#olicity spoilers

[girl-intrigued]

Otto not being able to console Alicent when she is audibly weeping for Jaehaerys and Alicent not being able to help Aegon when he is going through the same ...... the cycle continues

Failparenting 101

[d3sertdream3r]

Me when amazing characters get garbage storylines from writers that don’t deserve them

[jedichick04]

Hi! Have you seen 1923 tv show? I am having massive feels because the couple reminds me of Olicity. Lol

Oh, 1923. Started watching for Harrison Ford, stayed and became obsessed with it for Spencer Dutton.

(I'm annoyed that it's on hiatus right now...how dare it??)

Now that you mention it, I totally see the Olicity similarities with Spencer and Alex. Grumpy broken man turning into melty mess around spunky sunshine? You bet I'm there for it!

Now, am I the only one who suspects that John Dutton II is actually Spencer and Alex's son, making Kevin Costner's John III their grandson?

[roonil-wazlib-in-the-tardis]

Please keep him alive. Please. Let him go back to his family. Let him be happy. It’s what he deserves. Let him live.

[jbuffyangel]

Shame: Arrow 2x04 Review (Crucible)

The bomb of bombs is dropped....

SPOILERS!!!

SARA LANCE IS ALIVE! The many lies of Oliver Queen begin to unravel and even Diggle and Felicity have difficulty understanding his motivations behind this whopper.  

Let’s dig in...

Olicity (and Diggle)

Oliver, per usual, is running late for a Queen Consolidated party due to a previous engagement with some gang members. Felicity makes excuses for him to Isabel Rochev as she listens on comms to the melodic sounds of gunfire and Oliver kicking ass.

The best part however is when he shows up at the party in a tux (SWOON) and Isobel notices he has blood on his face.

Source: @yet-i-remain-quiet

Felicity wipes the blood off his face, which is SOOOO MARRIED and why are they so perfect? This is classic "in a relationship" behavior before they're actually in a relationship.

Laurel is attending the party with Blood because… I honestly don’t know why. The party is to attract investors so why the district attorney and ADA is there beats me. Oliver, per usual, asks Laurel if she’s okay as she tosses back a glass a champagne like it’s water. In Oliver’s defense, she was kidnapped by the Dollmaker last episode so there is some cause for concern.

Why am I slotting this scene in the Olicity section? There is a shot of Felicity watching Oliver and Laurel and her expression is one of curiosity, concern… maybe jealousy?

Source: emilybettrickardslove:

It’s difficult to read, which is unusual since Felicity always wears her heart on her sleeve. Perhaps she is simply wondering the same thing the audience – where do Oliver and Laurel stand? Is he just a concerned friend? (Yes). Is there anything romantic in Oliver’s concern? (Nope).

Felicity interrupts them due to urgent Arrow business.

Source: @smoakmonster

It’s rare that Laurel and Felicity’s paths cross and there is an undercurrent of competitiveness between the two characters. I don’t know if that’s written intentionally but it’s certainly not warm between them. What I love is that Felicity asserts herself more than she did their first meeting in Season 1 and holds her ground and patiently waits for Laurel to leave.

The icy stare from Laurel Lance could freeze molten lava. I don’t know why Katie Cassidy chose to play the scene like this, but this is not the first time she’s looked at Felicity Smoak like an insect to be crushed, so forgive me if I don’t see these two going shopping together any time soon. Maybe it’s an actor’s choice or maybe she was instructed by the director to play the scene this way, but regardless if you are cold and unwelcoming to the universally liked character on the show, it does nothing to endear you to the audience.

It turns out my reasons above are not necessarily why Felicity was staring at Oliver and Laurel. Not the primary reason that is. She was staring at Laurel because Felicity finally pieced a mystery together.

Felicity: What if our masked friend that keeps showing up everywhere you go, you know her? What if we’ve been going about this the wrong way? We thought she was obsessed with you. I mean, she showed up in the DA’s office when you were there.  And in the chemical plant the Dollmaker was holed up in. But who else was at both those places? What if our masked friend isn’t following you?

Oliver: She’s following Laurel.

Oliver heeds Felicity’s advice and stakeouts Laurel’s apartment. The Lady in Black shows up as Felicity predicted and Oliver is able to capture her in some pretty nifty trick arrows. Felicity has also developed some tech to counteract the sonic thing.

Oliver: Why are you following Laurel Lance?

Lady in Black: I could ask the same thing of you. But I guess some things never change. You and her, always and forever.

This is an oddly personal remark from someone who is supposed to be a complete stranger. But she’s not a stranger.

The Lady in Black is Sara Lance. 

In all seriousness, this was one of Arrow’s bigger bombs dropped, but I honestly can’t remember if I was shocked to discover Sara was alive when I watched it live. The Arrow writers used Caity Lotz’s recast to their advantage. She looks completely different from the actress in the pilot. Now that her identity is revealed, they reshot the pilot scene of Oliver and Sara on The Gambit.

I do remember my heart sank when I found out Sara was alive. Why? I always felt the biggest obstacle between Laurel and Oliver reuniting romantically was A) he cheated on Laurel with her sister and B) Sara died because of that betrayal. Bringing Sara back felt like the writers were trying to fix the past to clear the way for Oliver and Laurel to be together. Particularly because they discussed in the premiere how much they wished they could go back.  

Yeah guys, I’m gonna be straight with you. I was wrong a lot in Season 2 when I watched it live. The writers did a number on me this season – they twisted me every direction possible.

Oliver has to tell Felicity and Diggle that Sara is alive, which means he’s been lying about how she died all along.

Felicity: Sara Lance? Laurel’s sister? The detective’s other daughter, the one that you took on the Gambit with you even though you were dating Laurel, which we never talked about – I’m sorry, it’s just isn’t she dead? You told everyone that she died with The Gambit went down. That she drowned.

Source: Paige

Oliver Queen has many secrets, so many things he does not talk about, and to a certain extent Diggle and Felicity have accepted he needs to reveal those traumas in his own time. But this lie? This lie is a gut punch. This lie is not only difficult to accept it is difficult to understand. Felicity and Diggle's anger is palpable.

It puts a lot of other things that are never discussed on the table for Felicity. Her rambling feelings tumble out as she processes the truth, which is quite similar to what the audience was experiencing and feeling. I know it was for me. She brings up Oliver and Sara cheating on Laurel – another topic in a long list of things Oliver will not discuss.  It’s a glimpse into Felicity’s frustration with Oliver – there’s so many questions, so many things he doesn’t say, so many things she wants to understand. As close as Oliver is to Felicity (and Diggle) there is still an almost impenetrable wall.  This lie is not only a betrayal to the Lance family; it is a betrayal to Diggle and Felicity who have put so much trust in Oliver. Felicity is angry and rightfully so.

Sara’s arrival in Starling City forces the confession from Oliver, whether he likes it or not.

Oliver: When The Gambit capsized, Sara was pulled under. It was so dark and cold. And I thought she drowned.  About a year later, I saw her.

Diggle: You saw her where, on the island? She drifted to the Island too?

Oliver: Not exactly.

Felicity: Why didn’t you tell the Lances that she didn’t die in that boat? Laurel and Mr. Lance, they blame you.

Oliver: It was my fault. What happened was my fault.

Felicity clearly cares about Oliver and cannot understand why he would allow himself to be blamed for Sara’s death when in fact she did not die in the way everyone thought. Even in her anger and confusion, Felicity is protective of Oliver.

