S04.E01: Green Arrow

[Primal Slayer]

Of course it is all Malcolms fault in the end, but Quentin doesn't deal with him and hasn't seen him season 1.

[Starfish35]

If we are going to play the blame game, this is really all Malcolm's fault in the end.

And as soon as the show gets back to blaming Malcolm the better.

Yeah pretty much.

Quentin still, as far as I know, doesn't know Malcolm's alive. For all the show seems to be intent on having Quentin blame Oliver for everything, it baffles me that they avoided giving Quentin an actual legitimate reason to be angry at Oliver by having him find out that not only is Malcolm alive and that he was behind Sara's murder, but that Oliver was protecting him. If he'd known that, I could have excused him wanting to rain hellfire down on Oliver. But as of right now, he doesn't know that, so he just ends up looking vicious and petty.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Starfish35

[catrox14]

Of course it is all Malcolms fault in the end, but Quentin doesn't deal with him and hasn't seen him season 1.

 

 

I know this. My point is that the show needs to reveal to Quentin that Malcolm is alive and to remind that everything that has happened is because of Malcolm. Right now, Oliver is essentially the fall guy for Malcolm for Thea reasons. To give Quentin rationale for his crap. But even with all of that Oliver was really screwed from the get go by Malcolm and Malcolm alone.

 

Also, what Starfish said better.

[lemotomato]

Ra's and Slade targeted Starling because of Oliver. Especially as far as Ra's is concerned if he had just given Nyssa, Malcolm, Ra's/Oliver never would've met and Ra's wouldn't fall head over heels for him and want him all to himself.

Like everything else about Ra's, his motivation for targeting Starling changed depending on the episode. First it appeared to be because of Oliver, but didn't we find out in the finale it was because he knew Damien Darkh was staying in Starling? That's not Oliver's fault.

[nksarmi]

Yeah pretty much.

Quentin still, as far as I know, doesn't know Malcolm's alive. For all the show seems to be intent on having Quentin blame Oliver for everything, it baffles me that they avoided giving Quentin an actual legitimate reason to be angry at Oliver by having him find out that not only is Malcolm alive and that he was behind Sara's murder, but that Oliver was protecting him. If he'd known that, I could have excused him wanting to rain hellfire down on Oliver. But as of right now, he doesn't know that, so he just ends up looking vicious and petty.

I KNOW. This drives me batshit crazy.  Because everything really IS Malcolm's fault - from the sinking of the Queen's Gambit to Oliver being in any way of Ra's radar.  It's all Malcolm's fault.  And Oliver has not only allowed Malcolm to live, but has protected him from those who would kill him.  So Quentin has a good reason to hate Oliver - he just doesn't know it and because he lacks that information, all of his actions and motivations seem stupid, petty, and irrational.

[pootlus]

I KNOW. This drives me batshit crazy.  Because everything really IS Malcolm's fault - from the sinking of the Queen's Gambit to Oliver being in any way of Ra's radar.  It's all Malcolm's fault.  And Oliver has not only allowed Malcolm to live, but has protected him from those who would kill him.  So Quentin has a good reason to hate Oliver - he just doesn't know it and because he lacks that information, all of his actions and motivations seem stupid, petty, and irrational.

 

Unfortunately that seems to be somewhat par for the course for writing on this show - ignore the fact that characters may have a genuine reason to do something/act a certain way, but instead have them do it because reasons.  Quentin would (justifiably) go batshit at Oliver if he knew that Malcolm had effectively killed his daughter and that  Oliver had let Malcolm run around free (because...well I'm still not sure why).  Instead he's mad at Oliver because bad people exist? Whatever, Quentin.  I hope that Paul Blackthorne gets a better show.

 

Laurel and her path to Buckles is another.  They had a built-in reason with both CNRI and Tommy and ignored both.

[AyChihuahua]

Yeah pretty much.

Quentin still, as far as I know, doesn't know Malcolm's alive. For all the show seems to be intent on having Quentin blame Oliver for everything, it baffles me that they avoided giving Quentin an actual legitimate reason to be angry at Oliver by having him find out that not only is Malcolm alive and that he was behind Sara's murder, but that Oliver was protecting him. If he'd known that, I could have excused him wanting to rain hellfire down on Oliver. But as of right now, he doesn't know that, so he just ends up looking vicious and petty.

SERIOUSLY.  I still wouldn't like his hypocrisy in targeting Oliver while basically ignoring his daughters' vigilante activities, or violating Oliver's civil rights when he was under arrest (a cop CANNOT hit a handcuffed prisoner who is not a physical threat at the time of the punch), but at least I wouldn't think he was a frigging weirdo moron.  

Like everything else about Ra's, his motivation for targeting Starling changed depending on the episode. First it appeared to be because of Oliver, but didn't we find out in the finale it was because he knew Damien Darkh was staying in Starling? That's not Oliver's fault.

