#no cuz donna literally perfect and then like every other season they give her a big screw up related to her bf now why

[callistawolf]

Best in Five (vol. 2)

So last year I did a “Best in Five” post for episodes 1-10, covering seasons 1-5. I promised I’d do another post for episodes 11-23 after season 5 finished. But when season 5 finished, I took the whole “hiatus” thing a little too seriously and just... enjoyed a little break. For five months. 

Now, tonight, Arrow is back on our TVs and I really need to do this post. This list was really difficult. Because so many episodes were so good. And so many were SO BAD (honestly, Arrow has an ep 11-19 problem). SO. Here goes. 

Best Episode 11

4x11: A.W.O.L.

This one was easy. 4x11 was an amazing episode for Felicity, as a character. We saw her struggling with her disability, her feelings of self doubt. The scenes with her hallucinating her goth, college self were incredible. 4b was a mess, not gonna lie, but 4x11 was a shining star of an episode. And Arrow rarely has a particularly remarkable episode 11. 

Best Episode 12

1x12: Vertigo

I was almost tempted to select 4x12, but 1x12 is just iconic. First you have the infamous “if it’s an energy drink, why is it in a syringe” scene and then you have this amazingly intimate moment where the bond between these two is really being forged. The trust is established. This was groundwork and a beautiful episode. 

Best Episode 13

4x13: Sins of the Father

This was hard because Arrow never has a really good episode 13. But I gave it to season 4 if just for the scene depicted in the gif above. Oliver and Felicity telling each other they just want to get married, that a big fancy wedding isn’t important to them. That’s gonna come up again this year, folks. Plus, how precious is that kiss? 

Best Episode 14

1x14: The Odyssey

I really like 4x14 with the engagement party but... how do you beat the origin of #OTA? You don’t. This is where Arrow became Arrow. We got to see Diggle and Felicity really interact and bond, Felicity was brought into the secret (and the lair), the team was formed and all was right with the world. I’ll always love this episode because it really set Arrow on the trajectory that launched it from mere comic book show to something else. Something more. 

Best Episode 15

1x15: The Dodger

If 1x14 was iconic because of the origin of #OTA, then 1x15 is iconic because we get to see #OTA truly in action together. Down in the lair, hanging at Big Belly, taking down a bad guy, teasing, getting shit done and generally being awesome. Plus it’s the first time we really got to witness Olicity chemistry being put to use and it. did. not. disappoint. Look at that sizzle in that gif. And then when Oliver sees her in the gold dress? Wow. 

Best Episode 16

3x16: The Offer

I feel like this episode gave us everything we wanted to see from the whole “Felicity dates someone else while Oliver is painfully in love with her” storyline we were promised. It’s a shame that we really only got one episode of it, but it was done so well. I really did not like 3x15. 3x16 reminded me what I was waiting for in a great way. 

Best Episode 17

5x17: Kapiushon

WOOOOOOW. This episode was visceral. Season 5 was hard, but late 5b is when things really picked up. An argument can be made for the turn around really happening in 5x16 (which I did enjoy) but 5x17 really made me understand what the season was about. It played out Adrian as the villain, Oliver as the broken man and set up the last episodes so perfectly. This is when I got excited for the rest of the season. About time! 

Best Episode 18

3x18: Public Enemy

It was difficult to pick an episode 18 that I liked. Cuz most of them are.... meh. BUT. I picked this one because of the infamous jello scene and Donna cutting through the bullshit and telling Felicity she doesn’t love Ray because she loves Oliver. It wasn’t the breakup (yet) but it was the beginning of that particular end. Plus, Roy giving himself up for Oliver set off a stunning sequence of events that quite literally had me sitting on the edge of my seat. 

Best Episode 19

5x19: Dangerous Liaisons

Felicity vs. Oliver. We needed to have this episode. It was brutal but in the best way and I gotta say, I loved every second of it. Plus, Felicity went into the field which is always something I enjoy. But to be against Oliver in the field? Injected a level of tension and anticipation (and frankly delight) that really set this episode apart. These two finally getting to the heart of their issues was such a long time coming. Plus I loved the setup of Caden James as a future threat. 

Best Episode 20

5x20: Underneath

GAHHHHHH. Okay so episode 20 is almost always fantastic. And it’s really hard to beat 3x20 in my opinion. That was my favorite episode for a long, long time. BUT. 5x20 did it. The flashbacks were so good (and hot) and the present day gave us everything we so desperately needed to see. Plus all the #OTA goodness (that elevator stunt! DIG IS THE MAN!) just had me screaming with delight. This will probably be my favorite episode for a long time. (Feel free to see that as a challenge, Arrow.)

Best Episode 21

1x21: The Undertaking

It’s almost impossible to beat the underground casino episode. Plus it was a near pitch perfect ramping up of the climax in season 1. I didn’t dig the LL scenes in this episode, but I can squint and look past it and realize that they just served the business of setting up the perfect storm that took place in the finale. Plus, Felicity looked like straight fire in this episode and “it feels really good having you inside me” is one of the best lines I’ve ever heard her say. 

Best Episode 22

2x22: Streets of Fire

The last three episodes of season 2 are basically like one big movie, in my opinion. And it’s hard to pick a favorite episode out of those three episodes. But even with the “he took the wrong woman” moment from 2x23, I think I have to give the edge to 2x22 instead. There was that van accident and Oliver carrying Felicity (even with his bum knee!). There was the scene in the clock tower that was basically laying out the core tenants of why Olicity is the best ship on the CW today. He is not alone. She believes in him. THAT HUG. THE LIGHT. How can you not love this? Impossible. You must love it. 

Best Episode 23

5x23: Lian Yu

Again, this was difficult. I really like 2x23. But I’m (still) annoyed the cut the kiss and let us all think it was a ruse. Rude. I also really like 3x23. But they didn’t give us a kiss (AGAIN) and there was something off about Oliver being willing to turn his back on his vocation as a hero, even if it was to leave town with Felicity. We don’t talk about 4x23. 5x23 not only gave me the kiss I desperately needed (and it was with him in the Arrow suit!!), but everything else in the episode was SO. DAMN. AMAZING. The conflicts, the fight scenes, the EMOTION of everything. Oliver finally found himself and saved his son and... well the island went up in flames, but you can’t win them all, can you? 

So tonight we see what happened after the island went up in flames. Who lives who dies and who tells the story (of tonight)? I can’t wait. I’m so excited for season 6. I do think this has the potential to be the best season of Arrow yet. SO much good stuff coming up. I literally can’t even get upset right now. We made it, fam!