Grant Gustin And Melissa Benoist Pay Tribute To Arrow’s Stephen Amell

With the series finale of Arrow looming close, other stars from The CW are paying tribute to the man who set the groundwork for the multiverse of heroes.

The story of Oliver Queen, the green-hooded vigilante of Star City, is no more. After sacrificing himself at the end of “Crisis on Infinite Earths” to kickstart the multiverse again, the Green Arrow became a symbol of heroism for those who’d continue the fight and keep the spark of hope alive.

But even outside the context of the Arrowverse storyline, Stephen Amell’s dedication over the course of Arrow‘s eight-season run has been nothing short of fundamental to the rise of superhero dramas, without whom we’d never see the likes of The Flash and Supergirl become such hits on television and continue production over several seasons. So, it’s only apt that the stars of these IPs now pay tribute to the man who started it all.

Speaking with TV Guide, Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist explained what Arrow meant to them and how Stephen Amell contributed to the success of their respective shows:

“Stephen started all of this. And the legacy he’s leaving is pretty incredible,” Melissa said. “You know, we almost have our own Justice League on television, and the universe is massive and he was always at the helm. So it’ll be different without him and an adjustment without him there and without all the Arrow people there.”

Grant Gustin, who’s been there with Amell from the beginning, sweetly mentioned how the actor always had his back by saying:

“Stephen’s always been so great to me, personally, and to just the world as a whole. He’s definitely been the leader of the Arrowverse, and I don’t want to have to take up that place. They’ll be missed.”

Indeed, the death of Oliver Queen did bring about the rise of the Justice League on television, or at least a version of it, but from here on out, it’ll be up to the scarlet speedster of Central City and the Girl of Steel to bear the torch and carry the burden of the Arrowverse.

But all’s not over yet, as we still have the series finale, titled “Fadeout,” to look forward to on Monday. Don’t miss it!