Laurel Lance: Black Canary, Black Siren.

[dtissagirl]

I love how in 12 hours this forum can come up with various logical explanations as to how and why Laurel was in high school with Tommy and Oliver, but the show never bothered to explain anything. :)

 

Further spec -- if Laurel was either on a free ride from teacher!mom, or on a scholarship, she'd have to take her grades super seriously, and probably would have to work hard on being not just a straight A student, but an examplary one at that. And being surrounded by rich kids, she would have to have an "in" to fit in with their clique. Being Oliver's girlfriend would certainly make her life way easier in school.

 

Or, hey, if I were to be generous with Laurel -- maybe she was the good hearted straight A kid in super rich kids land, and got stuck with teen billionaire Oliver Queen as her lab partner and they hit it off. Except we have no idea how it went, because the show never bothered to tell us anything about why are we supposed to believe Laurel and Oliver were ~*soulmates forever*~ before the Gambit went down.

 

 

ETA: I can even see a scenario where, after the Gambit went down, Moira offered to pay for Laurel's law school out of guilt. [Or to keep Laurel in her pocket just in case. Moira did end up sending Sara to her "death".] If Laurel accepted the money, it would have been one more thing for Quentin to resent the Queens for, even.

Edited July 7, 2014 by dancingnancy

[patchwork]

Laurel and Oliver getting together in high school would go a long way in explaining why she's convinced she knows him best and why they both feel they're inevitable when to me they feel more like a bad habit than a grand romance I should be rooting for.

 

Being each others first everything, together so long that it's taken as a given by everyone would help explain so much and the writers could even have Laurel realise things have changed (she's in AA what better place for her to examine toxic behaviour patterns?) and create a new dynamic for them.

 

For me the ship has sailed on a Laurel/Oliver romance and Laurel=Black Canary but if she has to have screen time I'd rather it wasn't the blackhole of suck it's been for the last two seasons. 

[Pyramid]

I'm just going to go ahead and assume that Laurel blackmailed her way into a fancy school.

It would explain a lot.

[Sunshine]

Maybe that is why Oliver was with her...She blackmailed him into it.  Works just about as well as anything else!

[statsgirl]

In that dinner from hell in Time of Death, Dinah Lance mentioned that she teaches Latin and/or literature at the university in Central city but even if you are tenured professor in a top notch university, you make anything between 65 - 100 grand a year and I don't think a professor teaching Latin would be making the same amount of money that someone teaching electronic engineering would be making. 

In Canada, unless you're teaching in a separate business or law faculty, rate of pay is based on seniority, independent of faculty.  (I don't know how it works in the US but if Starling City U is a state school, it probably works the same way.)  If you're a superstar,  you can negotiate something better, like tenure as soon as you're hired and a better salary, but that between the individual and the faculty.

 

Dinah's in her early to mid fifties, and by the time she was looking for a teaching job, you had to have a PhD to teach in a good university.  The people who got in with an MA are in their 70s now.  When Ryerson went from a Polytechnic to a university in 1993 (Laurel would have been 8), there was a mad scramble for everyone who didn't have a doctorate to get one  in a hurry. 

 

It's very hard these days to get hired for a university position, especially when you can't move around the country to get a job that's available as Dinah wouldn't be able to because Quentin would be fixed at Starling City.  I know one woman who took a job at a private school that offered reduced tuition for her kids while she looked around for a university job she didn't have to move away to do.  The school was happy to have her because she was a PhD and they could brag about having a university prof on staff.

 

 

 

I think Laurel was smart enough to learn what she needed to be taught in order to be who Moira wanted her to be and more so, she's a known factor.  A presumed "good influence" on Oliver despite that fact that rather than being under her influence, Oliver just lied and did what he wanted.  She also was someone Moira could influence without much trouble.  I say this as fact rather than speculation since if Moira can manipulate a city, she can handle Laurel.  

Yes, I think Moira would have decided that Laurel suited her purpose just fine.

I agree.  Laurel was someone Moira could 'influence' because she was involved with Oliver for reasons of prestige and money as well as feelings for Oliver himself.   She was the type of person who would hush up a cheating scandal because she wanted to keep her marriage intact for the money and the status.  (Felicity, on the other hand, was a wild card.)

