#Arrow 1x14

[jbuffyangel]

A Leap of Faith: Arrow 1x14 Review (The Odyssey)

WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!! FELICITY KNOWS!!! HALLELUJAH!

Hello to those who are reading this review right now.  I appreciate your dedication and patience as I have FINALLY resumed writing. HUGS!! I hope I remember how to do this. DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!

Let’s dig in…

Olicity

This is a heavy flashback episode, so much so they had to render Oliver unconscious so Stephen didn’t have to pull double duty in the past and the present. The writers at least came up with a better idea than Joss Whedon did when Sarah Michelle Gellar hosted Saturday Night Live. He turned Buffy into a rat (which now that we know his disgusting and abusive behavior on set towards women this really tracks, but I digress). 

Arrow went a simpler route. Moira shoots Oliver.

Can we just talk about Moira shooting Oliver for a sec? Cool? Cool. So, Diggle has bugged Moira because he added 1 + 1 = THE BITCH IS SHADEY and decided to deal with the math, which is something Oliver likes to avoid, but the recording is damning enough to warrant a visit from the Hood. Oliver crashes through the window, takes out some of the office dudes and aims an arrow on his mama.

Moira holds up a picture of Oliver and Thea, begs the Hood not to kill her because she’s a mother and Oliver lessens the tension on the bow. AS IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOOT HER OLIVER PLEASE. LIKE YOU MOMENTARILY FORGOT THIS WAS YOUR MOTHER AND THE PHOTO REMINDED YOU??!!! Come on dude.

Side note: I’d like to point out that Moira literally uses Oliver and Thea’s photo as a shield against the Hood, which is what she always does. She uses her motherhood and children as shield to justify her bad behavior. Moira is not the only person to give birth on this planet, Oliver. It’s not a free pass to murder people.

Oliver is bleeding out and the person he asks for help is not Diggle (even though he’s a phone call away), L*urel (the writers would prefer not to further integrate her into the plot in a meaningful way) or Tommy (they have to save that golden nugget for another time). No, the person Oliver goes to help is FELICITY MEGHAN SMOAK.

Source: @oliverxfelicity

The scene where Felicity finds out Oliver is the Hood is iconic primarily because she has the best reaction of all the characters in the show. Emily Bett Rickards plays the scene with pitch perfect comedic timing, vindication and genuine compassion. It marks Felicity’s full integration into the show. There is no going back now.

The rewatch is funnier now than it was live because Emily has recounted numerous times that Stephen didn’t fit into the back of Felicity’s Mini Cooper. I have the visual of Stephen’s bottom half hanging out of the side door the scene plays out. 

Felicity brings Oliver to the Foundry as instructed and this is no small thing. Oliver has been shot enough times to know he was losing a lot of blood and would be unconscious soon. He doesn’t make any kind of contact with Diggle to let him know what happened. Oliver’s life is truly in Felicity’s hands. She could bring him to the hospital, but they both know that would result in revealing The Hood’s true identity. Oliver has no guarantees Felicity won’t immediately go to the police either, and yet there he is in the back of the Mini Cooper.

Source: @westallenolicitygifs

TRUST is a central theme in Olicity’s relationship. It’s examined from almost every possible angle over the course of 8 seasons, but these early episodes are the building blocks. You don’t get to 1x14 without 1x12. Felicity took the first step. She confronted Oliver about his lies, admits she had no real reason to trust him, and yet there she is in the restaurant handing over Moira’s copy of The List. Felicity takes a leap of faith and so Oliver does the same.

This revelation has been steadily building from the moment Oliver walked into Felicity’s office and presented the bullet ridden computer. 

Source: @swifterly

Arrow has many missteps, particularly when they are not invested in a character, but when the writers are invested they can produce really profound character arcs. They slowly and rather painstakingly build Felicity’s character and her relationship with Oliver, step by step, moment by moment. It doesn’t feel rushed when Felicity discovers Oliver’s identity, but it doesn’t feel overdue either.  

It’s Felicity herself who asks the most fundamental question in “The Odyssey” and perhaps in the show.

Source: https://gfycat.com/discover/1x14-gifs

I think one of the more remarkable aspects to Arrow is that the writers often anticipate the audience’s questions and literally answer them in the show. More often than not, Felicity is the voice of the audience. It’s difficult to explain how dismissive some viewers were of Felicity now that we know how the story played out, but Olicity shippers really had it rough back in Season 1 and Season 2. 

It was LUDICROUS to even consider Felicity as a potential love interest for Oliver - not when you had the queen of comic canon L*urel L*ance right there. This was the Green Arrow’s origin story and there was no other possible ending other than Oliver ending up with the Bl*ck C*anary. 

Anyone who dared to question the presumed trajectory of the story was on the receiving end of a lot of ridicule and hate. Olicity shippers were idiotic. We were delusional. Felicity Smoak was comedic relief and the Girl Friday. THAT WAS ALL SHE WAS EVER GOING TO BE.

And yet… we hoped because of scenes like THIS. The writers were challenging their own narrative by asking the very question some of the audience was asking. WHY FELICITY? Why does Felicity find out the truth and not L*urel? Why does Oliver go to HER? If this was really about her ability with computers and becoming his Girl Friday then Diggle would’ve answered that way, but he doesn’t.

John’s answer contains a lot more depth.

“As hard as it is for him to admit, even Oliver needs help sometimes.”

Oliver NEEDS help. He cannot do this alone, even though that was his very intention in the beginning, but as the mission evolved so did Oliver. He went to Diggle first and now Felicity. Yes, they both have skills that are useful to the mission. Diggle is a trained solder. Felicity is a tech genius. (Oliver clearly had some computer skills in the pilot that the writers rapidly backed off of once they discovered the gem that is Emily Bett Rickards.) We can easily right this off as skills are the only qualifications that matter answer.

But Diggle didn’t join Oliver’s mission because he thought Oliver needed back up in the field. John recognized Oliver’s trauma because it was the same as his trauma. Diggle knows the hole Oliver is in because he was in the hole too. Diggle’s mission was always to save Oliver Queen. Whether or not Oliver is capable of acknowledging this is the help he truly needs from John (and he’s sooooooo not capable at this point in the story), it doesn’t change the truth.

