Let's put it this way: Oliver had multiple chances to confide in Felicity about what he was dealing with and instead he lied and misled, which created turmoil for no reason. The end.

Felicity isn't some one-night stand. He was moments away from proposing to her had Thea and Laurel not showed up unannounced so yeah, they're a team and you rely on each other, especially in huge life-changing moments like these. Sorry, that's how life works. Hence this situation being contrived drama, especially…

Well, Oliver's lying prompted everything that followed, starting with him lying/covering up when he left to go to Samantha's house the first time. So, no lying = no Felicity getting upset with him for hiding a major situation.

I love when people try to do that. Using the phrase "no offense" doesn't absolve whatever ugly thing is said afterwards and makes it seem even more dumb. Certainly made me LOL that someone thinks I'm a 14-year-old "mean girl" … Ha.

He obviously had suspicions the moment he saw the kid in the coffee shop and believed that there was a good chance that kid was his. So it wasn't some complete bombshell as if a child was dropped off at his doorstep. Traumatized is a bit dramatic. Perhaps overwhelmed.

I'm pretty sure Felicity's emphasis was pointing out that they're a team and when you're a team, you work through things like this together. Not sure where you're getting the whining "about how it affected her." Her strategy to approach him about it wasn't the best, but to act like Oliver did nothing wrong in handling…

I think people were expecting Oliver, who has made huge strides this season, to talk to Felicity about it and work as a team to figure out how he should handle the situation. I mean, he was on the verge of proposing and he told Barry. You don't go rogue on something as big as finding out you have a nine-year-old kid…

Well, he did have time to think it over. Instead, he just stormed over to Samantha's house again before he thought it over or talked about the situation with Felicity, like changed Season 4 Oliver would have done.

Exactly! Who is Felicity going to tell?! And Oliver completely and immediately caved to the demands. Jeez.

Part of it was that he really didn't put up a fight about telling Felicity. I mean, he was on the verge of proposing to her. Plus, you had Barry telling him, hey, you guys got into a big fight and broke up because you hid it from Felicity in the other timeline.

Loved the scene between Barry and Felicity and the DNA results. Apparently you shouldn't trust Barry with a deep secret** because he will fold like a straw house when he's under pressure/flustered in a lie with someone close to him. That was a great scene with Felicity.

Laurel, Thea and Diggle essentially existed in this episode to get their ass kicked by Vandal Savage and then dramatically melt and die.

Oliver not telling Felicity about his son is a huge step back from the character development he'd made this season IMO.

As I mentioned in a different reply to someone in this thread, maybe it's similar to the limitations of True Love's Kiss? Like, it's not effective if you've had your mind wiped because you have no memories of becoming the Dark One. I'm sure (well, I hope at least) there will be further clarification in the next…

Maybe it works similar to True Love's Kiss as in if your memories are wiped, it doesn't work? So since he didn't remember becoming the Dark One, he wouldn't have been able to use any dark powers.

Dark Hook definitely has a lot of potential. Hopefully they don't screw it up.

I like them together and have enjoyed the evolution of their relationship since they first met. It doesn't feel completely rushed. You have (or had now that they're both Dark Ones) a ying and yang relationship in terms of good and bad, light and dark and their personal experiences complement each other.

One of my favorite exchanges, and one of the few light-hearted moments in "Birth"

I didn't actually mind "The Bear King" episode … it was just jarring given what happened in the first hour and how it didn't really have anything to do with it.

Anyone else bored whenever there are scenes between Henry and Violet? A great opportunity to hit the fast forward button. Zzzz.