The answer for why Oliver never discusses the cheating, how Sara really “died” or why he’s allowed himself to be hated by the Lance family is so very simple. Oliver is ashamed.  Shame is powerful. It can make a person hate themselves. It can make a person lie to the people they trust and love most. It can be more difficult to confess our sins to those we love because we want them to see us as a good person. We want to be worthy in their eyes, even though shame makes us feel anything but worthy.

Diggle: Where has she been all these years Oliver?

Oliver:  I don’t know! Diggle, I swear to God. I was sure she was dead.

Source: bratvaolicity

Felicity’s anger is fading more quickly than Diggle’s. She’s truly not trying to make light of the situation. This question is deep with genuine empathy. The more Felicity learns about Oliver’s past the worse it gets. It’s not terribly difficult to understand why he does not want to talk about it. Despite her anger and frustration, Felicity can see that Oliver is a traumatized man in pain.

Diggle: Alright, so just to make sure I understand this correctly, after not drowning when The Gambit went down Sara didn’t exactly make it to the island with you where you would see her die yet again. Feel free to fill in the blanks.

Oliver: Not right now.

Diggle: You mean not ever.  Don’t you Oliver?

Felicity: Don’t you think her family had a right to know she made it to the island too?

Felicity and Diggle rarely push Oliver to speak about his years on the island, but they are pushing hard now because they feel they are owed answers. They feel the Lance family is owed answers. They are right. They do deserve the truth and Oliver feels their fair and understandable questions pushing up against his secret shame.  But it won’t make the wall come down. At the end of the day, Oliver is a traumatized man and when experiencing trauma the body has one of two reactions – fight or flight. For Oliver Queen, it’s always fight and he pushes right back.

Felicity gets the answer to her question. No, Oliver Queen does not have any happy stories. He bore witness to horrors and whatever hate or recrimination he must bear is preferable to truth. 

Oliver: And they were better off not knowing.

Angel: Some lies are necessary...

Buffy Summers: For what?

Angel: Sometimes the truth is worse. You live long enough, you find that out.

Source: @andjustforthismoment

We see Felicity’s forgiveness in this moment. There is nothing but empathy in her eyes.  She may not understand why Oliver lied. She may be angry and frustrated with his lack of trust in her and Diggle. But Felicity clearly understands Oliver is a man who has suffered greatly and at the end of the day she has nothing but unconditional love for him. 

Unfortunately, Oliver does not understand the only way out is through. The only way to heal from trauma is to share it with those we trust. We have to accept help. Human beings are not built to bear suffering alone. We need to share out pain with each other.

But Oliver is not ready to do that. In order to accept unconditional love, he must understand he is deserving of it first. But shame and guilt is all Oliver can feel right now.

This revelation does not stop Team Arrow from fighting crime. A local gang lord who calls himself the Mayor has military grade weapons that he is selling in Starling City. Every gun crate has a GPS, but the Mayor deactivated it. After Lyla provides Diggle with a similar GPS, Felicity is able to track down where it’s made – none other than Queen Consolidated.

Well she's certainly not too mad to flirt with him!

Source: @andjustforthismoment

Felicity determines how to turn the beacon back on and delivers the location of the guns.

Felicity: I believe you ordered a crate of stolen milatary weapons, Mr. Queen

Felicity calls Oliver “Mr. Queen" and he likes it. A lot. COMMENCE ALL THE EYE SEX.  The chemistry is INSANE.

Felicity and Diggle don’t push the Sara issue anymore. Their silent resignation is their acceptance that Oliver is not ready yet. But it doesn’t mean they aren’t getting through to him. We will see their impact with Oliver’s interactions with Sara.

Sara and Laurel Lance

If it’s possible, I would say Sara is even more traumatized than Oliver. We may not know everything that happened to Oliver the five years away, but he did make the choice to return home. He told his family he was alive. Sara may be in Starling City, but she has not come home.

She is equally as vague with Oliver as to her whereabouts the last five years. Other than a disquieting remark about Slade, she is fairly mum on the details of her past as well. What we do know is this:

A year ago Sara heard about a man in the green hood and knew it was Oliver. She previously thought he was dead.

Sara learned to fight AFTER the island.

She came back to Starling City after the earthquake to make sure her family was safe.

Sara’s primary reason for not wanting her family to know that she’s alive is because she is changed. She is not the Sara they will remember. But as Oliver points out, Sara hasn’t left Starling City yet. In fact, she’s come up with vigilante persona of her own.

This is how she met Sin – she saved her from being attacked by a group of men. These are not the actions of someone who’s ready to leave town. Instead she’s been living in the shadows and watching her family through windows. Clearly, she wants to come home but she doesn’t know how.

The other Lance daughter is not doing much better. I’m sure Detective Lance never thought he’d be asking Oliver Queen for help with Laurel, but after she is pulled over for a DUI he’s ready to ask anyone who can get through to her. Lance is convinced Laurel has inherited more than his sense of justice. She’s also inherited his drinking problem.

In the immortal words of Cordelia Chase, Laurel is “campaigning for bitch of the year” and lashes out at Oliver as soon as he broaches the subject of her drinking. She fills him in on all the dirty details of Detective Lance’s alcoholism and insists it’s his problem and not hers. But by episode end, Laurel has added pills to diet of booze and we’re officially in a full blown addiction storyline.

Oddly enough, it’s Blood who gives Oliver some insight into the Lance women.

Blood: Sooner or later we all go through a crucible. I’m guessing yours was that island. Most believe there are two types of people who go into a crucible. The ones who grow stronger from the experience and survive it and the ones who die. But there’s a third type. The ones who learn to love the fire. They choose to stay in their crucible because it’s easier to embrace the pain when it’s all you know anymore.

Clearly, Sara is the third type. We can reserve judgment on Laurel’s crucible for now since it’s just getting started. Oliver straddles the line between surviving the fire and remaining in it. The key in pushing Oliver over that line is his ability to open up to those he loves and share his pain. He has Diggle and Felicity begging him this episode to do exactly that.

Sara: We’re both ghosts. We died on that island.

Oliver: No we didn’t. We both lived.

It’s interesting Oliver used the term “lived.” Typically he uses “survive.” Seeing his own shame and pain reflected in Sara brings about some self realization. Oliver doesn’t have to stay in the fire anymore than Sara does. There are so many sins Oliver cannot fix. There are so many losses he can never get back. He knows the Lance family will hate him for lying about how Sara died, but what he wants more than anything is to bring Sara home. It’s not just for her benefit. It’s for Oliver’s as well. This is one wrong he can make right. He all but begs Sara and finally she relents. They take a step out of the fire together and walk towards the living.

But Laurel is consumed by her shame and continues to burn.

Stray Thoughts

Does Oliver shower between the hood and tux change?

 Diggle makes sure Lyla knows he’s single. It’s so slutty and I love it.

Oliver’s cash for guns reveals a cash flow problem, but I think Isobel is cheap and he’s more multi millionaire versus billionaire these days, which doesn’t feel like a real problem.

The DA was totally hitting on Laurel and she rejects him. GOOD. We aren’t moving on from Tommy any time soon. IT’S WHAT HE DESERVES.

So glad they are not going the love triangle route with Roy, Thea and Sin. Rather enjoy this little trio.

“Living is not for the week.” Anatoly is here! HURRAH!

Sara is wearing a Starling City baseball cap, so her mother was right about that photo.

Do I need to care more about the bones the island bad guys are looking for? I feel like I should care more about the bones.