It's really hard to know, because RAG's hard-on for Oliver basically started as soon as he found out Oliver "survived the sword of RAG."  So probably 3.12-ish.  Was DD in town then, and did RAG know it?  I kind of doubt it.  Personally I think RAG found out at some point much later, probably after Oliver joined up, and the only real change was moving up the ascension BS because of it.

 

Keep in mind RAG was still totally down with taking out SC even after DD was gone.  He was going to do it anyway, it just became a "two birds, one stone" situation when he found out DD was there.

 

Oh, and I'm really sorry you all missed the show's memo, but MM is now a misunderstood anti-hero who really cares about the Glades, loves Thea, and thinks of Oliver as a son.  Y'all need to keep up.

Edited October 12, 2015 by AyChihuahua

[kismet]

Oh, and I'm really sorry you all missed the show's memo, but MM is now a misunderstood anti-hero who really cares about the Glades, loves Thea, and thinks of Oliver as a son.  Y'all need to keep up.

Always making me laugh. :)

 

On another note -

I feel like I understood QL being the moral center of the show in s1-s3a. He is law & order, justice, right v. wrong. It was a believable story arc. The line was pretty firmly set, but it did bend at points. Then they went completely off the skids in s3b and QL violated so many laws & codes in his quest for "justice", which is why I have a harder time in s4 believing he is still the moral center. It also makes it hard now that he is working with DD. I do want to know his motivations & reasons why he is working with DD. I do think he has the potential to be redeemed, but they have not made that journey easy for him. And unlike other characters, he won't just get a pass for "reasons".

 

My theory  - I wonder if they are going to parallel two different journeys for the moral centers. Both Dig & QL are considered moral centers and both of them have big arcs this season. I wonder if the will somehow link them, especially

when they bring back Andy is whatever form they do. Perhaps Andy is similar to QL

.

[tennisgurl]

 

And as soon as the show gets back to blaming Malcolm the better.

But, sadly, I think that ship has sailed. I agree with everyone you said, 100%. Everything that has ever been wrong on this show can be traced back to Malcolm, and now he gets off scott free because Oliver had a brain transplant last season and decided that Malcolm totally deserves to be redeemed, even after that whole "mass murder, ruining lives, and killing his best friend" thing. Thats Olivers big crime, not the fact that the universe strait up hates the poor guy, and keeps throwing murderous psychos at him.  

 

But now that Quentin is working with Damon Dark, pretty much all of his indignation at Oliver will seem like hypocrisy. He really lost the moral high ground on this one. 

[AyChihuahua]

But, sadly, I think that ship has sailed. I agree with everyone you said, 100%. Everything that has ever been wrong on this show can be traced back to Malcolm, and now he gets off scott free because Oliver had a brain transplant last season and decided that Malcolm totally deserves to be redeemed, even after that whole "mass murder, ruining lives, and killing his best friend" thing. 

A brain transplant utilizing an undergrown cabbage.

[BkWurm1]

I loved that too but felt I was already harping so much on how terrific she and Oliver were together that I was afraid mentioning it would be overkill.

I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as harping too much on how terrific Felicity and Oliver are together. :D

Oh and congrats to this thread. We totally busted through the record for highest number of comments on an individual episode thread in our Arrow forum.

561 beats the past record holder. The Calm clocked in at merely 492 replies.

Edited October 13, 2015 by BkWurm1

[fantique]

One thought I am sure others brought up... One day, this show will remember why it's called ARROW. But this episode did not give me hope it will be soon. 

[SmallScreenDiva]

Came across this GIF on Tumblr and it kinda fried my brain. Dayum!

 

[AudienceofOne]

I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as harping too much on how terrific Felicity and Oliver are together. :D

 

the line "Felicity, you have FAILED THIS OMELETTE" should have been execrable but was instead completely adorable. If they kill her off to make way for Oliver/Laurel I will hold a DVD burning

 

EDIT spelling is a virtue

Edited October 14, 2015 by AudienceofOne

[Angel12d]

Came across this GIF on Tumblr and it kinda fried my brain. Dayum!

 

 

 

HOT. It looks like she's only wearing underwear and she's stripping for GA. I like.

 

 

the line "Felicity, you have FAILED THIS OMELETTE" should have been execrable but was instead completing adorable. If they kill her off to make way for Oliver/Laurel I will hold a DVD burning

 

Same. I'll bring the matches.

[AyChihuahua]

How did Digg get from the van he was driving into the speeding train?

[KirkB]

How did Digg get from the van he was driving into the speeding train?

 

 

Maybe the new helmet is also magic?

Edited October 14, 2015 by KirkB

[quarks]

How did Digg get from the van he was driving into the speeding train?

 

Plot contrivance. Come on, you know this!

[looptab]

The real question is, how does Oliver manage to get his suit off the mannequin, now that said mannequin has feet, and they are attached to the base of the display case?:)

[apinknightmare]

Velcro!

