#Arrow 5x19 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

supernovagifs · 9 months ago

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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

#NCIS seasons #gifs #Season masterlist

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jbuffyangel · 8 years ago

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Crossing Lines: Arrow 5x19 Review (Dangerous Liaisons)

If 5x19 is indicative of the final four episodes of Season 5, then we are in for one hell of a ride.

After setting Oliver and Felicity off into trajectories, Arrow returns to the center as Felicity's relationship with Helix come to a head. Original Team Arrow is splintered as Felicity aligns herself against Oliver and Diggle. Smoak versus Arrow is more than just Felicity going head to head with those who know and love her best. It's about diving into Felicity's real motivations. Sure, we were told Felicity's grief over Billy is pushing her over the edge

(keep singing that tune Arrow), but we knew there was more. The truth is, Felicity's motivations haven't strayed too far from center after all.

Let’s dig in...

Felicity Smoak

Felicity Smoak is not Rainbow Brite. She doesn't exist to bring color to the world. She is not here for puking rainbows and riding unicorns. Felicity doesn't exist to harness everyone's light and sprinkle Star City with fairy dust. She isn't some white-cloaked-halo-adorned-Madonna who Oliver and Diggle have to protect either. Felicity isn't the comic relief, the damsel in distress, the Mary Sue or whatever degrading and sexist term those who try to belittle & minimize the character use.

Felicity Smoak is a character who is as complicated and multi faceted as Oliver Queen. There is light and dark, pain and joy, honor and shame, loss and love, mistakes and righteousness in Felicity Smoak, with the myriad of grey that flows in between those spectrums. There is a depth to this character's heart that is seldom found in fictional characters. Sometimes when you are one half of a love story, the hero's great love, it is easy for that character to become an object of affection rather than a subject of focus. The key is to make the great love an equal. Someone with his or her own thoughts, feelings, choices and evolution. You let the hero fall in love with a hero. Then suddenly, it's not about chasing after an object of affection. It's about both characters chasing after something greater than themselves... together.

To do that, we have to allow Felicity Smoak room to breathe. We have to understand her motivations, wants and needs. We have to let her make mistakes. Felicity doesn't have to be perfect for Oliver, or for us, to love her. My Felicity doesn't belong on a pedestal. The character I love and adore is down on the ground, clawing her way through the dirt, muck, guts, blood and gore with Oliver Queen and Team Arrow.

Nostradamus: ... She is an innocent.

Queen Catherine: No, she's his equal in every way. (Reign, "Fated")

Since Felicity joined Team Arrow five years ago, we've watched her take hit after hit. Just for a quick refresher - gifapalooza!!

She's absorbed loss and pain with a grace that most can't even fathom. Felicity always held the line. She always pushed Oliver (and Diggle) to reach for more and to be better. However, everyone reaches a breaking point. Eventually the pain consumes you and clouds the way ahead. The definition of insanity is to do the exact same thing and expect a different result. Felicity always did what's right. She made tough calls. She trusted. She gave everything. Felicity played by all the rules... and what does she have to show for it? More loss. More pain. So, it's time to change tactics. It's time to try something new.

After Billy died, Felicity decided to fight fire with fire. She's been doing it for awhile now, inching closer and closer to the line until it evaporates. Until she can no longer tell the difference between right from wrong - only what must be done. What's interesting about Felicity is she examines problems from every angle. She hasn't charged into Helix completely blind. Felicity knows there's a cost. Herself. The catch is, Felicity is fine paying it.

Chase has been missing for nearly a week, popping up in locations just long enough for Team Arrow to land on his scent before twisting them in every direction before he cuts loose. It's a maddening game of cat and mouse and Felicity is tired of playing. She enlists Helix's help to track down Chase. Alena wants access to ARGUS' security (for ulterior motives that have nothing to do with Chase) and Felicity hands it over - no questions asked. Turns out Chase has an inside agent at ARGUS.

When this agent is killed by elevator, Felicity puts two and two together. It was Alena's hack that tossed the ARGUS agent around in the elevator like a ball in a pinball machine. Alena swears it was an accident, but truth be told, she's pretty breezy about dropping her first body.

