#dark!Olivarry

[afaimsarrowverse]

The Top 25 Things the Arrowverse gave us:

25.  Elseworlds

This Crossover-Event will always remain extra special, because it saw Oliver and Barry swap identities, an evil would-be Superman, the introducting of both Gotham City and Kate Kane to the Arrowverse and Kara finding sisterhood with another version of her sister Alex by just knowing her. Oh and Gary was there too, totally random in the Elseworld Version of Earth-1 but still totally Gary, while Cisco was kind of evil and Oliver’s enemies were all cops.

 24.  Crisis on Infinite Earths

„Crisis of Infinite Earths“ was the biggest Crossover-Event of Television, because not only did it crossover all Arrowverse-Shows including the not-yet-green-lit „Superman & Lois“ and the first footage from „Stargirl“, it did crossover all of DC Television and Film. We had „Lucifer“, „Smallville“, „Birds of Prey“, „Titans“, „Doom Partol“, the 60s Batman-Show, the 90s Flash-Show„Superman Returns“, the Burton-Verse and Ezra Miller in there, as well as Kevin Conroy and a lot of previously unfilmed Comic Stories on the top of that.

 23.  The Annual Crossover Events

Starting with the launch of „The Flash“ the Arrowverse started doing crossover episodes and most of them did occure just before the Mid-Season Break and featured episodes in more than one of the shows. Soon more and more shows got invovled in these crossovers, and they got bigger. The Annual „Autumn“ Crossover Event was something to look forward too as long as it existed.

 22.  The Olivarry Friendship

When it got announced that Stephen Amell would return to „The Flash“ for its final season the Internet almost broke. This shows how much the friendship between Oliver and Barry did impact the viewers and how special it was for everyone, who got to watch it grow and change over all these years. And why we will never forget it.

 21.  Ray Palmer

Brandon Routh may have played Superman, but the superhero who really had an impact on the cultural landscape was his Arrowverse Role, Ray Palmer aka the Atom. Introduced in „Arrow“, becoming a main character in „Legends of Tomorrow“, Ray showed up in almost every Arrowverse-Show, and the likeable nerd was very much missed when he was written out of the Arrowverse. Since then he has returned, but sadly the end of Arrowverse does also mean that we won’t ever see him again.

 20.  Steelatom

The Arrowverse presented us many forms of male friendships, but out of all of them the friendship between Ray Palmer and Nate Heywood undoubtable was one of the most special ones. Two soft male nerds becoming BFFs and in many ways much more each others significant other than their respective better halfs is still not something we are used to see.

 19.  Black Lightning (The Show)

Yes, „Luke Cage“ came first, but without „Black Lightning“ the MCU Show would have been the first and only not-animated Superhero Show with a black lead involving the Black Community. „Black Lightning“ did for DC what „Luke Cage“ did for Marvel, and it even got to go out own its own terms. So „Black Lightning“ will always be that Black Superhero Show with a Lebsian Female Lead, that came, did what it set out to do, and finished the narrative despite everything.

 18.  The Power of Goodness

Certain so called fans tend to see DC as this dark and broody and egdy Anti-Marvel Brand. The Arrowverse however did very much not fall in this trap. Yes, early episodes of „Arrow“ might have fooled you into thinking they were going there, but as soon as Barry Allen speed into the show, the Arrowverse showed us that, no, no matter how dark life becomes these shows and that whole franchise actually is a story about how in the end there is more good than evil out there, and how goodness can inspire other people into becoming good themselves. In all the shows our heroes did inspire others to do better to become more and to never give up. Instead of an edgy story about gloom and doom the Arrowverse was a story about how one’s inate goodness can overcome anything and can inspire everyone around to listen to the goodness inside themselves.

 17.  Soft Males

Sure, we got Alpha Males like Oliver Queen or Mick Rory, but the Arrowverse also held a significant number of Soft Males, that were even more fun and frankly more inspirering to watch. In the end people like Barry Allen, Ray Palmer, Winn Schott, Cisco Ramon, Nate Heywood, Behrad Tarazi, Querl Dox or Luke Fox do appeal to people much more than the typicial male macho, we get to see everywhere else. And when people like John Constantine, Oliver Queen or Mick Rory find it in them to also step out of their own shadow and discover their softer side, it is even more beautifiul.