[looptab]

Velcro!

Right! LOL

I now have a Full Monty version of Arrow in my head, thank you :)

[wonderwall]

Velcro!

Edited October 14, 2015 by wonderwall

[kismet]

Awe velcro - My head went straight to Magic Mike! Seriously this forum is so distracting at times.

[SmallScreenDiva]

All the things Oliver told them to do were things they could have figured out themselves. So no...they didn't need Oliver immediately taking the reins. And Felicity volunteered..I doubt anyone asked her.

 

Where did it say in the episode that Felicity volunteered? Actually, I have every confidence that the team went to Felicity for help, even though that is not explicitly stated in the ep. Felicity has the skill that is not duplicated on that team: tech. There's actually a line that Marc Guggenheim said didn't make it to the final ep. It's mostly for laughs, a double entendre thing: "You only want Oliver because he comes with my fingers." But there is truth in it. Oliver was needed, yes. But they also definitely needed Felicity to gather the information, assess it, make the connections, etc. Sure, they probably could have done that (the ep explicitly showed B-team didn't). But they wouldn't have been able to do it with the same efficiency

The real question is, how does Oliver manage to get his suit off the mannequin, now that said mannequin has feet, and they are attached to the base of the display case?:)

 

There's actually fanart of this :) Somebody yelling at Oliver off-screen to hurry up and he's still wrestling with his costume in the display case, LOL! I believe the Arrow writers Twitter actually favorited it.

[wingster55]

Unless they need a hacker, all they need is someone doing surveillance and telling them where to go. Cisco could have done that easily.

[SmallScreenDiva]

Cisco? Cisco who belongs on another show Cisco? Yeah, OK.

[SonofaBiscuit]

Cisco could have brought Barry to save Team Arrow-less, and then we wouldn't even need Oliver Queen!  Yeah, no, that's not going to work on a show called ARROW.  

[catrox14]

Unless they need a hacker, all they need is someone doing surveillance and telling them where to go. Cisco could have done that easily.

But Cisco is busy surveiling Barry and Team Flash in Central City on who knows what time line.

Edited October 14, 2015 by catrox14

[looptab]

There's actually fanart of this :) Somebody yelling at Oliver off-screen to hurry up and he's still wrestling with his costume in the display case, LOL! I believe the Arrow writers Twitter actually favorited it.

Awesome:) Seriously. it was already problematic before, now that's a full on mannequin it's even more complicated. Things are never easy for Oliver, lol

[romantic idiot]

Maybe the mannequin liquifies at the push of a button or something.

[wingster55]

But Cisco is busy surveiling Barry and Team Flash in Central City on who knows what time line.

Over the hiatus there was no team Flash. And if he can design a totally new suit...why not?

[AyChihuahua]

Felicity didn't do anything in this episode.  Except HACK into Kord (I mean geez, it's just a little Department of Defense contractor, hacking into it is surely no big deal) to figure out that the Ghosts stole cluster bombs.  And triangulate the locations of heists and attacks to figure out the Ghosts' base of operations (which sure, Digg + should have been able to do on their own, but they DIDN'T, which doesn't make O/F look unnecessary so much as make Digg + look really incompetent).  And figure out that the bombs were coming in on the trains.

[lemotomato]

^What AyChihuahua said. Although I thought she found the warehouse that DD was at by hacking into the GPS on the bombs to find their last known location?

 

The episode was better at showing how much Team not!Arrow needed Felicity more than it needed Oliver, almost. They couldn't find their butts with both hands until she got back and did her thing.

Edited October 14, 2015 by lemotomato

[AyChihuahua]

I forgot about the GPS in the cluster bombs.  Which she had to figure out existed by hacking into a Defense contractor and then how to activate/track.  That's gotta be easy though, right?  

[lemotomato]

Sure! Why even bother Cisco? They could've just gone to Radio Shack and asked the guys there for help.

Edited October 14, 2015 by lemotomato

[Delphi]

I actually thought it had been established on the Flash that while Cisco was good at inventing little gadgets he was nowhere near Felicity's equal in terms in other areas of expertise. Didn't she upgrade the Star Labs systems?

Eta: and when cisco said hacking something was going to take like thirty minutes. Felicity did it in six seconds.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Delphi

[kismet]

Cisco could have brought Barry to save Team Arrow-less, and then we wouldn't even need Oliver Queen! Yeah, no, that's not going to work on a show called ARROW.

Please don't give the writers any more ideas or encouragement :)

They may think an Arrowless Arrow might work - but a lot of us beg to differ.

[wingster55]

I specifically said if they needed a surveyor..not hacker. I never said she was useless in the premiere

[lemotomato]

And my point is that the team obviously needs more than just someone to run the coms. They need someone with Felicity's overall skill set.

Edited October 14, 2015 by lemotomato

[wingster55]

Not all the time

[BkWurm1]

But Cisco is busy surveiling Barry and Team Flash in Central City on who knows what time line.

