Spoiler Discussion Thread

[Password]

Poor Felicity. Sheesh I feel like I know 20% of the dialog for the premiere. Just leak it for goodness sake CW.

Edited July 24, 2014 by ArrowLimbo

[Velocity23]

If he says because of the life that i lead one more time she should punch him in the face or have Roy,Diggle,Sara or Nyssa do it. 

[wingster55]

I think that's where the use of "fan pandering" comes from. If they have moments but never fully explore on the feelings and have them date for however long a la Clark and Chloe (which I'm still bitter about 8 years later)

[apinknightmare]

If he says because of the life that i lead one more time she should punch him in the face or have Roy,Diggle,Sara or Nyssa do it. 

 

The more I read about this date, the less worried I am about this happening. I feel like Felicity's going to realize that he's not ready, and head off whatever protest he was going to give her by letting him off the hook. I actually really do think (and this could be me being naive, but I think the writers have written the two of them very well thus far) that it'll be handled maturely, and in an honest, understandable way.

 

I think we're getting a bunch of date info because a) that seems to be what a large percentage of the vocal fandom is interested in, and b) the showrunners seem to have a pretty good idea about internet chatter, and they really want us to know that this isn't a trick. Fool me once and all that.

[Password]

The more I read about this date, the less worried I am about this happening. I feel like Felicity's going to realize that he's not ready, and head off whatever protest he was going to give her by letting him off the hook. I actually really do think (and this could be me being naive, but I think the writers have written the two of them very well thus far) that it'll be handled maturely, and in an honest, understandable way.

 

I agree. I think it will be a mutual decision because Felicity is all kinds of awesome and she understands our dear idiot Queen.

[apinknightmare]

I think that's where the use of "fan pandering" comes from. If they have moments but never fully explore on the feelings and have them date for however long a la Clark and Chloe (which I'm still bitter about 8 years later)

 

IMO it's not fan pandering if the feelings are recognized and validated by the characters. In this show, I'd say a prime example of fan pandering for Olicity is when Oliver (with a busted-up knee) handed Diggle his bow so he could carry Felicity after their car accident. One could argue it was done to help build the case for the fake 'I love you,' but I think that was pandering, plain and simple.

 

(and I enjoyed it, haha)

[dtissagirl]

The more I read about this date, the less worried I am about this happening. I feel like Felicity's going to realize that he's not ready, and head off whatever protest he was going to give her by letting him off the hook. I actually really do think (and this could be me being naive, but I think the writers have written the two of them very well thus far) that it'll be handled maturely, and in an honest, understandable way.

 

I really want this to happen. Especially if Felicity stays unaware of any deeper feelings Oliver has for her. Then it works perfectly if they end 301 in a "we work better as friends anyway" place. And Felicity is off the hook to pursue whatever she'll have with Ray. And Oliver can react to that accordingly, while he does the grownupping he's gotta do before he can actually have a real adult romantic relationship.

Edited July 24, 2014 by dancingnancy

[Password]

IMO it's not fan pandering if the feelings are recognized and validated by the characters. In this show, I'd say a prime example of fan pandering for Olicity is when Oliver (with a busted-up knee) handed Diggle his bow so he could carry Felicity after their car accident. One could argue it was done to help build the case for the fake 'I love you,' but I think that was pandering, plain and simple.

 

(and I enjoyed it, haha)

 

I agree if there was ever fan pandering, that scene was it. Not only is his leg busted but he hands Diggle, whom has no bow and arrow experience, the bow. Like dude what? On the same page, Oliver and Felicity sliding down that...er doohikie. Although with the amount of swinging they do maybe that'll be their thing.

[slayer2]

I don't think there's anything wrong with fan-pandering. Fans are the reason the show exists, if some pandering is foreshadowing then even better. It's also a good way to do chemistry tests.

I think CL being cast was probably brought on by fan pandering and though I think it kind of screwed over KC, I'm really glad she's here.

