#arrow spec

I might be a little bit rusty when it comes to this. It's been a while since I cared enough to even try and theorize about Arrow. That hasn't changed, but I do care about how Oliver Queen's journey is going to end. I love that stubborn s.o.b.

Anyhoo, here is what I was thinking...it probably won't happen, but that's part of the fun, right?

Oliver/The Spectre will defeat The Anti-Monitor. Some version of a New Earth will be restored and then Oliver will disappear. He will be believed to be dead, which is why in the finale they have a funeral, a statue etc.

However, Oliver is not dead. His soul is stuck in Purgatory and he has given up. Then Future Felicity shows up, they talk, she tells him about her life without him, she gives him another epic speech, and gets him back in the game. She tells him to

And as always, if it's her asking, he'll do it.

We then get Oliver in his season 1 suit fighting his way through the island. He reaches the beach and it cuts away.

Then we see present Felicity, John, young William and Mia go back to the apartment after the funeral, and they see Oliver standing, looking out the window. Felicity runs to him and they have the most epic of reunions. He says the line "I told you I'd always come back."

Then William runs to hug his dad, followed by John, then Felicity brings baby Mia to him and its emotional and life affirming and our ship is the ship to end all ships!

Oliver doesn't want anyone to know that he's alive. He just wants to be with his family. I get my The Dark Knight Rises ending I've always wanted.

Then we'll have a montage of Oliver, Felicity and the kids together.

Following up with some spec ideas I had whilst chatting with some of our lovely Discord Fam:

So Oliver (and FTA...ALL OF FTA GHDSJLGHDSJGFSLDHGJDSG!!!!) were just returned to the bunker in present day (ish). BUT Dig was in the bunker, when he was supposedly off on that mission with Lyla (can’t remember where they actually were meant to be for that haha). 

Sooo...what if Oliver et al were actually brought back to the bunker during the Olicity Cabin Honeymoon? This would mean that there are currently 2 Olivers/Mias/Willams/Connors on E1.  This could mean that Oliver still ends up sacrificing himself during the Crisis....BUT!!!! Cabin!Oliver still remains and gets to raise his family in hiding with Felicity! 

Oliver would TOTALLY sacrifice himself to give that future back to Mia/William/Felicity/himself. This would correlate with Stephen saying there are multiple Olivers in the crossover, would still let the show murder us, seeing Oliver die, still allow Oliver to make his ‘hero’s sacrifice’ 🙄 but then give him his ultimate reward of a do-over and a chance to right the horrible future fated to Star City, basically our happily ever after! 😍😍😍

Aaaanyway this will all probably be debunked when we find out next week that they just teleported Oliver back to Star City and Diggle just got a quick flight back home, but let a girl dream for a week 😂😂😂

Tagging the ladies that were there at the time of spiralling haha: @1-crazy-dreamer @puck038 @chrissykins-for-the-win @lupin72 @laxit21

So this little nugget was in the second trailer for Crisis

And while I too had my emo OLIVER GETS TO HUG HIS BABY GIRL moment. This isn’t the hug we got in 8x07. That was a much different hug, and Oliver was wearing different clothes.

Speaking of clothing. He’s got on his old hood here. And he looks like he’s on some version of Lian Yu.

So off the wall theory time. The Monitor takes Oliver away before Crisis fully ends in order to ‘blah, blah, blah’ whatever I didn’t watch last years crossover nor do I really play attention to the Monitor at all. He broke up a family. He’s basically a homewrecker.

Anyway back to the theory. He sends Oliver away when Mia agrees to finish crisis for her dad. And if she does, and she wins? (is this something you can win? idk) then the Monitor has to give Oliver back. Because if he doesn’t she will refuse to ever pick up a bow again. And as we learned from 7x22 he told Felicity that the future needed Mia in it. 

So Mia saves the day, saves her dad, and saves her family. With an assist from Sara Lance and John Diggle. The only other two people in the scope of the crossover who will actually give a damn if Oliver dies.

Edit:

You know when I first saw the season 8 key art I didn’t think anything of it and then I saw a cropped version and I realized something ... 

