S03.E01: The Calm

[Nanrad]

They probably wouldn't have had sex on the first date, but I could see them getting carried away. They were very intense for a first date and very into each other as well. Once all of their nerves evaporated and they were truly relaxed, I could see the night getting better and better. ;-)

[SonofaBiscuit]

I completely understand why they did it, but isn't it kind of dumb that the person that killed Sara would speak with some voice-changing technology?  She obviously knew who it was, so they didn't need to hide their identity from her (I know, I know, it's so we can't guess who it is based on the voice).  I find the "Who Killed The Canary" tweet from the EPs hilarious.  Anyone else feel like they are asking for good ideas from viewers because they haven't yet decided who actually killed Sara/ordered the hit?

 

I hope that the EPs don't try to drag out the Sara murder mystery all season.  I don't actually care who killed her (unless it's Laurel).  I'm angry that she's dead and I feel like based on all past storylines on this show, the conclusion to this one is going to be so effing stupid and nonsensical. 

[AustenChick]

Ah, so count me in the minority as having loved the episode. I liked Sara, but I think her death was inevitable and works within the present framework of the series. 

 

But I do want to say that other posters on another message board wrote something interesting -- that this is how death sometimes is -- a shock, a punch, not heroic. It's tough to see a character we like get that death but as Oliver isn't going to get that journey -- I can see why they gave that to Sara. But again, I see the other side of the matter as well. Sara was the more interesting Lance.

 

Taking my speculation on how this impacts season three in the Speculations Without Spoilers thread.)

Edited October 13, 2014 by AustenChick

[slayer2]

AustenChick I agree. I would uave liked to see Sara go out in an epic battle but that would have spoiled the mystery I reckon. I would have obviously preferred she not hit that damn dumpster, not cool. Everything else I'm fine with.

Yeah Kryptonite has a lot of cool ideas on where this episode will take us. They've planted a lot of seeds and I'm excited to see where it leads. I wonder if Sara's death will bring Thea back. I know they probably didn't know each other well but I think she'd likely come back for Sara's funeral to support Ollie if she's not too mad at him. Surely her anger wouldn't supercede that.

[KirkB]

First she'd have to be made aware of Sara's death. We don't know if the gang is going to make it public, and even if they do whether Malcolm will let that information filter to Thea.

[JenMD]

Timeline:

Night- Opening scene, chasing down and disabling the semi with the weapons. Felicity goes home early because she has two work shifts the next day, one of which is early in the day.

Next day probably early afternoon, Oliver asks Felicity out for that night. (She's already finished one shift) She has another shift at "work" and Oliver goes after that gang member. She multitasks and gives Ray advice. Dinner gets blown up, Oliver calls Quentin for info on the gang boss, Felicity wakes up before Oliver goes Arrowing.

Oliver's fight against himself- sometime between later on the night of dinner and an hour before the big QC meeting that happens in the day. I think they originally said the meeting was happening in the evening but obviously still during daylight. I think the confusion here is that it seemed Oliver immediately went after the count but in reality, I don't think he got his lead until much later and it wasn't night, just really dark in the warehouse.

So late afternoon or early evening is when Oliver tried to get QC back (loans from the bank to get QC out of receivership). They go back to the lair (yep, I think they are just squating on condemned property) Diggle is benched. It's now full dark when Roy and Oliver go after the Count at the big fight but probably not that late.

At the hospital, it's later that night but not too late since visitors are still allowed.

 

I missed something right off the bat, apparently, and that I think helped throw the whole timeline off for me (although, I still think it's wonky).  I thought Felicity said "I HAD an early shift at work today", but what she says is "I HAVE an early shift...".  So instead of being, say, 11:30pm Monday (and she's tired because she's been up since early), it's, say, 2:30am Tuesday and she has to be up and at work in the morning.  I can fanwank that she had both an early and a later shift, but it still seems odd to me, the way it was played out since it's not made clear.

 

As for the QC meeting, I didn't get that the meeting itself was "tomorrow" but that she was getting together with him to get ready for it "tomorrow".  She says something like making him into the "Corporate Master of the Universe", which read to me as she was going to work with him on his pitch.  And really, at the meeting itself, she didn't really get the chance to do anything but be support. 

 

Although with the correct timeline starting early Tuesday morning, that makes "tomorrow" Wednesday night and that doesn't work, either since the meeting itself was on Wednesday morning/early afternoon.  As for when he went after the Count, after Felicity wakes up, the only transitional clue we're given is the city skyline at night, so I think we're supposed to think it's the middle of the night. 

 

I hadn't even thought about the fight and hospital visiting hours...

 

Basically, the writers seem to be upholding the fine tradition of not paying attention to what they're writing or having a clue how to do it so things are remotely clear. 

[SmallScreenDiva]

Late to the party, but count me among those who loved this episode. Yes, even with that ending. I was surprised when Sara get shot with the arrows and fall, but I just rolled my eyes and switched to a different channel as soon as the camera panned to Laurel. It looks I'll be doing a lot of FF-forwarding starting next ep.

 

Loved the flirty banter between Oliver and Felicity at the beginning of the ep. I found myself smiling at them smiling at each other. Stephen and Emily did such a great job showing the progress in their relationship in the last 5 months (which I would rather have seen on screen rather than in comic books). I hope the EPs reconsider the time jump next season. The date just made my heart squee. From the nervousness, to Felicity's mention of Oliver being shirtless "all the time," — I would have liked to have seen Oliver's reaction to that, LOL! — to him opening up voluntarily. The pen thing ... be still my heart. Again, both SA and EBR knocked that restaurant scene out of the park.

 

Oh, about Oliver's bed, the one he was sleeping in with Sara in "Suicide Squad," I think, that was at the clocktower, Sara's hideout/lair. That wasn't at the foundry. Although, I remember a mention of a cot at the foundry so Oliver shouldn't have been sleeping on the floor all this time. Unless, that got turned into kindling when the lair was infiltrated by the Mirakuru guys?

 

I really enjoyed the Team Arrow moments. I'm not sure why Roy has to flip before shooting arrows at tires, but OK *shrugs* I didn't mind him, but that may have been because his dialogue was very limited. I noticed Oliver called him his "partner," but the moment didn't feel ... special, or earned. Oliver telling Diggle to stay behind and the conversation that ensued got me teary-eyed. Then seeing Felicity crying in front of her computers just broke my heart.

 

I can't even ... with the hallway scene. I watched with a couple of friends who'd dropped the show during the back half of Season 2. I gave them a quick recap. They actually screamed during the Olicity kiss. I loved that it was Felicity who walked away. I sooooooooo wanted that to happen and I didn't think I'd actually see it.

 

The new Vertigo didn't do much for me, and I actually like Peter Stormare. Is he supposed to be a recurring villain? I thought I'd read something along those lines.

 

Ray Palmer — I actually enjoyed him. Yes, douchey, but charming (like a shark). He and Felicity actually have pretty good chemistry (EBR probably has chemistry even with the fern) and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with them. I've said this before, I want him to pursue her romantically right away. Show he's a guy who knows what (or who) he wants and goes after it (them). It'll serve as a nice contrast with Oliver. But I don't want Olicity to be put in the backburner. I don't need it to be a big focus of every ep. But I don't want it to be forgotten. I need to see Oliver and Felicity fighting their emotions, I need to see it in the way they interact with each other. Because the dynamic will be a lot different now. Can't put the genie back in the bottle after such a declaration.

[BkWurm1]

Ah, so count me in the minority as having loved the episode

 

It's not such a simple thing to say I liked it or didn't like it.  The episode devastated me.  I shut down for about a day and couldn't even think about it.  When I did, I was so incredibly mad and hurt.  I spent another couple days trying to put that aside but is wasn't until like four days later that I could enjoy all the parts that I had been adoring all along until those last sixty seconds.

 

So did I like this episode?  I hated the ending.  I loved the earlier emotion.  I adored the interplay and the call backs between Oliver and Felicity.  I ached over how they parted.  Like is too insignificant an emotion. 

[bravelittletoaster]

The episode's probably produced the most disparate reaction in me of any tv episode ever.  I can't recall ever watching an episode for 42 minutes before that I pretty much thoroughly enjoyed and then decided at the end of the 44th minute that I was likely never going to watch again.

[SmallScreenDiva]

The episode's probably produced the most disparate reaction in me of any tv episode ever.  I can't recall ever watching an episode for 42 minutes before that I pretty much thoroughly enjoyed and then decided at the end of the 44th minute that I was likely never going to watch again.

 

This was Heir to the Demon for me. I actually enjoyed that episode until the last 3 minutes. And I've never watched it again.

