S03.E18: Public Enemy

[formerlyfreedom]

During an attack on the mayor's office, Ray is critically injured. Felicity is pleasantly surprised when her mother, Donna Smoak, shows up at the hospital to offer her support. With the SCPD out in full force looking for the assailant, Oliver and his team work hard to stay one step ahead of the police to find the man responsible. However, things come to a head when Ra's al Ghul kidnaps Captain Lance.

 

 

[janeta]

Argh, Felicity's mother makes my teeth ache...

[apinknightmare]

Thoughts as I watched:

 

Felicity spends most of the episode at Ray’s bedside when the people she cares about are on the run from the cops? Yeah, okay.
 

Quentin outs Oliver? Yeah, okay.
 

Laurel telling Quentin he’s only mad at Oliver because he lied about Sara being dead? LOL, okay.
 

The Arrow logic that has Quentin pissed at Oliver, again, for not telling him about Sara being on Lian Yu when he didn’t fucking tell him that because he thought she died later? Typical. So typical.
 

Quentin being gullible as fuck? Okay.
 

I actually cackled when Lance told the officers he wanted a pic of Oliver distributed to every cop in the force and that one cop holds up the douchey pic of him (sans Robert).
 

The Ray Show starring Ray being a completely separate entity was never so obvious as it was tonight. Good lord. We’ve got Oliver being chased by the cops and then do do do Ray playing airplane with his oxygen monitor with quirky happy music playing in the background. I guess they’re trying to show the difference between her life with Ray and her life with Oliver, but good god.
 

Oliver saying “follow me. Just a little bit further. Till the end.” Gah.
 

Well, now we know what happens to Roy.

Edited April 2, 2015 by apinknightmare

[InsertWordHere]

Oh, Roy :( 

 

I laughed when Lance shot down the infamous serial killer picture of Oliver in favor of one with scruff. 

 

3 seasons and they cut to commercial break at Quentin's reaction to OQ being the Arrow and they have Digg and Oliver talking over Lance's press conference so we don't actually get to hear him say, "Oliver Queen is the Arrow." Okay. That's not how I would have chosen to edit this episode. 

Edited April 2, 2015 by InsertWordHere

[AyChihuahua]

 

do do do Ray playing airplane with his oxygen monitor with quirky happy music playing in the background.

But, I thought he was critically wounded!

[apinknightmare]

I know this is terrible, but if this is the Lance we've got from now on, I wouldn't mind if he kicks it. With dramatic deathbed forgiveness for Laurel, but probably not Oliver since he seems to be the biggest sinner in his eyes now. 

[nksarmi]

When did they change the opening of this show to include Ray flying?

 

I liked a lot of it except Quentin getting pissed about not being told Sara made it to the island.  What the heck?  He never talked to Sara about how she survived the boat wreck?

 

I love Roy sacrificing himself like that and maybe it's enough that I don't have to wonder how the heck Oliver can ever be Oliver Queen again.

 

Oh and the nanobites that can shrink things?  I so hope that means the suit will shrink by the time it gets to the spin off!

Edited April 2, 2015 by nksarmi

[apinknightmare]

But, I thought he was critically wounded!

 

He was! He took an arrow for Felicity and got hit in the chest, and while they were operating on him he developed a blood clot in his big ol' brain. Of course, he had developed nanotech that could be injected into his blood stream that would shrink the clot, but the surgeon refused to perform an experimental treatment, so Mama Smoak distracted him so that Felicity could inject him with the tech. 

 

He seized for one bright, shining moment, but alas. He survived. 

 

I'm guessing he'll be able to shrink soon because of it.

[Chaser]

So they really had Felicity just chill at the hospital? 'Cause what they couldn't use her at the comms, because her team wasn't in crisis? WTF 

[closer2fine]

Two different shows, right?

 

Yet another attempt at an ATOM backdoor pilot....and the actual show Arrow.

 

Felicity being stuck at the hospital while her ENTIRE TEAM/FAMILY was in jeopardy? Sure. Fine. Whatever.