Hey there Sara is on the freighter!

Blood is a villain. Not surprising. Anyone standing on that much moral superiority has to be evil.

The serum Blood use on the mayor ultimately fails and kills him. So, we have wacky evil science on top of the deeply disturbing hood.

Listen to the Watchover podcast reaction to 2x04!!!

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

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me!

[masterthespianduchovny]

The 'Pitch Please' Podcast is Up

In case you're wondering why I tagged you, it was because some of engaged on posts or created posts about the TV show 'Pitch' "recently" and I thought you might be interested in the podcast. Since the fandom is incredibly small, information doesn't travel like it used to and I decided to be proactive.

There was also a post where I suggested the show to those who like Ted Lasso or The Bear. If you haven't seen the show, but are curious about it and the podcast, you should have a listen. :)

It's a discussion pod about the show, so there are spoilers. But it also will eventually discuss ways we can try to campaign to get the show to come back.

@mdgart @sarascofield27 @lizacstuff @black-women-ships @forevercountingstars @gimmedeanandbourbonontherocks @olicity-bawson-hinny @what-do-1000-swords-look-like @straightoutoffuckstogive@harvestleaves @@thebiggerbear @indynerdgirl @littlewillowcabins @classsictrash @easyobsession@sarcasticfina @pedro-pascal @heywhatsthatblog @macaroni-rascal @texasbama @hightidelowmood @theloverlylo @megaphonemonday @bugheadchemistry @chaoswillcalmusdown

There are three episodes up so far and the fourth one will be released this Thursday.

Hope you all enjoy!

[theweekinarrowfic]

Completed Arrow Multichapters on AO3, October-November, 2022

NOTE: I’m now crossposting to https://theweekinarrowfic.dreamwidth.org. Need more Arrow in your life? Why not try one of the multchapter fanfics recently completed by our talented fic writers?

Olicity

Retribution by TaraB1915 (Oliver/Felicity, 17/17, 2022-10-13) - Felicity Smoak returns home to work with Oliver Queen, Captain of the SCPD. The past had retreated from the foreground but the darkness of it was still hanging around Starling City waiting for her. Then there was Moira Queen. And Laurel Lance.

so runs the world away by clarissawrites (Oliver/Felicity, 15/15, 2022-10-06) - In 2021, Felicity is abducted, pulled from her life as a wife, mother, and CEO, and forced to work for an underground organization. Oliver fights to find her, but with the threat of her death from her captors looming over him, all searches have to be kept discrete. For three years, he keeps searching. When he finally finds her, though, the real difficulty begins, as Felicity struggles to return to a normal life. (mostly canon through 4x06)

illicit affairs by SmoakingGreenArrow (Oliver/Felicity, 10/10, 2022-11-29) - Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak do not plan on falling in love with each other. In fact, they deny it at every stolen glance, every instinctive thought, every unspoken desire. But some things are too powerful to ignore. They’re both on separate paths when they meet, but the way they’re drawn to each other is unlike anything they’ve ever felt. If only life could be so simple.

Other Arrow Ships

A New Life on a New Earth by ArrowverseFan833 (Kara Danvers/Oliver, 61/61, 2022-10-06) - Oliver Queen decides that he isn't going to go to prison, so he fakes his death and moves to Earth 38. See what happens when the Green Arrow joins forces with Supergirl.*I do not own Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, or any of the characters in this story. They belong to the CW, WB, and DC Comics along with the writers of the shows.*

Arrow Enriched: The League, Part 3 by RoczaDeb (Laurel/Oliver, 8/8, 2022-10-26) - The League would train them. Make them stronger. Give them a purpose... hunting evil. AU. Ship-Laurel/Oliver. Laurel/Oliver/Tommy. Graphic Violence. Graphic Torture. Arrow Enriched Series, Part 3 (Second part of the story).

Arrow Enriched: Lian Yu, Part 2 by RoczaDeb (Laurel/Oliver, 5/5, 2022-10-15) - It was supposed to be a fun summer trip with friends. Yeah, Dad had business, but that left Oliver, Tommy, and Laurel to explore the cities they visited. It would be good for them. AU. Ship-Laurel/Oliver. Character Death. Graphic Injuries. Rape Warning. Arrow Enriched Series, Part 2 (Start of story)

the universe may not care but barry allen sure does. by SpaceCactus19 (Barry Allen/Caitlin Snow, Barry Allen/Oliver, 2/2, 2022-10-02) - set after Crisis on Infinite Earths. gonna be honest here I only saw the scene where (spoiler) Oliver died. i still have to watch it but this is set after it. barry can't accept the fact that Oliver died so against everyone's advice he travels back in time and somehow he saved Oliver. he goes missing in their reality for a week. this fic starts when he is back with them again. and Oliver is suddenly there and all alive. leaving some very confused people.

Arrow Dæmon AU by BeanSidhe_13 (Oliver & Slade, 9/9, 2022-10-20) - Oliver is a horribly traumatized human being, and so are his friends. Here’s how I think it might affect their souls if they were visible.

El juramento de obsesión by kapiushonnn (Oliver/Slade, 2/2, 2022-10-04) - Las personas elegían ver por lo general a Oliver Queen & Slade Wilson cómo una pareja genial y poderosa. eran más que eso. eran algo mucho más oscuro que eso. algo inexplicable y de alguna manera, algo peor. era un error. un error que no iban a dejar de cometer.

Of Friends and Reflections by LadyArthem (Hamish Duke/Vera Stone, Oliver/Felicity as side pairing, 2/2, 2022-11-29) - Hamish asks for help to bring Lilith's soul back. What he doesn't realise is that he might get more than he bargained for.

Earth-1 by WeirdWolf_Fandoms (Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Oliver and Sara listed as characters, 8/8, 2022-10-24) - During a routine crossover with just Barry Kara accidentally gets in the middle of Earth-1 Lena and Kara's relationship.

Unthinkable: Part 1 by RamaMind (Oliver/Slade, 9/9, 2022-10-17) - Slade Wilson's plan to torture Oliver Queen takes a disastrous turn when he kills him instead. With the subject of his obsession gone, he unravels in his madness. Team Arrow and Oliver's friends and family have to band together to save his city, and with Slade out of the picture, they have a good chance of doing so. But soon they will realize the emptiness left by Oliver's passing, and someone will make a deal with the Demon's Head to bring him back.

Oliver Does Arrow Season Two by megamatt09 (Oliver/various including Oliver/Shado, Oliver/Moira/Laurel, 7/7, 2022-10-14) - More sexual encounters featuring Oliver Queen and various women featured in Arrow. Season Two.

Nightmare in Starling City by Pootamis13 (Laurel/Oliver, 7/7, 2022-10-11) - One, two, Freddy's coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door. Five, six, grab a crucifix. Seven, eight, gonna stay up late. Nine, ten, never sleep again.

Anges gardiens by Amelia_Queen (Oliver-centric, 9/9, 2022-10-31) - Après son enlèvement par Chase, Oliver est au fond du gouffre et repousse tout le monde. C’était sans compter sur ses amis extraordinaires qui refusent de le laisser sombrer.

Never Be Silent by Ray_Writes (Laurel/Oliver, 11/11, 2022-11-19) - When Curtis messes with Laurel’s Canary Cry choker to save Oliver from Larvan’s bees, a secret Team Arrow never realized existed is revealed, prompting them to take a harder look at their counterparts in Central City and the way metahumans are treated."

