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    Thought to be dead after a catastrophe at sea, Oliver Queen returns to Starling City a changed man, determined to fight injustice as a hooded vigilante who comes to be known as The Arrow. Based on DC Comics' Green Arrow franchise.

    Arrow Episode 305 - "The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak"

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    k4tzm4n

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    Edited By k4tzm4n  Moderator

    Remember how Felicity was only in one scene in last week's episode of Arrow? Total bummer, right? As you can tell by the title of tonight's episode, "The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak" makes up for that by focusing mostly her story. And if you were happy she wasn't around much in last week's episode, well, I guess you won't be a big fan of this one, will you? For everyone else, it's pretty good!

    Emily Bett Rickards has been in plenty of scenes which call for her to be more than a source of levity, but this one really focuses on pushing her abilities as an actress. Sure, there's a good laugh or two along the way -- the opening is a perfect example of this and was very creatively executed -- but this one was all about giving us a character-driven ride. Felicity's always charming or locked in a confusing relationship with Oliver Queen, but this chapter focuses on her family and what she's been through to become the person she is today. The final scene in her flashback felt a bit abrupt, but getting hit with the harsh reality of what she does put her on the right path, so it's easy to see why she wanted to make such a swift transition. There aren't any critical developments with her here; it's all about delivering emotion and it most definitely succeeds in doing that. You won't have any shocking epiphanies about who she is or where she came from, but odds are you'll have a new appreciation for the character and see she's not there just for a charming joke or two. Plus, how awesome is it that she technically saved herself?! Oh, and did anyone else notice her boyfriend's shirt seemed like a nod to BRAVE AND THE BOLD #28?

    As for the dynamic with her mother, both Rickards and Charlotte Ross give very heartfelt performances. Yes, it's a little tough to take the mom seriously when she's wearing such a revealing and tight dress (speaking of which, who else was shocked to see Ollie was wearing a shirt during training?), but that just goes to show how different she is from Felicity and the scenes between the two were really powerful. Even if you didn't feel moved by the relationship, you have to at least recognize they both gave really commendable performances. And, of course, I can't fail to mention that Brandon Routh remains ridiculously likable as Ray Palmer.

    No Caption Provided

    The mother-daughter dynamic wasn't the only one on display here. This episode also focused on another important family theme: the bond between siblings. The bits between Thea and Oliver weren't nearly as compelling as the ones between Felicity and "Mama Smoak," but it's great to see that the relationship is progressing. Arrow is filled with so much darkness and tragedy, so when we finally see positive growth, it's really rewarding. Also, it was nice seeing Oliver smile and be the emotionally level-headed one for a change.

    Laurel didn't play a pivotal role here but it was definitely critical for her story. Okay, having her choose between a black and red outfit wasn't exactly subtle foreshadowing, but this was an important step for her. Her debating whether she should tell her father about Sara has finally come to an end and she can begin to channel her anger instead of just randomly unleashing it.

    Aside from the big reveal being all kinds of predictable (come on, you all saw that coming, right? If we hear someone's dead but don't see it, it's time to get skeptical), my other complaints with the episode are pretty minor. Oliver talking about hacking in his "Batman voice" felt a bit silly and it was totally an unintentional laugh when the security drivers said, "Something's not right" while pulling up and seeing a bunch of gunmen not in uniforms. Also, was anyone else wondering why Ollie didn't want Sara downstairs? Is he just paranoid that stuff can potentially go down at any moment since the League of Assassins knows where he works? And, after all they've been through, Starling City's riot squad doesn't have tear gas? Again, these are just minor points and the obvious twist is the only big one.

    Yeah, we need to talk about that ending. If you don't want spoilers, skip to the next paragraph and don't move your cursor over the spoiler bars! So, I'm torn between thinking Roy actually did that and it just being a twisted nightmare because he used to have Mirakuru flowing through him. If the former, does he occasionally go through withdrawal and it takes over, sending him into a rage and Sara's just an unfortunate victim of it? Or was it brainwashing? If so, who would benefit from doing that? The immediate suspect would be Malcolm Merlyn. If Malcolm did it, it's because he foresaw this death would create a war between team Arrow and the League of Assassins (in this scenario, he knows Sara's dating Nyssa). That way it's "killing two birds with one stone" and Thea has no outside influences as they move forward. But if it's just a rage-induced outburst, that's sure to have some interesting consequences. Or, could someone be giving him those visions? Things are going to get very interesting if it turns out Roy occasionally loses control. If so, that means they've finally found Sara's murderer, but it's their close friend and he wasn't even in control. It was just a totally random tragedy. That has the potential for a lot of drama. However, just because Roy's having these visions doesn't confirm he did it. They can just be really vivid nightmares. Begin the speculation!

