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jbuffyangel · 10 years ago

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3/9/24 Sorry guys. I accidentally deleted this review while trying to clean up broken links. Luckily, 2015 Jen wasn't an idiot and I still have the review. I just need to re-gif it, which I'll do later when I have more time. So for now, it'll just be the text.

THANK YOU JESUS!!!!

Prayer circle worked.

Oh Colton. How you will be missed. I was so nervous for this episode I was sick to my stomach. A swarm of butterflies. There was no way Colton wasn't leaving the show. The tweets, the Instagram, the spoilers...it wouldn't have made any sense otherwise. In the world of Arrow an actor departure typically means death. Needless to say I am beyond THRILLED with the way they handled Colton's exit.

Let's dig in...

Roy Harper

What does it mean to save a man's soul? When there's red in your ledger can you ever wipe it clean? Is that even possible? And if it is... what penance must be paid? Those are the questions that haunt Oliver Queen. Those are the questions that stop Oliver from living his life. He doesn't deserve a life; there's too much red. Too much blood. Too many lives lost. It's a question that haunted Roy Harper this year too, but tonight Roy found the answers he was searching for.

Roy Harper started out as an angry, impulsive, stubborn kid. A high school dropout, with a record and a history of violence. The entire world abandoned him. He was left to fend for himself and to fight for those who couldn't. Then, one day, he stole a purse. And everything changed. His entire universe...changed.

That's how life works. It's not always the big moments that change your life forever, but the little ones. The times where you simply go left when you could have easily gone right. The winds of change come along like a whisper and you find yourself in a place you never conceived of.

Thea Queen changed Roy Harper's life. She was the first person to reach out to Roy. To see more than what the rest of the world saw. To see more than what Roy saw. Thea was the connective thread from Roy to The Arrow.

"You really don't care if you live or die?"

"No one is going to miss me. I'm just a waste."

Thea cared. She cared so much than when her friend was kidnapped, to be punished on live television for his crimes, she ran to the only person she could think of for help. Her big brother Ollie. Thea didn't know she was running directly into The Arrow's arms. Oliver would have tried to save Roy regardless, but somehow because it was Thea made it...more. Oliver would give his life to protect Thea from even an ounce of pain.

"If you kill this kid, he'll never get an opportunity to change. You can give him a second chance."

Joseph Falk refused to give Roy that chance. The Arrow killed Falk to save Roy. Oliver put more blood in his ledger...for Roy. So, he could have a second chance. A life for a life.

It put Roy on a collision course with Oliver. Up until tonight, my favorite Roy & Oliver scene was from 2x01. Oliver saw himself in Harper. It's why Oliver asked Roy to join Team Arrow.

The world doesn't work anymore. It broke a long time ago, but it was like you were the only one who noticed. That makes you angry. And you're afraid that anger is going to burn you up inside if you have to live in the world one second longer knowing that you could do something to fix it.

What fuels Oliver, what kept him alive all those years, is a deep rage. An anger. A ferocity. A will. Roy Harper has the same fuel. The same anger. The same will. Oliver Queen, The Arrow, just taught Roy where to aim. He gave Roy a target...Arsenal.

I loved Roy's fight scene in the prison because it was the culmination of all Oliver's training. Remember the beginning? Slapping the water, crushing the table, his awful aim. Roy was so much like Oliver and Oliver so much like Yao Fei. That's the point you know of surviving, of living. You survive so you can pass on what you learned to the next generation and they become better for it. Later in the episode, Oliver tells Ray Palmer not to depend on the tech. Oliver doesn't depend on the bow. He is the weapon.

Oliver wanted to break Roy out of prison, or at the very least, fight by his side, but what Oliver failed to recognize was he was already there. It was Oliver's voice in Roy's head. The anger, the will, Oliver saw in Roy two years ago was there, but now it was controlled. His head was on a swivel. Roy Harper was the weapon.

"Just remember; that was without arrows."

Roy did a lot bad stuff back in his days in The Glades, but he never killed anyone. He never had blood on his hands, not like this. There's a reason why the Roy centric episode this season was entitled "Guilt", because that is the singular emotion Roy Harper has been struggling with. The season theme is identity and tonight Roy came to terms with his. Roy Harper was a murderer and Arsenal was the penance. Arsenal was suppose to wipe the ledger clean, but somehow it wasn't enough. No matter how many lives Roy saved, it never alleviated his guilt. Saving lives wasn't the penance Roy needed to pay. Giving his life was. More than anything, Roy wants to trade places with that cop; to give his life for the officer. It's the same desire Oliver carries with him. If Oliver could trade places with his father, mother, Shado, Yao Fei, Tommy...he would do it in a heartbeat.

