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nathalie-sancoeur-assistant · 5 years

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Felix

Here are my thoughts on Felix, spoilers below.

As the episode starts, I can’t help but be reminded of a story

There’s a story about a man who cleaned his wedding rings I read online. Now, I hardly think that the story is going to 100% relate to Gabriel Agreste, but I found it a bit ironic that shortly after I read this story, I see Gabriel taking the time to also clean/polish both his and his wife’s rings. (the story was about a man who is quote “a ‘guys’ guy” and was constantly told no one cared about how clean his ring was and it didn’t matter but he did it anyway)

Look here, how at first he was so careful and gentle. Carefully placing his wife’s hands back into place. Before his talk with Adrien in the near future, might I add. And with his “soon, Emilie” comment, there’s so much emphasis on these rings in the beginning of this episode. We’ve had some mild emphasis before with how much Gabriel has fiddled with his. So what’s up with them? What’s their significance? I have nothing but I hope someone else can answer.

Aw, she’s watching him. And he’s staring at his mother’s statue. Exactly how many depictions of Emilie are there? There’s more of her than anyone else. I mean, sure. There are a couple paintings/pictures of them all, as a family, and a collection of Adrien’s photographs throughout Gabriel’s office but Emilie is everywhere, it seems. There’s a whole statue of her there. This reminds me of Disenchantment even more- the statue of a the child’s mother being one of the only things for them to remember them by while the father desperately tries to get hold of an all-powerful magical object(s) for seemingly selfish reasons.

I just love this scene.

Look at those heart eyes! I said it before, get you someone who looks at you the way Nathalie looks at Gabriel. That is such a pure look.

Oh my gosh that smile. Okay, I love this. He’s seeing Nathalie smile like a love-struck puppy at his dad. And that makes him happy. This is an example of some of the things he’s been noticing between her and his father- and if he is capable of picking up on these subtlety's....well, he’s far from oblivious. Just confused (with Marinette). He’s happy to see them standing together though, and to see Nathalie gazing so fondly at his dad. Even if we didn’t get confirmation on him shipping them in this episode, this would have hinted at it pretty well.

They already act like a mother and son- this is so cute. This is the kind of interaction I’ve been wanting to see more of. Especially from Nathalie, I know it’s small, but she’s a stoic “emotionless” character and she did something cute and wholesome. It just delves a little more into the relationship they have.

I’m hardly one to fawn over family dynamics but this show brings it out in me.

“It’s been one year; the longer you keep him in the dark about what you’re doing, the harder it will be on him when he finds out.” So this tells me a few things.

1. Adrien’s 15th should be coming up soon

2. They’re both aware that when Adrien finds out he’s going to be hurt

3. They know that it’s inevitable for him to find out

and 4. They’ve had conversations about this before. The way she just brought it up like this, they’ve likely had a few conversations about telling Adrien what’s happening under his roof. And she’s encouraged Gabriel before. Now that it’s the anniversary of Emilie’s disappearance, she’s nudging him more because you know, what better day to tell your son that you’re a supervillain and his mom’s in the basement than the day you lost her to begin with (which, makes it sound bad but it makes sense to tell him on this day, if they were waiting to tell him.)

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“Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his-” “Adrien” Gabriel decided right then and there to go tell him. To tell him.

Okay so this is....actually really good. lot of parenting things I’ve read/watched will mention getting down on the child’s level, especially if it’s for a more serious topic or something they need to understand without feeling like they’re being talked down to. It’s a good technique to use and it’s also kinda showing Gabriel opening up just a bit because...well what else is he going to do with what he’s about to tell his son? (I mean of course him sitting down by him isn’t going to make up for everything he’s done, nor does it make him any better of a parent- but it does go to say that he does know a little more than I initially thought)

Also, with the way this is set up, you can’t blame Adrien for the way he reacts. It really sounds like the way to set up a conversation on how a parent has found someone new to love with their child.

Also, “I think about telling you every day, but I don’t know how to find the right words”- so in other words he actually WANTS to tell him. This isn’t something Nathalie is pushing him to do because she thinks it’ll be best, this is something she’s ENCOURAGING him to do because she knows he wants and needs too but is to scared to actually do it on his own. But the point is that he was actually about to tell Adrien that he is Hawkmoth. Which would mean he would have to explain why he’s Hawkmoth, and lead to him showing Adrien his mother, maybe he could have even met Nooroo and Duusu. Then again, Adrien might be very reluctant to go down and see his mother in that state. That might just be something that was an offer for if he wanted to see her. And at least if he found out this way, he wouldn’t have to shout, ask “Why” so much or rush his own father and be punted out of the ceiling. Different approaches call for different reactions. This one would have led to something likely still bitter and betrayed, but with a clearer explanation and more emotional attachment. It wouldn’t all be hitting at once, they could go as slow as Adrien needed to process it because it wouldn’t be in the heat of battle. But it would have to be approached cautiously otherwise I can see Adrien transforming right then and there and allowing his emotions to take over again. But none of that is what happened.

“I think I already know father”

“But...how?” no amount of panic in his voice...just a genuine question. There’s panic in his eyes yes, because 1. How does Adrien know 2. Does that mean he’s slipped up at some point? Who else could know? Who else could find out? but no fear in his voice because 3. If Adrien already knows, and just says so in such a calm manor, if he were going to tell anyone else he already would have.

“I’ve noticed how close you and Nathalie have become”

Gabriel’s face “W h a t? What is he talking about- oh, that’s what he’s talking about....”

“If she can make you happy again...” well I can’t say Gabriel has necessarily been subtle with his grief *cue Parisian's screaming in the background”, but still, that just tells me that there’s a noticeable change in Gabriel’s behavior from before Emilie disappeared. People act differently when they’re unhappy.

“....then as far as I’m concerned, she’s already part of our family” this boy loves her so much. He looks so happy talking about her to his dad, that he seems to be opening up a bit and talking to him, and at the idea that the hole in their lives will be filled, not even with someone new but with someone who has already established their place in the household. Someone who is already a chosen part of their family (As I like to say, family is chosen.). It’s so pure- whenever they have this talk again in the future I hope it goes well. Because with the way Gabriel reacts, they’re going to need it.

Also, I’d like to say that I greatly appreciate their relationship actually being spoken about aside from it being exclusively from Nathalie or between Nathalie and Duusu (which btw, we didn’t get a conversation between Nathalie and Duusu in Chat Blanc or Felix discussing her feelings which tells me that either we’re going to get a flashback scene in season 4, or Duusu was able to sense Nathalie’s emotions and based on my interpretation of body language and stuff from the finale, Gabriel may be very aware of Nathalie’s feelings for him already but I’d like to wait for English Miracle Queen before making that assumption whole)

*Gabriel Agreste has hit a rage*

“As long as she is still in our hearts, she lives on.” Not the kind of thing you’d expect to hear from someone like Gabriel IMO. And as folks have said, he never got mad at the idea of being with Nathalie- he got mad at the idea of moving on from Emilie. And I have to admit, him saying “No one could ever replace your mother” yeah, I mean, I understand that. But here’s the deal- moving on from someone, doesn’t mean you never loved them, or even that you don’t still love them even while loving someone else. Getting remarried isn’t ‘replacing’ your original spouse.

Moving on from someone you love is hard as heck. Sometimes, it might even feel impossible to do, but in some cases, it’s necessary for you and those around you. Moving on isn’t going to slander their legacy, it’s not going to somehow invalidate what you had with them previously- and again, it’s not replacing them. It’s a natural human feeling to...want to have someone by your side. Your spouse being put into the kind of state Emilie is in is going to leave a gaping hole beside you in that sense, in your family dynamic and etc. and a new spouse and relationship can help fill that, stick by your side for the remainder of your life and still not replace the person you first loved. Gabriel was mad not at Adrien, but at the idea of moving on from Emilie, and just can’t seem to grasp the idea that moving on is not that same thing as replacing. Him and Nathalie won’t be able to get together until he realizes that. That being said...

Adrien’s blank stare is priceless. “If that’s not what you were gonna tell me then what is it? No need to get so mad...why are you mad? You could have just said no...” like he can see the pointlessness in this anger but still understands the reaction...but still he probably wants to know what on Earth his dad was talking about if it wasn’t in reference to his relationship with Nathalie. Idk. 10/10 reaction, Adrien.

Then typical Gabriel comes back out and he just storms off. Geez the kid just wants you happy and to have a mom, calm down.

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They have him crying a good bit lately. He could really use a hug.

NOW THE PARTY DON”T START TILL I WALK IN

Now we have Amelie...and I gotta be honest, I know some folks already really like her but she’s just the type of person I can’t stand. Just in her personality. She just seems to be everywhere at once, taking up so much space and attention. Nathalie seems to just fade into the background and go unnoticed, in comparison. So no matter Amelie’s intentions, her grating personality would probably make me dislike her anyway.

And as Gabriel is explaining Adrien just looks so confused

Like his first reaction was that it was his mother and not the more logical “Mother’s twin sister” and it takes Gabriel actually saying that it’s his Aunt for him to realize exactly what’s going on.

And of course I’m sure you’ve all processed the puppy-dog like expression that comes over Adrien’s face when Felix walks in. He just loves his family even though it seems to just be filled with bad people. Then Amelie goes into her thing about Adrien and Felix fooling Gabriel and Emilie for a whole weekend and she says “We laughed so hard”- did Gabriel laugh too? She says “we”....does that mean everyone but Gabriel or does that mean that Gabriel wasn’t always quite so tightly wound?

I always feel so awkward when we get these close-ups of their butt..

“Felix you know your uncle’s never been the physical sort” because it’s how he shows affection. With how much that has been emphasized at this point, it HAS to be a story-telling element. Why, outside of just showcasing different personality types and comfort zones, have someone that’s so adamantly against physical contact? I mean they could have chosen anyone for this, but they chose Gabriel specifically then turn around and have him and Nathalie being very physical. From what I can tell, it’s a part of the show and character specifically for the Gabenath element of the story.

Also I find it funny how she says this in front of his son just because....if he’s never been the physical sort, I doubt Adrien would be standing there.

Someone at some point is going to photoshop Nathalie into this frame over Amelie aren’t they?

I don’t know. They way she’s so enthusiastic about everything gets on my nerves- then again, I have plenty of characters that are enthusiastic that I like very well. It’s just the way she pulls it off, okay I’m done knocking her personality because that’s just a personal thing and this fandom has enough salt- This scene just grinds my gears. I’m sure she has her good qualities too, and other’s probably quite enjoy her enthusiastic attitude, but I feel like she just seems so entitled...let me explain.

She knows she looks like an exact replica of Emilie and, while I understand the sentiment here, decides to come over to the Agreste house on this day anyway. I know the way she looks is far from her control, and she deserves support just as much as the rest of the family on a day like this, however, would it not be hard on Gabriel (if she was honestly thinking about him) to see someone that looked so strikingly like his supposedly deceased wife in his home, walking around like there’s nothing wrong, on the very day he lost her? Her hairstyle is even the same- but I could understand the sentiment if it didn’t seem like she was just using this vulnerable day for them to try and fish out something she has no right to (to our knowledge).

