S03.E03: Corto Maltese

[Ceylon5]

I'm beginning to think that in the same way the show is always trying to top itself with the coolness of its stunts, they're also always trying to top themselves on the stupidity of the things Laurel does.  I can just see a writer excitedly putting up their hand and saying "Ooh, ooh, I've just thought of something EXTRA stupid Laurel can do in the next episode..."  And thus we get Laurel in an alley with a baseball bat.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Ceylon5

[yellowfred]

going after the guy when she didn't know if the girlfriend was a liar or not,

 

In fairness, on that part at least, she had reason to be confident.  There was physical evidence and both she and Lance mentioned that it was a recurring thing.  Plus, she was in an AA meeting, which is more or less the equivalent of a therapy session, and it's not the sort of thing that's often lied about (or, rather, people don't often fabricate domestic abuse charges; lying to cover it up is a different story). 

 

The thing that bothered me more was that they were both apparently aware of not only the abuse, but also who the boyfriend was (Laurel even knew that he had outstanding warrants).  It seems kind of shitty that they'd just have ignored it all that time, especially when all they had to do was phone in a fake anonymous tip. 

[Ceylon5]

Maybe I'm misremembering this, but wasn't there some spoiler ages ago about a "great scene" between Laurel and Felicity in this episode?  Was that brief phone-call meant to be it (though I suppose it is the longest conversation they've had on-screen thus far)?  I remember people worrying because the spoiler about the "coffee call-back" was also for this episode and people were speculating that it might have something to do with Laurel (thankfully not!).  So, a lot of nervous energy was needlessly wasted!

[ostentatious]

The spoiler was that Laurel knowing about TA meant they could do an L/F scene they couldn't have done before. So, yeah, that has to be it.

[foreverevolving]

@Ceylon5 which is why i don't sweat over spoilers. they're fun to read and know about but.. that's about it.

[statsgirl]

Plus, she was in an AA meeting, which is more or less the equivalent of a therapy session, and it's not the sort of thing that's often lied about (or, rather, people don't often fabricate domestic abuse charges; lying to cover it up is a different story). 

 

The thing that bothered me more was that they were both apparently aware of not only the abuse, but also who the boyfriend was (Laurel even knew that he had outstanding warrants).  It seems kind of shitty that they'd just have ignored it all that time, especially when all they had to do was phone in a fake anonymous tip. 

I've seen enough people lie about abuse, or believe that it happened when it didn't, that I don't take it all on trust now.  Laurel's been working in the field at least three years now (one at CNRI, two in the DA's office) that she should know that she needs to check statements out first.  But the point of this wasn't that she was defending a battered woman but that she found someone to take a baseball bat to.

 

But my question is, since AA is Anonymous, how did she find out who the woman was and thereby the name of her boyfriend?  Did she ask her the name of her boyfriend during the coffe time?  Follow her home?  Why did she even nee Felicity to look up the guy?   (I presume she told Quentin later so he could see if there were any outstanding warrants on the guy and later picked up and charged.)

 

Maybe I'm misremembering this, but wasn't there some spoiler ages ago about a "great scene" between Laurel and Felicity in this episode?  Was that brief phone-call meant to be it (though I suppose it is the longest conversation they've had on-screen thus far)?

Yeah, that was probably the "great scene" because they could finally do a funny with Laurel and Felicity.  Isn't it great how Laurel can be part of the main stories now that she knows Oliver's secret?  <eyeroll>

[MsSchadenfreude]

Finally got to watch the whole episode.

 

If someone doesn't tell Quentin and Dinah that their youngest daughter is dead and soon, I am going to go full on ragey about it.  There is no excuse for Laurel to keep this a secret from them, none.  Sara was their child and they have the absolute right to know she is dead.  It's bad enough that neither one of them got to see her one last time and say goodbye.  I mean come on Felicity, Diggle and Roy got to say goodbye, but Quentin and Dinah do not.  Nope!!!!

 

The boys took a road trip, got into fights and destroyed hotel property. If I didn't know better, I think this was Arrow's version of spring break.

 

New office, new job, cute assistant that brings you coffee.  Way to go Felicity!  LOL at "I'm sure whoever blew up Applied Science lab had their reasons."

 

I do not like you Mark Shaw, but then I don't like anybody that gives Diggle a hard time.  Hi Lyla!  Hi baby Sara! You are both adorable, but that's not going to stop me from lusting after Diggle.  I mean have you seen his arms. :)

 

Malcolm, good to know you are still as batshit crazy as ever.  Nice haircut Thea.

 

Stand up and take a bow, Roy Harper ( and no this is not a sentence I ever thought I would type).  You handled your discussion with Thea like a mature, rational adult.  Maybe, you could mention how to do that to some other people on this show.

