S04.E02: The Candidate

[apinknightmare]

Yeah, I'd need to rewatch it to try to figure it out.

[dtissagirl]

I thought it was just the side effects too, but reading the dialog transcript, it can also be that Oliver didn't tell Thea about the Pit at all:

 

Malcolm warned me not to take you to Nanda Parbat. He said that when people go in the pit, they don't come out the same. And I didn't tell you, because I didn't want to worry about you. You seemed normal, Thea, and I swear to God, I thought everything was going to be fine.

 

AND

 

Oliver: How are you?

Thea: I guess I was wrong when I told you not to worry about me.

Oliver: Right or wrong, I'm still going to worry. It's right at the top of the big brother job description. Thea... I should have told you about the Pit immediately. That was the old me.

 

And the convo between Thea and Laurel:

 

Thea: And then Ra's offered to use something-- I don't know, to bring me back. Something he calls the Lazarus Pit.

Laurel: Wait, so what's happening to you now is-- is a side effect from--from this pit?

Thea: Malcolm tried to warn Ollie, I guess, but he... Didn't listen.

http://transcripts.foreverdreaming.org/viewtopic.php?f=172&t=23053&sid=ba5727e753b70ef8fa357a530a0d48b0

[looptab]

LOL and they get payed for doing this..

 

This is the part that makes me think she knew about the Pit:

 

T:Ollie didn't tell you? 

L:It's Ollie.

T:Well, I guess I really am his sister, since I didn't tell you, either. I just... Didn't want to re-live it.

 

But aside from that, I have always thought she knew, also from episode 21. She knew Oliver had left to save her, so I think, or at least I choose to believe they told her about the Pit. Otherwise what explanation did they give her?

[apinknightmare]

But wasn't that conversation after Oliver told Thea about what happened? I thought Thea was referring to getting stabbed, not the Pit.

ETA: she did say that she hadn't ever been resurrected before (at the Diggle dinner), so I guess she did know.

Edited October 20, 2015 by apinknightmare

[AyChihuahua]

I definitely think Thea knew about the Pit and that it healed her, but not what Malcolm said (which was really pretty vague and pseudo-philosophical BS...which Oliver usually takes as gospel, so I'm surprised he didn't take Malcolm's ramblings as his new truth).  Laurel, on the other hand, didn't know about any of it.  Which gives her a pass re noticing something was wrong with Thea, because she had no reason to think there was anything that could cause Thea to go nuts, but also indicates that Laurel is INCREDIBLY incurious, since she never asked Thea what all that ICU hospital brouhaha was about, or why Oliver joined the LOA, or even back in S2 what was up with Sara's scars.  

[dtissagirl]

Maybe she just didn't know the hot tub had an actual ridiculous name.

[AyChihuahua]

Maybe she just didn't know the hot tub had an actual ridiculous name.

They really, really made it so totally ridiculous.  It's such a 70s sex grotto Jacuzzi.

[dtissagirl]

It's muddy water that an old dude puts his naked butt in, I WOULD NEVER EVER GO NEAR THAT SHIT. Ew.

[AyChihuahua]

I don't like Jacuzzis under the best of circumstances.  They're basically filled with human broth.  But yeah, old greasy nasty dude broth in this particular case.  

 

I really hope it stops working after Sara, thus ruining MM's day.  I can't handle the thought of MM living for 100+ years.

 

I wonder how many times RAG asked fakeevilOliver if he wanted to join him for a soak.  Clothing optional, obvs.

Edited October 20, 2015 by AyChihuahua

[calliope1975]

It's muddy water that an old dude puts his naked butt in, I WOULD NEVER EVER GO NEAR THAT SHIT. Ew.

 

Yeah, but it heals everything, right? So, RAG can sit his STI infested/arthritic/whatever ass in there and everything's all good. Yeah, I'm going to go vomit now.

 

I don't think the Pit would have been as laughable if they hadn't had him chillin' in it exactly like a hot tub.