"It should have been me."

But that's impossible...or is it?

Before Roy could serve his penance he needed to make a confession. Confession is always the first step to absolution. He needed Lance to know it wasn't his life that needed saving. He was a murderer and he absolutely belonged in prison. He wasn't worthy of the mask he wore. He wasn't a hero. The minute someone says they aren't a hero is the minute you know they are. Maybe Lance tried to save Roy from the collision course The Arrow set him upon, but it's The Arrow that would lead to Roy's absolution...his salvation, not Lance. In fact, the episode Oliver saves Roy was entitled Salvation. From the moment Roy Harper met The Arrow salvation was the destination. It's why Roy made the choice to join Team Arrow, to become Arsenal and to do what comes next.

Tonight, Roy put blood in his ledger. Just as The Arrow did for him two years ago.

A life for a life.

Roy sacrificed his life, so Oliver could have a second chance at his.

Roy did for Oliver what he couldn't do for the police officer. He traded places with him. And for the first time in a long time...he was okay. Roy may not know where he's going or who he's going to become, but he can look himself in mirror again. His identity as Roy Harper and Arsenal are gone, but somehow that doesn't matter. He is absolved. He is free.

Team Arrow

Malcolm Merlyn and Tatsu once said to Oliver, "Only the student has hopes of defeating the master." Nothing Roy Harper or Team Arrow did tonight was anything Oliver Queen hasn't done a thousand times before. Time and time again Oliver sacrifices himself to protect those he loves. In fact, protecting those he loves is the only way Oliver Queen knows how to love. However, Oliver's "protection" often comes at the cost of a person's free will. Oliver makes the decision without discussion. Yes, Oliver protects but he also controls.

He's done it to Diggle.

He's done it to Roy.

He's done it to Thea.

He's done it to Laurel.

He's done it to Felicity.

And tonight...the students defeated the master. After all, they learned from the best.

For the first time, Oliver couldn't control everything. He couldn't be The Arrow, he couldn't break Roy out of prison, he couldn't turn himself in, he couldn't stop Lance, he couldn't stop the meta human and he couldn't save Felicity. He was completely powerless. This was a different kind of powerless from what Olivet felt after surviving the duel with Ra's. He wasn't stuck on a mountain top healing from a stab wound, drinking magic penncilin tea. He was healthy and strong; forced to sit on the sidelines and watch.

To be honest, it was a little strange that Diggle & Felicity wiped The Foundry leaving only Roy's fingerprints. Even stranger? They weren't rallying the troops. Roy is Team Arrow, through and through. No different than any of them. If Felicity & Diggle were willing to go to the mat to save Oliver, they would do the same for Roy. Yet, at every turn Oliver is met with resistance. Diggle & Felicity had logic on their side, and without their help, it made breaking Roy out of prison infinitely more difficult. The reality was, in order for their plan to work, Team Arrow needed Oliver to sit on the sidelines. They needed Oliver to throttle back. Roy definitely drew the short straw on the plan, but Diggle & Felicity weren't too far behind. Get Oliver to throttle back?

After Roy is attacked, Thea comes running into Ollie's arms, just as she did two years ago, asking him once again to save Roy. Apparently, Lance failed to mention Roy fought off the attack like a bad ass, but I digress. Oliver breaks. He absolutely cannot stand to sit on the sidelines anymore. Not when Roy is in danger. Not when Thea is in pain.

Diggle tries to logic with Oliver. This isn't anything new. Diggle is Oliver's voice of reason, his counsel. But Diggle put his body in Oliver's way, to physically block him. That was new. Oliver was like a caged animal and Diggle held out a wary hand to keep him at bay. Immediately the tension rose. The two of them haven't had a confrontation like this since Season 1. The last time Diggle put his hands on Oliver, it was to prove a point. This time it was to stop him. The minute Diggle's hand touchef Oliver's shoulder to restrain him, Oliver reacts violently. THIS is why The Arrow is so vital to Oliver Queen's psyche. Without an outlet, that anger, that powerlessness, burns Oliver Queen up inside. But Diggle doesn't back down. Instead, with tears shining in his eyes, Diggle begs Oliver to. Diggle knew it would come to this and so help him God, Oliver was staying put. Ultimately, it's thanks to Felicity that Oliver does back down (more on that later). When Oliver returns to the loft, Lance informs him Roy died. The grief is overwhelming and absolute.

