THE SHOW: Arrow
THE PAIRING: Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards)
THE EPISODE: “Keep Your Enemies Closer” – (aired November 13, 2013)
THE MOMENT: Oliver tells Felicity that he can’t be with someone he could really care about because of the life he leads.
Now I know I am not the only one who came into Arrow a little disappointed that Laurel (aka Black Canary in the comics) held the power to lull me into a deep sleep right off the bat. I tried to root for her and Oliver (I really, really did), but the writers just made it so darn difficult.
I mean, Oliver ended up on the island because he was cheating on Laurel with her sister? Yikes! And because of this less-than-romantic choice, Sarah (the sister) ‘supposedly’ ended up dead. Nothing sells true love like a cheating ex that caused your sister’s death. I know that makes me swoon and get all weak in the knees.
I found hope in the awkward but still adorable Felicity Smoak.
So what was I to do? I love a good romantic story in a superhero film or TV series: Thor and Jane, Tony and Pepper, Bruce and Betty, Lois and Clark (the Christopher Reeve film), Chloe and Oliver in Smallville….But what about on Arrow?
Sure, Oliver returned home years later a changed man but is this the man I think should be with Laurel, the ex he caused so much pain and me torture in the process as I endured a season long arc in which Laurel and Oliver ended up sleeping together by the end and causing someone else a world of hurt: this time Oliver’s best friend Tommy.
I actually liked Laurel and Tommy together because she helped make him better and he helped her to move on. They were a good fit until she couldn’t longer contain her old feelings. Then of course, she had to go and be irrationally stubborn by refusing to leave the danger zone, thereby luring Tommy back to save her and then die.
All this did not make me root for the two leads, Laurel and Oliver. Instead, I found hope in the awkward but still adorable Felicity Smoak.
When the blond, bumbling IT girl first entered, the show started to show promise of being funny. I looked forward to the next episode she would return. And it was all the better once Felicity came into the know and joined team Arrow.
After sitting through Smallville for years, I no longer have patience for the female characters who must be left in the dark for their own good. I have always preferred it when the female characters are included, such as Roswell. They get right to the point in episode one. Thankfully, Arrow has given me a female character who isn’t being made a fool of as she continuously sits in the dark.
Up until this week’s episode, Felicity and Oliver’s feelings have been ambiguous. We know that she likes to watch Oliver work out (who doesn’t?) and gets a little flabbergasted in his presence as she spouts off accidental innuendos.
We know their friendship has continued to build into one of complete trust. Felicity has no fear of standing up to him and telling him when he is in the wrong. She helps keep him in check, and that, to me, is the right kind of woman for ex-playboy Oliver Queen and vigilante. This season (now that Emily Bett Rickards has joined the cast) has given us several saves and personal moments between the two with deepening friendship conversations.
And then there is my selected romantic of the week: an odd choice I confess. But why choose the obvious hug, kiss, or declaration of ‘true love’ that lacks any chemistry? This week, I consider a genuine build-up of love between two friends (or a moment that suggests the possibility of love in the likely longish future).
Perhaps some will argue that I am looking too deep into things or that Felicity and Oliver will never happen because they aren’t destined to be like in the comic books (neither was Chloe and Oliver by the way).
Nevertheless, whether actually romantic or not between Oliver and Felicity, I personally found it perfect because of the implied suggestion of romance and because this is a friendship that has revealed a depth that several TV relationships lack lately and that is welcoming.
In the episode, Isabel (the other partner of the Queen business) thinks that Oliver and Felicity are a couple (understandable deduction). Still, Oliver claims otherwise and even sleeps with Isabel in Russia. Unfortunately for Felicity, she comes to Oliver’s door just as Isabel leaves.
Yeah, she can’t hide her disappointment that he would choose to sleep with this less-than-friendly woman. She walks away, clearly distressed, after claiming, “What happens in Russia, stays in Russia.”
But she can’t help bringing it up while still in Russia, revealing just how much his choice has distressed her, and then finally again in the end scene (not Russia), the scene that is our romantic moment of the week.
Felicity just never keeps what she thinks to herself, which is part of what makes her so loveable. She can’t help but fearlessly confront Oliver again about why Isabel, “Why her?”
Oliver says, “it didn’t mean anything.”
Felicity’s disappointment is written all over her face, and even Oliver can’t miss it.
“Hey,” He says gently to get her to look at him. She does.
“Because of the life that I lead, I just think that it’s better to not be with someone that I could really care about.” She nods and then begins to walk away. Oliver closes his eyes next in pain, but why? Because he knows he has hurt or/and maybe because he knows she is the one he could really come to care about?
