S04.E11: A.W.O.L.

[Starfish35]

Maybe. It just seemed like SA was unconsciously raising his voice a little to be able to talk over her.

[arjumand]

That was kind of funny. SA was having a really hard time talking over Gothlicity.

 

You saw it too? Eek. It's the kind of funny which gives me terrible secondhand embarrassment, so I was just cringing for everyone concerned.

[johntfs]

 

My problem with the L/O sparring scene was when she linked the fact that as somebody who used to date him, she could say he shouldn't be so hard on himself. That immediately had me going "What?" because the guy she dated, Ollie was a lying cheating douchebag, which she knew then and knows now, so I couldn't get why her past relationship would be used to support any assertion that he shouldn't be blaming himself. That guy should absolutely be hard on himself as from everything we've seen in the flashbacks, he was usually at fault so I felt like she could've given the same speech without making it seem as though she was basing it on her experience with him in the past, as her Ollie did whatever he wanted and never seemed to give a moment's thought to the consequences.

 

I think Laurel's point was that Oliver is a much, much better man and relationship partner with Felicity than he ever was with her.  Sort of, "Oliver I was with you when you where a complete and utter cheating asshole.  I have seen you when you were a worthless piece of shit, so I can testify right now that you are not a worthless piece of shit."

[statsgirl]

No, I can't see that. Laurel would never, never think that Oliver is a better man with Felicity than he could be with her.  She wouldn't even be able to acknowledge that he was a worthless piece of shit when he was with her because then she would look bad for staying with him and again trying to get back with him two and three years ago.

 

The problem is that Laurel was never close to the Oliver who blames himself for everything until very recently so how would she know how he beats himself up?  The only people who know Oliver that well are Diggle, Felicity, Sara and Roy, and the last two are off the show.

[lexicon]

Ah but statsgirl you're forgetting she knows him in her bones. 

[kismet]

Actually no.

Barry didn't know that Oliver lied in the first timeline and that's what Felicity was pissed about. Barry assumed (bad Barry - never assume) that Felicity was mad and broke up with Oliver over the kid - period.

So as far as Oliver knows lying about the kid to avoid the break up is what's messing things up. Ergo, Oliver should feel bad about the damn lie.

But Mr. Barry "I can't tell you too much about the future, but I will tell you incomplete observations that don't need to be shared to fix what went wrong" Allan should feel bad as well.

Well he probably figured that "new" OQ would never lie or withhold the truth from FS. So in the old timeline, he probably believes that he told her the truth and everyone died.

So in the new timeline, he is going to withhold the truth so that everybody lives. But now between the almost dying and Paralysis he is afraid he probably made a mistake and now time is coming after him. However, he probably also realizes telling FS the whole truth is going to be far too destructive. So he has completely got himself into a rock and a hard place trying to do the best option possible and save everyone at the same time.

I feel like considering I'm one of the only people on the board that actually can rationalize OQs crazy tendencies to rationalize, compartmentalize & withhold, I can totally understand his logic that "Time" is somehow going to be a factor in excusing his behavior. I feel like there is a strong possibility that I speak and understand "Oliver" language/philosophy.

But I could be wrong, I stake my claim & place my bet that the timelime redeux will be used as part of the rationale OQ needed to withhold the truth. That and he was trying to uphold his promise to BM to prove he's changed. Not saying its a valid excuse, just saying they'll use it.

[apinknightmare]

I don't think worrying about messing with time has anything at all to do with why Oliver's keeping the secret. He scoffed at Barry when Barry told him that "time messes back," and the conversation he had with BM was exactly the same as the one he had in the first timeline - he wanted to tell Felicity, and BM told him he couldn't. So he's not telling anyone like he agreed to. Barry indicated to Oliver that he was secretive in the original timeline, and that Felicity found out. He's being secretive in this timeline, too. 

 

In this ep, I think he only mentioned the time travel to Laurel because he was starting to worry that "changing the past" like doing things differently the second time around with Savage was causing the past to fight back to correct the timeline where everyone died - causing Felicity to get shot. Not sure what he could've done otherwise, cause, you know...everyone died originally. So she'd be dead instead of paralyzed. And Oliver and all his friends would be, too.

 

Or maybe I'm not looking deep enough into that convo. 

Edited January 30, 2016 by apinknightmare

[johntfs]

Ah but statsgirl you're forgetting she knows him in her bones. 

 

Laurel has known Oliver for a long time.  I can believe that she knows his faults pretty well.  I can also believe that during their relationship she willfully blinded herself to some of them by thinking she's "changed" him.  Now that she's older and wiser (or at least more experienced) I can believe Laurel can recognize that Oliver really has changed (even if she might feel slightly bitter than he changed for Felicity and not for her).  One interesting thing about Felicity is that she never demanded that he change.  He chose to do it for her and for himself, to make himself more worthy to be with her.

 

I have to admit that I'd really like some episode or comic series or something that focuses a bit on Oliver's younger years.  The implication I got from Season One was that Oliver, Tommy and Laurel had been friends (with eventual benefits) for years, maybe since childhood.  How exactly do the daughters of a working class cop end up running with the children of billionaires, especially at a young age.