[TanyaKay]

This was Heir to the Demon for me. I actually enjoyed that episode until the last 3 minutes. And I've never watched it again.

 

me too.

For me that episode was 2x13. I loved most thing about it - barring the magical island herbs that brought Sara back - I was okay with that episode but the minute Oliver and Sara lunged at each other ... god, it still creeps me out.

[slayer2]

First she'd have to be made aware of Sara's death. We don't know if the gang is going to make it public, and even if they do whether Malcolm will let that information filter to Thea.

Good point. It's weird that Ollie hasn't mentioned her at all but I guess it's only been one episode, maybe he's just happy she isn't dead somewhere.

[JenMD]

Oh, about Oliver's bed, the one he was sleeping in with Sara in "Suicide Squad," I think, that was at the clocktower, Sara's hideout/lair. That wasn't at the foundry.

You can see the foundry computers when he gets up to use the phone. He then leaves to meet the Russian guy and then he goes back to the foundry, surprised Sara's awake.

[blackwing]

The threat of an all Laurel, all the time season is why I waited until I watched everything on the Dvr from last week before finally getting around to watching this episode. And I was pleasantly surprised. It was a great show... up until the 58th minute.

Now? I'm probably out. I loathe Laurel. And Brandon Routh is still one of the worst and most wooden actors around. I won't be able to stand a season of him.

[SmallScreenDiva]

You can see the foundry computers when he gets up to use the phone. He then leaves to meet the Russian guy and then he goes back to the foundry, surprised Sara's awake.

 

Ahhh, you're right. For some reason, I thought the gears in the back looked like clock gears. But yeah, those are Felicity's servers indeed in blue light.

[BkWurm1]

It's kind of hard to destroy a mattress during a fight. Even bullet holes or knife stabs could be covered up and ignored with a thick blanket. Therefore I have to assume that the old bed frame was not only battered into splinters, but the maniac mirikuru marauders had to have stopped and taken the time to soil the mattress beyond use.  

[Trini]

Did anyone catch the name of the store/department where Felicity was working? It was on her shirt, I think.

[BkWurm1]

Did anyone catch the name of the store/department where Felicity was working? It was on her shirt, I think.

Wasn't it Tech Village?

 

I prefer the Buy More myself. 

[looptab]

A few sparse considerations:

7) Laurel's "Did I say that too loud?' line felt like a Felicity line to me.

I agree. Stop trying to make her funny, she is not!

 

How did Oliver get Felicity back to the foundry?  Did he squeeze in her car after digging through the rubble for her keys?  'Cause he ziplined his green self to the restaurant.  Did he drive to the restaurant before the mission, planning on being late?  Also, did he earn his medical degree during his 5 years away that he was able to diagnose her with just being "knocked out"?  And is that not concerning that she was unconscious?  I mean, the girl just keeps getting head injuries and bouncing right back.  Does she have a titanium skull?  Where'd the blood come from if it wasn't hers?  Because there wasn't a scratch on her later.  Why were neither Roy or Diggle concerned about all that blood?  Neither one made a move to clean her up or check her out.  (And, not important, but where'd her shoes go?  She was wearing ankle strap shoes that zipped up the back (thank you ArrowFashionBlog), not the type of shoes to fall off easily.)

But that's not all, what followed was equally confusing.  Oliver leaves a bloody, unconscious Felicity and the next time he sees her is the next morning?  Just how long did fighting himself take?  And everybody just went home, showered and changed in the mean time?  Oliver strolls into the foundry, getting dressed in his business suit like the last time he saw Felicity she wasn't bloody, unconscious and shoeless laying on a table and he asks about Lance first?  Really?  He didn't come back and immediately check on her before going to shower and change for the meeting with the board that they never actually prepared for because they went on the date instead? (Not that I blame them.)  It was just all so weirdly staged and made no sense to me. 

 

It really was nonsense, since he apparently deduced she was just knocked out just from a look. Lol at Roy's first instinct after seeing her all bloody to go unpack.

 

I think they went about Oliver's issue with being himself and the Arrow  in a contrived and utterly ridiculous way From what we saw, his reasons for pulling away were more about losing focus  than her being hurt (if that was what they were going for, I didn't catch it- he didn't seem all that worried to me).Fine. Then  have the foundry be the target of the rocket, because Oliver was so distracted and eager to go to his date that when he went in the lair to change he didn't notice the tracker on his suit.

Have Roy and Diggle get hurt, their secret lair  located (for the 10th time). This would have been a more believable motivation: his focus on a personal life jeopardized his mission. But no, they decided to go and have Felicity blowing up, with no consequences to date. Was it really easier to pack and bring to the restaurant a bag with apparently just his shoes in than go back and change? 

The reverse Superman only made me think of how much sweat soaked up onto that suit under those leathers. Stinky is his new codename, actually.

(HA! I had the same thought) It just made no sense. Now I'm taking a deep breath and reminding myself it's a comic book based tv show.  :)

 

Even with her sister's death, IMO, Laurel still lacks the motivate to even want to become a vigilante. We see her "want" criminals behind bars, but never in a way where it seems as if she wants to literally fight crime herself. How will her sister's death change that? 

 

 

Exactly. Why would she ever want to put n a mask and a wig to fight criminals personally? Oliver's already doing that. Hoping beyond hope they can make it right.

 

As for the QC meeting, I didn't get that the meeting itself was "tomorrow" but that she was getting together with him to get ready for it "tomorrow". 

 

That's what I thought, too. Anyway it's true, the timeline was very confusing.

 

ETA: I think I made a mess with the multiple quotes, I believe the part about the aftermath of the explosion was written by @JenMD :)

Sorry :D

Edited October 14, 2014 by looptab

[BkWurm1]

As for the QC meeting, I didn't get that the meeting itself was "tomorrow" but that she was getting together with him to get ready for it "tomorrow". 

 

 

In the first scene Felicity leaves the lair saying she has to pull an early shift today and since we had just seen them do their thing at night, I assume it's early in the wee hours.  In the same scene Oliver asks if they were still on for tomorrow night and Felicity says she's going to turn him into corporate master of the universe. 

 

I took it as two separate things.  Yes they were on for tomorrow night, what I interpreted as the Board meeting.  On a separate note, Felicity is confident that she can turn Oliver in to the picture of the perfect corporate dude. 

 

The next time we see them is during the day right after her early shift (so that same day) and Felicity is giving her advice on how he should act.  It can't be tomorrow night since it's still today.  So since tomorrow night seems to be the Board meeting and that seems to happen the day right after Oliver and Felicity's date, I have to assume the actual date happens technically the same day that the show opens up on.

 

The alternate time line would be that meeting up with Felicity for her to transform him into the corporate master of the universe happened not the day of the opening scene but the day after (when we see her in her black and white dress) the problem I have with that timeline is one, we see them at the foundry in the brightest part of the day, not night, his question implies she recently came from work, but if she hadn't, that would mean she worked an early shift and then didn't go into the Arrow Cave until the next day which I find hard to believe.  

 

Now if I could ignore that, then saying when Oliver asked her out was the "tomorrow night" after the initial opening scene, then the date could then happen on a some random unknown separate day and then the meeting with the board, the day after.  It's just I can't see Felicity or Oliver going a whole day between seeing each other.  The tomorrow night comment has to refer to something and even though after the meeting at QC it is still daylight, I thought at least it was less bright daylight than when they meet up when Felicity is wearing the black and white dress..  I just assumed that anything after say 5pm could be referred to as night even if because of the summer/early fall hours the sun would still be shining.

 

And that is way more than anyone really cares to think about the subject.. Lol   I'm sure TPTB barely care but it's that kind of detail that drives me crazy if I can't put it all together. 

Edited October 14, 2014 by BkWurm1

[Password]

No thank you for working it out. I was thoroughly scratching my head at the timeline but that cleared things up.

Edited October 14, 2014 by ArrowLimbo

[JenMD]

In the first scene Felicity leaves the lair saying she has to pull an early shift today and since we had just seen them do their thing at night, I assume it's early in the wee hours.

Since I misheard her, this is where I fell off the timeline right off the bat.  Since I thought it was late at night and she was going home for the day, my "tomorrow" was the same day as the black and white dress and the date (but instead of getting together for the meeting, they go out to eat).  It also didn't occur to me that them running into each other outside Verdant was her helping him with the meeting (I may have been too focused on other things about to happen, ahem).

 

took it as two separate things.  Yes they were on for tomorrow night, what I interpreted as the Board meeting.  On a separate note, Felicity is confident that she can turn Oliver in to the picture of the perfect corporate dude.

I can see, as you explain it, but it never would have occurred to me, to be honest, that that's what was meant in that scene.

 

It can't be tomorrow night since it's still today.