The antis aren’t entirely wrong. Felicity Smoak was nothing. She was a throw away comic book name that Marc Guggenheim tossed into a little scene with an unknown guest star to give it some extra pizzazz. But that’s all it was ever supposed to be – one scene. What happened next was completely unexpected for the writers and the actors. Emily’s performance sparked something in Stephen’s and thus lighted the path the writers were struggling to find in Season 1. Felicity wasn’t supposed to matter, but that’s exactly why she does.

Oliver’s story is not about how many comic book characters Arrow can produce. It’s not about reproducing a comic canon story directly from the issue page onto a television screen. It’s not about a predetermined ending. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times. It’s about a broken man finding his humanity again. Arrow is about saving a man’s soul.

If we are to truly believe Oliver is a changed man then he must see beyond what’s on the surface. He has to see value and worth in all people – particularly those who are perceived to be nothing.  This is an origin story. He’s not the Green Arrow yet, but for us to believe in his hero’s journey then Oliver Queen must see people’s humanity. The sum total of his mission is not crossing off a list of names.

Felicity Smoak is the first person who sparks something in Oliver when he returns home. This inconsequential human being, who is a means to an end to catch a bad guy, finds a way past Oliver’s cold and detached demeanor and makes him smile. We see Oliver’s humanity. We glimpse the warm, kind and deeply good person Oliver is. We see his light. Felicity makes Oliver feel something he cannot quite put into words, but he keeps coming back for more.

People are dismissive of Felicity the same way so many of the characters are dismissive of Oliver. One of the main reasons he’s able to keep his identity secret is because so many of his loved ones believe it’s ludicrous to ever think Oliver is a crime fighting vigilante. He’s too selfish and stupid for that. Nobody bothers to look past Oliver’s surface other than Diggle.

I mean… why not L*urel? The woman is a friggin lawyer and she has helped the Hood before. Doesn’t it make more sense at this point to bring her into the team? Shouldn’t Oliver rebuild his relationship with L*urel by allowing her to know the person he truly is? Their relationship fell apart because of lies and betrayal, so wouldn’t the fix be honesty and complete transparency? The answer to those questions are clearly yes, but Oliver has absolutely no intention of ever telling L*urel his true identity, so there’s a solid 75% of his life that she will never know about. What kind of relationship is that?

Oliver has told two virtual strangers his identity while keeping those he loves most in the dark. Why? I don’t think he trusts L*urel. He doesn’t trust she won’t turn him into daddy. His identity is safe if he’s in her good graces, but if L*urel decides she hates Oliver one week then it’s a trip to the slammer for him.

Before anyone jumps on the whole “Oliver is keeping his identity secret to protect L*urel” bandwagon, I’d like to point out that Diggle brings up this very point to Oliver after he is revived.  

I really don’t think Oliver is ambivalent about Felicity’s safety, quite the opposite is true. So, if it’s really that simple then why can’t Oliver protect L*urel? He literally chucks his number one reason for a secret identity right out the window.

Oliver doesn’t want to tell L*ruel because there’s too much pain, loss and guilt. There’s too much bad road between them. Oliver doesn’t have anything to atone for with Felicity and Diggle. The fact they didn’t know pre-island Ollie is a real friggin plus at this point. Oliver can just be who he is. It’s a clean slate.

Source: @westallenolicitygifs 

LOOK at how ambivalent this man is towards life. He just survived death AGAIN and he can barely summon any appreciation beyond “Cool.” But the very next scene is Oliver shaking Felicity’s hand and welcoming her to the team. 

Source: @westallenolicitygifs 

Did y’all fangirl over the handshake? These are the seasons where seasons where shoulders are Oliver and Felicity’s erogenous zones, so an actual handshake is practically second base.

Oliver extends the same invitation to Felicity that he offered to Diggle. She’s pretty much a member of Team Arrow at this point anyways. But like Diggle, Felicity has her own reasons for joining up with Oliver. Her goal is to save Walter simply because he was nice to her. Felicity is as loyal as they come.

Source: @andjustforthismoment

We can breathe a sigh of relief. The show is on the upswing because Felicity is finally officially on the team. From the moment she enters the Foundry, it feels like Felicity is coming home.  This is where she was always meant to be. Her bright magenta sweater (with matching lipstick naturally) is like a burst of colorful sunshine amongst all the grey, black and green. It’s been thirteen episodes of just Oliver and Diggle yapping while shirtless. Don’t get me wrong, I like the shirtless, but this show is in major need of a feminine injection. I wonder if she’ll decorate a little.

Source: @swifterly 

Felicity is the ONLY woman in Oliver’s life who knows who he truly is. This is no small matter. I disagree with Diggle. Oliver did have a choice. There were other people he could have called for help, but he chose Felicity. He doesn’t have to pretend with her anymore and I think that’s in large part why he tells her. Oliver lies so convincingly with everyone in his life, but not Felicity. He is terrible at lying to Felicity because he doesn’t want to lie to her. It’s just that simple. He cannot quantify what he feels at this point, but it is Felicity who reminds Oliver what it means to be human.

And if you’re truly paying attention to the show the writers tell us why Felicity from the very beginning. We weren’t delusional. We were right.

Source: @yet-i-remain-quiet

Felicity and Diggle

Stephen Amell is pulling full time duty in the flashbacks, which allows for a long overdue quality Diggle and Felicity scene. These are always so wonderful and so rare.

Source: intrepidmare 

Diggle catches Felicity up on the previous thirteen episodes and confirms everything she already knew. The fact that she’s the only character to figure out who Oliver is BEFORE he reveals his identity speaks volumes about her. Felicity is brilliant of course, but you don’t need to be a genius to piece this puzzle together.  I appreciate the writers don’t treat her like an idiot for the sake of keeping an identity secret from someone who clearly should’ve figured it out by now (*cough*Laurel*cough*)

Not that I’m taking anything away from Diggle, but he was a hell of a lot more shocked when Oliver revealed he was the Hood. I think Diggle knew there was a lot more to Oliver Queen than he was letting on and he was up to some shifty behavior, but I don’t think Diggle believed that meant he was murdering criminals with a bow and arrow on a nightly basis.