 

But Roy Harper. ROY. FUCKING. HARPER. TEAM ARROW MVP.

[apinknightmare]

So they really had Felicity just chill at the hospital? 'Cause what they couldn't use her at the comms, because her team wasn't in crisis? WTF 

 

Yeah, she watched it all on the news though, so...solidarity and all that.

[AyChihuahua]

 

Of course, he had developed nanotech that could be injected into his blood stream that would shrink the clot

OF COURSE he had.

 

Did Roy get arrested as Arrow?

Edited April 2, 2015 by AyChihuahua

[benteen]

Outside of the contrived Ray nonsense, I really liked this one.  The chase in the beginning was great and I thought Paul Blackthorne was terrific.  I agree that his vendetta against the Arrow is ridiculous and that he would he would need Ra's to find him.  If he knew Roy was Arsenal, he should have been able to figure out that Oliver was the Arrow.  Still, a strong performance by him in any case.

 

And yes, as posted earlier, Roy Harper is Team MVP!

Edited April 2, 2015 by benteen

[Guest]

Ok, so I didn't watch but did Ray really invent special medical technology? Can he also heal dying children with his bare hands? Hahahaha. I can't with this.

[Chaser]

And Laurel takes no responsibility for lying about Sara and causing the whole damn mess. I hate this show.

 

And fans called everything weeks ago. I'm so shocked.

[Actionmage]

Awww, Roy!

 

Shut up, Quentin.  No one was made tolook like fools, victims or tools. Quit mixing your grief with other issues you have with Oliver and Co.

 

Donna, I think I enjoyed your return.

 

Note to self: Fallback position is always Diggle's place.  (I think it was the apartment from S1, but it isn't necessarily so.)

 

Nyssa!

 

Are we going to have villains go around and name-drop Ollie every season? This version wasn't satisfying on any level, really.

Mei was okay? "I don't have all the facts about your lies, but I will call the police despite you being in charge of a child who clearly trusts you and is not asking me for help just now. My hurt feelings trump everything."  Whatever writers. We at least got Tatsu and Maseo rescuing everyone and dealing with the immediate aftermath.

 

So much to process, but my continuing question: If they know the cops are on to them, why continue to go back to the Arrow Cave? Because the cops won't confiscate every scrap and fern?  I'd move even with the supposed immunity deal, which might be blown as it was a deal with Oliver.

[apinknightmare]

And Laurel takes no responsibility for lying about Sara and causing the whole damn mess. I hate this show.

 

I especially loved it when she was like, "You're just mad at him for lying to you about Sara!" LMAO

[Hook75]

Roy is the new Felicity (I miss her so). I like him now, he can stay!

 

I'm happy Oliver still has some people in his corner.

 

Fuck off, Laurel. I'm sorry. She is just the worst no matter what.  I cannot believe she still won't take any responsibility for a fucking thing.

 

 

THAT!

Edited April 2, 2015 by Hook75

[rainydawn]

 They're really dragging some stuff at the expense of Felicity's character & the show itself. 

[Chaser]

Did they or did they not replace a scene of Team Arrow with a scene of Ray flying in the intro? Subtle, Guys. 

[catrox14]

Fuck off, Laurel. I'm sorry. She is just the worst no matter what.  I cannot believe she still won't take any responsibility for a fucking thing. 

 

But ROY!!!  All my feels for Roy. I'm heartbroken but not surprised. I think most here figured he would turn him himself in.  But lordy....that broke my heart.

[statsgirl]

I allowed myself to hope that Ray and Felicity would actually break up. Silly me, I over-estimated the quality of MG's writing.

I wonder if Charlotte Ross felt like she was back on Days of Our Lives with the endless "You love Oliver"/ "You love Felicity" over and over and over again and neither does anything about it.

Within the first 2 minutes:

1.  Ray knocks down Felicity and then stand up again, right in sight of the window so Maseo and shoot him;

2.  Ray has a blood clot and they can't operate so the doctors can't save him. Where is Barry with his warfarin?  That will do itl.