Perhaps, it's not her first or perhaps Alena's moral compass doesn't point due north. Probably it's both, either way, this should be wildly concerning to Felicity. To her credit, Felicity is concerned. The ARGUS agent was dirty, but he didn't deserve to die. To be honest, I can never tell where Arrow is at on this whole kill/don't kill morality bend, but it seems this week we're anti killing. Noted.

Alena makes the disturbingly familiar argument that while the agent's death was unfortunate and accidental, it was for the greater good.

(Anyone else checking desks for a list of names? No? Just me? Okay.)

She needed his security key to help break Cayden James, the founder of Helix, out of ARGUS. He's being held without due process. In exchange for turning a side eye to a little bit of murder and breaking James out of ARGUS, Alena will hand over his newest tech to Felicity. A biometric whatchamacallit that can track anyone's heartbeat. (It was at this point my husband started coughing *bullshit* rather loudly. Listen, I don't need my Arrow science to be accurate. I just need it to sound sciencey. This more than suffices.So, I told him to shush.)

Felicity thinks she can convince Lyla to let Cayden James go (for the greater good) and convinces Alena to hold off on stealing the second key. Unfortunately, the conversation with Lyla turns into a face off. Lyla versus Felicity is everything I didn't know I needed. Lyla is floored with Felicity's involvement. She refuses to help Helix because A) They MURDERED an ARGUS agent and B) Cayden James is big bad news.

Felicity makes a few pointed remarks to Lyla about lack of due process (which Diggle isn't too thrilled with either), but Lyla holds her ground. MY ARROW TELEVISION SCREEN IS FILLED WITH THESE STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS HOLDING THEIR GROUND AND BEING BAMFs. I AM ALIVE.

Felicity looks to Oliver and Diggle for a little back up, but they side with Lyla.

Oliver, very tentatively I might add, tells Felicity she might be crossing a line. Felicity tells Oliver where to shove it.

IT. IS. GLORIOUS.

Man, I’ve been waiting a long time for her to do that. It’s not that Oliver is wrong. It’s just… how many times have we seen Oliver cross lines to do what is necessary and Felicity go along for the ride? I feel Joey Tribbiani sums up Oliver Queen best:

Joey: Over the line? You’re so far past the line that you can’t even see the line!

Thoroughly spanked, Oliver falls silent. So John “I killed my brother” Diggle steps up. Felicity tells Diggle she doesn’t have a choice, which he summarily rejects. She does have a choice and, of course, Diggle is right. There is always a choice. Not necessarily a good one, but there’s always a choice. If John learned anything from killing his brother, he learned that. However, what I found really telling what this remark:

Felicity: And don’t tell me that you don’t make morally questionable choices so that I don’t have to. I have to.

"Dangerous Liaisons" focuses on what Felicity wants and needs. What Felicity wants and needs is to be treated like an equal. She's all in on Team Arrow, no different than Oliver or John. She's not a pretty princess high up in the castle that needs to be protected. She's down in the dirt just like them. It means getting her hands dirty just like them. The only people who seem to have a problem with that are Oliver and Diggle.

Felicity may not like all of Oliver & Diggle's choices, but she realizes she cannot control them. Oliver and Diggle are given a wide birth to be their own men and make their own decisions. Felicity wants the same freedom. She's no more immune to making the tough calls than Oliver and John. They can't protect her from this life, and what's more, she doesn't want them to. This is the life she's chosen.

Nor do John and Oliver have the corner market on protecting those they love. Yes, they make morally questionable choices so Felicity doesn't have to, but when does the coin flip? Why can't she make morally questionable choices so John and Oliver don't have to? Why can't she cross the line to protect them? Why is her soul more important than theirs? Why can't she protect those she loves too?

It's a double standard that comes from a good place on Oliver and Diggle's part, but is patronizing as hell and kind of sexist.

Quite frankly, Oliver and Diggle's entire world order is falling apart because the women in their lives are playing fast and loose on morality's edge. That's right fellas! Sometimes the Madonna takes a spin with the devil on the dance floor. Best get used to it.

