Epilogue: A New Dawn
A/N: This is it!
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"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences."
– Eleanor Roosevelt
Three months had passed since the almost annihilation of Starling City by the League of Shadows. There had been a funeral of sorts for the fallen warriors Bane, Tabitha, and even Nyssa in the private graveyard at Wayne Manor. Wayne's funeral had been smaller then Oliver would have imagined it to be for a man of such importance, but Alfred had kept it private on purpose. He believed that only those who knew the real Bruce Thomas Wayne should be invited to mourn his death. Now, Oliver thought it was a cruel irony that Wayne's middle name was Thomas – named after his father, Thomas Wayne – it was a clear reminder of Oliver's loss of Tommy and the man he could've been towards his friend.
Looking back on the last two years Oliver had once thought that he would have been proud of himself and of the man he had become, but in truth he was not. He thought the island had changed him, and it did to an extent, but when he returned home he let his old ways plague him and his old demons take over. Ollie slowly came back and reared his immature, pompous, selfish, ugly head and took over what little good had been in his life. He had made many of the same mistakes as he had before he had left on the Gambit.
He had let Laurel become nothing more than an illusion: people who are illusions are dangerous…because they have not faults and they become perfect…but in reality they are just that…people. And people are not perfect. She and Sara became his blind spots; a part of him that had become overrun with guilt for what he had done to them both only to let them and him use that guilt as a way to escape the very possible man he could grow to be.
He had still slept around. Not only had he betrayed Laurel when he had fallen back into bed with Sara after her return, but he had also betrayed Tommy by seducing Laurel before his friend's death as well. He hated that Tommy's last memory of him was that he had stolen Laurel away and hurt him just like he had hurt Laurel with Sara. The women all became the same and blurred together a faceless line of mistakes: Laurel (from the very beginning of their relationship years ago he knew they would never work, but he kept going back to her; he couldn't even remember ever being happy when they had been together), all the women he had cheated on Laurel with…including Sara; Shado (he had not loved her like she had deserved to be loved; he had wronged her…much like he had wronged Felicity), Sara again briefly on the island before her so called death, then Helena when he had returned to Starling (she had appealed to his darker side, but he had also tried to save her from herself…perhaps even from himself), McKenna (that relationship had been doomed to fail simply because he would never have been able to tell her the truth about who he really was), then his mistake with Laurel…again, and of course Isabel (sleeping with the enemy was simply not right in itself, nor was it smart); Sara…again (in some desperate attempt to use her to replace the thoughts of the woman who he really wanted to stop plaguing him)…on and on the list went. The sad thing was that for every woman he had been with he immediately knew the answer to every mistake that it would be if he ever got with them. Yet, he would ignore his better judgment and sabotage himself as much and often as possible.
When he had met Felicity and even Digg, things had slowly begun to change inside of him. His heart wasn't as cold, his thoughts weren't as dark, he had hope in his future, and he was slowly learning to be a good man…a good hero for his City. So, why for the life of him did he ruin that? He didn't know, but he still felt like that child that he had been before the island and he was tired of his own Legacy of destruction. He wanted to change.
He needed to change…
It may have been a hard lesson to put him under, but he knew now – after so much heartache and pain – he finally knew who and what he wanted. Felicity. It would always be Felicity, and he would be damned if he would let her go like before. Oliver knew she needed time to grieve for Wayne, but when the time was right, he would be there. He would help put her back together just like all the times she had repaired the harsh lonely man he had become.
He would fight for her, because she was worth fighting for.
But, first he would have to earn her trust, thought Oliver as he remembered Felicity's words to him after he had confronted her after Wayne's funeral. "If we could live happily ever after together, we could…but only if you were willing to let us. And I don't trust you to do that. I don't trust that you'll let us be happy together."
Yes, trust first then friendship, and then maybe…just maybe he would get things right and they would be able to live Happily Ever After. Felicity Smoak had given him hope, a purpose, an honorable way to fulfill that purpose, and now she had finally turned him into an optimist.