Edited July 7, 2014 by statsgirl

[Password]

I feel quite cheated that there wasn't anymore Felicity-Moira interaction. I really enjoyed their little power play scene. Moira really is preposterous but I couldn't get enough of her. If anything, I see a little of Moira in Felicity standing at basically polar opposite sides.

Someone should tell TPTB that Laurel and Oliver didn't make sense then and now it just seems like Laurel is pro Oliver because he's the Arrow. I have no time for her.

[slayer2]

The TPTB don't have any trouble writing for Felicity who IMO is the defacto female lead. Laurel is the ostensible female lead and the lead on paper but KC seems to not get that because IMO she has done nothing to stake her claim to her character and make it her own. IMO she's badly miscast in this role and it shows.

The writing for Thea is not great but Willan takes what she's given and makes it work.

I don't even agree with that cause I hate Willa's character so I can't say she makes it work at all. But the writing for Thea is as shit as the writing for Laurel so I don't blame either actress. I still think KC is completely believable as Laurel it's the writing that's failing her. She can act her ass off.

Re: Padalecki and Cassidy not being able to keep up I call shenanigans on that as well. KC is by far a better actress than JP. JP is no Jensen Ackles, he's one-note, same character all the time. KC's Laurel is an entirely different person to KC's Ruby or Ella, everything is different, her walk, the way she speaks even her smile.

[SonofaBiscuit]

For me, the problem with Laurel is 80% crap acting and 20% crap writing.  Unfortunately, Laurel's laser pointer eye darting, drunken Mick Jagger walking (which was actually not from alcohol but from snake venom), completely sober acting but getting a DUI, etc. are some of the worst acting I've seen in quite a while.  I watch a lot of shit shows with terrible writing and ridiculous plots, but for the most part, the actors are able to rise above it and keep me engaged.  I just can't blame the writers when it's this one character that is consistently bad.   

 

There are a few other bit players on this show that I have problems with too, and my issues there are that I think that the actors either suck or were miscast as well.  I feel like if the issue were the writing, surely something with Laurel would have worked because they have literally tried practically everything with that character.  Everything that Laurel says and does comes off as bitchy, so they should just go with that, but the EPs seem to insist that she's this warm compassionate person.  I just don't see it, but then again I don't see most of what the EPs claim is happening on the show so I guess that I'm just watching wrong or something.

[Sunshine]

Everything that Laurel says and does comes off as bitchy, so they should just go with that, but the EPs seem to insist that she's this warm compassionate person.  I just don't see it, but then again I don't see most of what the EPs claim is happening on the show so I guess that I'm just watching wrong or something.

 

 It's nice to know I am not alone here. 

 

I am not crazy about a couple of other characters but I don't wish they would get the hell off my screen either.  I don't expect to like everyone but I have never considered not watching a show I basically enjoy because of A character before.  I will probably avoid anything in the future that says starring Katie Cassidy.

[Sakura12]

They have literally given everything to Laurel, more than any other character to show range. The crusading lawyer, vengeance against the Hood, drug addict/alcoholic, forgiving Oliver and her sister and joining Team Arrow. All of those were played the exact same way, condescending, shallow, bitch. 

 

So no, I don't just blame the writers. It does fall on Cassidy to help bring that character to life and she has not. She's had 2 full seasons, which is more than other characters. 

 

Colton Hayes is not the greatest actor either, he does make Roy, Roy. Also no one is telling me that Roy isn't an annoying dumbass. 

Edited July 9, 2014 by Sakura12

[HighwayFlower]

The only other thing I have ever seen Kaity Cassidy in, was Gossip Girl. Her character was pretty boring and forgettable, as I had to look her up to even remember who she was. Laurel is a crappy character, and KC is just too bland an actress to do anything with her. Except the bitchy scenes. She's a natural at those!

[catrox14]

 

Re: Padalecki and Cassidy not being able to keep up I call shenanigans on that as well. KC is by far a better actress than JP. JP is no Jensen Ackles, he's one-note, same character all the time. KC's Laurel is an entirely different person to KC's Ruby or Ella, everything is different, her walk, the way she speaks even her smile.