I think with something like Olicity most of season 3 will probably be fan pandering as we've seen by the spoilers and there's nothing wrong with that. There's a lot of chemistry to be mined and a lot of fans want to see it so why not give it to them. YMMV but I don't think it's a dirty word.

Edited July 24, 2014 by slayer2

[KirkB]

The whole fan pandering argument is pointless anyway since you never hear those people complaining when THEIR fan stuff is pandered to. The Laurel and Oliver/Laurel supporters get all up in arms if Oliver/Felicity flirt or when he hooks up with Helena/Sara/Isabel instead of Laurel, but if he and Laurel go out to dinner it's all flowers and rainbows. Even beyond shipping, the majority of vocal fans are this way, supportive of the stuff they like and dismissive of anything they don't. Though I must admit the Oliver/Laurel fans sometimes cross a line (I wandered onto a Tumblr site about them once and it scared the crap out of me) and it's virtually impossible to engage many of them in a civil discussion because their main response is "COMICS!"

Edited July 24, 2014 by KirkB

[catrox14]

I really wish we could just get rid of the term "fan pandering" or acknowledge that every single thing in a show is ultimately fan pandering because if the show doesn't do some things that please fans, welp there is no show.

[BkWurm1]

I think CL being cast was probably brought on by fan pandering

 

In what way?  I've always assumed it was down to the show runners impatience.  They wanted to have their Canary now even if Laurel was no where near ready to be a hero in tights.  Who were they pandering to? 

Edited July 25, 2014 by BkWurm1

[wonderwall]

Bringing CL on wasn't fan pandering because there were no fans to pander to, that is because the fans didn't know what they were missing until CL was on screen. CL was just a way to cover up the failure of the character that is Laurel *shrugs* Why else make her the (black) canary? 

[Morrigan2575]

http://www.kpopstarz.com/articles/100842/20140724/arrow-season-3-spoilers-roy-team-arrow-diggle.htm

 

"I'd love to see us stick the landing a bit better with regards to Roy's role among our heroes. This year you really feel like he is a part of Team Arrow, in a very integral way. That includes suiting Roy up as well as exploring the repercussions of his Mirakru'd rampage," the showrunner told the website.

 

I think this is the 3rd admission of we screwed up...Isabel (MG mid-S2 and end of S2), Laurel (AK mid-S2 and end of S2) and now Roy, pre-S3.

 

So I guess they either know/listen to the fan complaints since those three were big ones last season WTF happened to Isabel?  What happened to Roy, he just joined TA and then disappeared in foundry.  The Laurel stuff has been covered endlessly.

[abhi]

So, Diggle's biggest story line is going to be Lyla's pregnancy ???

[Velocity23]

Doesn't the 3rd episode revolve around Deadshot and Diggle? 

 

So yesterday Colton, Stephen and production office posted photos due too Emily's birthday. I was wondering if this is the old lair we can see in the background. to which everybody knows the location to or is it a new one?

 

[BkWurm1]

Cute pics. It looks like the old lair but that doesn't make sense unless the set is still up and they just used the space? Naw, that would happen. Maybe we're suppose to think the new space has been transformed to look a lot like the old space? They wouldn't have stayed in the old space, would they?

The cake is interesting. Is it supposed to be the island? And three little bird?

[tv echo]

Happy Belated Birthday to Emily Bett Rickards!

 

I agree that we should eliminate the phrase "fan pandering" altogether.  I don't think it even applies.  Using this definition of fan pandering, it assumes that Olicity fans are a tiny minority of Arrow fans - and I don't think that's the case at all, considering it's more than Internet chatter but also tons of media news articles, critics, polls and award nominations.  I object to the term because the phrase is too frequently used by one segment of the fan population to denigrate the opinions of another segment of the fan population.  According to Dictionary.com, the general term "pander" or "panderer" is defined as (1) a pimp or (2) a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others (or if used as a verb, to act like a panderer).  So when someone uses the phrase "fan pandering", they're insulting both the show producers and other fans.