This is why Oliver Queen loves through control. If he can just protect the people he loves, no matter the personal cost, then he won't lose them. But time and time again, Oliver fails. No matter how much he sacrifices, no matter how hard he tries to protect them, the people Oliver Queen loves are always the ones to pay the price.

An arrow is symbolic for defense & protection from harm. An arrow's very nature is forward motion, direction & certainty. It is straight, sturdy and steady. Apollo, the god of light, healing and truth, was known as The Archer. The god that brought sunlight to the world, used a bow & arrow to defeat his enemies & protect those who worshipped him. Underneath the darkness of the Island is a light, an innate goodness, in Oliver Queen that he is destined to shine on the world. Stephen Amell even looks like a modern day Apollo. However, an arrow's purpose is only fulfilled when it takes flight and finds its target. An arrow's purpose is only fulfilled when it protects and defends. Left stagnate, or worse broken, an arrow is without purpose.

Oliver kneels in the trashed Foundry, in the dark, holding a single broken arrow. Everything he's built and everything he's sacrificed, was all for nothing. He is without purpose, without direction. The very weapon he uses to defend his city, The Arrow, is no more. The man he trained in his image is dead. Oliver tried to do everything his father asked him - right his wrongs and be the hero Robert Queen lacked the courage to be. But what does he have to show for it? So many dead, so much loss. And Oliver, the sun, sits in total darkness, as broken as the arrow he holds in his hand.

Oliver hears Diggle & Felicity enter the Foundry, but he doesn't turn around. Instead, with a shaking hand, he covers his eyes, the grief welling up again, intermixed with a hefty dose of anger.

"I shouldn't have listed to either of you. I might not have been able to break Roy out of prison, but I'd feel a lot better right now if I tried."

"We know that Oliver. We also know that you may never forgive us."

"I make my own choices John. I made this one."

Oliver has been desperate for control the entire episode. He seizes control over the only thing left - who to blame. At every turn, Diggle & Felicity stood in Oliver's way and yet his anger is targeted at himself. This is the wonder that is Oliver Queen. He's not angry at Diggle & Felicity's advice, he's angry he listened to it. Oliver absolves Diggle & Felicity of any wrong doing while simultaneously blaming himself. It goes to the essence of who Oliver Queen is - forgiving and selfless but also self-condemning.

"He doesn't mean forgiveness for that. He means forgiveness for this."

My reaction? YES!!! Praise Jesus.

When the camera first opened on the scene, it panned past an overturned dummy, like a fallen solider. But the fallen solider returns. The moment Roy steps into the Foundry, Oliver rises from his knees, stands and faces the group. Immediately the total darkness is replaced with stray beams of light from knocked over equipment, illuminating behind Oliver. And just like that...all is not lost.

Flashback storytelling can be a bit lazy, but in "Broken Arrow" it really works. Turns out Diggle & Felicity didn't do a bunch a drugs. They are still Diggle & Felicity - refusing to let Roy take the blame. But Roy's plan was genius and so Diggle & Felicity agree to put it into action and more importantly, not tell Oliver.

"You could have gotten yourself killed for real."

See, that attitude is the exact reason why they can't tell you stuff Laur- I mean Oliver. Roy knew the risks, but he also believed in himself. Roy knew he had the talent & skill to fight off any attack.

Your goddamn right.

Thatta boy. I am like a proud mama. Roy has gone from the boy who believes he's a waste to a man with total faith in himself. He was able to buy enough time for Lyla to get her ARGUS contact in place. Yahoo!!!! Mrs. Diggle was even in on the action. Please tell me that Laurel knew too and her little stunt in the precinct was all part of the plan. That means the ONLY person who didn't know was Oliver and that's just too freaking delicious for words. Apparently knowing how to knife someone in exactly the right place to give the illusion of death is a marketable skill. He probably lists it under Special Skills on his resume. I digress.

"Everyone thinks the Arrow is dead, which means Oliver Queen is innocent."

BOOM BITCHES. That's how it's done. In one foul swoop, Team Arrow gives Oliver back his life. Maybe they couldn't save The Arrow, but they were damn well going to save Oliver Queen.

"You did all of this without asking?"

Please tell me Oliver didn't say that. Please. Oh Lord boy. Anyone have a frying pan? I need to smack Oliver upside the head. THAT'S ALL HE DOES. I have to admit, I love Stephen's delivery of the line. Oliver spits out the words like it physically pains him that not only did his team orchestrate a genius plan to save his ass; they did it without any help from him.

