apinknightmare

Well, yeah. That's exactly what she's doing.

Oh, I think her priorities definitely don't lie with Arrow. But apart from people deep in the fandom, who would've even known she was supposed to be at a con? No one. In fact, I bet there are people who are deep in the fandom who didn't even know she was supposed to be there. Supporting her boyfriend and going to awards shows like that opens doors for her that being on Arrow and going to cons never, ever would.

I'm sure she went there to support her boyfriend, but she also went there to be seen - same with the Golden Globes. And look, she networked and she got her name in the entertainment/gossip blogs - something that wouldn't have happened if she'd gone to a con. You absolutely have a point about canceling and disappointing her fans. That could definitely become an issue, but as far as what was the smartest move? Going to the PGA awards wins by a landslide.

The people who would go see her at a con are probably already excited about her arc. And she probably got to network with a bunch of people last night that she normally wouldn't have had the chance to meet.

Her fans are organizing a trend, so it probably will.

Well, it's probably the better career move, despite the fact that she probably disappointed some people by not showing at the con.

Not to mention that even though Oliver's been gone and she's so worried about him that she asked Roy to contact the Arrow to find him, the first thing she does when she walks in the door and hears a noise upstairs is to launch a letter opener in its general direction. That could be your brother, Thea. Get it together! Haha, Roy's actually the assistant manager of the club.

I think the scene in 3x13 is going to be Felicity offering her support to Laurel after Oliver makes it known that he doesn't support her taking up vigilantism. It might be quick and not necessarily warm and fuzzy, but I do think that's what it'll be. And I wouldn't be surprised if Laurel comes in and helps with whatever Slade's doing (on her own, probably since she's not working with Arrow at this point) and Oliver might accept her after that.

You've never met any, but there are tons. Contrary to popular belief, shipping Oliver and Felicity together doesn't result in hatred of Laurel. I never wrote that they were trying to get Olicity fans on Laurel's side. I wrote that they're trying to get people on Laurel's side, which they are, and that it might not be wise to piss off one of the more vocal groups in fandom when they're trying to do that. And I think it's pretty safe to say that they're having Felicity grow closer to Laurel (per MG) and having Felicity most likely take Laurel's side against Oliver wanting her off the team (again, per MG) as a way to get Felicity fans and probably the shipper overlap onto Laurel's side. And if Felicity taking her side results in a falling out with Oliver, they're kind of undoing everything they've worked on getting done. I mean, you have the right to your opinion that TPTB can basically do what they want to, but they're trying to get the audience to be sympathetic to Laurel. They're going to have us watch her get beat up and have stand-ins Diggle and Roy be against her doing it and vocalizing why it's a bad idea, and then they're going to come around, hoping that we'll trust their judgment. Then Felicity's going to take her side... there's definite audience maneuvering going on.

I don't think Laurel will come between them romantically. I think that Felicity won't take kindly to Oliver coming back from the dead and trying to take the reins back for "his" mission after her, Diggle, Roy and Laurel have tried to continue on and made it their mission. And I think she might not take kindly to Oliver wanting Laurel off the team and telling her what to do. If he tries to frame it as being something he's doing because he cares about Laurel, then I can see Felicity telling him that if that's how he treats the women he cares about, she doesn't want to be one of them. Now, the problem with this is that I think Felicity would understand why Oliver felt that way - Diggle and Roy did at first, too. And he's never been overbearing about her putting herself out there as bait (he's even used her as bait once), so she'd know that he wasn't coming from a misogynistic, sexist place. That his concern truly would be about Laurel herself. So, in light of those two things, the fight being about Oliver's treatment of Laurel wouldn't make sense. Who knows at this point.

People who hate her are going to hate her, but not all Olicity shippers do hate her. In fact, I think a fair number of them are warming up to her. Potentially pissing off one of the more vocal factions of fandom when you're trying to get people on her side is a risky thing to do.

I don't think they need shipper support for Laurel, but they don't really need anyone else vocally against her. And putting her in as an (albeit, non-romantic) obstacle for that ship probably isn't the best idea, but maybe it would work out the way they'd want it to, who knows.

I think the OP was saying they didn't see why Felicity and Laurel couldn't be friends - just missed a couple of letters, hence the "and I'm no big Laurel fan."

IDK, this theory out of all the ones we've come up with actually makes the most sense to me. I could see Oliver coming back and spouting that it's "his" mission like he was telling Diggle at the beginning of the season, after she and Diggle and Roy and even Laurel picked up the pieces and got going again after they found out he was dead. And Felicity would probably take exception to him feeling like he had the right to call all the shots and say who is and isn't allowed to get involved now that he "died" and they kept on going. To them, it's not just about him anymore. Not sure I especially like what something like that would entail as far as who the focus of the show is on, but it would make sense why MG seems to be pushing this scene Felicity and Laurel have together in 3x13 especially hard. The only reason I'm skeptical is that since there are present-day Oliver scenes in this arc, him being on set for 3x12 filming doesn't mean he necessarily returns to town in 3x12, although what kind of ship-denting moment could there be with out him physically being around, unless it's done over the phone or whatever. Like, he calls to tell them he's alive and Felicity wonders why this is the first time she's hearing from him and gets angry about that? IDK. And if that's the case, who's the person who comes between them?