 16.  Female Friendships

Many ensemble shows treat us with outstanding male friendships but not all of these shows are „Friends“. Most shows have to fight for their female characters to have a relationship with each other. So it is an accomplishment to actually see a postive female relationship outside of familial bonds and sexual interest flourish. Most of the Arrowverse managed to produced more than a couple of strong female friendships over their run. Bookclub matters, and so does the fact that, no Kara does not want to pounce her female friends, that Ryan is not ready to give up on Mary, this shows us that women actually care about each other. Something that especially male writers often forget about.

 15.  An Ace Superhero

The biggest moment of seventh season of „Legends of Tomorrow“ was the moment in „The Fixed Point“, when Spooner came out to Zari as asexual. After admitting that she did not think about anyone „that way“, Zari explained to her that she is probabyl ace and that there is nothing wrong with that, and that there are many people like her and many of them still have happy relationships. This moment is even bigger because it was a latinx woman coming out, and it did give us the first asexual superhero on screen ever and one of very view openly ace main characters on a Television Show.

 14.  A Trans Superhero

Season 4 of „Supergirl“ did introduce Nia Nal, who would go on to become the superhero Dreamer, the ancestor of Nura Nal from the Legion of Superheroes. Played be Nicole Maines Nia Nal is the first transgender superhero on our screens, serving us an inspiration for many by coming out about her true self in the show and fighting hate and even her own family for who she really is.

 13.  Sara Lance

In the beginning there was Sara Lance. Long before characters like Nia Nal or Spooner Cruz or even Alex Danvers or David Singh would grace the Arrowverse Laurel Lance‘s little sister kissed boys and girls on screen, fought and overcame trauma, and never gave up on finding herself. Sara Lance proofed to us that you can come back from everything and that strong bi-sexual females can be lead characters on action shows.

 12.  Avalance

Because of the rotating cast „Legends of Tomorrow“ did not really have a central romance for its long run. Changing up characters and romances, there was however one that stuck with us and the Arrowverse for most of its run, and that is the relationship between Sara Lance and Ava Sharpe, which did include getting married and having a baby. Even more important while same-sex-relationships were only secondary ships on „Supergirl“ and „Black Lightning“ Avalance, since it involved the lead character of the show, was the central ship of the show.

 11.  Westallen

People tend to overlook that taking after the New 52 Idea of making the Wests Black during casting was a gamble for „The Flash“. But it also was one that payed of. The only Arrowverse Show that actually had their central couple for all of its run, took an iconic couple from the comics and made it real and did stick to it. Westallen is also a mixed race couple in Prime Time Television and sadly that is still not something viewed as normal today.

 10. Diversity

The CW did make „Dare to Defy“ their motto, but in the end they did give in, gave up their identity even before they were sold, because no one would buy them, if they would actually live up to their motto. Which is why half of the Arrowverse Shows was cancelled when they were. However while it was alive and prospering the Arrowverde did dare to defy. The Arrowverse had women, POCs, LGBTQ+ Persons, Non-Americans, Aliens and Non-Confermists as their protagonists and antagonists from the get-go. So of course I could not stay around.

 9.      Same Sex Weddings

Having celebrated their first Same Sex Wedding Of Screen during Season 1 of „The Flash“, the Arrowverse did feature no less than 3 [!] Same-Sex Weddings between Females in the year 2021, with Anissa and Grace getting married on „Black Lightning“, Sara and Ava finally tying the knot at the end of Season 6 on „Legends of Tomorrow“, and Alex marrying her girlfriend Kelly Olsen in the Finale of „Supergirl“.

 8.      Strong Female Characters

Yes, it all started with a man, but even the late great Anne Rice noted that she was intrigued that Oliver was surronded by women rather than men after the Pilot. Since then „Arrow“ always tried to aim for a strong female presence as well as female characters in general. The same is true for the other Arrowverse Shows, most notably of course for „Supergirl“ and „Batwoman“, but with Season 2 „Legends of Tomorrow“ switched Rip Hunter with Sara Lance as their main protagonist and Captain, and more than one critic has noted that „Black Lightning“ actually is much more about Jefferson’s daughters Anissa and Jennifer than about Black Lightning himself. And „The Flash“ tried really hard to keep both Candice Patton and Danielle Panabaker around until the very end, adding more female characters to their main cast over the years. And let’s not forget that the never picked up Backdoor-Pilot „Green Arrow and the Canaries“ would have centered around the daughter of Green Arrow and no less than two Black Canaries.