It’s the rings. She’s not in the house five minutes before she brings them up. She greets them, gives the boys time to greet each other, then casually brings up the topic to get down to business.

“You’re still wearing your wedding band! You must have Emilie’s too I imagine, you never replied to my message about that. I’d still like to get the rings back, you know.”

“These rings are obviously very special to me.”

“And they’re very dear to me too, Gabriel. Those jewels have always been in the Graham De Vanily family, not, the Agreste’s.” *smiles*

Well girl wtfrick is your name rn? I can only assume atm that you took your husband’s name too. You may still be up and walking but the rings belong to Gabriel now.

“I’d still like to get the rings back..” so did you give them to them then? If they meant so much to you why would you give them to them as wedding rings if so? If you wanted them so desperately you don’t give them up like that- you wouldn’t be asking for them if Emilie was still there, would you?

And here’s the kicker, in the end we realize that she wasn’t even trying to get them for her, or sentimental reasons, or even a feeling of entitlement- no, she was getting them purely to give them to her bratty son. It doesn’t matter if she gave them to them or if they were passed down to Emilie.

Tell me, where is it okay to ask a grieving, lonely man to give up what you believe to be the only connection he has left to his marriage (besides Adrien but that’s beside the point)- where is it okay to ask a man to give away his wedding rings just because his wife died? Especially if you’re not going to do anything with them but give them to your spoiled son? Those rings mean a lot to Gabriel, they were his wedding rings- I don’t know what significance they hold for the Graham De Vanily family, but regardless of that they belong to Gabriel and he’s obviously taken good care of them.

What makes me even more upset about this is that....she wanted them for Felix! Not because she’s potentially the only sister Emilie had and therefore outside of the boys is the only living heir of the Graham De Vanily family and therefore thinks that since she’s the most direct descendant she should have them for traditions sake or whatnot- but because Felix likes them.

Adrien is just as much a Graham De Vanily as Felix and has just as much right, if not more so, to those rings.

He and Felix may be on equal ground when it comes to blood relation to the family, but even if Amelie didn’t take her husband’s last name and Felix is Felix Graham De Vanily, they were the rings for Adrien’s parent’s marriage, they belong to his parents now, therefore he is directly in line for that inheritance and deserves it every bit as much as Felix. Amelie has no right to take that away from him just because Felix likes the story behind them.

Then after that Gabriel says “We’ll discuss it later”

Which you know is code for “I’m not going to have this conversation” so he can just keep them without having to worry about her trying to give context.

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Also, I’d just like to say that Marinette’s video-confession sounds like she’s being a supportive and emotionally-open friend. Sure it’s a declaration of love, but it by no means sounds like a confession of romantic love. I can easily see Adrien taking it as a platonic “I love you” and being like “Aw, Marinette. I love you too, you’re such a good friend.” She tries so hard. Alya’s excitement over it though is great.

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Dang! Look t that layout! I love the structure of this house. and if I’m right, there are two floors below it too...but is the butterfly window on the back of the house? Wouldn’t people notice a giant butterfly window constantly opening and closing? I don’t know, but I do like how the walls on the sides have doors so that you can walk out on them. Imagine Marinette serenading Adrien while he’s standing out on one.

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“I’m sorry I didn’t come to your dad’s funeral...” dang, man. That’s heavy. How did he know that’s exactly what he was upset about? And that was actually another good move on Gabriel’s part....it would have been hard on Adrien to go to his uncle’s funeral given how close in death dates Emilie and his uncle seem to be. It might have been good for Felix to have the support of someone who understood, but Gabriel had to think about Adrien, not Felix.

“You have every right to be mad at me”

No, he has every right to be upset about it. But not be mad at YOU for something that was out of your hands.

“He’s very...protective of me.” For some reason I like that line. It was very soft.

Well that was a jerk move. Snoop. And yikes.

Felix taking his anger out on Adrien for something he couldn’t control? Man, not cool. He really had this planned out too didn’t he? Steal his phone, then knew he was friendly and welcoming enough to let him shower and borrow clothes- he was looking for a way to cause some sorrow in the boys life by stealing his phone. He got lucky with the video thing but if he hadn’t had that to work with he would have probably tied to get the address of some of his friends and dress up as him and go be rude in person or text them something nasty. The timing of the video was really good for Felix.

....yikes...but Plagg is right. What a petty act, squashing cheese under his pillow for not going to a funeral he likely wanted to go to to support Felix. It’s pretty standard for people who are grieving to act differently or lash out, but it’s not a valid excuse for the behavior. People cope differently but after a while, if that’s how you cope...maybe it’s time for some therapy.

It’s good to see a softer side of Chloe. Shows how underneath all that condescension and bratty attitude, she’s still an actual person and can care for others.

Nyoom

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Also I like how Gabriel immediately recognized that it wasn’t his son on the video. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. As a matter of fact I like how Nathalie, even when Adrien is pretending to be Felix and convinces Alya Rose and Juleka that he is Felix, Nathalie is still adamently like “Adrien s t o p”

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Nino and Marinette too, they’re both positive it isn’t Adrien and have faith in him. Even after the video is confirmed unaltered. Kim actually has some logical reasoning, which, honestly I feel. I hardly ever consider someone a friend until I’ve known them for at least a year (there have been folks I’ve known longer than that and never considered friends- because you only know so much about a person. You never know what they might pull) so his reasoning that they’ve only known him since they got back from the summer? Totally valid. And this?

Okay, so I realize that he probably shouldn’t be akumatizing people that are going to go after Adrien, and if he were going to should have moved him BEFORE akumatising them...but he’s taking action to keep Adrien safe from the akumas that are upset with him, and even took his phone into consideration. He hasn’t done that with some previous akumas. And this also tells us that the weapon phones can connect to normal phones and therefore must have a number. Can’t be the same as their normal phone’s number, otherwise when Ladybug and Chat text they could recognize them- so does that mean that Nathalie could potentially have a contact in her phone (Finale spoiler: in the finale she calls Hawkmoth by the press of a button) that calls Hawkmoth? Imagine if Ladybug got hold of her phone and pressed the number while Hawkmoth was active. That could end badly.

Confused Nathalie is cute. It took a second for her to realize which was which, which of course is realistic. They look really similar, it could take a moment for it to register.

Juleka: Which one of you is a cruel and inferior copy of the original?

Me @ studios that rip-off more popular movies/shows to make a quick buck.

Rose pointed her weapon at Adrien and immediately Nathalie just

These spot the difference games are getting hard.

She’s protecting her angry boy.

Don’t make mama mad.

Shes-a gonna getchya.

Okay, how strong is she? Or how light is Rose? I know for a fact that even if you’re just a naturally strong person it’s not easy to just pick up someone that size and throw them. I can hardly throw a 40lb child. Rose is at least 100 and Nathalie doesn’t even break a sweat. Is it the adrenaline? This has me in as much awe as when Kyoya Ootori dents the hood of a car with his fist out of frustration- I’ve tested it out just to see and denting the hood of a car is hard with just a fist without hurting yourself. Likewise it’s pretty hard to yeet a highschool kid. I now head canon that she works out along with Gabriel.

That’s determination in her eyes

Friendly reminder that she’s doing this in heels.

If I felt like editing this some of these screenshots could be sent into the funny miraculous screenshots blog.

Also Rose’s “Ow ow ow” after kicking shins humoured me.

Catch me over-analyzing Nathalie’s fight scene, she jumped pretty high though. Okay, that’s enough on her fight. Also, the fact that not only Nathalie, but Felix too, can hold their own against 3 akumas at least for a while...I wonder if any akumas have been defeated by skilled civilians before Ladybug could show up.

Moving on, I think it’s really cool how they allowed Ladybug to be able to punch Felix in the face even though he looks like Adrien, and how they had her be like “No” even though it seemed like Adrien was trying to kiss her. And the music, it’s all soft and romantic at first then it goes all distorted and creepy...very fitting.

That utter rage...man, 15/10. Good content. I like seeing girls be able to stand up for themselves. And then she immediately knows it’s not Adrien.

“Felix, smash it in half and this nightmare will be over” “What makes you think I want it to be over?” Dang. That’s some Azula-level stuff right there. I like that, I want more of that.

“Hawkmoth, can you hear me Hawkmoth!”

Yes, yes, I like that. They’re able to communicate through the akumatized people too...I like that very much. Oooh boy, I can’t wait for Felix to come back in season 4. I quite enjoy seeing people willing to work with Hawkmoth and not be as annoying as Lila. What if FELIX is the new Hawkmoth and is working to...idk, bring his dad back? And Lila is his Mayura...or vice versa...that would make it so interesting.

And here I like how Adrien is telling Felix off but still somehow able to be completely soft with it. He’s upset with him and wants to make that clear but he’s still his family and doesn’t want to completely discard him.

And Felix...dang, I like Felix. He’s got the acting gene. He can lie and manipulate and actually do it well. He seems genuine. Lila, you can always tell she’s acting, that she’s never sincere- but she’s able to manipulate situations. Felix on the other hand...he’s able to go with the flow and adapt quickly. He’s a fantastic actor and if you couldn’t see the hidden context at the end, you’d actually be able to believe him.

And the one time Gabriel actually extends a hand to someone outside his immediate family or isn’t blind and needs someone to guide them (we see Tomoe with her arm wrapped in Gabriel’s once in a while)....he gets robbed of a prized possession. Dang. Don’t expect him to open up to Felix anymore for a long time.

*internalized screaming*

I think it’s pretty obvious to her that he stole it. He never had any opportunity to talk Gabriel into giving it up and he’s likely known for being able to pull things off like that.

I understand that she wants her son to be happy and that he likes the story of the rings, but she should make him return it...but obviously her little angel always gets what he wants, why should she make him give back something he “earned”? She should be asking more questions, he had no right to take it right off Gabriel’s finger. *more internal screaming* I don’t care how many wrongs Gabriel has made, I know this is part of karma coming out to get him but two wrongs don’t make a right. This isn’t math, the negatives don’t make a positive. It just makes more negatives.

“I’m glad it’s back in the family where it truly belongs” but it was never out of the family! Gabriel IS your family! Adrien is your nephew- he was your sisters son, oh my gosh you make no sense!! *deep breath* Okay. The only thing I can think of that would have allowed the ring to stay with folks named Graham De Vanily would be if 1. All their ancestors had sons who’s wives took their last name, therefore they were passed down from son to son so as to keep it not just in the family, but in the name or 2. Graham De Vanily was the name of Amelie’s husband and for some reason, her husband gave Emilie and Gabriel the twin rings instead of using them in his own wedding...which...no.

So Gabriel has to now wear Emilie’s ring

And he doesn’t even bother to put her hands back into place.

Might he have been a little more thoughtful about that, if Adrien at the beginning hadn’t made his comment about him and Nathalie? Or was it just his anger making him forget?

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Overall the episode was fantastic imo and while Amelie grinds my gears it will definitely be interesting to see more of her and her boy (after all, why introduce a character so interesting if you won’t bring them back?)

