I'd agree that, when writers work on characters that they don't normally work on in these crossovers, we get things like Barry being caught in the blowback of the Son of Queen soap opera with his ridiculous see it-can't see it paternity test pocketing. It looks bad on him, both for not being able to keep a friend's confidence (Ollie) and not being entirely honest with someone who is a friend (Felicity). Flash fans should be ticked 1) because the LOT part 1 turned the Flash subplot with Jay into a passing sideshow and 2) Barry got roped into melodrama that's not even part of his show. He was shoved into that spinning merry-go-round, it reflected poorly on him -- and he's not even in the relationship!
Ollie has been suffering from "do as I say, not as I do" -itis throughout the series. Why does he not retain the lessons he allegedly learns each season, then promptly forgets in next season? He should know by this point that keeping secrets/telling lies will do him and those he cares about more harm that good. Admitting he's not as mature as Barry is a tiny start in this direction -- but what does he do with this new self-awareness now that he has it? It looks like he's not applying this new wisdom if he chooses in both timelines to keep Felicity in the dark.
I guess I need to repeat what I said earlier. In timeline 1 (the Olicity spat/"break" one), both Ollie and Felicity were both wrong ... and both right. No one gets a monopoly on being right or a pass on being wrong. Ollie was right in that he did need time on his own to process life-changing news re: son without immediately seeking input/approval/advice. Felicity was right in that, as his girlfriend/life partner/"soulmate", keeping a secret, any secret from her demonstrated that he has doubts if he can trust her.
Here's where they were both wrong. Ollie stated why he felt he couldn't tell her (albeit after he had lied to her face and she outed it). I think if he had given the "I need the time to process all this" explanation to her to begin with, ideally before Felicity uncovered the paternity test, she would have been more understanding -- with the full expectation that he would tell her the truth once he processed it. He didn't do this. This rational move doesn't fly if he says this and still doesn't tell her. Fine, he needed his space but he'd have to still tell her at the end of it.
After hearing Ollie's explanation, Felicity still had a right to be mad about the lying (I agree this is the biggest offence here) -- but knowing what was behind Ollie's reticence, maybe she also could have done the more mature, non-CW thing (a big ask for anyone on these shows) and not escalate it further by invoking the matter of trust issue when the team was about to go into battle. She could have totally taken him to task about it -- it was a matter of trust issue -- but after the Savage battle was done, back at the Olicity loft. By all means Felicity, spell it out to him. Call him out on it. I basically would have preferred that she post-dated Ollie's well-deserved chewing-out check till after Savage had bit the dust.
But this would be too mature and less melodramatic for a CW show during a two-show crossover that also launches a new show. Of course they ran with the Olicity break-up with the team on the verge of suiting up for a battle no one was certain they could win.
If we must reduce it to lesser vs. greater sin, Ollie's is the worst re: lying, while Felicity's is more in the handling of the situation aka she's right on principle -- but picking that particular time to confront him was not ideal. She had the right to get into it with Ollie, this is not in doubt. Was it the best time to get into it with him right then, with their teams on-deck and possibly facing a do-or-die battle with a foe that is leagues above their pay grade?
On the flip side, did Ollie consider that dealing with his paternity issues now, with Savage at his doorstep, wasn't ideal either. I think it would be fair to say neither of them were thinking rationally/clinically about it in that moment, with emotions and the end is nigh scenario at play.
Context and timing is everything here. TPTB wanted to ramp up the tension, having them quarrel with Teams Arrow and Flash about to go on the offensive against Savage. Yet another reason a subplot of this potential magnitude shouldn't have been wedged in a LOT prequel and two-part crossver episode, but LOT railroading through Arrow episodes is a rant box I've stood on before.
As this timeline (and everyone, save Flash) was obliterated, what transpired in timeline 1 is a moot point, none of it happened -- except re: Ollie's choice in timeline 2 to still keep the secret from Felicity. At least in timeline 1, the trust issue was exposed. Once caught in the lie, he could not pretend trust wasn't a factor.
In timeline 2 (the current one) Felicity is unaware that trust may be an issue between them. Ollie is choosing, unfairly, to keep her in ignorance -- not only about the secret but about the looming issue of why he felt he couldn't tell her.
This is far worse, a potential deal-breaker issue, and the time Ollie needed to address this issue was yesterday. And, yes, it's the kind of issue that will either tear them apart or, having survived its fallout may make them stronger. I'm open to either scenario, and either is preferable to Olicity "as-is" and unaltered.
The score tally for this 2015 crossover is:
Arrow 1 - due to their advancing a potential game-changer subplot amid the LOT chaos. They defied the odds here in spite of the crossover bloatedness.