 7.      Season 8 of „Arrow“

Sometimes fans get something back. The short final season of „Arrow“ was very much a season tailored for the fans, a homage to the show’s history, that also aimed straight at the future of both the show and the franchise. Not as strong as Season 2 and not as shocking as Season 5, Season 8 of „Arrow“ still was something very special, which only the Arrowverse at that point of its existence would ever give to the viewers.

 6.      Season 1 of „The Flash“

While everyone might have their own personal favorite Arrowverse Season, Season 1 of „The Flash“ ist arguable the best out of all of them, most people would agree. The first real Superhero Show since „Heroes“, „The Flash“ paved the way for the rest of the more comicbooky Arrowverse, DC- and MCU-Shows, and probably even stuff like „The Umbrella Academy“. The show made people, who are not really interested in superheroes, interested in watching the show by putting the characters and their feelings and relationship first, but backing it up with an engaging story that relies on superpowers and time travel to work.

 5.      Legends of Tomorrow

The Arrowverse had a whole bunch of very different shows appealing to different audiences, but the one ouf of all of them that stood out was „Legends of Tomorrow“. After a luck-warm first season the writers threw out everything that didn’t work and went full in, embracing the fact that this was supposed to be a time travel show with superheroes and villains about a bunch of screw ups. They did not shy awawy from the crazy any longer but ran towards it instead. They made an outsider show for outsiders, that was beautiful and unique und very much not your average television show.

 4.      Coming back from Trauma

„Arrow“ very much had the message that in the end, no matter what happened to you, you can not only learn to live with it, you can come back from it. Oliver Queen’s whole journey is about becoming a new person, that is not ruled by his past anymore. And he isn’t the only one. When „The Flash“ started we learn about the murder of Barry’s mother and how he was able to come back from that, and how he had to learn to stop looking back and start looking forward. Supergirl’s whole planet was destroyed, almost everyone she ever knew died. And still she managed to go on after that und flourish. In some shape and form most Arrowverse Characters are shaped by trauma – and their shows tell us that this does not have to rule them.

 3. The One where they are stuck on TV

The best Arrowverse Episode out of all of them probably was „The One Where We‘re trapped on TV“ from „Legends of Tomorrow“s fifth season. Not only that, it was also the best Television Episode of the year 2020. Honoring TV that came before as well as the main character of the show, the episode also did include a valuable lesson. In the end that little TV Episode did more than most shows are capeable doing in years.

 2.      A Voice

If we are talking about the question what the Arrowverse gave us, we should not forget to menton the most important thing it gave us: A Voice. Yes, the producers listened to the fans, but that’s not what I mean. The Arrowverse gave us a voice – the not privileged not white not straight not cis-males who were not brought up by a loving parental figure - it gave a voice to everyone else, to the damaged, the overlooked, the ridicouled, the bullied, the loners, the persons on the fringes. It gave a voice to those, who think no one ever listens to them, by having the heroes listen. For those magicial years of television all of us were heard. By going for Green Arrow, the Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, Black Lighning and John Constantine the stories told by something with the DC Lable on it were finally about us.

 1.      Hope for a better Tomorrow

When Oliver Queen came back to Starling City, he was a broken man, but when „Arrow“ ended he had been healed, something he never would have thought possible. Kara Danvers might have lost her planet, but she found a new home on earth, a new family and her calling. Barry Allen might have lost his mother and his father, but he found a future, where he has a new family, that flourishes and grows. Gotham may be a crap hole, but the Batwomen stepped in, when no one else did and made it a better place. While the Pierce Familiy fought to do the same for Freeland. Everyone who ever stepped foot on the Waverider came out stronger and more whole when they left the ship again, even those who did not leave alive, ironicially enough. In the end the most important thing the Arrowverse gave to us, is hope – hope that this will also pass, hope for a better tomorrow. Hope for a tomorrow, periode.

The franchise saved lives – with every show, ever episode at a time, probabaly many more lives than most people realize. And then it all came crashing down after a decade, when it became clear it had all been a lie.

So maybe they shouldn’t have bothered to give us ten years of lies in the first place. Or anyhting else on this list for that matter, because giving someone something only to take it away again without warning or reason is cruel, but giving someone hope and then taking that away, well that is just criminal. So in the end the Arrowverse was just that: A Crime against Humanity, because they told us life could be a certain way, only to end with the clear notion, that it actually in reality can’t.

