Felicity & Ray Are Perfect Together On 'Arrow'

I'd like to extend my sincerest apologies to all Olicity fans in the Arrow fandom, but I think that relationship being dead for now is a good thing for Felicity Smoak. It has not only paved the way for the smartest woman in every room to move forward with her career, but also with her life in the form of a different billionaire: Ray Palmer. Let's make one thing very clear right off the bat: Felicity doesn't need a man, for anything. That's why in the Arrow Season 3 episode "Draw Back Your Bow" she originally wanted to keep her relationship with Ray Palmer professional and platonic. Felicity Smoak is an independent, badass woman. But if she wants a romantic partner, Ray Palmer is definitely the best choice for the time being. In fact, Felicity and Ray are kind of perfect for each other.

As much as I also love the Oliver and Felicity dynamic, everyone's favorite former hacktivist has spent too much time pining for someone who has decided they cannot be together for the dumbest reasons. And not only that, but he continues to flip flop about their relationship and gets jealous when someone else shows the slightest bit of interest in Felicity. If Felicity has to be with anyone at all right now, it's kind of impossible to do much better than Ray.

For starters, Ray and Felicity's personalities are definitely more closely matched. Felicity is still the smarter one of the two geniuses, made clear in their first few interactions when she was able to school the billionaire on technology. She even hacked into his personal devices to replace his files with porcupine farts. But Ray is the inventor of a high-tech smartphone you wear on your wrist, which definitely impresses Felicity's mother and must impress Felicity herself, at least a little.

The potential couple also has incredible chemistry. From their beginning days of Felicity hating Ray for Oliver's sake, to their adorable business dinner and later kiss, Felicity and Ray share the same energy which makes for a great pairing. They also complement each other very well. Ray's personality is upbeat, slightly awkward at times, and purposeful in every way. Felicity is also sweet but tough, and totally awkward. Somehow, they make it work really well.

Then there's the quality Ray has that made Felicity originally fall for Oliver, the thing that makes Ray her "type": His desire to help others. As Felicity said herself in the speech she made to the mineral deposits owner at Ray's business dinner, Ray is not just a billionaire business man, he is "inspiring" and actively invested in making the world a better place. He, like Oliver, wants to help people and fix Starling City, they just have very different ways of doing so. But Ray comes with an added bonus: He doesn't require himself to be closed off, alone, and so uptight just to finish or succeed in his mission. And that distinction is what makes him the man Felicity deserves.

Images: Cate Cameron/The CW; arthurdrvill/Tumblr