Sunshine

I think he said the storyline has been scrapped for now but we might still see some awkward eye movements. It could have been him having romantic feelings. It doesn't mean they would be reciprocated.

Maybe it was supposed to be Sin (I know, not really a team member) but BTK became a regular on some MTV show so they had to scrap another love interest on this show. I guess we need to be on the lookout for awkward eye movements? Now if we could only find a regular job for BR.

You know what is sad about this? I have read several posts elsewhere where some fans believe he sacrificed Felicity to save Laurel and nothing more. The truth is he sacrificed Felicity to take Slade down to save Starling City. Saving Laurel was just a by product-good or bad depending on your view.

I only think he would go after Thea if she were to hook up with Chase in 3.13 and Chase turns out to be Slade's son as has been speculated. The EPs did say that something happens in 3.13 which made them think 3.14 was a good time to bring Slade back. Also, MG said we would know if Slade really thinks Oliver loves Felicity or if it was just a ruse. He fell for it in 2.23. I guess they could say he thought it was a ruse and go after Laurel but at this point in the story would it make sense? (Ha! Why am I looking for logic?!) I guess he could go after Laurel again if that is what she fears the most in 3.13 because of Vertigo. He might think she's Sarah. The flashbacks in 3.14 appear to be a previous trip to Starling City with Maseo. I guess Susanna Thompson is the parent MG spoiled we would see in an upcoming episode. Robert would have been dead. I think AK said something from 1.11 would pay off in this episode. Maybe it's the origin of the list. I just thought of another reason for Slade going after Thea. Ra's releases him from Purgatory and sends him to fetch Thea. In 3.13 it comes out that Thea killed Sarah. If so "The Return" title could be referring to Ra's. He either knows Thea killed Sarah while under the influence or he simply wants to force Malcolm into the open. 3.15's title is "Nanda Parbat" and 3.16 is "The Offer". Oliver and Malcolm may team up to rescue Thea and then Ra's offers to be Oliver's mentor in 3.16. (They have alluded to this vaguely in interviews.) I would guess Oliver refuses as he is clinging to his humanity. This sets up the conflict for the remainder of the season. Also, if Oliver & Malcolm are in Nanda Parbat you have the new heroes watching SC.

They haven't come out and said he is but: 1. SA was shooting for 2 days at the end of the episode shoot. 2. They did state that the flashbacks were Merlyn's. 3. MG said on tumblr that Olicity fans were going to be mad at him after 3.12 and he would have to stay off twitter.

IF they go romantic with Felicity & Ray it won't be until after Oliver returns. I am not convinced they are going that way at all. They could and perhaps I am in denial. Oliver walking in on the kiss in 3.07 was enough to convince him that she had moved on. I think they will at least develop a deeper friendship than has been shown previously. The way Oliver & Felicity are being written as a romantic storyline makes some sense to me. (It doesn't mean I like it.) The rest of the storylines are so convoluted I can't figure out where they are going except it does appear that we are coming up with a new team of costumed heroes with Felicity providing IT support for all of them. This is why she has to have scenes with Laurel. A friendship doesn't have to result from that relationship but trust does. I can't decide what I think they are doing with Diggle or Thea for that matter. It may be irrational but it's not uncommon for grieving people to be angry at the loved one for dying and leaving them.

Unfortunately, I think they are trying to redo their S1 "epic love" story with a little less toxicity. We still have to get through Nanda Parbat and The Offer (3.15-3.16) which appear to be LOA related. I think there is supposed to be a stand alone Suicide Squad episode (guessing 3.17). Mama Smoak appears in 3.18 so I would guess that will be the beginning of Felicity's thaw towards Oliver. No clue when Oliver decides to get in the game. I don't remember-did Laurel & Oliver get together in 1.21 or 1.22? They love their parallels so I am not expecting them to be together before then. I am fine if they are but I'm not expecting it.

I THINK I read somewhere that the scene was about Felicity giving Laurel a different perspective. Not sure if that's about Sarah or being a vigilante. There were some posts on twitter/tumblr that were unhappy about it. They want Felicity & Laurel to be friends but they want Felicity to look at Laurel like she's an awesome superior. Felicity giving advice doesn't do that.

As for Felicity being mad, I believe it was in the Flash portion of the crossover where Felicity and Dr. Wells were talking about people suppressing their emotions and when they finally let go they usually explode. I don't remember if that was in relation to the people in the bank or Barry. Anyway, I think that is what is going to happen with Felicity. She is going to stand strong even though she is going to be dealing with her fear and sorrow. Team Arrow may be placing her in a position where she has to work with a man she holds responsible for Oliver's death. When Oliver shows up it will probably manifest itself as anger. He left her to go on a suicide mission. His final words were I love you. She's processing her feelings. This is where the "I don't want to be a woman you love" comes from. This is why MG said he might have to get off twitter for a while because Olicity fans were going to be upset at the end of 3.12. Does she leave the team? I don't know. She and Laurel are supposed to have a great (in MG's words) scene in 3.13 Canaries.