[dc-is-a-poly-mess]

[Adventures in the Team Arrow/Flash and getting drunk in public]

~~~

Iris: Hey, are you okay?

Felicity, very drunk, after a second of staring at her: You’re really pretty. Can I date you?

Iris, trying not to laugh: I don’t know...

Felicity: If you have girlfriend or boyfriend I respect.

Iris: Felicity, you’re my girlfriend.

Felicity: I am? Fuck yeah!

Barry laughing in the backgroud: Jesus christ...

~~~

Oliver: I wasn’t that drunk last night.

Tommy: You asked Barry if he was single.

Oliver: Yeah so? Barry is my husband.

Tommy: Yeah, well you cried when he said he wasn’t!

~~~

Dinah, very drunk standing on a table:

Dinah, pointing to Barbara: That’s my girlfriend motherfuckers!

Barbara: Your wife honey.

Dinah: My wife? Even better!

~~~

Cisco, very drunk, pulling back from kissing Ray: Wait no, I have a boyfriend.

Ray, his boyfriend, also very drunk: Shit, so do I! Sorry.

Team Arrow:

Team Flash:

Barry: I’m going to tell them.

Felicity: Don’t you dare!

[orchaliel]

Godfather

AO3

Oliver never had been wanting to be involved into his father’s business. The great Robert Queen. Don’t get him wrong, he loved him and his family the most, but mafia’s world wasn’t exactly for him. And here he was.

Olivarry

[kaiitan]

Based on this text convo I saw. I’m sorry I couldn’t help myself.

[cissathebookworm]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen Characters: Barry Allen, Oliver Queen Additional Tags: dark au, Olivarry Week 2017 Series: Part 1 of Olivarry Week 2017, Part 15 of Olivarry Works Summary:

Dark AU for day one of Olivarry Week 2017.

 This was kinda inspired by my research for work on Mexican history where I stumbled upon Mexican Witchcraft and Santa Muerte. Then this fic happened.

[hussyknee]

Mercury Rising

(Set roughly to the tune of Bother by Stone Sour because I am no composer)

This is the song I wrote last year specifically with the Mercury verse AU in mind. It establishes the premise and origin of the story where Barry starts out as part of Len’s crew but he becomes radicalized in parallel to Leonard moving more to the side of the angels until they end up in opposite ends of the board, with Citizen Cold as Central City’s guardian angel and the feared Mercury as the King of the Rogues.

It is a star-crossed ColdFlash centric story but polyam as well, prominently featuring Iris West as Barry’s childhood love turned journalist crusader determined to bring Mercury to justice, Oliver Queen who loses his family, Star City and his mission to become Al Sahim, Mercury’s right-hand and occasional lover.

Principle narrators include Lisa Snart, torn between her loyalty to her brother and protective love for Barry, eternally her precious charge, and Mick Rory, man beloved as a brother by both men, angry and disenchanted yet caught in the middle. Also featuring Felicity Cuttler as the dark and omniscent Overwatch, Barry’s devoted friend Hartley Rathaway, Cisco Ramon reluctantly shanghaied into first the mob’s and later Mercury’s service, the embittered Killer Frost, Mercury’s other Lieutenant, the woman Cisco loves and fears from afar and little Wally West, who idolizes Barry and for whom Barry has an almost parental love.

@wonderingtheblue made a lovely mood board for this dystopian AU because she is the best and most beautiful.

This is a sprawling universe and streamlining and writing it will probably take the better part of a year for Blue and me. But we do hope it gets realized soon, time, work and other projects permitting.

[itachi86]

i really needed dark arrow to be dating/married to a man

[coldflashwave-baby]

Olivarry Week: Day One-Dark Olivarry (plus Kara)

On another Earth, overrun with metas and aliens, there are two who are the most powerful and most feared--Savitar, self-proclaimed God of Speed, and Kara Zor-El of Krypton, the last of her kind after the defeat and destruction of her cousin.

No one dared challenge them, and all trembled in their presence.

All but one. 

Ra’s al Ghul--once called Al Sah-Him, was the Head of the Demon, and feared none. Especially not the meta and alien he loved. When in public, they were strong and invincible. When in the privacy of Ra’s al Ghul bedchambers, however, they melted into each other’s embrace. 

Then, a rogue faction of the League, led by the previous Ra’s’ eldest daughter, overtook Nanda Parbat. The Ra’s was overthrown and killed.

