Oliver, what have you done?! I understand his strong desire to protect and always be there for Laurel. Truly, I do. I wonder, though, if he will have even one remaining ally if he keeps letting his friends down.
Tommy, in my opinion, was closed minded about Oliver when he continued to insist that Arrow is a murderer. In spite of that, if Oliver wanted Tommy's relationship to flourish with Laurel, then he needed to use some restraint. Tommy was already insecure in the relationship so Oliver's actions pushed him over the edge.
The drama with Laurel is not as important to me as the decision Oliver made to fail Diggle. Diggle has been there for him and he knew Deadshot was a formidable foe. I'm sure Diggle is doubly angry because not only did Arrow let him down, but he now owes his life to Deadshot.
I think Felicity is becoming disenchanted because of the choices Arrow makes.
The flashbacks continue to be interesting but I am wondering how Oliver survived and why he was the only one who was rescued by the fishing boat.
I am not enthusiastic about Oliver's sister and her boyfriend trying to track down the vigilante.
As you may know by now...I like to look at the things that were NOT said as well....
- Felicity showed Oliver the blueprint of the building where the law enforcement sting against Deadshot was taking place and Oliver told her that he was familiar with the building.
- Felicity told Oliver that Diggle was VERY specific about where he wanted Oliver placed - the specific "perch".
- Fast forward to Diggle at the building in question. Diggle scans the building, and then looks up to the pre-arranged "perch", notes that Oliver is not there...and mutters under his breath.
BUT...did you note that Deadshots shots came from BEHIND and OUTSIDE (through the window behind) that designated perch?
Had Oliver BEEN in that perch...he would have been in the line of fire.
Whether Oliver was thinking with his glands or not...it actually WAS the better decision to:
a) not be caught unawares in the line of fire
b) Diggle's brother was killed YEARS ago by Deadshot. Sure, Deadshot was in town, but Deadshot is OFTEN in town, and most likely would be in town again. I fail to grasp the URGENCY of killing Deadshot RIGHT NOW...save for Diggle impatience.
c) The man who put the contract out on the boy's parents and the boy himself was escaping RIGHT NOW. Leaving the country, never to return. If he was to be made to mend his ways there was not going be another opportunity.
d) In the end it is all a well-written plot point so Oliver's sister and her boyfriend CAN track down Arrow so the boyfriend can become the sidekick for Arrow for however long.
In regards to Tommy and Oliver and Laurel:
- Oliver steered clear (except to protect Laurel as Arrow) and encouraged the relationship of Tommy and Laurel. But he did not stop being friends with either...and they did not want him to stop being friends with either of them.
- Diggs told Oliver he "was still on the island".
- Oliver decided he did not want to still be on the island. Isolated and, apparently in the end, friendless. So he asked Laurel to lunch. Laurel asked "why?" And Oliver replied that he did not want to still be on the island.
- Oliver had no intention of making ANY moves on Laurel and only wanted to protect her. He felt he could feast on the crumbs of friendship...after all...he sacrifices SO much to try to make the world a better place...he felt he should at least be able to have ...crumbs.
- Tommy had no confidence in his relationship with Laurel from the beginning in my opinion. Evidenced by the fact that he dumped Laurel and hurt her when she needed him NOT BECAUSE of some "real" "actual" problem...but because of a problem that "might" occur later. He did not value the relationship enough to fight for it.
- In FACT...Tommy HURT Laurel so Tommy would not be the one to be hurt later.
- THAT is not love.
- Felicity MAY be disenchanted with Oliver...but for the invalid reasons. When Oliver got back...he was cold and distant...focused on being Arrow. People told him to stop being cold and distant, and in HIS mind...he just wanted to be left alone and focus on being Arrow.
- Some people then knew he was Arrow and told him to stop being cold and distant because that was wrong.
- Then he stops being cold and distant and now people are telling him he is doing THAT wrong too.
The guy can't catch a break.
Perhaps he will take his frustration out on Deadshot.
