Arrowverse: 15 best Arrow moments of all-time

Arrow — “Invasion!” — Image AR508a_0172b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen and Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

2. Oliver’s Family Reunion

Episode: “Invasion!” (Season 5, Episode 8)

Arrow‘s 100th episode also happened to take place during the four-way Arrowverse crossover that it shared with The Flash, Supergirl and DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow.

So, what better way to mark the occasion than by having the Dominators place Arrow‘s significant characters in a coma so that they could hallucinate the life they always wanted and, in doing so, allow the show to pay tribute to its past?

After realizing that his perfect life, where he was set to marry the love-of-his-life Laurel Lance and play a major role in Queen Consolidated, was all an alien-induced dream, Oliver became emotional because he knew that it meant he would have lost so much of what he loved all over again.

It didn’t take long for the scene to tug on the viewers’ heartstrings, as Oliver tearfully hugged both of his parents before bidding them, and his fantasy, goodbye. It was a fitting tribute to them as they both, especially Moira, played an integral role in the show’s early days, and a painful reminder that they were no longer living.

However, this would be followed by more tears, as Thea revealed that she didn’t want to leave, asking why anyone would want to return to a real world with so much loss in it.

But the tissues weren’t ready to go away just yet as the grand finale soon followed, with Laurel appearing in her wedding dress and questioning Oliver over his decision to leave. A tearful Oliver told her that he was no longer the man that she fell in love with.

In doing so, reminded the viewers that some of the dodgy creative decisions over the years had indeed changed him from who he was supposed to be. He then told her that he wasn’t worthy of her love because she always deserved better (darn right she did, writers!) before kissing her on the forehead and leaving.

An emotional tribute to everything that made Arrow‘s first few seasons stand out so well. It was a testament to the show that it managed to create something so beautiful out of an alien invasion. Bravo indeed.