[paigow]

So basically OQ has to lie because it is intentionally fixing the timeline? 

Time may be correcting because someone should have died at the original fight with Dusty Savage. The endgame might be to kill Savage in the past but someone has to die in the present to trigger the time travel.

 

ETA: Perhaps the Oliver we see now does not actually belong in this timeline and all these unfortunate events result from Oliver 1.0 trying to get back. Maybe Oliver 2.0 has to die...stabbed and kicked off a snowy mountain...that's never happened before!  

Edited January 30, 2016 by paigow

[statsgirl]

We talked about that a bit.  I always assumed that a good school was something that her university lecturer mother made a priority and that Laurel and later Sara met Oliver and Tommy at prep school, most likely in grade nine (an entrance year) since Oliver told Laurel he had loved her for most of his life in season 2.  Laurel could have been a scholarship student or her mother may have taught there for a while and got discounted tuition.

Edited January 30, 2016 by statsgirl

[foreverevolving]

 

Also Felicity does not read on a tablet or Kindle? Maybe it was Oliver's book. I know it was for the visual gag....which was cute

 

Felicity, current or goth, would never and I mean NEVER will so casually throw a tablet on the floor - unless there was a LoA bad guy trying to Arrow her, but that's an exempting circumstance.

 

Good lord, Oliver looks like a preppy murderer and rapist in that picture.

I don't know if we pointed this out, but I now realize that in that picture he looks alot like the actor who plays his dad!

 

Please let it mean that Laurel's gonna die in a hideous accident as she attempts to give herself superspeed, hoping to undo all her past mistakes...

Laurel: "Random assortment chemicals? Check. Electricity? Check. Superspeed time travel and Mrs. Oliver Queen here I come!"

News Anchor: "... and in other news, ADA was found dead in apparent suicide after dousing herself in a variety of toxic chemicals and jumping onto the third rail of the Star City Metro Line."

Ollie: "This is all my fault..."

Rip Hunter: "Fixed point in history, mate. Nothing you could have done... Now get back to your woman, grandpa isn't going to concieve himself."

lol, you know that there is a fic on AO3 in the legends of tomorrow page where Sara and Rip talk and she pretty much confronts him about being Oliver descendant?

there's also this little tumblr thing

http://sailorslayer3641.tumblr.com/post/137811680628/rip-hunter-is-oliver-queens-descendent-calling

[bijoux]

Felicity, current or goth, would never and I mean NEVER will so casually throw a tablet on the floor - unless there was a LoA bad guy trying to Arrow her, but that's an exempting circumstance.

 

I don't know if we pointed this out, but I now realize that in that picture he looks alot like the actor who plays his dad!

 

1. True.

2. It's actually cut out from a photo of Oliver and Robert. There's also another one from back in the day in which Oliver looks extremely prepoy, but no less douchy. It's like he was channelling Carter Bowen in it.

[lemotomato]

1. True.

2. It's actually cut out from a photo of Oliver and Robert. There's also another one from back in the day in which Oliver looks extremely prepoy, but no less douchy. It's like he was channelling Carter Bowen in it.

This one? From this photoset on tumblr

[bijoux]

Yup, that one. I love it because of the yacht club douche aesthetic. I imagine it was Moira's favorite.

[looptab]

Don't ever grow your hair, Stephen Amell. Ever.

[apinknightmare]

Maybe. It just seemed like SA was unconsciously raising his voice a little to be able to talk over her.

 

I thought they were both gradually getting louder as they spoke so that it would sound like a real racket to the point where Felicity would yell for them to shut up. 

[arjumand]

I thought they were both gradually getting louder as they spoke so that it would sound like a real racket to the point where Felicity would yell for them to shut up. 

 

But why would Oliver, in particular, start speaking louder? He can't hear Goth Felicity.

 

And it seemed to me that Felicity was only yelling at GothHer to shut up, but Oliver didn't realise, because at that point he was trying to see if he could turn his head all the way around, like an owl.

[apinknightmare]

But why would Oliver, in particular, start speaking louder? He can't hear Goth Felicity.

I didn't think that Oliver was speaking louder, just that Felicity was hearing them both so loudly that it was overwhelming to her. I know that Stephen was speaking louder, but I thought that was just supposed to be a gradual effect building to GothFelicity and Oliver fighting to be heard (for her). Edited January 30, 2016 by apinknightmare

[arjumand]

I didn't think that Oliver was speaking louder, just that Felicity was hearing them both so loudly that it was overwhelming to her. I know that Stephen was speaking louder, but I thought that was just supposed to be a gradual effect building to GothFelicity and Oliver fighting to be heard (for her).

 

This is mind-blowing for me - to ask an actor to speak louder to give the effect of an auditory hallucination, instead of using a voice effect.

 

I mean, to me, that negates the whole (probably expensive) to-do they made about the difficulty of having two Felicitys interact - I couldn't enjoy it because I thought SA was making a mistake there, and it completely broke the illusion for me. So to realise that they were too cheap (or couldn't do it) to use a voice effect, and just probably told SA to gradually increase the volume . . . wow. Insert MINDBLOWN.GIF here.