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jbuffyangel · 6 years

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The New Eve: Arrow 7x16 Review (Star City 2040)

“Star City 2040” is a backdoor pilot and I loooooooooved it! GIMME.

Let’s dig in…

Mia, Felicity and William

The nice thing about backdoor pilots is if the episode is not announced as a backdoor pilot and the show isn’t picked up or doesn’t happen for some reason, then the episode can just be a regular episode. However, if the spin off does get picked up, then the audience will point to this “regular episode” as the one that launched the new show.

This is the situation we find ourselves in for “Star City 2040” and Mia Smoak. There’s no official word yet, but there’s been some buzz about a potential spin off centering on Katherine McNamara’s character and Beth Schwartz signed an overall development deal with the WB. Throw in this episode, add it all up and it spells

“Star City 2040” is setting up Mia’s backstory and the writers don’t waste any time. We open on Felicity delivering the PRINCESS THAT WAS PROMISED (yes that is her nickname) in the Olicity love cabin. Y’all I want the back story on this love cabin. How long did Oliver and Felicity stay there? How much sex did they have? I’m only asking for the important details. For science.

There is a beautiful shot in the mirror as the camera pans into the room where Felicity is laboring.

Source: feilcityqueen

Oliver’s bent forehead is resting against Felicity’s head as she struggles to bring their daughter into the world. Labor and delivery is one of those deeply intimate moments in life no matter who is in the room with the mother. It’s such a simple yet profound moment of devotion from Oliver.

Maybe it means even more because we know Oliver is missing in the future. Felicity is going to raise Mia entirely on her own, but in this time and place Oliver is here, witnessing the birth of their daughter. He is loving and supporting Felicity any way he can. In this moment she is not alone and they are in this together.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Facts. Your affection towards the man who impregnated you dramatically increases once labor and delivery is over. During delivery it may be a different story. For me it was weeks upon weeks of never ending pain, so by the time the doctors knocked me out for the c-section I was pretty much done with everyone.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Felicity squeezes Oliver’s hand tight, her wedding ring shining in the sun, as she pushes one final time. This image of them holding hands as she brings Mia into this world is a powerful symbol of where their story began and what their love created.

The reason we wear wedding rings is because they are an endless circles. The commitment we are making to our spouse is forever. We wear our ring on our fourth finger of our left hand because the Romans believed the vein in this finger lead directly to a person’s heart. Love is eternal.

Their daughter is entering the endless loop of love that resides within Oliver and Felicity’s relationship, the commitment they’ve made to each other and their children.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Mia will always be wanted and adored. Oliver and Felicity’s marriage is forever and, as we’ll soon learn, there’s nothing they won’t do to keep their family safe.

Source: oliverxfelicity

This child represents so much of what Oliver believed he could never have. He was a lost soul who thought life was merely about survival and he didn't deserve one worth living for. Oliver couldn’t fathom being worthy of love let alone creating new life from that love.

And yet he found himself hoping and dreaming. Mia is the final piece of the Queen family and Oliver Queen puzzle. She is proof sometimes dreams come true.

Of course, Oliver and Felicity’s daughter is born in the morning with the sunlight brightly shining on them.

It’s always the light. Oliver lost his innocence long ago, but this child is a new beginning. We can recapture what was lost because children open and fill places in our hearts we never knew existed. Mia shines her light the moment she was born. This is why children are a gift.

Felicity whispers a soft and perfect, “Hi,” as she welcomes her daughter to the world. As the tagline in the 7x16 promo said, “A hero’s legacy is born.” This is how the story continues. What Oliver and Felicity built can live beyond them through Mia. She has her own hero’s journey to walk, but this is how the light never fades.

Source: oliverxfelicity

We watch as Mia grows from a small child, to a tween

Source: ebett

and finally into a young woman through a series of training scenes with NYSSA AL GHUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Source: ebett

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

I screamed with delight over Nyssa training Mia. Do you believe Mia is a badass? Damn right you do because she was trained by the best. Nyssa trained Sara, who was under her tutelage with the League of Assassins for years.

Mia spent even longer training with Nyssa than Sara did. She has something no other character on Arrow has, including Oliver. Mia was trained to fight almost as soon as she could walk.

Arrow has a bad habit of characters learning skill sets it took other characters (cough*Oliver/Sara*cough) years to learn in a few short months. I’m not just talking about L*urel. Thea and Roy were guilty of this treatment too. However, Oliver trained Roy and Malcolm trained Thea. It took a slightly smaller logic leap to believe those characters could get up to speed in a few months because of their instructors.

L*urel was a mess though. BOXING?

She went from barely being able to throw a bunch, falling off cars and incapable of handling one guy with a knife to taking down five assassins in a matter of a couple weeks. REALLY?

The only mildly believable explanation for her newly acquired skill set was Nyssa trained her OFF SCREEN.

We watched more training with Mia than we ever saw with L*urel and it occurred in a believable time frame. Way to learn the lesson, Arrow writers. BRAVO.

Ready for some petty? I legit cackled, yes CACKLED, they went out of their way to bring back Katrina Law so Nyssa could train Mia. Katrina has another television show and just had a baby. One would think it’d be easier to use an actress already contracted with the show. So many of the antis were convinced Bl*ck S*ren trained Mia or maybe even raised her. After all, Felicity and L*urel have a burgeoning friendship in Season 7, but noooooope! Classic.

I love the shot of Felicity holding a cup of coffee and watching little Mia intently as she trains with Nyssa in the backyard of the Olicity love cabin.

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First, her hair is long again and swept up like it was in 2x08 and I LOVE THAT HAIR STYLE.

Fair warning, Felicity’s hair is really important to me this episode. I’m bizarrely excited she grows it long again in the future.

Second, keeping Mia safe requires more than keeping her hidden. Felicity turning to Nyssa to train her daughter so Mia can protect herself is a direct result of everything she went through with William while Oliver was in prison.

Witness protection wasn’t enough. The bad guys always find a way. When Diaz came for Felicity and William they barely escaped with their lives. Felicity gave as good as she got and saved William, but the only reason she survived was because A.R.G.U.S. showed up.

Felicity Smoak is a badass in many ways, but her fighting skills don’t compare to Oliver’s. That’s just facts. Felicity was never more acutely aware of this fact than when her husband sacrificed himself, went to prison, and left his family wide open for the wolves to feed on.

Felicity can’t depend on the love cabin to keep her daughter safe anymore than she could depend on A.R.G.U.S. or Witness Protection. If Mia has to deal with all the dangerous consequences of being Oliver Queen’s daughter than her mother is going to make damn sure their daughter can fight like her father.

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This might make me the stupidest person on the planet, but I was really jazzed when Nyssa broke out the bow and arrow.

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We haven’t seen Mia with a bow yet, so I wasn’t entirely sure what her choice of weaponry would be. Listen, sometimes I don’t know stuff and am easily surprised by this show. It happens.

Mia had to work her way up to the bow. She learned all the hand to hand combat first. I feel like it went in the opposite order for Oliver. Didn’t he learn the bow first from Yao Fei and then Slade taught him how to fight later? I need to rewatch Season 1… and maybe write some reviews (ducks as people throw things at me).

Honestly, Mia’s life with Felicity in the love cabin seems almost idyllic in many ways. I’m not saying Oliver missing is unimportant. Of course, he is a huge gaping wound, but when you think about all the ways the writers could have written a miserable childhood for this girl I was surprised by how regular it seemed. The character descriptions for Mia included a wildly unpleasant sounding past, but essentially she grows up in a small town and doesn’t ever venture into the city.

Neither does Felicity. She runs Smoak Tech from home because she is a mind blowing genius who can run can operate a multi billion dollar corporation from a forest.

Felicity’s aging makeup is practically nonexistent

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because if you came from the gene pool of the immortal Donna Smoak you’d look banging at fifty one too.

Also, Felicity Smoak is the Queen of DCTV and as such it is mandatory she look amazing in any timeline.

How much do I love her hair let me count the ways? It has a very Moira Queen vibe and I dig that.

I questioned if it was Emily’s real hair for a second, but @callistawolf assured me it’s a wig. So it is possible for Arrow to create good wigs. This might be one of the seven signs of the apocalypse. PREPARE YOUR SOULS.

Future Felicity is very… chill. There’s a reserve to her twenty years later. It’s almost a quiet calmness. Still waters run deep sort of vibe. There’s less babble and exuberant cheerfulness, but she’s still Felicity.

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She talks boys with her daughter, weaving in all the Wizard of Oz references, without missing a beat in her rapid fire delivery, but there’s a measured tone to it. This is older and, if possible, even wiser Felicity. Life has taken its toll, but it hasn’t stolen her light. Felicity is still our girl and she’s created some kind of happy life with Mia. No matter where Oliver is this is what he would want for his wife.

But Mia is getting antsy to spread her wings beyond the small town of Bloomfield as young women often do. If Oliver was the hero Felicity claims then why does she have to keep it secret? Why can’t she scream she’s Mia Queen from the mountain tops? Yeah, I wanna know that too. Unfortunately, we aren’t offered an answer other than Felicity ticking the “It’s complicated” box.

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Mia shatters a photo of Oliver and Felicity holding her as a newborn. One perfect, happy moment when life seemed limitless and their family felt complete captured on film and frozen forever. The arrow goes through the apple Mia was aiming for and straight through the glass picture frame.

This photo constantly reminds Felicity what she’s fighting for, which is why it leads to the Overwatch lair. Extremely on brand Ms. Smoak. I totally fist pumped when the arrow short circuited the tech and revealed the secret door GoGo Gadjet style. The whole room has a very Dr. Claw vibe, except we know Felicity is not evil, so it’s more like Penny grew up and got herself a do-gooder lair once her uncle retired or something.

The screen savers on the two computer screens are photographs – one of Oliver dressed as the Green Arrow and the other of William with Felicity. The same photograph Oliver kept with him in prison at the beginning of the season.

If you feared William was out of sight and out of mind think again. He was with her every moment of every day. Everything Felicity lost and is fighting to get back encompassed in two photographs. Both are powerful images and we realize how much Mia doesn’t know about her mother.

I love the shot of Mia sitting down at the computer. She is sitting directly in the middle of the split between screens like a missing puzzle piece. The past meets the present and Mia is split between the seam. For the first time all members of the Queen family are represented in one room. The screens are connected and angled at a point. It almost looks like the photos and screens make the shape of an arrowhead and Mia is the shaft.

Mia tries to get into the system and immediately an image of old man Rene and resident Flash Forward bad buy Kevin Dale. We first met Dale in 7x10. Rene had a meeting with Dale to inform him the Canaries have “the plans” and questioned him about Felicity Smoak’s death. More on Rene later though.

The system starts to shut down and Felicity overrides the self destruct protocols. The cat is out of the proverbial bag and Felicity tells Mia she’s been trying to take down a corrupt company in the city as Overwatch. Except, she’s not Overwatch because there’s no team so it’s a totally different thing!