3.  Lance has got everyone looking to capture the guy in the green hood, so Oliver obligingly puts on his green hood, and Roy and Laurel also suit up. Why didn't they just go out in black jeans and sweaters, looking for the LoA?

--

It looked like Nyssa was getting a crush on Laurel. Please, don't do that show.

 

Overall -- bad soap opera.

Edited April 2, 2015 by statsgirl

[sjohnson]

I really miss Susanna Thompson. 

[benteen]

I especially loved it when she was like, "You're just mad at him for lying to you about Sara!" LMAO

 

Hah!  I missed that initially but yeah, Laurel passing the buck.  My favorite had to be her not even waiting for Quentin to leave the room before she tried to contact Oliver.  Real smooth there, Canary...

[Tallis]

But hey - at least Felicity finally owned up to her feelings (if only to her mother and not Ray). Mind you, I almost felt sorry for Ray at that point; tell the woman you love her and not only does she not reciprocate but she can't get out of the room fast enough. I think they're pretty close to being done.

[statsgirl]

So they really had Felicity just chill at the hospital? 'Cause what they couldn't use her at the comms, because her team wasn't in crisis? WTF 

To be fair, she was at the hospital while Ray's life was in danger. Once the blood clot was gone, she left to help her boys.

 

I can't believe they pulled the stupid trope of Ray telling her he loves her (yeah, that's why you didn't trust her last episode, right?) and Felicity running out to Donna who tells her she loves Oliver. Blech.

[Actionmage]

I really miss Susanna Thompson.

 

She'd have crushed Quentin and shamed him for the obviously personal vendetta, then turned around and faced down Ra's, giving us vibes of Nyssa maybe getting a new mom-level. 

 

But, ya know, she was finished with viable story, as per TIIC.

 

Did Thea get 'napped by someone? She seemed to appear and disappear throughout the episode.

[nksarmi]

I allowed myself to hope that Ray and Felicity would actually break up. Silly me, I over-estimated the quality of MG's writing.

I wonder if Charlotte Ross felt like she was back on Days of Our Lives with the endless "You love Oliver"/ "You love Felicity" over and over and over again and neither does anything about it.

Within the first 2 minutes:

1.  Ray knocks down Felicity and then stand up again, right in sight of the window so Maseo and shoot him;

2.  Ray has a blood clot and they can't operate so the doctors can't save him. Where is Barry with his warfarin?  That will do itl.

3.  Lance has got everyone looking to capture the guy in the green hood, so Oliver obligingly puts on his green hood, and Roy and Laurel also suit up. Why didn't they just go out in black jeans and sweaters, looking for the LoA?

--

It looked like Nyssa was getting a crush on Laurel. Please, don't do that show.

 

Overall -- bad soap opera.

My fiancé was all like - change your Halloween costumes!  Go out looking like the Fantastic Four!  What are you doing wearing those suits?

[statsgirl]

I think they're still trying to keep Thea "safe" so she didn't show up at Diggle's or at the police station. But wouldn't Quentin have sent police to her apartment since it's Oliver's apartment too?

 

 

My fiancé was all like - change your Halloween costumes!  Go out looking like the Fantastic Four!  What are you doing wearing those suits?

It's like they all got zapped with a stupidity gun.  Characters and writers.

 

The "only Ray can save Ray " was utter b.s.  Who wrote this episode?  Charlotte Ross did so much better on the Secret Origins one.

[thuganomics85]

At least Roy survived last week's ordeal.  And, apparently could even have nice sex with Thea!  Then again, maybe that electric shock helped him give him an extra kick in that department.  It's just too bad that it makes his whole sacrifice at the end kind of one-sided, because I'm just like "Dude, he left you lying in a puddle last week.   You deserve better."  Poor Roy.

 

Can't believe that Quentin actually has become one of the big antagonist of this season, like I predicted.  All the lying truly brought out the Wraith of Quentin!  Paul Blackthorne did a great job, but they really are making him bullhead and moronic now.  At least he admitted that deep down, he probably suspected Ollie all along.  Because not knowing really does make him a daft cop.  I'm just saying, Joe West would have probably figured it out much earlier.