[wonderwall]

I just thought that Oliver was gradually speaking louder because he knew he wasn't getting through to Felicity and she seemed really distracted...

 

Oh well, honestly, it's just such a minor gripe that I looked past it.

[apinknightmare]

If it was a mistake on SA's part, wouldn't the director just have made him do another take? 

[kismet]

Actually, they did.  They just didn't do it very clearly.  When Oliver was telling Laurel about the time travel he said "... for the past month I've been tortured by the idea that what happened to Felicity might have happened because I wouldn't listen to him".

Brought it over from the article section, since its more episode related.

 

I honestly interpreted the month ago being when they initially fought Vandal which in show time was about a month ago. And when he had that conversation with BA. Then again math is never the show's strong point so perhaps we are both right.

 

But honestly, I don't want to quibble about this because I will probably always believe that the writers are brushing over and rushing through this storyline. And I know they usually do it, but I find it tasteless to use serious conditions as throwaway plot points. Which leaves me wondering why they are even bothering to do it at all??

 

I think the actors did an amazing job. I think the directing of the episode was good. But the storytelling from the writers was horrible, and no one is going to change my opinion on that. And I don't want to go post for post. If they really wanted to do justice to harsh realities of being newly paralyzed, they could have been clearer & longer with the timeline. And they could have kept out the pills. FS didn't get her groove back, the way the writers handled it felt more like FS just had a bad day.

[apinknightmare]

I honestly interpreted the month ago being when they initially fought Vandal which in show time was about a month ago. And when he had that conversation with BA. Then again math is never the show's strong point so perhaps we are both right.

 

 

Not quibbling, but the month ago was when Felicity was shot - why would Oliver be "tortured by the idea of what happened to Felicity" before it had even happened? They are for sure rushing it, but it's been at least a month.

[statsgirl]

I agree, plus the crossover aired December 2nd which would make it almost two months ago in show time.

[KenyaJ]

A few negatives (although they were minor this episode) I didn't like that at the end Felicity said she wasn't on pain medication. That line seemed to imply that once she got over her justifiable anger and upset at her injury she no longer need the pills. I was really happy at the beginning of the episode that they showed her needing medication for pain from her injuries, nice continuity that this was still effecting her and I didn't think that line at the end was needed.

 

I didn't get the sense that she was saying (or the show was trying to imply) that she no longer had any need for her medication. But the way Oliver phrased the question made it seem like he was jokingly wondering if she was under the influence while she made her decision to burn the picture, and if she might regret it later. And her answer that she wasn't on any medication struck me as an acknowledgement that she knew what she was doing and was making the choice of her own unaltered will.

[apinknightmare]

Plus, you can see the bottle of meds on the nightstand right next to the bed. I think there might've even been a glass of water beside it-so if she hadn't taken any at that point, it seemed like she would soon.

Edited January 31, 2016 by apinknightmare

[Velocity23]

Somebody pointed out that Felicity was never on narcotics. She was on a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

[Genki]

Wasn't the medication the cause, or at least partially the of the cause, of the hallucination of Goth Felicity?

[tv echo]

Yes.  Although Oliver told her to take 2 pills, Felicity took 3 pills.  Then after she hallucinated Goth Felicity, she read the warnings on the pill bottle and they said the medication could cause hallucinations (among other things). So she was relieved, because she was afraid she was losing her mind but it was just the medication.

 

Oliver: “The doctor says stick with the two tablets to keep with your current pain management regimen.”

 

Goth Felicity: “At least you found the right party favors. Three pills is a bit much, but who am I to judge?”

 

Felicity (reading bottle): "’Ketorolac. Possible side effects include swelling of the hands and feet, increased appetite, risk of infection’ - oh, good, good, good - ‘hallucinations’.”

 

According to Web M.D.:

Ketorolac is used for the short-term treatment of moderate to severe pain in adults. It is usually used before or after medical procedures or after surgery. Reducing pain helps you recover more comfortably so that you can return to your normal daily activities. This medication is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It works by blocking your body's production of certain natural substances that cause inflammation. This effect helps to decrease swelling, pain, or fever.

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-3919/ketorolac-oral/details

 

Among ketorolac's rare side effects are hallucinations:

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/ketorolac-side-effects.html

Edited January 31, 2016 by tv echo

[Starfish35]

I was more distracted by the side-effects actually being listed on the prescription bottle. In my experience that information is on the papers that come with the prescription, not on the bottle itself.

Edited January 31, 2016 by Starfish35

[dtissagirl]

I asked my Doctor Dad about it, and he said it's pretty strong stuff. Here it's not even prescribed to outpatients, it's only administered in hospitals.

[bijoux]

She took two pills from Oliver and then three right before the hallucination started. So that's five in one night.

