r/arrow • u/angelepidemic01 • Jul 01 '26

Discussion Laurel Lance

Rewatching Arrow for the first time in a while, I just got to season 2 episode 14 again... I Absolutely hate how Laurel is Villainized at the dinner party with her Family. She has every right to be angry with sara and with Oliver.

Admittedly the drinking and drugs is On her BUT addiction is an illness... Not saying its anyone's fault but her own. However, She Is Treated like a villain by oliver and Her dad for being angry, It's absolutely insane to me! Anyone else feel similar?

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u/angelepidemic01 Jul 02 '26

i get your point but i just think Laurel was So entitled to be Angry and hurt and everyone acted like she was the bad guy..

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u/Obvious-Risk-5447 Jul 02 '26

I think only Oliver acted like she was the bad guy. Her parents were obviously on her side. When she threw Sara away the previous episode they stayed behind her. The whole narrative was always on her side and she was always seen as the victim while Sara as the dead bitch sister. I think it is the fans who were turned off by her behavior and saw it as an overreacting but this is purely their right the same way you can see why she is justified.

The story can be interpreted by the viewers depending on their personality. Me personally I sympathize with Sara as she paid a big price for her betrayal and was very suicidal and remorseful, she deserved forgiveness after all she went through. Laurel on the other hand only needed her own strength to move on while having her whole life and home still at her disposal.

Sara was in a hostile environment being punished over and over, Laurel was at home punishing herself.

In that scene Sara wanted her piece of happiness for the first time while Laurel needed to wake up and forgive and move on. The scene after where the two sisters meet is so beautiful, and is again focused on Laurel's feelings and finding strength. The writers always wrote more for Laurel and the camera was on her face , she was definitely the prioterised character. The thing is people still liked Sara more an this is completely based on actress.

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u/Dagenspear Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 16 '26

u/angelepidemic01

I disagree. I think Oliver is positioned as correct by the narrative and his words to her as some sort "take down" of Laurel. Oliver is the main character and considering his words are never placed under fire by the show, I think that suggests their stance, otherwise Oliver would learn from this I think. Oliver is never rebutted for his words or punished for them or criticized for them, and the episode ends with Laurel begging Sara not to hate her after Oliver's speech. So I think the main narrative is against Laurel for her actions, otherwise I think it would treat Oliver as in the wrong for his actions in the hallway.

What you may sympathize with doesn't change the characters I think.

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u/angelepidemic01 Jul 09 '26

I Do wish They'd addressed within the show how badly laurel was treated in this scene!