Arrow and The Flash: Season Finale Discussion

Hey guys! I'm currently on finals week--which explains my two week disappearance--and that means I am almost done with my sem and in spite of the current marketing plan deadlines that I have, I still have enough time to write a good long post just for you.

The past two weeks, my fandoms went booming with fantastic news and current events. Supergirl Pilot episode leak, a sneak peak on the Legends of Tomorrow, and of course... Arrow and the Flash had their season finales. As much as I want to compensate for the long hiatus, I'd like to focus on the finales of Arrow and the Flash first, since I think it is time for me to let everything out.

Cinemablend

The Flash

Thanks to the finale, it has become a sure fact that The Flash has officially become the best Comic-based TV show in like, forever. And I can see why. In spite of the minor cliches--such as making Barry Allen a goofy, awkward,  Peter Parker-like character and the friendzone issues-- the writers somehow found a way to make the show, predictably unpredictable. Not only that, every episode had the best dose of emotional scenes, and the best part was not every emotional scene is not even romantic. The action scenes are even great; the effects are surprisingly really good and the fights are fairly consistent and are not all over the place (well technically, they still are, since Barry was just running everywhere, figuring out how to defeat each metahuman).

In the season finale, we see fairly good character dynamics. Fairly, because not everyone drastically changed for the sake of character development. However, we do notice that there are changes. In the very beginning, we all know how deep the bond Barry has with his father and Joe. In the last episode, we see that Mr. Allen is still Mr. Allen, whose only concern is to see his only son live a life. However, Joe gives us another round of him being the loving father that he has always been for the past season. At first, he urged Barry to accept Thawne's proposal, but in the long run he reveals that he actually doesn't want him to alter the timeline. As for the others... well, Cisco remained Cisco and Caitlin is now more fluid compared to the first time we saw her. Eddie is no longer the hot shot detective we expected him to be and Iris....oh boy, Iris. I want to say she is important but for some reason she just feels like an odd piece of the puzzle. I get that she is trying to be relevant in the story, but she still remains underwhelming. All she was to me in the series was just a love interest that needed protection. Apart from that, she didn't do much for this season.

Finally, we have Barry. What I appreciated most about Barry is that he has one thing that most awkward characters do not have; he's very sure of himself. Actually, he's too sure of himself, and he's not ashamed of his intelligence unlike most characters who are almost similar to him. As soon as he got his powers, he already figured out a goal and stuck to it until something or someone wavers his confidence. Grant Gustin, for me, did a great job at being the enthusiastic Barry. Not saying this because I'm biased. I have seen him in Glee, he is a good actor. Harrison Wells, though....wow. He is well-written for a villain. I love how his agenda is so simple, but he had to do major and devious things just so he can get what he wants. And the story was constructed in a way that understanding his back story would be so complicated. To think most of us were overthinking about who the Reverse Flash really is, when the answer was pretty much basic. Actually, it wasn't because I did not expect Eobard Thawne to kill the real Wells and take over his body like that. But wow, that was seriously cool.

As for the epic finale...it feels different. It did not really feel epic, because it was very emotional, just as the writers promised. The epicenter of this entire episode was the weight of Barry's decision, because his choice alone will affect everything. Not an ultimate fighting move, not the accelerator or any huge destructive weapon. Only the decision of Barry Allen will change things, then everything else follows. But wow, this episode was so emotional. I didn't really feel any awe, but everything in this episode was raw and heartfelt. Nora's scene with Barry was just beautiful and it was my favorite part of the episode. Eddie's sacrifice was something I did not really see coming but it was plain sad.

After the emotions, I felt excitement when Barry was going through the speed force. It revealed so many spoilers since most of the glimpses the Flash was seeing was the future. The image of The Legends of Tomorrow were there, KILLER FROST was teased, and not to mention Hawkgirl. Her appearance made my heart flutter. I wanted to enter the screen and give her a big warm hug for finally showing up in the TV universe after such a long time.