 

Very few actors can keep up with Ackles. He's in a different stratosphere.  I JP is a good actor and he does a lot of subtle things and he is excellent at playing alternate versions of Sam.  So mileage varies on that regard. Ruby was kind of one-note but KC gave her some personality. But Laurel doesn't really have much personality and since she's written kind of all over the place, it's up to Cassidy to imbue her with something, anything to make Laurel, Laurel. It shouldn't really matter what Laurel is doing I should still see the Laurel in Laurel but there is no Laurel in Laurel.  No shenanigans, simply opinion.

[Password]

I feel for Laurel to be honest. She's the only character I feel that doesn't have actual character. She's whatever the plot needs her to be. In the final episode of s2 I kept saying "Poor Laurel." First she got tranq'd then she was damseled. Girl can't catch a break.

 

Once the writers decide a firm character for Laurel they just need to stick with it. Regardless of public opinion, flesh her out (like they should have with the addiction arc) and let her be. If they absolutely don't want to have her die, or move away you know, then do something consistent. Please.

[HighwayFlower]

I might have hoped they could fix her if KC hadn't been so obnoxious in her interviews and appearances. Now I don't like the character or the actress.

[calliope1975]

I might have hoped they could fix her if KC hadn't been so obnoxious in her interviews and appearances. Now I don't like the character or the actress.

 

Sadly, I'm beginning to agree. I work with actors and usually have no problem separating the actor from the role. I at first was indifferent to and now can't stand Laurel, but I had no prior dislike for KC. But some of those answers she's been giving at Cons are rude and disrespectful. I'm really hoping there's some clarity on Laurel's role in the show at Comic-Con.

[Sakura12]

I don't feel bad for Laurel or KC, it's the actors job to bring life into the character. I've seen plenty of actors rise above being an inconsistent character with crappy writing. They make up their own things and bring it to the character to keep them consistent.  KC seems to just go into work for the paycheck, she's not interested in doing any more than that. Then she thinks she should just be handed things because that's what the comics that Arrow barely follows says. 

 

From her con appearances Cassidy seems exactly like Laurel, entitled. So I don't know how much acting she's really doing. 

 

This will be the first time I stop watching a show because one single character and actress. 

[doesntworkonwood]

I feel for Laurel to be honest. She's the only character I feel that doesn't have actual character. She's whatever the plot needs her to be. In the final episode of s2 I kept saying "Poor Laurel." First she got tranq'd then she was damseled. Girl can't catch a break.

 

Once the writers decide a firm character for Laurel they just need to stick with it. Regardless of public opinion, flesh her out (like they should have with the addiction arc) and let her be. If they absolutely don't want to have her die, or move away you know, then do something consistent. Please.

 

That's the thing with Laurel, she has very few defining traits of hers.

 

She's a lawyer (a position that she blackmailed herself back into). She's a caring older sister (until her sister came back and she didn't really care). She's an alcoholic (except she never suffers the real consequences of one). She's loved Tommy (when Oliver wasn't around). She's a good-doer (except for the blackmail.) She's a good person (remember when she let the darkness in).

 

The thing is, considering Laurel was meant to be a regular important member of the cast, the writers should have been able to set up and figure out her character straight away. But they didn't, so Laurel felt more like a plot point than a fleshed out character. And this carried on (and got worse I'd say) in season two. When you have to spend three seasons establishing your main character, your leading lady, you've not done a good job and there is really no way that you can fix that.

 

The writers have given people two seasons worth of reasons not to like or be interested in Laurel, and that means that even if Laurel suddenly becomes the most consistent well acted character on the show, even if there are suddenly reasons to feel for her, or to like her, you will still have people fast forwarding her scenes and refusing to see anything good in her because they couldn't stand her in the first place. There is very little coming back from that. 

[HighwayFlower]

I think Adding Sara was the worst thing they could do to her too, because they set up a Sara vs Laurel rivalry for the role of Black Canary. People who loved Sara are seeing her shoved aside for the inferior Laurel, and that turned a lot of the dislike to hate.

Edited July 9, 2014 by HighwayFlower

[Pyramid]

The writers also do her no favours with this "I know you in my bones" bollocks.

