The Fallen Recap
“The Fallen” picked up right where last week left off with the stabbing of Thea Queen. I thought she was pretty much dead, but apparently Thea still had some fight left in her, strength enough to almost grab her phone and call 911. Thankfully, Oliver returned just in time to try and save his sister.
In a very tense moment, the doctors attempt to save Thea while Oliver looks on in anguish and horror. Unfortunately, the resuscitation doesn’t really work, Thea only alive technically. It seems all hope is lost, with even Malcolm arriving on the scene to cry over his fallen daughter (can I add how much John Barrowman totally killed it this episode). Then, Oliver goes after the League and meets with Maseo who tells Oliver that if he becomes the heir, they will use the Lazarus Pit to save his sister. The only problem with the plan to resurrect Thea? Malcolm warns Oliver that Thea won’t come back the same; that the Lazarus Pit will mess with her soul.
A Breakup
After all the promotions for an Olicity hookup, you kind of knew the Ray/Felicity breakup was coming (if Ray’s look last week wasn’t telling enough). In order to get to Nanda Parbat and save Thea, they needed a jet, a jet that Ray just happens to have. Felicity asks for a favor, one Ray is all too willing to help out with. Being the good guy he is, he tells Felicity he knows she loves Oliver and not him, but he hopes letting her use the jet will make her horrible day better. Way to end a relationship with class. This guy needs his own (main) love interest pronto.
Thea’s Resurrection
After all the lead in to the Lazarus Pit, I think the show kind of did a good job here. The dark atmosphere recalled Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (you know that heart scene). I have no idea why. Anyway, once they arrived, the ceremony began. With Diggle, Malcolm, Felicity looking on, they drop Thea down into the magical hot tub, but how will Thea return?
In a flash, Thea jumps out of the pit and attacks Oliver like a feral animal. She doesn’t remember him, but it seems the disorientation and memory loss is only temporary. You have to feel bad for Thea who even thinks her mother is still alive.
With Thea back from the near dead, it’s time for Oliver to accept his new destiny…
Olicity and Romantic Moments
With a new destiny awaiting Oliver, Felicity will have none of it. She finds the Lazarus Pit wrong and perverse (it does feel that way), and with gumption confronts Ra’s Al Ghul about starting a war to save Oliver. He admires her fire and in a great character moment for Ra’s even confesses his past life in which he too had someone he loved dearly. With a wife and children, he got taken away from them without a goodbye. Felicity can have what he never had: a chance to say goodbye to the person she loves.
One of the greatest aspects of the entire episode was the return to the epic scope of the Oliver/Felicity relationship. In order to get to this moment, much of the season dragged and faltered with too much time spent on similar scenes between the two. Finally, their arc can move forward and moving forward works much better for their authentic development.
One of the greatest developments between the two was a beautiful scene on the plane in which Oliver and Felicity share a tender moment, one where Oliver allows himself to be vulnerable. A man of many secrets, he confesses to Felicity how he had returned to Starling City years back and killed Thea’s drug dealer. He thought he was saving her. The openness here really was refreshing. I have to admit though that for a moment I thought he might also confess seeing her too. Oh well.
Nevertheless, this emotional scene really paved the way for Felicity and Oliver to come together later on in the episode. After Ra’s urges Felicity to tell Oliver she loves him, Felicity does just that. But she also has more up her sleeve.
After telling Oliver that he changed her life and opened her heart, she finally tells Oliver: “I love you.” Felicity made her choice.
With a look of awe and love, Oliver takes off Felicity’s glasses and the two embrace in a kiss and so much more, the two sleeping together after years of tension and build up.
To be honest, I don’t think most couples sleeping together this quickly work because I like the long game (like Scully and Mulder) best, but it works if the couple is able to create other obstacles. So you kind of knew a new obstacle was on its way.
After sleeping with Oliver and Oliver’s guard down, Felicity doesn’t give up the man she loves without a fight and drugs him. With Malcolm’s and Maseo’s help, they attempt to escape through the temple but fail. Oliver awakens and calls off those who would kill the people he cares about. He loves Felicity all the more for trying, but he believes he has no choice now but to stay.
He says goodbye to his sister (who starts coming back around), Diggle (who he calls his brother), and Felicity. Though with Felicity, he doesn’t really say goodbye.
Instead, they just kiss and Felicity walks away, tears in Oliver’s eyes. This is the beginning of these lovers’ new obstacle. If choice will no longer keep them apart, it comes down to forced circumstance, love thwarted. Now they can love one another from a distance, until the day they can be reunited once more (if ever). If I’m being honest, their “goodbye” scene was kind of my favorite of the whole episode.
Maseo’s Identity
One of my favorite scenes was between Diggle and Maseo because the two haven’t really talked before. I loved how Diggle reminded Maseo of who he was, and implied his dead son (we knew it would be coming) would be disappointed in him. More than Oliver or Tatsu, Diggle helped awaken Maseo’s humanity in a really nice way. Too bad it doesn’t last, Maseo even confessing to Ra’s Al Ghul that it was he who helped the others to escape Nanda Parbat. Ra’s Al Ghul forgives him because it was Maseo who betrayed the league and that isn’t who he is anymore.
The Rise of the New Heir
After Oliver’s goodbye to his family, friends, and the woman he loves, Oliver has to give up his identity. He must say goodbye to Oliver Queen and hello to the heir of Ra’s Al Ghul. Like Maseo who became a new man, so will Oliver, but who will he become? And how temporary will the transition be?
The Almost Pointless Subplot
Aw, yes. The flashbacks. At this point, I wish the writers would skip the flashbacks for a couple of episodes and finish the story out in one big fell swoop. Each time the episode transitioned into the past, it was jarring; particularly right after Thea was basically dead in the present.
But for recap purposes, the flashback continues the virus plot. Oliver, Maseo, and Tatsu attempt to stop the virus and fail when the glass vial falls to the ground and shatters.
Thoughts and Questions
With Caity Lotz signed on to the new spinoff show, do you think there’s a chance the Lazarus Pit was used on Sara and she came back different?
Do you think Oliver will forget who he is? That he will forget his love for his friends, family, and for Felicity? How dark do you think this new Oliver will go?
What did you think of “The Fallen?” Sound off in the comments…
Stay tuned for my next Arrow Recap.
Photo Credits: CW
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