Estoy cansado, ayudame por favor. by kapiushonnn (Barry Allen/Kara Danvers/Oliver, 2/2, 2022-11-04) - Maldita sea, Oliver estaba jodidamente cansado. pero no ese tipo de cansancio dónde llega a la mansión y se tira en un sillón, a dormir veinte horas para ser despertado por su madre, raisa, digg o thea con una declaración cómo “ tienes una cama propia, ve a dormir a ella ”, no. era un cansancio más allá de eso. estaba cansado con la vida. o algo así. o la vez que Oliver se desahoga, y llora, mientras que Barry & Kara deciden después de entender la situación, apoyarlo.

No destinados a ser. [ Bruce Wayne/Oliver Queen] by kapiushonnn (Oliver/Bruce Wayne, 3/3, 2022-11-24) - Bruce Wayne & Oliver Queen fueron personas no destinadas a ser, sin embargo aún así lograron tener una historia llena de admiración, romance, apodos estúpidos, y problemas. [ ligeramente sigue la historia de arrow pero no el canon y/o órden cronológico alguno. varios capítulos & distintas tomas. + bruce wayne ]"

Arrow Redesigned 03.O: Demon's Venom, Sah-him by RoczaDeb (Laurel/Tommy/Oliver, 6/6, 2022-11-14) - Sah-him’s (Oliver’s) specialized field training with The Demon’s Venom. Learning to use the Ruya. AU. Ship-Laurel/Oliver/Tommy. Graphic Injuries. Arrow Redesigned Series, Part 03.O

Waverider Down by legendsstan19 (Sara/Ava Sharpe, 2/2, 2022-12-01) - Summary: When an SOS call goes out to everyone on Prime Earth they are confused why it’s the waverider when all of the sudden the waverider comes crashing down. Read as they help each other get the legends out and figure out what happened.

[vacantgodling]

Wernicke's, Meninges, & Medulla for your vampires please! ( ˶⚈Ɛ⚈˵)

thank you!!! why not do the main couples from both vampire wips?? so darren, gabe, n, & bibi :3c

Wernicke's Area (language comprehension) - Do they prefer to listen or read? Are they speed readers or very slow?

darren isn’t much of a reader, he gets bored and distracted when he has to look at things. audio books and movies are his go to! he’s not really a slow reader, he’s more of a distracted reader—for instance he’ll reread the same sentence 7 or 8 times bc he just wasn’t processing it lol (his adhd ass)

gabe doesn’t really have a preference between them, though he probably leans a little more on listening. he’s an average reader (well, average for a vampire i suppose 😅)

n is an avid reader, he reads books and articles probably more than he eats food lmao. he’s a very quick reader with impeccable comprehension; he usually only needs one read over to fully grasp what he’s read or a concept.

bibi enjoys reading but he also really enjoys listening to things. he’s a quick paced reader, but probably need a few read throughs to make sure he’s fully digested the information.

Medulla Oblongata (heart, breathing, unconscious functions) - Who or what is their lifeline?

darren’s family is his lifeline. dave and olice at first, then as the series goes on the friends and other relatives he meets become apart of that too.

gabe’s lifeline is his friends but also darren by like a lot.

n’s is the pursuit of fairness, truth and knowledge.

bibi’s is the vampire community as a whole, especially vampire children who deserve better. he sees himself in them.

Meninges (support, protection) - Tell us about a time when this OC protected someone or something they care about.

have some spoilers if you want them, if not that’s chill lol. i can’t really answer n and bibi for this yet bc i’m still plotting for them so i don’t have All the kinks worked out. so spoilers are all darren and gabe lol

darren (in book 2 probably) ends up consuming A Lot of gabe’s blood when a baddie has them cornered and ends up sprouting black wings and one eye turns gold (the opposite one of gabe’s lol). it’s to protect vlad bc he’s his big brother :)

gabe is the biggest spoiler tbh he actually goes supernova protecting darren and he’s presumed to be dead for a good chunk of the second book which makes darren haha. depressed and suicidal,,, however he’s not dead bc celestials can’t die; when he comes back instead of both eyes being gold one eye is red, signifying he and dare’s bond. bc gay.

[jules85]

So who is planning the baby shower for Felicity Megan Smoak-Queen?

[storyteller0311]

Me, waiting for Arrow 7x16

I have all these thoughts and specs about where Arrow is going, but I think at least some of them are going to hinge on what’s revealed tonight in 7x16.

I’m excited for tonight’s episode, but I’m also incredibly nervous. 

Now that we know Arrow is ending, the stakes are so very high.

[babblingblondegenius]

Felicity Megan Smoak-Queen is badass and the mother of sass

EPISODE 7x14 SPOILERS AHEAD...

Our badass since always is not only surviving (without wine, no less) but thriving and she made a huge breakthrough in facing her fears.  Ever since Diaz found them in witness protection, Felicity has existed in some sort of limbo, trapped by her fear that she can’t protect her family.  Oliver and Felicity have had similar nightmares of her being in the woods and trying to outrun Diaz to protect their children.  In Oliver’s nightmare, she stood in front of William and Diaz shot her.  

Oliver woke up gasping and alone in the bed of his prison cell.  In Felicity’s nightmare, she is frantically searching for her crying infant but Diaz shoots her before she can get to the baby.  Felicity wakes up gasping and alone in the bed she shares with Oliver.  Could they really not give us a 15 second scene of Oliver being there to comfort her?  Or maybe even 30 seconds for some good old-fashioned Oliver distracting her with shirtlessness and heart eyes? 

A scene like that would have actually tied in nicely with the Olicity conversation. And they need actions to back up the words. Olicity sitting on opposite ends of the couch and not touching takes away from the emotional weight of the scene. I’m here all day every day for Oliver letting Felicity know that he will support her decisions and have her back no matter what.  (TBH, it should go without saying but since they made it a huge issue in season 5 and onward, I’m glad they are addressing it).  I also appreciated that Oliver acknowledged he didn’t understand the depth of Felicity’s feelings when he got out of prison.  Is that why Oliver has seemed distant?  Couple that with having Oliver say he’s noticed she has been acting strange but not bothering to find out why just makes him seem uncaring and/or out-of-touch.  And we know that is not consistent with Oliver’s character. 

That is why actually having conversations with your spouse is extremely helpful but for reasons I will never understand, Arrow would rather show Felicity have longer chats with BS than she does with her husband.  Meanwhile, Oliver is busy trying to ‘bond’ with someone who despises him (and is more than likely betraying him because we haven’t seen enough of that apparently SMH) rather than spend time with his wife, who he knows has been going through a hard time.  Why TF does Arrow keep insisting on limiting the interactions between Olicity and why does Oliver have to be a doormat for every-damn-body while seemingly never communicating with the person he claims to love the most?!?

See, even season 2 Oliver knew enough to ask Felicity that question and that guy was the piniest of pine trees lol.  Speaking of season 2, a bright spot in the episode was the return of the real John Diggle and the rekindling of Deliciity! :)

I could not be happier about this.  An actual apology would have been lovely but the fact that Diggle had her back this time was awesome.  He let Felicity know she is more important than the mission because she is family.  And he trusted her to do the right thing because in his heart of hearts, he knows she’s a hero.

AMEN!  So we got a Diggle/Felicity team-up with Diaz and a Lyla/Oliver team-up with Dante and it was glorious.  Please for the love of all that is holy, free OTA from their NTA propping hell and give us the OGs (+Lyla) kicking all the ass and having double dates and being the family that they are to each other.  