 

Maybe she does, maybe she was always able to see the hero inside Oliver, but unless the writers give us a flashback where there's evidence of this (rather than just confirming what a complete shitgibbon Ollie was) she just comes across like an abused wife who keeps saying that  no, really, he does love me!

[slayer2]

Very few actors can keep up with Ackles. He's in a different stratosphere. I JP is a good actor and he does a lot of subtle things and he is excellent at playing alternate versions of Sam. So mileage varies on that regard. Ruby was kind of one-note but KC gave her some personality. But Laurel doesn't really have much personality and since she's written kind of all over the place, it's up to Cassidy to imbue her with something, anything to make Laurel, Laurel. It shouldn't really matter what Laurel is doing I should still see the Laurel in Laurel but there is no Laurel in Laurel. No shenanigans, simply opinion.

Tomayto Tomahto I suppose because I simply don't agree. I don't think JA is in another class compared to others never mind KC (and I've been watching him since DOOL). He's really good but I think KC kept up with him just fine and JP when I was watching in the KC years was having serious trouble definitively separated characters eg. Lucifer so I wouldn't say she was levels below him either.

Wrt KC being bitchy, I've never met her in my life and any interview I've seen of her is perfectly pleasant. I see an actress doing the best she can with ridiculous material, I don't see the cast as leaps and bounds ahead of her save for Susanna Thompson who I find is leaps and bounds above everyone. Laurel doesn't strike hate in my heart or any such thing, I don't know KC personally and have never seen her appear "bitchy" in the interviews I've witnessed.

I don't know what they'll do about the anti-chemistry with her and Oliver but who knows what's in store for that. Regardless I'm excited to see where they go with the character, KC has been working hard and I can't wait to see what she brings to it.

Edited July 10, 2014 by slayer2

[apinknightmare]

I don't know KC and have never seen anything her appear "bitchy" in interviews.

I don't know what they'll do about the anti-chemistry with her and Oliver but who knows what's in store for that. Regardless I'm excited to see where they go with the character, KC has been working hard and I can't wait to see what she brings to it.

Personally, I think KC seems like a nice enough person. I don't like some of the comments she's made about Arrow at cons, but when she's not talking about the show she's very engaging and fun to watch. I just think Laurel's a terrible character and that her acting strengths are not a good fit for what Laurel is supposed to be. She was a little better/more tolerable to me in S1, but it seems like the more they try to "fix" her, the more I want her gone.

[strikera0]

I just saw this comment by Tommy Europe (I think he's been training KC since she has returned from her promo tour) under one of KC's gym photos:

 

tommyeurope We're building a #HERO ! Just wait for what I have for you on wed!! #SuperSHRED
tommyeurope And yes, I also train @grantgust !! #Flash

 

Source

 

 

Now if only Laurel's hero's journey wasn't such an epic failure...

[slayer2]

Personally, I think KC seems like a nice enough person. I don't like some of the comments she's made about Arrow at cons, but when she's not talking about the show she's very engaging and fun to watch. I just think Laurel's a terrible character and that her acting strengths are not a good fit for what Laurel is supposed to be. She was a little better/more tolerable to me in S1, but it seems like the more they try to "fix" her, the more I want her gone.

I can respect this. It's understandable that season 2 Laurel put you off her, it really was a bit of a mess. I just felt so much for KC during that time as they brought on EBR and CL ostensibly to replace her in both romance and action but wouldn't simply let her go. It's a what the fuck for me wrt the producers' choices.

[HighwayFlower]

As much as I adore CL, I really don't understand how anyone could think bringing her in would do anything to help KC. It just made the problem worse. In S1 I just ignored her. In S2 I started to hate her, and while im giving S3 a chance, the mess of Laurel has the show demoted to DVR instead of live watching like it used to be.

[abhi]

By bringing in Caity Lotz and giving her a badass character like Sara, the EPs have forced people to choose between those two characters. And there is so much they can do with Sara. Her back story is completely unexplored whereas Laurel has no back story to look at. Looking further, Sara can have her own list of villains with whom she could have crossed paths earlier, similar to Oliver case, whereas Laurel doesn't have that thing. Even in romance dept. with Oliver, we have seen Oliver go for Sara in pre island and post island when he could have hooked with Laurel and in the finale he definitely had more feelings for Felicity in comparison to Laurel.