Speaking to the time line question. In last nights episode of The Flash (Oct 13th, 2015 for future posterity), Cisco is shown watching a news clip of Oliver aka Green Arrow giving his speech so while everyone in Central City was going on and on about 6 months and everyone in Arrow kept saying 5 months, they are no more than a week apart.  (The second episode of The Flash picked up immediately at the end of the first episode).  Oddly if anything it seems that The Flash is behind Arrow.  I suppose they could be all lined up if the talking news heads on the TV were still talking about the arrival of the Green Arrow. 

 

FYI, he's never looked more obviously like Oliver Queen.  Nice zoomed in close up of his face. 

 

 

Not all the time

 

Which is good or the girl would never get a night off.  At least the rest of the team can sub in and out for each other in a pinch.  Felicity takes one evening off (referring to the business dinner with Ray) and not only works during her dinner, but after it as well)  Thank goodness she's been able to install user friendly upgrades for the more hum drum days. 

 

Diggle and his back up singers must have been studied the places they were going before they were in the field since it seems they all went in.  It made sense at least to go in in waves since at least they were able to watch each backs a little.  Still, had Felicity been at the controls during their attack on the truck, she would have seen the other vehicle coming in hot and warned the team.   

 

They really needed SOMEONE to at least sit in the basement and look at the feed.  Now I really wish we'd had a scene of Lyla and Baby Sara hanging out on the coms.  Why should Diggle keep the no babies in the lair rule once Oliver is gone?

Edited October 14, 2015 by BkWurm1

[statsgirl]

I specifically said if they needed a surveyor..not hacker. I never said she was useless in the premiere

They needed a hacker.  Otherwise they wouldn't have known what was in the Kord Industry boxes that the ghosts took  Diggle theorized it was weapons but until Felicity hacked in, they didn't know it was explosives that could blow up a building or an event.

 

They asked somewhat impulsively. They didn't consider any options...and considering the city wasn't in flames I would say they did a good job for the past 4-6 months

And yes..they can dictate what they want Oliver to do..especially since it was intended to be a one and done.

It depends how you define "in flames".  Three of the top city officials had just been murdered and a strange guy was threatening the entire city's destruction.

 

I thin it's not that they didn't consider the options, it's that they didn't have any.  Since Arrowless didn't have any information on them (per Thea) or any idea of how to fight the ghosts, it seems stupid to tell Oliver what to do.  You tell people what to do when you know more than they do, not when you're going to them for help on what to do.

[quarks]

Since the end of season one, the theme of the show is that Starling/Star City doesn't do well when Oliver is gone.  We saw that again in this episode. As Oliver and Felicity returned in the limo, we got shots of a ruined, abandoned Vancouver that was meant to be shots of a ruined, abandoned Star City. Felicity stated that Palmer Tech, one of the city's major businesses, was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Three major city officials were murdered within one day. The city officials told Quentin Star City, rebranded or not, was in trouble. The sole bright spot seemed to be that train, which blew up.

 

As bad as destroying the Glades at the end of season one? I'd say no - but we got several glimpses throughout season three of a city that was starting to recover, what with more criminals in jail, people heading to fancy restaurants until the restaurants got blown up, people then a few weeks later deciding that AA meetings weren't enough, they should really try visiting a bank and then wherever Dinah and Laurel went for lunch, until Brick (who, huh, popped up when Oliver was gone, interesting). When the League of Assassins arrived, people were back on the streets, shopping and so on, so again, recovering.

 

So yeah, I think we can say that Team Arrow B didn't save the city, and Star City might even have regressed again in Oliver's absence. It's just what happens on this show.

[KirkB]

Though to be fair, even with Oliver there they only just manage to keep everything in a state of controlled chaos. TV Star City seems to barely be one level away from comics Gotham.

Edited October 14, 2015 by KirkB

[dtissagirl]

Oliver even used a much kinder and gentler voice than he used to in previous seasons, while telling people what to do.

 

During the live airing I actually went "aww, baby's all grown up" when I realized it was soft voiced Oliver. Until the others gave him the stinky eye and I realized this was a secondhand embarrassment moment so that Oliver could have his "oops, I did it again" mea culpa.

[bijoux]

There's actually fanart of this :) Somebody yelling at Oliver off-screen to hurry up and he's still wrestling with his costume in the display case, LOL! I believe the Arrow writers Twitter actually favorited it.

 

Where? I need it.

 

1. Diggle and his back up singers ...

 

2. They really needed SOMEONE to at least sit in the basement and look at the feed.  Now I really wish we'd had a scene of Lyla and Baby Sara hanging out on the coms.  Why should Diggle keep the no babies in the lair rule once Oliver is gone?

1. This makes me laugh too much.

 

2. They really should have done that. Lyla should be involved with the team in some way if she doesn't have a job at this point.