[kismet]

Ketorolac (Toradol) is one of the strongest NSAIDs out on the market. In my experience, I have only given it IV for a limited amount of doses when nothing else works and the MDs want to avoid narcotics. It does work whenever other pain meds have failed, but it reeks havoc on your kidneys. It is available orally, but I have never really seen people take it as an outpatient. It can be pretty serious. People also become very attached to the drug. It might not be a narcotic, but some providers treat it like that when they prescribe it.

 

Meds are processed by everybody differently. I was not surprised considering how FS's body handled Percocets in s2 that she would probably also have a interesting reaction to whatever pain meds they put her on post-injury. I have had patients hallucinate on meds, but the common ones to cause it are sleeping pills. Most people who take Ketorolac in my experience just fall asleep or get drowsy. Some report weird dreams though.

[scarynikki12]

We dispense Ketorolac tablets at my pharmacy on occasion but it's still pretty rare.  When physicians want their patients to take anti-inflammatory meds after major procedures, they typically want them taking them longer than five days.  Ketorolac cannot be taken longer than five days due to the potential effect on the kidneys.  Once in a while we see scripts come in written for long term use and we automatically veto it.  We let the MD and patient know about the five day max and adjust the script to reflect it.  Hallucinations are possible, and we tell them, but we are more concerned with the possible kidney effects and none of our patients have reported hallucinations.  Sleeping meds causing hallucinations would make more sense but I guess Felicity sleeps fine and doesn't require them?

[Guest]

I think the show portrayed it as hallucinating but I also thought Goth Felicity could be like a personification of her insecurities, which I quite like the idea of actually. So she was mentally at war with herself and her doubts but they used the Goth Felicity as the visual to make it more interesting.

Edited January 31, 2016 by Guest

[dtissagirl]

I loved the hallucination thing so much I can handwave the drug. In fact, I would bet the whole amount of research that went into this was googling "post-op strong painkillers hallucinations".

[kismet]

I couldn't even remember what med she was actually taking. I didn't know which one it was until y'all posted it here. I just posted my post for info on the med if people were interested. If you love your kidneys, I would avoid Ketorolac.

 

I don't even mind if they were loose with the side effects of meds, since people do sometimes have unique reactions. And honestly, with all I am going to have to handwave with this story arc, this med side effect is the littlest thing, so I'll give them a pass on it. Glad they made her read the bottle though, just so everyone would know for sure that Smoak wasn't some unknown surprise secret twin that was hanging around the loft. You never know with these writers.

Edited January 31, 2016 by kismet

[statsgirl]

I have to give the writers kudos for the idea of how to give a glimpse of Felicity's internal struggles and insecurities (drug-induced hallucinations), and my appreciation that it lasted less than an episode.

  Once in a while we see scripts come in written for long term use and we automatically veto it.  We let the MD and patient know about the five day max and adjust the script to reflect it.

I just want to say how much I appreciate that you and other pharmacists do that kind of double-checking because that scenario is seriously scary.

 

I'm honestly shocked at how easily my local Emergency Department writes me scripts for vicodin, and how surprised the pharmacy is when I only want to fill half.

[KenyaJ]

Ketorolac (Toradol) is one of the strongest NSAIDs out on the market. In my experience, I have only given it IV for a limited amount of doses when nothing else works and the MDs want to avoid narcotics. It does work whenever other pain meds have failed, but it reeks havoc on your kidneys. It is available orally, but I have never really seen people take it as an outpatient. It can be pretty serious. People also become very attached to the drug. It might not be a narcotic, but some providers treat it like that when they prescribe it.

 

My doctor prescribed it for me when I was having some terrible pain from a herniated disc in my lumbar spine. And it's incredibly powerful. For a week, I couldn't walk more than 5 steps without being in excruciating pain, and within a few hours of taking my first pill, I could walk again with minimal pain. I considered it a miracle drug, but knowing the side effects, I stopped taking it after a couple of days, once I felt better. Didn't have any hallucinations though, so I feel like I missed out. LOL.

[OakGoblinFly]

Andy meeting baby Sara got me in the tear ducts guys! It totally did. As did the scene where Felicity was telling Oliver all the things she could no longer do. Right in the heart space!

 

 

I must have no heart, because while I did think the scene of Andy meeting his niece was well done I felt nothing but annoyed with Felicity detailing everything she no longer can do.

[Ceylon5]

I must have no heart, because while I did think the scene of Andy meeting his niece was well done I felt nothing but annoyed with Felicity detailing everything she no longer can do.

 

Sounds like it.  You should get that checked out.  Could be serious...

[SmallScreenDiva]

Andy meeting baby Sara got me in the tear ducts guys! It totally did. As did the scene where Felicity was telling Oliver all the things she could no longer do. Right in the heart space!

 

Eugene Byrd was great in that scene. There was such longing in his eyes when he looked at Sara and he looked like he was about to cry. Felicity listing things she couldn't do was heartbreaking. I think it was the way her voice started breaking and faltering, especially when she gets to the part about not being able to walk down the street for a cup of coffee. It's such a simple thing but imagine not being able to do it again, on your own. Emily Bett Rickards, with those few lines, really sold me on the changes in Felicity's life.