[millennium]

I know they need to resurrect Sara for the other show, but they really should have had Ra's (or Nissa or anybody else on the League side of things) resurrect Sara to Team Arrow's horror.    The idea that her own sister would body-snatch her stinking, rotting corpse and cart it halfway around the world is ridiculous and stupid.   That she would consider jeopardizing her own life, and Thea's, by returning to Nanda Parbat (where they just barely escaped with their lives three or four episodes ago) with a cadaver in tow (pity the sherpa lugging that up the mountain) spits in the face of willing suspension of disbelief.

 

This show gets worse and worse with every new episode.

 

Happy Oliver seems like he's on lithium or something.    Maybe he's bipolar.

 

Feral Thea was ... hard to watch.   Back to acting school, miss.

 

I think I saw Roy Harper in a commercial, playing some phone game on the subway.   At first I felt bad for him being out of the series and doing obscure commercials.   After this episode, not feeling so bad for Roy.

Edited October 20, 2015 by millennium

[paigow]

Is there an FAA in this DC Universe? How many flights [both ways] between Star[ling] City and Nanda Parbat have there been in the previous 20 years? Suddenly, there is a huge traffic spike over the past few years and nobody at a federal level investigates. 

[Happy Harpy]

I wonder how many times RAG asked fakeevilOliver if he wanted to join him for a soak.  Clothing optional, obvs.

It might be the one thing I couldn't fault Ra's with, because if I had a fakeevilOliver and a jacuzzi, I'd do exactly the same.

[AyChihuahua]

It might be the one thing I couldn't fault Ra's with, because if I had a fakeevilOliver and a jacuzzi, I'd do exactly the same.

I'm fairly sure that's the real reason RAG wanted Oliver as his heir.  To get him naked in the sex grotto hot tub.  There was no prophecy, he didn't care about Sara, and he's not really (obviously) homophobic.  

 

I joke, but good lord I will forever hate S3.

[BkWurm1]

I don't like Jacuzzis under the best of circumstances.  They're basically filled with human broth.  But yeah, old greasy nasty dude broth in this particular case.

 

Might turn your hair brittle and occasionally green and too much exposure to fumes could burn your lungs or kill you but I'm suddenly appreciating chlorine more than ever. 

[kismet]

I definitely think Thea knew about the Pit and that it healed her, but not what Malcolm said (which was really pretty vague and pseudo-philosophical BS...which Oliver usually takes as gospel, so I'm surprised he didn't take Malcolm's ramblings as his new truth).  Laurel, on the other hand, didn't know about any of it.  Which gives her a pass re noticing something was wrong with Thea, because she had no reason to think there was anything that could cause Thea to go nuts, but also indicates that Laurel is INCREDIBLY incurious, since she never asked Thea what all that ICU hospital brouhaha was about, or why Oliver joined the LOA, or even back in S2 what was up with Sara's scars.  

Totally agree about an incurious LL, which is odd considering her profession IMO. But whatever works for the writers.

 

Let's just say I have a very old school way of recording episodes. And by chance (seriously not even planned), my VCR rewinded itself & started playing the beginning of the tape where 321 after I fell asleep on the FLASH ep I had recorded. So I woke up to the Diggle Dinner where TQ talks about being resurrected, it was kinda bizarre the timing. Anyway, TQ most definitely knew about OQ's sacrifice, about being resurrected from the dead and it would seem the Pit. SO I have a feeling they just kept out the bad parts and the potential bad side effects. What MM talks about regarding the pit now seems like info he hasn't shared with TA or the Queens.

 

Got say watching that ep again, I realized that a lot of it can be blamed on LL. Her reveal to Nyssa about OQ being the new heir is what set most of that episode (or at least the lasting bad parts) in motion. If LL had not told Nyssa that OQ had become the new HoD, OQ would have had the advantage to possibly take Nyssa peacefully without ever having to involve TA. Once TA was involved and protecting Nyssa, then it became harder for him to get her, thereby triggering the kidnapping and the BroTP fall out.