The need to categorize, box and label a woman can be powerful even in the men who love us best. It's not our responsibility to fit the mold. It's their responsibility to expand it. While Oliver and Diggle may view Lyla and Felicity as their better halves it doesn't eliminate the common thread they all share - Lyla and Felicity are human. It's the common thread we all share. We are human. No more. No less. This thread should make Lyla and Felicity's choices a lot less baffling since the motivations behind their decisions are the same as ones Oliver and Diggle have made.

In an exquisitely acted scene between Stephen and Emily, Oliver arrives on Felicity's doorstep to challenge her choices. He asks her not to help Helix. For Felicity, it gives her a chance to do something she seldom does with Oliver. She articulates her own needs and desires. She understands Oliver doesn't want her to help them. Felicity understands Oliver wants to protect her, but this isn't about Felicity understanding. Not this time. This time it's about Oliver understanding what Felicity needs. It turns out... Felicity's motivations don't stray too far from Oliver's.

On the surface, it was about Billy. His death was the final brick on the wall Felicity carefully constructed to keep the pain at bay. There were many fallen bricks before Billy though, chipping away at Felicity's heart until the wall came down and all she could feel was the pain. She couldn't put on a happy face or crack a joke. She didn't want to "harness the light" for anyone, let alone herself. Felicity wants the pain to stop, so that means she has to protect those she loves before they ever get hurt.

This includes Oliver. Time after time, she's stood by and watched as the darkness eats away at his soul. Time after time, she's stood by and watched as Oliver sacrificed everything to do what was right, to protect those he loves, even if it meant damning himself in the process.

Think about how hard that's been for her. Yes, Felicity has challenged Oliver to think and behave differently, but when push came to shove, the choice was Oliver's. Time after time, he ignored her protests to do what HE thought was right. Felicity had to stand back and watch as he tumbled down that hole, lost what was most precious to him, and stripped little pieces of his soul away. All for the greater good. It's why she fell in love with him. It's why she's still in love with him (note the present tense).

Derek: ... I know that you took her to protect her, I know you altered the trial for Adele and for Richard. You stood in front of a bullet for me. I know why you do all of it. It’s what I love about you.

Meredith: And what you hate about me.

Derek: Yeah. (Grey's Anatomy, "Take The Lead" 8x03)

It's such an exceptionally beautiful moment in which Felicity shows why, yet again, she knows and understands Oliver best. This distance between them isn't from a lack of love. The ocean between them stems from many issues, but primarily a singular one Felicity will zero in on at the end of the episode. The saving grace is, love is the bridge between the ocean. Felicity loves even the parts of Oliver she doesn't like.

Billy (the final brick after Havenrock, her paralysis, her father and so on) may be at the surface, but Oliver is at her core. It's the way Oliver Queen loves, and Felicity's need to love him the same way, that necessitates her choices. Felicity is willing to sacrifice herself, her own soul, if it means keeping those she loves safe. Surely, Oliver Queen, of all people, can understand this kind of love and sacrifice. What Felicity wants is for Oliver accept the love she needs to give. Just like she's accepted, time after time, the love Oliver has needed to give. This isn't his burden to carry anymore. Felicity wants to carry it for him. She will sacrifice her soul to save his. Just like Oliver has done for her time and again. What Felicity wants...what Felicity needs... is for Oliver to stand back and watch.

And Oliver can't do it. No, Oliver won't do it.

To her credit, Felicity will not back down. She will not compromise. She will not understand. She will not stand back and watch.

And she goes. Hell bent on jumping into the fire, convinced it will save everyone even if it destroys her... and Oliver powerless to stop her.

Oh what a difference a few years makes. How the roles have reversed.

Smoak versus Arrow isn't really a fair fight. Oliver and Diggle certainly weren't helped by Lyla withholding the real location of Cayden James (seriously girl what was up with that?), but Felicity was always going to be the victor. Genius aside, this ultimately boils down to resolve. Felicity is ready to do whatever is necessary. She is ready to take a bullet - even from Oliver.

Oliver isn't ready. Of course, he would never in a million years shoot Felicity

(a fact Felicity knew), but what throws Oliver more is Felicity is prepared to take a bullet. That's how deep this hole goes.

In the end, Helix dumps Felicity like a hot potato. I mean... REALLY? This is the hacker equivalent of a guy dumping a girl right after she finally agrees to sleep with him. It's all kinds of icky and wrong.