So, he would fight – for her and his city.
The announcement in the Starling City Gazette of the upcoming nuptials of one Thea Queen and Roy Harper had hit the streets of Starling and Gotham City like wildfire as the press seemed to have a field day with this seemingly modern tale of Cinderella. Only the Prince was a Queen, and Cinderella was a lonely teenage boy with authority issues.
It was the same article that had announced that Moira Queen and Isabel Rochev would also finally be prosecuted from the "murder" and "cover up" of one Felicity Meghan Smoak.
The paper also revealed that Quinten Lance had been made Chief of Police in Starling City due to his recent heroics. However, the news of his daughter Laurel Lance – former lawyer for the local ADA – moving to Central City to get help for her addiction problems while living with her sister, Sara Lance – recently returned from her assumed death on the Gambit seven years ago – and Dinah L. Lance was met with mixed thoughts from the public.
When Oliver heard the news of Laurel and Sara moving to Central City he was oddly relieved that part of his past would no longer be a constant daily reminder. He needs the escape from the Lance family and they were better off without him, too. And that was ok.
Oliver had been reading from his iPhone about this news when he had made his way into the Foundry, alone – Digg and Felicity had their own crusades against crime to fight now – when a dark shinning green object caught his eye. It was a new bow and the small tag that hung from it said…
Always fight for the people, never yourself.
– B. W.
Commissioner Jim Gordon felt the loss of his City's hero, and his friend, deep in his gut. It was bittersweet, you know? Batman – Wayne – had saved the city, but no one would ever know that it had been him. A hero should deserve some sort of recognition for what…
"Commissioner! You need to get to the roof, sir! There's something you really need to see!" yelled out Detective John Robin Blake as he passed by Gordon's office on the top floor of the Major Crimes Unit – MCU – precinct, not caring that he had interrupted his boss and friend's thoughts.
Jim jumped up from his desk chair and raced out of his office and up the stairwell leading to the roof exit. What he saw when he got there made the world brighter…just a little bit more than it had been these last three months.
"Sir, you don't think that…I mean it's not possible…" Blake trailed off in his sentence as he gazed at the brightness in front of him.
"One thing I've learned from our mutual friend, never underestimate what he is capable of," said Gordon as he slowly made his way over to the newly shinning spotlight on the top of MCU headquarters. The Bat-signal shining brightly in the sky.
Selena…Felicity…Talia…Catwoman sat on the ledge of the tallest skyscraper in the city, the small black cat – she had named her Isis – climbed up and over her outstretched legs as she look out and over the dark city that was lit with a few bright street lights here and there. The darkness of the night blended in with her suit, embracing her into the shadows.
She had been staring out over the city and looking towards the symbol that was illuminating in the sky for the last hour. She wasn't certain what she should believe, but…Her thoughts were interrupted as she sensed the very really presence of someone coming up behind her.
"I figured I'd find you here," said the rough voice behind her. She had sensed his approach before he'd even spoken. The sound of his thick heavy cape billowing behind him as the wind passed over them and brought his musky scent to her senses.
Selena smiled before she turned to her vigilante…No! Her hero. Her Dark Knight. Her eyes were dark and seductive as she spoke to her love, "You found me."
"Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."
– Victor Hug; Les Meserables
Rant VII) Bruce Wayne (Batman) vs. Oliver Queen (Arrow):
Bruce Thomas Wayne (Batman)…
Seems to have a more selfless purpose that he can use to empathize with other victims. When he firsts puts on the mask he does it so others will never know the pain of losing someone they love like he has, to honor his parents legacy of doing what is right for the people of Gotham, and to actually do what is best for the entire City of Gotham. And yet, at the same time he has seen enough of the darkness of the world and reality that he can also understand why the bad guys do what they do – he doesn't see the world in black and white – he is the ultimate grey area. He's not the Batman for himself; he wears the mask for others as he has often said, "The mask is not for you, it is to protect the ones you love from retribution."