And Roy tells Oliver where to stick it. Boy, the writers are giving Roy quite the send off. Genius plan? Check. Heroic sacrifice? Check. Kick ass fight scene? Check. Telling Oliver to shove it? Check. Oliver Queen usurps control from those he loves ALL THE TIME. So right back at ya fella. How's that other shoe feeling? Not so comfy? Maybe think about that the next time Felicity wants some autonomy. Get a cup of coffee with her Oliver. Go see a movie. Make some babies. Jeez.

Roy Harper leaves Team Arrow the same way he joined it. With a handshake and a thank you. He may be gone, but he will not be forgotten. Roy Harper will always be part of Team Arrow. His final lesson was one Roy was meant to teach, not learn. Through his selfless & heroic act, Roy taught Oliver Queen how to accept help from those that love him. That a single arrow can be broken, but a bundle of arrows is nearly indestructible.

Olicity (Raylicity)

You know what's going to be super fun? When I can write Olicity without writing Raylicity in parenthesis next to it. Patience friends...patience. Our time will come. Apparently the writers felt they weren't hitting the Ray/Sara parallel on the nose enough, so they are holding off on a Raylicity breakup until 3x20, just like Oliver & Sara broke up in 2x20. So, for the three people left in the audience who were unclear on the comparison...ya good now? Cause the rest of us want to move on.

One thing I particularly liked about this Raylicity scene, other than the embarrassing train wreck Palmer was about to ride, was how Ray addressed why Felicity is always at Palmer Technologies at times of Team Arrow crisis. It's something I theorized awhile ago. It's not because Felicity doesn't care. Quite the contrary. Work, staying busy, is a coping mechanism for Felicity. Like Oliver, it gives Felicity a sense of control. Okay, enough of that. On to the train wreck. Choo! Choo!

Oh Ray. You poor fruit fly bastard. I'm sorry - I feel bad for the guy. Anytime you say "I love you", whether it's a capital or lower case L, and it's not reciprocated, it hurts. It's also the proverbial nail in most relationship coffins. Watching Ray try to walk it back, so he can continue to live in the land of denial, was about forty different kinds of awkward. What's worse is Felicity didn't do much to help the guy out, other than sit quietly. Look man, when the girl walks out after you say it - that's pretty bad. When she doesn't throw you a life raft when you try to walk it back...that's worse. So over.

"You're okay with this?"

Of course not. Your metal mitts all over his soul mate, the future Mrs. Queen and mother to the Olicity Triplets. Oliver would much rather kick you in the balls again Palmer, but he has limited options.

And the high five. Ray Palmer is Mister Magoo in Superman's body. It's documented fact.

Ray Palmer babbling.

THIS is what has been missing from the Ray Palmer character. An entire season of Oliver interacting with Palmer? Ratings gold. Palmer interacting with just Felicity for 90% of the season? Yeah, not so much. For a character like Palmer to work, you need a straight man like Oliver Queen for him to bounce off of. Otherwise, the jokes fall flat and Ray is just...weird. Get Sara & Palmer in a room together STAT writers if you want that spin off to get picked up.

"Oh I could kiss you right now..oh! Boundaries. Working on it."

Look, I can tolerate Felicity bringing Palmer as her plus one. Knowingly kissing Palmer in front of Oliver? No no boo boo kitty. Based on Oliver's reaction, we reached his patience threshold as well. Before people become irate with Felicity this scene served two VERY important purposes. First, I think Felicity is over compensating. She shot down Ray's "I love you" not once but TWICE. Ray also had his ass handed to him by Oliver last week. Is there a little ego fluffing happening in this scene? Yes. Is it fatal? No. In fact, this scene serves as a triggers for the Olicity scene of the night.

"Stop calling it a team up Ray." Oliver just cannot with this guy. Is it possible to love this man more? I didn't think it was, but I do.

"nervous in the field."

Jealous Oliver is the best kind of Oliver. Honestly, this was pretty fascinating to watch. Oliver is always out in the field. He never sees it from Felicity's end. He doesn't know if her anxiousness is specific to Ray or if she reacts that way with him. Oliver Queen is a competitive guy. If Felicity is worrying she better worry about him the most. It's a rare moment of insecurity and Felicity's answer is diplomatically perfect. But nothing beats that raised eyebrow from Diggle that said, "You hesisted!" You keep on captaining that ship Diggle.