Devastated when they heard the news, Kara and Savitar razed rogue faction, murdering every assassin and making Talia al Ghul’s death last for days. They decided to find a new lover to replace the one they lost, searching the multiverse for another version of their Ra’s. 

What they discovered was Oliver Queen aka the Green Arrow, best friends with Savitar’s doppelganger and allies with Kara’s. 

They made a plan to steal him away and keep him as their own.

[starstruck382]

S2 E8 of Flash but Olivarry

Oliver: I’d like to propose a toast

Oliver: I wish it wasn’t just the dark times bringing us together

Barry: *Speeds right next to to him and grabs his drink* But it’s friends like you that make those times worth living

Oliver: *Chuckles* What a guy, steals my drink steals my words

Oliver: *Mumbles to self* Steals my heart..

Barry: What?

Oliver: What??

[kitkatt0430]

hi! um, i'm a bit awkward about this. i want to say you /absolutely/ do not have to, but if you wanted to write a fic with autistic!oliver, i would be so, so happy! i feel he could canonically be, & i'm surprised it's not a more common headcanon, but maybe i'm projecting too much! if you don't want to write that, for whatever reason, that's totally fine! i've never asked for a fic before, so i won't mind at all if you don't write this for whatever reason; please don't feel obligated! thank you ♡

same anon as that last ask. as i said, i've never prompted before, so i don't know if you want more info? i really don't mind—anything would be incredible—but if you need a ship, i'm more than a bit partial to Olivarry. but i don't mind Olicity! and any other mental health hc's would be amazing—you can't tell me Ollie wasn't suicidal in the s3 finale—but it doesn't have to get dark. actually, maybe that would be better as another fic? sorry, i'm rambling now! you don't have to write it! tysm! ♡♡

It ended up being a bit of a quiet, slice of life type story. Oliver's taking things slow adjusting to life in Central City post the S3 Arrow finale. Instead of running away with Felicity, he's semi-retired to live with Barry and putting some focus on to finally addressing his mental health issues.

I really hope you enjoy the story, anon. :D

[likeaspeedingarrow]

My offering for Day 1 of Olivarry week 2017. It was pretty fun to write actually.

[olivarryprompts]

Fanfic Friday #4

Fanfic Friday #4

Welcome to Fanfic Friday! Each Friday I will post a new fanfic here and on A03. Enjoy x

Read/Save it on A03 at add https://archiveofourown.org/works/31910434

{Touches} 

Ship: olivarry 

Warnings: small mention of drugs/alcohol abuse

Status: dating

WC: 537

Narrator POV

Oliver was never a touchy feely kinda person. When he was with Laurel, she was always the one reaching out for him. He was somewhat reserved in that way. Thea had to win hugs from him, rather than ever receiving them freely. Touching wasn’t the way he loved, and his family knew that and never minded beyond mild frustration. 

But, then, there was a problem. If he didn’t love with hugs, then what did he love with? Certainly not emotions, because he was a very reserved person. He always knew, in the back of his mind, he had to be something. He was destined to do something incredible. He simply had to. He had such an advantage in life, who was he to ignore that. But he did. He threw it all away on parties, nights out, and sex. The pressure was all too much, and he caved it. It became his whole identity, and he was not one to care. No emotions means no feelings. 

To feel nothing as to not feel anything, what a shame! Oliver had enough feelings by a very early age, so he simply chose to feel nothing at all. Alcohol, drugs, whatever it was, he avoided feelings. That was until a nerdy CSI stumbled into his office. With his cute face and beautiful eyes and pretty smile. 

With Barry, he avoided feelings for as long as he could. He didn’t dare let his thoughts roam to Barry and the coma he got himself into. He pushed the thoughts of Barry’s well being so far into the depth of his mind he had convinced himself they didn’t exist. 

Then Barry just had to go and become a hero. It was like destiny was writing the two of them to be together. Barry with his light smile that drives him to unimaginable speeds, and Oliver with his mysterious darkness that keeps the flight of his arrows accurate as can be. 

It was one night when he changed. He and Barry had been dating for just over three months, and they’d fallen into easy habits with one and another. It was like they were two sides of the one coin. They understood each other, more than anything. But then this thing happened. 

Usually Barry rested his head on Oliver or interlocked their hands, but never beyond that. Oliver did not like touch. But, that one evening, Barry was tired. He was touchy and lovey and all of that, and he had just finished a very long day. He didn’t have the energy to pretend not to be the clingy little munchkin he is. 