Despite the fact that he was once a member of the League of Shadows and was taught by Rhas Al Ghul himself, when asked to truly be initiated into the League (by killing a man) he said no. He chose not to kill, which is something that Sara Lance never chose. If he could choose then why didn't she? Sara often appears in the Arrow show as trying to be a good guy, but she chose to be an assassin and a killer in the first place. It is one thing to kill in order to survive like she and Oliver did on the island, but it is something else entirely to kill for hire or to be an assassin.
Wayne/Batman seems to have a better insight on human nature and people in general. He can understand the good guys and the villains. Is older, wiser, more experienced, and more accepting of reality then Oliver is. He has accepted the Darkness that is inside him and uses it to his advantage instead of letting it destroy him.
The billionaire-playboy image that he acts on is just that…an act. He was always serious and doesn't seem to be a playboy at all except in public – he was not even a playboy before he became Batman. While Oliver really was a playboy before the island incident and seems to be reverting back to that playboy part of his personality.
Is actually a genius like Felicity and seems to have a more realistic idealism when it comes to being a superhero.
While he does have flaws and makes mistakes; which helps the whole brooding-Byronic-tragic-hero image; he still maintains the hero idea of being selfless, brave, & true.
Faces his problems head on, whether they are emotional, personal, mental, or physical problems. He doesn't run from his problems or his past; he has accepted his past as well as his own darkness and uses his horrible and tragic experiences to learn from his mistakes and move forward to a better future.
Doesn't take the easy way out and is very realistic towards being a hero. Is a hero for the people not for himself. In fact – in the Dark Knight film – he sacrifices his own reputation and image of being a hero to ensure that the people of Gotham can hope and believe in something good again. He is not a hero to impress someone else (like Oliver tries to prove himself to Laurel for the first half of Season 2 of Arrow in order for her to stop blaming the Arrow for Tommy's death).
He has always been described as a hero/legend…not just a mere vigilante like Oliver. Plus, his Batman toys and gadgets are REALLY COOL!
Oliver Queen (Arrow)…
While Oliver does have a legitimate reason for being a vigilante, he does not do it because he wants to save the City from actual criminals (at least not at first). He first does it to right his father's wrongs (it is a sort of obligation and that is not a good reason for shooting people with arrows; at least that's how I've interpreted his reasoning) it is not until a bit later that he comes to understand what it means to even conceive the idea of being a hero – usually not until Digg and Felicity joined his cause. His parents did not teach him to be thankful for what he has (they in fact let him get away with a lot of the crap he did and did not discipline him; as Oliver himself pointed out when he witnesses his mother NOT disciplining Thea in season 1) and instead he was known long before the Island stuff to be a playboy/womanizer. It is not until Digg and Felicity join the team that they are able to talk him into going after other criminals even though they weren't on the list that his father gave him. Wayne/Batman went after any and all criminals from the very beginning.
Oliver seems forever stuck in his past and refuses to see the light in his future. He also takes responsibility for a lot of crap that he is NOT responsible for, but refuses to take responsibility for the stuff he did do wrong.
Still seems to be a womanizing playboy and really needs to grow out of that because it just adds to his selfish nature.
At first he killed to survive on the island (which I could understand), but when he came home and killed bad guys, it was a little harder to accept. It took him a long time and encouragement from Digg and Felicity to realize that he could do things another way.
Selfish: despite being part of a team he still manages to think only of himself. His problems always come first which is not okay or fair to Digg and Felicity who have things to deal with on their own. Cowardly: often runs from his emotional and mental problems (really needs to see a therapist about what happened on the island…he may not want to talk about stuff, but psychology proves that it does help). Repeats the mistakes of his past – a never ending cycle with the Lance sisters. Dishonest: still lies to Digg and Felicity even in their team and only reveals the truth to them until it is almost too late. It would be braver of him to open up to Digg and Felicity about his past on the island and to rebuild his life instead of living in the past. As J.K. Rowling once said, "Destruction is easy. It takes even more courage for a soldier of war to rebuild their life and start anew."