That has to be Mia in the suit in the foreground. The body is much smaller than Oliver’s and the suit is super ill fitting. Then I realized the art was giving me major Lion King vibes. 

That coupled with the tagline of “Heroes fall. Legends rise.” and the announcement of a potential spin-off in the works ... I think this is where we really say goodbye to Oliver Queen forever. I have a feeling that somewhere towards the end of it all, we’re going to see Oliver die and Mia take on the mantle. 

Hi.

Everyone OK? 

So, today’s my birthday and tonight’s episode, while anxiety inducing, was awesome. AND THAT PROMO! (In the words of Cristina Yang: “Somebody sedate me!”)

Anyway...

Wow. Wow, wow, wow.

Last week, when the promo for 7x15 aired I was kind of ambivalent about the episode since it (as we now know) was almost a complete misdirect of what the episode actually ended up being. And, oh boy, did it end up being something else.

I don’t even know where to begin, so I’m just going to go for it. Sorry if this is confusing.

The Road to the End and How Last Week’s Announcement Effects the Future Storyline

Due to last week’s announcement that Arrow is officially coming to an end with a shortened 8th season, I think it is necessary to reevaluate where this train is headed. I could be completely wrong, but I’m not convinced that anything up until the announcement of Arrow’s fate was written in stone. I believe that the Flash Forwards were introduced primarily as a launching point for a post-Stephen Amell version of Arrow, where the action would be firmly entrenched in 2040, allowing for a version of the series starring Ben, Kat, the actors that play Zoe and Connor, Juliana, Rick, Colton, and maybe David as regulars. 

Now that Arrow is ending, I’m not as convinced that the fate of the story will remain the same as it would have if Arrow would have remained on the air. While the speculation of Oliver’s possible death being reversed would still have been very possible if Arrow continued past 8x10, I don’t know that it would make as much sense in terms of the seeds being sewn this season for a possible continuation in the future storyline.

On a side note, I can’t tell you how happy I am that Arrow will end with Stephen’s departure. Even though I’ll miss it, I think it’s for the best.

The State of Star City and Vigilantes in 2040

One of the big mysteries that the Flash Forwards have created this season revolves around Star City’s grim fate and the criminality and hatred of vigilantes in 2040. Until tonight, the solution to that mystery seemed pretty straight forward. In fact, I was speculating that the discord between the SCPD and Team Arrow tonight (with Dinah siding with the SCPD) was the beginning of the end for the redemption of vigilantes in the eyes of Star City (and the SCPD/Mayor Pollard) and the beginning of the end of Dinah and Rene’s relationship.

But, just as quickly as I thought that, Diggle came through with words of wisdom and moderation and reminded our parents-to-be that going to the other extreme of defying everything they’d worked for wasn’t the way to go. So, by the end of the episode, a truce has been reached between the SCPD and Team Arrow and Mayor Pollard is ready to repeal the anti-vigilante law. This does not match up to the future we’re seeing in 2040.

So, what gives? What happens next that causes such a reversal? 

I don’t know for sure, but all signs are pointing towards wherever the storyline with Dante/Emiko is going.

The item that I’m battling with right now, particularly after the information we’ve been given last week, tonight, and in the promo for next week have made me wonder whether we’re putting way too much stock in Crisis on Infinite Earths providing all the answers to out questions. (And that goes beyond the mystery of Oliver’s fate.)

The reason for this is that, assuming there won’t be an unexpected time jump and that the 2019 Crossover will happen in November/December, the timelines at this moment don’t match up for Crisis to be the all-consuming answer.

Plus, Arrow (and the rest of the Arrowverse) generally try to ground their series in their own independent storylines without relying too much on crossover since not everyone watches every show. Again, not saying Crisis is not going to play a major role, that but as we learn more information, we’re possibly ignoring what’s going on NOW in favor of putting all our eggs in the Crisis basket.

Felicity’s pregnancy is in an early stage, so probably pre-12 weeks if we’re going by traditional rubrics. She manages to keep it a secret while in Star City and then finds a way to legitimately leave Star City and have the baby with no one but Oliver and Diggle knowing. 