    I doubt anyone's jaw will be dropped when the antagonist is revealed and that arc is definitely the weak point of the episode, but "The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak" makes up for that by having a ton of heart, strong performances, and an attention-grabbing ending. Now we just have to wait and see where they go with this shocking cliffhanger.

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    Transformers1024

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    There is no way she's old enough to be her mother.

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    the_stegman

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    #2  Edited By the_stegman  Moderator

    Hilarious episode, I loved it...and...

    OH MY GAWD. Goth Felicity is hot, I guess you can say, she's...SMOAKIN'!

    No Caption Provided

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    The_Kidd

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    #3  Edited By The_Kidd

    Didn't Roy get a stronger version of mirakuru like the one they gave Cyrus Gold which causes the victim to be extremely loyal. That explains why the cure did not work so well and why he hate Sara(& Team Arrow) like Slade & Blood. He basically played this same role on Teen Wolf.

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    NightFang3

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    I'm confused, was Brother Eye a computer program or a terrorist group?

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    buttersdaman000

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    #5  Edited By buttersdaman000

    The notion of a Felicity centric episode with a computer hacker villain didn't really intrigue me, but I was pleasantly surprised. This was a pretty good episode: 4/5. Also, Felicitys mom is a milf, Thea is gorgeous, and Laurel sucks (her training session made me cringe lol).

    Concerning that ending....I'm almost positive Roy didn't kill Sara. Unless he still has Mirakuru strength, theres no way he can kill anybody by chucking arrows at them.

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    dadarkknight36310

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    #6  Edited By dadarkknight36310

    Easter Eggs:

    Brother Eye

    Starro Shirt

    The quote about Felicity dying her hair was Brought up in todays g arrow issue

    Also Felicity looking like Death, Morpheus sister from the Sandman comics. Did anyone else spot some Easter Eggs?

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    Gotham331

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    Felicity's mom...

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    patrat18

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    Emily is a terrible actor.

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    Transformers1024

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    @dadarkknight36310: I noticed she looked like Death almost immediately. The Ankh was a dead give away.

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    SynCig

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    #10  Edited By SynCig

    This would be 3 stars for me. The beginning training sequence and the last scene with Roy's dream were the two best parts of the episode. I just didn't feel the emotional resonance with the family relationship stuff that you did. I can't help but feel completely let down by this season so far. I'm not sure I'd give any of the episodes more than a 3. Season 2 was spectacular and this season seems so very slow moving. Plus, as you pointed out in the review, the main plot of this episode was suuuuuuper predictable. From the first flashback, I knew the boyfriend was going to be the main villain before the Brother Eye hack even revealed itself.

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    obsidian_raindrop1

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    Hilarious episode, I loved it...and...

    OH MY GAWD. Goth Felicity is hot, I guess you can say, she's...SMOAKIN'!

    No Caption Provided

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    iceslick

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    @nightfang: Yeah, it's a computer program made by Batman. Arrow decided to change that and make it as a terrorist program which was kind of lame and the only disappointment in the episode. But I guess the only reason why they did that was to get around from anything that show signs of Batman being around which I don't get since they already had Harley Quinn.

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    KEROGA

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    Didn't like this episode at all. Predictable and kinda cliche.

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    Transformers1024

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    This is the first episode since sometime in season one that I found it be extremely unbearable. It was way to predictable and way to CW for my taste.

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    WheatStalker

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    #15  Edited By WheatStalker

    Felicity on The Flash made me watch this episode of Arrow. I like her character, maybe I'll make room on Wednesdays for this archer guy. :)

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    Cloakx14

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    #16  Edited By Cloakx14
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    about Felicity's mom.

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    Darkmount1

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    Man, college-age Felicity is a real dead-ringer for Death.....

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    godzilla44

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    A great Felicty episode it showed off her acting chops and IMO were better than excepted. 4/5 episode

    Also if you go back to the first review I guessed who the killer was and that dream sequence really supports my guess :)

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    Boynerdgeek

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    #19  Edited By Boynerdgeek

    @iceslick: nope the original Brother Eye created by Jack Kirby in OMAC series have nothing to do with Batman

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    MrMazz

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    Ya know I was kind of mixed on the prospects of a "Felicity Smoak Origin Story" since well over explaining a character can take a way their mystery and ruin chunks of what makes them cool, see Wolverine. But hey it actually worked out pretty good nice appropriation of the Brother Eye name, got some stupid Bond-esque laster guided M60 machine guns, and essentially the third act of Swordfish and a nice generic mother daughter bonding story. Prett good all in all.

