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Oliver’s faults made him a bad match for both Felicity and Laurel, with both women deserving a much better love interest than him.
When it comes to the later seasons of Arrow, many fans point to the Olicity pairing becoming official as the beginning of the downfall of the series, with the show arguably beginning a downward spiral once they tied the knot. Considerations on the quality of the show aside, Oliver Queen’s bad romance with his former IT girl wasn’t exactly Felicity’s fault.
Oliver’s own faults as a person made him a bad match for both Felicity and Laurel, with both women deserving much better than what Oliver could ever deliver. While this can somewhat be justified given Oliver’s characterization in the comics, his characterization meant that the leading ladies of Star City always played second fiddle to the city itself.
Why Laurel Lance Deserved Better Than Oliver Queen
Dinah Laurel Lance was introduced in the show’s pilot episode, obviously meant to be the Arrowverse version of the comic book heroine of the same name. Despite this pedigree, Laurel was basically nothing like the Black Canary many comic book fans were used to, and the kneejerk reaction from the showrunners to the initial criticism led to her being downplayed as Oliver’s main love interest.
It was all for the best, however, considering how poorly Oliver treated Laurel. Oliver cheated on her when they were dating not once, but twice. The first of these affairs resulted in a child that Oliver didn’t know about, while the second time involved Laurel’s own sister Sara. Later, after his return, he kept information from her, despite claiming she was the person he loved the most at the time. This resulted in her ironic hatred of the Starling City vigilante. Even after she became the Black Canary, Oliver didn’t respect the growth she had experienced, with even her death failing to inspire any strong emotion in Oliver.
Tommy Merlyn was a much better suitor than Oliver, something which Oliver himself recognized when he experienced a dream world in Season 5 where he’s engaged to Laurel. Unfortunately, Tommy Merlyn died in the Season 1 finale, and this doomed any chance of Laurel getting the type of love interest she deserved.
You Have Failed This Felicity
Felicity was initially a beloved character on the show, but her quirkiness grew thin for some the second she became a more prominent character. Then she and Oliver became a couple, a decision which was met with mixed feelings from a fandom that was still hung up on the idea of the Green Arrow and the Black Canary. Still, Felicity was also treated poorly throughout her courtship and later marriage to Oliver Queen.
Oliver Queen was dedicated to saving Star City, and it came at the expense of his own family. This was especially the case when he formed a family with Felicity and his son William, who became the targets of Oliver’s enemies such as Ricardo Diaz. On top of that, Oliver’s marriage to Felicity saw her more and more become the victim of his trademark “secrets and lies,” and as a character, she was a lot less proactive compared to her hacker days. In the end, she was left to raise her daughter, Mia Queen, alone after Oliver’s death in the line of duty.
A better love interest for Felicity would have been Ray Palmer, who legitimately respected her and prioritized their relationship. When they worked alongside each other in his company, it was much more of an equal partnership. Compared to this relationship, hers with Oliver transitioned from that of a digital errand girl to a trophy wife in distress. Sadly, Arrow just didn’t know what to do with many of its female characters, especially if they were in any way involved with Oliver Queen.
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