Heartaches, Bromances, True Love and Team Arrow: the Relationships Thread

[tv echo]

I feel like the Oliver/Sara relationship was kinda made up by the writers as they went along.  When Oliver first unmasks Sara, she says something about how it's still Laurel "always and forever".  Then as season 2 progresses, we see flashbacks and learn things that undermine the pre-island Oliver/Laurel relationship and what we thought happened with the Oliver/Sara relationship in the past.

 

I've been thinking about why I want a slow burn for the Oliver/Felicity relationship.  Part of it is fearing that, if they hook up too soon, they'll inevitably break up since the EPs want the show to last at least 5 years,  More importantly, however, I just don't see them as true matches yet.  (I don't mean she has to become a fighter and he has to become computer-proficient.)  Their relationship is still evolving organically and realistically.  Over the past two seasons, Felicity was Oliver's employee and subordinate.  She also had a crush on Oliver and hero-worshipped him as the Arrow.  She's viewed him as out of her league and not someone who would ever be interested in her romantically.  To her, Oliver was someone who belonged with "gorgeous Laurel".  While their relationship has evolved to where Felicity has become an integral part of Team Arrow and has felt free to argue and disagree with him, I still felt that she didn't think she matched up to Oliver.  He is a hero and, while she feels quite competent when it comes to IT stuff, she doesn't feel like she is a hero (in my opinion).  When Oliver told her she was not his employee but his partner, that was a .step forward toward true equality.  The season 2 final beach scene was another step forward.  She had just proved herself in a really heroic way and she also sensed the real possibility of something romantic between them.  But they're not there yet - and there are other obstacles ahead.

Edited June 19, 2014 by tv echo

[dtissagirl]

I will agree that Diggle not voicing his concern about the Lance dinner was a bit 'off', but there wasn't a way for him to talk to Ollie without Sara hearing anything. The way the scene was shot, I'm not sure that adding an overt [Diggle takes Oliver to the side to chat] section would've done any better than David Ramsey sitting back and (probably) barely shaking his head and having a "bad idea, dude" face.

 

Ugh, that scene. It felt like everyone was acting out of character. Why did Sara want to parade Oliver in front of Laurel, for starters? Why didn't Dig point out YES IT WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA when Oliver didn't even wanna go to the Lance family dinner in the first place? Why was it that they made FELICITY tell them to get the hell out of the foundry? Oh, right, because they needed to get to that hallway scene between Laurel and Oliver so they could scream at each other and give me secondhand embarrassment for both. It's plot-driven characters instead of character-driven stories at its worst, really.

Edited June 19, 2014 by dancingnancy

[SmallScreenDiva]

It actually seems a little less out of left field on rewatch to me.  Oliver would rather she tell her family and have them (Laurel included) never talk to him again than for Sara to go without them any longer.  The trade (going with the idea that Laurel is a friend he wants to keep) feels romantic because of what he's willing to give up (even if it probably would be a win, win IMO)

 

Oh, @BkWurm1 I missed your post. I agree what happened to Sara would have made her a lot less comfortable with being touched. I also forgot to take into account her years with the LoA.

 

I did get the sense of a deeper relationship between them right away. There definitely is love there, with Oliver willing to sacrifice his relationship with her family. It just didn't come across as romantic to me in this episode. More like a super strong friendship. I guess it's a YMMV kind of thing. But maybe the succeeding episodes will illustrate their romantic past for me a bit better.

Edited June 19, 2014 by SmallScreenDiva

[KirkB]

I personally don't think it matters if it's Felicity, Laurel, Sara, Helena, McKenna, or someone yet to be introduced, Oliver can't be with anyone right now because his only concern right now is Starling. In time (a few seasons from now maybe) he will grow and change and perhaps be in a position to accept that he deserves someone in his life. Until then he has all of these people to support him. Besides that though, I also look at the fact Arrow is an action/adventure series, not a romantic drama.