I don't think there are any plans for Ray to interact with Oliver, Diggle or Roy in the immediate future. At least until the costume/suit is complete I think Ray's story is about Felicity and providing her with a viable alternative to Oliver. There are few spoilers relating to Ray at this point. I think Ray helping Lance and the SCPD is so Felicity can see another side of him, probably the hero side. She'll also need something to do while Oliver (and the show) explores Ra's & the LOA in at least 3.15 & 3.16..... I think the only reason there is even talk of a possible ATOM spinoff is because Routh was cast. I wonder how much of the superhero persona of ATOM will actually be developed on Arrow.

Based on episode descriptions, he has scenes with Quentin upcoming in 3.11 or 3.12.

I think one of the problems the EPs have is that this is supposed to be an ORIGIN story. Black Canary fans want her to be who she is in the comics NOW. If she had been an amazing martial artist it would have been harder for them to damsel her so much through S1&2 because she could have rescued herself. DIDing her was supposed to be what brought her and Oliver/Arrow together. The rest of us just want a good story that makes sense (and I want a recast but that's a whole different conversation). It doesn't. They brought in a Canary who was every bit Oliver's match. Discarded her like trash. Now they want us to buy that it only takes 3 episodes plus offscreen time to become almost as proficient. Training with Nyssa won't surprise me. I fully expect this Canary to be Arrow's equal at the S4 Premiere.

I would really love her to rescue her own damn self too! Unfortunately I think her not being good is a short-lived situation also. Based on the addiction arc, she should be Insta-proficient by 3.12 and the big payoff in 3.13 will probably be Oliver embracing her as a team member.

If Slade comes for Felicity who is going to rescue her...Oliver, Ray or Laurel?

Thanks for the info Morrigan2575 and dancingnancy! I thought that was what it meant but wasn't sure.

Maybe she falls or is pushed and grabs the closest thing she can? I guess I'd rather see that then her getting beat up. I don't really know I guess I am just trying to keep an open mind. Not really looking forward to it either way. They did say Dig and Roy were going to initially be against her as she could get herself killed.

I am thinking if the helicopter stunt involves Laurel it is to show NON-Insta-proficiency.

@Morrigan2575 What does it mean when an episode is "being broke."

I think we have been told that Laurel isn't going to fool Sin into thinking she's Sarah. I don't think that Sin is going to know it's Laurel (Have they ever seen each other?) but knowing it's not Sarah is going to cause some kind of ruckus. We have been told her role is pivotal. Is this how Lance finds out? As for the woman hanging by a rope from a helicopter...any chance it's Thea? There is a photo of Oliver pointing a arrow at Merlyn. They were filming at a helipad.

Didn't MG say the 3.12 flash backs are Merlyn's? To me that implies that Oliver is in present day albeit briefly. Also, at this point, who else would be saying "I don't want to be a woman you love"? I guess Thea could say it to her dad, Roy or Chase but I just don't see it. I also don't see Lyla saying it to Diggle. I think that leaves Felicity to Oliver. It could also be the cliffhanger. He shows up. She speaks. Cue next on Arrow. Perhaps for 3.10-3.12 they simply go with Previously On and skip the voiceover. MG seems to be pushing Felicity/Laurel scenes. Is that his way of saying you have to watch Laurel if you want to watch Felicity scenes? I would guess they are aware some watch the show by FF Laurel.

On Tumblr MG said that the Felicity/Laurel scene in 3.13 might be one of his favorites so I guess there is some sort of bonding. I wonder if this is supposed to be the big but not climatic payoff scene? Or perhaps it's the scene which made them think 3.14 was a good episode to bring Slade back?

I think one of the reasons the speculation ran rampant is because Donna is so normal/average. A lot of it is just people hoping so she will have bigger ties to the DC Universe. A lot of this occurred after 2.13 before they announced Felicity would be added to the New52. The EPs did say somewhere around the time mom was cast that they wouldn't put them on at the same time because one would overshadow the other. I loved Donna but I think they meant dad.

IIRC they were calling for Stephen to be fired. He's promoting the show's current storyline not his personal opinion.

I wonder what unspoiled and/or offline viewers think of these scenes. It doesn't help to know when they were casting for the role the emphasis was on love interest. I think they only meant for his behavior to be stalkery when he was trying to track her down for professional reasons. This is why they had Felicity accusing him of stalking in 3.01 & 3.02. They didn't intend for his behavior to be viewed as that afterwards so in their minds it's not. If you read a lot of the reviews up to this point, the reviewers think Ray is great and stalking is never mentioned. I am not a fan of his behavior but things like pinging her phone in 3.09 to track her down I think are given a pass because Felicity does it all the time. Her reasons are usually Arrow business but I guess they overlook that. I am not a fan of BR (don't hate him-I just think he's meh) but my real issue is how they have written Ray. I have trouble reconciling this titan of business who will go to whatever lengths to get what he wants (buying one company to get her to work for him, using her to get access to QC's servers, bribing her to go to dinner) with the so-called socially awkward charming man they want me to see. This is why I read interviews with EPs even though they don't always play out as I expect. I sometimes have no idea what they are trying to do without them telling me because it doesn't come across on screen.

I guess he thinks women don't like action shows and that men don't like women?!