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    MatthewParker

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    There is no way she's old enough to be her mother.

    The Mom's actress is 23 years older than Emily(Felicity)

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    Transformers1024

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    @matthewparker: Wow, she ages really well! Lol. Never would have guessed she would be that much older in real life.

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    MatthewParker

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    patrat18

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    A great Felicty episode it showed off her acting chops and IMO were better than excepted. 4/5 episode

    Also if you go back to the first review I guessed who the killer was and that dream sequence really supports my guess :)

    ............

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    patrat18

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    This is the first episode since sometime in season one that I found it be extremely unbearable. It was way to predictable and way to CW for my taste.

    Same here. I found myself skipping through the cringeworthy emotional scenes that involved Felicity.

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    iceslick

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    @boynerdgeek: I know that one too but I never liked that version of Brother Eye. I just like the Batman version of the character the best, but that's just my opinion. By the way, the only reason I answer the question that way because the Batman version is the one he/her was confused on, so I made it clear to him/her.

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    Ace_56

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    It wasn't Roy, you can clearly hear the sounds of bow drawing on episode 1, and he remembers it as if he had Mirakuru on and threw them with his bare hands.

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    Fallschirmjager

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    oh god. Felicity...

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    Fallschirmjager

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    The notion of a Felicity centric episode with a computer hacker villain didn't really intrigue me, but I was pleasantly surprised. This was a pretty good episode: 4/5. Also, Felicitys mom is a milf, Thea is gorgeous, and Laurel sucks (her training session made me cringe lol).

    Concerning that ending....I'm almost positive Roy didn't kill Sara. Unless he still has Mirakuru strength, theres no way he can kill anybody by chucking arrows at them.

    I wana do jello shots off Thea's stomach.

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    SupBatz

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    I'd say this was the best episode we've gotten all season. Emily is the best actress they've got on the show, and it's really great to see her pushed this far in her performance.

    The family drama between Felicity and Donna (her mother) was very genuine. Even if one wasn't actually moved by the relationship, it is still easy to become engrossed in the wonderful performance by the two actresses. Donna was a character that I wasn't expecting to like, but who I found incredibly compelling. I actually hope to see her again someday.

    The flashbacks were good, but not fantastic. Seeing Goth Felicity was a treat in itself. And it was pretty interesting to see a different side to the character. Though her transformation at the end was a tad abrupt - not so much so that I found it completely incredulous, but enough that it didn't sit right with me. All of that said, I still found the flashbacks very interesting and would love to see more of Felicity's past at a later date.

    Ollie and Thea were interesting, but at the same time frustrating. There was nothing particularly wrong with their dynamic in this episode, but I couldn't quite understand Ollie's POV about Merlyn's money. And the entire time I was watching, I kept thinking that they should just throw all of the secrets out of the window and just lay everything on the table. It'll be much more interesting if and when the day comes that Thea is aware of Ollie's identity and when Ollie learns of Thea's relationship with her father. Given Ollie's character, I get the sense that he'll reject her at first, leading to Thea completely joining forces with Merlyn. That'll be interesting to see, as Thea's uncertain role this season is beginning to irk me.

    Diggle needs a costume of some sort. He just looked out of place next to a suited-up Roy.

    Speaking of Roy, that cliffhanger was definitely an unexpected turn. I don't think it was actually Roy who killed Sara, but even if he wasn't, I've got to give the show props for astounding me with that ending that I NEVER saw coming. I'm pretty sure that if Roy had actually done it, the show would have revealed it in a different way. But even so, this will likely be an interesting development to follow in later episodes. And it'll finally give Roy the spotlight. He's probably the most underdeveloped character on the show at this point. It'd be nice to get some insight into him, and his relationship with Ollie.

    The villain was a bit bland. I don't think they were really trying to shock you with who was using the virus, so I don't mind the reveal being predictable. But I wish Seldon's motive had been more interesting than just money. It was pretty cool to see Felicity save herself though.

    And Ray Palmer was pleasant as always. He's gotta be the best boss ever, with all of the time off he gives Felicity XD. I'm hoping that we get a bit more insight into the guy soon. He's plenty fun, but I want a bit more about what his role in the show actually is.