As they wait for Oliver to recover, Felicity decides to pass the time by asking John how he feels about all the murder. It’s one of the few times we hear about Diggle’s experience in Afghanistan and we get a clearer understanding on where John’s moral compass is pointing lately. 

He tells Felicity about the time he killed a young boy in order to protect a warlord in Afghanistan. There’s nothing more righteous than fighting for your country and yet Diggle had to do terrible things. He wanted to be an honorable solider, but came home feeling like he lost his honor. He couldn’t see what good he truly accomplished.

Diggle: I killed this kid to protect this human piece of garbage and I thought am I still good? Am I still a good man? Doing this with Oliver, doing what we do, I feel good again for the first time in a long time.

It is seriously one of David Ramsey’s most underrated performances.

John’s explanation is simple. Yes, Oliver kills but they are bad people. John isn’t thrilled about the murder, but it’s not like he enjoyed killing while in Afghanistan and he knows Oliver doesn’t enjoy it either. Loss of life is the cost of war, and sometimes a necessary evil, but at least in this war John feels like he’s actually accomplishing something. Diggle is finding his honor again. If he has to break the law to win the war then it’s a cost Diggle is willing to pay.

Source: @swifterly

This scene is key to understanding why Felicity joins the team. Yes, she wants to save Walter, but it means a certain level of acceptance with the way Oliver does business. We’re going to flesh out Felicity’s attitude about Oliver’s killing a lot more in the upcoming episodes, but he may need to take some lives of VERY EVIL PEOPLE in order to save Walter’s life. Felicity is not stupid. She knows this.

One of my annoyances in later seasons is whenever Oliver does something bad to Felicity it can be treated like the worst thing he’s ever done. Whereas I remain firmly entrenched in torture and murder being the worst things Oliver has ever done. Homegirl not only joined up with Oliver while he was dropping bodies left and right, she also fell in love with him while he was doing it. 

Felicity Smoak is not pure as the driven snow. Her moral compass skews slightly left of dead center, no different than Oliver and Diggle. But we have to ask the same question Diggle asks himself every day – what is good? Oliver operates in a world of grey and watching Felicity navigate it with him is what gives their dynamic the necessary push and pull.

Flashbacks

Shockingly, everything I talked about previously is not the main focus of the episode. The Flashbacks are the main focus, but my investment in them was minimal when I watched Season 1 live and they’ve plummeted further upon my rewatch.

Island Ollie is such a pain in the ass. Honestly, I cannot believe Slade and Yao Fei put up with his ass for so long. Could you blame them if they just bitched slapped the hell out of Oliver and left him for dead? No. They deserve medals. Oliver is so whiney & entitled. How did any woman find this man attractive enough to sleep with him? The hair alone is ... 

WOMEN OF STARLING CITY I HAVE QUESTIONS.

Slade and Oliver are going to commandeer a plane and fly off the island. Oliver would also like to save Yao Fei, but Slade is not convinced it is worth the effort. Oliver’s refusal to abandon Yao Fei gives us a glimpse of the hero he will become, so I am willing to give credit where credit is due. But Ollie is right back to his old tricks when he tries to buy off Billy Wintergreen to save his own life.  

Dear Ollie,

These people are psychopaths. You are in Purgatory. You are paying for your sins. You will not be able to buy your way out of it.

Love,

Me

Slade’s training is not a total loss. Well, that’s not true. Oliver screws up virtually every job Slade gives him, but he is able to disarm a bad guy so that’s progress at least. Slade kills his ex BFF Billy Wintergreen too so Team Island is also on an upswing.

I wondered how much I was going to have to write about The Odyssey since the name of the episode is “The Odyssey” but leave it to Arrow to be subtle about it. It’s the book Fyers is reading on the island and the only book Oliver read in college, so he knows the secret challenge code when the pilot tries to verify their identity.

For those who never had an English literature class, The Odyssey is a Greek poem written by Homer about Odysseus’ 10 year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. The challenge code Oliver repeats from the poem flat out explains what Arrow is about. 

“Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth, nothing is bred that is weaker than man.”

Homer is acknowledging that humanity is weak by our very nature, especially when compared to the gods. We are powerless against the pain the gods inflict upon humanity, but more often than not we are the makers our own suffering. Yet, it is this very weakness which makes our victories so sweet. The gods‘ immortality & power ultimately renders their lives meaningless because they have nothing to lose.

Odysseus doesn’t have any magical powers. He survives by his cunning & will, which makes his journey home EARNED. Odysseus appreciates life and those he loves because he suffered. This appreciation for life is something the gods can never have.

“The gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment may be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.” — Homer, The Iliad

Oliver = Odysseus. Here endeth the lesson.

Stray Thoughts

Oliver making Mama Queen off limits is really one of his stupider moves and sets up a lot of the disastrous things coming up.

I’m really trying not to read into Diggle’s “hickey gone wrong” comment in the episode Felicity officially joins the team, but alas I am failing. I will find my Olicity sexual content wherever possible.

Felicity ordered the sample of Oliver’s blood destroyed. Damn she’s good. And we get this adorable gif.

The bathroom is upstairs in the club? That seems inconvenient.

Yao Fei has a daughter. A daughter with the same tattoo Oliver has on his shoulder. The plot thickens.

It’s really amazing Diggle didn’t shoot Felicity by accident.

Me: UGH. They never include L*urel in the flashbacks. Also Me: UGH. L*urel is in the flashbacks. KEEP IT.

“Do you think you can sleep with your girlfriend’s sister and make it right?” Slade wins all the awards this episode honestly. Finally someone said it.

***No more commentary from the child. She is a teenager and is way too busy to watch a show with her old mom. She will always be an Olicity shipper though.

Listen to the @watchover-podcast reaction to 1x14!!! 

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If you’d like to support the blog, please buy me a cup of tea!

[winnie-the-monster]

[itachi86]

the cast away reference

[roennq]

One of my favourite scenes of the season [continued below]:

Diggle's face: And I'M trying not to laugh. [Please let this torture conversation be over soon.]