[Starfish35]

As much as I adore CL, I really don't understand how anyone could think bringing her in would do anything to help KC. It just made the problem worse. In S1 I just ignored her. In S2 I started to hate her, and while im giving S3 a chance, the mess of Laurel has the show demoted to DVR instead of live watching like it used to be.

I'm not planning to watch S3 at this point because of the Laurel as Black Canary thing, but otherwise I completely agree. I love Sara, but I still have no idea how in the world the writers thought bringing her in would benefit Laurel's character in any way. I've always considered Laurel/KC to be the show's weak link (from the pilot episode on), but that didn't turn into out and out hate until season two. I suspect that if the writers had never brought Sara in but just focused on Laurel working toward Black Canary without the ridiculous addiction detour, my reaction to her would probably still be more along the lines of "meh whatever" instead of "hell no".

[catrox14]

Tomayto Tomahto I suppose because I simply don't agree. I don't think JA is in another class compared to others never mind KC (and I've been watching him since DOOL). He's really good but I think KC kept up with him just fine and JP when I was watching in the KC years was having serious trouble definitively separated characters eg. Lucifer so I wouldn't say she was levels below him either.

 

With all the different Sams out there including Lucifer, oddly enough, JP never portrayed an alternate version of Sam during s3 which was the only season Cassidy played Ruby. JP was all Sam all the time in s3. I thought KC did a really good job flipping in an instant from Ruby to Lilith in one scene that lasted about 10 minutes.  But overall Ruby was not a layered character like Sam or Dean or even Bela during s3, but in spite of that Cassidy gave her some personality. I would have liked to see her bring half the personality she had with Ruby to Laurel.

 

Building a good character is not just a function of the writing.  It's a collaboration between the actor, the writers and the director, but when you have shifting storylines for the same character, the actor needs to, IMO, do what they can to make that character either likeable or hateable or at minimum watchable because of something internal they bring to the forefront. 

 

Actors like Thompson, Blackthorne, Holland,  Amell, Ackles, Padalecki, and Cassidy during her Ruby days, despite at times questionable writing with terrible lines to be said, manage to engage me and make  FEEL something for or about the character be it anger, sadness, sympathy, empathy, what have you, so even when they utter some of the tripe that is written for them, I can ignore the bad line(unless that line flat out destroys continuity and canon, I'm looking at you SPN) and focus on the what the actor is really doing with said line.  And sadly, I just do not get that from Cassidy with her portrayal of Laurel. 

[SonofaBiscuit]

Just to clarify, I think that Laurel the character (not KC the actress) comes off as bitchy or kind of nasty a lot of the time.  That's fine, and it works if I'm supposed to dislike the character (or love to hate her), but it doesn't really work when I'm supposed to see that character as a warm, compassionate person who is meant to be the lead's love interest (which was initially Laurel's role, but I'm not sure she's in the running for love interest anymore).  Most shows quickly realize their mistakes and dump the actors who aren't working.  The fact that Laurel is still around leads me to believe that either (A.) the EPs don't realize how many people really hate Laurel (B.) I'm seriously overestimating the amount of people who want Laurel gone or (C.) KC has some iron-clad contract keeping her on the show.  Like others have mentioned, I have not felt this level of dislike towards a character since Lana fricking Lang.  I'm a pretty loyal TV viewer, but I've gone from watching live to letting the show sit on the DVR for a week and instead just reading the forum to see if the episode is worth my time.  Next step is dumping the show altogether.    

Edited July 10, 2014 by SonofaBiscuit

[tv echo]

I don't like the Laurel character, but I can see one way to rationalize her pre-island actions toward Sara:  Maybe, as the good sister, she was trying to save her wild sister Sara from hooking up with renowned partying playboy Oliver Queen and becoming even wilder.  Then Laurel met Oliver and, staring into his eyes, saw beyond his shallow exterior and knew he could be someone more than he showed.  She fell in love with him and, despite his cheating, felt she could bring his true self forward.