[BkWurm1]

I loved the hallucination thing so much I can handwave the drug. In fact, I would bet the whole amount of research that went into this was googling "post-op strong painkillers hallucinations".

Agreed.  I try not to dwell on how likely or unlikely the side effects would be, not since Oliver had major hallucinations from warfarin (rat poison).  The percentage of individuals that ever experience hallucinations on that blood thinner is so super tiny that it isn't even listed as a side effect on most web sites.  I think between the mental trauma and the repeated head injuries, I'll accept any of these people even hallucinating off of Tylenol. 

 

Felicity listing things she couldn't do was heartbreaking. I think it was the way her voice started breaking and faltering, especially when she gets to the part about not being able to walk down the street for a cup of coffee. It's such a simple thing but imagine not being able to do it again, on your own. Emily Bett Rickards, with those few lines, really sold me on the changes in Felicity's life.

 

Yeah, me too.  Nothing she listed was surprising but hearing it laid out like that, the loss of independence is excruciating, especially after hearing that after Cooper she intended to be completely independent, not needing anyone.  Even if she could eventually learn to drive again (Diggle wouldn't have to be the Black Driver in the van anymore...oh good grief, I just realized they replaced Diggle with Curtis as the black driver)  nothing is simple or quick anymore. 

[statsgirl]

Unlikely or not, when you've got the side effect, it's very real.

 

My daughter's doctor put her on Adderall at one point.  After a few days, I noticed that she was depressed and crying at times when she otherwise wouldn't. There was nothing on the paper that came with the bottle about depression but I dug into the original drug trials and found out that one person had been dropped from the trial because of "emotional reactions".  I took her off the drug and back on ritalin and she was fine again.

 

So I'm good with Felicity having hallucinations even if it's a very rare side effect.

 

 

Agreed.  I try not to dwell on how likely or unlikely the side effects would be, not since Oliver had major hallucinations from warfarin (rat poison).

Oliver only thought the hallucinations were from the warfarin.  It turned out they were from having a crisis of faith in himself.

[dtissagirl]

These people dress in colored leather and fight crime in an urban enviroment with medieval weapons. They're all crazy in the head from starters.

[AyChihuahua]

Oliver only thought the hallucinations were from the warfarin.  It turned out they were from having a crisis of faith in himself.

Yeah, Barry said there was nothing in his blood, and any hallucinations were psychological. It's totally brushed over in-show, but IRL, having full-on hallucinations NOT from drugs or a neurological injury is REALLY REALLY SERIOUS. It pretty much means the person is in the grips of full-blown psychosis. I mean, we handwaved it bc it was cool, but crises of faith do not cause actual visual and auditory hallucinations unless they're accompanied by serious psychosis (again, if NOT caused by drugs or injury, or maybe lucid dreaming).

[BkWurm1]

Well, he did get tossed around a lot before he landed on the needles that thickened his blood.  Maybe he really was suffering from a head injury? 

[Hook75]

Sadly, ever since Felicity & Oliver got together- I am bored out of my mind.

 

Don't care about Diggle's brother. 

[BkWurm1]

I'm happy to say that ever since Felicity and Oliver got together that I pay even closer attention to the show.  I've certainly rewatched more episodes this year.  The second (and third) time around I tend to just let it play in the background with translates into me actually watching the commercials.  See! More reasons to keep me happy as a viewer!

[tv echo]

411 (A.W.O.L.) – No Oliver Queen voiceover intro.

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Oliver carries Felicity down the stairs to the living room in their loft, and seats her in the wheelchair:
Felicity: “Just be careful. Slow down, slow down. Careful, careful, careful.”
Oliver: “Do you want me to be careful?”
Felicity: “Oh, this is more Oliver 2.0, isn't it? You think being cute is going to distract me?"
Oliver: "Mission accomplished."
Felicity (sighing): “You don't have to wait on me hand and foot, though I wouldn't say 'no' to a blanket.”
Oliver: “The doctor says stick with the two tablets to keep with your current pain management regimen.” (Gives her pills and glass of water)
Felicity: “You know, I really appreciate what you're doing - but you have a city to save, a mayoral campaign, a freaky superbad who can move things with his mind.” (Swallows pills)
Oliver: “None of which are nearly as important as your recovery. (Takes glass from her) Thank you.”
Felicity: “I think the people in the city that Darhk wants to destroy might disagree.”
Oliver: “Well, those people should know that I stand no chance of stopping Damien Darhk without your help.”
Felicity: “Well, you might have to. I have a spinal cord injury. I might never make a full recovery… ever.”
Oliver: “That is worst case scenario, and either way, you are still a vital member of the team. Your superpower is right there.” (Touches her forehead with his finger)
Felicity: “Maybe my new code name could be Hot Wheels.” 
Oliver: “Keep pitching on that.”
Felicity: “All jokes aside, like you said, what I do bring to the team is my mind, and there's a lot on it.”
Oliver: “So talk to me.”
Felicity: “It’s just that I don't think I'm ready to come back yet, and the last thing you need in a life-or-limb situation is me.”
Oliver: “Wow. We are going to agree to disagree on that one for the moment.” 
(His cell phone signals incoming text message.)
Felicity: “What's going on?”
Oliver: “John and Lyla were attacked.”
Felicity: “Oh, my God! Are they okay?”
Oliver (reading his phone): “John was shot. It was a flesh wound. I should go see them. We should go see them.”
Felicity: “Nice try.”
Oliver: “Dinner is in the fridge. Reheat in the oven at 425 degrees.”
Felicity: “I love you.”
Oliver: “I love you, too.” (Kisses her)

