Arrow Showrunner Says Felicity’s Exit Occurs Before Season 7 Finale

We hope you weren’t expecting Emily Bett Rickards to hang around for Arrow‘s season 7 finale.

According to series showrunner Beth Schwartz, Rickards’ on-screen character, Felicity Smoak, will bow out before the end of season 7, and therefore won’t be involved in the impending series finale – barring some unexpected turn of events, or a left-field surprise from The CW.

She’ll be missed, of course, but while chatting to TVLine (h/t ComicBook.com), Beth Schwartz announced that Felicity’s exit “is addressed at the end of this season,” meaning fans won’t be left to pore over a potential cliffhanger all summer long. There’s also a very good chance that she’ll miss out on Arrow‘s eighth and final season, after the actress herself took to Instagram to bid adieu to the Arrow fanbase.

Felicity and I are a very tight two. But after one through seven, we will be saying goodbye to you.

What makes the character of Felicity all the more special is that she was originally intended to be a one-episode cameo (see: “Lone Gunmen”), but the overwhelmingly positive reaction to Emily Bett Rickards and her performance led to a promotion of sorts, and Felicity has been with us ever since.

But after almost seven full seasons of vigilante action, it’s time to say goodbye. And this official statement from The CW perfectly sums up Rickards’ contribution to the DC series.

We’ve had the pleasure of working with Emily since season one and in those past seven years, she has brought one of TV’s most beloved characters to life. And although we’re heartbroken to see both Emily and Felicity leave the show, we’re completely supportive of Emily and her future endeavors. She will always have a family at Arrow.

Further details on Felicity’s imminent departure are being kept under lock and key, but we assume it has something to do with her daughter, who now finds herself in the line of fire. Perhaps a self-imposed exile is in order? All will be revealed when Arrow reaches its season 7 finale on May 13th. Closer to home, The CW’s superhero drama returns next Monday with “Lost Canary.”