 

However, I've never understood why Laurel didn't guess that Oliver was the vigilante in Season 1.  Her boyfriend returns from the dead.  He's more closed-in than before and has mysterious scars on his body.  Coincidentally, a crime-fighting vigilante appears out of nowhere in Starling City.  No one else would suspect Oliver because they all think he's this shallow party boy.  But Laurel, who knows 'Ollie' better than anyone, doesn't suspect?  Or even ask Oliver whether he is the vigilante?  (We found out that even Moira knew Oliver was the Arrow in Season 2.)

[Password]

However, I've never understood why Laurel didn't guess that Oliver was the vigilante in Season 1.  Her boyfriend returns from the dead.  He's more closed-in than before and has mysterious scars on his body.  Coincidentally, a crime-fighting vigilante appears out of nowhere in Starling City.  No one else would suspect Oliver because they all think he's this shallow party boy.  But Laurel, who knows 'Ollie' better than anyone, doesn't suspect?  Or even ask Oliver whether he is the vigilante?  (We found out that even Moira knew Oliver was the Arrow in Season 2.)

I'm with you on Laurel knowing he's the vigilante. If she figured it out by herself (come on there were blatant reasons to believe he was) I would understand her "I know you in my bones". Are we to believe she's so blinded by pain and hate towards Oliver that she can't sus the love of her life out? When she saw his scars I don't understand how she didn't even try to push him on answers. She just said they can't get together again. Like LAUREL HE HAS MASSIVE UGLY SCARS ON HIS BODY AND YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING BACK TOGETHER. Forgive my caps lock but they have made Laurel so foolish concerning Oliver I can't deal.

In fact how someone else hasn't figured it out is beyond me. But hey it's the show.

[HighwayFlower]

Is it wrong that now I tell people they must not know me in my bones if I do something they don't understand? It makes me laugh every time.

[writersblock51]

Laurel (and Thea and Tommy, for different reasons) should have figured out that Oliver was the vigilante.  Quentin and Moira's instincts were certainly on target.  Then again, I think Quentin plays Dumb a la Commissioner Gordon and has for some time.

 

Anyway... Laurel in S1 was emotionally all over the map, which I could understand a bit more at the time.  Angry, concerned, wary, etc.  I get that.  Unfortunately, much of the pull she seemed to have with Oliver came off as shallow and more physical than anything else.  

 

Laurel & the writers, in S2, seem to have completely forgotten what she did and said regarding Oliver in S1.  While she may have had a doubt or 2, she never acted on any of them.  Certainly not with the dogged persistence she approached Blood with.  Was that part of her growth and crucible?  Maybe. 

 

But then all that is tossed out, voided and labeled as eye roll worthy when lines such as "I know you like my own name" etc are uttered out loud.  They make no sense.

 

And it's reciprocal - when Oliver told her that he wanted to tell her the truth every day, that was even MORE bull.  He clearly and consistently did NOT want to do that.  I think he regretted not being able to tell her, but that's it.  And he felt the same about Tommy, Thea and - later on, when she was in prison, Moira.

 

the writing for Laurel hurts her from all angles - what & how she says things and also what some people (Oliver, especially) say to her.  The only 2 people who I like(d) her relationships with were Tommy and Quentin. 

[Sakura12]

Laurel didn't care that her little sister had scars all over body. Some how that made her go with Sara has scars and Oliver has scars they must be vigilantes. Then she goes tell the Arrow she loves him or something, instead of worrying about what happened to her sister or to Oliver. 

 

That just shows how shallow Laurel is, she doesn't care that they probably went through some horrible traumas to get those scars, she just wants to be a hero like them. So I don't know how they writers are going to convince me that Laurel will ever be a hero if that's her motivation. On top of taking the name her sister was/is using. Laurel can't even be her own hero she has to take someone else's name. They made a huge mistake bringing Sara in because all that did make Laurel look more useless and shallow. 

[statsgirl]

I don't like the Laurel character, but I can see one way to rationalize her pre-island actions toward Sara:  Maybe, as the good sister, she was trying to save her wild sister Sara from hooking up with renowned partying playboy Oliver Queen and becoming even wilder.  Then Laurel met Oliver and, staring into his eyes, saw beyond his shallow exterior and knew he could be someone more than he showed.  She fell in love with him and, despite his cheating, felt she could bring his true self forward.