Yeah Mia ain’t buying that either. She gets angry fast and furious style. There are multiple levels to Mia’s anger, which took me a couple viewings to understand because the writers were throwing so much information at us so quickly.

Bottom line is Mia feels betrayed. Oliver being a vigilante is the entire reason Mia was never able to go to a normal school or go anywhere outside Bloomfield. It’s also the reason she grew up without a father. Oliver wasn’t killed in a car crash. He isn’t living in Zurich with his new wife and family. Regardless of what happened to him we know it was vigilante related because that’s the show.

Now her mother, who is the only person in the world Mia loves, is engaging in the same type of behavior that cost Mia her father annnnnnd Felicity lied about it.

Just switch hacking with snorting cocaine. It’s like Mia walked in on Felicity doing a line. Extremely dangerous behavior Mia thought her mother had left behind. She thinks Felicity is a vigilante junkie.

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Of course, we know different. We know being a hero is who Felicity truly is, but to Mia she’s just Mom and she feels betrayed. Felicity tries to explain the promise she made with Oliver, but she can’t really get into what she’s trying to save beyond “the city.”

Listen, I get saving Star City is the entire mission of Arrow, but it doesn’t really pack the same punch as, “I’m trying to save the city so we can be reunited with your brother.” Am I right? Unfortunately, William is another secret Felicity is keeping from Mia. I am confident all of these decisions are to keep the kids safe, but the lies can’t stop the relationship between mother and daughter from cracking.

Mia cannot understand why the lies are necessary if being a vigilante is so honorable. She’s starting to believe the “propaganda” as Felicity calls it, which is more evidence that Oliver working with the police and the city accepting Team Arrow doesn’t last long. Eventually, the city turns against Oliver AGAIN. Ungrateful twats.

Mia is fed up with being kept on the sidelines while her mother plays vigilante. She feels like Felicity has lied for her entire life. Eh. I mean… kind of?

I love Mia but I’m automatically programmed to defend Felicity Megan Smoak at all costs. The writers needed Mia to separate from Felicity, run off to the city, and become a bitter and cynical soul to throw us off the Olicity baby scent. This scene doesn’t entirely work for me in terms of creating a wedge between mother and daughter. It feels a little bit like Mia throwing a temper tantrum, which hey happens with the youths sometimes. I had far less issues with this scene once the episode ended and I’ll explain why in a bit.

Just to play devil’s advocate with my own brain (cause it’s fun), Mia’s reaction isn’t any different than Tommy, Quentin or even Diggle’s when they found Oliver was The Hood. All three were spectacularly ticked off and did not view Oliver’s nightly extracurricular activity as a good thing. Of course, they all came around (some faster than others) and viewed Oliver as the hero he truly is.

Mia is struggling with what she sees and what she’s been told in the same way. She’s been told vigilantes are heroes by her mother, but everyone else is telling her vigilantes are to blame for all the misery. It’s not a difficult to understand why Mia would start to believe vigilantism is to blame for everything wrong in her life too. Also, Felicity lied and her daughter is just ticked off about it.

She runs away from home and writes Felicity a letter that’s basically a neon sign blinking “MY HERO’S JOURNEY STARTS NOW.” We meet a rougher, darker and far more depressing Mia in Star City.

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She chooses the name Blackstar because she wants to be erased. Whatever light we see in Mia isn’t really there. It’s already faded to black.

Yeesh, girl. You don’t need to be as broody as your old man. At least Mia hasn’t skinned anyone for practice, but she’s getting a tattoo and is generally pessimistic about life. Close enough. The cage fighting pays homage to Oliver’s Bratva initiation. The writers want to make sure we really see the parallels because OLIVER AND MIA ARE THE SAME.

In case you missed the Bratva parallel, they follow it up with two more. Mia is doing handstand push ups and she pulls her bow from the case just like Oliver did in the pilot. But they aren’t thinking about a spin off. Nope. Nothing to see here!

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William and Mia join forces for another brother/sister team up. First up is scaling the wall to enter into The Glades undetected.

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I feel William on a spiritual level in this scene.

This polar-opposite-yet-so-much-in-common thing between Queen siblings is really working for me. Ben Lewis is hysterical and he’s the perfect funny man to Katherine McNamara’s straight man err woman. They are way more fun than Oliver and Thea. I say this as someone who deeply loves the OG Queen siblings, but we never quite found our way to fun with those two.

I also appreciate the begrudging mutual appreciation of one another’s skills.

William marvels at Mia’s physicality while she is thoroughly impressed with whatever tech he’s cooked up.

Source: ebett

Yeah, I could do this for another eight years. Sign me up.

William finally gets annoyed with Mia’s whole anti vigilante shtick. Listen, my little lemon drop love child. You are on a vigilante show. You are the offspring of vigilantes. You are going to star in a vigilante show. It’s time to get on board with vigilantism, Mia. It’s in the blood baby. Listen to your big bro.

Felicity’s coordinates lead directly to Galaxy One. Their headquarters is in The Glades and they are one of the richest and most powerful companies in the world. It’s safe to assume this is the company Felicity was trying to expose as Overwatch.

William and Mia assume Felicity is being held there and they are gonna break her out by going undercover. YASSS! Let’s do this 1x22 style.

Where’s the elevator shaft?

William pretends to be a CEO while Mia is his executive assistant

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and this is such a feels inducing and hilarious callback to Season 2 Olicity my heart almost burst. William had Oliver’s smug arrogance and pragmatic thinking down cold while Mia adamantly refuses to be anyone’s assistant. Like mother like daughter! But someone needs to tell these kids a single cup of coffee is one of the main reasons their pine tree of a father realized he was falling in love with their mother.

William, as CEO, gets through the body scan just fine, but drops bombshell information on us. HIS NAME ISN’T CLAYTON ANYMORE. IT IS HARRIS.

I know a lot of people have been concerned with the William side of things. If Oliver and Felicity went to such great lengths to keep Mia safe why did they leave William hanging with the grandparents in Central City?

Like I’ve been saying you don’t keep two precious jewels in one spot. It seems anywhere outside Star City was safe, which is why Felicity kept Mia in Bloomfield for her entire life. If we follow that same logic then William should be fairly safe in Central City or anywhere other than Star City. Perhaps, Oliver instructed the grandparents and William to change their last name. If Olicity is afraid enough for their baby to go into hiding and not tell anyone about her existence, I’m thinking requesting a name change for their son wouldn’t be too outside the realm of possibilities.

Connor shows up at just the right time and he’s done recon on the Galaxy One building. He thinks Felicity is being held on one of the sub levels, but they need the CEO’s DNA to get through security - Kevin Dale. And it all starts connecting.

As William works Dale he reveals the name of his company is Harris Consolidated. Immediately, I feel a flood of warm fuzzies as I remember the dynasty which made the Queen family their billions. But then it hits me.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. (Yes. I type all my thoughts. I’m weird. )

William changed his name from Clayton to Harris. How much do you want to bet that when Arrow is all over William changes his last name to Queen? Perhaps he changes the name of his company to Queen Inc. It could be the reason we’ve seen the name Queen Inc. in The Flash’s future newspaper.

All this time I thought Oliver would get the company back, but nope it’s William’s company. I suppose Felicity and William could also merge their companies to form Queen Inc. when Arrow ends and Felicity wants to retire to Aruba with her husband. Of course I could be wrong, but the use of Consolidated in William’s company’s name feels more than just a nod to the past for me.

As William flirts with Dale, so Mia can steal the necessary DNA, he explains the quick success of his company was due to an angel investor named City of Emerald’s Capital. I legit yelled, “It was Felicity, William,” but he couldn’t hear me.

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I’m a tad disappointed a boy this bright hadn’t figured it out yet. Of course, Emerald City is a nod to Felicity’s love of the Wizard of Oz as Mia explains later, but also EMERALD = GREEN. She hung a sign out there kiddo. Pay attention.

Connor has some technology that can replicate a DNA signature and fool a full body scan. Yeah, I don’t really get it, but Connor says it works and where he goes so goes my nation. I’m sold buddy. Also, take of your shirt please while hero-ing. Why didn’t we put that in Joseph’s contract? Someone get me legal!

This feels like more technology Felicity invented and is somehow related to Archer. Diggle did say A.R.G.U.S. would love to get their hands on her technology. If the tech sounds awesome then it is safe to assume Felicity invented it.

Source: smoaktechs

There’s some fun brother sister banter in the elevator because that’s the family way and Mia actually admits to caring about William. QUEEN SIBLINGS FOREVER.

After battling their way through some security goons the trio finally finds Felicity. It is such a great reveal.

Mia: Mom.

William: You are alive.

Felicity: I told you not to come!

Me:

QUEEN OF DCTV IS ALIVE AND IN THE FLASH FORWARDS.

Dear antis and annoying anons in my inbox insisting Felicity is dead,

These writers would rather write the show in the depths of hell while burning in eternal torment than kill Felicity Smoak.

Love,

The Flash Forwards immediately felt 800% more hopeful with Felicity’s presence. God I missed her. The writers must never again keep her out of a timeline for sixteen episodes. It is just wrong and hurts my soul. There are only a few episodes left and I demand my goddess in all show timelines. I shall not be deprived of Felicity Smoak goodness any longer. Yes, I am saying this in my very best Scarlett O’Hara voice.

Of course, she gives the classic mom response which immediately ticks Mia off, but it is William’s reaction to Felicity that touched me the most.

He hugs her and his forgiveness is almost immediate.

Source: felicittysqueen

William truly believed Felicity was dead (thanks for nothing Dinah), so whatever mistakes she made seem smaller in comparison. William is so much like her. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is guided by his compassion as much as intelligence. Felicity never forgot her son. She watched over him and has been fighting every day to be part of his life again. This hug is twenty years in the making.

Twenty years apart is awful. I agree Oliver and Felicity deserved to raise their children in peace together. But this is Arrow and the story is not going to end without a big sacrifice because there is always sacrifice in a hero’s story. Oliver hasn’t “deserved” any of the horrible things that have happened to him. That’s not really the point.

The point is suffering can be redemptive. Good things can come from bad things happening. The upside is the really bad thing already happened. Oliver and Felicity have made their sacrifice, so there’s no way the future isn’t going to end happily for them.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the reunions in the future knowing this family has been separated for so long, but I found myself quite affected by William and Felicity’s hug. I didn’t have to live through the twenty years. They’ve been separated for a couple of episodes in terms of actual hours spent watching Arrow. I don’t know if relieved is the right word, but as I watched Felicity and William reunite I thought, “Okay. They are together now. They can at least begin rebuilding whatever damage has been done to this family.”

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As Mia watches her mother hug her brother there’s a mixture of feelings on her face. She is happy, angry and maybe even a little jealous. Mia can’t forgive as easily as William and I think part of her envies the way he can access all of his emotions so easily. Mia doesn’t know how to do that yet. It’s almost as if she shut down a part of her heart after her fight with Felicity because the betrayal hurt too much. Sound like someone we know?

Mia is furious Felicity wants to stay and dismantle the bombs because, once again, she is choosing being a vigilante over her family.