[goodwhump-temp]

Ray Palmer Whump | Legends of Tomorrow / Arrowverse

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW 1x02 Punched, bleeding, imprisoned 1x03 Reckless, hit by a rock (unphased), sad, worried 1x04 Knocked unconscious, captured 1x05 Gulag, beaten, weak, bruised/bloody, annoyed, restrained, tortured/electrocuted, sacrifice/beaten by hammer, weak, unconscious, carried 1x06 Bruised 1x07 Losing oxygen, passes out, heart attack, betrayed 1x08 Psych ward patient (brief), stranded 1x09 Stranded, upset 1x10 Guilt, shot out of the sky, sad 1x12 Thrown, dying, severe internal injuries, past self attacked, bleeding, weak, comforted, heartbroken 1x13 Gut punched, shot unconscious, heartbroken 1x14 Manipulated, heartbroken, choked unconscious, arrested 1x15 Imprisoned, fated to die, knocked unconscious

2x02 Imprisoned, attacked, weak, captured, restrained 2x03 Punched, knocked out, stranded, knocked unconscious, restrained, interrogated/punched, bleeding, angry, knocked down 2x04 Sad, unconscious 2x05 Identity crisis 2x08 Body slammed, protected (26:55) 2x09 Memory loss, kicked x2, hostage, thrown in trash compactor 2x11 Arm twisted 2x12 Fated to die, 1v1 swordfight, shot, unconscious 2x14 Punched x5, crash landing, stuck with Thawne 2x16 Memory loss, punched, pinned 2x17 Choked, killed, punched x2

3x01 Knocked down, painfully pinned 3x02 Allergies, imprisoned 3x03 Drowned unconscious 3x04 Younger self killed, dissapears, bullied, shaken, emotionally hurt (17:10) 3x07 Captured 3x08 Electrocuted, unconscious, mourning 3x09 Therapy, tackled 3x10 Table pinned 3x12 Shock (34:15) 3x13 Captured, leg (indirectly) hit, pain, choked, restrained/gagged, knocked down 3x15 Severely injured, dying/unconscious 3x17 Thrown, unconscious, choked

4x01 Nervous, hallucinating, lovelorn 4x02 Turned into a pig, carried 4x03 Lovelorn, undercover, pinned, knocked out (offscreen) 4x05 Lovelorn 4x06 Mean Constantine (15:25) 4x07 Knocked unconscious, choked 4x08 Shot (16:30), "dead" 4x10 Bug of truth, scared, arrested 4x11 Guilt 4x12 Thrown, unconscious, emotional, possessed 4x13 Tempted, stabs himself, pain, upset, fully possessed, missing 4x14 Possessed, missing, body threatened, throat cut, knocked down 4x15 Possessed 4x16 Possessed, Hell therapy, hit (lightly), collapses, upset,

5x02 Shaken, knocked unconscious, 5x03 Handcuffed, framed 5x05 Mind controlled, choked 5x07 Choked 5x08 Emotional goodbyes, crying

ARROW 3x10 Annoyed 3x11 Punched 3x15 Obsessive, insomnia 3x17 Jealous, trust issues/'betrayed', kicked, bruises 3x18 Shot by Arrow, bleeding out, hospitalized, weak, blood clot, seizure 3x19 Punched multiple times, choked, crash landing, pain, beaten/choked, more pain 3x20 Heartbroken 3x22 Intense crash landing, imprisoned, poisoned, unconscious 3x23 Restrained, caught in explosion

4x06 Caught in explosion, trapped, 4x07 Sad/angst

5x08 Memory loss, knocked down, kicked, trapped

FLASH 1x18 Crash landing 3x08 Brain pain, abducted, mind controlled 6x09 (Superman version) literally dies/destiny changed

[supernovagifs]

NCIS Season Masterlists

Below are/will be masterlists for each episode.

Season 1

1x1 - Yankee White

1x2 - Hung Out to Dry

1x3 - Sea Dog

1x4 - The Immortals

1x5 - The Curse

1x6 - High Seas

1x7 - Sub Rosa

1x8 - Minimum Security

1x9 - Marine Down

1x10 - Left For Dead

1x11 - Eye Spy

1x12 - My Other Left Foot

1x13 - One Shot, One Kill

1x14 - The Good Samaritan

1x15 - Enigma

1x16 - Bete Noire

1x17 - The Truth Is Out There

1x18 - UnSEALeD

1x19 - Dead Man Talking

1x20 - Missing

1x21 - Split Decision

1x22 - A Weak Link

1x23 - Reveille

Season 2

2x1 - See No Evil

2x2 - The Good Wives Club

2x3 - Vanished

2x4 - Lt. Jane Doe

2x5 - The Bone Yard

2x6 - Terminal Leave

2x7 - Call of Silence

2x8 - Heart Break

2x9 - Forced Entry

2x10 - Chained

2x11 - Black Water

2x12 - Doppelganger

2x13 - The Meat Puzzle

2x14 - Witness

2x15 - Caught On Tape

2x16 - Pop Life

2x17 - An Eye for an Eye

2x18 - Bikini Wax

2x19 - Conspiracy Theory

2x20 - Red Cell

2x21 - Hometown Hero

2x22 - SWAK

2x23 - Twilight

Season 3

3x1 - Kill Ari (Part 1)

3x2 - Kill Ari (Part 2)

3x3 - Mind Games

3x4 - Silver War

3x5 - Switch

3x6 - The Voyeur's Web

3x7 - Honor Code

3x8 - Under Covers

3x9 - Frame Up

3x10 - Probie

3x11 - Model Behavior

3x12 - Boxed In

3x13 - Deception

3x14 - Light Sleeper

3x15 - Head Case

3x16 - Family Secret

3x17 - Ravenous

3x18 - Bait

3x19 - Iced

3x20 - Untouchable

3x21 - Bloodbath

3x22 - Jeopardy

3x23 - Hiatus (Part 1)

3x24 - Hiatus (Part 2)