Heh. 

 

I appreciate your going through the timeline, BkWurm1, you're a trooper.  I still think the lack of transitions between scenes and the rush to get from plot point to plot point leaves things unnecessarily confusing (clearly, as I'm still trying to figure things out 6 days later).  This certainly isn't the first (or the second or the fifth) time they've just plowed on through without thinking about how things come across and I'm sure it won't be the last.

 

And that is way more than anyone really cares to think about the subject.. Lol   I'm sure TPTB barely care but it's that kind of detail that drives me crazy if I can't put it all together.

Clearly, you're not the only one. ;-)  And heck no, TPTB don't care that much. 

Edited October 14, 2014 by JenMD

[millennium]

I know I come to this late but I watch on Hulu and they slap an 8-day delay on the show to strongarm you into buying Hulu Plus.

 

That ending was a real sucker punch.  When Sara showed up I thought, this is great, all the last-season fears and naysaying over the possibility of Laurel becoming Black Canary were for nothing.   I actually felt relieved when she appeared.   Stupid me.

 

I hated the Oliver-Felicity shipping.   They have no chemistry whatsoever.   It was like watching him kiss his kid sister.  (btw, am I the only one who finds the word "Olicity" really fucking annoying?)

[yellowfred]

So, I got spoiled about the ending of this episode before it aired in my area, so I'd been putting it off it in the hopes that I would have fully come to terms with it by the time I finally watched the episode.  Instead, I spent a little over a week largely in denial and it did not make the end of the episode even vaguely more tolerable. 

 

I know a lot of this has probably already been said, but I hate the fact that they brought Sara in for the last ten minutes just to kill her off.  I recognize that I probably would be pissed off no matter how they decided to do it, but I feel like if she'd shown up earlier on in the episode and had more to do, as far as the villain of the week and all that, I could have taken some consolation in the fact that she went out on more of a high note.

 

As far as the thing with her mask, I thought it was less about where it fell as that it fell.  That, along with her magic wig falling off, meant that, when Laurel saw her, she wasn't the Canary, she was her baby sister.  I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities this season to complain about the trajectory this is trying to set her on, but, at least for the moment, I appreciated that that moment was about her as Sara instead of her as the Canary.

 

Also, all that "Diggle's a father and can't take risks anymore" stuff seems like it's setting up for Oliver to find out about his kid whose mother Moira paid off to disappear.  At least I hope that's where it's headed.  If it's just to set up Diggle having less and less to do this season, I will be very unhappy. 

 

 

btw, am I the only one who finds the word "Olicity" really fucking annoying?

 

You are not.  Though, to be fair, I find portmanteaus in general to be rather grating.

[millennium]

You are not.  Though, to be fair, I find portmanteaus in general to be rather grating.

 

Portmanteau.  Great word of the day.    Thanks for that!

[Pothunter]

While reading about symbolism on the show, it struck me that the 180 degree turn during the kiss was symbolic of Oliver's decision.

I remember thinking at the time a) this is nowhere near as affecting as the almost kiss in the promo and b) why the heck is he shuffling around in a moment like this?

 

Making comparisons to other couples/shows is not useful because of circumstances and the stage at which the relationships are, but I could not help comparing it to John and Aeryn's first kiss. A few days later I happened to watch the third episode of Now and Again (watched the whole series several years back). Now that was a kiss.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Pothunter

[foreverevolving]

It wasn't really a 180.. more like a 90. i'll have to rewatch the scene to be sure. but from memory it looks more 90 than 180.

which could be symbolic in a similar way.

[Guest]

While reading about symbolism on the show, it struck me that the 180 degree turn during the kiss was symbolic of Oliver's decision.

I remember thinking at the time a) this is nowhere near as affecting as the almost kiss in the promo and b) why the heck is he shuffling around in a moment like this?

 

Making comparisons to other couples/shows is not useful because of circumstances and the stage at which the relationships are, but I could not help comparing it to John and Aeryn's first kiss. A few days later I happened to watch the third episode of Now and Again (watched the whole series several years back). Now that was a kiss.

 

 

It wasn't really a 180.. more like a 90. i'll have to rewatch the scene to be sure. but from memory it looks more 90 than 180.

which could be symbolic in a similar way.

 

I think Oliver turning them during their kiss was more a setting/direction decision so that the light behind could filter between them. You know how they are with their light symbolism on this show, particularly with Oliver/Felicity. 

 

Also I'm kind of glad their kiss was like that. I think it was shot a bit awkward but the way they held themselves against each other's mouths like they didn't want to part was really emotional to me (and hot too). It felt right in that moment, like a goodbye. I'm looking forward to seeing their next kiss (hopefully) that is more kind of rip-your-clothes-off passionate after being separated for so long. That, IMO, wasn't appropriate here. 

Edited October 22, 2014 by Guest

[statsgirl]

While reading about symbolism on the show, it struck me that the 180 degree turn during the kiss was symbolic of Oliver's decision.

I remember thinking at the time a) this is nowhere near as affecting as the almost kiss in the promo and b) why the heck is he shuffling around in a moment like this?

He was probably positioning her so that she could walk away out of the hospital at the end without blocking him.

 

But yes, the turn-around was strange and the kiss not as affecting because like their whole relationship, it was over too soon.

[BkWurm1]

In the episode it I remember being sad that it was happening to mark an ending and that took me out of the moment more than anything but in rewatches I have found the kiss and the whole moment vey affecting.  Maybe knowing what's coming amplifies the hurts so good?

[apinknightmare]

He was probably positioning her so that she could walk away out of the hospital at the end without blocking him.

 

But yes, the turn-around was strange and the kiss not as affecting because like their whole relationship, it was over too soon.

 

I think the turn around was so they could get that light behind them in the shot when they part - this show looooooves its lights.

[A Cunning Stunt]

Fuck them

This. SO. HARD.

I'm L2P here, but I though with additional episodes viewed & a little time my reaction to the events that unfolded in the premiere would be less....visceral?

No.

I freely admit I was a bit wary of the the reintroduction of Sara & any resulting angst, but Caity Lotz really won me over. There is no doubt she was physically the right fit for it & her acting only got better as she eased into the role IMHO. Added to that she wasn't only there to kick ass, but brought a warmth & vulnerability to Sara that I really enjoyed. The way her death was staged just feels like a big middle finger to the viewer. It wasn't enough she got arrowed, but had to fall off a building, onto a dumpster & then the mask oh so conveniently drops. It was literally one minute of total BS that ruined & overshadowed the good that came prior.

The EP's could have gotten plenty of story-lines & the shock value they were after by having Laurel take an arrow to the forehead instead, thus leaving the audience with a much better (& proven) candidate for Black Canary. For the life of me I can't fathom why they're so stuck on LL being cued up to likely become a masked hero other than whatever occurs in the comics. Even if that is the case, haven't they deviated from cannon since the Pilot? So why are they so stuck on the one Actor that is the weakest part of the show? It leaves me having to fan-wank that there must be some contractual obligation, or they're being willfully ignorant of the problems with that character, or that they're too enamored with their own perceived cleverness & it's that which has caused me to doubt how much longer I can watch a show where they happily ignore what doesn't work.

I did love the Team Arrow interaction with Oliver/Felicity/Digg/Roy though, & I even enjoyed Ray. I do think the pacing of the episode was off & that it would've played better seeing Felicity & Oliver more comfortable with one another & delaying the whole date until at least episode 3 or 4, & to see Roy has become more proficient at archery - I shouldn't have to buy the supplemental 2.5 comics to fill in development gaps. Not to mention it would've been nicer to see Sara for more than just a contrived cameo spot.

[LeisureTime]

I can't really say I'm *happy* to see Sarah gone, but I'm not at all bothered by it. I liked her story and character on paper but in the flesh I was just soooooo meh about her.

[Hook75]

As a new fan who watched all the epes in a week on Netflix, I'm all for Oliver and Felicity as end game but to me Oliver's love for her came out on nowhere.It was a nice, very slow build up full of adorable little moments, and looks and flirts and then...bam- he loves her, they go on a date but they can't be together but he loves her- so soapy. 

 

Even for Clack and Chloe it took 5 seasons just to kiss. I don't like it and I fear the worse.

[jay741982]

I think Oliver turning them during their kiss was more a setting/direction decision so that the light behind could filter between them. You know how they are with their light symbolism on this show, particularly with Oliver/Felicity. 

 

Also I'm kind of glad their kiss was like that. I think it was shot a bit awkward but the way they held themselves against each other's mouths like they didn't want to part was really emotional to me (and hot too). It felt right in that moment, like a goodbye. I'm looking forward to seeing their next kiss (hopefully) that is more kind of rip-your-clothes-off passionate after being separated for so long. That, IMO, wasn't appropriate here.