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Felicity sees her first hallucination of her younger, past self, a/k/a Goth Felicity:
(Felicity takes some pain pills.)
Female Voice: “Aw. Why didn't I get invited to this pity party?”
Felicity: “Hello?”
Female Voice: “At least you found the right party favors. Three pills is a bit much, but who am I to judge?”
Felicity: “Okay. Whoever you are, you picked the wrong woman on the wrong night to mess with.” 
Female Voice: “Please. We both know you're in no position to do anything. If you did, you'd be back out in the world instead of holed up here.”
Felicity: “Oh, my God. What is going on? What is going on? Oh, my God. Ha ha! Oh, my God. I am losing it. I am completely and utterly losing it. Argh! Now I'm talking to myself.”
Female Voice: “Not exactly.”
(Felicity sees Goth Felicity.)

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Felicity reads the pill bottle to try to explain her hallucination of Goth Felicity:
Felicity (reading bottle): "’Ketorolac. Possible side effects include swelling of the hands and feet, increased appetite, risk of infection’ - oh, good, good, good - ‘hallucinations’.”
Goth Felicity: “I really thought I was smarter than this.” 
Felicity: “You are not me, and you're definitely not real.”
Goth Felicity: “I used to be you, or you used to be me - strong, confident…  brunette - but you wasted all that away to go play superhero, and look where that got you.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Team Arrow calls Felicity for help:
Laurel: “I think I know somebody who can help.” 
(Felicity’s cell phone rings, cut to Felicity in loft apartment.) 
Goth Felicity: “Not gonna get that? Smart move.” 
Felicity: “Oliver?” 
Oliver (on phone): “I'm out in the field actually. We've come up against some tech, the kind that you typically eat for breakfast. Now, I know that you said you're not ready to get back in the saddle, but we could really use your help.”
Goth Felicity: “You're not really falling for that again, are you?”
Felicity: “Where are you?”
Oliver (on phone): “Pacific Freeport. It's a –“
Diggle (over comms): “Security's down.”
Oliver (on phone): “That was amazing. All you need to do is get back in the game.”
Goth Felicity: “I thought vomiting inside my mouth was just an expression.”
Felicity (over comms): “I'm inside their security system. I got eyes on seven very menacing-looking fellows guarding a bunch of holding containers… (Gunfire) I'm reading infrared on one of the containers. I'm working on opening that lock.” 
(Cut back and forth between team action and Felicity.)
Oliver: “Go for the hostages. We'll take care of Shadowspire.” (Gunfire)
Felicity (over comms): “Container's open. Should be 10 feet in front of you, second container on your right.”
Laurel (over comms): “Got it.” (Gunfire continues) We found the two A.R.G.U.S. agents. They're both dead.”
Oliver (over comms): “Get out of here then.” 
Laurel (over comms): “What about you and Spartan?” 
Diggle (over comms): “We got this. Go!”
(Container wall comes down, shutting Oliver inside, while Diggle is left outside and trapped by Shadowspire men.)
Oliver (over comms): “Felicity, what's going on?”
Felicity (over comms): “I don't know. I, um - I must have tripped some sort of fail-safe. The system's overloaded with too many requests.” 
Goth Felicity: “Oopsie.” 
Joyner: “You hear so much about these vigilantes, but I've never seen one in person.”
Diggle: “Wish I could say the same about a cold-blooded murderer.”
Joyner: “Have we met before?”
(Oliver uses an exploding arrow to bust a hole in the container wall, and bursts out, attacking the Shadowspire men.)
Oliver: “All right. Let's go. I've got Spartan. We're good!”
Goth Felicity (to Felicity): “No thanks to you.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Felicity doesn’t think that she can part of Team Arrow anymore:
Oliver: “Hey. You okay?”
Felicity: “That depends. Is John okay?”
Oliver: “John's fine, but - you seem to think that what happened tonight is your fault.”
Felicity: “Well, I'm pretty sure I was the one who couldn't stop the security doors from closing.”
Oliver: “And I'm the one who pushed you to get involved when you signaled pretty hard that you weren't ready.” 
Felicity: “I wasn't signaling… that hard.”
Oliver: “I'm sorry that I pushed. I just thought that if you got behind a keyboard again, that things would just start to feel normal.”
Felicity: “I love how playing superhero is what we consider normal.”
Oliver (chuckling): “Yeah.”
Felicity: “But there is no going back to normal.” 
Oliver: “You know what I mean.”
Felicity: “I know what you mean. What I mean is that I can no longer be a part of the team.” 
Oliver: “Because of your injury? You can't let that stop you.” 
Felicity: “Except it has. Look at me, Oliver. I've spent the last week and a half stuck in this loft. I can't… move. I can't drive. I can't walk down the street and get a cup of coffee. And if tonight is any indication, I can't do the one thing that I'm supposed to still be able to do.”
Oliver: “You just need to give it time. (Goth Felicity appears behind Oliver) Hey. Talk to me.”
Goth Felicity: “Go ahead. Tell him. Tell him you're hallucinating. That should go over like gangbusters.”
Oliver: “I'm not going to pretend that I understand –“
Goth Felicity: “Come on, Felicity. Tell him. Tell him –“
Oliver: “What you're going through, but you are the strongest person that I know.”
Goth Felicity: “That you're no good for the team anymore. That in addition to having legs that don't work, you've got a full on case of the crazies –“
Oliver: “And we have your back the same way that you have our back. We didn't stand a chance to take down those guards last night –“
Goth Felicity: “Seeing visions, hearing voices –“
Felicity: “Will you just shut up! (Silence) I didn't mean that.”
Oliver: “I didn't mean to upset you.”
Felicity: “No, no, no. It's not you, it's not you! (To Goth Felicity) Can I just be alone for a little while?”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Laurel spars with Oliver, they talk about Felicity, and he tells her about Barry’s time travel:
(Laurel is sparring with Oliver in the Arrowcave.)
Laure: “You want to talk about it?”
Oliver: “What is there to talk about? Felicity's upset. I don't know how to help her. It seems entirely straightforward.”
Laurel: “As the only other person here who's had the privilege of dating you, a piece of advice?”
Oliver: “Okay.”
Laurel: “Don't be so hard on yourself.”
Oliver: “Everything that's happening is my fault.”
Laurel: “I knew you were gonna say that.”
Oliver: “Last month when we went up against Vandal Savage, Barry traveled through time and changed things.”
Laurel: “Uh, what?” 
