apinknightmare

Yeah, he was told the baby died. Over the offseason I convinced myself that they were going to bring the kid back in an unexpected way - that we were going to find out that Oliver already knew about him or her - and I held fast to that belief until the Flash crossover ep, because I think he would've reacted differently toward the woman (Sandra? I wish they'd give her a name) if he knew they had a child together. But he walked out of that coffee shop without even looking back, so. Even though I know they're going to go to obvious route reintroducing the kid, I keep hoping that woman was a red herring, that she really did lose the baby (and keep the money, because hey) and the kid she was talking to on the phone was a child from another relationship, and that we're going to find out about Oliver's actual child when Sandra Hawke is introduced as someone else. That's the kind of troll I would absolutely love, haha. So yeah, unless we find out that Oliver knows he has a kid out there with someone - maybe kind of like my idea above that the woman he really did have a kid with isn't the one in Central City, and that's why he acted like they didn't have a child together, because they really didn't, then I don't see how Diggle could be upset with him being a deadbeat when he didn't even know he had a child in the first place.

And Diggle would believe Waller over Oliver? Does Oliver know about the kid in your scenario? Because I really don't see how Diggle could be angry with Oliver over anything related to the kid unless we find out that Oliver knows he/she exists, and it doesn't seem like he is aware.

Oliver would have to know about the kid in order for Diggle to think he's a deadbeat dad, and while at one point I thought he did, after that moment with baby mama in the coffee shop, I really don't think he does.

Not that we saw, but depending on how R&F did their business, Ray might've seen it. AK kind of confirmed it last night in a PaleyFest interview that Ray is the emotionally available version of Oliver, and unlike Oliver is willing to get past the painful things that have happened to him and give life another try with Felicity.

I think there was one where she had just discovered it and linked others (including SA) to AO3 and told them to search their character names? That little girl is just so precious.

^It was one of sarcastic_fina's. I can't remember which one though.

Maybe she was always intended to be the next in line and would have been if Oliver hadn't lived? It's not every day someone gets run through and then kicked off a cliff and then lives to tell the tale, so maybe the prophecy just threw a wrench into Ra's plans. Or something. They probably don't want to educate the audience on too much of anything because they it's more difficult to adapt as they go along and decide they want to change things - they can only retcon so much.

He may be. I hope he is - that's why my reaction isn't specifically about Stephen reading it, it's just a general feeling of unease knowing that I've put things out there that an actor may have read, because I've seen so many instances where this kind of thing goes wrong.

Malcolm Merlyn buys her a satellite and a buttload of wire.

Maybe they do go because they're all fugitives. Perhaps Season 4 is Arrow: Nanda Parbat.

Yeah, I might. I hope I do - Stephen seems to get into fandom, so maybe he really does like it. But when I think about him wanting to do live-reads, I just can't imagine that being a good, positive thing for the person who wrote that story, so it just makes me a little wary. On the other hand I can't imagine him saying that publicly and intending to make fun of the people who wrote the stories he wanted to live read, but sometimes there's a fine line between enjoying/laughing at/making fun.

I'm not worried about what he would think about what authors are writing Oliver doing, it's just a general "oh my god no," feeling that I'd have if I found out that anyone involved in the content creation of a show or entity that I'd write fan fiction for was reading it, along with a feeling of unease because (and I'm not commenting specifically on Stephen's reasons for reading/perusing/whatevering fanfic - maybe he genuinely enjoys it), it's generally not done because they think 'this story is really good, I'd like to read about what they think my character would do,' and get engrossed in the story - a lot of times it's done to poke fun. I've seen it done too many times publicly to ever really be comfortable with it, I guess.

I should probably clarify that I write fanfic and I don't think anyone should be embarrassed of doing it - people should be proud of their work and everything, it's just the thought of the people who play the characters I write about reading the stories I write about them gives me the squicks. That's probably not true for everyone who writes fanfic, but it is for me.

He sure is. People are going to start giving him recs (if they haven't already). Mortifying, haha

Felicity would tell us that THE INTERNET IS FOREVER, there's no hiding from the internet, etc.

Lemme just go delete...

Not that it means anything necessarily, but those people are also there for the Flash panel.

His favorite scene of the season AND his favorite Oliver and Felicity scene? Such a tease.

Maybe she just cares a lot about his cuticles. Hangnails are an actual bitch.

Yeah, I was going to say that I didn't remember there being much of an audience reaction while I was watching. I think that was just his Ray face, haha.

Maybe Cisco is going to make her a new device, and that's why they have him fanboying over her a little bit? Now that he knows who she is, he can get the device to her. Although if she does whisper that to him in an interrogation room, god. What an idiot.

Why would Oliver need Malcolm to show him the ropes? Wouldn't Ra's do it? I don't think he'd be all, "you want to take my place? Cool!" and then, like, ride off into the sunset. That Laurel business is confusing to me, but who knows until we see it. I guess she could go to CC to visit her mom and something happens? I'm resigned to her getting a canary cry at some point.

Well, Malcolm says in the preview that there's a prophecy that the man who doesn't perish by the blade of Ra's al Ghul will become Ra's al Ghul or something, so it seems like maybe it's not so much of an offer and more like he's "destined" to succeed Ra's because he managed to live. So I don't think Malcolm would break off the deal out of jealousy or anything, and if Oliver turns Ra's down then I think he'd still need Malcolm's help, so why not stick together I guess?

^That's my understanding too. He elaborated on it in interviews after the panel and basically said as much.

Quentin basically turned a blind eye to vigilantism in the season premiere by calling off the Arrow task force, and he's been working with Felicity, Arrow and Arsenal all season. If he goes after Arrow, he's going after him for something specific. So I'm thinking that while Ra's has him kidnapped he's going to tell Quentin that hanging with the Arrow is what got Sara killed and maybe appeal to him as a father to go the extra mile in making Quentin believe him. Then, couple that with this other dude in the hood wreaking havoc on the city, I'm guessing he's going to be responsible for attacking the mayor's office along with a string of other terrible things that will sic Quentin after him and him alone - leaving the others safe through some weird Starling City kind of law where they don't look for accessories or something. Because he saw Laurel out with Roy back when he thought she was Sara, so he knows she's working with the Arrow too. Or maybe he just doesn't give a shit and will consider Laurel collateral damage because he's so pissed about her lying to him. Now, why Quentin wouldn't question a guy he knows is good all of a sudden doing shitty things, I don't know. Maybe the team is able to appeal to his sensibilities somehow and manage to get him to call off the dogs at some point before the end of the season? Also, any chance that Malcolm drugs Roy with whatever he gave Thea to take the fall for Oliver, and that's why we see him dressed as Arrow with Quentin pointing a gun at him? That'd keep his character ambiguous since he'd sacrifice Roy (a dick move) to get the heat off of Oliver (a not-so-dick move).