The series follows the story of billionaire Oliver Queen, who returns home after five years supposedly stranded on a remote Pacific island (Lian Yu) and becomes a vigilante on a quest to save his city.

Felicity is based on the comic book character of the same name, created by Gerry Conway and Rafael Kayanan and was adapted for television by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg.

Introduced as having a genius level intellect, with a penchant for inappropriate commentary, Felicity debuted in the third episode of Arrow's first season as an employee of Queen Consolidated, working in the IT department.

[4] Regarding this decision, Guggenheim explained that producers realized that Felicity would either have to learn the truth about Oliver Queen, or "go away" and that "once we decided that she couldn't go away ... making her a series regular was kind of a no-brainer.

[36] Reviewing the season five episode "Bratva"[37] for Yahoo TV, Robert Chan expressed that "no matter how many people you add, this show still comes down to the balance of Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity".

[25] Discussing the character's growth across the first season, she noted how with each new experience with 'Team Arrow' Felicity "shrugs off one more restriction that was keeping her held back"[40] and that working undercover allowed her to "put aside some of her inhibitions, and become someone else for a while".

[43] Speaking in 2014, executive producer Andrew Kreisberg talked about the writing team recognizing the importance of the three characters to the dynamic of the show, and working to bring the storyline back to them.

[44] The season four premiere demonstrated how important her work as a vigilante is to Felicity, showcasing her reluctance to leave that life for one of domesticity, with her secretly communicating with the team in Star City during her and Oliver's time away.

[47] As well as using her Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related skills in her vigilante work, Felicity is also regularly recognized and acknowledged by other characters within the Arrowverse in the professional and academic sphere.

[12] Although in a relatively lowly role, her skills are recognized by CEO Walter Steele, a fact that leads him to both recommend her to Oliver when he needs IT assistance and to ask her to investigate his suspicions regarding Moira Queen's business dealings.

[54] When asked about the development of storylines focussed on Felicity's professional life in 2016, David Ramsey, who plays John Diggle, stated, "I like the idea that she can be her own person, and she can be strong and feminine, own the company, without pining over men".

[57] The company is further teased during the Arrow episode of the Arrowverse crossover event "Invasion", set during season five, where the building features in the alien induced shared-hallucination experienced by Oliver and others, acting as the portal to lead them all back to reality.

[64] Victoria McNally, writing in 2015 for MTV, praised the presentation of "science nerds", including Felicity, within the Arrowverse as "relatable people" and for "dispelling the stereotype of scientists as asocial losers".

[66] Conversely, Jessica Toomer, writing for Uproxx towards the end of Arrow's fifth season, described Felicity as "a fully rounded character, one with agency and abilities" and praised the show for "flipping the 'geek gets girl' trope on its gender-confined head".

[67] Jesse Schedeen of IGN welcomed Felicity's new role as CEO in Arrow season four, stating she was "no longer a supporting character defined by her relationships to men like Ollie and Ray.

[69] Advocating for more women to take up careers in the field, European Space Agency engineer Vinita Marwaha Madill referenced Felicity as a positive role model for young girls.

[77] Speaking in 2013 executive producer Marc Guggenheim acknowledged that on screen Oliver and Felicity had "palpable chemistry", but also that his relationship with Laurel in season one had to "sort of play...out" before the show could shift focus.

[98] During the 2017 Arrowverse crossover event "Crisis on Earth-X", the pair marry in a storyline described by showrunner Wendy Mericle as one in which Oliver "explores the question of true love".

[94] Speaking about the impact on the character following the introduction of Felicity's father, Noah Kuttler (portrayed by Tom Amandes), also known as The Calculator, in the season four episode "Unchained", showrunner Wendy Mericle commented that "I think she's really conflicted.

"[118] The character of Barry Allen, who would go on to headline Arrowverse spin-off show The Flash, is introduced in the season two Arrow episode "The Scientist"[119] He and Felicity quickly form a bond, which develops into a potential romantic link.

[111] Executive producer Wendy Mericle expressed that Felicity was "try[ing] to maintain that level of optimism", but also that the show would demonstrate how she goes on "a little bit of a dark journey of her own as she tries to grapple with the reality of this new situation".

[142] Rickards also filmed a Public Service Announcement in conjunction with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation advocating for advancements in the treatment of spinal injuries, released on the air date of the episode.

In the same year, Felicity did appear in a brief cameo in the penultimate season two episode of Legends of Tomorrow, "Doomworld", as a masked superhero in an alternate timeline, a choice Guggenheim stated was made because "we'll probably never have the opportunity to do so again".

[152] Oliver and Felicity are seemingly living happily in Ivy Town in the season four premiere, when Laurel Lance and Thea Queen arrive to ask for their help in Starling (now Star) City.

[172] Felicity does not appear in "Starling City", the season eight premiere, but features as an unseen character, stated to have been instrumental in sending Diggle to Earth-2 to assist Oliver in his mission for the Monitor.

[183] She appears in the season two penultimate episode, "Doomworld", as a masked vigilante in an alternative reality where Damien Darhk is mayor of Star City, and the rest of team Arrow are dead.

[187] She plays a central role in the second Arrowverse Crossover event in 2015, (which set up spin-off series Legends of Tomorrow), working with the teams to combat Vandal Savage.

[191] Oliver and Felicity are both shown to work through insecurities in their relationship across the crossover event, and in the final scene, get married alongside Barry Allen and Iris West, in a service conducted by John Diggle.

[209] Jeffrey Morgan of Digital Spy called Felicity's introduction to "Team Arrow" "a smart move", appreciating the integration of her lighter personality with the more stoic duo of Oliver and Diggle, as well as praising the performances of both Rickards and David Ramsey.

[258] In February 2015, DC Collectibles announced the release of a second series of Arrow and The Flash action figures, which included a Felicity Smoak toy with detachable hands.