I need this trio back together as the focus of this show.  Speaking of things that Arrow should focus on, how about letting the emotional moments breathe just a little more?  We waited three weeks (or years, depending on your perspective lol) and there was pretty good build-up with Felicity’s speech but then we barely got to see Oliver react to Felicity telling him she’s pregnant.  Olicity shared sweet happy smiles and a hug before it abruptly cut away to another scene.  You know Oliver Jonas Queen, the man who had this expression just imagining babies.....

...that man wept some serious tears of joy as he lifted Felicity up in his arms and swung her around the kitchen until she told him if he didn’t want regurgitated mint chip on his coat, he needed to put her down.  

Ooohhh, fam, did we just discover a way to get rid of the ugly coat?   Or BS could have enhanced her redemption arc by throwing it in the cell with Diaz before she set him on fire.  Either way is fine by me. ;)

The flash forwards are still kind of a hot mess but the more of a hot mess they become, the more I’m convinced the writers are eventually going to change the timeline in some way, shape, or form in a way that will alter the future events.  In the meantime, I’m just gonna sit back and enjoy Mia shading tf out of NTA/BC. 

Sass personified.  She truly is her mother’s daughter. 

Last thoughts before I head to bed:   Felicity sitting on the counter in her cute comfy pajamas eating ice cream out of the carton is a forever MOOD and my aesthetic.  Felicity out in the field being her capable, intelligent, and brave self while pregnant is a forever MOOD and my aesthetic. Our Queen can do it all! :)

Thanks to all our wonderfully talented gifmakers! Gif credit for the 1x22 scene to gfycat and gif credit for the Mia gif to previously.tvforums.

[skyeward-otp]

Boy am I am emotional after that finale of Arrow.

Like, I mean, I get that Oliver’s the type of guy to sacrifice himself for others so that they can live and whatnot but why couldn’t he just get the chance to live a happy life with his wife and his kids was that too damn much to ask for I think it was not!

That scene between Oliver and Felicity in the cabin when the Monitor came, though. Wow. That got me good. Actual tears down my face. Stephen and Emily are such a force when they’re in scenes together. They’ve always had amazing chemistry and they put so much into the delivery and execution of those scenes. Truly wonderful. Gonna miss it.

And honestly, that definitely felt way more like a series finale than a season finale to me. Like, what are they gonna do with the next season? What’s it gonna be about? Is it gonna be about Oliver off saving the multi-verse? Cause I’m confused but also curious.

I’m just gonna miss this show so much when it’s officially over. I have so many great memories attached to this show. So, so many.

[sjbelmont]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_hBJHmLrx4)

[and-i-believe-in-you]

Oliver & Felicity | Aruba

[jbuffyangel]

Survive: Arrow 1x23 Review (Sacrifice)

Well, my friends… we made it to the end of Season 1. Arrow’s first season was often uneven as it searched for the magic to bring it all together, but supported by fantastic stunts and fight scenes, and a great hero's journey story.

That said, they deliver on the finale. “Sacrifice” is tense, exhilarating and, above all, tragic. In the eight seasons, the Season 1 finale still has me emotionally traumatized and is definitely my most mourned character loss on the show.

But there is massive hope for Olicity in some very key scenes, while Laurel & Oliver are left in the wreckage of the Glades.

This review is particularly spoiler heavy for Season 2. I cannot tell you how many times I started and restarted Arrow Season 1 reviews. It’s taken me the better part of a decade, so I am absolutely thrilled to say -

Let’s dig in…

Olicity (and Diggle)

Is Olicity the focus of this finale? No, not even close, but that’s okay. In fact, it’s very good. This is Season 1 friends. We are at the beginning of the story. Not the end. Oliver and Felicity are just getting started and Arrow makes it abundantly clear with scenes that echo through the show until the series finale. The absolute last thing we want is Oliver to get the girl in the Season 1 finale. *cough*Lauriver*cough*

Oliver left Laurel’s bed in 1x22 to take Malcolm down for good. He gets his ass handed to him on a platter instead and then Malcolm literally strings him up. Shirtless, sweaty and in chains. THIS IS A FAMILY SHOW. Get your head out of the gutter. HA! Just kidding. I’d never tell you that. Here’s some gifs of Oliver chained up and half naked. Enjoy.

Source: PaigeOTA

Diggle rescues Oliver after he already rescued himself, but it’s the thought that counts. Felicity is on her way to the bunker when Detective Lance picks her up.

Source: @felicitysmoakgifs

Paul Blackthorne is an actor’s actor. He is truly great, but Emily Bett Rickards finally gives Blackthorne someone to bounce off of. It makes the interrogation scene hilarious, but also sincere as Felicity voices the mission statement of the whole show.

Source: @felicitysmoakgifs

Detective Lance is a damn good cop (minus the fact he never pieces together that Oliver is the Hood, but that’s not really his fault. Oliver gaslit his suspicions masterfully).  He reads Felicity Smoak for filth with the evidence he has on her. This is about the time Felicity should be asking for a lawyer, but it’s Oliver to the rescue instead.

Oliver actually calls the cops to report a crime! It’s really shocking quite frankly. He tells Lance that Merlyn is going to blow up the Glades and it needs to evacuated. Even more shocking than Oliver reporting a crime is the fact that Lance listens to him! See boys? Isn’t it better when we use our words?

Oliver feigns ignorance when Lance says he has Felicity in custody.

Alright he lies better than that, but Lance buys it because they have bigger fish to fry quite frankly, so he lets Felicity go.

Source: @livelovecaliforniadreams

Laurel told Oliver he was too selfish to be the Hood. Then she called the Hood a killer. Tommy called him a murderer after he learned Oliver’s true identity. Yes, the Vigilante/Hood has killed, but we’re not watching the story of the Vigilante or the Hood – the killer. We’re watching the story of Oliver Queen – the hero.

This is the first time the show has uttered the word "hero" in relation to masked man in the hood (I think? Feel free to fact check me) and it's said by none other than Felicity Smoak – the guest star, the girl Friday, the comedic relief. Or any other term those who failed to believe in this character liked to call Felicity to minimize her importance in the story. But the writers are not minimizing Felicity. They are elevating her.

Felicity admits initially she thought the Hood was a killer, but then she found out it was Oliver Queen. From the moment Felicity met Oliver she saw the light inside him. She sees who Oliver is and who he can become. In Felicity’s eyes there are no grey zones when it comes to Oliver Queen. There are no moral quandaries. Felicity knows both sides. She knows the hood and the man. She sees him as a good man who selflessly sacrifices for the people of Starling City every day.

Quentin: She says you care about the people of this city. That it needs you.

Felicity is telling Lance instead of hunting the Hood he should be working with him. And you know what? It works! Felicity has an impact on Detective Lance. He’s second guessing his approach to the Hood.

It used to be Laurel who was extolling the virtues of the Hood to her father, but now it’s Felicity. This shift is so incredibly subtle, given all the other Laurel activities in the final two episodes, but so incredibly important.

If you look at the history on superheroes (which is modern day Greek mythology) there is always one person who believes in the superhero, calls them a hero before anyone else, and loves the hero unconditionally – particularly when it’s inconceivable for the two to be together. That person is typically the superhero’s great love.

So WHY are the writers giving Felicity Smoak a love interest speech in the Season 1 finale? Particularly when Oliver just hopped out of Laurel Lance’s bed. Riddle me that kids! It’s also the line from which the episode title is pulled from – a significant factor when you look at the history of Arrow. This is the first time a series finale episode title is pulled from a Felicity Smoak line, but it’s not the last!