 

Also, I think these conditions might have inspired Ras to force the marriage between N/O as one more step to separate OQ from TA - after observing the connection they still had when LL heavily influenced TA to defend Nyssa. I don't believe Ras would ever have chosen to have OQ kill Nyssa, he was just seeing how far OQ was willing to go. Ras was insane, but I do think he wanted Nyssa alive either because he loved her or for heir/bloodline purposes, or perhaps a combination. So yea, if LL had kept her mouth shut about OQ/Al-sha-him, we might have had a different finale & outcome because OQ's mission would not have been compromised by LL's loose mouth. Perhaps Nyssa could have helped take down her father and MM would have been iced out of the deal. Which only furthers the theory that there are valid reasons people do not tell LL things.

[AyChihuahua]

Totally agree about an incurious LL, which is odd considering her profession IMO. But whatever works for the writers.

Try to imagine it: Your ex-boyfriend, who you've known for about a year has been a vigilante hero guy, decides to become something called the "Heir to the Demon," which means he'll take over a group of assassins you know have been attacking your city and killing people.  After he refused to do so for awhile, which you know resulted in the attacks.  Oh, and this group poisoned you and kidnapped your mom last year.  (Did Laurel ever find out that Oliver was "killed" by the Demon, to whom he is now Heir?  I haven't/won't ever watch those episodes.)  It never occurs to you to ask WHY?  You even go all the way to a Tibet-adjacent high plains craphole to keep your ex-boyfriend and his new evil daddy from unleashing a lethal virus on your and his hometown, and it never occurs to you to ask WHY your ex-bf is doing all this?  Your ex-bf sort of tries to kill you and everyone else, including his sort of current girlfriend, and it never occurs to you to ask WHY?

 

Holy crap the myriad ways in which the writers constantly screw up the Laurel character!

Edited October 21, 2015 by AyChihuahua

[bijoux]

(Did Laurel ever find out that Oliver was "killed" by the Demon, to whom he is now Heir?  I haven't/won't ever watch those episodes.) 

 

!

I can't think of specifica but she kept showing up at the lair and going out in the field with Roy while Diggle was promoted from black driver to black pilot, so I feel she must have been told. Though the team might as well have told her Oliver was using up his vacation days and fishing in Alaska.

[AyChihuahua]

I can't think of specifica but she kept showing up at the lair and going out in the field with Roy while Diggle was promoted from black driver to black pilot, so I feel she must have been told. Though the team might as well have told her Oliver was using up his vacation days and fishing in Alaska.

I am 100% with you, that you'd think they'd either mention it to her ("Hey, btdubs, Oliver's totally deadzo, Nyssa's greasy old evil daddy the Demon killed him") or that she'd, you know, ASK, but she actually never asked, apparently, why Oliver decided to turn evil.  I cannot comprehend not asking why my ex-bf, who's been busy heroing, suddenly decided to TURN EVIL.  It is SO BIZARRE when you really think about it.

 

If she knows RAG killed Oliver, she's even worse, because that means she knows that Oliver agreed to have the dude who recently killed him become his new evil daddy, and she NEVER ASKED WHY.  It's flabbergasting; I'm flabbergasted.

Edited October 21, 2015 by AyChihuahua

[Delphi]

They probably didn't tell her. She just felt it in her bones.

[kismet]

I am 100% with you, that you'd think they'd either mention it to her ("Hey, btdubs, Oliver's totally deadzo,") or that she'd, you know, ASK, but she actually never asked, apparently, why Oliver decided to turn evil.  I cannot comprehend not asking why my ex-bf, who's been busy heroing, suddenly decided to TURN EVIL.  It is SO BIZARRE when you really think about it.

I'm working very hard to try and stop thinking about it or applying logic to the existence that is LL, but you are making it very hard for me :) I'm trying to be all zen in my little corner here my eyes closed with my fingers in my ears lalala away when it comes to LL now, but you keep throwing the logic and the facts at me. Shame on you, how am I supposed to move into a calmer place about the stupid they have done & make us endure with LL.

[apinknightmare]

I know that she knew he wasn't coming back, but was she really not curious about why? Is this a convo that happened off screen? I can't remember.

