Though it’s inevitable that every TV show will come to an end at some point, the confirmation we received a few weeks ago of Arrow concluding with its eighth season still came as a shock to many. And if that weren’t enough, lead actor Stephen Amell likely brought tears to the eyes of many viewers when he posted a heartfelt goodbye video soon after the news broke.
This wasn’t a house built by just one man, though, as folks like Emily Bett Rickards and David Ramsey have also been around since the start, and though fans were hopeful that most of the original cast members would be staying on the show until the end, it seems that won’t be the case.
As you’ve surely heard, Rickards shocked the internet yesterday when she announced that she’d be leaving after the current season. It was a reveal that seemingly came out of nowhere, and in an official statement released shortly after, here’s what the producers behind Arrow had to share:
“We’ve had the pleasure of working with Emily since season one and in those past seven years she has brought one of TV’s most beloved characters to life. And although we’re heartbroken to see both Emily and Felicity leave the show, we’re completely supportive of Emily and her future endeavors. She will always have a family at Arrow.”
While it’s a nice enough statement, it keeps things pretty short and to the point, which means we still don’t really know the details surrounding Emily Bett Rickards’ exit. What’s also unclear is how Felicity will be written out of Arrow. Or even when she’ll say her goodbyes.
For instance, will it be in the finale? Before then? As soon as the next episode? So many questions and so few answers. But with Rickards having now let the cat out of the bag, and fans starting to voice their concerns, we imagine that the team behind Arrow will bring some more clarity to the situation shortly. As always, stay tuned.