 

On the subject of Oliver going to the Lance dinner with Sara, I remember thinking that was one of the stupidest things I had seen any character do in a long time. Regardless of whether he and Sara were back together or not he absolutely had no business being there, even if Sara did invite him. And that's not even taking into account what throwing his renewed relationship with Sara into their faces would do to Laurel, Quentin and Dinah. Why Diggle didn't hold him down so Felicity could slap some sense into him before that happened I'll never know. Even Helena would have known that was a bad idea.

Edited June 19, 2014 by KirkB

[scarynikki12]

 

Realism is what grounds the fantastic.

Beautifully put and I will be stealing this for all of my future discussions where one side tries to claim that the real world shouldn't apply to the sci fi/fantasy/supernatural shows I watch.

[tv echo]

I agree that the Lance family dinner was stupid.  I think the EPs were wedded to the idea of doing a "Brothers & Sisters" type episode (as mentioned in one of their interviews).  I also agree that it was a  set-up for that melodramatic Oliver and Laurel hallway scene.

[Password]

That scene where Oliver says he's loved Laurel for half his life and is done chasing her or something? Where do I start. At no point do I feel that statement is true. He says these wonderful melt your heart things but does the complete opposite. How is cheating on Laurel another way of saying ILY. Getting back with Sara and visiting the Lance dinner TO SUPPORT SARA is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. It's like they had amnesia and forgot what they did 6-7 years previously. Nothing Oliver has done in the past screams that he loved Laurel. Pfft if anything he lied to himself that he did.

 

You can't even blame his father's less than stellar record with women because we find out Oliver didn't know his dad was a sleeze.

[Starfish35]

Yes, they wanted to get Laurel to hit bottom, or get to her lowest point, or whatever phrasing they used, and they wanted Oliver to be the one to call her out.

This is another reason I'm not convinced they've given up on Lauriver. They used Oliver to reach Laurel and get her to start getting some help when she wouldn't listen to anyone else. To me it would have been more powerful coming from Sara, or Quentin, and just leave the whole Oliver/Laurel/Sara mess out of it. But they wanted it to be Oliver.

The same with them having Laurel be the one to "reach Oliver in his darkest hour". Again, it doesn't make sense for it to be Laurel - it would have made more sense coming from Diggle or Felicity (as she proved in the very next episode), or even Thea (except for the part where they were trying to drive Oliver and Thea apart). But they really really seemed to want It to be Laurel. Oliver reaches Laurel when no one else can, Laurel reaches Oliver when no one else can. I think it was a deliberate parallel. To me it says that the writers are still fixated on this idea that they're still the most important person in each other's lives.

I'm not saying it makes sense. It absolutely doesn't. Neither scene really works and the setup for both is forced. In both cases, it seems like it would be better coming from another person. But....I do believe the Lauriver implications/parallels were intentional, however forced and unbelievable it comes across to me as the viewer.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Starfish35

[Password]

This is another reason I'm not convinced they've given up on Lauriver. They used Oliver to reach Laurel and get her to start getting some help when she wouldn't listen to anyone else.

 

They do that don't they, slip in things that make no sense to make the audience see what their intentions are. One of the reasons I dislike Oliver and Laurel together is because Laurel turns into a weak person. I can't deal with weak female characters who have short term memory of their past, to the point that they become doormats.

 

Laurel didn't reach Oliver at all, he woke up after she told him about Blood, which funnily he didn't question whereas before he was all "she was my blind spot but no more". Whereas Oliver gave her a hypocritical dressing down that made me want to smack him.

 

They should leave dysfunctional and unhealthy to Chuck and Blair, they pull it off better.

[Lady Calypso]

I feel like if there's any "fan"-pandering (and I put the term very loosely), it's with Laurel. It felt more natural with her in the first half of the season, just before or in the early stages of her alcoholism storyline. When KC wasn't in the episodes, the world didn't explode. Actually, things went on without her and, to me, we got some of the best episodes of the season. But when they shoehorn her in (the Lance family dinner is definitely the biggest example), it doesn't feel natural and it actually makes me cringe.