[kismet]

They probably didn't tell her. She just felt it in her bones.

That's probably also why she knows what's up with SL's

soul

, LL is a highly specialized emotional archaeologist, she just digs away feeling other people's issues in her bones. I wonder if she has to take some type of mineral supplement for the feeling she must be doing these days.

[Angel12d]

It is weird that no one talked about what happened in NP. And Laurel didn't ask. Maybe she just didn't care. She's got her mask. Job done. 

 

Random question but was Thea wearing the same plaid shirt she wore when she was stabbed by Ra's? If so, costume fail!

[Delphi]

Just checked worn on tv and, yes. Maybe she really liked it and bought another one.

I sometimes by duplicates of clothes I like. Especially if they are white. Wine isn't always my friend.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Delphi

[Primal Slayer]

They probably kept it a secret and forgot about it since no one seemed that worried about Thea once they got home. It was all business by the time F/D came back.

[statsgirl]

But Laurel must have asked what made Oliver join Ra's al Ghul when he's been the bad guy all season. A huge  hole in the writing.

[Primal Slayer]

But Laurel must have asked what made Oliver join Ra's al Ghul when he's been the bad guy all season. A huge  hole in the writing.

 

Or well in this case, Arrow.

[slayer2]

They can bond together all they want, but the writers should probably come up with some kind of story for Diggle to confide in Laurel with that doesn't make him look like not such a great brother, and makes both him and Laurel look like idiots and the worst strategic thinkers probably ever.

I don't see how it makes him look like a bad brother or makes them look like idiots. Diggle is looking into something that is 6feet deep instead of 3, nothing idiotic about that.

[apinknightmare]

I don't see how it makes him look like a bad brother or makes them look like idiots. Diggle is looking into something that is 6feet deep instead of 3, nothing idiotic about that.

It makes him look like a bad brother because he was allegedly desperate to avenge Andy's death but he decided to keep the investigation from the two people who could help him-for reasons that make no sense considering both Oliver and Felicity have helped him with family matters in the past. So, how badly could he really want to find Andy's killer?

And it made him look like an idiot because he had a key piece of information about the ghosts (that they are HIVE) that he chose not to share with the team despite the fact that they were getting beaten by the ghosts constantly and not making any headway with defeating them. Laurel also chose to keep that key information to herself, which is idiotic as well, especially after mentioning that they don't keep secrets anymore and that Diggle would regret keeping this one, but still didn't say anything about the ghosts being HIVE at least.

Glad it's out in the open now, but it went against Diggle's character and what we know about him to keep it a secret and not ask for help in the first place.

Edited October 23, 2015 by apinknightmare

[Potanical Pardon]

Remember 3b? Where they came and went to NP like it was right around the corner? Not hard to find, takes like 5 mins.

Yeah, but wasn't Oliver or Merlyn with whoever was going there at any given time? As long as one person in a group is deemed worthy to enter, it's okay. But Laurel + Speedy...yeah, no.

[catrox14]

Might turn your hair brittle and occasionally green and too much exposure to fumes could burn your lungs or kill you but I'm suddenly appreciating chlorine more than ever. 

 

LOL Also, apple cider vinegar to the rescue on overly chlorinated blonde hair!

[BkWurm1]

LOL Also, apple cider vinegar to the rescue on overly chlorinated blonde hair!

See, this is why life before the internet was a sad, sad, place.  Oh if I'd only known that from 5-14 when I basically lived in the pool every summer. 

[catrox14]

See, this is why life before the internet was a sad, sad, place.  Oh if I'd only known that from 5-14 when I basically lived in the pool every summer. 

 

Awww :(. I did know about it *coughty* years ago when they didn't really make special products that cost a fortune to remove chlorine :(. 

[BkWurm1]

In the third grade I started school thinking my hair had turned curly by the end of the summer. A haircut later I was told the correct term was "frizz".

Wouldn't it be nice to live in TV land were nobody ever has bad hair? Even Madison's hair was pretty good when she was rescued.