I have a memory of Sara telling Oliver that he and Laurel were on a break when she (Sara) saw him and wanted to get together with him but I could be wrong. But even if they weren't, Laurel had known Oliver for years, most likely from junior high school long before her younger sister met him.  She must have known him pretty well before Sara even crossed his path, and presumably wanted him for herself.

[HighwayFlower]

Did they ever say how long Laurel knew him or when they met? I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

[statsgirl]

In season 1 there was a scene where Tommy, Laurel and Oliver talked about knowing each other from school (it could be the dinner with Helena, I'm not sure), presumably high school since Oliver dropped out of 4 colleges before the boat trip .  In Time of Death, Oliver told Laurel "I've loved you for half my life", and since they're 28 or 29 now (born in 1985), that supports the high school theory.

[poetgirl925]

I just finished watching S1 again, and in the episode with the prison riot (I think it was that one) there's a mention of them going on a field trip to the prison IIRC. I don't remember if they said it was high school, but I guess that was my assumption since it seems they met as teenagers.

[TanyaKay]

Did they ever say how long Laurel knew him or when they met? I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

 

Nops, the show never mentioned that - we were just to assume that Laurel practically grew up in Queen household (as said by Lawyer Jean Loring when Adam Donner mentioned that Laurel will be assisting him in trial against Moira and she cited that as conflict of interest) and all I could think about was why Laurel grew up in Queen household when she had seemingly decent parents at home. I mean Lances were definitely better than the Queens or Malcolm Merlyn or even Felicity's absentee father and cocktail waitress mom.

Then we are told in a later episode that Laurel kinda stole Ollie from her little sister so their 'thing must have started in late teens.

Honestly, I don't ever want this relationship to be ever discussed on the show EVER AGAIN!. That ship has sailed, let KC finish out her three year long contract and then ship her off to Gotham because their crime rate is worse than Starling.

[statsgirl]

Does blackmail work in Gotham?  That's Laurel's specialty.

 

Jean Loring was probably exaggerating for effect (and there was no way Laurel should have been on the prosecution team) but I can see Laurel preferring to hang out at the Queen's because they had better wine and a pool, among other things.

[VCRTracking]

It's kind of distracting to me that she looks like Judd Apatow's wife.

[Sakura12]

You know Laurel could threaten to send Sara to prison for being an assassin if she doesn't give her the rest of her outfit. Blackmail Canary strikes again.

[HighwayFlower]

You know Laurel could threaten to send Sara to prison for being an assassin if she doesn't give her the rest of her outfit. Blackmail Canary strikes again.

OMG!!! Now there is a believable way it could happen!

[Velocity23]

Bah where is Nyssa to tranq Laurel again. I always imagined Nyssa would be very against Laurel over taking Sara's role as BC. 

[KirkB]

I'd like to see every time Nyssa and Sara come to town, Nyssa darts Laurel just out of general principle.

[writersblock51]

 

I'd like to see every time Nyssa and Sara come to town, Nyssa darts Laurel just out of general principle.

 

I'd watch that.

[TanyaKay]

I'd like to see every time Nyssa and Sara come to town, Nyssa darts Laurel just out of general principle.

 

I would not only watch that but I would cheer that as well - as loud as I can be :)

[Pyramid]

Do we have a thread for people realising their own stupidity. How have I not noticed until now that CNRI spells canary?

Thick as a whale omelette me. Jeez.

 

 

[Velocity23]

I guess its too much to expect that the destruction of CNRI means also no to KC as BC 

[Sakura12]

I also thought that Oliver hooking up with Sara again was the final nail in the coffin for Oliver/Laurel. But that doesn't seem to be the case either. Oliver chose your sister twice, take a hint Laurel! 

Edited July 15, 2014 by Sakura12

[writersblock51]

I also thought that Oliver hooking up with Sara again was the final nail in the coffin for Oliver/Laurel. But that doesn't seem to be the case either. Oliver choose your sister twice, take a hint Laurel! 

 

Oliver and the Lance sisters don't abide by anything resembling normal or logical. Just one big pile of eeeeew, as far as I'm concerned.