"There's a decent chance you and Palmer are related."

I spit out my drink. Sassy Oliver throwing shade? Who knew such a glorious combination even existed. Why didn't we get 15 episodes of THIS? Trying not to let my bitterness at missed opportunities ruin the moment.

Diggle. Barry. Oliver. All the boys are 100% done with Palmer. I know guys, we all thought it was 3x19 too. Hang in there men. It's almost over.

Oliver's inheritance from Moira's life insurance might be running low. Why doesn't he start a superhero training program? He'd make a killing. He can give Barry a discount and fleece Palmer.

"I've already lost everything"

There's a difference between feeling like you've lost everything and actually losing everything. It's a distinction Ra's Al Ghul knows well. Right now, Oliver feels like he lost everything. Ra's Al Ghul is going to teach him the difference.

It's not necessarily that Oliver has lost everything, it's more that he cannot lose one more thing. His parents, his company, a life as Oliver Queen, life as The Arrow...Felicity. Roy was just another person to add to an ever growing list of things Oliver loves and lost.

When Felicity absentmindedly says she could kiss Ray in front of Oliver, it served to confirm Oliver's belief that he's lost her. He sees the way she is with Palmer. She's happy. If that was true, Felicity would have stayed by Palmer's side and let Diggle go after Oliver. But she didn't. There was only one man Felicity was chasing after.

And here we are. The Olicity scene of the night.

"Oliver!"

"You know I can't believe that you and Diggle are okay just sitting on your hands while Roy fights off all of Iron Heights."

Oliver is furious with her. He doesn't understand what's going on. He doesn't understand why Diggle & Felicity are refusing to back him up and help Roy. This isn't the woman he knows and loves.

"It is not that simple!"

"No Felicity is anything was ever simple it's this!"

"This what? You going to jail too?"

Felicity isn't backing down though. She has logic on her side, and a ingenious plan in the works, but she needs Oliver to calm down and listen. I know that it's been a long and difficult season for Oliver and Felicity. They've spent the majority of the season apart and for a good portion of that time apart they've been fighting. It wasn't for nothing though. Over the course of the year, Oliver & Felicity have learned how to fight, which is crucial to a lasting relationship. This fight is proof of that. They've learned how to yell without going too far. How to express their anger without hurting the other person. Most importantly, they've learned how to listen to one another. Oliver hears Felicity's logic and that she's simply trying to protect him, to help him. He softens.

"I can't just do nothing."

And Felicity hears Oliver's pain & sense of powerlessness. She softens.

"I think John's right. I think you're struggling with doing nothing; with Roy, with Ray. But right now? You need people to help you. You need to let them. Maybe there is something more going on with you than just what's happening with Roy and this meta human. You have sacrificed everything to be The Arrow, even you and me, but whether or not you break Roy out of Iron Heights there is no more Arrow. Ra's took that from you."

No matter how hurt Felicity is that Oliver chose The Arrow over her, she understands why he did it. Felicity understands that sacrificing their relationship was just that...a sacrifice for Oliver. It caused him an immeasurable amount of pain. Pain that only Felicity truly understands because she feels it too. Oliver could live with that pain if it was serving some greater purpose. The Arrow was that greater purpose and Ra's took that from him. Oliver cannot be The Arrow. It was all for nothing. He lost her...for nothing.

Oliver cannot be with Felicity. He cannot be Oliver Queen. He cannot be The Arrow. Oliver doesn't know who he is anymore. He no longer knows his way ahead and that's why he feels like he's lost everything.

But he hasn't lost everything. It's why Felicity chased after him. It's why Felicity walked out of the hospital room. It's why Felicity didn't offer Ray anything but silence. Oliver hasn't lost Felicity. To be honest, I don't think he ever really can.

Oliver Queen or The Arrow? The never ending internal battle. Who is he? Roy Harper struggled with the same crisis. Was he Roy Harper? Was he Arsenal? Was he The Arrow? Or none of the above? Ultimately, Roy learned what Oliver is struggling to learn. The name doesn't matter. It's the man that counts.

It's a lesson Oliver cannot learn without Felicity. Suit or hood. Rich or poor. In sickness or in health. None of that matters, not to Felicity. From the moment she met him, underneath all the ridiculous lies and phony charm, she saw a good man. A trust worthy man. A honorable man. Felicity sees Oliver for who he truly is, even when he cannot. It why she's the person who can harness Oliver's light. She sees his light...she always has.

