8. Felicity’s monologue to William
One of Arrow‘s new additions this season was Oliver Queen’s son, William Clayton. Although he had previously appeared on the show, his mother’s death made William a regular part of Oliver’s life. This added a new layer to Season 6, as we got to see how the playboy-turned-vigilante-turned-hero adapted to a parental role. But it also made things more difficult for him as he now faced opposition from his own son — who did not want to lose his father to the fight against crime.
Unhappy with Oliver’s life as the Green Arrow, William protested regularly. But thanks to Felicity, he was allowed to watch Team Arrow in action via the bunker’s monitors. As he watched, she delivered a powerful monologue about love, worry and the dangers of the job. As she did so, we caught slow-motion glimpses of Team Arrow in precarious spots, while she referenced the loss they’ve suffered before as we got a close-up on Laurel’s Black Canary costume.
In a show that often loses sight of its own deadly situations, this moment added a lot of gravity to the season and reminded us all as viewers that being a superhero can have deadly consequences. It made quite the impact on William, who had begun to see how selfless (and badass) his father truly was. And it was easily one of the most powerful and moving sequences that the show has delivered.