 

I was so excited for the return of Charlotte Ross, but I felt like Felicity's mom was wasted towards sitcom pratfalls, Ray propping, and talking with Felicity about her stupid soap opera drama.  I don't care, show.

 

I don't care how cruel it makes me: I enjoyed watching Ray's hurt face when Felicity didn't say she loved him back.  Suck it, Palmer.  You aren't as charming as you think you are.  I'm guessing that these nanoites or whatever is injected in him, will give him other nifty powers, that will make him so cool.  Whatever; just want the spin-off to get here.

 

At least Nyssa was here, so I got my dose of beautiful Katrina Law.  I just hope her overprotectiveness of Laurel is just loyalty to Sara and she doesn't have feeling for the other sister as well.  Don't be Oliver, Nyssa!

 

How can Ra's be so boring?  Hell, after last night's Flash, I would even prefer Mark Hamill as Ra's over Matt Nable.  That would at least be so bizarre and wacky, that I might find it entertaining.

 

So, they really went the identical twin route in the flashbacks, huh?  Shado was actually May, who ended up helping out Ollie back then.  At least he finally told her the truth.  Celinda Jade still looks beautiful as well.  And it's always nice seeing Katana and Maseo, before he went all Team LOA.

 

Better then last week at least.  But it could be better.

Edited April 2, 2015 by thuganomics85

[KenyaJ]

My god, the first half of this episode was so plodding and boring. It didn't help that it was interspersed with the Ray storyline. I rage-tweeted about Felicity being stuck on Ray Island when her team needed her.

 

The second half picked up when shit got real with Oliver. And I was really happy Felicity got to unchain herself from Ray's bedside. He is literally the worst thing that's ever happened to her.

 

After tonight, I kind of want Quentin's heart condition to kick back in. Most of the audience has come to love him, but do the writers really expect us to sympathize with him right now? Because I don't. At all.

 

And Roy, what have you done?

[madhacker]

oh please don't tell me that they're writing Roy out of the show just when I'm really getting to like him. If nothing else just have him move to Central City and become Cisco's roommate since it's obvious they're s going to be an opening on Team Flash pretty soon.

 

Swear to God, Colton just can't get a break on the shows he's on, first Teen Wolf now this.

 

On the other hand at least Felicity woke up about who her heart truly belongs too.

 

Damn we were so close to finally being rid of the Ray show.

 

and yeah if Quintin is gonna be a douche from now on he can just die (am I the only one who thought that he was going to have a heart attack while he was yelling at Oliver or was that just wishful thinking on my part?). If he thinks his life is so bad I've got a fellow police officer he should talk to....his names Jim Gordon.

Edited April 2, 2015 by madhacker

[blixie]

Everything is dumb. And also stupid.

 

But not FUN dumb and stupid. It's exhaustingly dumb and stupid.

[Artsda]

Oliver is outed, so would he really need to wear a mask and hood now? 

 

I wish Lance would have taken the shot or put Laurel in jail. She takes no responsibility for anything, Lance should be after her more than Oliver.

 

Ray has blood clotting removal life saving technology? May be he's also working on a bring someone back from the dead technology that they can test on Sara?

 

The amount of people that run around Oliver now, which now includes the police and the entire city is just ridiculous. What's the point of the hood?

Edited April 2, 2015 by Artsda

[Morrigan2575]

can someone explain the tease\hint about Felicity's dad? Who mentioned he'd be arrested?

[Soulfire]

can someone explain the tease\hint about Felicity's dad? Who mentioned he'd be arrested?

 

Mama Smoak: “If your father were here…”

Felicity: “He’d be arrested.”

 

There was another mention too, but I can't quote it, sorry.

[apinknightmare]

can someone explain the tease\hint about Felicity's dad? Who mentioned he'd be arrested?

Felicity did. 

