S01.E03: Lone Gunman

[Lisin]

Oliver is surprised when someone shoots and kills one of his targets. As his plan is to bring people to justice vs. outright killing them, Oliver doesn't appreciate the help and searches for the gunman. He soon learns that the man, Deadshot, is taking out businessmen who are scheduled to bid at an auction on an energy company and Walter is one of the bidders. Realizing he can't protect his family and stop Deadshot at the same time, Oliver enlists Detective Lance's help, but his plan has dire consequences. Meanwhile, Laurel and Tommy get caught in an awkward situation with Oliver.

 

Man, Deadshot in episode 3?! I keep forgetting how fast this show moves! This is such a great episode! We get the Laurel/Tommy reveal, Thea being a bit of a party girl, and Diggle!!

[Carrie Ann]

Watched this today, and was struck again by how much Dig and Felicity add to the series. The "And I'm going to stop in 3, 2, 1," ramble, and of course "My coffee shop's in a bad neighborhood." [Felicity: incredulous head tilt] [Oliver: can't keep from smiling]. Those moments are so cute and fun. Such a different energy from the rest of the show. And I love Oliver revealing himself to Diggle.

 

The scene where Oliver climbs up the brick wall to pull the bullet out is one of my favorite early stunts from the series.

 

I also appreciate Deadshot

so much more after his subsequent appearances. I'm really attached to him now, and invested in his relationship with Dig. I hope we see more of both next season.

[TwistedandBored]

Is it weird that I always think this episode as a Felicity episode? 

 

I remember saying after this episode, I am out. And, then Felicity showed up, Diggle found out Oliver's secret and the rest is history. It is soo strange that I almost gave up on this show. 

[tv echo]

I remember first watching the pilot episode and thinking, this is better than the usual CW teen drama.  But by the beginning of the third episode, I was beginning to consider taking Arrow off my must-watch list because I just didn't like the characters.  I also thought the main couple, Oliver and Laurel, had zero chemistry, so I couldn't really care about their story.  Oliver had potential, but Laurel was obnoxious and I don't really remember Thea.  I thought Moira and Walter were interesting, but expected them to die at some point because - let's face it - it's the CW, where anyone over age 25 eventually disappears from their shows and teens live surprisingly well on no income (example: TVD).

 

Then, in episode 3, Felicity appeared and Diggle started to become more than a token character.  I thought, she's interesting and adds a much needed light touch to an increasingly dreary series.  I also thought, Diggle's interesting and I wondered about his back story.  I wanted to know more about these two characters and liked their potential friend/ally chemistry with Oliver.  Then, over the rest of first season, I thought Diggle and Felicity made Oliver much more layered and likeable.  So, yeah, episode 3 was a turning point for me as well.

Edited June 3, 2014 by tv echo

[BkWurm1]

I was not watching live anymore by the time the third episode rolled around. I had several stacked in the DVR and I was ready to pull the plug but but for some reason I watched another episode first. I Googled Felicity Smoak afterward and found she'd already been made a reoccurring character.

Between Diggle being in the know and the promise of more Felicity, I kept watching.

[icandigit]

The guy being killed in the middle of Oliver's specifying, Still funny

 

"The bullet, poison" in the voice over still makes laugh. Wait, Was that not meant to be funny?

 

This is before island Oliver became like my favorite thing ever.

 

Laurel just bed him and get it over with. This is ridiculous.

 

I know Walter is saying other words but all I  keep hearing is get the hell out my house. Love Walter.

 

I didn't study Shakespeare at any of the 4 schools I dropped out of. One of my many fav Oliver scenes/lines.

 

I liked the action sequence with dead shot and the scaffolding.

 

I do dance to the closing credits.

 

I have twisted affection for the Oliver and Tommy douchery. I still can't believe Max Fuller out douched them. Now CW, this whole party scene. This is what I signed up for when watching one of your shows.

[MsSchadenfreude]

I guess from now on I will be watching you pee. I love Diggle!

 

If I have to kill all the other potential buyers by tomorrow, I have a lot of killing to do.  You go Walter!  It just cracks me up the way Moira and Walter give Detective Lance the stink eye every time he shows up.

 

Thea is a brat.

 

Woohoo! Diggle knows! So now we can get rid of those annoying voiceovers.

 

The first Felicity/Oliver scene with the "head tilt of epic disbelief" is still is just as hilarious.  

 

Man, Oliver really likes sticking arrows in people's eyes.  Although I guess technically he shot an arrow in Deadshot's eye.