Is Oliver (through subtext, mind you) revealing that he already has feelings for Felicity, knowing she also has feelings for him, but he’s never going to pursue them because of who he is? Based on the looks and emotions in this scene, it is very possible.
But Felicity isn’t done. She says, “Well I think…” They throw in some more intense stares.
“I think you deserve better than her.” And then she walks away as Oliver looks on, his face saying more than a thousand words.
This isn’t a scene where a couple confesses their true feelings, but something about this scene feels genuinely authentic between the characters. I believe their friendship and Felicity’s desire for something better for the man she has clearly come to deeply care about (whether romantic or not at this point, though I’m guessing she does have some feelings already).
This scene feels like the writers captured a beautiful moment of a friendship deepening into something real because they are so honest with one another. Personally, I can’t wait to see how their relationship continues to bloom in the coming weeks. Hopefully, there will be a nice mix of tender moments and adorably awkward but funny scenes, too!
I definitely am rooting for them.. I think they have great chemistry together and I like them as a couple . It works but because I like them and they know people like them as a couple they will definitely keep them apart unfortunately.
Well almost every good couple must be kept apart for a little while at least. I agree that they really work as a couple.
Yes. These two need to come along slowly. I’d rather see slow and strong than do the pushme-pullyou created conflicts to cause tension.
I’ve said this elsewhere, but these two get more mileage out of a single look than any of the sexual encounters Oliver’s had.
Yes! Single looks are so much more important. It is why I like Period Dramas and old fashioned love stories like Pride and Prejudice.
Agreed. Unresolved sexual tension keeps me turning pages — and if you do it right, the characters can get intimate and *still* have it. Also, I just hate contrived conflict. Drama for the sake of drama, not my thing.
Just to complement the beautiful scene. Stephen Amell released a spoiler a few weeks ago related to this scene. He said: “But there’s a good reason why Oliver hasn’t had a serious relationship yet — with anybody — since he got back from the island, and we address that towards the back half of our first 9 episodes —specifically as it pertains to Felicity.” So, according to Stephen, the way he acted as Oliver when they addressed the issue it was completely about Felicity and no one else.
I didn’t know about that spoiler so thanks for sharing!
I didn’t know, either! Thanks!
Awww, this is so sweet and spot on. Thank you so much for this.
I love these two together…I COMPLETELY agree…the chemistry is SO there…but it is a realism relationship…she could be ANY GIRL getting THE guy..,
Yes, yes, yes. Loved your review and I’m so glad someone else is seeing what I’m seeing. I honestly think Oliver was probably half prepared for her to say something cutting as she left. *I* was. Given Oliver’s past, how often has he probably gotten comments like that?
But instead, she tells him he’s worth more than he thinks he is. I’m not even sure Felicity was referring to herself with the ‘someone better’, although obviously, she knows she *is* better than Isabel. I just loved how she handled it. That’s class, baby. And true friendship, as well as love. 🙂
I love that it is about their friendship first. That is what makes their romantic tension so great. I am really enjoying their journey thus far.
Definitely. Someone did a lovely YouTube video about them, but using a voiceover discussing the transition of friends to lovers.
And to that I have to give a big thumb’s up. My husband and I met on an online gaming project together, and while he sounded great, I figured he was just a friend. A year or so later, I had to move to his area for a job. Didn’t want a relationship, wasn’t looking for one. He offered to show me around, and *wham*.
Best. First. Kiss. Evar. But thirteen years later, he’s still my best friend and he still makes my knees go weak. 🙂 What’s not to like?
I would love to see the YouTube video. And that’s a beautiful story about your husband!
Why, thank you. I almost hate telling that story because people look at us askance. (Suffice it to say, neither of us are ‘Do You Want To Date My Avatar’ types.) I almost always feel I have to follow up with, “No, no, we didn’t *want* to meet anyone, and I was *writing*, and his friend called him in because said friend had to design *combat* moves and knew nothing about them, and…and…we weren’t cybersexing in a corner! Honest!”
I think I’ll keep his contract on auto-renew. 🙂 Hard to get brains, looks, romance, actual butt-kick power and a bit of geek in the same package.
I’m sure I liked the video. I just have to try to remember the title. I’ll post it up on Tumblr when I get it, though, promise!
I found the friends to lovers video at last! Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcBYLDCkBv0
Awesome! I will watch this later tonight. Thanks. 🙂
“neither was Chloe and Oliver by the way”
They were side characters in Smallville. This would be like Clark and Chloe getting together. Awesome but not happening.