 

Oliver/Thea scenes were my favorite part of this episode.  Of course, they are both still lying to each other,so this won't end well, but still it was nice.

 

Welcome back Nyssa!  Now go kick someone's ass just because you can.

Edited October 25, 2014 by MsSchadenfreude

[formerlyfreedom]

I know this will be hard for some of you to believe, but did you know there are posters who aren't fans of Katie Cassidy and Laurel Lance?

 

Okay, folks, once again, your mods are going to ask you to take it down a notch on KC/LL. It's okay not to like the character/actress/how she is written/etc/etc/etc. It is EQUALLY okay for someone to feel exactly the opposite of you, and this becomes a less than pleasant place to visit sometimes, because of the repetitiveness of the hatred towards the character.

 

So let's remember that it's totally okay for everyone to feel how they feel, and also, let's stop beating the poor horse, because it's dead. It has crossed the River Styx, it went to a farm in the country, it's passed, it's in a better place, it sleeps with the fishes. Once you have stated your dislike, leave it there, and move on.

 

As always, we appreciate your cooperation!

 

@Lisin, @SilverStormm, @MostlyC, and

[Shanna]

Hey! I Just watched a season 1 episode and they mentioned Corto Maltese as a place dead shot killed people! Fun. Now I'm wondering if it has more significance.

[millennium]

Once again, I read through Page 1 and was so turned off by the Laurel hate that I decided not to bother with the rest.

 

There's an old prayer, goes like "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change ... "

 

Just saying.

 

I didn't give Laurel's phone call to Felicity a second thought.   Felicity handled it perfectly, with her characteristic, slightly snarky humor. 

 

Laurel started down the path to canarydom in an unfortunately cliche manner, but it makes sense.   She has an addictive personality.   Maybe she's trading one drug for another, in the hope it will make her feel better.    Maybe she thinks it will give her control over the things she can't control.   I can't say she's doing it for right or wrong reasons.   Superheroes are damaged people, all searching for something redemptive.   Whether she'll find it remains to be seen.

 

Best scene of course was Oliver with Thea.   Funny, I didn't like Thea much last season (too much the brat) or Roy either, but no complaints so far in S3.    I think it's wise to keep Roy in the background, with a more subdued role.  

 

The Diggles do nothing for me.   Diggle alone is fine.   But the wife and child scenes are snooze-worthy.

 

 

 

 

[MostlyC]

Please read:

The repeated bashing of Laurel the character and Katie Cassidy the actress has crossed the line. We are not going to go back and delete or move anything, but going forward, let's keep this in mind; you don't have to like Laurel or Katie Cassidy, just as other posters are not required to hate them. Continued and/or repeated posts saying the same thing over and over again will be deleted. Also, just because you think it, does not mean it needs to be put on the internet; think before you post. There are people who are not comfortable with reading in here because of the vitriol against the character and actress, and frankly, that includes the mods. The tone of a number of the Laurel-hating posts leaves much to be desired, so reel it in please. Going forward, we will be watching and posts may be deleted or edited.

Thank you for your consideration.

 

Your mods,

Lisin, MostlyC, SilverStormm, and stacey

[Hook75]

Just watching all the epes these days.  Oliver can't buy a bed but he buys 4 plane tickes + hotel rooms? Where is the money coming from?

[SmallScreenDiva]

Just watching all the epes these days.  Oliver can't buy a bed but he buys 4 plane tickes + hotel rooms? Where is the money coming from?

 

According to the Season 2.5 comics,

from the sizable insurance policy Moira Queen left. They didn't really give the figure, though. But it seems he's plowed everything into the crime-fighting business.

[Hook75]

Thank you.

[Starfish35]

Posted thoughts that were spoilers for the rest of the season in the Bitterness thread, and Laurel thoughts in the Laurel thread.

Good things about this episode!

- Dyla and baby. :) They really are my Arrow OTP.

- Theroy is also cute.

- That scene where Roy goes to grab his bow and Oliver asks "what are you doing?" Poor Roy, and Oliver had the cutest half-grin on his face.

- speaking of, I know I'm terrible, but I'm never not going to find Oliver hot with a gun in his hand. *sigh*

- It's a little uncanny sometimes how much Willa Holland can remind me of Susanna Thompson. There was just something about that flashback scene in the limousine.

- Oliver making bows and arrows out of stuff in the hotel. I loved it. Ok, I'm sure it's wildly implausible, but still.

- Felicity in her new job, trying to juggle job and Team Arrow. (Although, ok Felicity, I know you were upset last week. But you didn't even bother to find out what the job was?)

