Arrow Moment of Goodness: Oliver Confesses His Love in “Unthinkable” 

The season 2 finale may have been filled with revelations — Diggle is going to be a dad! Thea has it in her to kill! Sarah chose to return to the League of Assassins! — but non shocked me nearly as much as Ollie confessing his love to Felicity. Granted, it was all a ploy to cure Slade, but when it first happened, my jaw hit the floor.

Felicity: Oliver, what are we doing here? The whole city is falling apart

Oliver: You need to stay here.

Felicity: Why? You can’t just ask me to…

Oliver: I’m not asking. I will come and get you when this is all over

Felicity: No

Oliver: Felicity

Felicity: No, not unless you tell me why

Oliver; Because I need you to be safe

Felicity: But I don’t want to be safe. I want to be with you and the others, unsafe

Oliver: I can’t let that happen

Felicity: Oliver, you’re not making any sense

Oliver: Slade took Laurel because he wants to kill the woman I love.

Felicity: I know, so…

Oliver: So he took the wrong woman.

Felicity: Oh

Oliver: I love you. Do you understand?

Felicity: Yes.

I actually watched the scene 3 times to make sure I heard him right. Ollie is so expressive that I couldn’t believe that he wouldn’t have given away or hinted at his feeling for Felicity before now. Since day 1, pretty much everything he feels is written across his face and there’s been no sign of any longing glances or smitten smiles. Plus he just broke up with Sarah…he would never mislead her! In hindsight, these red flags probably should have made me question his true intentions, but Felicity & Ollie were so phenomenal in this scene that I actually bought it. Hook, line and sinker. Felicity has not-so-subtly suggested that she has feelings for Oliver, so to see her finally get some validation in return, I just couldn’t bring myself to question it and snatch that away from her.

That being said, it wasn’t long before Felicity herself shattered the illusion. As she stabbed Slade with the Mirakuru cure, it became clear that Oliver’s out-of-nowhere confession was more strategy than sentiment. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I absolutely love it when Felicity gets a chance to go out in the field and join in on the game. And this time, she really sold it. Not only did she play Oliver’s moral compass, she also got to be the ace up his sleeve.

Granted, this may not have been the outcome Ollicity fans have been waiting for, but if that final scene was any indication, I don’t think they should give up hope just yet.

Felicity: Well, you did it.

Oliver: I had help

Felicity: Yea, it was really smart. The way that you out-foxed him. Talk about unthinkable. You and me, I mean. When you told me you loved me, you had me fooled for a second. Maybe you might’ve meant it. What you said. You really sold it.

Oliver: We both did.

I may not have seen any longing looks or smitten smiles from Oliver before, but the way he looked at Felicity on that beach made me think that his feeling may not be so unthinkable. I’ll admit, I’ve never been one to champion an Ollie/Felicity romance, but after tonight, I’m definitely warming up to the idea.

Arrow season 3 premieres this fall on The CW.