Edited October 25, 2015 by BkWurm1

[tv echo]

402 (The Candidate) – Oliver Queen’s voiceover intro:
Oliver (voiceover): "My name is Oliver Queen. After five years in hell, I have returned home with only one goal - to save my city. But my old approach wasn't enough. I had to become someone else. I had to become something else. I had to become the Green Arrow."

402 (The Candidate) – Felicity wants a code name:
(Team Arrow is fighting Ghosts out in the field.)
Felicity (over comms): “I want a code name.” 
Oliver (over comms): “What?” 
Felicity (over comms): “Everyone's got a code name. You even got a new one. I want a code name.” 
Oliver (over comms): “Find the bomb, and then we'll talk.” 
Felicty (over comms): "I'm scanning frequency signatures. I just know we're not going to talk about it. John, you've got a runner."
Diggle (over comms): "I'm on it."
Felicity (over comms): "Got it. The Ghost frequency of choice is on the ground level. Ten'll get you twenty it's the bomb. I don't mean that it's the bomb, like it's good, like it's da bomb! I mean like it's the explosives."
Oliver (over comms): "Got it. Ground floor."
Felicity (over comms): "You better move it. The signal strength I'm reading, they can blow the treatment plant from Central City."
Oliver (over comms): "It's done. Get Diggle down here to handle the dismantling."
Felicity (over comms): "You know, it seems like he could use a code name, too."
Oliver (over comms, chuckling): "Just get him down here."

402 (The Candidate) -- Oliver confronts Thea about her field work; and he gives Felicity a new fern and packs her lunch:
Felicity: "Well, saving the city's water supply, that's an honest night's - morning's work. Hmm."
Diggle: "Yeah, but no matter what we do to these Ghosts, they keep coming."
Laurel: "We still did a good job tonight."
Diggle: "Yeah, not good enough."
Oliver (to Thea): "Hey! Can I talk to you for a second? (Pulls her aside) Kind of felt like you were out there for blood tonight."
Thea: "Look, you haven't been dealing with these Ghosts as long as we have. If I go easy on them, things are going to end bad really fast."
Oliver: "I'm worried that if you keep going the way that you're going, you're going to put one of them down permanently."
Thea: "I know where the line is, okay? And look, it's almost 9. Mrs. Danforth and Madison are going to be at our house in like an hour, so I have time for one of your lectures or a shower. I pick shower." (Leaves)
Felicity: "Is everything okay?"
Oliver: "You look nice."
Felicity: "It's my first day back at Palmer Tech. I get to be bossy today, because I am the boss of a multi-billion dollar corporation. I know I should be nervous, I know, but I'm not. I'm actually really excited."
Oliver: "You should be excited. That's why I got you the first-day-as-a-boss fern."
Felicity: "Aww."
Oliver: "And... packed your lunch."
Felicity: "Who are you?"

402 (The Candidate) – Felicity meets Curtis Holt:
Felicity (entering board room): "Wow. You guys look bigger than you did when you were on my computer screen."
Mr. Dennis: "Perhaps we should begin with this quarter's financials."
Felicity: "Thank you. Uh... okay. I know I don't have a business degree, or an accounting degree, or an MBA, but this looks very, very bad."
Mr. Dennis: "These are hard times for everyone in Star City. This company's not immune. Fortunately, Mr. Holt had devised us a way out."
Felicity: "Oh, goody."
Curtis: "Um, hello. I'm actually not a member of the board. I work in the Design Innovations Department."
Mr. Dennis: "Tell Miss Smoak about your algorithm."
Curtis: "It's, uh, pretty simple, actually. I use specialized A.I. to determine maximum profits, which can be derived with a minimum amount of workforce deduction. Sorry. I probably could have explained that better."
Felicity: "No, I got the gist. You came up with a list of people that you'd like me to fire."
Curtis: "Workforce reduction has a nicer sound to it. It just kind of rolls off the tongue. Ahem."
Felicity: "Well, the only thing we'll be reducing is all of your bonuses to start."
Mr. Dennis:  "We've already been down that road and exhausted all other avenues, Miss Smoak."
Felicity: "I didn't come back to this company to put the people who work here out of work. I came here to protect Ray Palmer's legacy."
Mr. Dennis: "And if we do not dramatically reduce our costs or increase our profits, there won't be a legacy to protect."