Kinda. He said, "You helped me become a hero, Slade. Thank you."

Well, she and Laurel are supposed to be getting closer, and she's already back on the team helping Diggle and Roy, so...why not, I guess? It's a cracky theory - that's a huge risk to take, but maybe they're banking on the audience coming around to Laurel and taking Felicity's side in the argument? It's a crack theory, but maybe not such a far-out possibility.

He'll come back in 3x12 (probably mid-fight as someone suggested), he'll see it, not like it. Maybe talk to Roy, Diggle and Felicity about it, and she'll tell him she's being an a-hole, gets angry with him. Then she'll lend her support to Laurel in 3x13, probably. Yikes, the puzzle pieces are fitting together now, someone hold me.

Seriously. If that is the reason (Oliver being aggressively overprotective of Laurel and not wanting her to be BC), and the "I don't want to be a woman you love," is related to that then he really better get off of twitter. Like, her saying "If that's how you treat us, then I don't want to be a woman you love," or something. But that wouldn't make sense because I feel like Felicity, while thinking he's wrong, would understand why he would feel that way because Diggle and Roy felt that way at first. And he's had Felicity out in the field using herself as bait for serial killers and he's used her as bait himself, so....IDK. Who knows at this point. That would be...a really stupid thing to do when trying to get people on board with Laurel.

I didn't immediately leap to any conclusion. I read those comments, and I was able come to the conclusion that they were misogynist in nature. I never wrote that every single person who has that opinion of her IS misogynist, just that there was a general trend of misogyny in the criticism of Felicity's behavior in Left Behind. I'm well aware of the subtext in comments like "she was too emotional," "she's too whiny" and "it's not her place." And I don't have an intense desire to dislike anyone who criticizes Felicity. There are valid criticisms to be made of her, and you're welcome to make any criticisms you like. If I disagree with you, I'll let you know, just like I would expect anyone to do if they disagree with me. This conversation is about comments that were made on EW's site, not here. Has someone demeaned anyone's opinion that's been posting on this site? We've had disagreements and back and forths, but I've never seen anything demeaning.

It's not the upload - the blood is seeping through the bandage on the mid-left side of his chest on the episode as well. Not sure if that's a mistake or if it has something to do with how he was saved. He was definitely skewered through the right side - and he got slashed along his left hip as well - that wound is bleeding through the bandage in the right spot, so...IDK.

Who actually cares? People can hate Felicity all they want; and others can ascribe reasons to that hatred that may or may not be true. It's not like there aren't people on pro-Laurel boards who think that the only reason anyone could dislike her is because they're a bitter Olicity shipper or because they're a misogynistic a-hole incapable of handling strong women! It's the internet, it's an opinion. It's less valuable than dirt, no matter whose it is. ETA: Further, if there's an influx of criticism about any character degrading their decision-making skills or actions using typically misogynistic language like "being too emotional," there's nothing wrong with someone thinking that the criticism is coming from a misogynistic place. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but you're dealing with an anonymous person behind a screen name. You'll never be able to prove if they are or they aren't.

Good point.

I can't see why anyone would want to keep returning to a show for guest appearances when they've been killed off. I know some people don't have the luxury of turning down work, but I'm glad we won't be seeing any more of her. I liked Sara, but I honestly don't care to know any more about her since she's dead now. It would've been a huge waste of time. I hope she said no, just like Susanna Thompson did. I like Arrow, obviously, but if these dudes can't give you something to do and you're under no obligation? Just say no.

I'm really curious as to the circumstances around Oliver's return, made even more (morbidly) curious by this answer of MG's on Tumblr: -- Asked if Oliver's return will be an intense or a happy moment, MG says: "Neither." Obviously I can't judge not knowing the circumstances, but...what? I don't even think this is an Oliver/Felicity thing, otherwise I believe he would've specified just to be an a-hole, like "happy for some, not for others," or something along those lines. Do they not even get a moment of happiness/relief knowing that he's alive? Or does that come earlier (when he somehow gets word to them that he's not dead), and his return is then marred by what will probably be some kind of dumb agreement he has to make in order to get home? Is it because his return means Ra's is coming? I just don't understand, and should probably stop reading his tumblr spoilers. Or at least stop trying to make sense of any of them.

Roy and Diggle had found a burned up body in a barrel in the warehouse where they also found those burned up case numbers. They didn't know who the body belonged to (Roy said, "It's not big enough to be Brick"), and at some point off-screen they must've contacted Laurel for help, because she came down into the foundry with the medical examiner's report on the body and the ID of who it belonged to.