! But I´m really glad he´s not gone for good… right now with Diggle and everyone there is too much characters for all of them to have an important part in the show, so for me this was a good decision.
    6. My fern….. my lovely fern!!! Whyyyyyy!!!!!!!?????
    7. “But it's not Oliver who should be concerned or worried or irritated in the episode. If anyone has cause for concern, it's Ray who realizes at the end of "Broken Arrow" (silently) that the reason Felicity doesn't love him and cannot say those words back? It's because she's in love with Oliver. And Oliver is madly in love with her, too. When Oliver snaps at Diggle and storms out of Palmer Tech, it's Felicity who goes after him, matching him stride for stride and line for line. And when Oliver talks about his anger, Felicity doesn't chastise him for being angry -- she pinpoints the actual source of his anger. She knows that the reason he is upset is because everything he knows -- everything he has ever wanted or loved or worked for -- has been stripped away from him. His company. His identity. His team. Her.”
    I think I´m goint to print this and frame it… for real!

    And the countdown begins!! 6 days!! I think the scene it´s for real, not a dream at all!! But MG said something about Felicity finishing totally with Ray with time…. I mean she wouldn´t be with Ray today and with Oliver tomorrow…… Although your review helped me understand there is finished already: “Felicity stops herself in "Broken Arrow," when she tells Oliver: "You're the man that I --"” and she can´t say it back to Ray….

    See you next week!! The week!!

    Bri

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    1. Oh, and.... I want Felicity´s pink dress!!! I think I´m in love!! :)
      Bri

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    2. Hi Bri! I totally lost my first reply to you since the Internet went down. BOO.

      1) Okay, I totally do admit to enjoying Ray Palmer more this episode than I have. His dynamic with Oliver was hilarious and made me wonder why we didn't have these scenes sooner. If we did, maybe I would actually like Ray now.

      2) Lawyer!Laurel is my favorite kind of Laurel because sometimes I forget how smart she is and then BAM. She reminds me. She's really great at her job. Also, since it looks like she'll stay behind in Starling City, I kind of want her and Ray to hang out more. I'd be down for some Ray/Laurel -- she'd set him in his place. ;)

      3) and then she dies… so I think that was all planned (by MG and friends), so when Thea comes back she has a more tortured soul… This is SUCH a good point that I hadn't really thought of before but you're totally right -- Thea dying before she knows Roy is alive is her dying at one of her darkest and lowest points. So it only makes sense that when she comes back to life, all that darkness will be fueling her. I'm excited.

      SO EXCITED FOR NEXT WEEK. And also nervous. But mostly excited. Thanks, as always, for your comments Bri! :)

      P.S. I want everything Felicity wears. WHY IS HER CLOTHING SO EXPENSIVE?!

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  10. Hi Jennifer Marie

    That was a fabulous episode! There was so much I loved about it (apart from the flashbacks which I kind of glazed over ;)

    Even though the villain was a metahuman and there was a lot of the Atom, it worked in this episode because they grounded it more like the way Oliver spoke of 'instinct' and 'heart', so it came across with much more purpose and not just something that looks cool and I loved Oliver controlling the suit, it was hot! Plus his words of encouragement to Ray were lovely:)

    The banter between everyone at Palmer Tech, in particular Oliver, Felicity and Palmer was wonderful to watch, snarky at times but it brought a bit of lightness to the episode.

    Oliver and Diggle - there are not many people who can push Oliver that way, but Diggle is certainly one that does it with great intention for protecting Oliver. It was charged, and a great emotional moment.

    Roy was stellar in this episode, he had some of the strongest scenes and I definitely feel much more appreciative of his character and was more sad to him leave then I thought I'd be. Oliver should have given him a hug though :(

    There was much surprise as well - Diggle, Felicity and Roy - I did not see that coming, I love how they took control and devised a plan and protected everyone.