402 (The Candidate) – Oliver remarks on the benefits of having a girlfriend who inherited a multi-billion dollar company:
Diggle: "She announcers her candidacy, and two seconds later, someone's trying to kill her? That must be a record, even for our city."
Oliver: "She's not dropping out of the race, so this isn't over."
Laurel: "My father has a protective detail on her."
Thea: "Yeah, but even with protection at the announcement, she didn't seem to be too safe."
Felicity: "Is it just me, or is the shooting of a potential city leader feeling a little Ghosty?"
Thea: "This guy wasn't wearing a mask, so -"
Oliver: "There was something else different about him. He left behind evidence.” 
Diggle: “Fingerprints.”
Laurel: “How'd you get the owner to part with his windshield?” 
Oliver: “I bought his truck. It's one of the benefits of your girlfriend inheriting a multi-billion dollar conglomerate. We have money now.” 
Felicity: “I don't exactly think that was money well spent. I don't think these prints are going to do us any good."
Thea: "What the hell?"
Felicity: "I am not an expert, but I think our new friend may have cut off his fingertips and played a little bit of mix and match. I'll keep digging. Maybe this is an M.O. that'll tell us something."
Oliver: "In the meantime, we backstop the S.C.P.D. Thea was right - Jessica needs more than the police can offer."
Laurel: "She's in protective custody, and I'm pretty sure my father wouldn't be in favor of us staking out his precinct."
Oliver: "I'll talk to him."
Felicity: "Oh, yeah. That'll definitely go over well."

402 (The Candidate) – Felicity sets Curtis straight:
Felicity: "You're late."    
Curtis: "I know. Sorry, I was looking at the numbers again, and -"
Felicity: "Oh, you mean the 'numbers' of people that your magic 'downsizing algorithm' is making us fire today."
Curtis: "Downsizing? You think I - you think I - I didn't -"
Felicity: “Let's get one thing straight. The only person who is allowed to talk in sentence fragments around here is me.” 
Curtis: "I developed my algorithm to create a value matrix. To argue for company-wide pay increases, raises. Mr. Dennis turned it around and had me use it to figure out who to fire."
Felicity: "So this wasn't your idea?"
Curtis: "I was trying to get people to get paid more, not paid nothing."
(Female employee knocks and enters.)
Carla: "Hi, I'm Carla Groves. My supervisor asked me to come see you."
Felicity: "Hi. Yes. Um... I don't know quite how to say this -"
Carla: "I'm fired."
Felicity: "But clearly you do."
Carla: "As rumors go, downsizing ones tend to go viral." 
Felicity: "I am very sorry. I didn't come back here to put people out of work. But I am hoping that by losing a few jobs, I can save many, many more." 
Carla: "That looks like a little more than a few."
Felicity: “Yes. The company is going through a difficult time."
Carla: "I know. And when we heard you were coming back, we thought things were going to get a lot better. Guess we were wrong."

402 (The Candidate) – Felicity finds a clue:
Oliver: "I spoke to Diggle. No movement at the precinct."
Felicity: "That's all right. I may have some movement here. I noticed something tacky on the palm print our guy left on the windshield."
Thea: "Tacky?"
Felicity: "Like a residue."
Oliver: "What kind?"
Felicity: "Cellulose. Oh, except this formulation is special. The molecular structure's been patented."
Oliver: "By who?"
Felicity: "Palmer Technologies. A subsidiary, actually. Palmer Paper. I had to shut down the mill a couple months ago as a cost cutting measure." 
Oliver: "Where's the paper mill?"

