#arrow 1x18

And we all know that line, that line’s a big deal but it so rarely comes with the context. Because yes, it’s Oliver offering to be there to support Felicity and that’s great. But even more what it means for OLIVER. 

This episode is directly following the return of Helena and thus Oliver’s breakup with McKenna and it’s when Oliver has decided he has to be totally alone. (and to add on to that, right at the end of the episode Laurel brings up her mother believing that Sara was alive, which in turn has to evoke in Oliver all of the Sara related stuff). And it ends with Oliver saying to Laurel that he doesn’t want to be on an island anymore. In an immediate sense that comes with him reaching out to Laurel. But that’s fairly superficial and for a number of reasons, in that moment he can’t truly connect with Laurel. 

And he follows it up with this line to Felicity. 

In honour of the 150th episode of Arrow I thought it couldn’t hurt to reminisce about some of my favourite moments of Arrow - based on the gifs available ;) I’m starting to think this is simply stuff I miss BIG TIME. 

Thanks to those who made the gifs!

alli’s Arrow 1x18 rewatch thoughts 

Aka “the one where Oliver and Felicity begin confiding their innermost thoughts and fears to one another”

Look at Felicity watching shirtless Oliver. Look at shirtless Oliver doing his pull-ups right over Felicity so she can’t help but notice him. :)

“Tonight, Felicity, we cross Mr. Nicol’s name off the list.” AND THEN HE CHECKS IN WITH HER: “You okay with that?” He is beginning to want her approval to the extent that he seeks her input on things first.

“Felicity, I need you to get me anything you can…” Again, look how he’s already begun relying on her for Arrow assistance.

Also this scene is just so casually great: “Plus…” (silence, she’s going to censor herself and he says, “What?!” (“You went over there to be all ‘grr stop being bad or I’ll arrow you and now you want to rescue him’)  “I don’t like the idea that somebody dangerous is out there.” And that look she gives him, and he gives her a look of concession in return. “Somebody else!” (She pushes, she doesn’t just accept. He’s used to being obeyed, to cowing others into compliance, and she doesn’t obey, she questions. She isn’t cowed, she bristles.) And then he has to get the upper hand again, so he glowers, “Because typically, they don’t show my level of restraint” all leaning into her and dominating. (His typical intimidation just never works on her; why is that?)

“Oliver, no offense, but do I tell you how to sharpen your arrows?” CHEEKY FELICITY 

Oliver clearly feels very helpless against this techy villain, and he’s all: “Track him, Felicity.” And he leans into her space and is like, “Come on.” He trusts her to pick up his slack, relies on her as part of his team. Already!

Is this the first time they’ve used comms?

“This wasn’t your fault.” “I’ve never seen anybody die.” “Hey. This is the thing about what we do. Sometimes we lose.”

“Maybe it is better being alone. I’m not seeing anyone currently, but if I were, I don’t know how I’d tell them about today.”

I find it highly interesting that, for their own reasons, they’ve both come to this “I should be alone” conclusion during this episode.

And the “If you ever need to tell someone about your day, you can tell me” isn’t just a nice gesture toward Felicity; it’s Oliver wanting to open up, too. He offers this as a way to help her out, but he also wants someone to talk to. He wants Felicity to talk to. 💗💗💗 It’s so beautiful I can’t even stand it!

“Are you waiting for me to finish before giving me a lecture?” Oliver has also come to accept criticism from Diggle, who calls Oliver out on “spending a lot of time under that hood last couple weeks” and mentions Oliver’s decision to “avoid entanglements,” which Oliver said is “for their protection. The people who get close to me get hurt.” (Dig mentions McKenna, Helena, Oliver continues with Laurel, Sarah). “The life that I’m leading for myself right now doesn’t leave much room for an actual life. And I don’t need one.” “That’s a pretty bleak future you plan on spending with no one.” “I’m used to isolation.” “You’ve been home 8 months, Oliver, but I don’t think you’ve left that island yet.” <-- THIS LINE THO (And here’s Oliver already making exceptions to his rules for Felicity and Dig - he doesn’t consider that letting them into his crusade means he’s letting them get close to him - but oh boy, is he.)

So Olive asks Laurel to have dinner or coffee sometime, because he doesn’t “want to be on an island anymore.” BUT. Right after this he also tells Felicity she can talk to him. See, he thinks he’s doing it for her. But really he’s doing it for himself too.

Also: ROY! This is such a good episode. So much stuff happening, even in the flashbacks. Roy bout to be saved by the vigilante. 💗

During this rewatch, I've been waiting to see if my opinion on an episode would change or not. If, knowing what we know 5 years later, would have an overwhelming impact on how I view the show. It finally happened.

- love Felicity just blatantly staring at Oliver hanging off the ceiling in all his shirtless glory. Then checking him out when he jumps down. The little gulp she does is hilarious. Same, Felicity. Same.

- Oliver is totally loving the attention. No one can tell me otherwise. The reason he never trains shirtless around the others nowadays is coz only his wife gets to see the goods lol.

- him asking if she's alright crossing Nicholl off the list...his voice softens again. I don't think he even realises how much her opinion means to him at this point, but he learnt his lesson from 1x15.

- 'Coz typically, they don't show my level of restraint.' Um...stop doing that thing with your voice, Oliver. And the leaning in thing...