It’s Felicity who figures out where Merlyn has hidden the earthquake machine. The friggin map in Oliver’s book did actually mean something guys! Points to those who cared. I was not among them, but I rejoice in your win.

The device can be remote activated, so someone needs to find it, but Oliver isn't leaving anything to chance. He wants Diggle in the field to deactivate the device. But this leaves Oliver to fight Merlyn alone.

Diggle: He’ll kill you, Oliver.

Oliver: I know.

Can we talk for a moment about the absolute resolution in Oliver’s voice? There’s no fear. Not even sadness really. This is the way the battle ends – the way it was always going to end. Oliver came home to save his city, but it means sacrificing his life. Oliver is not suicidal, but he’s resigned to his fate.

Except, bit by bit, Oliver has allowed people he loves back into his life. That impenetrable wall, the one that made him almost machine like in the beginning of the season, has softened a bit. Those people are the tethers to his life and make it more difficult for Oliver to just let go now. He loves and is loved returned.

As far as Diggle speeches go, this is one of the greats. Oliver accepts Diggle’s help, but balks when Felicity volunteers to deactivate the device while John fights Merlyn with Oliver.

Oliver looks so proud of Felicity in this moment, particularly when she refuses to leave his side. So much is said between these two in just a single look. I am feeling verklempt.

Oliver cannot focus on fighting Merlyn if Felicity is not safe, so he calls Detective Lance for a second time and asks him to deactivate the device. He volunteers Felicity to talk Quentin through it. Yes, Oliver is willing to sacrifice his girlfriend’s father to save Felicity (HA!), who shall be hereby known as his Not Girlfriend-Girlfriend.

Lance and Felicity are successful. They deactivate the device. Oliver beats Malcolm, but he doesn’t outsmart him. There was a second device, and the team must watch helplessly as a portion of the Glades crumbles around them.

Source: @yet-i-remain-quiet

Oliver hears her voice and his first thought is of Felicity's safety. His second thought is of Laurel’s safety, once Felicity tells him the location of the damage. (Jen evil grins).

Admittedly, I missed all of these moments the first time I watched. I didn’t realize the importance until the Season 2 finale and I began this blog. The way Felicity sees Oliver Queen is the way he will be seen someday, but not in Season 1. He will become a hero, but this failure and loss will be one of many incredibly painful sacrifices in that journey.

There will be one woman, in a hero’s journey of her own, who will be integrally linked with Oliver. The one woman who saw Oliver Queen for who is truly is and believed in him from the beginning. The one woman he trusts and depends on. The one woman whose unconditional love helps Oliver Queen become a hero.

But it’s not the woman promised in the pilot.

The story shift was there all along my friends. We just had to look.

Lauriver and Merlance

The dreaded love triangle of Season 1 resolves itself in the most heart breaking and disastrous way possible. Actions have consequences, my friends. Don’t ever forget it.

A very drunk Tommy decides to pay his “best friend” a visit after witnessing his sex romp with Laurel. Tommy still can’t even bring himself to say sex. He refers to kissing, but come on my son. We all know where they were doing.

Oliver gives a classic sorry not sorry response and tries to pivot the conversation to Tommy’s mass murdering psychopathic father. Why Oliver feels the best time to share his father's evil mastermind plan is when Tommy is three sheets to a very drunkity drunk wind is beyond me. Oliver has the emotional intelligence of a stump in Season 1. I can’t even call him a pine tree yet.

Tommy swings on Oliver after he brings up Tommy’s mother. Yes, Oliver is trying to explain Malcolm’s motivation for destroying the Glades, but it’s just a step too far after banging the love of Tommy’s life.  Oliver side steps it easily, but I wish the writers would’ve given Tommy that punch. Oliver completely deserves it. Not more than three seconds after telling Tommy to fight for Laurel, Oliver shows up at her door for an illicit sex romp. YES, I SAID ILLICIT. COME FIGHT ME.

Oliver: The difference between us Tommy is that I didn’t find out the truth about my father until it was too late. But you’ve always known, deep down, you have always known the man he is.

Tommy: I wish you would’ve died on that island.

This lands harder than any punch Tommy could’ve given Oliver.

After discovering her bed empty, Laurel pays Oliver a visit at the Queen Mansion because understandably she has questions. Like WHAT THE FUCK OLIVER???!!!

One of the first posts I wrote for Something to Live For was “Moments of Truth: Oliver’s S1 & S2 Queen Mansion Love Confessions.” You can still read it. I stand by every word of it. It’s funny that in ten years my perspective on this scene between Oliver and Laurel has not changed at all. I will try not to repeat myself too much, but the bottom line is the scene is not believable. There’s too much dishonesty. That’s the crux of my problem with it.

It’s supposed to be the big love confession between Oliver and Laurel. The entire season has been building toward it. Oliver assures Laurel that he’s not reverting to form by leaving her bed in the middle of the night with no note. Laurel believes Oliver is scared again and he’s running away – just like last time.

Oliver assures Laurel that he’s not afraid and there’s so much he wants to tell her. For the first time, we hear Oliver’s perspective on the island. It didn’t change him. It just stripped away all the things that he wasn’t, which was the person Laurel always saw.

I do not agree with Oliver’s perspective on island AT ALL. This is a beautifully prepared speech and I’m sure it made Laurel feel really good, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense when you parse it out. Lian Yu means purgatory. You suffer in the fire of your sins in purgatory. That pain and suffering is redemptive. It forms you into something new, something better. I do not believe Oliver was always a hero deep down. I believe Lian Yu burned him like molten steel until he was remade new. Ollie Queen died on that boat with his father, and he was formed into someone one else… something else to survive.  

Agree to disagree, Oliver. Except, I am right, and you're wrong BECAUSE TREE STUMP.

Laurel believed Oliver could be more than a selfish, cheating, lazy, entitled, spoiled playboy who lived off his father’s money and did whatever he pleased, regardless of who it hurt. Laurel could see the potential in Oliver, but the writers never truly quantify what that potential is. I do not believe she meant a crime fighting archer who vigilantes by night and is a reclusive bar owner by day.

We don’t know what GOOD Laurel sees in Oliver. She’s basically mute on the topic. All Laurel will say is Oliver changed. So, we’re just supposed to accept that Oliver is a different person and the person he is today is the man Laurel always believed he could be. Ok. It would just be nice if Arrow would SHOW us that rather than tell.

I don’t want to rag on Laurel too much, because she’s really not my primary issue is this speech. She’s just the object of Oliver’s word vomit. And like I said, girlfriend has put in the YEARS, and this is probably the first time he’s articulated what she means to him. So, a win for Laurel I guess. However, hallow it is.

No, my issue is with Oliver. Not just in what he’s saying but in what he’s NOT saying. Oliver never tells Laurel that he’s the Hood. HE’S STILL LYING TO HER. Oliver is on his “nobody can know my secret” trip, so some of this we’ll just have to attribute it to being Season 1. But this is the big speech about who he truly is, so it would make sense for Oliver to tell Laurel WHO HE TRULY IS. He even says there’s so much he wants to tell her, but then doesn’t tell her anything.

Let’s remove the safety concern. This leaves two options. The first is Oliver intends to save the city, hang up the hood, and live a peaceful life with Laurel. The second is Oliver does not anticipate surviving this fight with Merlyn, so doesn’t feel it is necessary to tell Laurel the truth because he’ll be dead.