402 (The Candidate) – Felicity identifies Lonnie Machin; and Oliver confronts Thea about her bloodlust:
Felicity: "I got an ID on our Mr. Creepy."
Laurel: "I thought his fingerprints were all screwed up."
Felicity: "Mixed up, but I have an obsession with jigsaw puzzles. Lonnie Machin. Part-time mob enforcer, full-time crazy pants. Done jobs for the Bertinellis, the Triad, and Rick Pinzolo."
Oliver (entering with Thea): "We're going to talk about this. We're going to have the conversation about what just happened."
Thea: "What just happened was that guy had information and I was trying to get it out of him."
Oliver: "You broke his arm."
Thea: "He was stalling!"
Oliver: "He was scared. Come here." (Grabs her arm)
Thea: "What are you doing?!"
Oliver: "I need to show you something. At the water plant, you took down a Ghost. You could have done it with a very simple disarmament technique, like this... (Takes down Thea) But Thea, that's not what you did. (Thea attacks him and they fight) You went overboard with a series of techniques designed to do one thing - cripple!"
Felicity: "Oliver."
(Thea aggressively attacks Oliver.  Diggle and Laurel pull her off Oliver.)
Diggle: "That's enough! Come on! That's enough! Come on! Demonstration's over."
Oliver: "Fine, sorry. Sorry. Sorry. After Ra's hurt you... Malcolm warned me not to take you to Nanda Parbat. He said that when people go in the Pit, they don't come out the same. And I didn't tell you, because I didn't want to worry about you. You seemed normal, Thea, and I swear to God, I thought everything was going to be fine."
Thea: "And then you left. So you know what? It doesn't really qualify you to judge me, or anyone else!" (Leaves)
Laurel: "What's going on? What happened to Thea in Nanda Parbat?"
Oliver: "I did what I had to do... to save my sister."
Diggle: "Oliver, that was six months ago. Why is the Pit only affecting her now?"
Oliver: "It's probably been showing up over time... subtly."
Diggle: "What do you want to do about it?"

402 (The Candidate) – Curtis finds out that he’s on the list of Palmer Tech employees to be fired:
Curtis: "Wow, you look like someone who has to fire a whole mess of people today."
Felicity: "What? Oh, no. I mean, yes, but this isn't about this. Not that firing a dozen people is going to do much for my mood."
Curtis: "Actually, it's two dozen."
Felicity: "What?!" 
Curtis: "The pages are double-sided." 
Felicity: "There has to be another way. This many intelligent people in the company, there has to be someone who -"
Curtis: "Miss Smoak, are you all right?"
Felicity: "Absolutely. Uh -"
Curtis: "It's okay."
Felicity: "What is?"
Curtis: "I'm on the list, aren't I?"
Felicity: "Yeah. I'm so sorry."
Curtis: "It's okay. I mean, it's one less person that you have to fire today, right? You know, actually, this is good news, in a way. My husband will be thrilled. This way we can take that trip that he's been wanting to go on. Of course, I'll have to drive."
Felicity: "You don't have to try and make me feel better about this."
Curtis: "About what? I sort of fired myself."

402 (The Candidate) – Felicity is feeling discouraged and Oliver gives her a pep talk: 
Oliver: “Any news?” 
Felicity: “Only the bad kind.” 
Oliver: “Hey, we're going to catch this guy.” 
Felicity: “Yeah, and when we do, there's going to be another one waiting for us, and another, and another. It's like the most depressing game of whack-a-mole ever.”
Oliver: "Can't say we didn't know what we were getting into - back into."
Felicity: "When we decided to stay in Starling - I mean, hmm, Star City, I was excited. I thought it meant a new beginning. And now, we've only been back a week. John is still mad at you, Thea's gone Pit crazy, I've spent the last two days putting people out of work."
Oliver: "If you think that we made a mistake, we didn't. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. We said that we were going to do things differently. We just need time to figure out how. (His cell phone beeps) Captain?"
Quentin (on phone): "Heavy Heavy Club. 4th and Pierce."
Oliver: "What about it?"
Quentin (on phone): "It's where Lonnie Machin is holding Jessica Danforth's daughter. You said you're doing things differently now? Here's your chance to prove it."

