apinknightmare

I'm more curious than ever about this raw conversation now. We know Oliver encourages Felicity to visit Barry and we know Felicity and Barry go out on a double date with Iris and her guy. Seems to me like cute awkwardness in the making with Barry and Felicity. I think it'll be more of a friendly date than anything. Also-Barry's clasping Felicity's hand in that pic-for all we know he takes hold of it right as they hurry away for whatever reason. It's not like they're on a stroll with their fingers twined or anything. I have no problem whatsoever with Felicity moving on if Oliver's not ready to commit or tells her he can't be with her. I'm just wondering what exactly he tells her (and what she tells him) that has it seemingly happening three weeks later. Naively, I have faith that it'll make sense for the characters and the story since regardless of the hack job the writers have done on some of the other relationships on this show, I think they've handled O/F beautifully thus far (please don't let me be wrong about this).

They did say that Oliver and Felicity have a discussion and Oliver convinces her that it might be a good time to visit Central City. I don't think that discussion is about Oliver and Felicity not being able to be together though (at least, on the surface). I can't remember who said this (I'm almost sure it was one of the producers), but one of the spoilers for that first crossover ep was that Felicity has a talk with Cisco and Caitlin since she has a unique perspective on what it's like to support a hero. So I think the discussion Oliver and Felicity have is about Barry's powers. Although Oliver could simultaneously be pushing Felicity towards Barry, because he seems like the kind of idiot who might think it would be easier to get over his feelings if the person he has feelings for is no longer available.

Probably. And it'll be interesting to watch, especially since MG said that they choose the villains they use to hit specific emotional notes.

She's going to Central City.

There were a lot of possibilities. I think he went with what seemed like the best course of action at the time.

Probably because Felicity's the only one in the foundry who's constantly next to her phone. Sara and Diggle work out down there - there was a chance they wouldn't have answered and he only had one shot.

I find this both hilarious and sad.

The only problem with this theory is that

Crack theory: her name is Felicity Raymond, and they're going to use the Felicity S. and Ronnie link as another tie between the Arrow and Flash universes.

Yeah, it definitely came off better in the video, and it did seem like he was insinuating that the people shaking their fists would be the ones who prefer Oliver and Felicity as friends.

Season 3 is also going to introduce Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer, who is a potential love interest for Felicity. "I will say that Emily read with Brandon for the part, so that is something we're exploring too, and as always with these things, it's a rocky road and there are complications and changes and obstacles," the EP revealed. "I think some people will get what they were looking for and other people will shake their fists. As always, we just do what feels like the next right step." Sentences like this always make me nervous.

I don't think the Manhunter thing is going to figure too prominently. From the sounds of it he's just an ARGUS agent who shows up in ep 3 - I don't think there will be an ongoing story with him.

This is probably just an easter egg for comics fans since it's only a guest spot, right?

I'm not sure anyone's ever really said. Although unless they alter his powers a bit, I'm not sure how they could really have him be Atom on this show since the budget seems to be so tight.

See, I think they're putting all of this out there specifically because it's NOT happening this season. I believe the focus on the real, raw talk and declaration of feelings is in part a reaction to the way the audience reacted to the finale - to reassure people who were upset because they felt tricked, and so that the audience (or at least the portion of the audience who's rooting for O/F, anyway) will have patience while they let Felicity have another love interest and have Oliver work on himself. SA has been very clear that even though they have feelings for each other it doesn't mean they're going to be together, and the EPs have said that this "Can I have what I want? Can I be this AND that?" storyline is going to take up the whole year. It's just that instead of throwing another person in as a roadblock to the pairing, they're having Oliver and Felicity put a stop to it themselves. What I do think would be weird is if there were declarations and whatnot and they never got together at all. So, I think they'll get together, it's just a question of when. It very well could be this season, I'm just not counting on it.

Haven't they already started filming the 3rd episode? His tweets mention wrapping the 2nd (I'm not sure if finishing shots on one is common after already starting another). Maybe SA and EBR are on set to film current-day stuff, and he was there to film a pick-up shot for a scene from a flashback? Or maybe they were all on set and just hung out between takes.

I'm honestly not trying to be snarky here, but Charlotte Ross resembles EBR enough to believably be her mother. Without getting someone on the show who actually shares Emily's DNA, there can only be so many similarities. Plus, comparing pics of EBR dressed as Felicity with Charlotte dressed as herself isn't really a good way to judge.

Felicity's entire existence on this show can be explained away as fan pandering if someone's desperate enough to do it, since she originally wasn't supposed to be more than a bit player in the first place. Or, we can call it what it actually is: a happy accident. This would be the worst creative team in the world if they saw a spark (in any part of the story) and didn't explore it. Stories change as they're told, it's actually a thing, and it probably happens on more shows than we realize. Entertainment isn't created in a bubble - it's these people's JOB to write a show that people want to tune into, and that includes grabbing hold of a character and/or situation that's resonating with their audience. If they were putting these Oliver/Felicity moments in with absolutely no intent on exploring any kind of romantic connection between them because there's a vocal Olicity fanbase that they need to appeal to - that's pandering. If they're putting them in as part of a larger arc to show character-building moments of trust and deepening connection? It's NOT PANDERING. I mean, we can debate how it fit or how it could've been integrated better, but its existence as part of a larger arc isn't pandering.

But how can the network truly gauge audience reaction to Felicity with another love interest if she and Oliver outright admit they have feelings for each other but can't pursue it for whatever reason? They've already placated the fanbase by saying "yes, it's here - they just can't explore it yet." So there might not be much backlash to Ray Palmer as a LI because the audience knows that Felicity and Oliver are right there on the backburner and assume whoever enters either one of their lives is temporary. I think it'll be interesting to see how they handle the pairing this season. It *seems* as if they're going to take it slow, and use Ray Palmer (as far as potential love interests go) as a catalyst to help Oliver grow into the kind of man that would be a) capable of being in a long-term relationship and b) capable of being in a long-term relationship with someone like Felicity. I don't think Oliver and Felicity will get together this season at all (unless it's at the end, and even then I doubt it, since they like to do their real-time time jumps, so then the audience who's watching for the romantic side of things would miss a lot about that relationship that they'd want to see). But who knows.

I'm not sure what her contract details are, but the EPs said that trying to figure out if she's just Oliver's crush or if she can have a life outside of the team is going to take up her whole year, so I imagine that she is.

He says it here at 6:40:

Especially since, HELLO! She has the best brain out of all three of them. It needs to be handled with care and all that.

Nothing says "I love you" like a CT scan.

I keep forgetting that SA said in some recent interview (I'd have to look for it) that whatever that version or vision (I can't tell which he says) of himself that he sees that scares the shit out of him causes a rift between him and Diggle, so I'm guessing Felicity doesn't have anything to do with it. I just really want a plausible explanation as to why she looks like that and isn't in a hospital, haha.

I'm 99% sure that was the makeup room - there are wigs in the background. :)