Felicity doesn’t deny sacrificing her safety and her family for the greater good. That’s the job.

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Being a hero is who Felicity Smoak is and selflessness requires sacrifice. She can’t shut that part of her down because she’d only be half alive. This isn’t just Oliver’s hero’s journey. It’s Felicity’s too.

Yes, Felicity is a mother, but her love for her children is not all she is. It’s okay Felicity has a purpose beyond her family because women are not just one thing. Fighting for Star City is what fuels Felicity and it is the life she chose. It’s why we love her. Felicity does what others can’t or refuse to do. It’s what makes her a hero.

William, as Felicity 2.0, chooses to help his mother stop the bombs. It is a team up worth waiting twenty years for. Not so long ago, Felicity was explaining to William what it was like loving a hero, the strength it requires and the sacrifice.

As furious as young William was at Oliver for being the Green Arrow and being unable to provide the normal life he craved, he also understood who his father was. Oliver’s heroism is what William loves most about his father and what he hates most. It’s the same with Felicity.

Derek: You stood in front of a bullet for me. I know why you do all of it. It’s what I love about you.

Meredith: And what you hate about me.

Derek: Yeah.

I love these lines from Grey’s Anatomy so much, and I quote them often in these reviews, because it perfectly encapsulates what it is like to love a hero. William and Mia love their parents very much, but it doesn’t mean loving them is easy.

Rene shows up to tell the team the bombs have already been moved off site. I thought it was weird how he used the phrase “impeccable genetics” when describing his daughter, but then I realized the writers wrote it so Felicity could use the same terminology when she dropped the bomb on Rene.

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LINE. OF. THE. SEASON.

Felicity needs to destroy the brain of the bomb, which is the cube Dale was fidgeting with during the meeting with William. Rene gets the team into the masquerade party in The Glades where Dale will be. Everyone wears a hooded cape and mask, which is a fun homage to Mia Dearden’s superhero suit in the comics.

Felicity and William track Dale

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and Mia zeroes in on him prepared to take him out all on her own.

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This is another one of those “this feels like a pilot” moments, because Mia’s fight with Dale and his goons is almost exactly like Oliver’s fight in Adam Hunt’s office in the Arrow pilot.

They even turned the lights off. It’s a great scene and proves Mia is just as capable of taking down twenty guys just like Oliver Queen. Plus she gets to throw on her cape in a very superhero way at the end, which is just nifty.

Dale escapes so Team Arrow ditches the capes and a fight breaks out in order to find him. Mia zeroes in on Dale and Connor tosses her the bow.

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The lights of the party stream behind her as she takes aim at Dale. Mia Smoak looks like a star and she’s anything but faded.

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The light seems to stretch out infinitely as it guides the arrow along its path. She destroys the cube and stops the bombs from detonating just as the party fireworks explode in the night sky.

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Once again, Mia is illuminated like a star in the night sky and looks like the hero she is destined to be – just like her parents.

The bomb plot is foiled, but the team still needs to take down Galaxy One from the inside. Rene will continue to play patsy and has issued a dead or alive reward of ten million dollars to capture Arsenal, Bl*ck C*nary and The Calculator. Galaxy One’s plan was to remake Star City just like The Glades, so they could expand Archer globally which is like Skynet launching the nukes. We don’t want computer programs going global. It always ends badly in television shows and movies.

Felicity thanks William for holding on to the hozen and answering her prayer.

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It’s a little too much emotional family bonding and makes Mia uncomfortable, so she walks off in classic Felicity Smoak style

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fueled by her Oliver Queen genetic broodiness. I love this kid.

Mia and Felicity have an outstanding mother and daughter scene where they hash out all their issues. Mia hated vigilantes because she hated her mother. She hated her mother because Felicity lied to her. But no matter how much Mia hated the lie, she also understood why Felicity did it.

It’s reminiscent of the hospital scene in 5x20 when Felicity forgave Oliver for lying about William.

Felicity had to walk in Oliver’s shoes to understand his perspective (and vice versus), which is exactly what happened with Mia in “Star City 2040.” She walked in her mother’s heroic shoes. Mia finally understands the danger, responsibility and sacrifice this life requires, which is how she finally reaches compassion.

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Because after everything her parents sacrificed, including a peaceful life with their children, the city turned their backs on vigilantes. Welcome to the Star City Is A Bunch of Ungrateful Twats Club Mia. Have another scotch, honey.

The break in Mia’s wall gives Felicity the opportunity to tell her what we’ve all thought and needs to be said.

Mia Smoak is just like her dad – a stubborn, lethal, compassionate, badass with a heart of gold. Mia loves deeply and when she’s hurt it cuts just as deep, so she shuts down. But she cannot wall her heart off forever anymore than Oliver could because love is what fuels the fire in Mia. Her light is not extinguished. It shines brighter than she ever realized possible because of course it does. Mia is Oliver and Felicity’s girl.

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As independent as Mia claims to be, she also yearns for what any child wants. We all want our parents to be proud of us. As much as Felicity wishes she could keep Mia away from this life and these choices, she also recognizes it is her daughter’s decision to make. At the end of the day, Mia stepped up. She is so much like both her parents. As Felicity and Mia find some healing between them, somehow it feels like Oliver is in the room with them too.

Quite frankly, I am floored they resolved the fissure in Felicity and Mia’s relationship so quickly. I was mentally prepared for Mia to hate her mother at least for all of Season 7 and perhaps well into Season 8. I love that I was wrong. This is the reason why I have fewer problems with their big fight. It may have felt rushed, but since it was resolved within the hour I’m bothered by it less. Now we get to watch Felicity, William and Mia become a united force and find a way together to bring Oliver back to the family he loves more than anything else.

Maybe Oliver is dead and will be resurrected (although I really doubt the writers killed him at this point). Maybe Oliver is simply missing and cut off from his family. We may not know what happened or where he is, but we do know how this family will be reunited. Felicity told us tonight. It’s what she said to Oliver not so long ago, when they were first falling in love, and they often repeated it when whatever struggle they were facing seemed impossible.

“There’s always another way.”

The Yellow Brick Road and the Garden of Eden

There are many references to the Wizard of Oz because it is Felicity’s favorite story. Her Scarecrow remark to Roy in 3x19 wasn’t a toss away line. The reason Felicity Smoak loves the Wizard of Oz is because she loves heroes and that story is one of the great hero’s tales. There are a lot of really important lessons in Wizard of Oz, which we can apply to “Star City 2040” and ultimately Oliver’s legacy.

The Glades/Star City is clearly Emerald City. The twist in Wizard of Oz isn’t when Dorothy kills the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s when she pulls back the curtain and discovers there is no wizard. There is no magic man granting wishes.

All the characters already had everything they needed deep inside their souls to be exactly who they wanted to be. William, Connor, and Mia all have what it takes to be heroes even though they may not fully realize it.

They need to tap into what’s already there just like Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion did. Just like Felicity, Diggle, and Oliver.

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The grass is not always greener on the other side, which Mia quickly discovers when she leaves Bloomfield for Star City. Dorothy realizes she had the power all along to go back home. She simply had to choose the people she loves. Mia makes the same choice as Dorothy when she forgives her mother and accepts what Felicity has been telling her about vigilantes is true.

The Yellow Brick Road is symbolism that lacks any real subtle because it’s literally the road Dorothy walks on her hero’s journey. It can’t get much clearer. Dorothy never wavers on the road. She is determined to find the Wizard so she can go home, despite all the trials and tribulations the Wicked Witch throws her way. Felicity is Mia’s home. She will always be home and Mia stopped at nothing to get her mother back.

Trust is another massive component to Dorothy’s story. She made friends in the unlikeliest of places and their success was truly a team effort. Each person had special gifts, which proved vital in the defeat of the Witch and ultimately the salvation of Emerald City. Mia is so much like Oliver and she is always ready to go it alone, however she couldn’t this time. She needed William and Connor to help save Felicity. And she will need the whole team to save Star City and her father too.

Honesty is freedom. Once Dorothy pulled back the curtain the Wizard was free of the lie. He no longer had to live behind the curtain hidden away. I view Oliver as the Wizard because what happened to him is shrouded in so much mystery. However, the Wizard is just a man who wants to return to his normal life like Dorothy does. The Wizard wants to be free of the curtain as much as he needs it. This is no different than Oliver needing the hood and wanting to be free of it someday.

Mia: I need to find out the truth about everything. About who our family really is. What I’m meant to do with my life. I can’t hold back anymore. I need to forge my own path.

Mia may mourn for what was lost like Oliver does, but she is at the beginning of her Yellow Brick Road whereas Oliver is at the end. Salvation for Star City is not the eradication of crime. There will always be another Wicked Witch. So, there must always be a hero lighting the road in the dark.

The gift Oliver Queen will give the citizens of Star City is hope. His legacy will live on when someone else chooses to become that hope. And then Oliver will be free to find his happiness at the end of the Yellow Brick Road.

This brings me to Galaxy One being a front for Eden Corps, which is a supposedly defunct terrorist organization that nuked cities at some point. Since Dante funds terrorist organization I feel the Chart of Evil will ultimately connect from Dante to Eden Corps to Galaxy One. It’s all fruit of the same poison tree.

The name Eden is not coincidental. Mia shatters the family photo aiming for an apple. The arrow goes through the apple and directly into the family photograph, which opens Felicity’s secret lair. Eden is from the Garden of Eden or the paradise Adam and Eve lived in until they disobeyed God’s command. They ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil after being tempted by the Devil. Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened and were cast out of paradise.

Galaxy One’s goal is to eradicate vigilantes and create a new world order with the Archer program. This new world is promised to be a paradise behind walls and Galaxy One/Eden Corps decide who lives or dies. It’s like extermination based on zip code rather than religion/ethnicity like the Nazis did in World War II. This biblical reference feels somewhat similar to Damien Darhk’s Genesis plan in Season 4. It is mass genocide in exchange for paradise. Not unlike Malcolm Merlyn’s Undertaking in Season 1. The ends justify the means to these villains.

No one can say with 100% accuracy what kind of fruit Adam and Eve ate, but the apple is the fruit most commonly depicted in popular culture. Mia shoots an arrow through the apple and it immediately launches her hero’s journey. She discovers Felicity’s lair, they fight, and she leaves for Star City. Then she must enter The Glades to save her mother. Mia’s eyes are opened to the truth about her mother even though she doesn’t fully grasp what that truth means in the moment. She leaves her idyllic life in Bloomfield for the harsh reality of Star City.

Mia is essentially at a crossroads in “Star City 2040.” She can either continue alone as a fading star or she can embrace the truth of her past and let it lead her towards a righteous path. The greatest gift God gave us is free will. Every hero has to decide to be a hero at some point.

I often say superheroes are Christ like figures because of their pure hearts and willingness to sacrifice for others at the expense of their own happiness and/or lives. I’ve been teasingly calling Oliver Jesus this season because he is a fully realized superhero. We are witnessing an evolved Oliver who has grown leaps and bounds from the man we first met in the pilot.