They SHOULD be having a rip your clothes off Passionate Kiss when they reunite in Episode 12 or 13 but No can't have that :( that kiss will be later this season probably episode 20 21 22 or 23

[BkWurm1]

Even for Clack and Chloe it took 5 seasons just to kiss. I don't like it and I fear the worse.

 

They kissed in every season until they kissed just because they wanted to ...and then never again.  Not the example, lol, I'd want this show to follow. 

[jay741982]

They kissed in every season until they kissed just because they wanted to ...and then never again.  Not the example, lol, I'd want this show to follow.

I was a big Chlark shipper Lana annoyed me greatly. I remember Chloe kissing him end of season 5 in case they all died lol. Great chemistry between them

[statsgirl]

As a new fan who watched all the epes in a week on Netflix, I'm all for Oliver and Felicity as end game but to me Oliver's love for her came out on nowhere.It was a nice, very slow build up full of adorable little moments, and looks and flirts and then...bam- he loves her, they go on a date but they can't be together but he loves her- so soapy.

I think it depends on what cues one looks at.  I won't repeat it here but if you look at the posts on the relationship thread, it's generally felt that it had been building since the start of season 2.  Oliver's relationship with Sara was more of a FWB than in "in love" one, at least on his side.

[Carrie Ann]

As a new fan who watched all the epes in a week on Netflix, I'm all for Oliver and Felicity as end game but to me Oliver's love for her came out on nowhere.It was a nice, very slow build up full of adorable little moments, and looks and flirts and then...bam- he loves her, they go on a date but they can't be together but he loves her- so soapy.

 

My best friend watched the show in a week and felt exactly the same as you, and I totally get it. I even agree, though I think for those of us watching in real time, talking about it all through hiatuses, etc., it feels less sudden. I found the scenes in 223 acceptable in the flow of things because, a) we didn't know for sure that Oliver really, really meant what he said, and b) I found it very believable that he had feelings for her the whole time, that had been building and he had been fighting, but that in those intense moments of the last few episodes, he just sort of let them through. And maybe they surprised even him.

 

But going from that to the premiere was jarring to say the least. And it wasn't even necessary. We were robbed of five months of touchy-feely flirtiness just so the writers could put as much strain on O/F as possible. And now it looks like after nine episodes on that arc, they're going to cycle right back to the beginning of it. They could have just had those nine episodes be about drawing them together, then tear them apart in Ep 9, have Oliver come back committed to only being the Arrow, and it all would have been more angsty, more satisfying, and more entertaining to watch. Alas.

[Actionmage]

Just watched the repeat of this episode. I super adored the first 20 minutes or so of the episode, warts and all. The next half reminded me of why I kept getting so angry through the season, though I wasn't as angry this go-round.

 

But the last minutes of the episode just... not enough words, too many already posted and plenty of sentiments I've agreed with already.  I think I am more disappointed and incredulous with the direction that was chosen.

 

*Quentin being "Aunt May'd":  There was never a call for it. The usual signifier of pills and Laurel's certainty of immanent collapse wore on me. As we saw, it amounted to what most of us predicted.

 

*That amazing scene in the cave, the one with OG Team Arrow. Oliver telling John to stand down? Broke my heart harder.

 

*Roy being the parkouring almost badass that he is. His fear as the bomb keeps ticking down despite the smartest person he ever knew's best advice was palpable. You could not really blame him. Then it stopped. *G*

 

*Ray and his introductory smarm and ick. As the Monty Python saying goes, " [He] got bettah!" Still, I wish, for both the actor and character, that there had been another way to intro him.  It strikes me as weird that the villains get the smooth, ally-ish intro and the allies get  villain-tinged intros. That ain't right. 

 

Like I said, I still found bunches to love about this episode, but there are almost 10 pages of sentiments I'd be repeating.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Actionmage

[statsgirl]

Watching the premier again after having seen the season finale, and the whole season, it's an interesting perspective.

 

I get what MG was trying to do -- he wanted to set up the season. So they brought in Oliver vs the Arrow, Oliver's feelings for Felicity, and Ray taking over QC in a way that wasn't nearly as charming as the EPs thought it was.   And that's about it.  No conflict for Roy, and a slight conflict between Oliver and Diggle over Oliver making the decisions for Diggle which then blew over when Diggle acknowledged Oliver was right.  (Darn you, Diggle, you should have held your ground and refused to listen to him. Maybe he wouldn't have kept making stupid decisions all season.)  Oh, and Felicity cried for the first time so I guess that was setting up the season too.  Roy fit in seamlessly.

 

They wasted Sara's death because after the first few episodes, no one seemed to care and

Malcolm Merlyn never paid for his actions

  although Quentin did end up in the hospital because he tried to do too much.  But it still feels like they did it for the shock value rather than something they actually thought through.

 

Overall, it was enjoyable but not strong enough to forgive the too many weak episodes that followed.

 

ETA:  I noticed that Felicity tapped Oliver on the chest over his heart when she was giving him a pep talk about his presentation, which was a nice parallel to the same touch but longer in the finale when she was giving him the pep talk that he's more than just Oliver Queen or the Arrow.

Edited May 28, 2015 by statsgirl

[Starfish35]

So........

I watched this for the first time this evening. Back when it first aired, I was in too much of a rage over Sara's death to watch.

No comprehensive review here - just some random thoughts.

- Laurel looks so besotted (sorry, can't think of a better word) with Oliver in that scene at the press conference.

- I really hate this Vertigo guy. I liked the Count much better.

- Ray really was a sleazeball wasn't he? Damn.

- Roy's random flipping is....odd.

- Speaking of which, where did the boy pick up the archery skills?

- While I understood Diggle's feelings when he told Oliver he was right, it rubbed me the wrong way to have Oliver's making decisions for other people validated.

- It was so good to see Sara again, kicking ass.

- That last scene with Laurel and Sara just strikes me as very very strange. Maybe I've just watched too much TV, but Laurel's reaction just doesn't track right for me. There's no checking to see if Sara's dead, she just immediately assumes she is. There's no frantic attempts to save her, no screams for help, no dialing of 911. Laurel jumps over all of that straight to mourning. I don't know. It just didn't feel natural to me.

...... I guess I can't think of anything else. :(

ETA: I thought of something else. :) Diggle and Lyla were adorable. Those two really are my Arrow OTP.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Starfish35

[kismet]

I was not around the forum when I originally watched the premiere. So thought I'd put my thoughts down, now that I rewatched it today before work. I forgot that I actually enjoyed the episode before they decided to literally destroy it in the last few minutes.  This analysis is gonna be hard because it takes into account what I know about all of s3.

 

Stray character/story thoughts -

 

Laurel - I really loved her chemistry & relationship w/ QL. Why did they have to ruin it?? Also why couldn't they have given us 2 episodes this season of sisterly bonding? I liked Laurel in this episode,

 

Diggle - I really don't like that he pushed OQ to go on the date before he felt ready. I feel like OQ needed to come to his decision to date FS on his own perhaps let his feelings smolder a little longer on screen. I also wonder now in retrospect if Diggle sorta sidelined himself after LL volunteered to go in the field because perhaps he was trying to stay alive for his real & TA family after OQ's departure in the winter finale. I'm not saying he was intentionally not going into the field, but I wonder now if he just felt more at home on the comms all things considered if he was reflecting on his e1 convos with OQ.

 

Oliver - Loved the fighting with himself on Vertigo. His emotions felt raw in his scenes with FS. I still wonder why he became more focused on HK, was it because he was thinking about Maseo/Tatsu or was it just to set up A/O virus. Still have no idea why Waller wants him so bad.

 

Ray - His bad 1st impression still sticks. He really did look like the potential big bad. But I did like some of the more quirky things BR did with his hands & some of his facial expressions.

 

Felicity/Oliver Relationship - Man they really did rush through that. Since I was always rooting for the couple, I never really watched it from an outsider perspective. But man, blink & you might miss why it was so important to both of them. Because on rewatch if I was not rooting for the couple to get together, I might have wondered where it all came from & why it took up so much of the later portion of the season. I really wish they had let it simmer for 2-3 episodes & then blow it up. Diggle & the Writers rushed it. :(

 

Vertigo - Ironically, I had watched 22 Jump Street the day before and thought Peter Stodmare would be a great villain for Arrow. But I think I was wrong, because I totally forgot that he was actually the new Vertigo. I guess he just didn't do as good of job as I thought he would. :/ I still miss the original vertigo. I also wonder if vertigo has now been chosen as one of the things that will follow OQ through this series. In s1 it affected his sister & caused him to reunite with Bratva; in s2 it made him kill again; in s3 it helped him doubt himself. I wonder what role "Vertigo" will play in s4. Like MM, I feel like "Vertigo" will be around the show until the series finale season.

 

Quentin - Really forgot just how sick they made him in the premiere. Still doesn't justify LL lying. But yeah he was sickly in the premiere.

 

Roy - I miss you!! Man after this episode I really do miss him and his random flips & parkour. He saved the day again.

 

Little Sara - So adorable!! And the handmade necklace for OQ, priceless.

 

Sara - Miss her so much. She just brings something to the screen. Really wished they had never killed her. Or at least waited until episode 2 or 3.

 

Flashbacks - Akio will still always sound like Accio the spell from Harry Potter, esp when Maseo says it. I have no idea how the deeper meaning plays out in my head, but somehow it feels connected. Love that Waller essentially emotionally manipulates OQ into being compliant with espionage & murder. And we wonder why Oliver starts to develop trust & overprotectiveness issues? Of course his MO starts to become a do it on his own with over self-sacrificing tendencies. He sees how emotional entanglements & other people (including innocents & kids) die as a direct response to his involvement both on the island & now in his new life as Argus agent.

god...that ending. Jesus........it had better not have been Thea who killed Sara or I'm gonna loose it

 

Roy seems to have settled into his sidekick role rather nicely. Love the new suit.

 

I did love it near the end when Ollie's phone went of and it was Barry. Nice continuity touch by the writers there.

 

Ray could go either way with me. He's an asshole but he does seem have some noble intentions (and was nice to see that already he has a thing for making things smaller). He's already learned a very important lesson: Don't fuck with Felicity (she will get bloody revenge)

Wow, way to call Thea. Congrats! I never thought of her until later in the season.

[tv echo]

301 (The Calm) – No Oliver Queen voiceover intro.

301 (The Calm) – Team Arrow members work together effortlessly to take down another criminal, Vincent Steelgrave (as aired):
(At night, Oliver is running through green brush before emerging onto city streets. He’s chasing after someone or something.)
Oliver (on comms): “Got him. Coming up 52nd Street, heading east.”
(Cut to Felicity, who’s sitting in front of her computers in the Foundry.)
Felicity (on comms): “Copy that. Or is it ‘Roger’? I never know the difference. John, there's an illegal shipment of RPGs headed your way.”
Diggle (on comms): “Roger. I'm on it.”
Felicity (on comms): “Oh, so it is Roger.”
(Cut to action sequence where Oliver jumps from an overpass onto the roof of the moving semi-truck and shoots an explosive arrow into the big box trailer attached to the back. The trailer slides off the back of the semi-truck and onto the street. Diggle enters the trailer.)
Diggle (over comms): “RPGs are secure. I've got eyes on.”
(Oliver is riding atop the cab of the semi-truck that’s still moving.)
Oliver (over comms): “Roy! We're coming to you.”
(Cut to action sequence where Oliver fights with the driver of the semi-truck. Roy is standing in the street in front of the oncoming semi-truck and shoots arrows into the semi-truck’s front tires, causing the semi-truck to slow and stop. The driver runs off, Oliver chases him, and Oliver shoots a rope arrow in front of the driver to throw him to the ground.)
Oliver: “Vincent Steelgrave. You have failed this city.”

301 (The Calm) – Team Arrow members work together effortlessly to take down another criminal, Vincent Steelgrave (as scripted):
(At night, Oliver is running through green brush before emerging onto city streets. A semi-truck gallops down the street. Oliver opens up his bow as he runs along an overpass.)
Oliver (on comms): “Got him. Coming up 52nd Street, heading east. “
(Cut to Felicity, who’s sitting in front of her computers in the Foundry.)
Felicity (on comms): “Copy that. Or is it ‘Roger’? I never know the difference. John, there's an illegal shipment of RPGs headed your way.”
(Cut to Diggle, who’s at the wheel of the team’s black van.)
Diggle (on comms): “Roger.”
Felicity (on comms): “Oh, so it is Roger.”
(Cut to action sequence where Oliver parkour leaps from an overpass onto the roof of the moving semi-truck. Reputed crime figure Vincent Steelgrave is riding shotgun next to one of his hired thugs in the semi-truck.)
Thug: “He’s on the roof!”
Steelgrave: “Get this heap moving!”
(The semi-truck’s speed increases. Oliver jumps from the trailer to the semi-truck’s cab and, while in flight, shoots an explosive arrow, which strikes where the trailer meets the cab. There’s a small explosion and the cab lurches free of the trailer. As the trailer rolls to a stop, it’s intercepted by Diggle’s van. With his gun in hand, Diggle opens the trailer doors to reveal rocket-propelled grenade launchers.) 
Diggle (over comms): “RPGs are secure. I've got eyes on.”
Oliver (over comms): “Stay on them ‘til the police arrive. But get out –“
Diggle (over comms): “Before the police arrive. This isn’t my first rodeo, man.”
(Oliver is riding on the roof of the semi-truck that’s still moving.)
Oliver (over comms): “Roy! We’ll be coming to you.”
Roy (over comms): “Thought you weren’t calling me that while we’re in the field.”
Oliver (over comms): “Well, you didn’t want me calling you Red Ar –“
Roy (over comms): “Red Arrow is lame.”
Oliver (over comms): “It’s better than Speedy.”
(Cut to action sequence where Oliver swings down to the passenger side of the cab and cocks his fist, which explodes through the window, striking Steelgrave’s jaw. As the thug reacts, with gun in hand, Oliver swings around front of the semi-truck, driver’s side now, reaches in to grab the wheel and jank it toward him. Roy flips into the scene and stands in the street in front of the oncoming semi-truck.)
Roy (over comms): “It’s almost like we practiced this.”
Felicity (over comms): “We did practice this. Spent the money we don’t have on that rental truck, remember? So try to keep the arrow-firing to a minimum. Those things are wicked expensive.”
(Roy shoots two arrows.)
Felicity (over comms): “What did I just say?”
(The arrows strike the semi-truck’s front tires, causing the truck to lurch forward, skidding, before coming to a stop inches away from Roy, who was still standing in front of it. The thug shoots Oliver with his gun and jumps out of the semi-truck, but Roy knocks him out. The thug drops.)
Felicity (over comms): “Was that a gun?! Was that a gunshot?!”
(Oliver bolts upright.)
Oliver (over comms): “It’s fine. Kevlar held.)
(Oliver notices Steelgrave is gone. As it starts to rain, Oliver chases Steelgrave into a warehouse. He shoots an arrow, which sails past Steelgrave. A web of cables blossom out. Steelgrave collides and bounces off these cable, and he slams to the floor.)
Oliver: “Vincent Steelgrave. You have failed this city.”

301 (The Calm) – Felicity adds a fern to the Arrowcave where Oliver is living, and we learn that she bought him a bed (see also tie-in comic, Arrow Volume 2.5) :
Woman on TV: “The Arrow just took down another one of the City's most wanted, and there's no denying that the city's crime rate has plummeted in the past five months.”
Felicity: “You're welcome.”
Man on TV: “But so has its unemployment rate and its population. We have experienced two terrorist attacks in as many years. Starling City is dying, and a prison full of criminals –“
Oliver (entering): “Take another off the board.” 
Diggle: “We keep this up, there will only be two types of criminals left in Starling City - the ones we put away, and the ones that are running scared.” 
Oliver (spotting the fern): “What's that?” 
Felicity: “A fern. It thrives on low light. I thought that, since you were living here now, the place could do with a little sprucing.”
Oliver: “I let you buy me a bed.”
Felicity: “You were sleeping on the floor.”
(In the background, Diggle and Roy exchange looks. Cell phone beeps, and Felicity picks up the phone.)
Felicity: “Another text from Thea.” (Hands phone to Oliver)
Diggle: “Where is she now?”
Oliver: “Amalfi Coast. I keep telling her to send photos.” 
Roy: “I'm going to go do a patrol. Clear my head.” 
Oliver: “Hey. You did really good tonight.”
(Roy nods and leaves.) 
Felicity: “I'm going to head out, too. I have to pull an early shift at work today, which may or may not be the most depressing thing I've ever said.” 
Oliver: “But we're still on for tomorrow night?” 
Felicity: “Absolutely. I am going to turn you into a corporate master of the universe. Those board members are going to be begging to sell Queen Consolidated back to you and your backers.”
(She leaves and Oliver watches her.)