 

Donna said, "If your father was here-"

And Felicity replied with, "He'd be arrested." 

Edited April 2, 2015 by apinknightmare

[Coop33]

Outside of the hospital scenes, I thought this episode was pretty exciting. Lots of great stunts and action. Really loved Team Arrow coming together for Oliver. Roy has been growing on me all season, and after what he did tonight, I now really like him and want to keep him, please.

 

They could have gone to a lot of crazy places with Shado reappearing, but I'm glad the explanation was as simple as her having a twin, if still a little contrived.

 

I'm happy Felicity at least has the sense to know she doesn't love Ray, and Mama Smoak had the sense to tell her it was because she loves Oliver. There's no way Felicity just continues to chill with Ray when Team Arrow is in crisis mode, though. Especially after Ray was given the all clear.

[Morrigan2575]

Felicity did. 

 

Donna said, "If your father was here-"

And Felicity replied with, "He'd be arrested."

does that mean Felicity knows something about her father and this hint at him being a villain? Or was it a throw away line about him being a deadbeat dad?

[wonderwall]

does that mean Felicity knows something about her father and this hint at him being a villain? Or was it a throw away line about him being a deadbeat dad?

Pretty sure it's going to mean he's going to be a villain. Which I'm sort of excited for! It'd be interesting to see that dynamic come to play in season 4. Season 3 can't end soon enough tbqh

[strikera0]

Huh, why would anyone believe that Roy is the Arrow? Lance has already identified him as Arsenal months ago and anyone who has seen the Arrow and his team in action (which would be lots of police men and media people) should easily notice that Roy's physique doesn't match. He is much smaller and thinner than the Arrow (ergo, a much better match for Arsenal). If the Arrow writers really use Roy as their get out of jail card, they are once again treating their viewers as idiots.

 

On the upside, it was nice to see Celina Jade again and Nyssa/Katrina Law, who's already a striking beauty in LOA clothes, looks even better in regular outfits.

[Genki]

Oliver is the only one who has faced any real consequences for Sara's death, BY GETTING RUN THROUGH THE CHEST WITH A SWORD AND ALMOST DYING.

He didn't kill her and he didn't instigate the lying or facilitate the voice thing. Both Sara and Laurel made descisions about what to reveal to Lance, Oliver has no obligation to him. If QL knows about the deal with Malcolm and his culpability in orchestrating her death I can allow the vendetta against Oliver, but once again he is taking blame for things beyond his control.

[statsgirl]

So is Akio safe now? Because that would be one good thing to come out of this episode.

 

Why isn't Laurel owning up to being the one to decide to keep  Sara's death a secret?

 

does that mean Felicity knows something about her father and this hint at him being a villain? Or was it a throw away line about him being a deadbeat dad?

Since it was said when Donna was encouraging Felicity to go get the nanotech and inject Ray and not be scared, it could also be that her father did something brave but illegal.

 

I am so over people telling Oliver he loves Felicity or telling Felicity she loves Oliver but nothing ever happens. Soap operas move faster than this.

[Password]

I am so over people telling Oliver he loves Felicity or telling Felicity she loves Oliver but nothing ever happens. Soap operas move faster than this.

Word.

[benteen]

Huh, why would anyone believe that Roy is the Arrow? Lance has already identified him as Arsenal months ago and anyone who has seen the Arrow and his team in action (which would be lots of police men and media people) should easily notice that Roy's physique doesn't match. He is much smaller and thinner than the Arrow (ergo, a much better match for Arsenal). If the Arrow writers really use Roy as their get out of jail card, they are once again treating their viewers as idiots.

 

On the upside, it was nice to see Celina Jade again and Nyssa/Katrina Law, who's already a striking beauty in LOA clothes, looks even better in regular outfits.

 

You would think Roy's claim would be dismissed (though he'd likely go to jail for other reasons) but this is Arrow.  The writing has been as dumb as many of the characters have been this season.

[Actionmage]

On the upside, it was nice to see Celina Jade again and Nyssa/Katrina Law, who's already a striking beauty in LOA clothes, looks even better in regular outfits.