Oliver no longer lives in a black and white world. He sees the grey and operates from a true sense of justice where killing has no real place. He lives openly as the Green Arrow, which means no more lies. Oliver has embraced his team and is leading from example. He is far more patient, understanding and accepting of others, particularly when it comes to opinions which differ from his. Oliver has accepted he deserves love and has embraced it. He’s living life fully as a husband, father, brother and friend. Most importantly, Oliver is trying to save his city by instilling hope and honor through his example. His light shines on the darkest corners of Star City.

Do you know what Jesus is also called? The New Adam. Christians believe Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again in fulfillment of God’s promise that one day we’d be delivered from the sin Adam and Eve introduced into our world. Our souls are saved because God loved us so much that he sacrificed his only son. Jesus’ mother Mary is sometimes called the New Eve. She was born free of original sin and remained sinless until ascending body and soul to heaven.

But this a superhero story, so it’s not going to be an apples to apples comparison (HA! Get it?), particularly since this is coming from the CW and not the Vatican. However, the writers are using biblical symbolism for a reason. Star City has gone to hell in a hand basket without Oliver. Eden Corps is essentially the Devil and Star City needs their superhero-Christ-like-figure to deliver their souls from the eternal torment of hell. Cool right? Oliver is that deliverance. He is the Christ like figure. Oliver Queen is the New Adam.

Arrow is not stopping with Oliver Queen. Saving Star City will be a family effort. It’s impossible for Oliver to eradicate crime just like we can never truly eradicate the evil Adam and Eve’s sin allowed into the world. But there is promised salvation.

Oliver may save the city, but he cannot be the Green Arrow forever. He doesn’t want to be the Green Arrow forever. What Oliver wants more than anything is to hang up the hood and live his life in peace. However, in order to do that he needs someone to take up the mantle of Protector of Star City. There must be a new superhero waiting in the wings. Not the New Adam, but the New Eve like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

Mia.

SmoakNHawke

DID Y’ALL HEAR THAT? IT’S THE SOUND OF MY SHIP SETTING SAIL!

Connor gets Mia through security scan because he’s AGENT Hawke. Umm… say what? Honestly, I don’t know why I was so shocked by this. Both of his parents were A.R.G.U.S. agents, but I’m wildly excited and dumbfounded when any of these children pick up their parents’ tools of the trade. I AM JUST SO HAPPY FAM! I’m overwhelmed by the wealth of goodies.

Connor started working on credentials and clearance once he realized Mia and William would be heading directly into the belly of the whale. It’s 100% apparent Connor is going to be the planner in this group. He obtained a pass to Galaxy One as an agent for Knightwatch, which is the good version of A.R.G.U.S. It seems A.R.G.U.S. goes all evil no matter what timeline we’re in.

The details on Connor and Knightwatch are fuzzy for a reason because the writers don’t want to fill all the blanks in the backdoor pilot. Then there’s no show. However, I think it’s safe to assume Knightwatch may be perceived as anti vigilante, otherwise why would the Galaxy One security guard release Mia into Connor’s custody? However, the reality may be Knightwatch is operating on some kind of undercover/double cross capacity.

Long story short – Connor is one of the good guys and he has a badge. So he’s hot and useful. Excellent.

He apologizes for not telling Mia the truth and she responds by slamming him up against a wall.

Oh my friends, scenes like this are how ships are made. Get it girl. I was not expecting this line to come out of Mia’s mouth though -

Source: mia-smoak-gifs

WHAT DID YOU SAY CHILD? DID YOU SAY “WAS ANY OF IT REAL?” MEANING Y’ALL WERE HOOKING UP? IS THAT THE REAL WE’RE DISCUSSING? JUST SO I AM CLEAR – REAL IS A EUPHEMISM FOR SEX?

SmoakNHawke is definitely a go and more importantly THEY’VE ALREADY HAD SEX. You could hear my screams for miles.

Yeah, I know we didn’t get to see anything YET. Listen cupcakes, this is what the spin-off is for. They’ll fill in the blanks. Arrow uses flashbacks and flash forwards. The probability is high the spin-off will too. I ain’t worried about it.

The backdoor pilot just gave us a canon ship to root for without a disastrous backstory like sleeping with sisters or foster siblings hooking up. I wasn’t expecting SmoakNHawke to happen this quickly. The OTA babies falling in love is a wonderful idea the fandom cooked up and I was sure the writers would either ignore completely like most of our good ideas or let it simmer for years on end. We just went from zero to sixty with one sentence. This is a moment to rejoice.

More importantly, if the spinoff doesn’t happen, and this is where the story ends for the Flash Forward characters too, then the writers made damn sure Mia and Connor were a thing before Arrow went off air. They understand the importance of Diggle’s son and Oliver’s daughter being together. It’s Christmas y’all. All we do is win.

Connor assures Mia “all of it” was real and I’m swooning. Felicity asks what Mia’s type is in a later scene and I yelled, “HER TYPE IS CONNOR HAWKE.”

As angry and hurt as Mia is, she still couldn’t let Connor get his ass beat and saves him from a couple of the security goons. I love this flip of gender dynamics. Not that Olicity remain rooted in traditional roles, quite the contrary. However, it’s not all that often we see a female hero saving a male.

Mia is too angry with Felicity’s choices to help her with the bombs. William leaves with their mother, but Connor stays with Mia. He is ride or die. If she wants to help then he’s there. If she wants to leave then he’s cool with that.

They have a pretty epic fight too. Mia can’t decide if she’s angrier about the lying or Connor believing she needed protection.

Mia defines whatever is between her and Connor as a relationship, so I feel they are more than just a hook up, but short of boyfriend and girlfriend. Connor is sorry he lied, but he’s not sorry he stuck around and kept an eye on Mia just like his father instructed because he truly cares about her.

“When you like someone, proximity is a good thing, regardless of how they feel about you." (Pacey Witter, Dawson’s Creek)

They sure fight like they are boyfriend and girlfriend. Connor gives a fairly epic speech about choosing to be a hero and learning how to selflessly share their superhero parents with the world.

Connor didn’t like Diggle and Lyla choosing the city above their family time and again, but as he grew older it became something he admired in his parents. Their sacrifices only made Connor love them more.

Source: oliverxfelicity

I’m curious about Connor’s backstory because he says he chose to be a superhero in training whereas it was more or less forced upon Mia. But today is the day she can make the choice for herself. If Mia walks out on Galaxy One then it is her decision. She can’t put the responsibility on Felicity this time.

Mia simply doesn’t trust Connor anymore and believes he has an ulterior motive just like Felicity and William. So, he uses a little reverse psychology. Mia walking away from danger is exactly what her mother wants and doing directly opposite of what Felicity wants is extremely appealing to Mia right now. God bless the rebellious youth. I swear Diggle must have discussed with Connor how to manage a Queen. This is straight out of the Yoda playbook.

Connor has to earn Mia’s trust back, but their story is just beginning and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Roy, Dinah and Rene

Once again I am the least interested in Team Newbie. Yeah, they are still Newbies after twenty years. I wish I could be more positive about Roy, but he listened to Dinah’s nonsense about Felicity being evil and dead. It’s swell they are all happy Felicity is alive and one of the good guys, but none of them get any points because they believed the worst about their friend who has proven to be a spectacular human being time and again. Dinah’s first inclination should have been Felicity is pretending to be evil to infiltrate a Big Bad because DUH. Morons.

They decide to finally look into Felicity’s death in EPISODE 16 and discover the shock of all shocks, “The case files are a mess.” YEAH BECAUSE SHE ISN’T REALLY DEAD YOU DINKLE TWITS!

Rene confessing he knew about the bombs isn’t a shock because we knew he was in on some kind of plan in 7x10. Galaxy One can expand The Glades in a fraction of the time and he thought Star City would be evacuated before the bombs. Rene being the biggest dumbass to ever live isn’t a shock. That’s just a regular Arrow Monday.

Rene aligned himself with Galaxy because he liked feeling powerful and respected. He was no longer living in the shadow of Oliver Queen. Now he was the mayor who saved the city. Unfortunately, aligning with the Big Bad at any point requires a redemptive arc. It’s great Rene is working undercover with Team Arrow now, but I am not expecting him to survive Season 8.

Source: felicitysmoakgifs

Dinah is thrilled to see Felicity alive, but she is not overwhelmed with joy over seeing Dinah. Felicity almost looks distrustful as Dinah hugs her. At the very least she’s ticked off Dinah believed she went all evil. There’s definitely more to the story and everything is not one hundred percent between these two.

The only other piece which interests me is Roy’s rage issues. It’s not Mirakuru related, but it’s completely possible he took a dip in the Lazarus Pit and banished himself to Lian Yu because he couldn’t control the rage. The fact Nyssa is available to train Mia for several years means the Lazarus Pit mission was over. Thea is LOA trained and Oliver’s sister. She would have been Felicity’s first choice to train their daughter, but instead it was Nyssa. This does not bode well for Thea’s fate. Everyone mentally prepare. Thea is dead.

Stray Thoughts…

It’s like Mia was tailor made for us. I will never tire of Arrow sticking it to comic book fans with lines like this. Yes, that’s right folks. The non comic book couple is canon on the TV show and they spawned a non comic book character to carry on the Green Arrow’s legacy. Suck it. Source: oliverxfelicity

It’s a little odd Mia’s first question wasn’t, “Hey! Who is the kid in the photo?” but given the potential canyon sized plot holes this storyline could have I’ll let it slide.

Itty bitty Mia was played by Bam’s daughter. I was wondering where you find a mini ninja and of course she is BABY BAM. Source: ebett

Clary Fray was a pretty physical role on Shadowhunters, but Katherine has really had to step it up as Mia and she’s doing a fantastic job with the stunts. She’s no Stephen, but he’s insane so we won’t grade her on that level of madness.

Oliver’s Yao Fei box keeps showing up everywhere. First it’s on Lian Yu and William digs it up. Now it’s in the backyard of the Olicity love cabin. This thing gets more miles than Delta.

WHAT DOES THE KEY TATTOO MEAN?

Where the friggin frack is Bloomfield? I’m sure there’s some comic book explanation.

The pairing of Mia and Connor romantically makes me smile because I always said Diggle was Oliver’s first wife. Hehehehe.

“Oh good now there are two of you.” William is Felicity 2.0 officially. It’s canon now.

Felicity’s mask was sparkly green. I was wildly excited about this color choice.

I love how Felicity pesters Mia about boys because Donna used to do the same thing to Felicity and it drove her nuts, which is proof we all become our mothers someday. Source: felicitysmoakgifs

I’m still not over Mia’s loft being the same set as Olicity’s loft back in Season 4.

“No one gets to kill my mom except me.” I have a super great relationship with my mother, but I don’t know any woman who can’t relate to this line on some level. Sometimes your mom just drives you nuts, but she’s still your mom and only you get to murder her. Nobody else can mess with her.

Rene didn’t think Roy was alive. Thinking people are dead is like an epidemic with the Newbies. Not blown away by their powers of deduction.