 

Tommy, nothing good can come from hooking up with Laurel.  Trust me on this.

[statsgirl]

"That's what I'm here for sir, that and answering patronizing questions."  Oh Diggle, never change.

 

Floyd Loughton tattooing the names of his victims on his body was so creepy. I liked him better in season 2.

 

Why did Oliver need the bullet from the wall when he already had the one he was shot with, and it was in better shape?

 

i liked it when Quentin and his partner went to talk to Walter and Moira about the two guys who had been bidding for Unidec and were killed, there were three Black actors in the scene, and they were of equal stature to the two Caucasians.

 

Tommy starting to hit on Carly and then veering off "whom I will never touch" when Diggle said "She's my sister-in-law" reminds me why I miss him so much.

 

I hate Moira's cat story.  As a human with rescued cats, I always feel sorry for the cat they got rid of. Why couldn't Thea keep it?  There was certainly enough room on the estate for it.

 

I saw the pilot episode, missed the second because I wasn't that into it, and was ready to give up on the show when Felicity turned up and brought some lightness.  She brought me back for episode 4, although wanting to see Diggle's reaction didn't hurt.  Even by the third episode, I thought Oliver/Diggle/Felicity was the best thing about the show.

 

Laurel had a good moment beating up the goons at the club. "Cop father, remember?"  But when Oliver tried to say something, Laurel cut him off "Oliver, Tommy and I don't need your blessing, and I don't need your forgiveness." Later to Tommy she says "Maybe because he knows he doesn't have any right to judge me." It's all about you, isn't it Laurel?   I really don't understand why Oliver is supposed to be upset because after he was declared dead, his girlfriend had a relationship with someone else. He was dead, or everyone thought he was. 

 

Later when Tommy shows up at the courthouse to talk to her and says that he wants to show her that he's interested in just one girl, she warmed up and told him "Well, that's a guy I would be interested in meeting.  

And then bizarrely she turns down the party for CNRI because he's only doing it to sleep with her.

[quarks]

1. I love the lighting for the rooftop building swimming pool.

 

2. The voiceover for "The blood - poison!" is terrible in both English and the Spanish dubs. I mean, really, do we need to told this? Thankfully, this was the last of the voiceover episodes, I think.

 

3. Diggle jumping on Oliver for stuff never gets old, but I especially loved his commentary on the Glades in this episode: nice setup.

 

4. Ah, Laurel: starts by checking Oliver out online, continues by not wanting to talk to Oliver when they meet live at the club. I....got nothing.

 

5. Joanna, to Laurel, regarding Oliver: "It is time to move on. Past time."  We are all totally behind you, Joanna. Can you come back to the show and say this again?

 

Storywise, this is the second outsider to recognize that Laurel still has feelings for Oliver; first outsider to criticize the Laurel/Oliver relationship. This was written after the initial audience feedback from the pilot, which the producers said they used to make some changes to the show: bringing in a tech expert (although Oliver is still using computers here), and softening Tommy's sliminess from the pilot. I'm wondering if this scene isn't just in there to remind the audience about Oliver and Laurel's past, but also the start of

tearing down this relationship after recognizing from the audience feedback that it wasn't entirely working - unless that, as one of my writer friends is arguing, was the plan from the beginning? 

 

6. I honestly didn't see this until this viewing, but Oliver shows the Bratva tattoo, there's a whole "huh, how did he get that?" followed by Deadshot tattooing himself, suggesting that Oliver is making it all up. Nice twist to see that he didn't.

 

7. I do like the snark in the Walter/Moira/Quentin scene.

 

8. And wow, this entire episode is like a "How bad are Oliver and Laurel together?" demonstration, isn't it? First, Joanna's speech, which is also more or less the only thing she does in the episode since she's not in the club scene. Then, Thea tells Oliver that Tommy and Laurel have been sleeping together, and Oliver's all, that's nice, although Laurel looks furious. Then Tommy tries to apologize, and Oliver's all whatever, "I have a Russian model!" And then Tommy and Laurel go out on a date.

 

9. Hello, magical island herbs! Always good to have a useful Deux Ex Machina around.

 

10. Hello, Felicity!

 

11. This entire episode is basically proof that this show needs more Diggle.

[Carrie Ann]

Storywise, this is the second outsider to recognize that Laurel still has feelings for Oliver; first outsider to criticize the Laurel/Oliver relationship. This was written after the initial audience feedback from the pilot, which the producers said they used to make some changes to the show: bringing in a tech expert (although Oliver is still using computers here), and softening Tommy's sliminess from the pilot. I'm wondering if this scene isn't just in there to remind the audience about Oliver and Laurel's past, but also the start of

tearing down this relationship after recognizing from the audience feedback that it wasn't entirely working - unless that, as one of my writer friends is arguing, was the plan from the beginning? 

