Your 'Arrow' Mid-Season Hiatus Refresher Aims Please

The CW

Major Episode Developments: The Arrow was “unmasked,” Ray took an arrow for Felicity, Mama Smoak returned, Roy made a sacrifice, and Captain Lance was on the warpath.

The Cliffhanger: In a “Tale of Two Cities” switch-up, Roy claimed he was the vigilante, not Oliver. In the romantic suspense portion of the series, Ray proclaimed his love to a non-reciprocating Felicity, who confided to her mom that she was still in love with her former employer and jaded arrow slinger, Oliver.

The Rundown: The highly debated love triangle has served as the romantic backbone of the season. Will Felicity choose Ray, the funny, emotionally available, and sophisticated genius who runs an international tech conglomerate, or Oliver -- the angsty crime fighter trying to save his city? Based on the breakdown above, you might be able to tell which way I’m leaning.

As a huge Olicity fan in the past, their romantic arc has felt rushed this year. After their relationship was sent into overdrive at the beginning of the season, the breaks came on just as fast. Oliver's feelings for Felicity seemed to develop overnight after a long period of him acting rather ambivalent toward her. 

The sudsy push and pull aside, there’s no substantive reason Felicity should prefer Oliver over Ray. It is not just the fact she has more in common with Ray. It is that he took a speeding arrow for her. He proved he is a bonafide her, willing to lose his life to save hers. What more does a girl need to know? 

While Oliver has saved her many times, he hasn’t directly laid his life before hers to do so and suffered the consequences (that I can remember). Ray didn’t need big theatrics or an armored costume to perform a simple gesture that spoke volumes - he loved her.

The Potential Outcome: Roy taking the fall for Oliver could stick. He has been riddled with guilt over killing a police officer in last season's finale, and he’s looking to atone. As a character, Roy has brought little to the table, and with him leaving the canvas alive, it would serve to reason that he could resurface again.

It is a way for the already crowded Team Arrow to get some breathing room and a chance for the team to suffer some repercussions that could ignite future stories. Whether it dulls Captain Lance’s ridiculous grudge against Oliver for Sara’s death could prove a collateral upside. One would hope he realizes how off-track he is without needing a false scapegoat.