Overall, the grand finale delivered its promise, which I like most. It is a definitely emotional and it reveals a lot of teasers, making the viewers beg for more. Now the writers revealed that the plot in the first season was actually an alternate timeline. Meaning to say that the original timeline will be the setting for the second season. Perhaps it explains why Barry Allen's character will change from the awkward goofball to the cocky and confident speedster. I'm more interested on how they're still going to insert a new villain, now that we know Eddie killed himself just so Eobard would no longer exist. I guess this is where Flash will stop being a light-hearted TV show and it will now deal with much more complex stuff, such as the Speedforce and time continuum. And the ultimate ending of it all, felt like watching the first season of Arrow all over again. Just when things are becoming action-packed, they decided to cut it with a cliffhanger. Of course. Well played, guys.

eonline.com

Arrow

Okay, where do I even begin...is it wrong for me to say I did not like the finale?

I mean, it was about to have a great buildup, but it ended...just like that. And in the end, I was like...Seriously?

The character dynamics were a mixture of bad and good. First of all, the writers went way overboard with Felicity's character. To the Ollicity fans, before you react...allow me to have my moment and explain. Just so you know, I am not bothered by the fact that she had a filler dedicated to herself. But her unending love for Oliver in the second half ruined almost everything for me. I understand that her feelings mostly clouded her mind, but she is just everywhere. It's like the show wants me to focus more on Oliver and Felicity because that is Arrow's so-called current unique selling point. The first half was just following its typical Arrow formula until Ra's Al Ghul shows up and boom. Ollicity takes the stage and pretty much drops the development of Black Canary, Roy Harper, and the bromance between John and Oliver has been completely minimized. It's like, "okay, I think John and Oliver are established bros now. I think we had enough Black Canary origins. Oh, and Colton's contract is going to be finished soon. So lets drop that and focus on Oliver's budding relationship with Felicity."

I love Felicity, I really do. Unfortunately, it annoyed me that she had to completely rub her love for Oliver every time she shows up. They even made Tatsu talk about her love for Oliver. Basically, Ollicity became the rock for this whole Ra's Al Ghul conflict for me. It made the show and its finale lack wholesomeness. What's worse, the only massive action I got to see was Nyssa and Laurel. That's it??? I didn't see enough development between the two of them. Nyssa was starting to become a very interesting character, but I didn't get much from her aside from the fact that she lacks and freedom and gender justice. Also, the fight between Ra's and Oliver was still a question of identity. Like how many times do we have to go through this. Oliver did more stunts in Flash crossovers, seriously.

Oliver's identity crisis could have been really good if he wasn't such a wuss about it. I had a hard time appreciating his character when he was slowly becoming disconnected from his group and started acting on his own. His inner conflict made almost made him flat for being the same old tortured Oliver Queen he was in the first season. And it really frustrated me. So I guess something good came out of this Ollicity ending because we will (hopefully) get to see a major attitude adjustment from Oliver. I mean, he's gonna spend most of the break being with Felicity. He's bound to get joke pointers from her, eventually...

Also, I have a question...what is CW and the term, "rebound"? Ray Palmer. Rebound. Linda. Rebound. Eddie. Rebound. And Felicity is the Rebound of the Rebound of the Rebound of the Rebound of the....ugh. This has been a season of rebounds. Perhaps my reason why I got so disappointed because Arrow had great finales, especially the second season. What made them so good were the teasers they pull. This season did not have much of those, either. In short, I was expecting that the third season's ending would be as good as the other endings we had for Arrow. But all we get is Oliver and Felicity riding away into the sunset, trying to give the Arrow a happy ending for a change.

I really do hope season 4 will redeem itself and keep the romance to the minimum. And to the Ollicity fans...we get it...you won. 

Till the next post~

Fangirl Moment! Arrow Season 3 and The Flash

This week has been amazing because....

(source)

of Flash and The Arrow!!!

warning: spoilers ahead

That's right! The Flash and Arrow Season 3 showed their very first episodes this week, and both of them are... "cool" (those who watched the pilot episode of The Flash will probably understand). I don't know where to begin, so I think it would be fair to talk about Barry Allen since his show came out first.

I like how it is not so red. (source)

Barry's forensics abilities are superb (source)

Overall, I was satisfied with everything I saw in the first episode of The Flash. For almost a decade, I have been waiting for him to have his own show or movie and lo and behold, this came out. My dream has finally come true, and I don't know what level of happiness I am experiencing right now. Call it a fangirl's mere "feels" explosion, but it is more than that (even though it is just a mere fangirl's mere "feels" explosion). In short, I am just so so SO happy that Flash has his own show. 