[nksarmi]

Lyla running coms with the baby would have made me smile so much!  SHE is a badass wonder woman - of course, she could take care of her baby and run coms at the same time.  I will simply pretend this happened all summer and Sara was just a wee bit colicky that night so Lyla wasn't around.

Edited October 14, 2015 by nksarmi

[BkWurm1]

Lyla running coms with the baby would have made me smile so much!  SHE is a badass wonder woman - of course, she could take care of her baby and run coms at the same time.  I will simply pretend this happened all summer and Sara was just a wee bit colicky that night so Lyla wasn't around.

I accept your fanwank and make it my own!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Awwww, domestic bliss Oliver and Felicity are adorable! Or maybe I just like finally seeing Oliver smiling and happy. After everything he's been through, I'm glad he got a few months of schmoopiness before they were inevitably brought back to the darkness of Star City.

[tv echo]

401 (Green Arrow) – No Oliver Queen voiceover intro.

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver returns to his suburban home with Felicity after jogging through their neighborhood in Ivy Town:
Oliver (to neighbors): “Mornin’… How you doin'?”
(Oliver enters his house.)
Felicity: “Hey.” (Spoons up omelet from pan.)
Oliver: “Oh. Okay. Hot –“
Felicity: “Hot.”
Oliver: “Felicity Smoak –“
Felicity: “Mm-hmm.”
Oliver: “You have failed this omelet.”
Felicity: “Really?”
Oliver: “Yeah.”
Felicity: “You know, it's criminal how easily cooking's come to you.”
Oliver: “Well, I always wanted to expand my horizons beyond what I could do on the island, which was basically… cooked and uncooked.”
Felicity: “How was your jog?” 
Oliver: “It was good. I'm getting used to running without chasing after someone.”
Felicity: “Mm-hmm.” (Puts her arms around him) 
Oliver: “Kind of sweaty.”
Felicity: “I know. It's amazing.”
Oliver: “Yeah.” (They kiss)

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver and Felicity make normal plans for the day after having morning sex:
(Oliver apparently had a tattoo removed.)
Felicity: “Why'd you get this one removed?” 
Oliver: “I don't need it anymore. So what do you have planned for the rest of the day?” 
Felicity: “A video conference with the Palmer Tech board, who still question whether I'm fit enough to inherit Ray's legacy. Hey, how'd you like the company back as an early Christmas gift?” 
Oliver: “I think you're doing a better job of running it than I would.” 
Felicity: “It's flirting with bankruptcy.” 
Oliver: “Exactly. This is flirting.”
Felicity: “Mmm.” 
Oliver: “I gotta go.” 
Felicity: “Where are you going now?” 
Oliver: “I have to get stuff at the Farmers' Market for brunch tomorrow.”
Felicity: “Right. The Hoffmans are coming over. I forgot.” 
Oliver: “I'm never gonna get tired of making plans that don't involve people shooting at me.”

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver and Felicity have brunch with their neighbors, Adam & Laura Hoffman: 
Laura: “Mmm-mmm. Oh, Oliver, these eggs are heaven. Don't tell me you made them –“
Oliver: “In the slow cooker. The slow cooker you got us, yeah.”
Laura: “I knew it. I knew it.”
Oliver: “Awww.”
Laura: “People are always so hesitant to try them, but slow cookers are absolute life-changers.” 
Felicity: “I don't know how that is not a bumper sticker yet.” 
Laura (laughing): “I know.”
Adam: “On the topic of life-changers, you guys really need to get on the school situation here. We could write you a recommendation letter for our school's waiting list.” 
Felicity (choking): “But - but wouldn't it help to have kids first, or - I don't know - a kid?” 
Laura: “Oh, it takes years to get on that list. And I'm sure kids aren't too far down the line for you two.” 
Oliver: “Yeah, we haven't talked about it.”
Felicity (getting up): “Who wants more mimosas?” (Leaves) 
Laura: “I need to see it. Do you have it on you?” 
Adam: “Honey –“
Laura: “Shhh, shhh. You have it on you, right? Do you have it?”
Oliver: “Yeah.”
(Oliver pulls ring case out of his pocket and opens it to show them the ring. Adam whistles.) 
Laura: “Oh, it's stunning.” 
Oliver: “It's my mother's.” 
Adam: “So, when are you gonna pop the question?”
Oliver: “Tonight.” 
Felicity (returning): “What are you guys talking – (Trips) Whoop! (Bottle flies out of her hand, but Oliver catches it with one hand behind his back.)
Adam: “Dude! Nice reflexes!”