 

I truly believe the Laurel/Oliver story is over. I think that people are worrying over Laurel/Oliver, but I know it's also with good reason because of the last three episodes. I know that people are worried about Laurel being BC, and I can see why. But I think it's telling that Sara is still alive. Laurel would be irredeemable if she became the Black Canary while her sister was still alive and with the League of Assassins because she was trying to help save the city like a true hero. Well, she would be irredeemable to me and I'm sure plenty of others. I'm pretty sure Laurel/Oliver are not endgame because of what they're giving us with Oliver and Laurel's backstory, which has him treating her like shit over and over again and showing that she knows nothing about him. Also, I don't think Stephen Amell would be very happy about his character ending up with Laurel, after all the hard work he's put into his character and this show while KC has put almost zero effort. I think the most we'll get is one last kiss/one last attempt at a relationship but like Sara/Oliver, they aren't the same people anymore. And it didn't even work out in Laurel's case! Do they think that it'll have an opposite effect this time and have it turn out happy? I don't see any scenario in that happening.

 

So, as much as the producers have been gunning for Laurel and O/L since season 1, I think it's pretty much dead in the water at this point and they should be wrapping that story up by the beginning of season 3. They must see how popular any other couple is. They're absolutely going to sink their show if they put Laurel and Oliver in a long term relationship. They've given us every reason why they don't work. They've even said on the show, multiple times, how they don't work. They've showed us why they don't work. They had Oliver cheating on Laurel and getting another girl pregnant, for god's sake. You think Laurel's going to be happy when she finds that out next season? No, she's going to be furious and I won't blame her (I'd be angry right along with her, actually). They even gave us good reason as to why Laurel doesn't work in the Arrow cave (with treating Felicity/Diggle like absolute dirt and being a whiny crybaby over them going out over her. Like, girl, you JUST joined the team. You also aren't very good at fighting crime or kicking ass, so cool off).

 

They haven't given up on Laurel/Oliver, I don't think. However, I don't think they're stupid either about what the fans really want and I do think they'll drop Laurel/Oliver once season 3 finishes (maybe sooner, but I doubt it) once they start full-forcing Lauriver big time and their ratings start dropping. 

[Orion]

The season 2 final beach scene was another step forward.  She had just proved herself in a really heroic way and she also sensed the real possibility of something romantic between them.  But they're not there yet - and there are other obstacles ahead.

 

I agree that scene was a real step forward for their relationship but Oliver's response of "I had help" to Felicity's "You did it, you beat him," that I found lacking. That was the perfect place for him to reaffirm their partnership. When you add Oliver down in the prison with Slade telling him that he, "helped him (Oliver) become a hero" it was unsatisfying for me. that scene needed a shout out to what Dig and Felicity had contributed.  The mansion ruse would have paid off bigger in my imo if that beach scene had included an acknowledgement of the trust between them. Yes, it's understated and there in the subtext that he trusted her enough to go forward with that plan but I would still have liked him to verbalize it. She compliments him on how smart his plan was it would have been a nice beat if the writers had equaled that out with a compliment from him beyond "we both did".

 

And I think all OCC moments for Dig and Felicity have to be laid at the feet of the writers going to far with the Lance Family drama. There were 6 episodes where they were literally everywhere action scenes, flashbacks, arrowcave, and Team Arrow. Felicity and Dig got steamed rolled and the writers lost their way. I really wonder how much of what happened in the middle of Season 2 was because the backdoor Flash pilot was pulled from the story they had planned. The writers really just seemed to flounder - plot advancement died and the flashbacks started mirroring the present instead of adding insight.

[dtissagirl]

Laurel didn't reach Oliver at all, he woke up after she told him about Blood, which funnily he didn't question whereas before he was all "she was my blind spot but no more". Whereas Oliver gave her a hypocritical dressing down that made me want to smack him.

 

They should leave dysfunctional and unhealthy to Chuck and Blair, they pull it off better.

 

When Marc Guggenheim said "It’s gotten very far away from being the Gossip Girl channel" in the Paste Magazine interview, I legit laughed out loud for a good few minutes. Sister swapping is EXACTLY what I expect from a show like GG, but not from a super hero show that actually wants to be taken seriously.