Stop acting cute. (source)

There are many things I liked in the pilot episode, and one of them is the deep friendship between Iris and Barry. First off, I'd like to say that it was a bold move for CW to give Iris a completely different appearance. In the comics and some cartoons, Iris is originally a ginger (yes, she is meant to somehow resemble Barry's mom). Most fans would be irritated with changes in appearances, but this is probably the first time I am actually okay with such changes. Perhaps because I was so distracted with the sweet chemistry going on between Iris and Barry. Come on, they look adorable. Even as friends. I just want to tape them together so they can just continue hugging all day long. Apart from that, I am appreciate the appearances of Cisco and Caitlin. For Caitlin...can I just say that she should totally grab some coffee with Helena? As blunt as it sounds, I can totally imagine them talking about their dead fiances. And Cisco is just the cutest thing! Carlos Valdes can be the perfect Leo Valdez because he has completely nailed his character. I can't wait to see more of the two of them. Last but not least, let us not forget Barry's interaction with Oliver. This scene was pretty overwhelming for me because it shows a whole new side of Oliver Queen, and it is awesome! He is so awesome that he deserves a big round of applause. Praise the heavens for such a great scene. But the scenes with Barry Allen in it can certainly top that. Since this is just the first episode, it is hard to say if Grant will be able to complete pin down the character of The Flash. He almost resembles the character of Peter Parker (specifically the one Andrew Garfield is portraying at the moment), however I do not find him too awkward, I just find him hyper and adorkable, which I really like. AND WHEN HE RAN AROUND THAT TORNADO??!??! AWESOMESAUCE! 

AWESOOOME!!! (source)

But what made me love Barry Allen is his witty and cheerful personality, so I am expecting to see more of that in the upcoming episodes. But at least I got to see one trait of him that I see in almost any Flash cartoon, is his capacity to love. For those who have seen the episode, if you haven't felt the slightest thing during his heartfelt conversation with his father, then I feel very bad for you. I think that scene totally defined who Barry Allen truly is as a hero...heck, as a person. It's the scene that makes him separate from any other DC character. His capacity to love is huge and the length of his faith can just go on forever...just like his speed. 

Harrison Wells (source)

Professor Zoom

Now the things I did not like in the Pilot episode... I guess I have to start with Detective Pretty Boy? Not because he stole Iris from Barry, but simply because  he seems too predictable for me. I mean, the moment I saw him, I could already tell that he was going to make a move on Iris at some point, despite the fact of her being a detective's daughter (the father is pretty cool, btw). But one of the major rules of DC is to not ignore any character. So I am still going to watch out for him. Also, I do not like  Professor Zoom Harrison Wells! I may not be a professional actor or theater person, but I think his acting needs a bit more work? Seriously! You discourage Barry from being a hero, then all of the sudden you come back right in and give him the pep talk that Oliver already gave him??? Is that a way to convince the characters that you are not a total party pooper? Aside from that, I think the writers are dropping the plot twist bombs too soon. DC fans who have seen the episode most likely have a good idea on what is going to happen next. Like the newspaper he was viewing in the very last scene. If you are a DC fan and you watched the Pilot, then there is a chance you already know that it is not an ordinary newspaper. (Flashpoint Paradox)

??? (source)

OKAY TIME FOR ARROW!

You have failed this city (source)

The way I understood, nine months (thank you Diggle's ex-wife) have already passed since the second season. I have to admit, I had a really hard time containing my feelings during the first three minutes of the show because everything seemed so perfect and wonderful and I wanted to cry. Not only that, everything is slowly becoming a bit more accurate. Oliver is slowly regaining his jokes (even though they are still not that good), Laurel is hinted to become a part of Team Arrow (sorry haters), and Olicity is just at the margin, but not quite (sorry Olicity fans, but they were never really canon). Call me a fangirl with "feels" explosion, but this episode is too perfect words!

My bae <3 (source)

The things I love about this episode? Probably everything. My favorite scene will always be the very first scene when they took down the bad guy (whoever he was, I can't remember). From Roy's back flip to the random appearances of Team Arrow that intimidated the baddies, seeing them work together is truly a bliss. Heck every fight scene in the  show were incredible. So badass, so awesome. End of story. Like all the positive and ecstatic feelings were being mixed right inside my stomach and reached up till my heart to the point I almost lost my ability to breathe. And Katana's appearance nearly made me squeal! AND RAY PALMER!