402 (The Candidate) – Team Arrow rescues Madison Danforth, and Thea almost kills Lonnie Machin:
Machin: "Sorry to leave you hanging. I had a meeting. It didn't go well. Turns out, I can't sit at the cool kids' table. When trillions and trillions of molecules exploded from a pin head, were there rules dictating how to establish a universe? No. They found their way through the chaos."
Madison: "Please! You can still let me go!"
Machin: "Only if you promise not to tell anybody about me... Pinky swear? I changed my mind.... Oh, the things I'm about to do to you... (Oliver, Diggle, Thea and Laurel crash down through the ceiling) Something wrong with the front door?"
Oliver: "Get away from the girl!"
Machin: "Could you come back in an hour? We were just getting started."
(Machin shoots fire out of a flame thrower at them and leaves.)
Diggle: "Let's get her down."
Oliver (over comms): "Felicity."
Felicity (over comms): "So now a mad man du jour knows you're working with a Felicity. This is why I need a code name."
Oliver (over comms): "We have Madison, but he split."
Felicity (over comms): "There's no movement outside the club. He must still be in there with you."
Diggle (carrying Madison): "She needs medical attention."
Oliver: "Get her to safety. We've got this."
(Diggle and Laurel leave with Madison.)
Oliver: "Hey. Can you handle this?"
Thea: "I'm good."
(Oliver and Thea fight Machin. Machin electrocutes Oliver. Thea takes Machin down and sets him on fire.)
Oliver: "Speedy! Speedy, don't!"

402 (The Candidate) – Felicity manages to get a six-month reprieve on firing employees by promising a revolutionary technology:
Mr. Dennis: "Miss Smoak, what's this we're hearing about you halting the workforce reduction? I thought we agreed -"
Felicity: "Well, you talked and I listened. I would hardly call that an agreement. With that said, I did get around to firing a few people - they've all been hired back, B-T-dub. And one of them reminded me that Ray Palmer never would have approved of this."
Mr. Dennis: "Ray Palmer is dead. And this company will be, too, unless -"
Felicity: "I am going to stop you right there."
Curtis (entering): "I'm sorry, Miss Smoak, you asked to see me. Um... I think there's been a mistake."
Felicity: "No, actually, you have perfect timing. I was just about to tell Mr. Dennis about your project. After I fired Mr. Holt, I had the opportunity to review his active projects. It turns out he is working on something that is going to revolutionize technology and save this company. Neither of which he can do with a reduced workforce supporting him."
Mr. Dennis: "Intriguing. So what's this revolutionary technology, Mr. Holt?"
Curtis: "Um -"
Felicity: "And that is proprietary. But I can assure you, it will astonish the world."
Mr. Dennis: "Our annual shareholders meeting's in six months. Present it there. Astonish us."
Felicity: "Oh, we will." (Leaves with Curtis)
Curtis: "You don't even have an idea for some world astonishing technology, do you?" 
Felicity: "Nope, but I am betting that you do."
Curtis: "Pretty bold move, Miss Smoak."
Felicity: "Yeah, well, I'm trying to do things a little differently."

402 (The Candidate) – Oliver tells Felicity that he’s decided to run for Mayor of Star City: 
Oliver (entering loft): "Hello."
Felicity (out on balcony): "Hey, I'm out here."
Oliver: "You look happy. Don't tell me you started enjoying firing people."
Felicity: "No more firing."
Oliver: "Good." (Kisses her)
Felicity: "Figured out another way."
Oliver: "Well, maybe you could share your secret with me. Doing things differently is what I promised myself."
Felicity: "You are doing things differently."
Oliver; "Well, not different enough, apparently. Both Lance and Jessica Danforth said something to me about this city needing something that the Green Arrow can't offer them.” 
Felicity: “A decent sushi restaurant?” 
Oliver: “Hope. Inspiration. Someone who can do things in the light, who isn't afraid. Someone who can protect himself. Felicity, I'm gonna run for Mayor.” 

Edited February 24, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

402 deleted scene...

Arrow 4x02 Deleted Scene - Thea and Diggle conversation

(Hermandat)