Arrow hit the airwaves back in 2012 as a series starring one of the lesser known superheroes from DC Comics, and there was no saying if anybody would tune in. Now, Arrow is responsible for not only becoming a hit for The CW, but also launching an entire universe. Sadly, the end of an era is coming, as Arrow will conclude after Season 8.
Yes, the Arrow-verse will be without Arrow in the not-terribly-distant future. Many fans are undoubtedly shocked by the news, as Arrow was one of the shows The CW renewed earlier this year with no news that the end was nigh. The eighth and final season won't follow the precedent set by previous seasons, either, as all ran for upward of 20 episodes. Arrow Season 8 will run for only 10 episodes.
Executive producers Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Beth Schwartz elaborated on the decision to end Arrow in a statement:
This was a difficult decision to come to, but like every hard decision we’ve made for the past seven years, it was with the best interests of Arrow in mind. We’re heartened by the fact that Arrow has birthed an entire universe of shows that will continue on for many years to come. We’re excited about crafting a conclusion that honors the show, its characters and its legacy and are grateful to all the writers, producers, actors, and — more importantly — the incredible crew that has sustained us and the show for over seven years
The executive producers have nothing but praise for the show that launched the Arrow-verse and the people who brought it to the small screen. Even though Arrow's ratings definitely haven't been what they once were, Arrow is still the original superhero series of this universe, and saying goodbye could be quite emotional for fans and the folks at the show alike.
Moving forward, the Arrow-less Arrow-verse will consist of at least The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl. Although Supergirl did technically start over on CBS, there can be no doubt that it never would have happened if Arrow had not proved that there's an audience for superhero TV shows, and Barry's crossing over to Supergirl on CBS established the shows in the same universe, if not the same network at the time. The odds are also looking pretty good for a Batwoman series to join the Arrow-verse.
We also don't necessarily need to rule out the end of Arrow as the end of Oliver Queen, despite speculation about his death following the events of the "Elseworlds" crossover from last fall. Stephen Amell talked about the end of Arrow in a Facebook Live, saying this:
Something tells me even when I'm done, I won't be gone. If you've watched the Arrow-verse, you should understand that.
Who knows how Arrow is going to end? As much as it seems likely at this point that Oliver is going to die, Stephen Amell doesn't need to be done. Honestly, maybe Arrow will end with Oliver just deciding to quit the superhero life for good and seek a quieter life with Felicity and baby Mia, perhaps preventing the catastrophic events that led to the hellish future of the Season 7 flash-forwards.
Or maybe he really will die, and Amell will only come back via flashbacks, hallucinations, and/or alternate Earth versions of Oliver.
Find out what's in store next for Oliver Queen and Co. when new episodes of Arrow in what is now officially the penultimate season air on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. For more viewing options and shows that could last well beyond the next TV season, check out our midseason TV premiere schedule.