So, he climbed in Oliver’s lap, and he completely cuddled himself into Oliver. He fell into a sound sleep fairly easily. Oliver didn’t mind it at all. In fact, he liked it. He liked having Barry entirely in his arms and to himself. He liked being able to protect his Baz, but, most of all, he liked the cuddle. He enjoyed the feeling that the cuddle brought. It felt like love and warmth and comfort. 

From then on, every evening they spent together, Oliver found Barry completely intertwined with him in every way. Oliver completely loved it. Oliver completely loved him. 

[why-think-when-you-can-slee-blog]

The Flash Headcanon

Star Labs always has food.

Barry doesn’t question it. It’s probably for those long days and nights spent at the Labs when they can’t leave to buy food or just feel lazy.

And sure, Cisco and Caitlin (and everyone else at some point) do snack on the stuff there. But what Barry doesn’t know is that it’s for him. Mostly. Everything at Star Labs is high in calories and sugar because Cisco knows the high calorie bars he makes don’t taste the greatest. Trail mix? Juice? Chocolate? A huge stockpile of peanut butter? Star Labs has all that and more. Eventually Cisco and Caitlin start a “Flash Food Fund” and any spare money goes into it. Everyone who joins Team Flash regularly donates either money or some food that they have at lying around at home. Oliver even sends over a “Flash care package” every so often.

[miko-of-midnight]

My drabble contribution to Day #1 of Olivarry week!

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen Characters: Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, Joe West (mentioned), Iris West (mentioned) Additional Tags: Dark! Oliver, drabble, possible major character death, Assassin! Oliver, Implied/Referenced Torture, Psychological Torture, Established Barry Allen/Oliver Queen, Not explicitly said though, So really who knows, The author the author knows Summary:

Oliver is out for blood on those who have wronged the one he loves. And this is just the beginning of the work that lies ahead for him.

Olivarry Week 2017- Day #1- Dark!Oliver

[kaiitan]

Oliver is gonna need a new army by the time Reverse Barry is done with it.

[avatarskywalker78]

A Belated Six Sentence Sunday!!!! I missed last week’s because I was busy with flufftober, but as a bonus - you guys get two extracts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first is from chapter 5 of to save the world (with a friend by my side). Remember that one? It’s still going!!! The trio have just found out that Lyta is to be executed, and tensions are running high between Adam and Seg.

“Hey, enough!”

Ashley dashed forward and shoved both men apart before Seg could flatten her friend again.

“That’s enough, both of you! Adam, I get where you’re coming from, but this isn’t the time when someone’s life is in danger.” Adam looked suitably cowed. “Seg, I understand you want to help Lyta, but rushing off isn’t going to help – it’s going to get both you and her killed. And also, it’s not like you’re alone on this planet. Or is Kem suddenly chopped liver?”

Seg did look guilty at that, and he sagged against the wall.

“He’s family.” He said. “But…I can’t lose her, Ashley, I can’t.”

“You won’t. We’re three reasonably intelligent people and I’m sure we can figure out a way to help her.”

The second is from part 9 of flufftober 2021, which have mostly been short stories. This one? Not so - and I have to go where the story takes me. It’s an Olivarry one, set during Flash S1/Arrow S3.

Turned out, Oliver was going to worry about Barry anyway. He found himself tuning in to CCPN far more frequently – remembering doing so last year, remembered the terror he’d felt when the picture fritzed out, a feeling which only increased when he couldn’t get through to Barry. Then Felicity had come and told him that Barry couldn’t answer, and Oliver had spent the next 9 months worried sick about his friend.

He had a similar feeling whenever he found out about the latest meta problem, and more recently when all of Central City once again went dark due to Blackout – Cisco apparently gave all the villains nicknames – and Barry’s assurances that he was fine and his powers were restored didn’t help – mainly because he hadn’t mentioned that his powers were lost in the first place.

It wasn’t all bad, though. Barry talked a lot about his new friends, and admitted that he realised he was finally getting over Iris because when he’d seen her with her new boyfriend Eddie who was - in Barry’s words - a golden retriever in human form, he hadn’t felt anything more than a pang of jealousy. And there were a few other metas who weren’t villains that he was trying to help.

Still, Oliver worried, so in a way he was pleased when Team Arrow business looked like it was going to take them to Central (and Barry was definitely rubbing off on him if he was now referring to his friends as Team Arrow), and he texted Barry to let him know what was happening.