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver’s plan to propose to Felicity is interrupted by a visit from Laurel and Thea:
Felicity: “So what's the occasion?” 
Oliver: “Do we need an occasion for dinner?” 
Felicity: “No, ever since you discovered cooking, life's been a never ending episode of Master Chef. But this isn't dinner - this is a production. Are we celebrating something?”
(Cut to Oliver in the kitchen, where he hides a ring in one of the soufflés.)
Oliver: “Sort of depends on how dessert goes. 
Felicity: Oh no. No, no. I'm almost disgustingly full.” 
Oliver: “You are going to have to try a bite or two of this soufflé.”
(Doorbell rings.)
Felicity: “Well, diet saved by the bell… Uh –“ 
Oliver: “What’s going on?”
Felicity: “You have visitors.”
Laurel (entering with Thea): “We probably should have called first, but –“
Thea: “We really need your help.”
*  *  *
Laurel: “The media has been calling them the Ghosts. They're like nothing we'd ever seen before. Well-trained, well-armed.”
Thea: “And committed. Any time we get too close to one of them, they off themselves with cyanide.”
Oliver: “What's their agenda?”
Laurel: “At first we thought they were thieves because they were hitting banks and jewelry stores.”
Thea: “Then we found out that they'd just been building their war chest. They've now been stealing munitions and heavy arms.”
Felicity: “And assassinating people.”
Oliver: “Hon… (Looks at Felicity, who nods toward Thea and Laurel) Where are the police?”
Laurel: “Overwhelmed.”
Oliver: “Well, a group of this size has to work out of a central location, a base of operations.”
Laurel:” Which we haven't been able to find.”
Thea: “Dig seems to think we can handle it.”
Oliver: “You disagree?”
Thea: “I think we're in over our heads.”
Laurel: “We need the Arrow.”
Oliver: “The Arrow's dead.” 
Laurel: “We're hoping that's not the case. We're hoping that you can't change who you are in your bones.” 
Thea: “Come help us stop these guys, and then you can come back to your -your domestic life of tranquility and soufflés.” 
Oliver: “Huh. (To Felicity) You're uncharacteristically quiet.” 
Felicity: “What should I say? Our friends need our help. We should already be in the car.”

401 (Green Arrow) – In a flashback scene, Amanda Waller urges Oliver to embrace his inner darkness:
Oliver: “How did you find me?” 
Waller: “The world's too small for someone like Oliver Queen to disappear. Truth be told, I expected to find you in Starling City.” 
Oliver: “I don't want to be near my family.” 
Waller: “Because of what you did to Shrieve? I read his autopsy report. I knew you had a capacity for the unfathomable, but I actually underestimated you.”
Oliver: “What do you want, Amanda?” 
Waller: “To help you. You haven't returned home because you feel you're a monster. You're trying to deny it, channeling your killer instinct into something productive. But you can't change who you are in your bones.” 
Oliver: “I don't need a therapist.” 
Waller: “The hood and eye makeup may suggest otherwise. Stop trying to run from your inner darkness. Embrace it. Let it run its course. Oftentimes, the only way out is through.” 
Oliver: “Through what? A.R.G.U.S. agents?” 
Waller: “When you wake up, just remember that I'm trying to help you.” 

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver and Felicity return to the newly renamed Star City:
Oliver: “Here I thought that my days of riding in the back of limos were long gone.”
Felicity: “Ah - one of the perks of being Palmer Technology's CEO in absentia. Now that I'm back, they might actually expect me to do stuff.”
Oliver: “I wouldn't worry. We're not going to stay long. Jeez. It's tough not to look out of this window and wonder.” 
Felicity: “Wonder what?” 
Oliver: “What did we really accomplish?”
 