 

This episode had another bit of WTF when it comes to that relationship: Oliver slept with Fuller's bride-to-be the night before the wedding. We don't know the exact timing, but it presumably happened not that long before he went down on the ship because he indicates that was sort of the last time he saw that guy. So, probably another person with whom Oliver cheated on Laurel. (Note that Tommy still finds that whole thing pretty funny, which is indicative of why I'm not a huge fan of Tommy or their friendship. Oliver laughs about it too, but he's still in Fake Oliver mode when it comes to Tommy, so I'm less annoyed at him.)

[Moviesnob]

Anyone watch the show with closed captions on? They cut out a bit of voiceover that was apparently planned -most of it redundant. In the scene where Oliver heads to the building to retrieve the bullet, he stands there observing in silence - but the voiceover is telling you that he managed to put one of Deadshot's bullets astray, and it should be over here somewhere . . .

 

I liked Laurel this ep. I like her still angry with Oliver and not needing his permission or forgiveness.

I also remember thinking of the foreshadowing of her skills to become Black Canary, but we know where that went (is going . . .).

 It's also totally believable to be cyber-stalking an ex and blowing him off in public. Denial and all that good stuff. 

 

The rewatch reminds me the show has it's moments of levity - Felicity's intro, Dig's one-liners and Tommy being Tommy. I

got soooo angry towards the end of season two with all the angst and badness, it's nice to get back to the tension that isn't non-stop.

Also - I realize this is a fault of mine - I have a hard time turning off my disbelief at movies or TV shows, especially comic book ones. But COME ON who's gonna tattoo the name of every person they ever killed on their body. I know it looks cool and creepy, I just ... should probably stop typing because I know how comics go and I should shut up.

Edited June 4, 2014 by Moviesnob

[Sakura12]

Laurel had a good moment beating up the goons at the club. "Cop father, remember?"  

She didn't beat up the goons, she beat up the rich guy that owned the club. So all they established is she can beat up a spoiled rich boy that has no training. What a badass. 

 

Then she stood there digging her knuckle into her other hand attempting to look like a thug or something. That was Laurel's i'm a badass stance. It's really laughable now since Sara looked more badass than Laurel did when she just stands there with her arms loose at her sides.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Sakura12

[Morrigan2575]

She didn't beat up the goons, she beat up the rich guy that owned the club. So all they established is she can beat up a spoiled rich boy that has no training. What a badass.

Then she stood there digging her knuckle into her other hand attempting to look like a thug or something. That was Laurel's i'm a badass stance. It's really laughable now since Sara looked more badass than Laurel did when she just stands there with her arms loose at her sides.

Interesting. Fans generally point to this scene to prove Laurel had mad fighting skills and KC could be believable in Arrow's intense fight/stunt sequences.

[statsgirl]

Curious how memory plays tricks  It does seem like a set-up for Laurel becoming the Black Canary, though.

[Sakura12]

It starts at the :48 mark. Laurel walks up surprises Max while he's watching his bouncers beat up Oliver and Tommy. It also looked like a stunt double that did the actual punching and kicking since we didn't see her face. 

 

Edited June 5, 2014 by Sakura12

[statsgirl]

Thanks for the clip.  I missed in my 6 viewings of the episode that when Oliver gets knocked down, he clenches his fist as if he really wants to jump up and beat up that guy but he can't. Nice work, SA!

 

Yeah, Laurel grabs Max from behind when he's not looking, punches him in the kidneys (ouch!) and twirls him around. It seems like they were trying to set up Laurel as BC in future though.

 

I was remembering some advice a professor of mine once gave us "Dress for the job you want to get"  (meaning that you should look like you fit the next role. If you're an undergrad, dress like a grad student. If you a grad, dress like a professor.)   If KC wanted to be the Black Canary, she should have been looking like her from the start

[Morrigan2575]

Sakura I think you're right that's the stunt double, wow.

This is what the fans point to as Laurel being a "Trained martial artist"? LOL that's so bad, so basically Laurel can beat up guys who haven't been trained.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Morrigan2575

[Sakura12]

That's why I never got it when people said that. I was like when did we see her beat anyone with actual training? Beating up a spoiled rich guy with no training when he didn't even know she was there is not a good indicator of her skills. Anyone can do that. 