Felicity stopped the "I love you" from tumbling out of her mouth and you can literally pinpoint the second Oliver's heart stops. Loving Oliver Queen is as natural as breathing to Felicity. She doesn't think about it. She doesn't run from it. It just is. She's in. All in.

In a beautiful call back to the clock tower scene in 2x22, Felicity stops the "I love you" and offers up a "I believe in you" instead. There are millions ways to say "I love you." For Felicity Smoak "I believe in you" is just one in a million. Felicity told Oliver she believed in him in that clock tower because it was the only way she could say "I love you" that Oliver was ready to hear. It's why that moment is Oliver falling in love with Felicity all at once. Oliver could feel Felicity's love in her belief. And Oliver knew he loved her. It was a moment of certainty, a blinding clarity, in the darkness.

It's almost a year later and Felicity still can't say "I love you. Because of Ray, because she & Oliver are not together, because Oliver has yet to make a different choice. So she offers him an "I love you" the only way she can. And once again, Oliver feels Felicity's love in her belief. Once again, Felicity gives Oliver certainty in a moment of confusion. A blinding clarity in the darkness. Oliver still has Felicity's love, which means he has everything.

Of course Felicity goes to the power grid where the meta human is because that's her life. But you aren't going to fool me writers! My little cupcake has a Season 4 contract and Trollenheim gossiped like a 13 year old girl about her big season four storyline. I'm good. Cool as a cucumber.

DO NOT TOUCH MY BABY.

If Oliver was ready to throw down with Diggle over Roy, just wait until Felicity's in trouble. If Diggle stood in Oliver's way a second longer he would have ended up in the hospital. Best friend or not...this is Felicity. His Felicity. The only reason Oliver let Palmer go was because he could get there faster.

Essentially this scene was a mash up between Reel Steel and Rocky. Air punching. Stephen made air punching look cool. Is there anything he can't make look cool? Food for thought. Felicity used her God given brains to escape from the meta human. Unfortunately, she didn't make it very far. Luckily Oliver (in Roy's body...it sounds sexual but don't go there people) showed up just in time, but it lasted all of two seconds before Ray's tech was damaged. You could hear Oliver internally screaming "I told you so!"

Oliver doesn't like Ray Palmer. He's sleeping with his dream girl and he's annoying. But Ray put his body between danger and Felicity. He took an arrow for Felicity. An arrow meant to take what was most precious from Oliver, to force his hand. The only reason it's not Felicity's body going into the Lazarus Pit is because Ray Palmer protected her. For as long as Oliver lives, he won't forget that. Nor will he allow Ray to. Oliver reminds Ray that it wasn't the suit that protected Felicity...it was him. He doesn't need the suit to be a hero. He just needs the will to fight back. It's the same will Oliver, Roy and Diggle have. Oliver's will formed on the Island, Diggle's in the war, Roy's on the streets. Ray's willed formed the night Anna died. Oliver simply reminded him of that fact.

For as much as Oliver detested Ray's "team up" reference, it truly was. Felicity, Ray and Oliver each played an equal role in saving Felicity and stopping the meta. Put down the pom poms people. No need to get overly excited. Palmer still sleeping with Oliver's lobster.

But not for long!!!!!

Sorry not sorry.

"So on a scale of 1 -10".

Obviously, Felicity was concerned Oliver would be angry with them for letting him believe Roy was dead. However, I think her concern was more than that. Diggle, Felicity & Roy knew the plan would work because they know Oliver. They know him better than anyone. Death and loss are all Oliver knows. They knew he'd believe it. They played upon some of his deepest fears & psychological scars.

I don't know Oliver...3.8?

Luckily, Oliver sees the forest through the trees. Thy name is character growth! Don't you love the back half of the season?

In a subtle "my OTP needs alone time" move, Diggle heads to the car. Felicity and Oliver stand side by side, their arms only micro inches apart, grazing just a little bit against each other. So achingly close and yet...a distance still remains.

Suddenly Felicity turns and she threads her arms through Oliver's, pressing her body against his, in her signature "arm cuddle" that up until this point has been reserved for Mr. Palmer and Mr. Palmer alone. Damn boy...you don't even get to keep arm cuddle. This day sucks Ray. FYI.

The moment Felicity's arm touches Oliver's, the moment he feels the weight of her body shift into his, her chin against his shoulder, and her voice reminding him once again there are people who love him...that she loves him, Oliver struggles to fight back tears. He's missed her so much. He's so tired of missing her.