401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver’s return receives a less than warm welcome from Diggle:
Oliver: “Felicity and I have a lot to catch up on, so maybe take us through all the evidence the team has gathered.”
Thea: “That's easy. Nothing.” 
Oliver: “Okay, so maybe we'll go through all the encounters that you've had with the Ghosts, everywhere they've hidden, and Felicity can cross –“ 
(Diggle enters.) 
Laurel: “John.”
Diggle: “We should have discussed this.”
Laurel: “Thea and I did.”
Thea: “We need him.”
Oliver (sighing): “I'm not expecting you to welcome me back with open arms. What I did to you is not easily forgiven. I'm here to help you with your problem, and then I'm gone.”
Diggle: “Oliver, we don't need your help. And if we did, we'd probably choose someone who didn't kidnap my wife and endanger my child.”
Laurel: ”And no one is asking you to pretend like that didn't happen. But we're in trouble. The city is in trouble.”
Diggle: “Laurel, I don't need you to remind me of that. I just can't go into battle with a man I don't trust.”
Felicity: “Understood. But things are a little worse than you guys thought. I hacked into Kord Industries computers just to see what the Ghosts stole. Cluster bombs. Sensor fused and high yield. Any more powerful and they'd have to be nuclear.”
Laurel: “What do you want to do, John?”
Diggle: “I'm gonna do whatever it takes to save my city.”
*  *  *
Oliver: “Weapons need targets. These had to be stolen for a reason. Felicity, hack into Kord Industry databases. I want to know everything there is to know about these explosives. Laurel, we want to start a dialogue with your father and make a list of potential targets. Dig, Thea, hit the streets, see what we can find. (Diggle, Thea and Laurel just stand there looking at him) Oh, sorry. Sorry. Old habits.”
Diggle: “It's probably not a bad idea to give your father a heads-up.”
Laurel: “Copy.” (Leaves)
Oliver: “John, look –“
Diggle: “I have a wife and a toddler to get back home to. Felicity, will you let me know if you find anything?”
Felicity: “Will do. Say 'hi' to Lyla for me.”
Thea: “He'll come around. I'll go hit the streets.” (Leaves)
Felicity: “Well, I have to say it feels good to be at a keyboard for something other than a teleconference.”
Oliver: “I need a map with a list of all the spots the Ghosts have hit, including where they encountered the team. And if we get lucky, maybe we can –“
Felicity: “Triangulate and determine the point of origin of where the Ghosts are operating out of, yes?”
Oliver: “Yeah.”
Felicity: “All right, here's the rest of all their heists and attacks.”
Oliver: “That was fast.”
Felicity: “Yeah? Yeah, like riding a bike?”
Oliver: “First spot they hit - the Larson Credit Union?”
Felicity: “No, no, no. It was Starling National.”
Oliver: “Really?”
Felicity: “Mm-hmm.”
Oliver: “Yeah? How'd you know that?”
Felicity: “Same way you knew about Larson.”
Oliver: “Felicity. Want to play a game?” 
Felicity: “What game are we playing?” 
Oliver: “We're playing the ‘reason that you know so much about these Ghosts is because you've been helping the team behind my back’ game.” 

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver confronts Felicity about her secretly helping the team behind his back while they were away:
Felicity: “I used to think that 'Yelling Oliver' was scary. I'm starting to think that 'Silent Oliver' is a lot worse.”
Oliver: “I'm just going over the past five months in my head. When you got food poisoning when we were in Thailand –“
Felicity: “Yes. I might have been secretly working with the team, but I didn't exactly lie about the food poisoning. Laa moo is extremely hard to digest.”
Oliver: “What about when you missed our boat - missed in Positano?”
Felicity: “Okay, that one was a little fib.”
Oliver: “Bali?”
Felicity: “Umm.”
Oliver: “Felicity, you said there wasn't even email in Bali.”
Felicity: “I know! But we both know I'm just that good.”
Oliver: “I don't understan – I don’t understand. The whole point of starting over was to get away from all of this, and we were both right there together leading that charge.”
Felicity: “I know. And I thought that's what we needed. And the first few months were great, really great.”
Oliver: “Okay.”
Felicity: “But then when you and Laura Hoffman started exchanging cooking tips, I secretly wanted to gouge out my eyes.”
Oliver: “I thought you were happy.”
Felicity: “I was. Deliriously happy with you, but… bored with everything else. I missed this. I missed… saving the city and helping people. It gives my life purpose. And I wish I got the same thrill from picking between the dimpled flatware and the scalloped - but I just don't.”
Oliver: “Hey. I don't care that you lied to me. I don't care. I care that the entire time we were supposed to be away together, part of you was still here.”
Felicity: “I love every moment that I am with you, no matter where we are.”
(Computer beeps.)
Oliver: “What's that?”
Felicity: “I hacked Kord Industries to check their design schematics for their bombs. Turns out they have a GPS tracker built in.”
Oliver: “Can you find out where it is?” 
Felicity: “At least where they've been. GPS is offline now, but their last location was… Admiral Transport interchange. It's a truck depot outside Pennytown. Closed up shop two months ago.”
Oliver: “I'll call Thea. You get Laurel and Dig.” 
Felicity: “This might be a good time to tell you that Cisco worked up a little something before he knew you were leaving. A new suit.”
Oliver: “We're not staying long enough for a new suit.”

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver tells the team that they’re dealing with something mystical:
Felicity: “Oh, I remember that look. That is not a good look.”
Oliver: “We found out what they had planned, at least. They're gonna use the explosives on the new train station.”
Felicity: “Ah, pretty sure I had that one in the office pool. Too soon?” 
Diggle: “They're probably planning the attack for tomorrow night, celebrate the re-opening of the new rail line.” 
Thea: “Are we not gonna talk about what just happened? That dude just killed that guy by touching him.” 
Felicity: “Wait, we're dealing with a metahuman? Like we didn't have enough problems?” 
Oliver: “He wasn't a metahuman.”
Laurel: “Oliver, what that man did was not natural.” 
Oliver: “I know. It was mystical.”
Diggle: “How can you be so sure?”
Oliver: “Because I've seen things. There's things that can't be explained, even by science.”
Diggle: “I suppose you aren't going to tell us about these things you've seen, Oliver.”
Oliver: “We need to focus on finding the cluster bombs. Can you activate the GPS?”
Felicity: “Eventually. But I'm pretty sure the train station's gonna be blown up by then.”
Diggle: “Fine. So we do this the old-fashioned way.”