 

That did look like it was setting up to be Laurel's BC moment. It wasn't a very good one now that I've seen S2.

[formerlyfreedom]

Again, Diggle is my new *imaginary boyfriend* after this episode.

 

(Ollie comes home to see the police talking to Moira due to Thea being picked up and ‘lighting the breathalyzer up like a Christmas tree')
Diggle: So how was your evening, sir?
Oliver: You mean after I said I had to go the bathroom at dinner and never came back?
Diggle: I guess from now on I'll be watching you pee.

 

Although, I did find Tommy adorable as well.

 

(At the club, Tommy steps up)

Tommy: You want to get to him, you gotta go through me (pause, looks around) Wow, they're probably gonna go through me.

[BkWurm1]

Watching that clip with Laurel's "fight" makes me giggle.  We go from a wide shot of a brawl - we clearly see Oliver's face as he throws punches and gets hit.  It looks like the same thing for Tommy too then Laurel creeps in, surprised the smug club owner and the camera zooms IMO ridiculously in on her hits (that IMO look like the time was speed up in editing), We don't see her face until there is IMO an awkward looking whirl and then she's punching her fist into her hand like the school yard bully wanting to know if their are any more takers.  I had the sound off while watching it and it looks like a parody. 

[tv echo]

Someone recently pointed out the pen colors in this episode - I never noticed it before, and I'm sure it was unintentional by the Arrow staff, but it's interesting to note in light of the red/blue symbolism theory discussed since then (esp. in S3)...

 

 

  
 

(source of gifs)
(source of pen color comment)

Edited May 29, 2015 by tv echo

[Wayward Son]

Some thoughts from a first time viewer. Hopefully I’ve got the names right. 

 

+ I’m really enjoying the plot so far and getting to know the character particularly Oliver, Laurel and Diggle. 

+ Tommy and Laurel have strong chemistry. Although I’d like to find out why she’s the girl he wants to change for. The actors work well together now the writing needs to back that.

+ The directing is superb and some of the city shots are beautiful. 

+/- Thankfully this will no longer be an issue, but the Oliver fleeing from Diggle plot got old pretty quickly. Especially after Diggle made a big threat to quit only for Oliver to flee from him again right away without repercussions. Makes it harder to take the character seriously. 

- Thea’s teenage brat routine is annoying. Hopefully she’ll start to grow up soon.

[bethy]

I pulled up this episode just to watch one or two scenes and ended up watching the whole thing. Man. I'd forgotten how much I loved this early version of Oliver - broody and intense and competent on his own. So fun to see the beginnings of the Oliver/Dig friendship with Dig so snarky and Oliver so determined to go his own way. 

Plus, Oliver running up that wall and sprinting up stairs and shooting people from under that hood? Loved it. 

Then, of course, our first Olicity meeting. But what I enjoyed, too, was their second meeting, when Oliver is all business and Felicity is explaining what's on the computer and whose computer it is. Even without the cuteness and flirty-flirt from Oliver, they've got such great chemistry. 

Also, I'd totally forgotten it was Stariling City first.

[bijoux]

I never forgot (or truly forgiven) Starling City. It's like baby Sara before baby Sara in my book. Just wrong. 

[tv echo]

Enter Felicity Smoak ☺️ - and Arrow is changed forever  🎆 ...

103 (Lone Gunmen) – Oliver Queen’s voiceover intro:
Oliver (voiceover): “My name is Oliver Queen. To my family, I am the brother and son who just returned home after being lost at sea five years ago. They don't know I came back with a mission, to bring justice to our city, and they never can. To protect them, I must work alone. The men and women I've targeted are dangerous, corrupt, a virulent cancer. Cancers like James Holder, whose corporation put defective smoke detectors in low-income housing in the glades. There have been many fires and too many funerals. But cancers can be fought and conquered. Sometimes all it takes is a surgeon... and the right instrument.”

