Arrow Spotlight: Felicity Smoak

The many layers of Arrow’s Felicity Smoak make her a character that has won the heart of Oliver Queen and a legion of fans.

Her cyber skills as an advanced computer technology engineer a.k.a computer hacker makes her a valuable member of Team Green Arrow.  Let’s face it, Felicity’s genius at the keyboard has saved her friends from certain death on more than one occasion, proving you don’t have to have powers to be a superhero.

Felicity Smoak could have been a one-dimensional character, the brainy computer nerd. As played by Emily Bett Rickards, she’s transcends that cliché. She’s beautiful, smart and funny.  She has been loved by both Ray Palmer and Oliver Queen, two very different types of men.   She has strong opinions and is not afraid to stand her ground even when those opinions differ from Oliver’s.  The great thing about Felicity is that although she and Oliver are great together, she doesn’t need to be with Oliver to be an interesting character.

Last season’s episode “The Origins of Felicity Smoak” provided viewers with her back story. Like Oliver and others on the show, she’s made mistakes and has things she needs to atone for.  But her past and present choices have enabled her character growth.  If Felicity wasn’t who she is, Oliver wouldn’t have fallen in love with her and there would be no “Olicity” for fans to care about.  Felicity Smoak is part of the new breed of female superheroes and a woman anyone would be proud to be.

Arrow airs Wednesdays 8/7c on The CW.