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver tells Felicity that the only way he knows to fight the darkness is to be darkness, but she encourages him to be a different kind of person:
Felicity: “Uh-oh. You have mopey face. Were you worried after five months of happiness that you weren't going to be able to make it anymore?”
Oliver: “I ran into Lance.”
Felicity: “And he gave you a hug because he missed you?” 
Oliver: “Yeah, well, it's not just Lance. Thea. There is something wrong with Thea. She doesn't want my help. Neither does Diggle. We should never have come back here.” 
Felicity: “Let's go. Let's go home.”
Oliver: “You don't want to go home.” 
Felicity: “I love our new home. And I love you. But I also love it here, and you can't honestly tell me that you don't.”
Oliver: “Yeah, no, of course I miss aspects of it. The sense of purpose, the idea of helping people. But Lance was right.” 
Felicity: “About what?” 
Oliver: “A few months ago he told me that all I brought back from the island was pain, misery, and darkness. Of course, I knew that the moment we came back here, that darkness would be waiting for me.”
Felicity: “Well, he's wrong. Dead wrong. You didn't bring the darkness back with you from Lian Yu.”
Oliver: “But, Felicity, I'm telling you that the only way I know how to fight the darkness is to be darkness. That is why I left. And I don't want to be that type of person anymore.” 
Felicity: “Maybe you just need to be a different kind of person. And you're not doing this alone anymore.” 
Diggle (entering with Laurel and Thea): “Train station was a bust.”
Laurel: “No incendiaries on the platform, on the tracks, or inside any of the trains.”
Thea: “Yeah, but if there's no bomb in the station, then how did they expect to blow it up?”
Felicity: “You didn't bring the darkness here. The bombs aren't at the station because they're bringing them in.”
Oliver: “On a train. When's the reopening ceremony scheduled for?”
Felicity: “9:58, to coincide with the arrival of the first high speed train from Central City.”
Diggle: “Let's suit up.”
Felicity: “You should suit up, too.”
Oliver: “What?”
(Felicity uncovers glass case containing the Green Arrow suit. Cut to Oliver donning new suit and becoming the Green Arrow.)

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver mentions Darhk’s “hive” of operatives:
Thea: “So what are you gonna call yourself now? Everybody thinks Roy was the Arrow.”
Diggle: “He won't need a code name if he's headed back to Ivy Town.”
Oliver: “Well, then I guess I need a code name. Felicity and I, we have missed this. We've missed all of you. And the city is far worse off than we thought.”
Laurel: “What are you talking about?”
Oliver: “The man leading the Ghosts is Damien Darhk.”
Laurel: “Darhk left Star City months ago. Why would he come back?”
Diggle: “Did Ra’s tell you anything about Darhk that would give us any idea about his agenda?”
Oliver: “He said that Damien Darhk had a ‘hive’ of operatives at his disposal.”
Diggle: “A hive? That was the exact word he used?”
Oliver: “Yes. Why? Does it mean something to you?”
*  *  *
Diggle: “No. No, nothing.”
Oliver: “You all right?”
Diggle: “Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, man. I'm just beat. Plus, I have a little girl to tuck in.”
Oliver: “John. John!”
Diggle: “Listen, I'm, um, I'm not quite there yet, Oliver, so let's not do this right now.”
Oliver: “No, I know. I get it. But there is something we do need to do.”

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver announces to Star City the arrival of the Green Arrow, who will fight for the city:
Female Cop: “Captain, new problem.”
Quentin: “Seriously?”
Female Cop: “Someone's hacked into the emergency broadcast system. They've taken over all the networks.” 
Oliver (disguised, on TV): “Six months ago, the Arrow died. But what he stood for didn't. It lived on in the heroes who took up his mantle. People who believe that this city should never descend into hopelessness. Who believe, although life is full of darkness, that darkness can be defeated by light. And tonight, I am declaring my intention to stand with them, to fight for this city, to be the symbol of hope that the Arrow never was. I am the Green Arrow.”

401 (Green Arrow) – Oliver and Felicity move into Thea’s loft:
Felicity: “So my guilt for displacing Thea is only slightly outweighed by how amazing this place is.”
Oliver: “Thea's actually been living with Laurel for the past few months.”
Felicity: “Oh.”
Oliver: “Ra's stabbed her right over there.”
Felicity: “Oh.”
Oliver: “We can get a rug.”
Felicity: “You know, I'd hate to disappoint you, but that speech is pretty hopeful.”
Oliver: “Why would that disappoint me?”
Felicity: “Oh, you know, how you said you didn't know how to be a hero without the darkness? And I know how you hate being wrong.”
(They kiss. Cut to ring in the bowl filled with clear marbles.)

Edited February 24, 2020 by tv echo