Thank you, Green Arrow.
I only became engulfed in the Arrowverse a few years ago, but it seems like I’ve been here forever. Thank you, Netflix, because, without it, I don’t know if I ever would have gotten into this world the way I’m SO in it now. Falling into this Arrowverse has been a gift that keeps on giving. Thanks to Arrow, I’ve not only found all the incredible shows of Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and most recently, Batwoman but also an incredible group of actors and actresses that I’ve come to adore. (On top of that I’ve paid more attention to whos directing the show, who’s writing the show and so on, and I’ve come to notice some incredible talent on that side of the camera).
From Caity Lotz and her portrayal of Sara Lance, Emily Bett’s Felicity Smoak, Katie Cassidys’ Laurel Lance, Willa Hollands’ Thea Queen, David Ramsey’s John Diggle, Paul Blackthrone’ Quinten Lance, John Barrowman’s’ Malcolm Merlyn, Josh Segarra’s’ Adrian Chase, Katrina Laws’ Nyssa Raatko, Katherine McNamaras’ Mia Smoak, and obviously, Stephen Amell’s’ Oliver Queen to only name a FEW; this show has given us quite an amount of complex characters, storylines, villains and heroes and somehow, made it all work.
In the first few seasons, the angst that just poured off of Oliver as he struggled with his mission, his past and his trust issues, and so on was so much fun to watch. The flashbacks were brilliantly placed, and I, personally, loved learning about Oliver’s journey in that way. Many of the big-time villains that Oliver and Team Arrow went to battle with were some of the best written and portrayed villains I’ve ever watched. Thinking about the line Sara Lance said when she saw Ollie during the crossover, we saw playboy Oliver, vigilante Oliver, Husband and father Oliver, and of course, Hero Oliver. When you watch who Oliver Queen was before he got on that boat, and you watch who everyone expected to be when he got back, and then you fast forward to who he is at the end of season seven and into season eight, it’s hard to believe that in that amount of time someone can continue to evolve past what already changed him while he was away.
Like many shows that I end up falling into this way, I found Arrow at a time that I was looking for something to dive into because I needed an escape. Life sucks sometimes, and sometimes it sucks a lot, and if you’re lucky one day you’re looking to get lost, you’re scrolling on Netflix, and you come across this show that you’re co-workers have talked about, and it’s has a superhero vibe, but darker, and the superhero vibe has definitely been your vibe as of late, so you give it a chance and now here you are years later trying to find the words to say goodbye to a TV and explain why you’re genuinely sad about a TV ending because sometimes people just don’t get it, and that is okay.
I could go on and on, but if you’re reading this you probably know exactly why its sad to say goodbye to this show, (most) of its characters, and finally see the end of Oliver Queen’s journey. It’s bittersweet because you know a show with this kind of vibe can only last so long, explore so many things, and keep the same tempo and go out strong and they’re able to do that. Us, as fans, are lucky because we get an ending, and some fandoms are not that lucky. It certainly helps that Arrow, and Oliver Queen birthed and helped to grow more shows that I have also become quite invested in and are more than strong enough to keep the Arrowverse spinning, even without THIS green arrow.
As the final episode airs I plan to do a lot of crying because god damn it, I get too emotionally invested in TV shows, and I know it, and I’m tired of being sorry about it. I’ve seen promo pictures on twitter, heard some rumors, and are desperately avoiding anymore. I don’t want to know the end, I don’t even want a hint of it, I want to feel it all as it unfolds.
To all involved, thanks for giving a gal like me moments to get lost in, characters to fall in love with, and some to deeply hate. Thanks for opening the door for all the amazing DC TV shows that have followed since. Thank you for taking us along on this journey with you. It’s been a hell of a fight, a hell of a ride, and a hell of a good time.
I hope to have a giant glass of tequila to toast the end of this iconic show, it’s iconic cast, and its iconic story.
Miss Raee 