- Ray was actually pretty awesome. (Although what was with his eye in that first scene?) At least until that kind of creepy look after looking at those weapons blueprints Felicity retrieved for him.

- Lots of great Oliver/Thea scenes. (Although not so great that they're still lying to each other.)

[statsgirl]

My favorite scene in the episode was the quickie flashback to Oliver and Diggle making bows and arrows out of the parts of the hotel.  Poor Roy, left out as always.

 

The one thing I like about the Ray/Felicity arc was how he valued how smart she is. 

At least until they got to episode 317 that is, and then he lost all his previous points..

[tv echo]

303 (Corto Maltese) – Oliver Queen’s voiceover intro:
Oliver (voiceover): "My name is Oliver Queen. After five years in hell, I have come home with only one goal - to save my city. Now others have joined my crusade. To them, I am Oliver Queen. But to the rest of Starling City, I am someone else. I am something else."

303 (Corto Maltese) – Felicity tracks Thea to Corto Maltese:
Oliver: "Another dead end."
Felicity: "It took me a week to get a hit off that print. I had to reconstruct the partial using a predictive indexing algorithm. Appropriate, since it was his index finger... Not particularly relevant now."
Diggle: "Don't worry, Oliver, we'll find him. He's out there somewhere."
Oliver: "No, he's not. Trail's gone cold."
Felicity: "I hate to do this, but I have to head off to work."
Oliver: "Tech Village is open this early?" 
Felicity: "Not exactly."
Oliver: "Have you figured out where in Italy Thea's staying?" 
Felicity: "Yeah, about that - she's not in Italy. Or Europe. Or, well, she's -" 
Oliver: "Where is she?" 
Felicity: "I had to ping her cell phone to find out where in Italy she was texting from. Turns out, came back Corto Maltese." 
Diggle: "Corto's an island off of South America. What's up with your family and islands?"
Roy: "Wait, Oliver. Thea's letter said not to come find her." 
Oliver: "That letter was addressed to you, not to me. I'm watching Laurel go through losing Sara. It's time for my sister to come home. (Looks as Roy goes to grab his bow) What are you doing?" 
Roy: "Thea's gone because of me. Because of the lies that I told her. So I owe this to both of you to make things right."
Oliver: "No. What are you... doing? You can't travel with that."
Roy: "I've actually never been on a plane before."

303 (Corto Maltese) - Laurel meets Ted Grant AKA Wildcat:
Laurel: "Ted Grant."
Ted: "I guess that badge means you're not here for a self-defense class."
Laurel: "No, I've already had my fair share. I'm here about one of your students, Tom Bronsen. A witness places him at the scene of a break-in last night."
Ted: "That's not possible. See, 'cause Tom and I were sparring last night."
Laurel: "Mr. Grant, do you know that lying to the District Attorney is against the law?"
Ted: "If by that, if you mean am I willing to lie in order to keep a good kid who happened to make a stupid mistake out of this system, I think you know my answer."
Laurel: "Are you admitting to perjury, Mr. Grant?"
Ted: "Now that's a big word. I'm just a dumb fighter, right? Tom was here with me last night. We worked on his uppercut combinations. Like I said, in this city, there's a lot of good people who got dealt bad hands. They lose someone, they lose themselves, which is why they come in here to work off that rage. I've gotten good at picking out the types. Types just like you."
Laurel: "If I'm angry, it's because I'm dealing with someone who's willing to lie to a D.A. to protect a punk kid."
Ted: "I don't think that's the case. Either way, if you do have something you want to work off -" (Hands her a "Learn to Fight" flyer)

303 (Corto Maltese) – Ray gives Felicity her own Executive Assistant and asks her to recover data from a Q.C. Applied Sciences file server that was damaged in an explosion:
Ray: "Q.C. stock up 10 buck at the open. That is love, ha!  (Felicity enters) Ah, Miss Smoak, good morning - I think. I've been here all night. My predecessor left things a little, um, what's the polite way to say this? Little wonky. Sorry if I'm rambling. I'm a little over-caffeinated. I just had three espressos. Speaking of coffee -"
Felicity: "Let me stop you right there! I told myself that I would stand firm on a few points. No late night emails, no personal errands, and definitely no coffee. There'll be no espressos brought to you by me. I stand very firm on that last point."
Ray: "And I admire your conviction. This is Jerry Conway, your Executive Assistant. And I wanted to know if you'd like him to get you a coffee. Or are you just anti-latte in general?"
Felicity: "Um - Executive Assistant?" 
Ray: "I think that's a 'yes' on the latte. Thank you, Jerry."
Felicity: "Thank you, Jerry."
Ray: "Should we get to work? Excellent.  Applied Sciences. Q.C.'s bleeding edge research division, till some wacko blew it up last year." 
Felicity: "I'm sure they had their reasons." 
Ray: "The point is, it's the cornerstone for my plan to rebuild Queen Consolidated and thus the City. I've had my people working day and night salvaging what they can, including this - a file server containing Applied Science's design work. It's not working, unfortunately, on account of being caught in a massive explosion."
Felicity: "You want me to access the data."
Ray: "A brilliant mind at work already. Speaking of, I got to get back to work." 
Felicity: "Then why are you leaving your office?" 
Ray: "I'm not. I'm leaving yours."