I’m a glass half full girl. Also, they are shining a big old spotlight on Oliver and Laurel as they kiss, so I think the first option is most likely. It’s also the reason Oliver raced over to hop into bed with Laurel the previous night. Oliver NEVER plans to tell Laurel he’s the Hood the same way he never planned to tell Tommy (or Moira, Thea, etc.).

The problem is, Oliver wants a new life with Laurel, one built on trust because trust is their big issue (because all the lying and cheating). But in order to have trust, there must be honesty. Oliver cannot hope to have a functional relationship with Laurel if he’s keeping a secret this big. Laurel deserves to know all sides of Oliver Queen - the man and the hood. Anything short of that proves Oliver hasn’t changed at all. Not when it comes to Laurel Lance.

The second option is very dark and twisty. He’s giving it one last go, telling Laurel how he feels, before he marches off to battle and dies. Is this something Oliver Queen would do? Absolutely. I’m just not convinced this is where his head space is at in this particular finale. Oliver is celebrating with Laurel like he already saved the city. But he hasn’t done anything yet, so the pacing of this scene feels very off. We’re in the middle of the episode, but it feels like the end.   

Things brings me to my biggest problem with this speech – Oliver never says “I love you” to Laurel.  This is the big love confession speech, but there is no “I love you.” Oliver says a lot of stuff, but he never says what’s really important and what Laurel truly deserves to hear.

You only put the couple together this early in an episode to break them up at the end. Cleary, Lauriver is going to be sacrificed on the altar of Starling City, but we don’t know how or why. We get our answer at the end of the episode.

NOW we get to rag on Laurel. Both Oliver and Lance tell her to stay out of the Glades, but does she listen? NO. Laurel and the rest of the staff at CNRI need to save paper. Yes, you read that correctly. PAPER. Apparently, all the clients would lose everything if they didn’t save the files. It was 2013, not 1954!!! Throw a litter of kittens or something in the building to make it make sense!

Of course, the building collapses and of course Laurel is trapped under a cement block. Ugh, just leave her there. I’m so over it. DIE WITH THE PAPER LAUREL! BE ONE WITH YOUR FILES!!

But it is not Oliver, dressed as the hood, ready to reveal his secret and save Laurel like we expect. It’s Tommy. Beautiful, precious, wonderful, cinnamon roll Tommy Merlyn who immediately tells Laurel the one thing Oliver Queen has not.

You can pinpoint the moment where Laurel realizes she made the biggest mistake of her life.

Tommy was always honest with Laurel. He loves her unconditionally. Tommy put Laurel first and made her laugh. They built a peaceful and happy life together. Tommy Merlyn was already the man Laurel wanted Oliver to become. He’s the man who truly deserves her. It wasn’t Oliver’s love confession we were waiting to hear. It was Tommy’s. It was always Tommy.

Laurel knows Tommy was the right man, the better man, for her but now it’s too late. She can never tell Tommy loves him. Laurel can never choose him. She can never make it right. All we can hear are her anguished screams as the building collapses around Tommy.

I’ve had my disagreements with Katie Cassidy over the years, but holy crap was her acting amazing in this scene. She sold Laurel’s despair and devastation. This is easily one of my favorite Laurel Lance scenes. Perhaps only surpassed by 3x01, but it’s an awfully close second.

Quentin: You have to promise me one thing Laurel. You’re not gonna die along with me. You have to go on with your life. After your sister died, I pushed people away. I became like a ghost, and I didn’t think I had the right to live if my baby couldn’t.  Promise me you’re not going to make the same mistakes as I did.

Can someone just give Paul Blackthorne an award. I don’t care which one. Just give him awards. This scene, while a heart-breaking goodbye between a father and daughter, also perfectly sets up Laurel’s Season 2 arc. If Oliver Queen has taught us one thing it’s that you can physically survive, but emotionally may be a completely different story.

Laurel is begging for someone to help Tommy and when we see Oliver’s motorcycle it gives us a glimmer of hope that maybe he arrived just in time. Oliver removes the fallen concrete boulders away, but there is a rebar through Tommy’s chest and then we know it’s too late. Tommy’s final moments will be with Oliver.

There are more physically traumatic deaths on Arrow, but no other death impacted me more emotionally. He was not a perfect man, but there was a real light in Tommy Merlyn. He exuded humor and charm, but underneath all of that, was a truly kind and earnest man who wanted to be a better person, not only for the woman he loved, but for himself. And Tommy became a better man. In a series about hooded vigilantes, it’s easy to lose sight of what makes someone a good person. You don’t need to save a city. You just need to show up every day for the people you love. That’s all the heroism most of us really need.

Oliver knows one of the main reasons Tommy broke up with Laurel was because he felt he’d never measure up to Oliver. He could never swoop in and save Laurel like the Hood could. Tommy felt he wasn’t enough - Laurel wanted a hero. This is Oliver’s way of telling Tommy he is one. In the end, Tommy was everything Laurel needed him to be and more. Oliver is realizing this just like Laurel. Sometimes the clarity of death exposes the lunacy of our life choices.

If I didn’t love Oliver Queen so much, I would hate him for inserting himself between Laurel and Tommy. But I don’t need to hate Oliver Queen for his decisions. He’ll hate himself enough. I must forgive Oliver because he is incapable of forgiving himself.

Tommy never wanted to be like his father, which is why joining his company was so disheartening. We thought we’d lose Tommy to the darkness, but he proves once again he is the antithesis of Malcolm Merlyn by asking for Oliver’s forgiveness. 

Oliver has been chasing forgiveness all season and what is so beautiful about this moment is how freely he absolves Tommy. Oliver refuses to accept Tommy has anything to even apologize for (which is correct). Sometimes when we are not forgiven it can harden us against those who require our forgiveness, but that hasn’t happened with Oliver Queen. There is a heart that loves deeply underneath that fortified wall of pain and we are watching it break.

Source: @olivergifs

Tommy asks Oliver if he killed Merlyn and Oliver says no. It’s a lie, but a merciful one. Tommy leaves this world for the next with a thank you as his final words to his best friend and Oliver shatters. He was ready to die to fulfill his mission, but he was not prepared to lose Tommy. Oliver begs God to switch places, but Tommy does not open his eyes. There is no reprieve from this grief. Tommy died and Oliver survived. It is a sacrifice much too difficult to bear. 

I was absolutely gutted after this episode. It’s still hard to watch these final scenes to this day. I truly do not see how Laurel and Oliver overcome Tommy’s death. If Lauriver is the Titanic (and it is) and Sara was the iceberg, then Tommy is the split down the middle that sends the ship plummeting to the ocean bed. Quite frankly, I don’t understand how they ever overcame Sara, which is another problem with the big love confession in the mansion. Neither of them is being honest about their reasons for resurrecting this corpse of a relationship.

This is why Tommy is a death knell to Laurel & Oliver’s relationship. There is a confluence of events which led Tommy to that building and the primary factor (other than Laurel and her papers) was betrayal. Sure, all the technicality boxes are checked. Laurel and Tommy broke up, but boy did Oliver & Laurel have a hell of a time at the wake. (re: Rachel and Ross). Oliver betrayed Tommy just like he betrayed Laurel with Sara. And now Laurel is culpable in the same betrayal that made her wish for Oliver’s infinite suffering. This guilt is inescapable, and it will drive them apart.

Tommy is the nail in the coffin. Lauriver is dead and it needs to stay dead.