Season 4

4x1 - Shalom

4x2 - Escaped

4x3 - Singled Out

4x4 - Faking It

4x5 - Dead and Unburied

4x6 - Witch Hunt

4x7 - Sandblast

4x8 - Once a Hero

4x9 - Twisted Sister

4x10 - Smoked

4x11 - Driven

4x12 - Suspicion

4x13 - Sharif Returns

4x14 - Blowback

4x15 - Friends & Lovers

4x16 - Dead Man Walking

4x17 - Skeletons

4x18 - Iceman

4x19 - Grace Period

4x20 - Cover Story

4x21 - Brothers In Arms

4x22 - In the Dark

4x23 - Trojan Horse

5x24 - Angel of Death

Season 5

5x1 - Bury Your Dead

5x2 - Family

5x3 - Ex-File

5x4 - Identity Crisis

5x5 - Leap of Faith

5x6 - Chimera

5x7 - Requiem

5x8 - Designated Target

5x9 - Lost & Found

5x10 - Corporal Punishment

5x11 - Tribes

5x12 - Stakeout

5x13 - Dog Tags

5x14 - Internal Affairs

5x15 - In the Zone

5x16 - Recoil

5x17 - About Face

5x18 - Judgement Day (Part 1)

5x19 - Judgement Day (Part 2)

Season 6

6x1 - Last Man Standing

6x2 - Agent Afloat

6x3 - Capitol Offense

6x4 - Heartland

6x5 - Nine Lives

6x6 - Murder 2.0

6x7 - Collateral Damage

6x8 - Cloak

6x9 - Dagger

6x10 - Road Kill

6x11 - Silent Night

6x12 - Caged

6x13 - Broken Bird

6x14 - Love & War

6x15 - Deliverance

6x16 - Bounce

6x17 - South by Southwest

6x18 - Knockout

6x19 - Hide & Seek

6x20 - Dead Reckoning

6x21 - Toxic

6x22 - Legend (Part 1)

6x23 - Legend (Part 2)

6x24 - Semper Fidelis

6x25 - Aliyah

Season 7

7x1 - Truth or Consequences

7x2 - Reunion

7x3 - The Inside Man

7x4 - Good Cop, Bad Cop

7x5 - Code of Conduct

7x6 - Outlaws and In-Laws

7x7 - Endgame

7x8 - Power Down

7x9 - Child's Play

7x10 - Faith

7x11 - Ignition

7x12 - Flesh and Blood

7x13 - Jet Lag

7x14 - Masquerade

7x15 - Jack-Knife

7x16 - Mother's Day

7x17 - Double Identity

7x18 - Jurisdiction

7x19 - Guilty Pleasure

7x20 - Moonlighting

7x21 - Obsession

7x22 - Borderland

7x23 - Patriot Down

7x24 - Rule Fifty-One

Season 8

8x1 - Spider and the Fly

8x2 - Worst Nightmare

8x3 - Short Fuse

8x4 - Royals and Loyals

8x5 - Dead Air

8x6 - Cracked

8x7 - Broken Arrow

8x8 - Enemies Foreign

8x9 - Enemies Domestic

8x10 - False Witness

8x11 - Ships in the Night

8x12 - Recruited

8x13 - Freedom

8x14 - A Man Walks Into a Bar...

8x15 - Defiance

8x16 - Kill Screen

8x17 - One Last Score

8x18 - Out of the Frying Pan

8x19 - Tell-All

8x20 - Two-Faced

8x21 - Dead Reflection

8x22 - Baltimore

8x23 - Swan Song

8x24 - Pyramid

Season 9

9x1 - Nature of the Beast

9x2 - Restless

9x3 - The Penelope Papers

9x4 - Enemy on the Hill

9x5 - Safe Harbor

9x6 - Thirst

9x7 - Devil's Triangle

9x8 - Engaged (Part 1)

9x9 - Engaged (Part 2)

9x10 - Sins of the Father

9x11 - Newborn King

9x12 - Housekeeping

9x13 - A Desperate Man

9x14 - Life Before His Eyes

9x15 - Secrets

9x16 - Psych Out

9x17 - Need to Know

9x18 - The Tell

9x19 - The Good Son

9x20 - The Missionary Position

9x21 - Rekindled

9x22 - Playing With Fire

9x23 - Up in Smoke

9x24 - Till Death Do Us Part

Season 10

10x1 - Extreme Prejudice

10x2 - Recovery

10x3 - Phoenix

10x4 - Lost at Sea

10x5 - The Namesake

10x6 - Shell Shock (Part 1)

10x7 - Shell Shock (Part 2)

10x8 - Gone

10x9 - Devil's Trifecta

10x10 - You Better Watch Out

10x11 - Shabbat Shalom

10x12 - Shiva

10x13 - Hit and Run

10x14 - Canary

10x15 - Hereafter

10x16 - Detour

10x17 - Prime Suspect

10x18 - Seek

10x19 - Squall

10x20 - Chasing Ghosts

10x21 - Berlin

10x22 - Revenged

10x23 - Double Blind

10x24 - Damned If You Do

Season 11

11x1 - Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

11x2 - Past, Present and Future

11x3 - Under the Radar

11x4 - Anonymous Was a Woman

11x5 - Once a Crook

11x6 - Oil & Water

11x7 - Better Angels

11x8 - Alibi

11x9 - Gut Check

11x10 - Devil's Triad

11x11 - Homesick

11x12 - Kill Chain

11x13 - Double Back

11x14 - Monsters and Men

11x15 - Bulletproof

11x16 - Dressed to Kill

11x17 - Rock and a Hard Place

11x18 - Crescent City (Part 1)

11x19 - Crescent City (Part 2)

11x20 - Page Not Found

11x21 - Alleged

11x22 - Shooter

11x23 - The Admiral's Daughter

11x24 - Honor Thy Father

Season 12

12x1 - Twenty Klicks

12x2 - Kill the Messenger

12x3 - So It Goes

12x4 - Choke Hold

12x5 - The San Dominick

12x6 - Parental Guidance Suggested

12x7 - The Searchers

12x8 - Semper Fortis

12x9 - Grounded

12x10 - House Rules

12x11 - Check

12x12 - The Enemy Within

12x13 - We Build, We Fight

12x14 - Cadence

12x15 - Cabin Fever

12x16 - Blast from the Past

12x17 - The Artful Dodger

12x18 - Status Update

12x19 - Patience

12x20 - No Good Deed

12x21 - Lost in Translation

12x22 - Troll

12x23 - The Lost Boys

12x24 - Neverland

Season 13

13x1 - Stop the Bleeding

13x2 - Personal Day

13x3 - Incognito

13x4 - Double Trouble

13x5 - Lockdown

13x6 - Viral

13x7 - 16 Years

13x8 - Saviors

13x9 - Day in Court

13x10 - Blood Brothers

13x11 - Spinning Wheel

13x12 - Sister City (Part 1)