It’s reasonable to assume that Star City’s condition continues to deteriorate or reaches a turning point as Season 7 comes to a close. Whether that’s all due to Dante or also something happens with the SCPD truce remains to be seen. But, something drastic has to happen to cause Oliver and Felicity to believe that their only option is to hide Mia away.

I’m also assuming that it is around the same time that Olicity decide that it is better to let William think they abandoned him in order to keep him safe.

Unless there’s a time jump, Mia will not be born before the end of the season. So, something major has to be coming and soon. What that is though, I don’t know. 

Who Is the Real Big Bad? (And Is Diaz Really Dead?)

Last week’s episode left Emiko’s loyalties ambiguous, even though they placed heavy doubt on them. Tonight, however, I think there is more evidence in the camp that Emiko is indeed one of this season’s villains. (Though that doesn’t mean she can’t/won’t be redeemed by season’s end.)

My speculation is that Diaz is really dead and that Emiko was sent by Dante to Slabside to tie up that loose end. While of course the comics-based speculation that Diaz could be reborn through some kind of ritual within the Ninth Circle, I think Dante sees him as a liability that needed to be snuffed out. (Much like how Dante simply shot everyone else in that meeting where Diaz went rogue.)

There’s no doubt that Dante, the Ninth Circle, and Emiko to a certain extent are the Season 7 Big Bad.

What remains to be seen, however, is how exactly they relate to the future we’re seeing in 2040.

Emiko vs. Black Siren

Based on tonight’s episode, the title of a future episode, and a post made by Katie Cassidy, I am speculating that Black Siren dies within the next few episodes. I could be totally wrong, or only wrong that Black Siren dies and doesn’t just leave a redeemed person. But, the title “Lost Canary” combined with Katie Cassidy cutting her hair pretty short, and the newly established animosity between Emiko and Black Siren is interesting...

It could also be a reason why vigilantes are once again in the crosshairs, since Black Siren is technically the DA.

Olicity and Baby Mia

I covered most of this above, but OMG THAT PROMO!!!!

I think next week is going to be doozy. I can’t even begin to verbalize what I think we’ll be talking about at this time next Monday.

Hi anon,

Not gonna lie, if Oliver dies at the end of the series, I will be PISSED! Maybe these writers think it’s the only way for him to be “redeemed” but in my opinion, it would be a cop-out. Not just to the fans who have invested seven plus years in this show but also to Oliver as a character. A few weeks ago I did a Twitter thread explaining why:

I was addressing Oliver’s unmasking, but this also applies to his life and the end of the show. Oliver has never had a problem with sacrificing himself for the greater good. His entire journey as GA has been about that. Where he’s struggled is learning how to live again. Learning to give and accept love.

If Oliver were to die before he’s an old man who’s lived a full life, I feel like the entire message of the show will have been muddied. It feels wrong that death is the only way for him to atone for his sins, as was implied in the crossover. And since Oliver is like a soldier, I think it sends a horrible message to others who struggle with PTSD and trauma. Oliver’s life matters and none of these other so-called “heroes” who constantly get free passes to screw with the timelines would be where they are if Oliver didn’t decide to become The Arrow. They might not even have survived the crossover if Oliver hadn’t made some ominous deal with The Monitor. That has yet to be revealed, but I think the writers are trying to copy Marvel’s Infinity Wars just like they copied the Civil War last season.

I’m curious to see how this all plays out, but Arrow hasn’t felt like Arrow to me since 4A. While I’ve enjoyed certain Olicity scenes, none of the plotlines these writers have carried out feel true the show or the characters. If Stephen wants to leave after S8, that’s fine. I don’t think Arrow should continue without him, since it’s his journey. He is The Arrow, and Felicity and Dig are the key members of his team. There’s no reason to drag this show out unless they decide to do a show with their children; but even then I think these writers have lost the spark that made this show so great in the beginning.

My main thought is this:

a. change up the future timeline so Arrow doesn’t end with Oliver & the present day team failing their ultimate mission and/or dying

b. let Juliana & Katie play appropriately aged Dinah & Laurel