cherrychapssstick

I’ve been sitting here, sobbing. 

I’m just. 

That was such a beautiful episode. It was everything I wanted it to be, and it touched me so deeply on so many levels.

 I’m going to try to make a coherent jumble of all my emotions about this episode. Because, wow, that was practically perfect, holy crap.

I will be the first to acknowledge that, at the start of The Summer Hiatus Of Evil, when it got announced that the 100th would be a part of the crossover, I was on the fence. I had worries that with the crossover palooza the milestone would get put on the back-burner and become very difficult to actually honor it. But, as my motto has always been, I wanted to wait and see.

I’m so glad that I got proven so, so, so incredibly wrong.

Every single Queen family scene tugged on my heart, because they were just right there all together in one room, all alive and a family. But Oliver hugging his parents and just trying to envelope his entire body around them, broke me down like nothing ever has on this show. I sobbed, people, snot and all. I thought seeing Moira getting killed in front of her children would be the thing that would always hold that #1 spot, but I think this moment just shoved it right from its first place. It caused me physical pain, an actual aching heart to see Oliver just... trying to convey every single ounce of love he holds for his parents into that hug, burying his head into the crook of their necks - like small children often do - because it feels like it’s just not enough. Thea hugging Moira and then getting hit with flashes of how Moira died... I mean, really, that made the waterworks really get going. The whole dynamic, the way they honored this family so beautifully. How they gave both Oliver and Thea their moment to just... be together with their entire family for the last time and be able to say goodbye to it... I’m so incredibly thankful I got to watch that.

Oliver told Thea that what he has done since the Gambit was never about getting a reward. It was because he thought he was doing the right thing. He’s doing all of this because he’s a man with his heart in the right place, and despite everything he has had to sacrifice, despite all the losses he has had to endure, he’s not giving up. He still has a purpose to fulfill, he still is not done fighting. Seeing him realizing that throughout the episode, seeing him vocalizing that to her, made me so proud. I think it’s no secret that my love for Oliver Queen knows no bounds, and tonight that love was completely reciprocated. The entire episode felt like the show saying to the viewers: “Thank you for loving Oliver Queen so much.” 

Can we please talk about exactly how much Olicity was infused through this episode, because o h m y g o d. They literally had to get away from the hallucination/dream/alien wack job and back to the real world through a portal at Smoak Technologies. So many things that triggered him to make him realize that what he was experiencing in the dream wasn’t real, were references to Felicity. The blue dress, The Smoak building, the ‘will you marry me’ reference,... Hell, they even went as far as putting the frikkin’ fern into the bunker. The way he remembered Felicity, with all the key moments (and the big break-up one obviously missing, which is very telling in and of itself), and then how Oliver said her name in that breathy way that only Oliver is able to do.... It was just perfection and if you think I cried, you would be completely correct. That’s symbolism AF, and I can’t believe we got gifted all these gems tonight. 

I’ve always loved Sara and Laurel’s sisterly bond, and seeing that back tonight was just... Seeing Sara back on Arrow, interacting with the team. Just, seeing that entire dynamic back, was so cathartic. The way the necklace triggered Sara and gave her flashes about Laurel hurt me in my soul, people. They got the goodbye they never got to properly have for one another before. And it’s just...

Speaking of the Lance family: the scene between Oliver and Quentin was just another stab in the feels. It was also quite symbolic that Oliver got so immersed bye The Green Arrow in the police office with Quentin being there, seeing as Captain Lance was the one who tried to hunt him down for so long in the beginning. I just really loved all the callbacks.

And then finally: I loved the Oliver and Laurel scenes. I really did. Like with Sara and Laurel, it felt cathartic. It felt like, finally, it’s a completely closed chapter and it’s something you could look back on contently. Because, yes, Laurel was such an important part of Oliver’s life before the Gambit. And if he never would have gotten on the boat, the possibility of him living the fake fairytale would have been very, very real. And he did love Laurel, and it had references to how their romantic relationship used to be years ago (i.e.: being late to his own rehearsal dinner) but it was never the way Laurel ever wanted him to or needed him to. And he finally, finally was able to tell her that. Like, the words were actually spoken that he’s not the person he used to be anymore. He could tell her that he had loved her, and that he’ll never forget that Laurel was important to him, but he has to let it go. It’s okay to let it go, it’s okay to let the guilt go. Because he’s not the person from before the Gambit and he never will be anymore. The person Laurel loved just doesn’t exist anymore, because Oliver has changed and evolved from that person so much BECAUSE he got on that boat. So everyone can just let go. It. was. so. beautiful. 

And then the scene with the holographs of the key people who have been inspired by him and encouraged him and believed in him and helped him be the hero he is today... I was such a wailing mess, guys.

I’m just... so happy. The 100th showed me everything why I fell in love with this entire story in the first place and they all thanked me for it. And I couldn’t be more happy with the gift they gave me.

Stray thoughts:

I’m sure I’m forgetting things. But those are my thoughts.

I feel so grateful I got this episode. I just feel really lucky right now to be an Arrow fan. 

I’m gonna go watch it again and just go through the sobfest all over. Happy Arrow 100th, guys.