Of course, we know this won't be the last of Helix or of Cayden James. I'm sensing a Season 6 nemesis for Felicity.

As for the here and now, Felicity Smoak is PISSED OFF.

Helix cut off contact because of Team Arrow... because of Oliver. All these years. All those times. All she asked of him was once... just once... and he couldn't... he wouldn't.

Oliver tells Felicity he's sorry. He tries to explain he was worried. How he understands that Helix gave Felicity a sense of belonging that maybe he and Diggle weren't -

NO. Felicity shuts Oliver down hard. This isn't about belonging for her. Yes, Helix gave Felicity the support she craved from Oliver and Diggle. It gave Felicity an outlet beyond the team to use her skills, but Helix isn't replacing Team Arrow. It was a means to an end. The justice Felicity is seeking is no more than what Oliver has sought. More importantly, Oliver isn't going to stand there and tell her what this is all about. She's going to tell him.

And there it is. This is about TRUST. This is what it's always been about. The reason why Felicity is able to stand back and watch, allow Oliver to dive deeper into those holes, is because she trusts him. Even when Felicity disagrees with Oliver, she believes in him. Felicity gives Oliver her trust even when he gives her every reason not to. Even when he's broken that trust. But when Felicity asks for trust in return, Oliver can't give it. Felicity draws the line in the sand.

KABOOM.

And you can bet your ass, come 5x20, Felicity will want to know WHY.

Oliver Queen (Olicity)

The tentativeness Oliver approaches Felicity with in "Dangerous Liaisons" isn't entirely new behavior. There's been a reticence on Oliver's part to ask questions, to push too hard for answers or to even show concern. These have all been contributing factors to the distance felt between Olicity this season. Although, I do not find that distance to be as great as others do. I also believe we'll get answers as to why there is a distance and tentativeness between Oliver and Felicity in 5x20.

That reference to Oliver knocking on the front door isn't an accident.

It's a direct callback to 5x05 and a mention this close to 5x20 has to mean something.

Both Oliver and Felicity made the decision to go separate ways in 5x05 and see where these new roads take them. As we all knew these two very separate roads will ultimately merge back into one. Bit by bit, the merge is happening and there is a noticeable shift in Oliver's behavior Oliver in 5x19. He's not quite so willing to let things slide or remain on the sidelines where Felicity is concerned. Oliver even wants to go after Felicity when she storms out.

HELLO OLIVER QUEEN I HAVE MISSED YOU. ATTACK HUG.

After Felicity thumps his nose after voicing concern, Oliver falls back into old patterns and falls silent again. Once Felicity leaves, Oliver argues she might be right. Yup, bae is going into the fire and Oliver is going with her. Where she goes so goes his nation! Then Lyla compares Cayden James' release to dropping a nuke and it's a not so subtle smack across Diggle and Oliver's head. Yes, Lyla believes if she agrees to releasing James it will be as damaging as Havenrock, but no -she's not just talking about the casualties. She's talking about the damage to Felicity too. Lyla invites Oliver and Diggle to get in the game, because this is all happening whether they agree with it or not. Lyla is so savage! Slay on slayer!

Oliver gives Diggle an "I told you so" speech of sorts. They knew Helix was dangerous. They knew Felicity was getting in deeper and they did nothing. Diggle listens quietly, but then offers his own thoughts on the matter. It's not entirely true they did nothing.

Diggle talked to Felicity. Curtis talked to Felicity. You know the one person who hasn't talked to Felicity? THE GUY SHE WAS GOING TO MARRY.

Honest to God, I gasped. I couldn't believe the writers put that line in there.

I guess we're not hitting pause anymore!!! We're at 5x19 and this reunion is full speed ahead!

Then I yelled at the top of my lungs, "DAAAAAMN DIGGLE! PREACH!”

Oliver freezes, completely gob smacked by what John just said to him, and then slowly meets his gaze

to which Diggle responds with a look that clearly communicated...

It's such a fantastic piece of acting between Stephen Amell and David Ramsey and shows how well they know their characters. They are able to hold onto to the emotional meat of the scene without giving up the comedic beats.