[Password]

Seeing as Arrow seems anti-super powers I wonder what Barry would've done in the end. I also wonder why that Lance arc happened, other than Laurel's crucible. I have no problem with Laurel turning to the bottle to handle her problems because it's realistic. People everyday are stuck in a never ending bottle, but they also suffer consequences of which I don't see what Laurel's were. I just wished they spent some time on her actually dealing with it than Oliver's beautiful speech so she could rise in her own strength. I like Laurel best when she has nothing to do with Oliver.

 

MG actually said that? Then what on earth was the sister swapping drama about? Hang on did that happen on GG? If not, Arrow outplayed GG.

[dtissagirl]

, he did, it was a question about getting away from The CW's typical brand of teen drama:

 

Paste: Being that you were writing the show for the CW and they have a specific brand, were there elements or notes you had to incorporate into the scripts to make it fit in with the brand?
Guggenheim: A lot of people think so, but actually, no. Our mission statement from Mark Pedowitz, the head of the network, was that they actually didn’t want us to service their brand. What Mark was trying to do two years ago—and has successfully done—is change what the brand of the CW is. It’s gotten very far away from being the Gossip Girl channel.

 

Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/06/catching-up-with-arrow-showrunner-marc-guggenheim.html

 

I call BS. Even though Arrow does have the best numbers for the male 18-34 demo in the CW, they cannot ignore the overall demo for the network is majorly female. Plus, The CW's idea of catering to male demo is to have their hunky protagonists hook up with attractive girls. The cynical in me believes there's some sort of directive somewhere that states their male leads must sleep with some girl every 4.5 episodes OR ELSE.

[Lady Calypso]

Yeah...........no. It's closer to the Gossip Girl channel that Guggenheim thinks. Honestly, if they got rid of the Laurel character, then I MIGHT actually believe this statement, but with Laurel around? No, it's not the truth at all. 

[Orion]

Seeing as Arrow seems anti-super powers I wonder what Barry would've done in the end. I also wonder why that Lance arc happened, other than Laurel's crucible. I have no problem with Laurel turning to the bottle to handle her problems because it's realistic. People everyday are stuck in a never ending bottle, but they also suffer consequences of which I don't see what Laurel's were. I just wished they spent some time on her actually dealing with it than Oliver's beautiful speech so she could rise in her own strength. I like Laurel best when she has nothing to do with Oliver.

 

ITA. Show me consequences! Show me Laurel looking like every other person that has ever had a hangover. Show me Laurel falling asleep in court. Show me Laurel loosing her apartment because she can't pay her bills without her job. Show me Laurel in a back alley trying to score more pills and getting mugged.  Show me Laurel going to jail.  That entire story arc was so badly handled. She got pulled over for a DUI, that she got out of, she lost a job she's not very good at, and she got yelled at by Oliver.  The EPs and KC can tell me that the addiction storyline was her island all they want and I will continue to laugh out loud every time they say it.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Orion

[Password]

Show me Laurel falling asleep in court.

 

I would've paid to see this happen. The problem with Laurel's crucible is that I don't see how it changed her and gave her consequences. Oliver is still paying for the island (seriously he's probably going to pay another 3 years) so it seems like he's going through a second island of sorts. Sara went and broke her own soul to save Starling and her family again. Quentin's drinking problem was so believable it was beautiful.

 

I know many people think Laurel will be Black Canary immediately but I really don't think the EPs and writers are that arrogant. If they are, they'll just shoot themselves in both feet and their kneecaps for good measure. Maybe then she can have consequences because being a hero automatically means sacrifice and loss.

[Lady Calypso]

Yeah, that's the problem for me: Laurel's journey starts and ends in half a season. I know people defend her by saying "Oh, but she's been dealing with so much pain for five years! Her boyfriend and sister were presumed dead! Her dad became an alcoholic and her parents broke up!" Ok, that's fair enough; for a normal show, that would be a lot for a character to handle and I'd expect Laurel to be a changed person. However, this is a superhero show, where characters' motivations are fueled by a lot worse than what Laurel has. Their journey does not involve becoming an alcoholic for a couple of months and still functioning normally, only to overcome it and be perfectly sober in a short amount of time. The only consequence we've seen Laurel receive is getting fired from her job (that she earned back, like, five weeks later so it made the consequence null). 