 

Anyway, as AK makes clear in that E!Online article (posted by Velocity23 on page 40), the O/F date is not a throwaway scene but part of the larger theme of Season 3.  U.S. Link:  http://www.eonline.com/news/562851/arrow-scoop-find-out-what-felicity-says-to-oliver-after-their-season-3-premiere-date

"There's actually a line in the script where after you see what happens on the date, she even says, 'That was still not my worst date!'" executive producer Andrew Kreisberg shared with us at the CW's 2014 Summer TCA Party.
*   *   *
Felicity and Oliver's premiere date disaster will play directly into the main theme of the CW hit's third season, Kreisberg previewed.

"So much of this season as a whole is about Oliver trying to figure out if he can be both Oliver Queen and the Arrow and finding out if there's a life for himself beyond the hood," he spilled. "He's taking his first tentative steps towards that in the premiere. That's really going to be a struggle for him for the whole season."

Edited July 25, 2014 by tv echo

[dtissagirl]

And this is Romance Setup 101. It's the first episode of the season in which they're gonna actively explore whatever romantic feelings are there between Oliver and Felicity. It can't be all done in the prologue.

It also bodes well with that thing MG said about the first episode of the season setting the overall theme and tone of the season. 201 did exactly that for S2: regardless of the annoying mess in the mid-S2, 201 set up Oliver wanting to be A HERO, and the season got him there. S3 now starts with Oliver wanting A LIFE [which includes dating Felicity], and wondering how to balance being Arrow vs. being Oliver Queen. It makes sense that it'll take the whole season to get him there.

Edited July 25, 2014 by dancingnancy

[apinknightmare]

That lair setup does look an awful lot like their old one. Did they remodel some new place to look similar or did the EPs decide Oliver couldn't be flat broke and had him regain control of Verdant?

[Velocity23]

tweeted by Guggenheim:

Arrow boss confirms return of Caity Lotz as The Canary in season three via @digitalspyus

[writersblock51]

tweeted by Guggenheim:

Arrow boss confirms return of Caity Lotz as The Canary in season three via @digitalspyus

I can't find a direct link for that - and DigitalSpyUS doesn't have anything on their Twitter page about it.

 

Still, I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

And the photos of the lair look a lot like the 'old lair' but it's also very dark and not the best views of the background. 

 

I hope someone on the show figures out that Oliver may not be a billionaire anymore but he sure as heck isn't poor or should be homeless.

Edited July 25, 2014 by writersblock51

[Sunshine]

I can't find a direct link for that - and DigitalSpyUS doesn't have anything on their Twitter page about it.

 

Still, I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

And the photos of the lair look a lot like the 'old lair' but it's also very dark and not the best views of the background. 

 

I hope someone on the show figures out that Oliver may not be a billionaire anymore but he sure as heck isn't poor or should be homeless.

It's on DigitalSpy not DigitalSpyUS.  It doesn't say anything that we haven't heard before. Elsewhere AK said 3 episodes so far.

[tv echo]

Here are the direct links:

 

https://twitter.com/mguggenheim

https://twitter.com/DigitalSpy (scroll down)

 

Arrow boss confirms return of Caity Lotz as The Canary in season three

http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s206/arrow/news/a586317/arrow-boss-confirms-return-of-caity-lotz-as-the-canary-in-season-three.html

Guggenheim went on to say that the addition of The Canary's sister Laurel (Katie Cassidy) to Oliver Queen's (Stephen Amell) team of vigilantes will cause complications with Oliver's close friend and potential love interest Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards).

 

"There's a great scene between her and Felicity in episode three that we never could do in the last two seasons," he teased. "And she now can interact with Diggle in a separate way. It's fun to see these colors mixing together that you've never seen before."