There's always one moment in Arrow when a character realizes Oliver & Felicity belong together. Tonight was Ray Palmer's moment.

Thea & Roy

The only piece of Roy Harper that truly mattered to Roy was...Thea Queen. Like Felicity is to Oliver, Thea is all that is good and pure and wonderful in the world to Roy. Thea set Roy on his path to salvation and there is no person he loves more. Roy can't tell Thea the truth, but he swore he would never lie to her again.

He tells her he's going to be fine. Thea asks if that's the lie and Roy doesn't answer. How can he? If he's not with Thea, he'll never really be fine. A piece will always be missing. But that's why they call it a sacrifice. No one said salvation was easy.

Thea Queen

He buried her heart still

He buried her on her own

By the cool ferns

In the rained on river bed

He took her in his arms

He carried her ghost

Through grey stone fields

He could feel her float

She said, “I would die for you

“I would die for you”

And it all came true

It all came true

He lay her down In the gentle earth And kissed her eyes closed Like it didn’t hurt

And whispered

I would die for you

And it all came true

It all came true

There's a reason this section came last. I dreaded writing it. From the moment we saw the cast images filming in Nanda Parbat and Willa was there; from the moment Marc said a character was dying; from the moment Ra's showed up at Thea's loft in the promo; from the moment Thea got into that limo with Merlyn...we knew this was where the story was headed. We knew the only way Oliver Queen would ever join the League of Assassins, the only reason he would sacrifice himself, would be to save someone he loves. Malcolm Merlyn's plan, for Thea to kill Sara so Oliver would be forced to fight Ra's, was always leading here. To the moment the Demon Head took Thea's life.

Thea knew she was dead, but she fought back. I was so proud of her.

"How many people can Oliver Queen lose before he's no longer Oliver Queen?"

Ra's Al Ghul will make sure Oliver knows the difference between feeling like he lost everything and actually losing everything. For five minutes, Team Arrow won Oliver his life back. Only for Ra's to take it.

At least he made it quick.

Ra's took Oliver's city, The Arrow and his sister. Now, to save his sister, Oliver will lose Felicity...seemingly forever. Oliver may not know who he is, but he does know two things. He will do anything to save Thea and he is in love with Felicity Smoak. Thea & Felicity are Oliver's only two certainties. Thea is the first piece to the Oliver Queen puzzle and Felicity is the last. Without either of these women...Oliver Queen ceases to exist. And that's how he becomes Al Saheem. That's how the darkness overtakes him. Thus answering Slade's haunting question.

Stray Thoughts...

Captain Lance continues his impressive Ahab routine. His axe to grind with Oliver is so apparent, his boss gives him a word of warning. Maybe a bump down to beat cop will knock some sense into Quentin. Worked the last time.

Hong Kong continues to get suckier. Now it's the US army after them and some wack job general that wants to unleash bio weapons on China. Upside? Aikko lived to see another day!!!

Raylicity break up is coming. Sorry folks. I was wrong about 3x19. Look, it doesn't matter when it happens. It's going to take all of 2 minutes. But I want Felicity to break up with Ray. I want Felicity to make a conscious choice. I do not want Felicity to pull and Elena Gilbert or Rory Gilbert.

ONE. MORE. WEEK.

Predictions

I thought Ray was going to die and Thea would be severely injured. So I'm giving myself a B overall but A for effort. Once Roy survived, I knew Thea was a goner. Aces on Thea going into the Lazarus Pit but that's a small comfort because she's going into the freaking Lazarus Pit. Ugh..

SARA LIVES. No buckles and that walk was pure Caity Lotz. That was the original Canary in that promo. Now, before everyone gets too excited...it is NOT Sara who's coming back. As Malcolm said in the promo, the Lazarus Pit changes people in their soul. I'm hoping length of time dead equates to level of crazy. Why? I think Sara is coming back bat shit bonkers, but I'm hoping Thea doesn't. Thea can be just angry & crazy enough to put on a mask...you know like Laurel. But I think two loony female superheroes will be a bit much and Sara has that spot sewn up. Hello White Canary.

Al Saheem. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I want everyone to get prepared. Things are going to get worse. MUCH WORSE. This Al Saheem persona is NOT GOOD. Oliver is going dark...really dark. In fact, my guess is the things he's required to do as Ra's Al Ghul will reverberate into Season 4. That being said, I think the LOA storyline will resolve itself by the end of the year. Oliver will battle his way back from the darkness, reclaim his identity as Oliver Queen and potentially make some pretty stunning decisions about what that means. (wink) It's also entirely possible Original Team Arrow comes up with a plan to fool Ra's and Al Saheem is part of the ruse. However, regardless if it's an act or real...the consequences of Oliver's actions will be real.