301 (The Calm) – Diggle encourages Oliver to pursue a romantic relationship with Felicity (as aired):
Diggle: “I'm going to roll out, too. Lyla has me trying to build the bassinet from hell.”
Oliver: “That reminds me. (Gives Diggle a necklace) I figured since you and Lyla are having a girl..."
Diggle: “Man, you cannot afford this.” 
Oliver: “I can't afford anything, which is why I made it. Arrowheads - one of the few things that I can make.” 
Diggle: “Well, it's beautiful. Thank you.” 
Oliver: “Congratulations, John. And not just on the baby. You and Lyla are happy.” 
Diggle: “Well, you know, you should try it some time.”
Oliver: “Last girlfriend, she's in the League of Assassins. My girlfriend before that, she shot my girlfriend before that. I'm not - not exactly a catch at the moment.”
Diggle: “Maybe Felicity will change all that.”
Oliver: “It's - it's not the right time.”
Diggle: “Things are as good now as ever will be, Oliver. And you love her. You even told her so.”
Oliver: “I was trying to fool Slade.”
Diggle: “Yes. Except now the only person you're fooling is yourself. Thanks again.”

301 (The Calm) – Diggle encourages Oliver to pursue a romantic relationship with Felicity (as scripted, but not aired):
Diggle: “I'm going to head out, too. Lyla's got me trying to build the bassinet from hell.”
Oliver: “That reminds me. (Gives Diggle a necklace) I figured since you and Lyla are having a girl ..."
Diggle: “Man, you cannot afford this.” 
Oliver: “I can't afford anything. That's why I made it. Arrowheads. The only thing I know how to make. If she won't wear it, she can use it to fight crime or something.” 
Diggle: “It's beautiful.” 
Oliver: “Congratulations. And not just on the baby. You and Lyla - you're happy.” 
(He moves away and starts punching the striking post.)
Diggle: “You should try it some time.”
Oliver (as he hits post): "My last girlfriend is a member of the League of Assassins. The girlfriend before her was shot by the girlfriend before her. I'm not what you'd call 'a catch.'"
Diggle: “Maybe Felicity will change all that.”
(Oliver stops punching. Abruptly.)
Diggle: "The sparks that've been flying between you guys for the past two years could power a small town."
Oliver: “It's not the right time -”
Diggle: “I figured you were waiting for something, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what. (Off Oliver) Things are as good now as they're ever going to get. You love her, man. You even told her so.”
Oliver: “Because I was trying to fool Slade.”
Diggle: “'Cept now the only person you're fooling is yourself."

301 (The Calm) - Laurel takes Oliver to a press conference given by newly promoted Captain Quentin Lance:
Laurel: "Steelgrave took a plea for 15 to 20. His lawyer folded like a deck chair after I hit him with the evidence that the Arrow gathered."
Oliver: "Good work."
Laurel: "You catch 'em. I cook 'em. Did I say that too loud?"
Oliver: "No, you're fine."
Laurel: "Did you ever think that we'd end up as business partners?"
Oliver: "Is that why you invited me down here, Laurel? To see Mr. Steelgrave sent off into his new life?"
Laurel: "No. I have a surprise for you."
Oliver: "What's your dad doing here?"
Laurel: "You'll see. I'll be right back... Dad. Hi! How are you?"
Quentin: "Uh, well, if they told me press conferences came with a promotion, I would've told them I preferred getting shot at."
Laurel: "Good thing your doctors didn't give you a choice then."
Quentin: "You know, you could try to hide the fact that you're glad I can't get out in the field anymore."
Laurel: "I can't hide that I'm glad that you're safe." (Returns to Oliver's side)
Oliver: "What's all this?"
Laurel: "Your surprise."
Quentin: "Thank you all. Thank you for coming. Five months ago, this City was under siege. And the S.C.P.D. rallied behind a man in a hood. Well, I ended up with a captain's rank and he didn't even get a thank you. But today, he does. Because today, the Starling City Police Department is formally recognizing the individual known as the Arrow. And I'm using my new position to disband the anti-vigilante task force charged with capturing him..."
Oliver (to Laurel): "Thank you.
Quentin: "Now, make no mistake. Vigilantism will never be tolerated. But I refuse to hunt in the name of this city the hero -"
(Cut to a building interior where a man says, "Shut that crap off.")

301 (The Calm) – Oliver asks Felicity out on a first date:
Oliver: “Hey, hey! How was work?”
Felicity: "’It’ is not work. It is a soul crushing exercise in misery that offers health and dental. Suffice it to say, I am highly motivated to help convince the board to sell you back the company. Unfortunately, you don't really have the qualifications to run Queen Consolidated, but what you do have is passion. You care about the company and the people that work there. That's what you have to get across to them. You got to speak from the heart.” (Slaps him on the chest)
Oliver: “Felicity. Would you like to go out to dinner with me?”
Felicity: “I'm being serious here, Oliver.”
Oliver: “So am I.”
Felicity: “I don't want to read too much into this, but are you asking me out on a date? Like an actual date? Like a date-date?”
Oliver: “Su - I mean, the implication being with dinner that you –“
Felicity: “Usually I'm the one talking in sentence fragments.”
Oliver (briefly laughs): “Would you like to go to dinner with me?”
Felicity: “Yes.”

301 (The Calm) – Oliver multitasks by simultaneously fighting crime and planning his first date with Felicity:
Diggle (on comms): “Kelvin Nico just knocked over a liquor store. Nico's in Steelgrave's crew.”
Oliver (on comms): “Send his photo to Roy. Get me Felicity.”
Diggle (on comms): “You got it.”
Felicity (on comms, wearing Tech Villages shirt): “I can't talk right now. I'm at work. (To customers in line) Could I ask you guys just to wait one moment? Someone's calling for tech support. (Back on comms) Oh, you are going to get me so incredibly fired. Okay, I am hacked into the city's database. I am running facial recognition… Now –“
Oliver (on comms): “Do you like Italian?” 
Felicity (on comms): “What?”
Oliver (on comms): “For tonight. You like Italian, right? Everyone likes Italian.” 
Felicity (on comms): “Oliver, you're in the middle of a high speed chase.” 
Oliver (on comms): “I'm multitasking.” 
Felicity (on comms): “I got him. He's in the sewer. I'm picking up his cell phone underneath. He's at the corner of Grand and Ames. And yes, I love Italian. Detective Lance - Captain Lance - is also in pursuit. You are welcome. I have to go.”
Oliver (using disguised voice): “Detective. Thank you.”
Quentin: “You had it handled.” 
Oliver: “For what you said today.”
Quentin: “I wish I could do more.” 
Oliver: “You've already done more than enough. I've got to go. Some place I have to be.” 
Quentin: “You got a hot date or something?”
(Oliver smiles.)

301 (The Calm) – Felicity unknowingly meets Ray Palmer (who doesn’t identify himself):
Felicity: “Hi. Thank you for waiting.”
Ray: “Ah, no problem. I just want to buy this.” 
Felicity: “This is a satellite frequency communicator TX40.” 
Ray: “Yeah, I'm trying to breach a torsecured firewall and I need something to help me piggyback off a keyhole hexagon satellite, so…” 
Felicity: “I did that once. Hacked a public Wi-Fi signal. Piggybacked using crowd-sourced stealth processing.” 
Ray: “Huh. You're Felicity Smoak. Formerly of Queen Consolidated. Do you mind if I ask you something - why are you here?”
Felicity: “How do you know who I am?” 
Ray: “I know a guy who might be interested in hiring someone with your expertise.” 
Felicity: “I'm not actually… looking for a new job right now. God help me.
But I can help you buy this. Unless I can't. I mean, I shouldn't. You shouldn't buy this.”
Ray: “Okay. Clearly you don't understand how this whole sales thing works.” 
Felicity: “The next gen model, the TX50, comes out in a few months. I got to touch one last year. Pure bliss. And if you want to breach Tor-level security, you should really deploy a remote administration tool. I have a good one. Here's the URL.” 
Ray: “Thanks.” 
Felicity: “Happy hacking.” 
Ray: “I certainly hope so.”