Flash 0 - due to the double punch of Flash plots being a footnote in their own crossover and Barry being forced to guest star in Olicity's relationship troubles ... and experiencing blowback from it.
I can't score LOT yet because I'm awaiting a ruling from the commissioner's office about whether LOT invading two shows during these crossovers was sensible or not. I'm thinking Arrow and Flash will be screwed on the call.
Ollie has been suffering from "do as I say, not as I do" -itis throughout the series. Why does he not retain the lessons he allegedly learns each season, then promptly forgets in next season? He should know by this point that keeping secrets/telling lies will do him and those he cares about more harm that good. Admitting he's not as mature as Barry is a tiny start in this direction -- but what does he do with this new self-awareness now that he has it? It looks like he's not applying this new wisdom if he chooses in both timelines to keep Felicity in the dark.
I guess I need to repeat what I said earlier. In timeline 1 (the Olicity spat/"break" one), both Ollie and Felicity were both wrong ... and both right. No one gets a monopoly on being right or a pass on being wrong. Ollie was right in that he did need time on his own to process life-changing news re: son without immediately seeking input/approval/advice. Felicity was right in that, as his girlfriend/life partner/"soulmate", keeping a secret, any secret from her demonstrated that he has doubts if he can trust her.
Here's where they were both wrong. Ollie stated why he felt he couldn't tell her (albeit after he had lied to her face and she outed it). I think if he had given the "I need the time to process all this" explanation to her to begin with, ideally before Felicity uncovered the paternity test, she would have been more understanding -- with the full expectation that he would tell her the truth once he processed it. He didn't do this. This rational move doesn't fly if he says this and still doesn't tell her. Fine, he needed his space but he'd have to still tell her at the end of it.
After hearing Ollie's explanation, Felicity still had a right to be mad about the lying (I agree this is the biggest offence here) -- but knowing what was behind Ollie's reticence, maybe she also could have done the more mature, non-CW thing (a big ask for anyone on these shows) and not escalate it further by invoking the matter of trust issue when the team was about to go into battle. She could have totally taken him to task about it -- it was a matter of trust issue -- but after the Savage battle was done, back at the Olicity loft. By all means Felicity, spell it out to him. Call him out on it. I basically would have preferred that she post-dated Ollie's well-deserved chewing-out check till after Savage had bit the dust.
But this would be too mature and less melodramatic for a CW show during a two-show crossover that also launches a new show. Of course they ran with the Olicity break-up with the team on the verge of suiting up for a battle no one was certain they could win.
If we must reduce it to lesser vs. greater sin, Ollie's is the worst re: lying, while Felicity's is more in the handling of the situation aka she's right on principle -- but picking that particular time to confront him was not ideal. She had the right to get into it with Ollie, this is not in doubt. Was it the best time to get into it with him right then, with their teams on-deck and possibly facing a do-or-die battle with a foe that is leagues above their pay grade?
On the flip side, did Ollie consider that dealing with his paternity issues now, with Savage at his doorstep, wasn't ideal either. I think it would be fair to say neither of them were thinking rationally/clinically about it in that moment, with emotions and the end is nigh scenario at play.
Context and timing is everything here. TPTB wanted to ramp up the tension, having them quarrel with Teams Arrow and Flash about to go on the offensive against Savage. Yet another reason a subplot of this potential magnitude shouldn't have been wedged in a LOT prequel and two-part crossver episode, but LOT railroading through Arrow episodes is a rant box I've stood on before.
As this timeline (and everyone, save Flash) was obliterated, what transpired in timeline 1 is a moot point, none of it happened -- except re: Ollie's choice in timeline 2 to still keep the secret from Felicity. At least in timeline 1, the trust issue was exposed. Once caught in the lie, he could not pretend trust wasn't a factor.
In timeline 2 (the current one) Felicity is unaware that trust may be an issue between them. Ollie is choosing, unfairly, to keep her in ignorance -- not only about the secret but about the looming issue of why he felt he couldn't tell her.
This is far worse, a potential deal-breaker issue, and the time Ollie needed to address this issue was yesterday. And, yes, it's the kind of issue that will either tear them apart or, having survived its fallout may make them stronger. I'm open to either scenario, and either is preferable to Olicity "as-is" and unaltered.
The score tally for this 2015 crossover is:
Arrow 1 - due to their advancing a potential game-changer subplot amid the LOT chaos. They defied the odds here in spite of the crossover bloatedness.
Flash 0 - due to the double punch of Flash plots being a footnote in their own crossover and Barry being forced to guest star in Olicity's relationship troubles ... and experiencing blowback from it.
I can't score LOT yet because I'm awaiting a ruling from the commissioner's office about whether LOT invading two shows during these crossovers was sensible or not. I'm thinking Arrow and Flash will be screwed on the call.
Comment