303 (Corto Maltese) – Felicity's meeting with Ray is interrupted by phone calls from Diggle and Laurel asking for tech help:
Ray: "Hey. Any luck raising our digital Lazarus from the dead?"
Felicity: "The hard drive is toast. And the power supply. And... the actuator." 
Ray: "Ah, I'm sensing a pattern."
(Cell phone rings.)
Felicity: "Sorry, one second. Hello?" 
Diggle (on phone): "Hey, Felicity, this is John. Where are you?" 
Felicity: "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Diggle (on phone): "Are you near a computer?" 
Felicity: "Kind of."
Diggle (on phone): "I'm looking for somebody in Corto Maltese." 
Felicity: "I'm actually a little bit in the middle of a -"
Diggle (on phone): "I need to know where he is. I've emailed you everything I have on him."
Felicity: "Meeting right now. (To Ray) I am so sorry. It's a friend. Um, well, a few friends... Actually. You know what, it's a long story." 
Ray: "Heh. Why am I under the impression that you have a lot of stories, all of which are long? You want me to come back later?"
Felicity: "What? (Cell phone rings) Sorry. Hello?" 
Laurel (on phone): "Felicity, I need a favor."
Felicity: "Are we favor friends now? Are we friends?" 
Laurel (on phone): "What?" 
Felicity: "Never mind, sorry. (Desk phone rings) Oh, dear God. One second. One more second. Hello?" 
Diggle (on phone): "We got cut off." 
Felicity: "According to the file you sent me, this guy is somewhat of a hacker." 
Ray: "Let me guess - long story?" 
Diggle (on phone): "Yeah, the guy I'm looking for broke into A.R.G.U.S's system." 
Felicity: "And he left a trail. It's faint - hacking-wise - but with a little bit of luck, I will find him, or his laptop. I will email you when I have something. (To Laurel) I'm having a bit of a day."
Laurel (on phone): "I need you to help me find someone by Googling his phone or something."
Felicity: "Pinging his GPS. Can I call you back?" 
Ray: "Is this what a typical day looks like for you?"
Felicity: "Believe it or not, this is better than most."

303 (Corto Maltese) - Oliver refuses to train Laurel: 
(Laurel is sitting with a bruised face inside Verdant.)
Oliver: "Laurel?"
Laurel: "I didn't know the Arrow took vacations."
Oliver: "Hey. What happened?"
Laurel: "I'm fine."
Oliver: "What happened?"
Laurel: "I tried to do good. It didn't work out."
Oliver (exasperated): "Laurel."
Laurel: "I know that it probably sounds insane - it probably is, but... (Holds up jacket) Sara. She gave me this. And when I wear it, it makes me want to help people like she did. Like she's alive again."
Oliver: "I get it. Sara had training. She had years -"
Laurel: "Oliver, I know. Which is why I need to start. And I need your help."
Oliver: "No."
Laurel: "Oliver."
Oliver: "No! No. I - I want you to consider what would happen to your father if something happened to you."
Laurel: "Oliver, ever since it happened, I have had this fire inside of me that I can't get rid of with booze or pills. I need another way. And the other night, even though it went wrong, it was the first time since Sara died where I haven't felt that fire."
Oliver: "I'm sorry, but I can't. And even if I could, Sara would never forgive me." (Leaves)

303 (Corto Maltese) - Laurel goes to Ted Grant for training:
(Ted is boxing in the gym, when Laurel approaches.)
Laurel: "Okay. When can we start?"

303 (Corto Maltese) – Felicity asks Ray for a few days off to go visit a friend who was in a coma:
Ray: "Do you know how many of Q.C. techs said this data was unrecoverable? Only all of them."
Felicity: "Seems like this would be a good time to ask for a few days off then."
Ray: "You just started."
Felicity: "I know. But... my friend was struck by lightning and is in a coma. Well, was - I don't know. Um, it's -"
Ray: "A long story. See ya." 
Felicity: "Thanks."

Edited February 18, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

303 deleted scene...

Arrow 3x03 Deleted Scene - "You are my family"

(Hermandat)