Devon Aoki as Katana (source)

Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer (source)

Seeing them completely destroyed my grin because the muscles on my face could not handle the growing width of my smile. I cannot wait to see more of them in the upcoming episodes. Then there's John Diggle's baby girl! She is so adorable, she is like a human chipmunk that I want to cuddle for the remainder of my days (#DaddyDiggle)!!! And at first, I grew so nervous for Diggle because he had a screaming match with Oliver. So I thought maybe he would be leaving Team Arrow at some point. But everything turned out okay, he finally said Oliver was right and that's a first. A major first. And of course, there are the Olicity scenes. I am sure the date has been a scene that every single Olicity fan has been waiting. Also I'm certain that the writers were fully aware of that, so to tease the emotions, they had to cut the date short. Thank you, CW! As of now, I am in the middle of this whole Olicity thing. They were never canon to begin with and I am honestly a hardcore Black CanaryXGreen Arrow shipper. But I also want Olicity to happen, because in this series, Felicity seems like a much better match for Oliver rather than any other girl at the moment (ehem, Laurel, ehem). So as for the conclusion they had, I am actually very happy it ended that way (for now). Because it's realistic, at the same time it pulls on your feels, which I truly enjoy (and don't enjoy, at the same time). But after that episode I am not sure where my shipping loyalties in Arrow lie at the moment. Why? Well let's move on to the only thing I did not like about the episode.

The Canary's Appearance in Season 3 (source)

I understand that Sara was never meant to be The Canary in the first place, but did she really have to be killed off??? I actually love her and she was actually my number one choice for Oliver (besides Felicity). Up till now, I am still trying to process the fact that she died, and that I will never see her in Arrow ever again. A lot of theories has stirred up, regarding who killed her. Many said it was Ra Al Ghul, others said its Malcolm Merlyn, and this just in, someone said it could be Thea (who I am expecting to see in the next episode, by the way). Well whoever killed her, I want Nyssa to wipe the floor with that murderer. Because the killer of Sara Lance is truly an enemy that I will never have sympathy for. Unless its Thea. Oh well. Still, killing her off was not cool. Even if it is for the sake of making Laurel the Black Canary, since she is after the original Black Canary! First the writers made her go back to the League of Assassins, which made me so upset because a part of me knew she will never be on Team Arrow again Then they brought her back and that has given me a small light of hope. But no! They killed her off!!!! The foreshadowing of Sara giving Laurel the leather jacket was better than her murder. Now I don't know if I will be able to recover from this tragedy. She was such an amazing character. 

I guess I went a little overboard with the feels, but now is time to end this post. Before I do, I would like to do a little promoting. Currently my major class is handling a community blog revolving around tourism in the Philippines, and guess what? I want you all to pay a visit! Simply click here  and explore all the beautiful islands of the Philippines. Yes, I am a contributor to the blog and my posts are still under the username Tama-chan. I even have an individual blog called Tama Travels for this project, so you can click there for more detailed posts. The links will soon be available on my sidebar so stay tuned. So that is it and see you on the next post!

Fangirl Moment: Arrow Season 3: High Speed Chase Trailer

youtube link

I do not know where to begin...

Multitasking... 

Arsenal...

Ollicity...

Black Canary's Return...
Brandon Routh???

OH MY GODS MY HAPPINESS CANNOT BE CONTAINED!!! 

Yes, I just watched the trailer for the first episode of Arrow, which is called High Speed Chase. I know, better late than ever, Tama. Well what can I say,  I was too busy with catching up on Season 2 to even look at it. So now, I've seen it...I am not sure if I will be able to make a comprehensive statement about how I feel right now. I feel excited, I have this sudden urge to bite and strangle anything. I want to scream around the streets like a crazy person, and I want to dance to the background music this trailer has (seriously, what is the title of this amazing song???). So far, Arrow has not disappointed me and each season/episode gets better and better. The previews look very promising and I'm not saying this because I am DC-biased. This series is a whole new level of awesome and if I have to explain why it's so amazing, I would end up writing a novel thicker than the Bible itself. So yeah, I'm keeping my fingers crossed...hoping this season will not flop. DC has certainly found its place in television series (alongside Gotham and Flash). And that's all I can say for now... why? Simple. I am going to watch this trailer again.