Alright...enough of that. Let's talk wedding. For those of you who don't know, Marc Guggenheim has spoiled that a second wedding will be taking place on Arrow.

Given Colton Hayne's departure, he and Thea are out of the running. So that leaves the #1 spot for rationale possibility open. Who's taking the spot? Oliver Queen marries The League of Assassins. Merlyn mentioned Oliver wearing the Demon Head's ring on tonight's episode. As a Catholic, the idea of a man marrying an institution or belief system is not a foreign concept. Priests marry The Church. So theoretically, Oliver could simply be "marrying" the LOA and Al Saheem is the marriage.

Couple of issues

First, if this is the case, that's some serious fucking trolling on Guggenheim's part and I'm going to be pissed. It's an odd way to describe Oliver's relationship with the League. Now, Marc teases and he trolls but he doesn't out and out lie. Marc said the wedding would result in a marriage. To me that says long term and the relationship will continue into S4. Given that I believe Oliver's LOA storyline wraps by the end of the year (to bring in the S4 big bad Hive and Felicity's father), I can't believe Oliver's marriage to the League is long for this world. So why describe it as a marriage? That's more of a divorce in my mind. Why not simply describe it as a wedding? Why would Marc make the distinction? Food for thought. Furthermore, Stephen said Oliver would have a reason to smile at the end of the year and I cannot imagine that a "marriage" to the League would give Oliver any reason to smile. Getting divorced sure. But then it goes back to my original issue of why did Marc make the marriage distinction? Moving on.

Nyssa & Sara: Okay folks. Stop sending me Nyssa and Sara theories. I thought of them way before I ever posted my Olicity wedding theory. Trust me, there isn't a permutation Calli & I haven't discussed. I discounted them for two reasons. First, I don't believe it's Sara who's coming back. I think it's Coo Coo For Cocoa Puffs Sara. This isn't Nyssa's Sara. Second, Sara is a series regular on the spin off. Nyssa is on Arrow. It's the same Roy/Thea issue. They aren't going to marry two characters and have them on two separate shows. That's a scheduling nightmare. It just isn't feasible.

If you want to read the rest of my "rationale" suspects, you can review them here. My same issues still apply with the rest of the candidates.

I'm trying very hard to stay impartial, but Thea & Roy were my best "rational" guess. Colton's departure and Thea's death/resurrection, and Emily's dolled up appearance while filming the finale, only serve to bolster my Olicity wedding theory. Yes, Oliver & the League is a very viable option, but there's more evidence in the show pointing towards Olicity.

***FYI: Calli & I saw the video of Emily. Yes, we know she's in pants, but that's not a t-shirt. That's a very sparkly white top. It's entirely possible that Emily changed into pants when she's not filming. It's Canada. It's fucking cold. Yes, we know Marc said they already filmed the wedding scene but they film out of order. Second, the video of EBR signing the shirt was filmed several days ago, possibly before Marc's ask about filming the wedding. She signed the shirt before Brandon Routh and Brandon Routh left Vancouver the other day. At the very least, it was before Barrowman signed it and he finished filming a couple days ago. Anyways...long story short...it is possible that video was taken BEFORE Marc answered the ask on filming the wedding scene. Whew.

#1 Rational Theory: Oliver marries the League of Assassins (and Trollenheim gets a strongly worded letter from me)

#1 Crazy Theory: Oliver marries Felicity. (The term crazy is relative right now, because this theory is looking more and more sane by the minute)

So the updated odds are...

60/40 in favor of the Olicity wedding

Second Chance Fulfilled: Broken Arrow Arrow 3x19 Review

THANK YOU JESUS!!!!

Prayer circle worked.

Oh Colton. How you will be missed. I was so nervous for this episode I was sick to my stomach. A swarm of butterflies. There was no way Colton wasn’t leaving the show. The tweets, Instagram, the spoilers…it wouldn’t have made any sense otherwise. In the world of Arrow an actor departure typically means death. Needless to say I am beyond THRILLED with the way they handled Colton’s exit.

Let’s dig in…

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#arrow season 3 #season 3 episode review #season 3 episode reviews #season 3 episode review2 #arrow 3x19 #roy harper #olicity #olicity wedding theory #oliver and felicity

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