So much same William. Source: mei-pellegrino

Felicity blames herself for Galaxy One and Eden Corps because she invented Archer and somehow the bad guys get their hands on it. However, I do not think Felicity is blaming herself for Oliver. There’s two different trains moving at the same time on parallel tracks. There’s Dante/Eden Corps/the Ninth Circle/Archer and there’s the promise Oliver made to the Monitor. I believe the reason Oliver is missing/presumed dead etc is because of the deal he made with the Monitor. Perhaps Archer is a hurdle when Oliver is finally free to come home to Star City, but I don’t believe it’s the reason Oliver is gone. The reason Oliver was not around to help protect Felicity and Mia from Dante/Eden Corps/the Ninth Circle/Archer is because of his promise to the Monitor and Felicity had nothing to do with that. Source: felicitysmoakgifs

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me. 7x16 gifs credited.

If you’d like to support the blog, please buy me a cup of tea!

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crispsevans · 6 years

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Films in 2019

Woah, it’s been a while since I actually wrote some reviews to my seen movies. My current count is at 21/150 for 2019, 12 out of 21 seen in theatre.

filmpage - filmlist - suggest a film

CAN CONTAIN SPOILERS.

Vice (2018)

seen in theatre production country: USA OV: english seen version: german Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell, Steve Carrell Director: Adam McKay Plot summary: The story of Dick Cheney (Bale), an unassuming bureaucratic Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush (Rockwell), reshaping the country and the globe in ways that we still feel today.

Review: I went to see this one before Oscar night, so I actually have seen most of the nominated movies of the year.

I don’t know how much of this movie is actually true, but I left the theatre quiet shocked, because somehow most of those things just passed me. It may be, because I was a child when Bush and Cheney ran the US politics, but looking back a lot of it made sense to me.

Now however much of it is true, it was a very ... entertaining movie. I really love McKay’s style of directing and story telling, also the cinematography and the final cut of the movie were really good. Bale’s performance is outstanding, as always, and I am still mad he didn’t win that Oscar.

If you’re into political movies this is a Must-See. Rating: 4,5/5

Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

seen in theatre production country: USA OV: english seen version: OV Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant Director: Marielle Heller Plot summary: When Lee Israel (McCarthy) falls out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception.

Review: This was part of the Oscar night double feature that I attended.

SUCH A POSTITIVE SURPRISE!!!!

Never heard of Lee Israel before, since this movie is based on her own book. I was so curious to see which role it was that brought McCarthy to her Oscar nomination and I was pleasantly surprised by her performance and also by Richard E. Grants performance in this movie. It was so serious but had so many funny moments - it’s a very authentic piece of film. I loved it a lot and is such an underdog movie. Very entertaining and well played. I also loved the color grading of this film. Rating: 5/5

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

seen in theatre production country: USA OV: english seen version: OV Starring: KiKi Jayne, Stephan James, Regina King Director: Barry Jenkins Plot summary: A woman in Harlem (Jayne) embraces her pregnancy while she and her family struggle to prove her fiancé (James) innocent of a crime.

Review: Also part of the Oscar night double feature.

Very good and very important movie, though I had the feeling it could’ve been a little shorter. I have not read the book this film is based on so I cannot judge how good the adaption actually is, but I enjoyed watching it. Some serious issues are talked about in this movie, but at the same time it has so much love in it. Also a lot of naivety, but that’s probably because of the age of the protagonists. Rating: 4/5

Anon (2018)

streamed on Amazon Prime Germany production country: USA / Canada / Germany OV: english seen version: OV Starring: Clive Owen, Amanda Seyfried Director: Andrew Niccol Plot summary: In a world without anonymity or crime, a detective (Owen) meets a woman (Seyfried) who threatens their security.

Review: I still don’t really know what to think about this one to be honest. It was part of the 99ct-Prime Deals over here in Germany and I’m usually really into futuristic movies like this, e.g. I loved “In Time”, which was also directed by Niccol and the reason I really wanted to see this one.

The entire atmosphere of this film was very dark and mysterious. I don’t really know if I understood the movie right, to be honest, not because I don’t know what they’re saying in the movie but some scenes were kind of a mystery to me. Rating: 3/5

Isn’t It Romantic? (2019)

streamed on Netflix Germany production country: USA OV: english seen version: OV Starring: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson Plot summary: A young woman (Wilson) disenchanted with love mysteriously finds herself trapped inside a romantic comedy.

Review: I had high hopes for this one (I love romcoms), but I was let down completely. It was over the top, tried to be super funny when it actually wasn’t and I just sincerely didn’t like it very well. Poorly written, I’m sorry.

I loved the fashion of the movie though and another plus for Rebel Wilson and Liam Hemsworth, because I love them anyway.

Rating: 2,5/5

Captain Marvel (2019)

seen in theatre (twice, soon thrice) production country: USA / Australia OV: english seen version: german Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Plot summary: Carol Danvers (Larson) becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races.

Review: SALTY AF AND I FREAKING LOVED IT.

I can see why so many men dislike this movie, but I loved it so much, because it’s so salty and Carol is the hero we deserve. Here we go, new strongest avenger. Who’s Thor and who’s Hulk? HAVE YOU SEEN CAROL FLYING THROUGH SPACEEEEEE????

Loved the message of this film so much, probably my most favourite Marvel movie with Black Panther. Higher, Further, Faster BABY. Carol as a character is a very strong woman, not giving up ever since her childhood. Very inspiring character and character development.

I had literally zero expectations, because I really disliked the trailers. They don’t do this film justice. If I wasn’t into the MCU already, I wouldn’t have joined after seeing those trailers. But what a shame it would’ve been, if I hadn’t seen it. Shoutout to my friend to paid my ticket the first time and went to see it with me again like two days later lol. Yes, I saw it two times already and I plan to see it a third time in OV - can’t wait for that one.

Also Goose is the best thing about this movie.

Midway through the film I saw the twist coming, though, but I really liked it. Would I see it again? A billion times yes. Rating: 5/5

The Imitation Game (2014)

streamed on Amazon Prime Germany production country: USA / UK OV: english seen version: OV Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Mark Strong Director: Morten Tyldum Plot summary: During World War II, the English mathematical genius Alan Turing (Cumberbatch) tries to crack the German Enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians.

Review: I missed seeing this one back in 2014 when it hit theatres. So I was very happy when it was part of the 99ct Prime Deals and I got it immediately. I wasn’t let down, what a great movie. I did a little research and even though the movie is different to Turing’s actual biography written by Andrew Hodges, I really liked it a lot and Cumberbatch’s performance is really amazing. His portrayal of Turing came across as very authentic and believable.

Cracking a code is really a thing of impossibility for me so it was very interesting to see the process of cracking Enigma. Turing’s legacy still lives on ‘til this day with every new computer that is build - we really owe him a lot. It makes me sad to have found out he most likely committed suicide after his hormonal ‘therapy’ that he had to go through.

Very touching.

Rating: 4/5

Monsieur Claude 2 (2019)

seen in theatre production country: France OV: french seen version: german Starring: Christian Clavier, Chantal Lauby Director: Philippe de Chauveron Plot summary: Claude (Clavier) and Marie Verneuil (Lauby) face a new crisis. The four spouses of their daughters, David, Rachid, Chao and Charles decided to leave France for various reasons. Here they are imagining their lives elsewhere.

Review: Sneak monday, luckily we only paid 2,50€ this time.

This film is a disaster, building up on ‘humor’ that is based on homophobia, sexism, racism and many other bad things. I did laugh, but not because I thought it was funny, but because there was so much reality in it that I used the laughing as a way to cover up my disbelief in this.

If people seriously think this is funny then I don’t know what’s wrong with them, I’m sorry. I don’t know if the intention of the movie was to actually show people how stupid it is to be THIS political incorrect or if they were actually thinking this is genuinely funny. However, just don’t watch it - it’s a waste of time.

Half of a point for the beautiful french countryside shots and the whole location setting plus the fashion in this movie.

Rating: 0,5/5

#films2019 #reviews

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dailykhaleej · 4 years

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Is tolerance for Judaism and Christianity at the heart of Islam?

NEW YORK CITY: “The Qur’an instructed Muslims to be righteous and benevolent to non-Muslims as long as they are peaceful and do not attack you or fight you. Muslims treated well the Jews who refused to enter Islam, starting with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, until our time,” mentioned Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL), a number one non secular Muslim nongovernmental group based mostly in Makkah.

Sheikh Al-Issa has been main by instance since taking over that place in 2016, tirelessly touring the world, forging relationships — with governments, non secular establishments (together with the Vatican) and NGOs (together with the American Sephardi Federation and the American Jewish Committee) — and asserting historic initiatives to counter extremism, assure non secular freedom and enhance human welfare.

Most lately, Al-Issa referred to as on members of completely different religions to unite in opposition to the COVID-19 pandemic, stating: “We want Muslims and all other citizens to be aiding one another in this time of common challenge, without discrimination for religion or race, for gender or ethnicity.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL). (AN Picture/Ziyad Alarfaj)

MWL right now is drastically completely different than the group it was even 5 years in the past, when it was nonetheless an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Regardless of Al-Issa’s exemplary humanitarian, instructional and outreach efforts throughout the world, together with with Jewish communities, some stay skeptical about MWL’s agenda and Islam’s doctrinal teachings regarding different religions.

They variously declare that the essence of the faith eschews equal therapy for non-converts and that any makes an attempt to disassociate from controversial interpretations is merely whitewashing, and they’ve tried to tie MWL’s actions to regional politics. Such criticisms are sorely mistaken.

In an unique interview, Al-Issa addressed these points and different controversial matters forthrightly.

The query of how a faith that proselytizes may be respectful of different religions and their members who don’t convert is nothing new. Christian missionaries used to transform Jews beneath duress.

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READ MORE: ‘West not plotting against Islam,’ says MWL’s Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa in unique interview

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At the moment, non-violent teams comparable to “Jews for Jesus” use persuasion, not torture, however considerations linger about the concentrating on and manipulation of weak people who lack Jewish schooling.

Does Islam have some distinctive points that Christianity doesn’t? Issues are understandably compounded by the photographs of Islamist and terrorist organizations indoctrinating their followers and converts by means of deception or pressure.

Al-Issa responded that almost all religions besides Judaism apply proselytization. That truth doesn’t inherently signify a scarcity of respect, nor imply that practitioners of numerous religions must be locked in an illogical and limitless battle.

“We, as Muslims, respect, love, understand, cooperate, coexist and tolerate everyone. Our historically documented and verified actions demonstrate this, and in the Muslim World League we have played a major role in this aspect, pursuant to our Islamic values,” mentioned Al-Issa.

Dr. Al-Issa throughout his European tour. (Equipped)

“With our Jewish brothers, we concluded agreements and mutual cooperation, and we love them and respect them greatly, far from the problems of politics, as our principle is not to interfere in politics.”

Al-Issa emphasised that it’s permissible to have interaction in regular enterprise and pleasant relations with members of different faiths, together with Jews, as was the case in the Prophet Muhammad’s time.

Political disagreements are separate from non secular precepts. Furthermore, he added, Islam considers Jews and Christians to be Peoples of the E book who’re accorded privileges in jurisprudential proceedings.

