Arrow Review // 3×05

Okay so tonight’s Arrow was pretty much Felicity-centric so I felt the need to write about it. Let’s face it she’s the best character on the show and is quickly turning into one of my all-time favorite television characters.

We start the episode with her attempt at a workout (four sit ups, you go girl) and fairly quickly we’re introduced to her mother. Felicity looks shell-shocked, her mother insisting she told her she was coming, “To send a text you actually have to press send.” This is a lesson we’ve all had to teach our parents at one point right? Right off the bat we can tell Felicity in her mom have little in common besides their hair color, her mom humiliating Felicity at every moment a man is in the room.

Our first flashback introduces us to college felicity. Turns out she was a goth back in the day with her squad of computer-wiz friends, including a super hot nerdy boyfriend, Cooper. It’s made pretty clear that her boyfriend has a tendency to push the envelope though and not in a good way.

We get our first glimpse of Thea, buying an apartment that’s nicer than anything I’ll ever step foot in, with Malcolm Merlin’s money which does not please Oliver (but really what does?).

Sorry I have to make a note in here about Diggle with his baby because it was TOO CUTE FOR WORDS. Okay I’m done.

The power goes out and it’s clear someone has implanted a virus into the whole city, stating “we are in control now.”

Mama Smoak meets Oliver and boy is she impressed with her daughter, “Ho many billionaires do you know?” Everyone loves Felicity, that’s the answer.

Another flashback to college Felicity shows many PDA-filled moments with Cooper, but that’s cut short when the FBI arrest him, such a mood killer.

It’s then that Felicity realizes it’s the virus she created and has no idea how to stop it. Talk about something coming back to haunt you. She tells the team about her “hacktivists” group in college leading Oliver to question “Why didn’t you tell me anything about this?” Because apparently they’re supposed to just spill their guts to each other. I’m sorry Oliver but you blew your chance with her, she doesn’t owe you anything.

Anyways. We get a quick scene of Laurel and her father, it’s clear she’s struggling keeping Sara’s death a secret (who wouldn’t?). It’s interesting that the only person Laurel mentions Sara’s death to outside of the team is her trainer, that will definitely become an issue or at least come back into play later on.

Mama Smoak and Felicity share a sweet scene in which they decide they will always be different, but they have each other. Too bad it’s interrupted by two men kidnapping them after Felicity figures out that her mom was tricked into her visit by the offer of a free plane ticket. Let’s be honest though who wouldn’t take the free ticket?

To no one’s surprise, the hacker is in fact her ex-boyfriend Cooper who thinks felicity “became a corporate lap dog.” Oh you don’t know the half of it dude. Action sequences ensue and Oliver and the team swoop in to the rescue.

Now it’s this last scene that’s the most important. After being virtually absent the entire episode, we see a flashback or dream to Sara’s death where Roy is the one shooting the arrows at her. Roy wakes up in a sweat so we are left to wonder, is it a memory or a dream? That’s an ending.

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Is Felicity your favorite? (The answer is yes).