 

A slightly OT moment of whimsy?  Can we have a beautiful, shiny hair-off between Celina/Shado, Katrina/Nyssa,  and Summer/Isobel? Plus anyone I may have forgotten.

 

As to Felicity's dad? I hope he's just a garden-variety deadbeat, if anything.

 

eta:

 

If QL knows about the deal with Malcolm

 

...then why isn't he hunting for Malcolm as ruthlessly as he's hunting for Oliver? Did the cops never go to the loft? Bingo,bango, boom-- there's thekiller of your youngest child, Captain Lance. Also? The murderer of 503 innocent lives. Unless murder has a shelf life in Starling.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Actionmage

[Delphi]

So...didn't lance already know all of the arrows associates? Why the runaround? He knows felicity, he knows Roy, I assume he knows Laurel. Why not arrest them and wait.

Btdubbz, I love Nyssa, she's so lethal/protective.

[statsgirl]

So...didn't lance already know all of the arrows associates? Why the runaround? He knows felicity, he knows Roy, I assume he knows Laurel. Why not arrest them and wait.

He even put out arrest warrants for all of the Arrow's associates.  Does that mean "only if they are in costume"?

[kismet]

Initial thoughts without reading the other posts [will get to those later :)]....

 

If you removed all of the Ray parts, it would be a pretty good episode. There was a little too much chasing in the beginning. But all the mano a mano conversations were good tonight. Loved QL/OQ that was really well done. Ras was pretty good too in his interactions his cocky yet laidback swagger is growing on me. Actually liked the flashbacks, like Shado Twin (I think she might be part of something more down the road). The show's momentum gradually built up and I liked it. Loved Roy's sacrifice in the end. So in the end the show was getting good...

 

So even though we called the Roy sacrifice and Shado Twin, I still enjoyed seeing how they played out. It was nice to watch them execute the predictable yet entertaining.

 

Bad parts -

Secret ID reveal - Well revealing the identity of the Arrow was just dumb writing exercise. It was a lazy way to get him out of the situation. I personally would have liked them yo have kept the secret id a little longer. It made Roy a hero which was cool, but now we're stuck trying to exonerate him, so that is gonna most likely be boring. I honestly would have maybe liked to see if OQ had another plan besides falling on his sword (no pun intended). But whatever its done and we just have to deal with it.

 

Ray - Just everything about the plot was bad. The writing/acting/music/editing. There was nothing that was entertaining about it. I know its comics medicine, but really they did a disjustice with how they handled the hospital scene. I sorta wanted Ray to get some damage from his & felicity's little experiment. Would love for a negative consequence to happen to him once. Usually I don't want people hurt or damaged on TV shows, but I could have cared less if he survived. Also the ILY drop after last week. Way too soon! Stage 5 clinger alert. Wish they hadn't wasted MamaSmoak on his little sitcom! But thank goodness she actually told Felicity that she's in love with FS, so for that few minutes of airtime, I was glad to have her. I love MamaSmoak and wish she could be used more on a show called "arrow"

 

But, I thought he was critically wounded!

Maybe the music dept was happy to see him critically wounded..?

[Lantern7]

Damn. The writers like going big. No way the genie is going to be shoved back into the bottle, even if Roy does fancy flips to make it happen.

 

Anybody else amazed that Quentin's heart hasn't given out? He's been raging like a Red Lantern ever since he found out Sara died. Also: punk move by Ra's telling Quentin about Ollie outright. And that was to push him into becoming the new Ra's? Silly long-lived tyrant .. . Ollie would rather have manpain than to reign in hell.

 

I'm not bugged by Ray. I'm guessing Felicity jabbed him with the nanotech because she was probably going to go to jail for helping Oliver out anyway, so why not help the big lug. And yes, I'm hoping the deus ex macchina kicks in, and we have a canon Atom on our hands.

 

ETA: I kinda miss Gothlicity. That's where my mind went seeing her mother. Well . . . one of the places my mind went.