 

I liked Laurel season 1 because she was genuinely pissed at Oliver and it was more realistic that she was angry after all she had gone through. Having that journey would have been more interesting than a cliche alcohol/drug abuse storyline. I would have loved to see Laurel's anger at the Arrow for the whole season instead of three episodes. I would have preferred Laurel's conflict with Sara being alive than her drunken anger scenes. Laurel is essentially ok because her problems are pretty much fixed. Her sister and Oliver are still alive, her parents are on good terms, her father's sober, her sobriety is dealt with, she has her job back. She has no lasting consequences, while Oliver and Sara have still been dealing with it and they've been back two years. Their journey is far from over, while Laurel's is pretty much done until a new problem arises. 

Edited June 19, 2014 by jessied112

[icandigit]

I noticed this too. But, I'll give credit where credit is due.

http://itsarrowbaby.tumblr.com/post/89279674456/just-watching-2-21-again-and-realised-something

 

The speech Oliver gives Sara on the Enuui mirrors the one he gives to Felicity in the finale. Seeing this posted struck me, just thinking about the Oliver/Sara posts from earlier.

[Password]

What do you think is the significance? Other than giving us something to chat about.

[icandigit]

I'm still thinking about it, I think its mostly writer parallels of Oliver making the same choice with a twist of outcome with the second one. I'm not sure it there is any Sara vs. Felicity thing. Not that I would see it since I love them both. I think it does allude to how he treats people he cares about.

[Password]

I agree with you. They've never had Felicity and Sara compete. It just seems a reflection of similar situations with better results.

[statsgirl]

 

I think its mostly writer parallels of Oliver making the same choice with a twist of outcome with the second one.I

I agree that they're purposefully parallels.  Just like capturing Slade in the present paralleled his decision to kill him in the past, Oliver's present day journey seems to be about learning from his mistakes and making better choices this time.  That both of those involve Felicity is just a benefit.

 

I think there is fan pandering about Laurel and that Kreisburg and Guggenheim are the fans in question.  They want to give Laurel a crucible story to match the other characters but they can't quite make themselves do it so it's quick, unrealistic (e.g. she didn't seem at all drunk  when driving her car ), and easily and unrealistically resolved.  The problem is that they're hurting Laurel's credibility as a character by making things so easy for her.

 

It reminds me of ER and  how the writers protected Carter from the real life consequences of his actions. He had a brief addiction storyline in which he did crossword puzzles at his mandated AA meetings and bullied Abby into being his sponsor because he didn't want to talk to a stranger, and it was over in a handful of episodes, and later he was shown drunk with no reference to any addiction at all..  

[tv echo]

The only consequence we've seen Laurel receive is getting fired from her job (that she earned back, like, five weeks later so it made the consequence null).

Laurel didn't earn her job back.  If I recall correctly, she was given her ADA job back as a set-up to catch Helena(?).  Then after the set-up was done, the DA Kate Spencer tried to fire her again, but Laurel blackmailed her way back into her job by threatening to expose the set-up to the public.  She also never lost her law license, but was only threatened with disbarment  - so, another non-consequence.

Edited June 20, 2014 by tv echo

[Password]

She was threatened with disbarment? I thought she said she was disbarred to Oliver at Verdant. Well regardless, her blackmail surely has to come back to her.

[tv echo]

When Laurel went to see her friend about a job (after she was fired from the DA's office), her friend told her that they couldn't hire her because there were legal disciplinary proceedings (for disbarment) pending against Laurel.  Later, when Donner(?) hired Laurel back at the DA's Office (as part of the set-up), he told her that he had taken care of canceling those disciplinary proceedings.  That's my recollection, but I could be wrong.

[Luckylyn]

She was threatened with disbarment? I thought she said she was disbarred to Oliver at Verdant. Well regardless, her blackmail surely has to come back to her.

The person she blackmailed is now dead, and so, I think she'll get away with it.

[KirkB]

Blackmail does seem to be one of the few things Laurel is actually good at though.

