What would be cruel is the people of this city not having you as the Mayor. The Anti-Crime Unit. Low-income housing. Common-sense gun legislation. Ollie, in the short amount of time you've been doing this, you've done a remarkable job. Please just let me do what I have to do to help you keep doing that.
Oliver
Felicity told me about this Collins thing because of something that John said to her. Thea, when you fight fire with fire, you are probably gonna get burned.
Actually, can it wait? The councilmen and I are on the clock. Besides, you're looking a little ragged. You tired? Or is it that you've actually been asleep this whole time?
Gonna try it this way now. [turns to face Oliver] I gotta tell ya, I don't know how that mask is gonna play here. Especially since the city's not too fond of your alter ego these days.
Oliver
I'll give them the Throwing Star Killer. See how they feel.
[very calm] She's fine. Don't worry. As long as I'm around to make sure she gets some food and water. Starvation and dehydration. Terrible way to go. Bottom line: I die... she dies. I don't make it back to her in time, she dies. Now, you could try torturing me for her location. We both know what you're capable of in that department. But, I think that we both know what I'm capable of. So, Ollie... who do you think can last longer? Susan or me? [smiles] Oooh... I'm ten steps ahead of you and you haven't even figured out what game we're playing yet.
[regarding the wounded and comatose Captain Pike] Life's just so fragile, isn't it? Decades of hopes and dreams, and in one moment, one little mistake, and it all just goes away. [turns to face Oliver]
You don't have a choice, Oliver. If you kill me, you kill Susan. And she will be as dead as your mother. As Tommy. As Shado. As Laurel. As your friend Pike here, probably. All dead because of you. So go ahead. Kill me. Let's find out how much more loss you can take. Because I don't think it's much. I think you're one loss away from being destroyed.
But at what cost? You're a fool to think a piece of cloth can separate man from monster. Dividing yourself in two will only make monster stronger. Until it is stronger than you.
But this man I see now bears more resemblance to Slade Wilson or Anthony Ivo. [lifts the sheet, recoils in disgust, then replaces it] Tough man. Clearly withstood a lot before breaking.
Oliver
Gave up pretty quickly. The rest was me practicing.
I told you, Oliver. You infect every life you touch. Now do you realize why? It's because your crusade was based on a lie. You used your father's memory to justify a killing spree. There's a price to be paid for that, Oliver. Your mother paid it. Your friend Tommy paid it. Laurel. You really want to tell me that John Diggle and Felicity Smoak's lives are better having known you?
And I'm a man of my word. But first, I have a gift for you. [picks up a mini-torch and walks over to Oliver] This tattoo of yours. To be an American and named a captain in the Bratva. You've must've done something extraordinary. When you look at it, it must... it must remind you of such a victory. [lights the torch] Now when you look at it, you'll think about our time here together. And the secret that you confessed to me.
Oliver
[still weak] Whatever pain I caused you... I'm sorry.
Well, that is entirely possible. But in this case, I am right. This "deal" you selled yourself on, that this hood was going to keep this monster of yours at bay... someday, it's going to fall apart. And when it does, you're not going to like the man you see underneath.
You're an animal who enjoys murder, there's no telling what you'll do. And it's not like your alter ego can kill me. Not since the SCPD put me in protective custody since the Green Arrow slaughtered my wife. So you kill me in broad daylight. Or you let me live, knowing that there's nothing you can do.
We're not done, Oliver. You and me, we're never gonna be done. You understand that? Listen, man, you can tell me that you're a serial killer. That you're crazy. Or you're whatever Chase has shoved into your head. But I'm not believing any of that, even if you do. And that's because I know the kind of man you are, Oliver. The good, the bad and the ugly, I know! And you don't need to punish yourself or isolate yourself. But what you need to do is stop pushing me away! Because I'm not going anywhere, Oliver! Do you get that?!
Oliver
What do you want me to do, John? I've told you what I am. Who I am. And even if you don't believe it, I do. [softly] I do. So I don't know where that leaves us.
It leaves us right back at Langham, Oliver. You remember that? I killed my brother, Oliver. And I was gonna let myself rot in prison for what I did. But you told me to atone for what I did as Spartan. And if that's true for me, then it's one hundred times truer for the Green Arrow. You don't just get to walk away from this, man. The Hood is who you are. You don't think you deserve it? Fine. Work to become the man who does.
No one else? You betray every man in Bratva. You betray Russian community. You even work against own team. I see this, I think "I still trust him anyway." What a fool I was.
Oliver
No. I'm the fool. Because I thought that our friendship, everything that we have been through together, actually meant something to you. The person that I knew would never betray a friend. Would never threaten innocent people over what? A payday. When I left Russia, I was convinced that you could lead the Bratva, that you could set them on a better path. And now look at you. You're no better than Gregor.
I told you: I was worried about what I would become without your help. I did what I had to do. To keep Bratva together. And to stay alive. I became what I had to become. You ask why I change. That is it.
For the past four years, I have watched you do whatever you had to, whatever it took to stop the people threatening this city. How can you stand there and not ask me to do the same thing?
Oliver
Because, over the past four years, you, more than anyone else, have seen the toll that it has taken on me.
-- Yes, I under... I understand. I agree, that I should not shelter you from making hard decisions. But you want to talk irony? Fine. You were willing to sell your soul to destroy a threat that I created. [stumbles over his next words]
One of the reasons I fell in love with you was you were always willing to do what was right. No matter what the cost. Even if it's unbearably hard. It's what makes you you. So how can I be any different? You have sacrificed your soul, for the team, for the city, and for me. You don't... have to carry that burden any longer. Let me do it.
Arrow · 834 quotes
Oliver
