More often than not, a given season finale of Arrow sets up wherever the story may go from there. But in the case of last night’s offering, “You Have Saved This City,” it could have easily functioned as a series finale. In fact, executive producer and showrunner Beth Schwartz said as much before it’d even aired.
Still, we did get little hints as to what the future will hold, specifically that Oliver Queen will indeed die during the upcoming “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Not only that, but the Monitor whisked him away on some sort of cosmic quest, thereby leaving Felicity to raise their baby, Mia, alone.
Where we go from here is anybody’s guess, but we need to brace ourselves for what could possibly be a drastically different eighth and final season. Like I said, last night could’ve absolutely functioned as the show’s sendoff because Oliver pretty much said his goodbyes to Team Arrow and left Star City in their capable hands.
One possibility is that some calamity will draw Oliver back home come this October, and he’ll need to suit up as the Green Arrow for a little while longer. Who the big bad will be is up for discussion, but let’s not forget that the Ninth Circle could pick up the pieces following Emiko’s betrayal and subsequent death.
Alternatively, we could witness what I’ll refer to as “The Cosmic Adventures of Oliver Queen,” as he joins the Monitor for a multiverse-spanning mission to round up the right superheroes to combat the Anti-Monitor. Well, that’s what I’m picturing. Even so, a total science fiction turn for the show may seem jarring to some viewers after taking in seven seasons of what’s been the Arrowverse’s most grounded series.
But to be honest, I think we’re going to get more of the first option with a little bit of the second. As “Crisis on Infinite Earths” inches ever closer, the producers will probably want to start setting it up. And with Ollie fated to bite the dust during it, I’m sticking to my guns in saying that Arrow‘s actual series finale will serve as a memorial/epilogue for the Emerald Archer.