Stephen Amell sold the heck out of all of his scenes in “The Fallen,” and many of the big moments of the episode would have fallen flat without him as the principal performer. One of his greatest scenes, however, was one in which he was the subject rather than speaker. As Emily Bett Rickards delivered her speech about how Oliver’s time as the Arrow changed lives for the better, Amell’s minute reactions were masterful. Ever the gloomy brooder, Oliver visibly discounts each of her compliments…until she tells him how he had affected her. Oliver could talk himself out of every victory that he’d struck as the Arrow, but Felicity loving him was not something within his power to change. He couldn’t take it away from her, and so he had to accept that he had earned her feelings for him.
Deleted Scenes From Arrow 3x20: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What Needs to Happen Next, laurawritesabout
This is one of my favourite sections of the episode. Oliver struggles to believe what Felicity tells him, about how much good he’s done in the world, how he’s changed and saved lives. His innermost demons don’t let him believe her, no matter how much he may want to.
It’s only when Felicity tells him what impact he’s had on her life that he lets himself believe. His breath hitches and his eyes widen. It’s one thing to discount the impact you’ve had on nameless, faceless strangers, but when the one person you love more than anyone else in the world is telling you that you play such an important role in their life, to the point where their life is better for knowing you, you can’t help but finally see yourself through their eyes. And believe.
Stephen is the master of expression and nuance but his work in this scene was just phenomenal.
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