Oliver: “Barry can travel through time, and he warned me that when you change the past, the past fights back. So for the past month, I have been tortured by the idea that what happened to Felicity might have happened because I wouldn't listen to him.” 
Laurel: “The only person who is responsible for what happened to Felicity is Damien Darhk.”
(Oliver’s cell phone vibrates.)
Oliver (on phone): “John. We're on it. (To Laurel) John thinks Shadowspire's going after a shipment of railguns. Can you call Thea?”
Laurel: “Got it. Hey, Oliver. Felicity - she makes her own choices, you know. I'm sure that's one of the reasons why you love her so much.”
Oliver: “Yeah.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Felicity continues to be pestered by Goth Felicity:
Goth Felicity: “Wow. ‘The Shining.’ Not sure if I should be flattered or insulted.”
Felicity: “Oh, my God. Die. Just go away already.” 
Goth Felicity: “Since I'm you, that could be a little difficult, don't you think?” 
Felicity: “Fine. I'm here, you're here, so why are we here? Do you have anything the least bit interesting to say to me besides the little jabs you keep making?”
Goth Felicity: “Those jabs are just to get your attention.” 
Felicity: “So what do you want to tell me?” 
Goth Felicity: “I'm not here to tell you anything. I'm here to show you. The last time we looked like this, Cooper had just fake died.” 
Felicity: “What does this have to do with my ex-boyfriend?” 
Goth Felicity: “The day we thought he died, you broke out the hair dye, ditched the contacts, and decided you weren't gonna rely on anyone else for help… ever again. It was just going to be you against the world, and that was going to be your armor.” 
Felicity: “Guess I should have chosen Kevlar.” 
Goth Felicity: “Stop it! Stop feeling sorry for yourself and stop pretending!”
Felicity: “Pretending?!” 
Goth Felicity: “Pretending that this is the real you - the blond hair, the glasses, the sensible fashion. People wear masks for a reason - to hide who they are - just like you have been doing for the past five years. First, you decided to sign up for being the world's most overqualified I.T. girl, and then you decide to try being a hero, and look what it got you – a ringside seat to the rest of your life. You thought you were such a badass.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Diggle has been listening to Felicity:
Diggle: “Damn it! They must have jammers in here. No cell or Wi-Fi service.”
Andy: “Uh, would you like to share with the rest of the class?”
Diggle: “These monitors work just like TVs, receiving broadcast signals on the 700 megahertz band. Um, I have a friend who's into this kind of stuff. Occasionally, I listen to her. If I can just switch the chipset into transmitting mode, I should be able to contact my team.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Felicity realizes who she is and reasserts herself:
Oliver (on phone): “John, Shadowspire never made a move on the shipment, so whatever their next move is, it - it's not railguns. Just call me when you get something new from your brother. All right.”
Felicity (entering from elevator): “Ahh. I am so glad our new lair has elevator access.”
Oliver: “Hi.”
Felicity: “Curtis has anointed himself my personal chauffeur. Fancy. It's a good thing he didn't ask too many questions about coming to your campaign office in the middle of the night.”
Oliver: “What are you doing here?”
Felicity: “Well, I was at home, feeling more self-pity than I have in my entire life - when it hit me. This is who I am. I wanted to come along on your awesome superhero adventure because I wanted to help people. And the old me was so angry at the world, that anger never accomplished anything. It just created more anger - and some seriously bad personal style choices. I wanted to do some good in the world. Hmm.” (Punches Oliver) 
Oliver: “Ow.”
Felicity: “That was a good speech. I thought you'd be a little more impressed.”
Oliver: “It was a good speech, but –“
Felicity: “But - how did it go again? If I know you - and I do - you're probably thinking what happened was your fault. I'm here to tell you that it's not - and that it's not mine either.  It's the fault of only one man and he has an extremely on-the-nose and alliterative name. And we're going to stop him. Not out of guilt or vengeance or regret. We are going to stop him because it's what we do. That's who we are."
Oliver: "That was a good speech.”
Felicity: “Yeah.”
Oliver: “I'm very happy to hear it."
(Computer pulses sound, and Oliver goes up on the platform.)
Felicity: “Uh, we're gonna need to get some ramps.”
Oliver (seeing video of surveillance feed from A.R.G.U.S.): “A.R.G.U.S. has been compromised, and Lyla's being held hostage.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Oliver gives Felicity a code name:
Oliver (over comms): “Overwatch, we're on site.”
Felicity (over comms): “Excuse me?”
Oliver (over comms): “Well, I thought that it was time you got a code name. What do you think?”
Felicity (over comms): “It's perfect.”
Oliver (over comms): “Was gonna go with Oracle, but it's taken.”
Felicity (over comms): “Shadowspire's got the entire area around C&C in lockdown. You guys are the only game in town.”
Thea (over comms): “Can you get us inside?”
(Beep, latch clicks)
Felicity (over comms): “Like that you mean?”
*  *  *
Oliver (over comms): “Overwatch?”
Felicity (over comms): “C&C, three floors down, northeast corner.”
Oliver (over comms): “Well, give us a few minutes.”
*  *  *
Felicity (over comms): “If you've run out of guys to punch, Spartan needs an assist, two assists actually.”
Oliver (over comms): “Tell us what to do.”
Felicity (over comms): “Shadowspire's getting the access codes for a secure vault in the sublevel. I'm trying to stop the codes from working, but I'm going to need Canary and Speedy as my insurance policies.”
Oliver (over comms): “Where do you want me?” 
(Cut to A.R.G.U.S. control room.)
Joyner: “This is taking too long.”
Lyla: “Something’s wrong. Someone's locking me out of the system.”
Felicity (to Goth Felicity): “Go away. I'm not you anymore. I haven't been for a long time.”
Lyla: “I can't get in. I have all the right codes, but someone on the outside is preventing me from entering the sublevel vault.”
Joyner: “That's extremely unfortunate.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Lyla and Oliver toast to Amanda Waller, and Diggle shares a moment with Felicity:
Lyla: “To Amanda Waller?”
Oliver: “To Amanda Waller.”
Felicity: “You remember that time that she tried to take down the city with a drone strike? Good times.”
Diggle: “Hey. Thanks for the assist tonight.” 
Felicity: “I'm just glad to be useful. Good job jury-rigging the security system, though.” 
Diggle: “Just trying to make you proud, Felicity.” 
Felicity: “You did.”