103 (Lone Gunmen) – Oliver Queen meets Felicity Smoak for the first time: 
Oliver: “Felicity Smoak? Hi. I'm Oliver Queen.”
Felicity: “Of course. I know who you are. You're Mr. Queen.”
Oliver: “No, Mr. Queen was my father.”
Felicity: “Right, but he's dead. I mean, he drowned. But you didn't. Which means you could come down to the I.T. Department. And listen to me babble. Which will end in three-two-one..."
Oliver: “I'm having some trouble with my computer and they told me that you were the person to come and see. I was at my coffee shop surfing the web and I spilt a latte on it.”
Felicity: “Really?”
Oliver: “Yeah.”
Felicity: “Cause these look like bullet holes.”
Oliver: “My coffee shop is in a bad neighborhood. (Felicity tilts her head and looks at him quizzically, Oliver smiles) If there is anything that you can salvage from it, I would really appreciate it.”
Felicity: “Mm-hmm.”

103 (Lone Gunmen) – Oliver & Felicity study the blueprints that Felicity salvaged from the damaged (bullet-ridden) laptop computer: 
Felicity: "It looks like blueprints."
Oliver: "Do you know what of?"
Felicity: "The Exchange Building."
Oliver: "Never heard of it."
Felicity: "It's where the Unidac Industries auction is scheduled to take place. (Oliver gives her a quizzical look) I thought you said this was your laptop."
Oliver: "Yes."
Felicity: "Look, I don't wanna get in the middle of some Shakespearean family drama thing."
Oliver: "What?"
Felicity: "Mr. Steele marrying your mom. Claudius, Gertrude, Hamlet."
Oliver: "I didn't study Shakespeare at any of the four schools that I dropped out of."
Felicity: "Mr. Steele is trying to buy Unidac Industries. And you've got a company laptop associated with one of guys he's competing against."
Oliver: "Floyd Lawton."
Felicity: "No. (Oliver looks at her) Warren Patel. Who's Floyd Lawton?"
Oliver: "He is an employee of Mr. Patel, evidently."
Oliver (voiceover in his head): "The Exchange Building is surrounded by three towers with eye lines into the building. Lawton can get his kill shot off from virtually anywhere. But I can't cover the area. I can't protect all of Deadshot's targets. I can't do this alone."

Edited February 5, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

103 (Lone Gunmen) - DELETED SCENE: Oliver asks Laurel for help with the construction permits for his new nightclub:
(Laurel is walking along a pathway by the river with her coffee.)
Oliver: "Excuse me? Do you know where I can find a lawyer?"
Laurel: "I'm sorry. I don't handle paternity suits."
Oliver (chuckles): "Okay. Do you handle construction permits because I'm opening a nightclub and the paperwork is already burying me?"
Laurel: "A nightclub? Wow, you couldn't think of a more inspiring line of work?"
Oliver: "Does this mean you're not going to help me?"
Laurel (sighs): "Fine. After I finish my job of actually helping people. (Oliver nods) Anything else?"
Oliver: "Yes. A lot, actually. I had five years to think about what I would say to you if I ever made it back. And I wanted to tell you that -"
Laurel: "What?"
Oliver (after long pause): "Thanks for looking this over."

Edited February 10, 2020 by tv echo

[lemotomato]

PaigeOTA on twitter has been posting episode gifs for the last couple of seasons, but since the show ended she's gone back to cover old episodes. Today was 103: 

 

[Featherhat]

I sometimes forget when concentrating on later seasons but the show really did go out of it's way to showcase Stephen's body Oliver's constant training in Season 1. 

I can see why they cut that scene. It doesn't go anywhere and is pretty antagonistic. Yep Laurel has an absolute right to be but the hot and cold is off putting from both of them. Not helped by someone in this episode sparking off him pretty awesomely. 

I think the writers had already vaguely long term planned (I know) for a Connor Hawke/William character to be introduced to blow up Oliver's relationship which at this time was planned to be Laurel so that paternity comment would come back to bite her in the ass. 

[tv echo]

103 (Lone Gunmen) – Oliver Queen meets Felicity Smoak for the first time: 

(Green Arrow)

103 (Lone Gunmen) - DELETED SCENE: Oliver asks Laurel for help with the construction permits for his new nightclub:

(Oliver Laurel)

Edited April 23, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Edited August 8, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Quote