Edited July 25, 2014 by tv echo

[apinknightmare]

 

Guggenheim went on to say that the addition of The Canary's sister Laurel (Katie Cassidy) to Oliver Queen's (Stephen Amell) team of vigilantes will cause complications with Oliver's close friend and potential love interest Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards).

 

The Canary's sister Laurel (Katie Cassidy): LOL

 

the addition of The Canary's sister Laurel (Katie Cassidy) to Oliver Queen's (Stephen Amell) team of vigilantes will cause complications with Oliver's close friend and potential love interest Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards).

 

NO, NO, NO, A THOUSAND TIMES NO, I CAN'T SAY NO ENOUGH TO HOW MUCH NO THIS IS

 

 

[Sunshine]

Although I am not looking for Felicity and Laurel to be friends "cause complications with Oliver" just makes me want to go ugh!  Maybe this is why Felicity goes to see Barry and then is open to a relationship with Ray?  Laurel is getting a love interest so how many triangles are they planning on throwing at us?! Stop, right now! (I hate triangles.)

[Sakura12]

Didn't we already know that CL is going to be in season 3? We saw a pic of her on set and the second episode is called "Sara" I don't know how more confirmation was needed. Although I do like "the Canary's sister" part. Might as well call her whatsherface. 

 

So Laurel's going to cause problems with Felicity over Oliver, hope that works out of them. Laurel just being there causes problems, I don't think they should be adding more or doing too much to get between the Ship. 

Edited July 25, 2014 by Sakura12

[apinknightmare]

Although I am not looking for Felicity and Laurel to be friends "cause complications with Oliver" just makes me want to go ugh!  Maybe this is why Felicity goes to see Barry and then is open to a relationship with Ray?  Laurel is getting a love interest so how many triangles are they planning on throwing at us?! Stop, right now! (I hate triangles.)

 

Since there's not a direct quote, I'm hoping it's just some misinterpretation of what was said, because these writers cannot be dumb enough to think that her upsetting the balance of the team or whatever where Laurel is concerned is a good way to go. And I don't want to see jealousy or other catty crap, please. JUST PLEASE.

[Password]

It's like my nightmare is coming to fruition. LAUREL! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! Ok I'm calm, now I wonder what she'll do.

[Sunshine]

I certainly hope it's a misinterpretation! 

[apinknightmare]

Given that the Digital Spy write-up is referencing this interview, I think it's safe to say the "complications" angle is the writer's opinion based on this quote:

 

Guggenheim says it’s “a fun thing” to now have Laurel in on Oliver’s secret, allowing the writers to thus bring her into the Arrowcave as needed. “There’s a great scene between her and Felicity in Episode 3 that we never could do in the last two seasons. And she now can interact with Diggle in a separate way,” he observes. “It’s fun to see these colors mixing together that you’ve never seen before.”

 

There's nothing in that TVLine piece about Laurel giving Felicity "complications" or whatever.

Edited July 25, 2014 by apinknightmare

[Sakura12]

Since there's not a direct quote, I'm hoping it's just some misinterpretation of what was said, because these writers cannot be dumb enough to think that her upsetting the balance of the team or whatever where Laurel is concerned is a good way to go. And I don't want to see jealousy or other catty crap, please. JUST PLEASE.

 

I can see Laurel being jealous of Felicity, because Laurel seems to be jealous of anyone that's not her. What would Laurel have to be jealous of? She's pretty much not needed on Team Arrow. Sara being a ninja scientist was probably a little intimidating so that made a little bit of sense. Laurel's got no skills. I really hope they don't have Felicity go on and on about how amazing and beautiful Laurel is. I do not want to have Lana flashbacks. 

[Velocity23]

I really hope they mean Diggle will be side-eyeing Laurel majorly, and that Felicity and her wont be friends. But the way that article is worded there is no way it could make me like Laurel in any way. 

