#RL interferes with fangirling again

[babblingblondegenius]

Happy Mancrush Monday!

Wow, what an amazing weekend!  Thanks to Stephen, Emily, and our awesome fandom for some quality content and great stories.  It was truly a much-needed reminder of why I loved Arrow and joined the fandom in the first place.  One of the highlights was SA saying Oliver loved Felicity ‘six, seven seconds after I first saw her.’  He didn’t specify which first encounter he meant so I’m gonna assume both and grin in sheer delight at what both those encounters had in common. ;)

Hard to top but not to be outdone, EBR’s response about their meet cute was a very special song lyric she created on the spot.... From the moment we met,

These are bullet holes and I love you 

While initially it just struck me as cute, funny, and catchy, it also got me thinking about how many times bullet holes have played in part in their relationship. 

I have no doubt that Oliver Queen would have searched every floor of Queen Consolidated and the world if need be to find the adorable blonde girl with the amazing legs who babbled at his picture and made him smile during one of the darkest times of his life.  But a bullet-ridden laptop sped up his search. 

Remember that the script said Felicity was the one who was supposed to be smitten in this moment?  LOL.  That boy was smoaked and there was no going back.  One of my favorite parts of this scene are Felicity’s first words to Oliver ‘I know who you are, Mr. Queen.’  Truly prophetic in nature that she would be the most instrumental person in helping Oliver see the hero within him. She has always been the one who lights his way and can get a smile out of him. Bless their organic chemistry that changed the trajectory of the entire show for the better.  And thank you Deadshot for the bullet holes. ;)

Emily then mentioned Oliver probably loved Felicity by the time he hides in the back of her Mini Cooper.  

Ironically, also because of a bullet hole from where his mother shot him.  

We knew that Oliver trusted Felicity’s expertise from the moment he met her.  But this scene took it to the next level.  Oliver trusts Felicity with his life, not to mention his secret identity and the location of his vigilante home base.  One that would feel more like a home once he asked Felicity to join the team and be an even more vital part of his mission and life.  Moira Queen did her son a solid. :)

So now that Steve and Em have confirmed Oliver and Felicity were in love with each other in season 1, these other bullet hole scenes carry a new significance.

Like when Count Vertigo kidnapped Felicity and Oliver left his mother’s trial in a rage.  He confronts The Count as an angry (and hot) amalgamation of the Arrow and Oliver Queen in the suit with the hood down.  Their verbal sparring takes a violent turn when the Count shoots at Oliver and grazes his arm.  But it isn’t until the Count directly threatens Felicity with a syringe of vertigo that Oliver responds with three rapid-fire arrows that send the Count out the window to the death.

Oliver immediately goes to check on Felicity and she immediately reaches for the wound but Oliver assures her ‘it’s nothing.’  Because in that moment, to him, all that matters is her.  He would do anything for her, including breaking a vow he made to himself.  There was no choice to make.  Kudos to you, Count Vertigo.

As much as Oliver tries to protect her, Felicity still has free will and she is a brave badass in her own right.  This is especially evident when Felicity jumps in front of Sara and takes a bullet in the shoulder.  We don’t get to see Oliver’s initial reaction while they are still out in the field, but the aftermath back at the lair once Diggle has given Felicity ‘aspirin’ for pain and Sara has stitched her up.

Oliver wasn’t just asking about her bullet wound here.  Felicity had been feeling left out and Oliver wanted nothing more than to assure her that no matter who else comes and goes, she would always be his girl.  

Full disclosure: I’m not crazy about this scene in the context of the show at the time for numerous reasons I won’t go into here.  But at face value, Oliver looking at Felicity with so much love and pride makes my heart melt.  The way he gently cups her face and talks to her in the soft tone that is reserved only for her makes all of me melt into a puddle of feels.  Thanks for your time, Clock King.

For a show called Arrow, Oliver did on occasion deviate from the norm by using other weapons.  Like LOA swords to dual the Demon’s Head, which did not well the first time and Oliver was stabbed and kicked off the side of a mountain.  No worries, Tatsu had penicillin tea so Oliver recovered so they could fight again a few months later (I would normally lol here but Felicity is not amused so I won’t).

 Our boy does much better this time, defeating Ra’s with his own maneuver.  It’s Arrow so he doesn’t have time to celebrate before snipers shoot at him and he is sent off the edge of a very high bridge since apparently the theme of season 3 was to wound Oliver and then have him fall from a great height.  But instead of a cold snowy ledge, his fall is averted by the Atom swooping Oliver out of danger.  I’m sure Oliver is a big enough man that he would have thanked Ray but he didn’t have to because it was his girl who saved him.  The girl who has always saved him.  His Felicity.  And his smile is pure awe, pride, and love just for her.   

To tell you the truth, I’m not sure that Oliver was actually struck with any of the bullets.  It looked like he was but then in the next scene back at QC/PT, he didn’t seem wounded other than his hand.  Either way, we appreciate your shipper service, incompetent Star City police force.  

This night started out so beautifully.  Oliver united the citizens of Star City to gather for a lighting of the Christmas tree as a symbol of hope against the forces of evil.  But Mayor Handsome had bigger plans as he took an unsuspecting Felicity on stage with him to ask if she would make him the happiest man on the face of the earth (as if he wasn’t already; look at that dork’s ginormous smile).   

Felicity said yes, like she told him she would and Oliver slid the big bling onto her finger.  They shared a sweet snug before running off to the waiting limo.  Which still makes me laugh.  I mean on one hand, f*** those ungrateful Star City bitches but Olicity didn’t even spare them a glance before they peaced out. LOL

More snugs followed in the limo and they were so soft with each other in a state of genuine bliss. But those forces of evil retaliated swiftly and Felicity was caught in the crossfire. Oliver went from serene to shock in a matter of moments.

The bullet damaged her spinal cord and caused paralysis in the lower half of her body.  Oliver was consumed with rage and guilt, leaving Felicity alone at a time when she was feeling incredibly vulnerable. When he finally comes to see her, they have an honest and open talk where Felicity shares her fear that Oliver wasn’t there because of her condition and she even gives him an out.  One that he absolutely does not want and proves it to her by pulling her engagement ring out of his pocket to place back on her finger with the words ‘for better or worse.’

I still think this scene was one of the most heartfelt and well-acted scenes of the entire series.  And this will always be their real wedding to me.  Just the two of them.  Making a vow to each other.  Finding strength in each other.  Always. <3

Whew!  I haven’t done a post like this in quite some time and I have to say, it feels good to feel good about Olicity again.  I hated that the show ruined my enjoyment of them for a while cause they really are a one-of-a-kind and once-in-a-lifetime pair.  I want to dedicate this post to @cruzrogue​ who seems to be enjoying the these are bullet holes and I love you hashtag as much as I am. :)  

Happy hugs for all of you, fam!  And tons of appreciation for the fandom’s talented gifmakers!  Gif credits to:  primogif.com for the Felicity babbles gif; and fanforum.com for the Felicity these look like bullet holes gif.