Hey guys... remember when there was that thing nobody on Team Arrow would talk about and Diggle went ahead and talked about it? Cause it happened. Good times!!!

This is why Diggle is the Captain of the ship.

Diggle knocks down the door with one solid kick and it gives us some insight into what Oliver has been thinking these last few months. Because seriously boy WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN THINKING?

The truth is, Oliver is readily aware he is the last person who should be making any comments about crossing lines. He knows he lacks the moral high ground with pretty much everyone, but especially Felicity. As much as Oliver disagreed with the choices Felicity is making, he feels like he lacks the credibility to say anything because Lord knows he's done worse.

I mean... he's not wrong. The entire balance of their relationship has been thrown out of whack with Felicity taking the somewhat morally questionable route AND THANK GOODNESS. The point is for Oliver to walk in Felicity's shoes a bit (and vice versus), but for now we're concentrating on Oliver. He is WILDLY uncomfortable right now. Felicity is crossing lines, sacrificing her soul, in pursuit of the greater good. He never knew how hard this was - the lack of control, fear, and worry. Oliver didn't know how much it hurt to sit back and watch.

Open Your Eyes by Andrew Belle

Open your eyes now

It's time to see

If you can reach me

Open your eyes now

It's time to leave

It's time to leave me

Open your eyes now

It's time to see

If you still believe me

Open your life now

I'll try to be

All that you need me

To be

She'll be a star now

I will follow her lead

She'll be a scar now

I will still let her bleed

Open your eyes now

Try to speak

Like you can see me

Open your eyes now

I'll try to be

Almost everything

You need me to be

However, Oliver is missing a piece of the puzzle. Felicity voiced her concern.

She reached out to pull Oliver back when he went too far.

She held the moral line.

Felicity simply understood it was Oliver's choice whether or not to reach back.

But Oliver has yet to really extend that hand to Felicity, to really push back, which is what Diggle encourages him to do. In some ways, Oliver is the least qualified to tell Felicity what to do. In many others, he is the most qualified because he's been where she's going. Oliver understands the cost more than anyone else. I think Diggle gives him some excellent advice.

This doesn't have to be about moral high ground. Oliver simply needs to find the common ground. They both want to bring Chase to justice. So, work from there.

There's more common ground than just their need for justice. Oliver and Felicity's real common ground is the love they have for one another. It is a steady and constant presence that pulls them together and drives them apart. Oliver and Felicity's reasons for their choices in "Dangerous Liaisons" are one in the same. Felicity is willing to sacrifice her soul to save Oliver's and Felicity's soul is the one price Oliver cannot pay.

He admits he shouldn’t protect her from the hard choices, but sacrificing her soul for his is another level.

No matter which way he slices it, Oliver created Adrian Chase. Prometheus was born from Oliver's need to save the city at any cost. Oliver didn't spend a lot of time measuring the pros and cons of killing because he felt like the ends justified the means. That thinking led to Justin Claybourne's death, which led to Simon Morrison becoming Prometheus. It is an inescapable and direct line. Furthermore, Felicity's need to stop Prometheus at any cost is making her cross lines. It's creating a shadow on her soul - one only Oliver knows too well. The connective thread is once again inescapable to Oliver.

Maybe he can't be the man Felicity needs. Maybe he never will be. Maybe he will never be able to let go of this pain inside and really let her all the way in. Maybe it doesn't matter in the end because if Felicity knows the truth, if she really knows who he is, she won't love him anyways.

Oliver doesn't have the answers to any of these questions yet, but what he does know, with absolute certainty is: He will be damned if Felicity Smoak becomes anything like him.

That's why Oliver can't give Felicity what she asked. She may be prepared to carry the burden, but Oliver believes he created it. There is no way to disconnect from that responsibility. Perhaps his soul is a lost cause, but hers isn't. Felicity Smoak is too high a price for Oliver to pay. He won't do it. He can't do it. And thus... Smoak versus Arrow. Their love is what pulls them together and pushes them apart.

The laser beams create a literal wall to the figurative one Olicity has battled with all season. Felicity hopes for Oliver's understanding someday, but Oliver can't share Felicity's hope. His response is a little lubricious, but I think the truth is, Oliver doesn't want to understand.