***Did I know this after watching the finale the first time? Nope. But I’m here to save you a lot of heartache, stress, and worry. You’re welcome. Enjoy Season 2!

Malcolm Merlyn

I haven’t written much about Merlyn and the Dark Archer primarily because we haven’t heard much from him outside of his conversations with Moira and flashbacks with Robert Queen. His motivations, albeit depraved and evil, are simple. His wife died in the Glades; therefore, the Glades must die.

Malcolm: You mother built her clinic in the Glades because she wanted to save this city. It can’t be saved.  Because the people there don’t want it to be saved.

Tommy: So, you kill them all?

Malcolm: YES! They deserve to die, all of them, the way she died!!

“Sacrifice” showcases John Barrowman’s acting ability because he’s allowed to unleash the crazy, particularly when he explains his master plan to Tommy. Daddy is one friggin scarry fruit loop!

We also get some great super villain monologuing and much-needed philosophical debates between Malcolm and Oliver.

Oliver: Do you really think you’re honoring Tommy’s mother by destroying the Glades?

Malcolm: As surely as you believe you’re honoring your father by wearing this hood. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss your father.

Oliver: You’ll see him soon.

Malcolm: You can’t beat me, Oliver. Yes, you’re younger and you’re faster, yet you always seem to come up short against me. Wanna know why? Because you don’t know in your heart what you’re fighting for. What you’re willing to sacrifice, and I do.

This dialogue is so great! Classic good versus evil. The best villains are ones with emotional ties to the hero. The best villains are often the dark reflection of the hero.  The terrifying part of Malcolm’s monologue is he’s right.

There is a thin, but discernible line between Oliver and Malcolm Merlyn. Oliver is choosing to murder guilty people to honor his father. Merlyn is murdering innocent people to honor his wife. It’s a big difference, but Oliver lacks the firm moral high ground needed in this conversation, which is why he silently twists helplessly in the chains.

Oliver’s own actions have handcuffed him in a way. He is a killer just like Malcolm. Yes, he killed bad people, but not always because he had to. Oliver killed to exact justice (revenge?) too. A justice based on his convictions and beliefs alone. But what does Oliver believe?

We can justify just about anything in this world if we want to, which is why it’s so important to have a moral code. Without one, you’re just making it up as you go along and it’s very easy to be pulled off track. Oliver’s code in Season 1 was the list of names. He thought saving the city was as simple as crossing names off a list. Oliver believes he was honoring Robert by making those who hurt the city pay for their unanswered crimes.

Felicity answers Malcolm’s question about sacrifice when she tells Quentin Lance who she believes the Vigilante is. She’s right. Oliver is willing to sacrifice a lot to save strangers. People he’s never met but feels a responsibility for because of the sins of his father. It’s not an insane idea. Some carry the weight of our parents’ failings and recognize themselves in Oliver Queen.

Both men are clearly willing to sacrifice their own lives. But Malcolm will sacrifice anything and anyone for his mission – including his own son. For Oliver that price was too high and one he never anticipated paying.  

Tommy is not the only death in the series finale. Yao Fei dies in the flashbacks and its brutal. As we peel back the layers of Oliver Queen, we see how truly traumatizing those years away were. It’s freaking miracle Oliver can even function, let alone fight for his city. The symmetry of fighting Malcolm, the man who sent Oliver to Lian Yu, with Yao Fei’s’ bow, the man who saved him from Lian Yu, is exceptionally beautiful.

The rooftop battle between Malcolm and Oliver is the level of awesome I require in a series finale fight scene. In the end, Oliver kills Malcolm but fails to save the city. Primarily because Merlyn outsmarted him and used two earthquake machines. But Malcolm also beat Oliver because he was right. Oliver does not know what he is truly fighting for. A list of names is not enough to save the city and honor Robert Queen.

Oliver: Thank you for teaching me what I’m fighting for, but my father taught me how.

It looks like Malcolm will kill Oliver in the final moments of their fight, but Oliver flashes back to that moment on the boat with his father (like he did a thousand times on the island and over the course of the series) and recalls what his father instructed him to do: SURVIVE.

Oliver Queen has an indomitable will to survive. It’s the promise he made to his father. It’s what kept him alive the five years he was on the island. It’s why he ultimately beats Malcolm Merlyn. Pure determination.

But survival isn’t enough. None of us are here to survive life. It’s not a moral code. It’s why Oliver falls woefully short. Robert Queen taught Oliver how to survive, but it will take someone else to teach him how to live.  Until he learns that lesson, he will never be the hero Starling City needs.

Stray Thoughts

The earthquake machine being at the location of where Malcolm’s wife was murdered does have a nice poetry to it. Crazy poetry. But poetry.

Oliver killing Fyers with Yao Fei’s bow which is the justice I needed. He also chooses to save Shado’s life over securing a ride home and we hear the Hood’s voice for the very first time. The evolution is happening!!!

Malcolm stops an arrow with his bare hand. It was friggin cool. It was even cooler when Oliver used an explosive arrow the next time Malcolm tried to pull the same trick.

“I take back every joke I made about you putting a tracker in your boot.” I love when this show tackles potential plot holes and the solutions make sense.

Fyers is shooting down a commercial airliner to mess with China’s economy like what happened to the USA on September 11th. I'm not a fan of killing, but anyone trying to repeat 9/11 needs to die.

Shado is really the hero in the flashbacks. Homegirl reprogrammed a missile and blows up the camp!

“What are laws, rules, if they don’t protect people?” Detective Lance is grappling with his own moral code and gets suspended. Quentin teaming up with the Hood? I am 100% down for this storyline.

Oliver: What about those people in the Glades?

Moira: I’m not their mother.

I’m as fierce a Mama Bear as any other mother, but this is not a good look Moira. I love that Oliver finally tells her how Robert died and that they have an honest conversation about Moira’s choices.

Moira going to the press to expose Malcolm Merlyn was AWESOME, but couldn’t she have thought of that like, I don’t know, twenty-three episodes ago?

Laurel is wearing green in the mansion scene. No, not even symbolic color coding will make me love these two. And that means a lot coming from me because symbolism is my freaking jam. This also includes the sunlight shining on Lauriver. It's a red herring. Pay it no attention.

Moira DEARDEN Queen. Wave hi to another comic book reference.

Thea goes to the Glades too to save Roy which makes her the second stupidest character in this episode. DOESN’T ANYONE HAVE A PHONE? JUST CALL HIM THEA.

Don’t pull the knife out, John. That’s literally the last thing you do.

“You fucking dumb ass.” My note while watching Laurel collect all the paper.

They should have killed Laurel and Tommy should have become the next Dark Archer. It would've been a waaaaay better story. They saved the wrong character. The Season 6 appearance by Colin Donnell supports this theory.

Just so you know where I was at emotionally in May 2013. On Wednesday I watched Tommy die on Arrow and then Thursday, on The Vampire Diaries, I watched Elena choose Damon while Stefan was trapped in a safe at the bottom of a lake drowning repeatedly.  It is easily my worst series finale week EVER. Including Grey’s Anatomy Season 5 and 6 finales (hello trauma) and Pam dying on Dallas (I was six and thought she really died).

Listen to the Watchover podcast reaction to 1x23!!!

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[olicityhappyeverafter]

Whatever you do, do not think about the fact that Oliver had to touch Felicity’s hand to feel the wedding ring she was still wearing in her hand while touching his heart to believe that she’s real and didn’t actually leave him.