[Velocity23]

The  CW is really subtle which ship they promote. Jesus Christ

 

https://www.facebook.com/CWArrow/photos/a.132531336884907.23870.104137579724283/416513021820069/?type=1&theater

[wonderwall]

But... I thought Laurel was supposed to be a good-doer?!?!

[statsgirl]

The CW knows on which side its bread is buttered.

(Right now, below the picture, there's a picture of Felicity behind Oliver during Slade's attack on the lair with the caption "Felicity, you''ll be safer here in the friendzone."  Well done.)

 

From the Hopes and Fears thread:

 

I also think that once Oliver/Felicity do get together (which they will. Shhh just let me have this), they'll pretty much stay together because they've built and still are building such a strong foundation to a solid relationship.

I think if this were real life, they would stand a good chance of staying together because there is such a foundation of respect and calling each other on their crap. i think that's one of the reasons so many people either ship them or don't mind if they get together.  (But this is TV, so I'm not holding my breath that they won't break up..)

 

 

She also never lost her law license, but was only threatened with disbarment  - so, another non-consequence.

An addition to being the bestest ever, there are few or no consequences for Mary Sues for their bad behaviour.  I'm beginning to think that Laurel, with her being such a great lawyer and suffering so bravely and reveryone trying to protect her (Tommy, Quentin, Sara), maybe becoming the BC now with no consequences for her bad behaviour is the show's true Mary Sue. 

Edited June 20, 2014 by statsgirl

[Velocity23]

Wouldn't Laurels focus be on her fathers health and  not on being a vigilante. She also will have a job so i don't see how she can possibly be ready to take on anybody in a serious fight. Sara and Oliver didn't have to worry about a job and were focused on staying alive and slowly getting stronger. I just don't see how can they make it believable for L to take on BC in season 3. And if they even suggest that Laurel be trained by Oliver i think even comic book fans will rip them apart. 

[wonderwall]

Wouldn't Laurels focus be on her fathers health and  not on being a vigilante. She also will have a job so i don't see how she can possibly be ready to take on anybody in a serious fight. Sara and Oliver didn't have to worry about a job and were focused on staying alive and slowly getting stronger. I just don't see how can they make it believable for L to take on BC in season 3. And if they even suggest that Laurel be trained by Oliver i think even comic book fans will rip them apart. 

1. Family doesn't seem to be as important to Laurel... This can be seen by the way she went to Oliver when she saw Sara's scars. This can also be seen by how she treated Sara during the flashbacks. This can be seen by how terribly Laurel treats her father and mother. Yup. Laurel just isn't a family person, so I doubt she'll focus on her father's health. 
2. Laurel never goes into work anyways. If anyone does threaten to fire her, she'd just blackmail them :p
3. Princess Laurel can accomplish anything if the writers force it hard enough
4. Oliver has no time to train Laurel what with his job, his team, his nightly activities, his own personal training as well as training Roy... But then again, when it comes to Laurel I'm sure the writers will make it so that there are 30 hours in a day rather than the normal 24. 

Ugh. I'm bitter :/

[KirkB]

Not to mention they have a five or six month gap to play with, so even if Laurel IS going to focus on Quentin's health by the time the show comes back he could have gotten better (probably shown in flashbacks since they seem to love them so) and she could have gone on to be training (also shown in flashbacks), or flat out be the new Canary.

Edited June 20, 2014 by KirkB

[Velocity23]

in 6 months and trained by who? Who will be her mentor? Because if it will be Oliver people will crush them. Nobody will accept a BC trained by the Arrow. The backlash would be so great. I would rather see L getting heat by people investigating events that lead to destruction of Starling City and uncover her blackmailing ventures. Her actions truly need some consequences. 

[KirkB]

Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying I want that, or that it would make any sense. I'm just saying it's a way the show runners could do it. Just have a throwaway line from Laurel about how training with Oliver (or Sara, or Ted Grant) was hard and she puts on the mask before they jump off a roof (and in my mind Laurel faceplants into the sidewalk). If that is their intent and they are planning to make her the Canary regardless of the fans, I wish they would just do it already.