At the identical time, Islam respects different religions and ensures the rights of all folks to non secular selection.

However what about the Qu’ranic quotes, in addition to hadiths and alleged accounts, that time to a battle between Islam’s prophet and the Jews of Arabia?

Most up-to-date-day discussions function claims of enmity, persecution and even a bloodbath ensuing from the Jews’ refusal to transform to Islam.

Dr. Al-Issa amongst with numbers of college students in Indonesia. (Equipped)

Nothing might be farther from the reality, in keeping with Al-Issa.

The Qu’ranic references criticizing Jews that some have taken to imply a generalized assault on all Jews truly admonish particular followers of Judaism who went “off the derech” – strayed from the trustworthy dedication to the letter and spirit of their very own Abrahamic custom, he mentioned.

As an instance his level, he offered two seemingly paradoxical quotations: The Qur’an differentiates between the sorts of folks, as the Almighty says: “They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer].”

The Almighty additionally mentioned: “And among the People of the Scripture is he who, if you entrust him with a great amount [of wealth], he will return it to you. And among them is he who, if you entrust him with a [single] silver coin, he will not return it to you unless you are constantly standing over him [demanding it].”

God says: “Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] – those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness – will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.”

The Qur’an instructed Muslims to be righteous and benevolent to non-Muslims so long as they’re peaceable and don’t assault you or struggle you.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL)

The Qu’ran speaks to completely different classes of folks, however attributable to historic misinterpretations, mistranslations and, at instances deliberate distortions, there’s an look of a contradiction.

Those that concentrate on the allegedly anti-Jews passages ignore how Muslims engaged in wrongdoing are castigated in an identical vein. Moreover, even when vital of particular Jews, the Qu’ran speaks positively of the legacy of Jacob and calls on the Jewish neighborhood to not depart from their historic mission.

Al-Issa mentioned: “The Qur’an admonished a group of Jews, not all Jews, and reminded them of the honor of affiliating with the Prophet Jacob, peace be upon him: ‘O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and that I favored you over all nations.’”

However what to make of the alleged massacres of the Jews which have turn into so carefully related to the extremist outcries of “Khybar, khybar ya yahood?”

They, too, must be considered of their correct context. Al-Issa identified that there was no mass extermination of Jews qua Jews. On the opposite, the points that led to tribal violence had been purely political, not non secular.

Certainly, he continued, affiliation with a faith doesn’t preclude criticism for errors.

Dr. Al-Issa with a quantity of sheikhs in Mauritania. (Equipped)

Up to date audiences ought to look to the instance of the prophet himself, Al-Issa mentioned.

“The prophet, peace be upon him, stood out of respect to a passing Jewish funeral, lived next to a Jew, and married Safiya, the daughter of Hayy bin Akhtab from Bani Al-Nadir. He told her: ‘You are the daughter of a prophet, your uncle is a prophet, and you are the wife of a prophet.’” Muhammad was referring to the incontrovertible fact that his spouse was descended from Aaron and Moses, peace be upon them.

From this quote it follows that Muhammad not solely revered Safiya’s Jewish heritage, however inspired her to take pleasure and inspiration in her lineage.

Al-Issa additionally emphasised Muhammad’s signature achievement, the Madinah Constitution, for example of Islam’s place on non secular existence put into apply: “The Prophet, peace be upon him, has signed the most important Islamic constitutional document, which is the Madinah Charter, which preserved religious and civil rights, as well as provided for Jews and others to live within Madinah in dignity as part of the ummah (community).”

What about the concept that Muhammad and his followers slaughtered the Jews who refused to transform?

Resulting from misinterpretations and politicized tales by later clergy, many now consider there’s inherent enmity in direction of Jews who don’t turn into Muslims, and all outreach efforts by Muslims is, subsequently, “fake news.”

Dr. Al-Issa Throughout his go to to Mauritania. (Equipped)

Al-Issa firmly rejected this criticism: “Islam gives freedom to everyone in accepting or rejecting Islam, and there is an explicit verse considered one of the most important constitutional texts in Islam that says: ‘There shall be no compulsion in religion.’ And the position of Islam on the Jews who refuse to enter Islam, according to the Qur’an, is respecting their choice while preserving their dignity and their religious and civil rights, and living with them in peace.”

The conflicts that adopted in subsequent generations, he affirmed, had been totally political, although each the contemporaneous events and future students regularly attribute clashes and persecutions to faith.

Faith is an expedient cowl for energy grabs and there’s additionally “often confusion in terms and translations, or by the misunderstanding of Islamic religious texts. When the Qur’an discusses a topic related to a specific situation or religious group, some people will mistakenly interpret that as an attack on everyone or as a position against the existence of that religion.”

Islam’s authentic intent regarding the relations between Muslims and Jews is evident from the therapy of non-converts.

As Al-Issa places it: “Muslims handled the Jews who refused to enter Islam nicely, beginning with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, till our time.

“The neighbor of the prophet was a Jew, whom he visited and accepted his hospitality, and thought of all the meals of the Jews permissible for Muslims, permitted marriage to them, and constructed a household from a Jewish mom, and the Jewish neighborhood lived with Muslims in Madinah in peace.

Dr. Al-Issa participates in the distribution of assist in Africa. (Equipped)

Surveying 1000’s of years of Jewish life in the lands of Islam, it’s straightforward and nonetheless mistaken to current a single narrative.

There have been intervals of unimaginable coexistence, when Muslims and Jews labored collectively to make nice advances in commerce, science, philosophy, and different fields.

At completely different instances, there are cases of conflicts and persecutions. Al-Issa rejects any foundation for bigotry in Islam, as a substitute asserting that such cases had been attributable to motives divorced from faith.

Al-Issa went on to elucidate how Muslims have been prime targets of Islamist extremists all through time. “What occurred in the previous remains to be being carried out by some extremists (which can be current in all religions) who, by their misunderstanding of the teachings of Islam, don’t symbolize the majority of Muslims or Islam at all. They solely symbolize themselves, and with their extremist concepts they offend us as reasonable Muslims and Islam greater than they offend different religions.

“Muslims have suffered more violence and terror from extremists than non-Muslims have.”

Certainly, those that believed and those that had been Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] – these [among them] who believed in Allah and the Final Day and did righteousness – could have their reward with their Lord.

Dr. Al-Issa

The supply of a lot falsehood is attributable to the Ottomans, who had been behind mistranslations and misapplications of the Qu’ran.

Distribution of questionable hadiths by clerics of completely different backgrounds likewise led to confusion and divisive views.

Later, political actions, utilizing theology as a cudgel, intentionally got here to distribute inaccurate info. And, in non-Arab Muslim communities, understanding was severely skewed by the lack of entry to authentic supply materials.

Poorly educated or ignorant self-proclaimed imams would use populist rhetoric and sensationalist sounding quotations out of context to fireside up the public.

The Muslim Brotherhood got here to depend on these mixtures of components to push an illiberal and violent interpretation of Islam that was mainstreamed with the assist of media, governments, political organizations, and different allies and fellow vacationers.

Al-Issa in contrast the Muslim Brotherhood to Al-Qaeda and Daesh in a lately launched Ramadan program on Saudi Arabia’s best-known channel, MBC.

Dr. Al-Issa supervises the work of a charity hospital of the Affiliation in Africa. (Equipped)

The Muslim Brotherhood ideology, which integrated the non secular rhetoric of some Ottoman Sufi sects, and of Bolshevik, Nazi, Jacobin, and later extremist Salafi teachings, has managed to turn into a supply of discord amongst Muslim communities.

The inflammatory pulpit imams and Brotherhood ideology are the gateway drug main college students to hitch Al-Qaeda, Daesh, Hamas and different terrorist organizations, who search out and punish Muslims deemed insufficiently subservient.

Inside the Brotherhood camp, there’s outstanding flexibility in making alliances with seemingly divergent colleges of thought, comparable to with the Iranian Khomeinists.

The Brotherhood conveniently claimed to now not have interaction in violent direct motion however, as the appreciation for Islamism is dying out in the Arab world, thanks partially to reforms instituted by Arab governments, it now seems to acknowledge direct involvement in terrorist exercise.

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READ MORE: Accountable management key to ‘justice, harmony’, Muslim World League chief tells convention at UN

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So what impact, if any, has MWL’s exercise had on the discourse in the Muslim world? To begin with, Al-Issa practices what he preaches in Arabic and makes use of the substantial comfortable energy of the MWL to advance his marketing campaign to say the true, inclusive and benevolent nature of Islam.

Anybody doubtful can confer with the Constitution of Makkah, a historic assertion drafted by Al-Issa, who then convened a gathering of 1,200 pre-eminent Islamic students close to Islam’s holiest web site, the Kaaba, to debate and signal the doc.

The Constitution of Makkah solutions these, who deny or distort the reality, each inside Islam and with out.

In a single episode of his MBC program, Al-Issa discusses how all non secular locations of worship must be protected — in different phrases, the assaults on Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and different locations of worship by terrorists don’t have any foundation in non secular teachings or practices, however are the end result of politics and distortions.

In one other episode, he discusses the empowerment of Muslim girls all through historical past, which is contrasted with the restricted public position and the presumable marital subjugation accorded to them in numerous communities and contexts based mostly on cultural, fairly than non secular, traditions or misguided (maybe intentionally so) readings of texts.

Al-Issa is working to undo many years of denial about girls’s affect in Arab and Muslim societies.

Dr. Al-Issa in a go to to an orphanage of Haurishima. (Equipped)

There isn’t any query that this shift in the mental discourse is having an impact as extra Center Japanese international locations are opening their media to portraying constructive roles for the Jewish communities that when lived of their international locations.

One Saudi columnist, impressed by MWL’s place and Al-Issa’s go to to Auschwitz, calls for wider recognition of the “Jewish tragedy” (the Holocaust) in the course of of bridge-building.

One other instance is the MBC Ramadan drama “Um Haroun.” Primarily based loosely on true tales of the Bahraini Jewish neighborhood, the collection, which had a Kuwaiti director and star, aired in Saudi Arabia.

There’s a want to undo the injury of many years of politicization of Jewish life that led to assaults, expulsions and concern.

Egypt, too, along with its current restoration of synagogues, has simply as importantly opened as much as a extra sympathetic portrayal of Jews in a Ramadan collection.

The acceptance of this portrayal by the public is simply as a lot of a breakthrough and an instance of “positive soft power” of non secular establishments as the political willpower that made such strikes permissible to the media.

At the finish of the day, actions communicate louder than phrases. Religions are a mixture of doctrinal teachings and practices.

Al-Issa’s onerous work is main the means in exhibiting {that a} mixture of appropriate beliefs and righteous actions can stand up to even centuries of obscurantism and political hijackings.

It’s as much as every technology to return to its roots and to make use of historical past and data as an inspiration for the constructing of tolerant, humane, respectful, and intellectually open societies.

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Irina Tsukerman is a New York-based human-rights lawyer and nationwide safety analyst @irinatsukerman

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