It's frightening to see yourself reflected in the one you love. All Oliver can see when he looks in the mirror is a damaged man. Felicity may view Oliver's sacrifices as selfless love, but I don't think Oliver can. More often than not, Oliver believes he's the cause of those sacrifices. He's the one who brought the pain upon those he loves. Therefore he is responsible to fix it. Oliver gives himself no credit for beating the darkness when he believes he's the reason the darkness exists. What Oliver believes, so fundamentally, is he is a monster... and Felicity Smoak is anything but. Oliver can't understand. She's not supposed to be like him. Felicity is supposed to be better than Oliver... because she is. These actions with Helix feel more like him than they do her and that is something Oliver cannot get his brain wrapped around.

Oliver reaches for a bottle. The wifey is jumping in front of his gun, prepared to take a bullet to achieve the same ends Oliver once justified. Not only does Oliver feel like he created this path for Felicity, he is powerless to stop her. This is what no control feels like. This is what stand back and watch is. This price is too high. It is its own version of hell. It's time to get boozey.

In Felicity's anger about Helix she challenges Oliver once again and inadvertently opens the door. It's the same door Diggle kicked down earlier with his truth bombs. This is all about trust. Felicity is right, but not in the way she thinks. I don't think this is about Oliver not trusting Felicity. Despite his frustration over her choices, Oliver's faith in Felicity's goodness is unwavering. It's why he's having so much difficulty with the path she's going down. I think Oliver does trust Felicity. I think he does believe in her. I don't think it's about Felicity at all. This is about Oliver. This was always about Oliver, but he has to find the courage to admit that to Felicity. Somehow, Felicity breaking this mold Oliver kept her in will force him to break his own. Oliver will finally do the one thing neither of them thought he would. Oliver is going to tell Felicity the truth.

Like most things, this going to take Oliver a couple times before he gets it right. Sometimes you need to blow it up before you can put it back together.

Oliver knew what was going to happen moments before the explosion. His survival instincts, his need to protect Felicity, kicked in and he reached for her. Evenutally, those survival instincts will kick in again because Oliver needs Felicity to survive. The only line Oliver needs to cross now is the divide between him and Felicity. He will reach out again, in the right way, in the way Felicity needs, and she will reach back.

Dyla

One of the more frustrating aspects of having a wildly talented cast is they are easily employed elsewhere. Audrey Anderson's success on Ice is well deserved, but her lack of availability for Arrow is a tough pill to swallow. However, no matter how long we've gone without Lyla Arrow can always jump back into their relationship without missing a beat. It speaks to the strength of the writing with Dyla and David & Audrey's acting.

This concept of Lyla becoming more like Amanda Waller is a storyline we've been waiting a long time for and "Dangerous Liaisons" didn't disappoint. Now that she's sitting behind the desk, Lyla sees the world is filled with many more shades of grey. Far beyond the shades she knew existed. In Amanda Waller's world, you hold a man without due process. You don't tell your husband, who's been a little washy washy on said prisoner's incarceration, where the prisoner is being secretly held. Stuff like that is just the norm in Amanda Waller's world.

It is not the norm in Diggle and Lyla's world. They are open and honest with one another. They also believe in serving justice. This isn't the first time Lyla and Diggle have butted heads over what justice should look like. Diggle cannot fathom how holding a man without due process is any form of justice.

Ehhh... pause.

Diggle is a vigilante. He works outside "the system" on a regular basis, so the all preconceived notions of "justice" need not apply. We've been thinking outside the box for awhile now on that one. #TeamLyla Unpause.

Personally, I think Diggle brings a hyper sensitivity to Lyla because he lives in constant fear he's gonna wake up next to Amanda Waller. No thanks.

Diggle doesn't want Lyla to lose herself in the process of serving justice. Like Oliver, Diggle knows what that feels like. He's been down that hole before and it's one he wants to shield Lyla from. His concern is based in love.

However, it's also a little patronizing. Diggle, like Oliver with Felicity, needs to expand Lyla's mold. Lyla may make decisions John doesn't agree with. She may walk a fine line and even cross it from time to time, but doesn't mean she's becoming Amanda Waller. Lyla’s world was always more grey than John’s. Lyla has always been willing to do whatever is necessary. It’s what John loves about her... and hates about her.