13x13 - Deja Vu

13x14 - Decompressed

13x15 - React

13x16 - Loose Cannons

13x17 - After Hours

13x18 - Scope

13x19 - Reasonable Doubts

13x20 - Charade

13x21 - Return to Sender

13x22 - Homefront

13x23 - Dead Letter

13x24 - Family First

Season 14

14x1 - Rogue

14x2 - Being Bad

14x3 - Privileged Information

14x4 - Love Boat

14x5 - Philly

14x6 - Shell Game

14x7 - Home of the Brave

14x8 - Enemy Combatant

14x9 - Pay to Play

14x10 - The Tie That Binds

14x11 - Willoughby

14x12 - Off the Grid

14x13 - Keep Going

14x14 - Nonstop

14x15 - Pandora's Box (Part I)

14x16 - A Many Splendored Thing

14x17 - What Lies Above

14x18 - M.I.A

14x19 - The Wall

14x20 - A Bowl of Cherries

14x21 - One Book, Two Covers

14x22 - Beastmaster

14x23 - Something Blue

14x24 - Rendezvous

Season 15

15x1 - House Divided

15x2 - Twofer

15x3 - Exit Strategy

15x4 - Skeleton Crew

15x5 - Fake It 'Til You Make It

15x6 - Trapped

15x7 - Burden of Proof

15x8 - Voices

15x9 - Ready or Not

15x10 - Double Down

15x11 - High Tide

15x12 - Dark Secrets

15x13 - Family Ties

15x14 - Keep Your Friends Close

15x15 - Keep Your Enemies Closer

15x16 - Handle with Care

15x17 - One Man's Trash

15x18 - Death from Above

15x19 - The Numerical Limit

15x20 - Sight Unseen

15x21 - One Step Forward

15x22 - Two Steps Back

15x23 - Fallout

15x24 - Date with Destiny

Season 16

16x1 - Destiny's Child

16x2 - Love Thy Neighbor

16x3 - Boom

16x4 - Third Wheel

16x5 - Fragments

16x6 - Beneath the Surface

16x7 - A Thousand Words

16x8 - Friendly Fire

16x9 - Tailing Angie

16x10 - What Child Is This?

16x11 - Toil and Trouble

16x12 - The Last Link

16x13 - She

16x14 - Once Upon a Tim

16x15 - Crossing the Line

16x16 - Bears and Cubs

16x17 - Silent Service

16x18 - Mona Lisa

16x19 - Perennial

16x20 - Hail & Farewell

16x21 - Judge, Jury...

16x22 - ...and Executioner

16x23 - Lost Time

16x24 - Daughters

Season 17

17x1 - Out of the Darkness

17x2 - Into the Light

17x3 - Going Mobile

17x4 - Someone Else's Shoes

17x5 - Wide Awake

17x6 - Institutionalized

17x7 - No Vacancy

17x8 - Musical Chairs

17x9 - IRL

17x10 - The North Pole

17x11 - In the Wind

17x12 - Flight Plan

17x13 - Sound Off

17x14 - On Fire

17x15 - Lonely Hearts

17x16 - Ephemera

17x17 - In a Nutshell

17x18 - Schooled

17x19 - Blarney

17x20 - The Arizona

[itachi86]

rescuing*

“They’re gonna see us”

Slade recusing Oliver in 1x14 (requested by: floacist)

[afaimsarrowverse]

250(ish) Favorite Arrowverse Episodes: Part 3: 200-176

Picked from „Arrow“, „Black Lightning“, „Supergirl“, „Legends of Tomorrow“, „The Flash“, „Barwoman“ Season 1+2 and „Superman & Lois“ Season 1+2. I did consider kicking „Superman & Lois“ of this list, but since it pretended to be part of the Arrowverse for its first two seasons I left it on here.

 200. White Knights (Legends of Tomorrow 1x4)

4, Written by: Sarah Nicole Jones, Phil Klemmer, Directed by: Antonio Negret

 "Don't trouble yourself. I'm not a damsel in distress." "Good, because I'm not a white knight."

 199. The Sound and the Fury (The Flash 1x11)

11, Written by: Alison Shapker, Brooke Eikmeier, Directed by: John Showalter

 "Smart enough to figure out who Harrison Wells really is, you see I know his secret."

 198. The Chicago Way (Legends of Tomorrow 2x8)

24, Written by: Sarah Nicole Jones, Ray Utarnachitt, Directed by: Ralph Hemecker

 "Why am I not surprised? Wherever Darhk is, you're not too far away."

 197. City of Heroes (Arrow 2x1)

24, Written by: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, Directed by: John Behring

 "The city still needs saving. But not by The Hood. Or some vigilante who's just crossing names off a list. It needs something... more." "It needs a hero, Oliver."

 196. Kara (Supergirl 6x20)

126, Written by: Jessica Queller, Robert Rovner, Rob Wright, Derek Simon, Directed by: Jesse Warn

 "Oh, Kira, I always have a point. Now, let's take a look at everything that Supergirl and Kara Danvers have accomplished separately. And then let's imagine what you could do if you became one integrated, authentic being."

 195. The One with the Nineties (The Flash 7x6)

139, Written by: Kelly Wheeler, Emily Palizzi, Directed by: Jeff Byrd

 "I think we just time traveled."

"For real? So we gonna party like it's 1998?"

 194. Menagerie (Supergirl 4x12)

77, Written by: Robert Rovner, Daniel Beaty, Greg Baldwin, Directed by: Stefan Pleszczynski

 „We protected the humans of this city by killing a monster. Not even Supergirl could do that."

 193. Grinning from Ear to Ear (Batwoman 1x14)

14, Written by: Denise Harkavy, Directed by: Michael Blundell

 "You're right. As long as I am with the woman who wears a mask, I'll always be wearing one myself."

 192. The Flash is born (The Flash 1x6)

6, Written by: Jaime Paglia, Chris Rafferty, Directed by: Millicent Shelton

 "Looks like you were born to take a beating."