[SonofaBiscuit]

I agree that we should eliminate the phrase "fan pandering" altogether.  I don't think it even applies.  Using this definition of fan pandering, it assumes that Olicity fans are a tiny minority of Arrow fans - and I don't think that's the case at all, considering it's more than Internet chatter but also tons of media news articles, critics, polls and award nominations.  I object to the term because the phrase is too frequently used by one segment of the fan population to denigrate the opinions of another segment of the fan population. 

 

I agree and think that the phrase should be completely banned.  The majority of the time it is used as a way to insult those who don't agree with one's particular character or couple preference.  The EPs have claimed that they give us what we need, not what we want, so when I see something on screen that I don't like, I blame the EPs and think, "I don't really need that at all."

 

In regards to the info about Laurel in the lair, well, after 46 episodes there's just nothing that can save the character for me.  It's a lose lose situation, really.  If Laurel and Felicity/Diggle interact and Laurel is rude to them, I will just hate her even more.  If they try to make L/F/D friends, it will just irritate me to see a character I dislike inserted into my favorite part of the show.  I think that too much of this hinges on KC being able to come off as warm and friendly towards Felicity/Diggle, and I'm not sure that she can do it.  My preference is for them to never interact but clearly that's not happening, so...  

[At Leisure]

If they make Felicity jealous of Laurel and Laurel all gracious and kind towards her then I'm going to bang my head on the tv.

All hopes are on Diggle and his dry wit with which he will deal with the 'intruder'.

[poetgirl925]

I'm leaning towards that being a misinterpretation as well. I just don't think the EPs are stupid enough to put Laurel into direct conflict with likeable characters when they so clearly want us to like her. They had an opportunity to do that with Sara over Oliver and instead we got Laurel handing out relationship advice. They did that partly to prop Sara and Sara/Oliver but I also got the impression they were trying to make us like Laurel.

I'm not surprised that she'll be in the Arrowcave at times. I don't like it but I knew that was coming. I will also not be surprised if they try to make Laurel more likeable through interactions with Team Arrow. What else can they really do if they're determined to keep the character? They're already back to campaigning for Laurel in interviews just as we've seen in the past. This is probably their last ditch effort to turn Laurel around and get viewers on board with their vision of her. Felicity is the obvious place to start because she's nice to everyone but I prefer they go slowly. Instant friends does not fit either character and I don't like the idea of Felicity being used to prop her too much. Diggle though - they can't have him welcoming her with open arms. If they do it's a huge continuity issue. If there's team conflict I would expect it to be between Diggle and Laurel. Really, Laurel is a major, planned-from-the-beginning character. If she can't stand on her own merits in S3 then she'll probably never be able to.

Also hoping she's not actually the DA as that one article said. That is the kind of thing people work for. I've resigned myself to her getting her job back through blackmail and I know Spencer's dead, but really? She seems to get more rewards than the other characters despite less suffering, and it's a strange thing when compared to what's happening with the others.

[dtissagirl]

Why, thank you, Kreisberg, for confirming most of what I've been speculating and hoping re: Oliver/Felicity:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/07/25/arrow-olicity-brandon-routh/

“It’s not a fake-out,” Kreisberg said. “Felicity and Oliver actually have a pretty raw discussion about what they mean to each other, which we’re really excited about, and [it] is actually an extension of what happened at the end of last year.”

In fact, fans can expect a different type of identity crisis for Oliver this year—one that might change his outlook on Felicity.

“So much of this season is going to be devoted to Oliver,” Kreisberg said. “He never really stopped to let himself think about if there was a life for him beyond the hood. When we saw him in the pilot, he came back with a very specific agenda, and I don’t even think he necessarily thought he was going to survive it. And certainly last year with Slade’s return, there was again, I don’t think he ever thought he would live past last season.