    All-in-all, I'd say this was the best episode we've gotten this season. 9.5/10.

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    sbyrstall

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    @supbatz said:

    And Ray Palmer was pleasant as always. He's gotta be the best boss ever, with all of the time off he gives Felicity XD. I'm hoping that we get a bit more insight into the guy soon. He's plenty fun, but I want a bit more about what his role in the show actually is.

    I'm just waiting for one of his inventions that will make him The Atom.

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    war of light_2814

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    Roy Know what Sara was speaking prior to her death,it isn't just a dream.

    What happen to his voice ,though? He didn't have a voice filter in that hood,did he?

    Thea's hot.

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    Scarbearer

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    I'll eat crow if I am wrong, but I think the reveal at the ending of the episode is herring as red as a certain someone's costume.

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    MAZAHS117

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    Goth-Felicity ftw

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    deactivated-5c901e667a76c

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    #36  Edited By deactivated-5c901e667a76c  Moderator

    Easter Eggs:

    Brother Eye

    Starro Shirt

    The quote about Felicity dying her hair was Brought up in todays g arrow issue

    Also Felicity looking like Death, Morpheus sister from the Sandman comics. Did anyone else spot some Easter Eggs?

    I saw two others: Big Belly Burger and Felicity's The Adventures of Robin Hood poster (in the old DC Universe, that was Ollie's favorite movie).

    And I'm not sure if this counts, but there's a Hatsune Miku plushie in Felicity's apartment (along with another one that I couldn't identify for sure).

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    muttput

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    I'm really beginning to not like felicity, she doesn't look natural at all (she clearly only there for fan service). I think it's mainly the wardrobe the studio gives her, it was the same in the flash. the other fmale character are dressed for the part - Thea is dressed casually and Laurel is dressed formally based on the their professions. Felicity is always dressed to go on a night out and then for her and her mother to complain about differences was silly. They both have a knack for dressing inappropriately. do get me wrong i like the dresses it just bugs the hell out of me that she wear designer clothes in a basement.

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    deactivated-5d2b83d5a0d79

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    This was actually a really good episode.

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    Sachmoo

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    I really don't think Roy Killed Sara. The 'Who done it' plot is arguably the biggest one going in the show, and to just casually drop a bomb like that just doesn't make much sense. UNLESS, it turns out he did do it, which leads into the OMAC plots we saw in an earlier episode.

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    Koays

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    Fair episode. I liked it.

    Only one problem

    Hacker: "Then i found out you became some corporate lapdog!"
    Me: "Dude you worked for the freakin NSA!"

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    AlKusanagi

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    Felicity is a Hatsune Miku fan. Her and Jeff should get together...

    And should we be giving any thought to Felicity's absent super-genius father?

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    Mr. Kamikaze

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    Thea doesnt own anymore full length shirts, or something? She lost them all in South America, I guess. Not that im complaining, but...c'mon.

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    Black_Arrow

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    Felicity is a Hatsune Miku fan. Her and Jeff should get together...

    And should we be giving any thought to Felicity's absent super-genius father?

    He will come back I am sure of it.

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    The_Thaumaturge

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    #46  Edited By The_Thaumaturge

    Ofc Roy killed Sara. How would he have a vision in which he knows exactly what she said to her killer before she died? I'm guessing some residual Mirakuru strength drove him mad - it would explain how he could throw Arrows so fast Sara couldn't dodge them...

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    godzilla44

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    @patrat18 said:

    @godzilla44 said:

    A great Felicty episode it showed off her acting chops and IMO were better than excepted. 4/5 episode

    Also if you go back to the first review I guessed who the killer was and that dream sequence really supports my guess :)

    ............

    :)

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    godzilla44

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    Also if the mirakuru didn't fully go away then, that brings Deathstroke back :)

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    Mutant God

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    Laurel as a lawyer kinda reminds me of Manhunter for some reason

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    AllStarSuperman

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    #50  Edited By AllStarSuperman

    @the_stegman said:

    Hilarious episode, I loved it...and...

    OH MY GAWD. Goth Felicity is hot, I guess you can say, she's...SMOAKIN'!

    No Caption Provided

    Really! I thought she looked gross. I am a little less attracted to her now that I know she used to look like *vomits as he says it* Michelle Trachtenberg, god even saying it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, now lets all suffer through a gross picture.

    No Caption Provided

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