 191. The Legion of Doom (Legends of Tomorrow 2x10)

26, Written by: Phil Klemmer, Marc Guggenheim, Directed by: Eric Laneuville

 "I mean, fair question. Why does a time-traveling speedster need to rely on anyone? Thawne's hiding something. Wouldn't you like to know what it is?"

 190. Don’t Run (The Flash 4x9)

78, Written by: Sam Chalsen, Judalina Neira, Directed by: Stefan Pleszczynski

 "The lesson I have prepped for today is much more simple. Life 101: there are no happy endings."

 189. Land of the Lost (Legends of Tomorrow 2x13)

29. Written by: Keto Shimizu, Ray Utanarchitt, Directed by: Ralph Hemecker

 "Rip? That really you?" "I don't know who I am anymore, Mr. Jackson."

 188. Attack on Central City (The Flash 3x14)

60, Written by: Benjamin Raab, Deric A. Hughes, Todd Helbing, Directed by: Dermott Downs

 "No matter what I do to stop Grodd, he just keeps finding new ways to attack, new ways to destroy, and I... Iris doesn't think I should, but the only way this ends is if I kill him."

 187. Love is a Battlefield (The Flash 6x11)

125, Written by: Kelly Wheeler, Jeff Hersh, Directed by: Sudz Sutherland

 "Neither one of you are ever gonna stop growing. I mean, marriage is like a tree. I mean, bear with me. Look, the branches, they grow from the center. They grow farther and farther away from the center, but what you have to remember is underneath, the roots? They're mirroring the branches. They're growing just as much. So you're growing your foundation. Now of course, you gotta tend to the soil, communicate with each other, take care of each other, look out for each other, but as the branches grow, so does your foundation. So you grow together."

 186. Livewire (Supergirl 1x4)

4, Written by: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Caitlin Parrish, Directed by: Kevin Tancharoen

 "No. Leslie Willis is dead. D-E-A-D. Dead. She died in that CatCopter of yours. This is Leslie 2.0. Livewire. And you and I... we're gonna have words."

 185. Fadeout (Arrow 8x10)

170, Written by: Marc Guggenheim, Beth Schwartz, Directed by: James Bamford

 "Of course, life will go on. It always does. But how? What twists and turns it will take, I can't say. I don't know what the future holds...except to say expect the unexpected. Oliver may be gone, but his mission endures. That mission lives on, Oliver lives on, in the people he inspired. Some will take that mission to the rest of the world...maybe even beyond that. Because if the past eight years has shown us anything...it's that this universe is far bigger than any of us could have dared imagine. Even if it is a little less bright without him in it."

 184. Beyond Redemption (Arrow 4x4)

73, Written by: Beth Schwartz, Ben Sokolowski, Directed by: Lexi Alexander

 "Living in this city, dealing with what we're dealing with right now? We're all desperate. We've all been made to do desperate things. Terrible things. But I got to believe that we are not beyond redemption. And I got to believe that this city can still be saved, 'cause once we stop believing that, that's when this city really dies. And us, us, right along with it. Maybe, just maybe, we start saving our home by saving ourselves first.“

 183. Pilot (Arrow 1x1)

1, Written by: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, Directed by: David Nutter

 "The name of the island they found me on is Lian Yu. It's Mandarin for 'purgatory'. I've been stranded here for five years. I've dreamt of my rescue every cold black night since then. For five years, I have had only one thought, one goal: survive. Survive and one day return home. The island held many dangers. To live, I had to make myself more than what I was, to forge myself into a weapon. I am returning not the boy who was shipwrecked but the man who will bring justice to those who have poisoned my city. My name is Oliver Queen."

 182. The Good, the Bad and the Cuddley (Legends of Tomorrow 3x18)

51, Written by: Marc Guggenheim, Phil Klemmer, Directed by: Dermott Downs

 "All right. We're facing an army of Romans, Vikings, and pirates. But you know what today is? Today is the day that we prove that Rip did not sacrifice his life in vain! And today is the day that we prove that we are not losers! And today is the day that we earn the name 'Legends'!“

 181. Draw back your Bow (Arrow 3x7)

53, Written by: Wendy Mericle, Beth Schwartz, Directed by: Rob Hardy

 "I understand that you're hurting... and I know what it's like to want someone... but not be able to be with them. How you wish things could be different, but they can't. I can't be with you. I can't be with anyone. I have to be alone."

 180. Suicide Squad (Arrow 2x16)

39, Written by: Keto Shimizu, Bryan Q Miller, Directed by: Larry Teng

 "Give me a break, this ain't no task force. Let's call it like it is. Welcome to the Suicide Squad."

 179. Uprising (Arrow 3x12)

58, Written by: Beth Schwartz, Brian Ford Sullivan, Directed by: Jesse Warn

 "I've been gone and I'm sorry, sorry for what the city has had to endure in my absence. But you did endure it and the evidence of that struggle is lying at my feet. You did not fail this city and I promise I will not fail you by leaving it again."

 178. Year’s End (Arrow 1x9)

9, Written by: Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, Directed by: John Dahl

 "What do you want with me?" "What any archer wants. To see who's better. First Hunt, then Ravich, and now you. I know about the List, and the man who authored it wants you dead. They call you 'the Hood'. Let's see what you look like without it."

 177. Armageddon Part 1 (The Flash 8x1)

152, Written by: Eric Wallace, Directed by: Eric Dean Seaton

 „Like a superhero team-up with the Atom?“

 176. Last Sons of Krypton (Superman & Lois 1x15)

15, Written by: Kristi Korzec, Michael Naducci, Brent Fletcher, Todd Helbing, Directed by: Tom Cavanagh

 „All I wanted was a family, Kal.