“What’s interesting about the beginning of season three is it’s been about six or seven months since the finale, and crime is down, Lance has disbanded the anti-vigilante task force, police aren’t hunting him anymore, and Dig actually says to him in the premiere episode ‘It’s never going to get better than it is right now,’” Kreisberg said. “So much of that first episode is really Oliver saying, ‘Am I Oliver Queen or am I the Arrow? And can Oliver Queen have a life?’ That extends to running Queen Consolidated, and it also extends to romance, and as much as that’s the story of the premiere episode, it’s really the story for this season.”

But there’s reason to doubt the imminence of the Olicity happy ending: It’s been announced that Brandon Routh is joining Arrow‘s third season as Ray Palmer, a.k.a. the perfect stud to complete Olicity’s love triangle.

“When you have characters who a large portion of the audience are pulling for, the only way those things work is if you actually provide a plausible second option, and one of the things that Brandon brings to our interpretation of Ray Palmer, which is something that we actually don’t have on the show right now, is somebody who she can verbally spar with,” Kreisberg said. “Emily is such a naturally gifted comedian and I think people might not realize this about Brandon, but he is an incredibly gifted comedian. He is like a movie star from a different time—he’s like Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant. And what’s funny about Oliver and Felicity is that he’s the straight man to her humor and there’s a whole different energy to having Brandon on the show.

“We sort of say, if you take Grant [Gustin] and Stephen [Amell] and mix them together, you get Brandon. You get the guy who looks like a superhero, because Brandon obviously is. But you get that sort of charm and verbal dexterity that Oliver doesn’t necessarily have that Ray has in spades, so seeing [Ray and Felicity] together, it’s already fun.”

So it sounds like this year’s new big bad won’t be the only thing weighing on Oliver. As Kreisberg put it, “Now there’s a real legitimate threat, or at least a real legitimate choice for Felicity to make. Oliver’s reaction to it and the decisions it forces him to make are the emotional crux of the episodes.”

[apinknightmare]

 

“It’s not a fake-out,” Kreisberg said. “Felicity and Oliver actually have a pretty raw discussion about what they mean to each other, which we’re really excited about, and [it] is actually an extension of what happened at the end of last year.”

 

Someone hold me, I'm too invested.

Edited July 25, 2014 by apinknightmare

[poetgirl925]

They seem hilariously concerned about making sure people know the Olicity date is not a fake out lol. I wasn't watching at the time of the finale because I was taking a break, but I'm assuming the reaction to the ILY fake out must have been some reaction if it's spawned this rush of Olicity reassurances. The Twitter feed must have been hilarious. I've kept my expectations very low for Olicity. I really didn't think they would go there and then I thought they would tease it rather than take it seriously. After the various interviews, I'm cautiously optimistic this might be a season of personal growth for both characters. Now the question is can the writers balance that against story?

[Velocity23]

I think the most hilarious reactions were "I didn't know I shipped them until now" Of course there were some "Of course he didn't mean it because he didn't kiss her". But mostly it managed to pull some people in, who weren't rooting for the couple and at end wanted them in a relationship. 

 

I think the majority will be supportive of the Olicity pairing since the other option would be Lauriver. 

 

But i really think i heard enough about the date, i am reassured it will happen writers, give us other things about the premiere. Like Diggle, Quentin, what happen to the lair, Sally, Sara and Nyssa, the new Count (you guys think it will trigger bad memories for felicity since she had dealing with the other Count?)

Edited July 25, 2014 by Velocity23

[At Leisure]

Wow...wait...what? Oh My God. A pretty raw discussion? So this is serious and the writers whom I have been harbouring such evil thoughts against are actually in earnest.

Hyperventilating...hyperventilating some more. Thank you God.

Also...if they stretch the romance over the whole season...all the better. Because Oliver Felicity need some time before they can be ready for an actual relationship. Hell, I need some time before they start a relationship.

But this latest piece of news is very encouraging.

[apinknightmare]

They seem hilariously concerned about making sure people know the Olicity date is not a fake out lol. I wasn't watching at the time of the finale because I was taking a break, but I'm assuming the reaction to the ILY fake out must have been some reaction if it's spawned this rush of Olicity reassurances.

