Hi! First time poster here. I never read the comic books. but watched Arrow through both seasons. i remember being surprised and impressed by how good the pilot episode was in Season 1, but skeptical of the Oliver-Laurel love based on what I saw (lack of chemistry). Now I am even more skeptical of the Oliver-Laurel 'epic love'. I think the EPs never expected backlash against the sister-swapping because of the popularity and longevity of The Vampire Diaries (with brother-swapping at its core romance). I fully expected Laurel to survive Season 2 because it's the CW and CW shows must have a romantic triangle. I wouldn't be surprised if the Season 3 promo cast photo features Oliver with Laurel on one side of him and Felicity on the other side.
Of the four women in Oliver's life, I think Laurel is the least deserving at this point (though that could change later). Here's my rundown (from least deserving to most deserving) based on actions to date that I've seen on the show:
4. Laurel - She deliberately thwarted her sister's happiness and went after the guy her sister was interested in. She then deluded herself with this fantasy of them being soulmates and living happily ever after. She ignored or disregarded her boyfriend's repeated cheating. She unfairly blamed others for her own misfortunes. When her 'dead' sister turned up alive, she did not welcome her back but was angry, bitter and self-absorbed. As a lawyer, she violated the ethical standards of her profession and the oath she took when she was admitted to the bar (State v. Queen). She has no remorse in using blackmail to get what she wants. She displays an unearned sense of entitlement.
3. Thea - She grew up rich and spoiled. With only a high school diploma, she was able to take over Verdant only because it was a family-owned business and her last name is Queen. She threw a tantrum and refused to sign papers, thereby impoverishing her family, solely because her mother and brother lied to her about her real father to protect her. She refused to talk to her brother about the reason he didn't tell her. Though her family is now poor due to her, she still managed to land another cushy situation by getting into a limo with her rich dad at the end of Season 2. Her anger toward her brother seems over the top. She has not earned anything (yet).
2. Sara - She slept with her sister's boyfriend. She suffered and became an assassin for the LOA. She returned to Starling City in order to protect her sister and father. She was willing to sacrifice herself to save them. She helped the Arrow fight the bad guys and save others. She made a deal to return to the LOA in return for Nyssa's help in defeating Slade's army. She has matured and evolved over the past 5-6 years.
1. Felicity - She is an indispensable part of Team Arrow. She helped Oliver repeatedly with IT-related stuff, both before and after she found out he was the vigilante. She risked her life to help him defeat the bad guys on multiple occasions. She is loyal and has been unselfish in both words and actions. She encouraged and supported Oliver to keep him going and on the path toward becoming a hero. And, of course, her actions in the Season 2 finale are the actions of a true heroine.
By the way, I was not an Olicity shipper and did not see the viability of an Oliver-Felicity romantic hookup for most of the two seasons, but changed my mind after the Season 2 finale. Now I see what everyone's been ranting about, but I agree that it should be a slow burn.
