'Arrow' Recap: Oliver and Felicity, Together at Last

Robert Chan
·Writer
Updated
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Yes, yes, people come back from the dead, and yes, something or other becomes heir to the whatever. Who cares? After three seasons of will they/won’t they, they did in this week’s episode of Arrow, “The Fallen.” Naturally, Oliver and Felicity were immediately torn apart, but for a brief, shining, GIFable moment, things were good.

The Plot

It turns out Ra’s al Ghul killed Thea just enough to hold out hope that she could be revived by the Lazarus Pit. Team Arrow accompanies Oliver to Nanda Parbat, where she is brought back to life. Knowing that this is probably the last time he’ll see Felicity, Oliver does indeed consummate their relationship. Of course, she’s not giving up; she drugs him and they try to smuggle his unconscious body out. They are outnumbered, and it’s only Oliver’s timely awakening that saves them. He sends them back to Starling City and is reborn as al Sah-him, The Arrow, Heir to the Demon.

Related: ‘Arrow’ Recap: We (Maybe) Say Goodbye to 2 Main Characters

The Flashback

A brief glimpse of General Shrieve (Marc Singer) as they load the now-weaponized Alpha Omega into a truck. Oliver, Maseo, and Tatsu stop the delivery, but it was a decoy; the virus is actually on a food cart headed for the center of town. They find it, but not in time. During the fight, the vial with the virus smashes on the ground.

Olicity Forever

To save you the trouble: Yes, the Internet did blow up.

Raylicity No More

Obviously, since Ray Palmer will be headed to the Arrow/Flash spin-off, it was going to have to end. And executive producer Marc Guggenheim has made it clear that they’re done. Is there no room on The CW for nerd love? No Ray and Felicity, no Barry and Felicity, no Caitlin and Barry. Our last hope rests with Laurel somehow getting together with Cisco; just think of all the beautiful Canary tech they could make together!

Related: 'The Flash’ Recap: Third Crossover’s a Charm

Pet Sematary

Like Fred Gwynne said in the 1989 not-quite-classic, “Sometimes dead is better.” How big a problem will Thea become? At best, she’ll be haunted by the sort of nightmares that drove Roy away — at worst, soaking in the waters that give the Demon’s Head life could turn her into a monster.

And how helpful will Malcolm be? It’s so hard to hate the guy when, just under the surface, there’s always a trace of that Captain Jack smile that John Barrowman brings to the role that makes you think that maybe this time, he’ll do the right thing.

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“You Know Nothing”

We kind of have to retire that phrase, don’t we? Since pretty much everybody immediately says, “Jon Snow” in their head afterwards.

The Good News

At least the League’s insignia — which they brand on Ollie’s back — looks like an arrowhead, so it won’t clash with the rest of his décor. It would’ve been really embarrassing if, years from now at a Justice League meeting, he accidentally revealed a scar shaped like a dolphin or a bat.

Inside Comics Moment

Tatsu displays her rarely seen sword technique this episode, which is strange. In the comics, it’s Tatsu — not Maseo — who is the hero. Katana is a long-time member of The Outsiders, a super-team led by Batman. Maybe there will be a bigger role for her next season? Clearly, Team Arrow needs all the help they can get.

Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW.