Arrow and The Flash: Yin and Yang

     

Green and red go so well together

        Arrow and The Flash make a pretty good team. Now we've got Legends of Tomorrow coming soon which I feel will tip the balance a bit (that remains to be seen) but I want to talk about how Arrow and The Flash what an awesome partnership it has been between these guys all season. 

        Oliver Queen and Barry Allen are two sides of a coin. I'm going to start with their differences.

The Scarlet Speedster & the Emerald Archer

         Oliver went through the grinder and then some. He watched his father commit suicide, had to survive on an island, was taught how to torture and kill, then saw his best friend die and mother murdered. I wouldn't be able to live much less push forward if I went through all that. Oliver is weapon in himself. He's killed people and continued that when he came home. His experience has given him perspective and made him a realist making him go to extremes to get justice. However because of his extremes Oliver's full of self loathing and also believing he bears the weight of the world on his shoulders gives him a sort of martyr-complex. Oliver learned that you have to stay alert at all times so he's more in tune with figuring people out at first glance: who's a threat and who's not. Oliver can be brutal to the point where he's terrifying. His Batman voice alone sends shivers down one's spine. 

Let's help Barry see the light!

          Barry has had dark moments in his life. His mother was murdered and his father was blamed. Yet Barry held onto his child like belief in the impossible, vehemently defending his father despite the vitriol is earned him over the years. He maintained a family support system gaining a second father in Joe West who in turn calls Barry "son". Barry has a huge amount of compassion that's inspiring. He's his own comic relief sometimes. He wears his heart on his sleeve, not only keeping a bright outlook but also crying whenever he feels sad. He allows himself to be emotionally vulnerable (and available) but that doesn't make him weak it gives him strength. Doing something bad seems out of character for him actually. Barry tried to take a page out of Oliver's playbook: play nice with the villain for convenience. That back fired. 

My abs are just as awesome as your abs, Oliver

     Despite their differences Oliver and Barry have something in common: their hearts. Oliver's heart lies with his family and it's this desire to protect them drove him to keep a light on in his dark heart. It's what allowed him to open up his heart to Laurel and Felicity. Oliver chose love over power and he'll do it every time. Mentoring Barry was the best thing for Oliver. It was like having a little brother. With Oliver's experience and Barry's heart they are the perfect team.

They're wearing the same color too!

      In the crossovers we saw the contrast between our heroes but we also saw that they have more in common than  differences. Together they can face anything. The perfect balance of light and darkness.