This doesn’t mean John can't call Lyla on it when he thinks she is crossing a line. We have to adapt to the changes in our loved ones, allow them room to grown, and be willing to remind them of who they are when they've forgotten. There's a balance here and right now Diggle and Lyla are stuck on extremes. They both need to give a little and reach across the divide.

Much like Oliver and Felicity, Lyla and Diggle land on a pause. Neither wants to push the fight much further because neither is willing to give an inch and they know this only leads somewhere unpleasant. I think sometimes when you've broken up, separated or even divorced and then reunited there can be a fear of fighting. A fear that if you confront the issues between you that you'll only severe the relationship again. I think that's a mistake. It's important to face the issues in your relationship. The key is knowing how to fight. While Diggle and Lyla may be worried where this argument leads, I'm not. They are learning how to fight again in their marriage. They will work this out. They are the anchor couple. There's rules about that stuff. #DylaStrong

Lance and Wild Dog

Man, Wild Dog is REALLY growing on me. Pairing him with Lance let Rene be the funny man to Lance's straight man.

It gave Rick a chance to play with his deadpan humor and Paul Blackthorne a chance to bring in his zinging, sarcastic snark. PERFECTION.

We finally got the full story on why Rene lost his daughter. He was drunk and making soup. When he passed out, his daughter reached for the soup and burned her hand badly. Rene hasn't fought to regain custody because he feels he's a danger to his daughter.

If there's anyone who understands feeling like a danger to his daughter because of one mistake, it's Quentin Lance. Lance pushes for visitation for Rene and arranges for him to see his daughter. Rene is spurred on by Lance's faith in him and promises his daughter he's going to fight to get her back.

This is such an eloquent way of threading in Lance's grief over Laurel's death into a present day storyline without hitting us over the head with it. Lance wants to give Rene the chance to make it right. It's a chance Quentin Lance feels he'll never get and he has to make his peace with that. By helping Rene, he's able to. Both men are able to find healing in the other. However, both Quentin and Lance have allowed their perceptions of who the other person is to change and grow. It's a lesson both super couples need to take a page from. I now live in a world where Lance and Wild Dog are currently the healthiest functioning couple on Arrow.

Stray Thoughts

Reporter: How could you not know Adrian was a serial killer?

Oliver: How could you not know I'm the Green Arrow? (Just saying)

"Curtis talks too much." Feels accurate Rene.

Over-Terrific??? Really Curtis just stop. Don’t try to combo your code name with Felicity’s. Just leave her perfection alone and be happy you still have a code name. (In case you’re wondering, all my newbie irritation has transferred from Wild Dog to Curtis. I don’t know why, but it’s happening so I’m rolling with it.)

In what circumstances will we use or not use the Canary Cry? I'm of the attitude just use it all the time.

Dinah continues to be a bad ass. No complaints.

Oliver refused to put down the gun, until Diggle told him Felicity was asking. I am feeling all the feels.

"Are you firing me?"

"There was atime I would have loved for you to ask me that." Apparently, Lance & I are on the same emotional trajectory with Rene.

I need a Olicity/Dyla double date night. Hijinks can ensue, but I need the double date.

Lyla vs. Felicity proves we need a women's only crime fighting night. Lyla, Felicity, Dinah and Thea - no boys allowed.

Alena shot at Diggle???!!!!

@callistawolf thinks Cayden James is Noah Smoak and now I want it. Alos, all the chatting Lance and Rene did about the single mother Adrian Chase killed, and the father left to raise the children, felt a little too much like foreshadowing. Samantha Clayton Death Watch starts now!

OH MY GOD THAT 5x20 PROMO I AM FUCKING LIT!!!!!!! Felicity can't walk & Oliver is hurt. Arrow is fucking shit up just the way I like it! Can't wait!

#arrow #olicity #felicity smoak #oliver queen #arrow 5x19 #arrow spoilers #dyla #john diggle #lyla michaels #arrow reviews #arrow season 5 reviews #season 5 episode reviews #season 5 episode review

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