- Diggle is such a good friend to Oliver. He recognises that Oliver has been all business lately, and insists on taking him to dinner.

- during the bbb scene, Oliver reiterates how going it alone is the way to do things. That the life he is leading doesn't allow for relationships. Diggle, of course, tries to reason with him. He talks about how bleak that life will be.

- 'you've been home for 8 months, Oliver. I don't think you've left that island yet.'

- 'Oliver, no offense, but do I tell you how to sharpen your arrows?' Love sassy Felicity.

- It's weird seeing the old Sara.

- love the whole scene where Oliver's going through the building searching for the guy. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Looks badass.

- I never noticed before, but when Oliver jumps the fence, you can see the subway sign behind him. A nice touch for later in the episode when they figure it all out.

- Poor Felicity. She takes seeing that guy dying so hard. I just wanted to give her a hug.

-Poor Roy.

- I really wish this Quentin was around to tell season 6 Quentin what a fool he was being about evil Laurel.

- I don't know whether to feel bad or mad at Dinah. That's some heavy shit.

- OTA Teamwork for the win! This is what I wanted in S6, to see OTA flourishing like the well oiled machine they are. Oh well.

- love seeing Shado kicking ass.

- that scene where Roy tells 'The Saviour' just to kill him. That no one would miss him, really got to me this time around. I was tearing up. Oliver telling 'The Saviour' that if he kills him, Roy will never get the chance to change...Oliver is Roy's salvation. The newbies really gave me a whole new appreciation for Roy. I'm glad he's back next season.

- 'A red-eye to Central City. Should be home in a flash.' Nicely done writers lol.

- 'I don't wanna be on an island anymore.' Call back to Dig's line earlier.

- Moira proving once again that she really will do anything to protect her family.

- Felicity is so cute with her babbling. Oliver sees through it though.

- the Undertaking is connected to the Glades.

This scene is just so beautiful. Look at him trying to console her. This moment and what comes after, bumps this episode up to a 5 star rating for me upon this rewatch. I had to rewind this scene 3 times to bask in the beauty and the implications.

I never saw it before, but now, knowing what I know happens, this scene sets up so much of their relationship and I didn't even know it. I also firmly believe that the writers were already writing towards Olicity at this point.

Earlier we see Oliver telling Dig that it's better for him to be alone. He even lists all of his failed relationships; Helena, McKenna, Laurel, and Sara. Dig tries to persuade him otherwise. We then get the scene where Felicity echos Oliver’s pov by saying, 'Maybe it is better being alone. I'm not seeing anyone currently, but if I were, I don't know how I'd tell them about today.'

Her words effect Oliver. He doesn't like that she's feeling this way.

Diggle's talk about how bleak life will be for Oliver is evidenced when he goes up against 'The Saviour'. He gets a glimpse as to the extremes of what being alone would drive him to. He then sees Roy and Thea reuniting and you can see how visibly affected Oliver is by all of this. He asks Laurel to dinner saying he doesn't want to be on an island anymore. He asks her because he still has her on a pedestal. He's still looking at the life he threw away with her as the ultimate goal. However, I find it truly fascinating that in the next scene, you see him just staring at Felicity. He's so emotionally drained by the events of the episode, but the conversation he and Felicity had is still running through his mind. He notes her efforts to joke about it, to mask her feelings with humour, and he sees through it.

'Psst...by the way, if you ever need to tell someone about your day...you can tell me.'

The stare, the soft voice, the way he looks at her, the shoulder touch, her whispered 'thanks.' Not to mention the music...

This episode is basically telling us that on the surface, Oliver wants Laurel. Or he thinks he does. But deep down, he's going to realise that he wants Felicity to be the one he tells about his day. He wants that seemingly unattainable happy and fullfiled life. Felicity is his salvation.

Rating ☆☆☆☆☆

Quick Thoughts;

- Oliver hanging from the ceiling about Felicity SHIRTLESS - certainly helps with the drought of shirtlessness in the past few episodes. Seriously how does this woman work?

- Oliver asking Felicity’s permission to go after the slub lord - really who the boss lady around here?

- I love Digg making Oliver go to dinner...it would have been nice if they offered to bring Felicity something back

- So sad when Felicity sees the DA die after trying to stop it...but we do learn she’s single

- Laurel having to destroy her parents hopes about Sara is just sad

- Thea insisting that Roy leave a life of crime is wonderful

- So sad that Roy gets taken by the subway bad guy and Roy is willing to die - so sad

- No matter how many times I hear Dinah Lance say she knew Sara was running off with her sister’s boyfriend it never gets less forgivable. I’m not saying she deserved to lose her daughter....BUT STILL

- Island Oliver meets Shado, Yao Fei gets shot :(

- Thea watching Roy on the TV, her mannerisms are just like Moira’s

- Thea’s reunion with Roy made me teary

- Moira is cold but not too cold, doesn’t want Chen’s whole family killed

- Olicity Moment!! If you ever need to tell someone about you day you can tell me!

- It’s a subway map!

Season 1 tally - 13/18 episodes with shirtless Oliver…just saying, I’m taking note. For reasons…

Fave Olicity Moments

I’m missing Olicity…I’m probably not alone. Let’s reflect.

Thanks to those who made the gifs!