    Thea facing Ra's - was it me or did she do better than her brother? I was a bit shocked when she was stabbed (the Arrow writers do love their parallels, don't they?), but I'm hopeful that she will be saved, there is no way they can let her die!

    Also yay! Double-dose of Cisco this week! I liked that little scene between him and Palmer.

    Oliver and Felicity, what are we going to do with you two eh? They are just so adorable, as always their scenes together are beautiful and I'm beyond excited about next week. Bring it On!

    Sitara x

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    1. Welcome back, Sitara! :D

      At this point, they could probably sneak like, a giant elephant or a wizard into the flashbacks and I would never notice because THAT is how little I pay attention to them.

      Even though the villain was a metahuman and there was a lot of the Atom, it worked in this episode because they grounded it more like the way Oliver spoke of 'instinct' and 'heart', so it came across with much more purpose and not just something that looks cool and I loved Oliver controlling the suit, it was hot!

      I do think that the metahuman plot worked well. It was, primarily, to set up the spin-off but it was really cool to get the chance to see Oliver encourage and motivate Ray. Again: I needed more of THAT dynamic and maybe I would have liked Ray Palmer more. Also, big yes to Oliver's attractiveness skyrocketing when he started fighting.

      I definitely feel much more appreciative of his character and was more sad to him leave then I thought I'd be. Oliver should have given him a hug though :(

      Arrow did something really right with developing Roy Harper because I went from eyerolling every time he was on my screen to actually crying when he left. His development was so great. And though I think Oliver should have hugged him it was perfectly paralleling Roy's introduction to the team, where they shook hands. UGH, FEELS.

      Thea facing Ra's - was it me or did she do better than her brother?

      I was totally thinking that. Girl trained with Malcolm for an entire summer. She was able to hold her own pretty well for someone who doesn't know how to use a sword or a bow and just uses her own hands. (I could tell you how she'll be saved from the promos, haha.)

      DOUBLE-DOSE OF CISCO IS ALWAYS WELCOME. Ray and Cisco fit better together than pretty much anyone else on either series.

      I am 100000% ready for Oliver/Felicity next week and also not ready at all.

      Thanks for your comments as always! :)

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  11. Dear Jen,

    Is it unreasonable for me to want Felicity to initiate the break up? IMO it isn't, but I have seen comments of the "why would/should she" nature. For me it all comes back to what Mama Smoak said: choose. As much as we the audience SEE that Felicity loves Oliver, her actions in remaining with Ray show she chooses him. Of course we should take into consideration that she likes Ray and doesn't want to be lonely. But then what was Mama Smoak's point? Baby choose but if the choice is hard don't do it?

    The writers want Ray to be all noble and "I can see you love him/you should be with him" because he's going to the spin off and no sads or bad feels should follow him. But come ON! We've been repeatedly reminded that she wants Oliver and it was his choice not to be with her. Now it's Ray's choice not to be with her? Where is Felicity's choice? I'm sure in the end it will be a mutual break up (snore) but I really just wanted Felicity to be proactive and not reactive for once. Not because Oliver changed his mind and she's reacting to his choice, but she's taking a stand in her life and choosing not to settle.

    *sulks in a corner*

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    1. Hi there Lanche!

      You are not even remotely unreasonable. (From spoilers I've gathered from TV critics who saw the episode, it appears we are correct and Ray initiates the break-up.) I really don't want Ray to break up with Felicity. I don't want people to keep having to tell Felicity that she's in love with Oliver. I want HER to choose HIM, not for everyone to keep telling her what she should do. (At this point, literally everyone has basically told Felicity what she should do.)

      If Felicity broke up with Ray in the car at the beginning of 3x20, I don't think he would be like... mad or heartbroken you know? It would give Felicity agency and Ray clearly saw how much she was in love with him. He could nobly accept that and then just let her go. But for Ray to do it, you're right, puts all the focus on HIM and not HER. Ugh. And I don't want any more focus on him than there already is.

      Bleghhhhhhhhhh Ray Palmer.

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