411 (A.W.O.L.) – Felicity lets go of her old self, and Oliver vows to find a way to make her walk again:
Oliver: “I thought we were totally unpacked.” 
Felicity: “Just humor me.”
Oliver: “What am I getting?”
Felicity: “Ah, yes. The white box. Yeah, yeah, yeah. (Digs through box) Ahh. You ready?” (Shows him a photo of herself as Goth Felicity)
Oliver: “Wow! (Felicity laughs) When you said that you made some bad personal style choices, you weren't kidding.”
Felicity: “This is the old me - a rebellious brunette hacker who didn't listen to anyone else's rules but her own.”
Oliver: “You're not that person anymore?” 
Felicity: “Nope.”
Oliver: “What you did last night was amazing.”
Felicity: “I was really badass.” 
Oliver: “Yeah.” 
Felicity: “Though the old me probably would have stolen the plans for Rubicon and released them as some sort of political statement.”
Oliver: “The old me would have snapped Joyner’s neck.”
Felicity: “Yeah.” 
Oliver: “We've both grown.” 
Felicity: “Thank you for always being on my side.” 
Oliver: “No place I'd rather be.” 
Felicity: “Hand me that garbage can and this lighter.” 
Oliver: “How much medication are you on?”
Felicity: “Absolutely none.” 
Oliver: “Okay.”
Felicity (burning photo): “Just want to make sure that my past stays the past, you know?” 
Oliver: “One more thing from me. The doctor said your condition is permanent, and I don't think that it's healthy or productive for either of us to live in denial, but - I have seen people speed and shrink and fly. We watched a friend of ours come back from the dead. That is the world we live in now. And I will not stop searching it until we find a way to make you walk again.”

Edited April 25, 2020 by tv echo