 

Ugh, I was SO. ANGRY. And it was hilarious because nearly everything on this show is so heavily telegraphed and that fake-out was the most obvious thing in the world in hindsight but I just wanted it so badly that I bought it. Then after, when I was mending my shattered shipper heart, I took comfort in the fact that Oliver told Slade he could basically just go ahead and kill Laurel (which is terrible, I know, because I'm sure that's not what the writers intended with the "You do what you have to," line).

Edited July 25, 2014 by apinknightmare

[Password]

Because Oliver Felicity need some time before they can be ready for an actual relationship. Hell, I need some time before they start a relationship.

 

For real, man. For real.

[apinknightmare]

I wonder when the raw discussion of feelings is going to happen? Before the date? Nah, probably after the date when they decide they should stay friends (and I'll need someone to hold me then, too).

[Password]

Then after, when I was mending my shattered shipper heart, I took comfort in the fact that Oliver told Slade he could basically just go ahead and kill Laurel (which is terrible, I know, because I'm sure that's not what the writers intended with the "You do what you have to," line).

 

What was so wonderful about that was Oliver still had this scared look on his face when Slade called after the fake out worked and he took Felicity. Beautiful. I hyperventilated in silence after the ILY but then came to my senses and knew something was up.

[SonofaBiscuit]

This discussion is too funny.  I'm cracking up. 

 

“When you have characters who a large portion of the audience are pulling for, the only way those things work is if you actually provide a plausible second option, and one of the things that Brandon brings to our interpretation of Ray Palmer, which is something that we actually don’t have on the show right now, is somebody who she can verbally spar with,” Kreisberg said.

 

 

Well, actually, no!  Why would the audience need a second option when they are pulling for the first?  That's a dumb thing to say but I'm OK with it if it gets Oliver and Felicity together. 

[Password]

This discussion is too funny.  I'm cracking up. 

 

 

Well, actually, no!  Why would the audience need a second option when they are pulling for the first?  That's a dumb thing to say but I'm OK with it if it gets Oliver and Felicity together. 

 

Someone on the comments section made a really good point comparing Ross and Rachel who never really had viable options (even when Ross got married) because it seemed nullified when he said "I Ross take thee Rachel". I don't like triangles. At all. They tend to make me dislike the character in the middle of the triangle. But I hope they do a good job of Oliver and Felicity because it should lead to fantastic moments.

[SonofaBiscuit]

Triangles don't really bother me all that much but it is almost like Kreisberg is saying "Yes, we know a bunch of you like Oliver and Felicity together, so the only way this can work is if we make it into a triangle!"  Like, WTF that doesn't make any sense.  They seem to believe that they have a good thing going with O/F, so why are they convinced that they need a second option for Felicity?  Their logic is totally messed up.

[wonderwall]

The way I think they see it is, while yes, Felicity can have anyone she wants because there are plenty of fish in the sea, she 100% knows she wants to be with Oliver which is why they're giving her the choice. I think that this is a fairly standard trope that doesn't require much thinking to come up with, and I'm okay with it if it doesn't cause a lot of unnecessary soapy drama between the characters. I hope the writers show Oliver accepting Felicity and Ray because he cares about her enough to step away and let her find her own path. I also think that they're doing this because it's easy and they want to focus their efforts elsewhere (like with the villains). So I'm not too upset about it. I mean, this is the CW. I was expecting another triangle. I'm just glad it isn't with Laurel and her love interest :)

Edited July 25, 2014 by wonderwall

[Morrigan2575]

A couple of thoughts, external to the show I think the Oliver/Felicity/Ray story is designed to slow/delay Olicity...most likely because of the dreaded "Moonlighting Curse" (insert eyeroll here).

Internal to the story, I can see Oliver being so in love with his manpaine, guilt and belief that he is the mission that he will need to see Felicity involved with another hero (who has managed to be both) in order to realize he can have both.