[Velocity23]

I am imagining that somebody will steal that freaking jacket and set it on fire. I am petty like that. 

[icandigit]

Not for the purpose of her becoming the BC. But, if Sara were giving her jacket to anyone for safe keeping, wouldn't it have been Felicity? It's just something that would make more sense in regards with their relationship with each other.

[KirkB]

Actually, I'd think it would be Oliver. Not to wear, obviously, but someone to hold on to it until she gets back.

[Lady Calypso]

Or, you know, she gives the jacket to her dad because, you know, he's responsible enough to keep it safe AND he doesn't have his place being broken into every other week.

[statsgirl]

I vote Quentin.  He and Sara seem to have a special relationship now, one that they got feeling that each had lost the other and now, having her/him back, they really cherish the other person and appreciate having them in their life. (English really needs a gender neutral pronoun here.)

 

If it weren't about setting Laurel up to be the BC, it would make more sense for Sara to give Quentin her jacket to hold on to while she's not there with him.

[Password]

Yeah that jacket would be a hot commodity on ebay.

[Morrigan2575]

Isn't this the relationship thread?  Might want to get back to talking about relationships before the Mods yell...again.

[statsgirl]

Is this for romantic relationships only, or for all emotional relationships?  I was thinking that there was no greater arrow to their hearts than when Quentin and Dinah thought that Sara had died. 

[Morrigan2575]

I think this is romantic only there is another thead for non romantic relationships

http://forums.previously.tv/topic/8842-family-is-like-an-arrow-platonic-relationships/#entry130898

Edited June 20, 2014 by Morrigan2575

[formerlyfreedom]

Actually, @Morrigan2575, we're going to go ahead and merge the two relationship threads, since discussion of one leads to another. Your posts just convinced us that it would be the right thing to do!

 

Thanks, all!

 

Oh, and we prefer to call it 'strongly reminding' and not yelling. ;)

 

[Meredith Quill]

Since both relationship threads have been merged in the interests of simplifying things for all of us:

 

Welcome to the new & improved Relationships topic, where you can talk about platonic AND romantic relationships, all in one handy dandy place!

[Starfish35]

I just stumbled across this when I was reading up on Tumblr on the latest con incident with KC, and I thought it was kind of hilarious. Since it has more to do with KC and Olicity, I'm putting it here.

http://televisionamist.tumblr.com/post/89391191419/can-you-imagine-how-awkward-the-arrow-table-reads-are

[CabotCove]

Conell, I might not be remembering this correctly, but we were told Roy's father is in prison and his mother is thoroughly messed up, right? Not that we've seen either of them, but my impression is that Roy was from a broken home with very, very little money.

 

Yeah remember him saying those bits, but I was hoping they would go deep into his background. The story of his mother is still vague though I think, since he later told Thea he was lying about his situation with his mom. And also maybe meet his parent/s if either is still alive, or maybe his siblings if he has any. Or old friends. 

 

Combine that with Sara's comment to Sin about no woman suffering at the hands of men and I'm thinking she was raped many times (and boy does that scene on the Amazo hint at that) and that touching was one of those things she didn't casually do anymore.  It wasn't until the very end of the episode that Oliver reached out his hand and she took it.

 

She was not raped, I think it was hinted Dr Ivo saved her from such a fate, hence maybe explain why she developed a "stockholm syndrome" with the guy. The show being the show it is, seems to gloss over issues like these really and wont go there, this happens across the board. 

Edited June 23, 2014 by Conell

[BkWurm1]

I do think the show shied away from the rape storyline when it came to doing her flashback but from what she said to Sin and how she was scooped up out of the water (worse than naked in her lingerie) and her absolute terror to and from her cell it felt like that is where the show was going and that the runners either chickened out or got notes not to go there. And just because we saw Ivo save her that one time doesn't convince me that he could have kept her safe all of the time. I can't help wondering if something could have also happened to her between the time we saw her saved and tossed in the cage and then again when she was in the cage and then taken out. (Scenes which of course also would have been cut or eliminated from the script). No matter what made it on screen, that suffer a fate worse than death vibe hung over her time on the Amazo.