Did you notice L*urel was chewing on a pen too but it was BLUE. It was always right there in front of us y'all the whole time!!!
*  *  *
Thea announces Tommy and L*urel have been boning like bunnies. Hmmm…how is that a bad thing? Let’s get back to that. More Merlance bunnies, I say. Sorry Oliver. That sucks pal, but someone needed to tell you that you’re stuck in the worst love triangle of all time.
*  *  *
Falling in love with L*urel & Oliver is a major uphill battle, but I’m forging on. Merlance feels be damned. I am absolutely sure I will eventually fall in love with L*uriver.
*  *  *
L*urel kicking ass looks good on her (FYI in case you missed it this was a BC foreshadowing. Oh. You didn’t? Well then FYI this is me stating the obvious. Here to help.) I wish the writers had remembered this scene when L*urel hit the streets as BC because her “self defense” technique took a serious backslide. But a L*urel inconsistency has become a constant in the Arrow universe. My advice is - embrace it. Don’t fight it. 
*  *  *
Sigh. She’s here. We made it. Breathe a sigh of relief audience. Felicity Smoak is on your screen.
*  *  *
The minute Felicity started babbling there’s a shift in Oliver’s demeanor and persona. She’s surprised him and almost immediately he’s fighting a smile. 
*  *  *
and she gives him this look. This amazing, “I’m too smart for your bullshit” look…
*  *  *
and Oliver…smiles.
*  *  *
And that’s the moment I saw him- the hero Oliver Queen is destined to become. His guard was completely down for about ten seconds. All the pain of the Island, the grief, the loss, the guilt slipped away. He wasn’t trying to save the city. He wasn’t trying to honor his father’s dying wishes. He wasn’t trying to protect anyone by keeping them at arm’s length. He was just Oliver.
*  *  *
Saving Oliver Queen’s soul really began with Thea at the grave site begging Oliver to let someone in. As I said, we are our most human when we connect with another human being. When we feel. When we love. However, who that someone is, the person we connect with, isn’t always of our own choosing. 

Oliver reached out to L*urel over ice cream. L*urel was his choice. However, his guard was still up. Despite his attempt at honesty, Oliver was only giving L*urel half truths. He wasn’t allowing her to see the real him.

Sometimes the person we connect with is a surprise. Often it’s a stranger. A person with no preconceived notions of who you should be, which allows them to see the real you. Someone like John Diggle.
*  *  *
Someone like Felicity Smoak.
*  *  *
Felicity caught Oliver off guard because she wasn’t suppose to matter. She was a means to an end for the Vigilante. He needed help with a computer. That’s it. She wasn’t suppose to be important to Oliver Queen. Yet, everything about her disarmed Oliver. The way she spoke, the way she moved, the things she said… the pen. Felicity amused Oliver. She made him smile. The match Thea handed Oliver at the grave site found its spark.
*  *  *
As desperately as I wanted magic with Oliver & L*urel, I was caught off guard. The same way Oliver was caught off guard. Shipping isn’t always a choice. The couples you fall in love with sometimes choose you. I didn’t find magic with Oliver & L*urel. I found it here - with Oliver & Felicity. 
*  *  *
I fell in love with these two people from the second they shared a screen together. As we all know, Oliver’s smile was Stephen’s smile. It was a break in character. There are just moments in television when you know you are watching magic. An iconic moment is born and you are there to witness it. That’s how I felt watching 1x03. I knew something special just happened. 

This is the beauty of organic story telling. You try moving in a certain direction as a writer, but there are times when the story becomes the master and you are simply the participant. The story becomes a living, breathing organism and you are its conduit to life. A passenger along for the ride. 
*  *  *
As thrilled as I was by Oliver & Felicity’s first scene, I recognized it left me with one really big freaking problem. The pilot was clear. L*urel & Oliver are the Plan A couple. But I was having significant bunny feelings for this random IT girl and Oliver Queen on top of my Merlance feels.
*  *  *
So, I buried them - just like Oliver did. Felicity and the effect she had on Oliver became my secret feelings. Something I desperately tried to ignore as I focused on rededicating myself to loving Oliver and L*urel. Why? Because I didn’t want my heartbroken. L*urel & Oliver were endgame. The pilot said so. There was no way some random guest star IT girl was going to become a love interest for the male lead. That just doesn’t happen in television. L*urel was the female lead. Katie C*ssidy had the contract. This wasn’t my first rodeo. I had to be practical. 
*  *  *
Those smiles. Tommy & L*urel had their own brand of magic. No to Oliver, L*urel, but YES to Tommy. 
*  *  *
I found myself with quite the conundrum. I was shipping L*urel and Oliver with different people. So much for Plan A.
*  *  *
Oliver reveals his identity, his true self, for the first time. Who is his choice? Not Moira, or Thea, or Tommy or L*urel. A stranger. John Diggle. 

   

    

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Edited August 10, 2020 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Another 103 deleted scene...

Arrow 1x03 Deleted Scene - Walter talks with Oliver

(Hermandat)