The round table for Arrow Season 4 Episode 16 is in session. That's a nod to what the group considers tedious courtroom sessions with an otherwise engaging Damien Darhk. Watching Oliver and Felicity work together was a little too painful, as well. 

Put your thoughts out for the world to see when you join the conversation. TV Fanatics Meg Bonney, Jim Garner, Kelly Thompson and Caralynn Lippo have gotten it started for you. The comments are wide open and waiting for your opinions on the matters at hand.

What did you think of Oliver's uncertainty of Felicity remaining on Team Arrow?

Meg: Working with an ex is doable, but after watching them work together, it's clear that it may not work in the situation. It was SUPER awkward. For everyone.

Jim: Totally agreed Meg, I was cringing the whole time. Working with an ex can be done if it was a mutually agreed split. But, when one person is still totally in love and doesn't want to be apart, it just gets weird.

Kelly: Felicity is probably the most important part of the team outside of Oliver (and that could really be debated). So, it's slightly confusing that Oliver would think she wouldn't want to stay on the team. They wouldn't have found Cupid without Felicity, and I think her being off the team will last for about 10 seconds. Someone is going to be on the verge of being killed, and they will need Felicity.

Caralynn: His uncertainty made perfect sense because like Meg said, it was incredibly awkward. Felicity kept making really pointed comments, and Oliver kept making moony eyes at her. It was weird for everybody else to see and probably distractingly uncomfortable for both Felicity and Oliver.

That said, Felicity needs to be a part of the team. Her leaving the team isn't going to work and will probably end up causing a big problem, potentially costing innocents their lives because, let's face it: nobody is as fast as Felicity with the tracking and tech wizardry.

How did you like Cupid's return?

Meg: I actually really like Cupid. She is crazy and owns it. Her mission to kill celebrity couples was a little brutal, but I really like seeing her back.

Jim: I was actually surprised they didn't dig into the "why" she was so heartbroken and changed her M/O. It was pretty cool to see her back, and the opening graphics with the arrow being cupids "heart" arrow made me wonder if this episode was suppose to air around Valentine's Day...

Kelly: Was not a fan. Just a pretty lackluster villain of the week. Also, is it fully decided that ARGUS is like the easiest place to escape from...?

Caralynn: Also not a fan. The character herself is so over the top and a little cheesy. The fact that she appeared in this episode of all episodes was just a little too convenient, plot-wise.

Talk about the plan to use a faux wedding to lure in Cupid. A good tactic? A bad tactic? Why?

Meg: It was good in theory, but we saw how hard it was for Oliver and Felicity to separate their emotions from this because they came so close to doing it for real. It just sucks all around. Breaking up is hard. Running into your ex at the grocery store and making small talk is hard. Staging a fake wedding in the venue, wearing the dress with your ex is downright heartbreaking. So good idea for catching Cupid, horrible idea for their emotions.

Jim: I was really, really, really hoping it would help Felicity realize that relationships are work and that one can't survive without forgiveness and growth. Oliver is trying so hard to be a better man, but he will stumble sometimes and pulling out her support won't help either of them.

Kelly: It was a good tactic. I don't know why they had to say their own vows. That made about zero sense. It seemed more like a plan for Ollie to tell Felicity how he felt than to get Cupid to appear.

Caralynn: Good tactic for luring out Cupid, for sure. It was also a good tactic for Oliver to take Diggle's advice and make his stance on his relationship with Felicity known to her. I don't know about anybody else, but Felicity looked pretty convinced to me, especially when she made that speech to Cupid. The fact that she gave that speech and the content of the speech were both lovely. The fact that it appeared to work on Cupid was a little absurd. "Oh, she's defeated by the power of love! How grand!" Silly.

What are your thoughts on Capt. Lance testifying against Damien Darhk?

Meg: It really was the only way to get DD behind bars, but it sucks that Lance had to tarnish his name and his badge to do it. It seems like everyone understands that he was doing to protect his daughter, but I feel like DD's legal team will attack that in court during the trial and that's when we will see him really lose his pride.

Jim: One of the biggest things I love about this show is that the characters continue to evolve and grow. Lance's sacrifice looks bad now, but this is a comic book show. He's gonna bounce back into something bigger and better.

Kelly: It made sense story wise and character wise. But what will Lance do now that he is suspended?

Caralynn: This is totally how Lance dies. Testifying was necessary to lock Darhk up (the judge essentially confirmed she wouldn't have ruled against Darhk's motion to dismiss if not for Lance's testimony), but it put a huge target on his bag. Especially now that he has no gun? Yeah, they're telegraphing his death pretty hard right now.

What are your expectations of the trial since it's been allowed to proceed?

Meg: I don't super love the idea of a bad-ass super villain being reduced to such a real world consequence. It's all very court room drama, but I am hoping we will get a cool twist when everything goes to trial.

Jim: I really missed the cocky, snarky, and sarcastic humor that Neal McDonough does such a great job of delivering as Darhk. I'm hoping we get to see Darhk at his verbal finest during the trial.

Kelly: It's interesting that the show is choosing to put DD on trial. They've haven't done that since Moira Queen. It's a great reminder that Laurel is lawyer which I think all fans have gotten since no one on this show goes to work. Giving Laurel more to do is something I will be a fan of, but who actually believes DD will stay in jail?

Caralynn: I'm not into the trial. Even this preliminary trial was terribly written (there were several points where I was wondering why in the hell the defense attorney was allowing the witnesses to continue to speak). I can only imagine how groan worthy the actual trial is going to be.

I'm with Meg, I hope they throw some fun twist at us that cuts the whole thing short. It is great that Laurel is actively getting something to do, though it's unfortunate that the writers seemingly cannot for the life of them figure out how to make Laurel work as Black Canary.

Any other thoughts on the episode?

Meg: I love Felicity, and I love Oliver but clearly this isn't working out for their characters. There is just so much tension. It makes me miss the old days when taking down the bad guys was the main objective of the show.

Jim: I really wish they had gotten a lawyer to look over the courtroom dialog. I'm not a lawyer and even I saw some obvious errors. I hope the trial doesn't turn into Law & Order: Star City Edition.

Kelly: I'm officially done with any and all flashbacks. They just interrupt the real plot and every other episode Ollie's life is in danger. News flash, we know Ollie will never die in the flashbacks! At this point, I don't even know what is really going on in the flashbacks nor care. It's obviously not going to happen this season but here's hoping next season will have no flashbacks.

Caralynn: What Jim said. The way the trial was written was distractingly terrible, that was my number one critique of this episode. Hell, I even preferred Oliver's Indiana Jones island flashbacks to the trial scenes, which is REALLY saying something. Also, on the Olicity front, they are having Felicity be SO stern about their breakup, so clear on its finality, which is sad but makes me want to high five her for sticking to her guns and not allowing emotion to persuade her from what she has to do.

On the other hand, they're going so hard with the "This breakup is REAL and it's PERMANENT!!" bit that the only thing I'm sure of is that it is certainly NOT real and permanent. They'll be back together by the finale and if not then, early next season. Oliver's love for Felicity was made abundantly clear in this episode alone, there's no way in hell he's moving on.

Felicity's arc for the the rest of the season is just going to be her forgiving Oliver when he proves himself in a grand way. This show has become incredibly predictable and melodramatic, which is unfortunate.

Whether they're together or not, Oliver will come to Felicity's aid when Brie Larvan has a go at his love on Arrow Season 4 Episode 17. Photos are below!

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.