Oliver/Hood/Arrow is still referred to by the people of Starling as a vigilante instead of a hero?! Something to think about, especially if you all remember what Rhas said about vigilantes.
The entire first season of Arrow was more developing for all of the characters to grow more and change for either the better or the worse. Oliver seemed like more of a tragic hero, but season two is a complete 180 and makes him become very anti-hero…which is really bad. He appears to be morphing into the monsters that he hunts.
According to my research, Wayne took a couple of months to prepare to become the Batman, which allowed people to not mix up Batman with his return from the dead. Oliver on the other hand became the Arrow within the first week of his return from the dead. So, of course people are going to draw conclusions as to him being the Arrow. Not the smartest move.
I found this little tidbit that drew a comparison between the two Lord of the Rings characters Boremir and Aragorn and I thought that it could be equally applied to the character Wayne/Batman and Oliver/Arrow. "I always thought that Boremir was portrayed as men are, and Aragorn as men ought to be." The same could easily be said of Oliver portraying vigilantes or superheroes as that are and Wayne/Batman as heroes ought to be. What do you think?!
A/N: Some people may wonder why I do these rants. Well, I believe everyone's voice deserves to be heard. And contrary to popular belief, I do like Oliver Queen (he has some great potential for being a good character, if the writers of the show don't screw it up), but I feel like he has some growing up to do. What I do not like is how the show and the writers of said show have portrayed him. I'm not the type that enjoys soap-opera-drama. With that said, I hope you all understand why I was so willing to put down my opinions and share them with you all. As such, since you all have been so willing to hear me out…always remember that you can share your own opinions with me.
This story has sadly come to an end. The journey is over and no, I doubt I will write a sequel for this story involving Olicity. First, because I don't have any more ideas for them in this storyline and as such anything I write for it further would seem forced. Secondly, it is always hard to write a sequel, and even harder to write a good sequel, that lives up to the hype of the original story. With that said, I have been thinking about doing a short story on my version of Suicide Squad – perhaps a small collection of one shots of how Slade, Deadshot, Digg, Lyla, and Roy are doing as part of their new team. I would most likely also create an Original Character (OC) or two for a certain Slade Wilson and Deadshot to play with romantically. Does this idea appeal to any of you and would any of you like to see how my version of Suicide Squad is doing?! There are so many Olicity stories out there that this gave me that idea of perhaps focusing more on a few of the other characters of the show and develop them more instead. Let me know what you all think.
I hope this ending did the characters justice. Like many of you I believe Oliver needs to come to terms with his darkness and finally accept who he is and who he needs to be, and I still feel like he has some growing up to do. Now, in my mind Felicity and Wayne do live happily ever after; however, as of this ending they are NOT married and Oliver has clearly made a vow to be the good man Felicity always saw him as and regain her love and trust once more, so for all of you Olicity fans who wanted them together?! Well, I think it's safe to say that whatever ending you all imagine is a possibility.
All I can say now is "Thank you" for your continued support and for keeping me going with this story. So, thank you!
P.S. – I will be doing another story that is based from the Once Upon A Time TV show universe. Please, check it out and let me know what you think.
NOTICE: Please, check out the Olicity Arrow fanfiction story The Ways of the Universe by CyberQueens. It is freaking AMAZING.
P.P.S – If you do check out The Ways of the Universe, I have created a Pinterest board that CyberQueens has allowed me to make for her story. It is the fashion that I imagine Felicity would where in each chapter of this AMAZING story. Please, check it out. The Pinterest board is titled, Felicity Smoak: The Ways of the Universe. I hope you all enjoy. Thank you!