The end is nigh for Arrow, but does that have to mean the end of all the Arrow characters on The CW? While there is of course the possibility of survivors who didn't end the series mysteriously shipped off elsewhere by the Monitor to simply join The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, or one of The CW's other superhero series, rumors have abounded for a while about a possible spinoff to keep an Arrow series in the Arrow-verse.
David Ramsey, who has played Oliver Queen's right-hand man from the very beginning of the show, chatted with CinemaBlend's Nick Venable at the 2019 Summer TCA Press Tour, and Ramsey said this when asked if he thought Diggle could hold his own for his own spinoff or a special one-off:
Yes to both. I think any of the characters can. I think Arrow's just one of those shows where you have enough interest in [everyone]. Mia and the kids in the future of Arrow, and John Diggle and the Green Lantern mythos. Even without John Diggle, he's married to the leader of A.R.G.U.S. with a child with some nefarious character in the future. It's built in, even without Green Lantern. You know, Wild Dog and Black Canary, Black Siren, Birds of Prey. There's, there's tons of different storylines and looks at worlds where you say, 'Okay, that I would watch that world.' WithJohn Diggle not being a small part of that. So Arrow doesn't hurt for content, and it's part of the reason why shows spin off from it, right? So it's just one of those shows where it's been blessed to have not just rich characters, but a fan base that's interested in seeing those characters continue.
Not only could John Diggle star in his own spinoff, according to David Ramsey, but so could any of the current Arrow characters. One of the most popular (and, arguably, likely) spinoff possibilities that has been pitched by fans is a Star City 2040-type of show, starring the next generation of Arrow heroes, including Mia Smoak, William Clayton, and Connor Hawke, possibly with John Diggle, Jr. joining the ranks in Season 8. Ramsey did tease possible spinoffs!
Still, the current generation of Arrow heroes is going strong, and some will undoubtedly continue to do so even after the events of "Crisis" ultimately take Oliver out of the superhero game, at least on Earth-1.
Of any of the adult heroes in the present timeline, Diggle certainly is the most logical candidate to anchor his own spinoff. He's been around from the very first episode of the series, was a hero long before he ever donned a helmet and took a code name, and knows what he's doing. And he's married to Lyla, leader of A.R.G.U.S.!
Throw in that long-awaited Green Lantern mythos that David Ramsey already teased will have a part to play in Season 8, and the stage is practically set for Diggle as the next leading hero in Star City. He even played the part of the Green Arrow when Oliver was out of commission, and his new suit for Season 8 has green accents to it.
The eighth season of Arrow may be largely about setting up "Crisis on Infinite Earths," but there will be room for more. And if Arrow does get a spinoff set in the present timeline, would Oliver really sign on for anybody other than Diggle to step into his shoes as the lead hero of Star City? And would anybody else really deserve it, if Diggle wanted it?
Of course, assuming Diggle survives, there's no reason why he couldn't be part of a Star City 2040 spinoff, unless David Ramsey wanted to avoid the makeup process that would be required to age him up a couple of decades. We'll have to wait and see what happens once Arrow returns for its eighth and final season in the fall on The CW.