301 (The Calm) – Oliver & Felicity go on their first date, which is interrupted by a grenade attack:
Oliver: “Queen, party of two.”
Maitre d’: “Right this way.”
(Oliver sees Felicity sitting at the table and stops, stunned at how gorgeous she looks. She turns and smiles at him. He walks toward her and they awkwardly hug.)
Felicity: “Hi.” 
Oliver: “Hi.” 
(They sit down.)
Felicity: “What?” 
Oliver: “Nothing. I'm just –“
Felicity: “Nervous?” 
Oliver: “Yeah.” 
Felicity: “Line forms behind me.” 
Oliver (to waiter): “Scotch. Neat.”
Felicity (to waiter): “Just the water for me, thanks.”
Oliver: “Are you - are you sure? The booze might sort of help with the whole –“
Felicity: “The alcohol is not going to mix well with the three benzos I took.” (Waiter leaves)
Oliver: “Am I being crazy? I mean, what do we have to be nervous about?”
Felicity: “Well, we've already exhausted every topic that one would normally talk about on a first date and a second date and a third date, and every date, actually, and I've already seen you shirtless. Multiple times. Shirtless, all the time. (To waiter who’s dropping off drinks) Thank you.” 
Oliver (to waiter): “Thank you. (To Felicity) There are still a few things that you don't know about me.” 
Felicity: “Please. Name one.”
Oliver: “The five years that I was away - I wasn't always on Lian Yu.” 
Felicity: “I thought so. Where were you?” 
Oliver: “Hong Kong. For one. And I have been thinking a lot recently about… my time there. Choices that I had to make.” 
Felicity: “Those years sound like they were full of a whole lot of suck.” 
Oliver: “I'm sorry. I'm just a little out of my element… The entire time that I was gone, I could never completely trust someone. And when that goes on for so long, you stop seeing people for people. You see threats. Or targets. And when I decided to come home, I - I just didn't know how to turn that part of me off. Then I walked into your office. You were the first person that I could see as a… a person. There was just something about you.”
Felicity: “Oh, yeah, I was chewing on a pen.”
Oliver: “It was red.”
(Cut to neighboring rooftop)
Bad Guy: “GPS shows him in the restaurant. The Arrow's definitely in there. If we're going to find him, we got to get in close.”
Count Vertigo: “We're close enough.”
(Cut back to restaurant)
Oliver: “Do you remember when I told you that because of what we do, I didn't think that I could be with someone that I - that I could really care about?” 
Felicity: “Yeah, I remember.”
Oliver: “So maybe I was wrong.” (She smiles at him)
(Cut to the Count whistling and aiming grenade launcher at restaurant.  Oliver hears sound, looks toward window, and pushes Felicity to the ground. Big explosion.)

301 (The Calm) – Portion of Oliver & Felicity's conversation during their first date (as scripted, but not aired) :
Felicity: “Those five years sound like they were filled with a whole lot of suck.” 
Oliver: “That pretty much covers it. It's hard. I spent five years not being able to trust people. In my mind, everyone became a threat... or a target. And when I got home, I found I couldn't shut that off. But, then... I walked into your office and you... broke through. The first person I could see as a person. There was just... something about you."
Felicity: "I was chewing on a pen..."
Oliver: "It was red."

301 (The Calm) – Oliver brings an unconscious Felicity back to the Arrowcave: 
Roy: “Is she okay?” 
Oliver: “She's just knocked out. 
Diggle: “Saw it all over the news. Police and Fire are on the scene.”
Oliver: “Yeah, I didn't think it was the best idea to stick around and answer questions.”
Diggle: “You don't think you and an explosion at the same place is a coincidence?”
Roy: “Hey, check this out. It's a GPS. I found it on your jacket. It's wasted now.”
Diggle: “You took out one of Steelgrave’s crew earlier tonight.”
Oliver: “It was a set-up so they could plant that thing on me.”
Diggle: “Oliver, I know what you're thinking.”
Oliver: “No, you don't.” 
Diggle: “Listen, I'm not other people. I know exactly what's going on in your head, and you are wrong.” 
Oliver: “Diggle, somebody put a tracer on me and I don't notice? The only explanation… I lost my focus.”
*  *  *
(Felicity recovers consciousness.)
Felicity (gasping): “Oliver!”
Oliver: “Hey, hey, hey, you're safe. You're safe. I'm here.”

301 (The Calm) – Oliver & Felicity postpone their talk about their disastrous first date:
Felicity: “Are you okay? That was a pretty strong psychotropic Werner hit you with.”
Oliver: “How's Detective Lance's condition?”
Felicity: “Stable. He's at Sarling General. I hacked the paramedic radio. He had a coronary artery spasm treatable with medication. He'll be fine.”
Oliver (softly): “How are you?”
Felicity: “Believe it or not, I have had worse first dates.” 
Oliver: “Hit the streets. Werner's agenda can't stop with me. I need to know what he has planned.” 
Roy: “On it.” (Leaves)
Diggle: “I'll back him up.” 
Oliver: “Roy's got it. Go home to Lyla.”
Diggle: “Oliver. If this is about what happened, man, risk is part of the job.”
Oliver: “Diggle. It's just Intel gathering. Roy can handle it.” (Diggle leaves)
Oliver: “I know we need to talk.”
Felicity: “About our dinner? Or our dinner getting blown up?”
Oliver: “Both.”
Felicity: “It's okay. We'll talk about it after we catch this guy. But maybe we should reschedule the board meeting.”
Oliver: “It's in less than an hour. I've got this.”

301 (The Calm) – Oliver makes his presentation to the Queen Consolidated board, but is upstaged by Ray Palmer:
Felicity: “And I just spoke to Ned Foster. He said the board is primed. You just have to go in there and wow them. Which I am pretty sure is a business term.”
Man: “I'm afraid we have a situation. Apparently there's another bidder for the company.”
Oliver: “Really? Who?”
Ray (entering): “Ray Palmer. Nice to meet you. Love your company. Nice to see you again, Miss Smoak.”
Oliver: “You two know each other?”
Ray: “So sorry I am late. Heh, traffic was terrible. Which is why I took my helicopter. I parked on your roof. I hope that's okay. You guys validate, right?”
Felicity: “Oh, frack.”
Oliver (to QC Board): “Two years ago, the people of Starling City thought I was dead. I came back. And so can Queen Consolidated. With Starling National Bank's new investment, we can take QC out of receivership and into the future. I mean, this company's my family. And as my mother always said, there is nothing more important to me than family. Thank you.”
Ray: “That was a good speech. Hard to top. Thank you all for coming out today. I promise to be brief, if not a little entertaining. Ahh. Oh, that's one of my new smart watches. I'm very proud of those. You like it, it works for you? Yeah, good. Anyway. Science. Numbers. I like numbers. These numbers show QC's performance under Mr. Queen's management. I'm using that term extremely loosely, b-t-w. Also b-t-w, these numbers aren't sanitized for Wall Street. This is raw information from your company's own servers.” 
Oliver: “How did he get into our computers?”
Felicity: “Something tells me he deployed a remote administration tool.” 
Ray: “But the truth is, this company's woes are a symptom of a much larger problem. And that problem is Starling City. Queen Consolidated can't hope to survive if the city it's located in is dying. Guess what? It is. Nobody wants to live here anymore. And after two terrorist attacks, who can blame them? This city still needs saving. And that is my vision for this company. To not only see it rise from the ashes, but to take this city with it to that new horizon. And that new day has a name.” (Screen shows “Star City” name, and QC Board applauds.)

301 (The Calm) – Oliver is having second thoughts about having a personal life:
Felicity: “Oliver! I'm sorry. I really thought it was going to go our way.”
Oliver: “So did I. But maybe the company's better off with Dr. Palmer. I couldn't make time for QC last year, and trying to get the company back now, it's selfish. That's something that the old me would have done. And if the past 12 hours have reminded me of anything, it's that two years ago, I made the decision to put Oliver Queen aside and be the Arrow. It's not a choice I get to unmake.”
Felicity: “Last night at the restaurant, you didn't feel that way.” 
Oliver: “Look what happened, Felicity.” 
Felicity: “Oliver! The explosion wasn't your fault.” 
Oliver: “When Werner hit me with the Vertigo dart, he told me that his formula, it shows us our worst fear. And I saw myself.” 
Felicity: “You don't really think you're afraid of yourself, do you?” 
Oliver: “I think I'm scared of what would happen if I let myself be Oliver Queen.”

301 (The Calm) – Oliver doesn’t want Diggle in the field any more:
Diggle: “Where do you want me?”
Oliver: “Here. I can't have you in the field anymore.”
Diggle: “Really? What changed?”
Oliver: “You're going to be a father.”
Diggle: “Oliver, you've known for the past five months I was going to be a father. So I ask you again - what changed?”
Oliver: “I have. My risks can't be your risks. That – Diggle, you have a life. You have a new life, it's... a life I can't have.” 
Diggle: “I get it. You and Felicity were in an explosion. People died, either one of you could have. But you didn't. You can't let that shake you, man.”
Oliver: “Detective Lance is laying in hospital bed right now because I let him –“
Diggle: “Wait, wait, wait! Lance is his own man who makes his own decisions, and so am I.” 
Oliver: “Not this one.” 
Diggle: “Oliver, I've given the last two years of my life to your crusade. I don't know what that's supposed to earn me, but it earns me at least the right to make my own choices.”
Oliver: “No, it doesn't –“
Diggle: “Damn it, Oliver, you would be dead ten times over if it wasn't for me!” 
Oliver: “You're right. But this is my crusade, which makes this my decision.”