„You had it. We were brothers.“

[afaims100arrowversefavs]

My 250 Favorite Arrowverse Episodes: Part 4: 175-151

Taken from „Arrow“, „The Flash“, „Supergirl“, „Legends of Tomorrow“, „Constantine“, „Black Lightning“, „Batwoman“, „Stargirl“ and Season 1-3 of „Superman & Lois“:

In honor of Seaosn 4 of "Superman & Lois" being the end of the Arrrowverse, the end of DCTV like we knew it and the end of The CW like we knew it, a final time before the final season all Seasons ends of all the 250 best Arrowverse Episodes (according to me):

I did include "Stargirl" this time, since it has as much connection as "Superman & Lois" to the rest of the Arrowverse, but One Hit Shows like "Gotham Knights" and "Naomi" (anyone still remember this one?) are not on this list, neither are Arrowverse unrelated DC shows:

175. Heritage (Superman & Lois 1x2)

The One in which: The Kent Family moves to Smallville.

2, Written by: Todd Helbing, Directed by: Lee Toland Krieger

174. Off with her Head (Batwoman 1x15)

The One in which: Jacob talks to Alice and her kidnapper to Kate.

15, Written by: Natalie Abrams, Directed by: Holly Dale

173. Deus Lex Machina (Supergirl 5x17)

The One in which: Lex wakes up in a new world.

104, Written by: Lindsay Sturman, Katie Rose Rogers, Brooke Pohl, Directed by: Melissa Benoist

172. Magenta (The Flash 3x3)

The One in which: There are two kind of girls.

49, Written by: Judalina Neira, David Kob, Directed by: Armen Kevorkian

171. The Demon (Arrow 7x5)

The One in which: Oliver meets Talia again in jail.

143, Written by: Benjamin Raab, Deric A. Hughes, Directed by: Mark Bunting

170. Manhunter (Supergirl 1x17)

The One in which: J’onn meets Jeremiah and Shioban scemes.

17, Written by: Derek Simon, Cindy Lichtman, Rachel Shukert, Directed by: Chris Fisher

169. Elongated Journey into the Night (The Flash 4x4)

The One in which: Ralph has a longish problem.

73, Written By: Sterling Gates und Thomas Pound, Directed By: Tom Cavanagh

168. The Wrath of Rama Khan (Supergirl 5x8)

The One in which: Supergirl fight Rama Khan and Lena humanity.

95, Written by: Lindsay Struman, Jessica Kardos, Directed by: Marcus Stokes

167. Life Sentence (Arrow 6x23)

The One in which: Oliver makes a decision.

138, Written by: Wendy Mercile, Marc Guggenheim, Directed by: James Bamford

166. Truth, Justice and the Amercian Way (Supergirl 1x14)

The One in which: Former inmates get hunted.

14, Written by: Michael Grassi, Yahlin Chang, Caitlin Parrish, Directed by: Lexi Alexander

165. Armageddon Part 5 (The Flash 8x5)

The One in which: Mia is there and Eobard needs to die oder doesn’t he?

156, Written by: Kristen Kim, Directed by: Menhaj Huda

164. Non Est Asylum (Constantine 1x01)

The One in which: John Constantine enters the scene.

1, Written by: Daniel Cerone, David S. Goyer , Directed by: Neil Marshall

163. Anti-Hero (Superman & Lois 2x7)

The One in which: Kal-El leaves and Tal-Rho gets a cellmate.

22, Written by: Max Cunningham, Michael Narducci, Directed by: Elizabeth Henstridge

162. Rogue Time (The Flash 1x16)

The One in which: Snart brings his sister to the party.

16, Written by: Grainne Godfree, Brooke Eikmeier, Kai Yu Wu, Directed by: John Behring

161. Purgatory (Arrow 8x7)

The One in which: There are zombies on Lian Yu.

167, Written by: Rebecca Bellotto, Rebecca Rosenberg, Directed by: James Bamford

160. Man of Steel (Supergirl 4x3)

The One in which: Agent Liberty is born.

68, Written by: Rob Wright, Derek Simon, Directed by: Jesse Warn

159. Attack on Gorilla City (The Flash 3x13)

The One in which: Julian has a „Planet of the Apes“-Experience.

59, Written by: Andrew Kreisberg, Aaron Helbing, David Kob, Directed by: Dermott Downs

158. Revenge oft he Rogues (The Flash 1x10)

The One in which: Snart and Rory kidnap Caitlin to lure The Flash out.

10, Written by: Geoff Johns, Kai Yu Wu, Directed by: Nick Copus

157. How queer is everything today (Batwoman 1x10)

The One in which: Batwoman comes out.

10, Written by: Caroline Dries, Directed by: Jeff Hunt

156. A New World Part 1: Reunions (The Flash 9x10)

The One in which: Barry meets his parents again.

181, Written by: Eric Wallace, Thomas Pound, Directed by: Eric Wallace

155. A Head of Her Time (Legends of Tomorrow 5x4)

The One in which: Marie Antoinette looses her head.

72, Written by: Morgan Faust, Directed by: Avi Youbain

154. Paranoid Android (Legends of Tomorrow 7x8)

The One in which: The Legends find out they are not real.

105, Written by: Phil Klemmer, Marcelena Campos Mayhorn, Directed by: David Geddes

153. Man of Steel (Superman & Lois 1x7)

The One in which:We find out the truth about Steel.

7, Written by: Jai Jamison, Directed by: David Ramsey

152. Welcome to Hong Kong (Arrow 8x2)

The One in which: Oliver and Tatsu team up in Hong Kong.

162, Written by: Jill Blankenship, Sarak Tarkoff, Directed by: Antonio Negret

151. Daddy Darhkest (Legends of Tomorrow 3x10)

The One in which: Constantine meets the Legends.

43, Written by: Keto Shimizu, Matthew Maala, Directed by: Dermott Downs

[smoakmonster]

30 days of vintage olicity - day 7  

[jbuffyangel]

Chatting about Arrow 1x14 and 1x15, which are ICONIC episodes.

[winnie-the-monster]

[itachi86]

slade is so destructive he just wants to blow shit up all the time haha

[lucyyh]

Olicity (Discord) rewatch: 1x14 The Odissey. Part I

[1-crazy-dreamer]

Arrow 1x04: "The Odyssey" | "Does that mean you're in?." "You mean 'in' as in I'm going to join your crusade?" "You're practically an honorary member of the team already."

[emilybettsource]

I've pulled 20 Arrow script pages. I'll post at least one set per day -- maybe more. We'll start with a golden oldie... https://t.co/TXKypmkBLN pic.twitter.com/hpY83A9WTY

— Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) March 26, 2020