301 (The Calm) – Felicity helps Team Arrow defuse a bomb:
Oliver (on comms): “Go!”
Felicity (on comms): “I've isolated a frequency spike consistent with an incendiary device. It's in the maintenance tunnel underneath the stands.”
(Oliver looks at bad guys running away.)
Roy: “I'll get the bomb. Get the son of a bitch.”
(Cut to Oliver fighting the bad guys, and Sara jumps in to help him.)
Roy (on comms): “Felicity, we're running out of time here.”
Felicity (on comms): “Okay. From your description, it sounds like a collapsible circuit design.” 
Roy (on comms): “Felicity.”
Felicity (on comms): “Cut the yellow wire.” 
Roy (on comms): “There is no yellow wire.” 
Felicity (on comms): “Okay, new plan. Look above you, there should be insulated piping pumping the arena's AC system. They're pumping freon. You want to break one off, aim it at the bomb. You're going to freeze the thing.” 
(Cut to Oliver and Sara fighting the bad guys, and then Roy climbing up the ceiling and trying to freeze the bomb.)
Roy (on comms): "It's not working!" (Then it works.)

301 (The Calm) - After helping Oliver out in a fight, Sara gives him some advice:
Oliver: "You look well. How's Nanda Parbat?"
Sara: "Hot. It's good to see you."
Oliver: "You've been missed."
Sara: "I was on my way to see Laurel. Picked up your radio chatter. You should tell Felicity to mix up her frequencies a bit."
Oliver: "It's a good tip. And is this permanent? You being back? Hope so."
Sara: "We'll see. How're you doing?"
Oliver: "I'm working through a few things."
Sara: "Word of advice? We're not our masks, and we need people in our lives who don't wear one."
(Oliver nods and she walks away.)

301 (The Calm) – Felicity encounters Ray Palmer at the hospital when she goes to visit Lyla, Diggle and their newborn daughter:
Ray: “Hey.” 
Felicity: “What are you doing here? And the answer better not be stalking me.” 
Ray: “Well, that depends on whether you consider pinging your phone's GPS stalking. Okay, guilty. But you know how I know a guy who would be interested in hiring someone with your expertise? (She just looks at him) Yeah, turns out I could really use it. Seems somebody hacked my cell phone and my laptop and my desktop.” 
Felicity: “Gee, that's too bad.” 
Ray: “All my data's been replaced by audio files of porcupine flatulence. And so I was hoping that whoever did it might be willing to undo it if I apologized for misleading them in any way.”
Felicity: “That would probably work. Oh, unless, of course, you did all that to steal that person's friend's company, in which case I would suggest getting used to the sound of spiky rodents farting.” 
Ray: “I didn't steal anything! (She looks at him) Okay, maybe a little, but as it turns out, I didn't even need the data. I mean, you saw the speech. It was a pretty good speech.” 
Felicity: “My friends just had a baby, so if you don't mind, there's another slimy little human that needs my attention. Oh, and b-t-w, might want to check your tablet while you're at it.”

301 (The Calm) – Felicity and Oliver visit Lyla, Diggle and their newborn daughter at the hospital:
(Diggle is sitting on the edge of the hospital bed beside Lyla, who’s holding their newborn baby daughter.)
Felicity: “Hey.” 
Lyla (holding baby): “Hi.”
Felicity: “Oh, she is scrumptious! Mazel tov, guys, seriously.”
Diggle: “Thank you.”
(Oliver approaches and knocks on the door frame.)
Oliver: “I can come back.”
Diggle: “No, Oliver, come in.” 
(He gets up and walks over to Oliver. They both stand in the doorway and look at Lyla with the baby.)
Oliver: “Oh, she's perfect. Congratulations.” 
Diggle: “Thank you, Oliver.” 
Oliver: “For what?” 
Diggle: “For being right. The second I looked at her… everything changed. The whole universe... changed. You were right.” (Offers his hand to shake, but Oliver hugs him instead)
(Oliver looks back over at Felicity standing by Lyla’s bedside.)

301 (The Calm) – Oliver and Felicity have their first kiss:
Felicity: “They look really happy. She’s beautiful.”
Oliver: “She is. We need to talk.”
Felicity: “I don't want to talk – which, for me, I know is a little unprecedented. But… as soon as we talk, it's over.” 
Oliver: “I'm so sorry. I thought that I could be me and the Arrow. But I can't. Not now. Maybe not ever.”
Felicity: “Then say 'never.' Stop dangling 'maybes.' Say it's never going to work out between us. Say you never loved me. Say –“
Oliver: “Felicity… (He kisses her) … Don't ask me to say that I don't love you.” 
Felicity: “I told you as soon as we talked, it would be over.” (She walks away)
Oliver (answering phone): “Hello?”
Barry (on phone): “It's Barry. Barry Allen. I woke up. I could use some advice.” 
Oliver: “I'll be right there.”

301 (The Calm) – Portion of Oliver & Felicity's conversation surrounding their first kiss (as scripted, but not aired):
Felicity: “Then say ‘never.’ Don't just dangle hope with ‘maybes.’ Just say it's never going to happen for us. Say you never loved me –“
(Oliver quickly pulls Felicity into a kiss. It's a perfect true love kiss. Two years in the making.)
Oliver: "Now tell me I don't love you."
Felicity: "I told you... as soon as we talked it would be over."

301 (The Calm) – Sara is killed by a mysterious archer:
(On a rooftop, Laurel meets Sara.)
Laurel: "And here I thought that you used up all of your League of Assassin vacation days." (Hugs her)
Sara: "You look great. How's Dad doing?"
Laurel: "The same. Seeing you will help."
Sara: "I don't want him to know I'm in town. Not just yet."
Laurel: "You don't want him to know you're in town, or you don't want him to know why?"
Sara: "Both. This life, it - it's complicated."
Laurel: "We didn't want you to choose it. Not for us."
Sara: "I know. I chose it for me."
(Laurel's phone beeps.)
Laurel: "The Arrow - Oliver - busted someone who tried to blow up Rockets Arena. And my boss wants me to head to the station to backstop the interrogation."
Sara: "Laurel Lance. Always trying to save the world."
Laurel: "Runs in the family. (They hug) Love you." (Leaves)
(Laurel walks down through the building and exits. On the rooftop, Sara puts her mask back on and starts to walk away.)
Disguised Male Voice: "Hello, Sara."
Sara: "What are you doing here?"
(Mysterious archer shoots three arrows into Sara's body. She topples off the rooftop to the alley below, hitting a dumpster on the way. Her mask falls off. Laurel just happens to be walking by and sees her dead body on the ground.)
Laurel (crying): "Oh! No! No! Sara! Sara! No, no! Please!" (Gathers Sara's body up in her arms and rocks back and forth)

Edited April 5, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

I just added four script pages for the opening scene of this episode to my above transcriptions (per MG's tweet yesterday). The script apparently envisioned a longer opening sequence, with more action and more dialogue, than the scene that actually aired. So I've added an additional, separate transcription above for the opening scene as scripted.

Edited April 5, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

301 scene of first Olicity kiss (as aired)...

(NiamhBluex12)

[tv echo]

301 deleted scene...

Arrow 3x01 Deleted Scene - Count Vertigo receive news

(Hermandat)

[Jack Shaftoe]

I am quite a few years late for the party but I want to say that this episode made me drop the show. I watched Legends of Tomorrow before starting Arrow and had read quite a few spoilers in addition to that but still wasn't prepared for the way in which they unceremoniously killed off Sara. She literally fell into a dumpster. Okay, right next to it but still. Nice metaphor for the way the show has been trending lately, albeit an unintentional one.

I will miss Felicity, Diggle and Quentin but will certainly not miss the appallingly bad romantic relationships (Sara and Oliver getting back together, followed by her dragging him to a Lance family dinner was one of the biggest WTF moments I have ever seen on TV), or the endless drama concerning the often unnecessary hiding of secret identities. Or the idiotic refusal to kill even monsters like Slade.

Or the frequent bizarre and forced plot developments like Moira (I loved her, don't get me wrong but mostly because the actress was amazing) almost becoming a mayor after admitting to plotting mass murder, Thea cozying up with Malcolm because she was tired of lies (?!?), Isabel whining how Robert was her soulmate or the ARGUS boss almost destroying an entire city because she couldn't think of another way of killing 50 guys who were very much vulnerable to grenades and other mundane weapons. Or Laurel in general. I have rarely seen a character so out of place in a show and such a disconnect between what we keep hearing about her from other characters and what we actually see.

Also, I am not sure I can handle seeing Ray being such a dick.